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THE
BIBLE
THE LORD JESUS
AND YOU
by
John Roberts
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And
You
Chapter 42
WHEN
I think of patience, I think of Maisie and Alf. Alf's mother
had come to live with them. She was a nice old lady, but she
was very demanding. Maisie looked after her well for many
years, but it was not an easy task. Occasionally the problems
would get her down.
She told me on one occasion that she often prayed for greater
patience. It never seemed to do any good, however. The situation
only got worse and worse. The old lady got more and more cantankerous.
Maisie was at her wit's end.
Then she began to realise that her prayer was being answered
by her circumstances. God does not give us patience on a plate.
Christian virtues are not handed out like that. We have to
learn patience. Through their worsening circumstances, Alf
and Maisie were being taught patience.
God Teaches Us Like Children
Life sometimes has to be like that. If we truly love our children
we shall teach and train them. It is for their sakes. We want
them to grow up to be liked. We want them to have nice children.
As a wise Father, God treats His children in that way.
There are times when suffering comes into the life of the
Christian. It is not a sign that God has ceased to love us.
Think of what our Lord Jesus Christ suffered. Such things
may be essential for our development. God may see them as
a necessary part of our training.
Baptism is a commitment to the will of God. There is no little
switch on the human mind that can change its thinking overnight.
We shall need to change, to become more like God in our ways.
Being different from others around us can be hard work. We
shall need to work at it.
Sometimes we shall find ourselves going back to the old routines.
That is why Bible reading and prayer are important parts of
the new life in Christ. We shall need continually the influence
of God's word to remind us of His ways.
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page
133 
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Reading
and Prayer
It is a good idea to establish a regular pattern for reading and
for prayer. Some recent statistics suggested that a surprisingly
large number of people pray. I wonder how many of those are prepared
to listen to God through the Bible. Unless we are willing to lend
an ear to what God has said to us, our prayer may be in vain.
Sin does not block prayer. There may be occasions when we feel unable
to pray. There may be times when we feel so bad that we do not imagine
that God will hear us. Yet there is always a way back if we are
truly sorry.
If, however, we always want to talk, we become like precocious children.
Why should God hear us then, if we are not willing to listen to
what He has to say through the Bible?
"One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his
prayer shall be an abomination."
(Proverbs 28:9)
Some suggestions were made in an earlier chapter on how to get started.
This verse shows the necessity of reading frequently. It is hard
to stress too much the importance of hearing God's word through
the pages of Scripture.
Prayer, too needs thought and care. It is no light thing to come
into the presence of the Almighty God. His majesty and holiness
are easily overlooked. We live in a world where there are fewer
and fewer things receiving our respect. Men are apt to become over-familiar.
Familiarity breeds contempt. Attitudes to God and His word become
sloppy.
The Lord's Prayer
The Lord's prayer is the supreme pattern. It begins with worship
and praise. It puts God in His proper place - first. It reminds
us that He is a perfect parent. He is in heaven, far above us in
His ways and thoughts.
Then the prayer seeks God's kingdom and His will. It is impossible
to pray for this unless we are willing to do His will ourselves.
That puts things in perspective.
It is in that context that Jesus then taught us to pray for daily
bread. Our wants are to be governed by our desire for God's will
in our own lives. Our prayers will become less of a "shopping
list". We shall more readily identify with what God wants for
us. He knows what is best.
Guidance is then asked as we make our way through the day. Forgiveness
too needs to be sought. The prayer concludes by acknowledging God
again.
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AND YOU
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