“As a child of the King, you are at the front of the line. You, at any moment, can turn to God.”- Max Lucado
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”- Philippians 4:6
In Chapter 6 (“Prayer, Not Despair”) of Anxious for Nothing, Max Lucado notes that when people pray, peace happens. Next, Pastor Lucdo cites The Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-6) – a parable of contrast, not comparison. Thus, this parable doesn’t depict prayer as a matter of pestering God until He breaks down and gives us what we want.
Rather, although the judge growled, complained, and murmured, in the end he rendered a just decision. Therefore, God certainly gives justice to His chosen people, who cry out to Him day and night. Also, the parable placed the widow at the bottom of the pecking order. However, as a child of the King, you stand at the front of the line. At any given moment, you can turn to God.
Thus, in Philippians 4:6, the apostle Paul calls us to take action against anxiety. Up to this point, he’d been reassuring us of God’s character – His sovereignty, mercy, and presence. Now, we need to affirm this belief as we choose prayer over despair. For when people pray, peace happens.
Furthermore, Pastor Lucado calls our attention to the terms prayer, supplication, and requests. While the terms possess similar connotations, they’re not identical. Max explains:
- prayer – a general devotion that includes worship and adoration
- supplication – suggest humility; supplicants make no demands, simply offer humble requests
- request – a specific petition; you pray the particulars of your problems
Today’s question: What Bible verses remind you that you’re a child of the King? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Casting anxiety in the direction of Christ”
