| Bible
Study
July-August
2006
The Three O’s
of Prayer
By Phyllis Tadlock,
IMB missionary to Southern Africa region
Americans pride themselves in their productivity, efficiency
and the ability to work on several things at the same time.
They have even managed to add a new phrase into everyday
conversation and even, I guess, to the dictionaries to describe
what they aspire to do so well – multitasking. Well,
folks got news for you – we certainly have absolutely
no reason to stroke our egos for our ingenuity. Just as
our God is the creator of creativity, He is the master of
multitasking. Those who have known me for a long time have
heard me say more than once that God is never about only
one thing at a time, He is always is working on several
levels simultaneously. He not only always sees the big picture
– He is the big picture!
What is so wonderful about a Father that loves his children
with HIS kind of love is that one of the many tasks he is
always about is to help us know & experience Him more
fully. He desires to take those big theological words like
omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscience and translate them
into the reality of our every day walk with Him. His primary
school of learning is called prayer. If we, His children,
would not only take the time to interact with our Father
through prayer but would also discipline ourselves to pay
attention to see His movement and action and then acknowledge
it for what it truly is, then we will get a glimpse at what
the 3 O’s really look like. If we will but watch we
will see the evidence of His omnipotence – unlimited
and universal power – as He responds to the petitions
lifted up to Him and takes an action that often defies the
laws of nature & reason. As believers from all around
the world unite in concerted prayer if we allow Him to help
us see with our spiritual eyes we will watch time zones
fade away and miles become centimeters. He is not restricted
by those, He is present everywhere at the same time –
only He is omnipresent. His word teaches us that His thoughts
are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways which
sometimes means that we ‘just don’t get it.’
How can we grasp omniscience? How can we get our minds around
infinite knowledge? By being participants in the school
of prayer and then recognizing the lessons he teaches us
when they are displayed before us.
You have walked on a journey with me for the past three
weeks and for that I am extremely grateful. Together we
have seen our faithful God at work. What I feel prompted
to say to you today, however, is do not be deceived to think
that in the communication that has flowed between us, the
petitions of prayer that have been requested and lifted
up for the Muslim Seminar has been the only thing God is
attending to. Oh no, my friends, we have got to take our
understanding of his ‘O’s” at work to
a whole new level. We must acknowledge and celebrate how
HUGE and awesome our God is! The Master at multitasking
at work:
• God met needs that we didn’t even know
to pray about. I was impressed to share particular Scriptures
as I wrote and some of you responded to me how God spoke
to you through them about something in your own life.
Conversely, some of you were impressed to pray scripture
over me and the Spirit made application in areas of my
heart & to struggles I am facing that you knew nothing
about.
• God’s work has transcended time. As I have
corresponded with some of you I realized He has reached
back into the past to heal hurts long held by some, He
has worked in the immediate present as He honored specific
prayers during the preparation and presentation of the
Muslim material while simultaneously working in the future
as He has directed my eyes to see the direction He wants
me to join Him where He is already ahead of me working.
• I have discovered the immediacy of His encouragement
& affirmation as He spoke through words He put on
your hearts to write to me. A dear Ugandan brother wrote
an unbelievably powerful letter that spoke to the need
to recognize God’s anointing and gifting. Is it
by coincidence that letter arrived just as I was reflecting
on the rather surprising results of a spiritual gift inventory
that Tad & I had participated in with a group at church
earlier in the week? I was definitely in the state of
being stretched by the Spirit to realize how He has been
molding and remaking us through the experiences &
circumstances of the past four or five years. We were
both definitely being stretched to realize how He may
be intending to use those gifts in our lives not only
within the church but in the context of the ministry He
has called us to do.
• Another dear friend wrote a quick quiet note of
encouragement that popped up on my computer midst a moment
of personal despair and discouragement.
How can you see God multitasking in your life this week?
Write down some of those ways below as I did above.
How has God used you to show his “O’s”
at work today? This week? Write down the experiences that
come to your mind and thank God for using you.
I pray you will experience an extra measure of God’s
presence and encouragement this week.
-- Phyllis |
