The early church was encouraged to pray always. They were admonished to pray for the apostles (leadership), to pray for one another (the church - its unity and its healing), and to pray for the spread of the gospel (the work). Frankly, though, that was about it. These three things were their prayer-issues - and they were asked to pray for them regularly. Our list is much larger. We ask God for health - good - and we ask Him for success, peace, and prosperity - hmmmmmm? So that, I confess, today, to wondering at the disparity between our prayer list and the injunction and instruction of the early church on the same.
Which brings me to this question. What would happen if our prayers were less selfish and more about the ministry and effectiveness of the gospel and the gospel spreaders themselves? (see above) Would God be surprised to find His church praying for its success and power in the land? Now don't get me wrong. We can, and perhaps should, pray for our needs and the individual success and happiness of friends, family and others. But it just strikes me as strange, today, to consider the disparity between what we often pray for and what the early church was instructed to pray for instead.
So I wonder, what would God think if His church prayed for... the Kingdom? You know, the way He taught us to - "Thy Kingdom Come Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven."
I wonder?
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