Praying like a poor man, harder than you think

I was reading Oswald Chambers My Utmost for his Highest June 9 devotion titled, For Everyone that Asketh Receiveth. Luke 11:10 http://www.studylight.org/devotionals/utm/

Study light is a great resource for Bible study. When most of us go to prayer we do not go to prayer with a perspective a of a poor man. I now live on a pension from work and Social Security. In my life giving was governed by the principle of planning and some discipline to stay within my means. Giving for me it was a joy in the spirit of unconditional love. Giving was always limited by my resources many times was joined with others who's gifts we're part of meeting a bigger need. Again most needs that I had we're met by provision and planning. I have experience a few times needs being met beyond what I could provide.

When a poor man prays he has little daily provision to plan with. The need is there but he can't meet it. So how does he pray? A poor man begs. Most of the time others then look down at him. For pity they may throw small coins his direction. Very few of the passerby's really look to do anything that might meet the need.  

In Luke 11:9 in the Greek three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God. Lk. 11:10 repeats the (ask… seek… knock) indicated that the repeated asking God does respond. 

Matt. 5:3a The poor in spirit is a reference to the “pious poor” for whom God especially cares. See 

Moses Tarr at Alfred Joe's home. These men are my 

friends. They are good men, better than me that is for

sure. They work hard and have trades. 

Ps 14:6 You sinners frustrate the plans of the afflicted, but the Lord is his refuge.” ; 22:24 For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He did not hide His face from him but listened when he cried to Him for help.”; 

25:16 “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone and afflicted.”; 

34:6 “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles.”; 40:17 “I am afflicted and needy; the Lord thinks of me. You are my helper and my deliverer; my God, do not delay.; 

69:29 ”But as for me—poor and in pain—let Your salvation protect me, God.”

When it comes to prayer many of us are in the dark about it. I have shared an extended quote from Thomas Constable writes concerning asking God to stimulate to grey cells and maybe a little bit of insight. God wants us to ask (beg) and understand our dependence on him. Many of us would balk at such idea.

Asking for Ourselves building a theology of prayer

“Some sincere Christians believe that it is selfish and not very trusting to ask God to give us anything. Some believe that praying for personal needs is more a mark of unbelief than of trust in God. After all, since God loves us perfectly will He not do what is best for us? 

Such an attitude may superficially sound very spiritual. However, it contradicts Jesus' clear teaching that God's children should ask Him for their needs (Matt. 6:11; Luke 11:1-4). It also ignores James' statement that we do not have some things from God because we do not ask Him for them (James 4:2). God not only encourages us to ask Him for what we need, but He commands us to do so. Evidently He does so to teach us to look to Him for our needs since He is our provider. 

God's responses to personal petitions teach us what we can expect when we pray this way. Sometimes God granted the request, but sometimes He did not. Sometimes He waited to give an answer. We shall investigate the conditions we need to meet for securing favorable answers to our prayers in a later chapter. For now, appreciate that often God graciously gives what we request for ourselves. 

Jesus told his disciples the parable of the persistent friend to help them realize that God will always give what is best to His children who ask Him in prayer (Luke 11:5-13). A friend may eventually give his neighbor what he needs because he is his friend. However, God is our Father, and a good father always gives his children what is best for  them at the best time. Therefore we should keep on asking in prayer, keep on seeking God's face, and keep on knocking on heaven's door. 

Fortunately God does not grant every one of our requests just because we ask. Sometimes we make foolish petitions. Moses once asked God to kill him because he felt discouraged (Num. 11:15). Fortunately God understands our situation and gives us what is best. Sometimes when old people pray for longer life God takes them home to heaven. If He does, that is best for them then.” 

A poor man ask God for $700.00 to buy an engine to put into a truck. The truck then can help the poor man who works in the trade too build cement block buildings and mason work. Having the truck gives a greater possibility for work and a livable income. God has put this poor man on my heart to help him on a regular basis. While I can plan a regular gift I have no resource for a $700.00 gift. In essence I am in the same place as the poor man. I have to look to God and ask him to provide. 

The chance to purchase the engine came and went. It did help Barbara and I to put aside what we can to have a fund to meet such needs. Our resources are limited, but I am determined to give what I can. 

I believe the request was a good request. Maybe the engine was no good? Maybe at this juncture God wanted me to understand then he would provide Beyond what I am capable? I actually him more sympathetic to the poor man's request. 

Oswald Chambers was writing around World War I. He was writing hundred years ago. Christians back then closer to day to needs. I believe back then there were many who understood the ministry of prayer. Chambers reminds us that “ask” here is meant to be beg. To be poor in spirit men somebody who was dependent on God. Here I think there are less people who have little experience with this. We are more experienced with being encouraged to be self dependent. But the first characteristics in the Beatitudes for a believer is to be “poor in spirit”. Can God care for the poor? God is given human responsibility for this we see throughout the Scriptures. In our secular progressive society we want others to pay for the poor. But do we take on our personal responsibility to do it? For arguments sake I don't think so. 

It is not wrong to steer the government to care for the poor. Franklin Roosevelt help the American people needed to know that the government cared about their suffering in the 1930s. His response did not end the depression but it gave hope. Some ideas that came from that were good and others were not as good. Government can never be big enough to take care of human need. Human effort in commerce can bring wealth and prosperity to others. If it does not listen to the Scriptures to care for fellow human; it can be rather brutal and slums result and multitudes lose hope. If we learn to invest in our fellow man and woman many more benefit. 

The biggest resource that the poor have is not government nor the rich. Their biggest resource for the poor are you and I that are closer to the poor and we can personalize our support. We can invent better ways to care for our fellows. Together we build what is needed. But we have to take personal responsibility and not just give it over to government or the rich. The biggest link we need is the Lord. Some of you may disagree with that. But the human experience is a lot closer to being poor then you can imagine.