The Cross In Prayer
Prayer Insights from Oswald Chambers
According to Oswald Chambers, the focus in our prayer life should be on establishing perfect and complete oneness with God, rather than merely seeking answers from Him.
He says, “We are too much given to thinking of the Cross as something we have to get through; we get through it only in order to get into it.”
The Cross of Christ is not any kind of obstacle for us to overcome. Its stands for one thing only for us: a complete and entire and absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is nothing in which this identification is realized more than in prayer.
“Your Father knows what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.”
Then why ask? The idea of prayer is not in order to get answers from God; prayer is perfect and complete oneness with God. If we pray because we want answers, we will get huffed with God. The answers come every time, but not always in the way we expect, and our spiritual huff shows a refusal to identify ourselves with Our Lord in prayer.
We are not here to prove God answers prayer; we are here to be living monuments of God’s grace.
“I say not that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself loves you.”
Have you reached such an intimacy with God that the Lord Jesus Christ’s life of prayer is the only explanation of your life of prayer? Has Our Lord’s vicarious life become your vital life? “At that day” you will be so identified with Jesus that there will be no distinction.
When prayer seems to be unanswered, beware of trying to fix the blame on someone else. That is always a snare of Satan. You will find there is a reason which is a deep instruction to you, not to anyone else.
If we pray only because we want answers, we will become irritated and angry with God. The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him.
In Summary
Chambers emphasizes how important prayer is, and its role in growing to complete identification with Jesus Christ.
Accordingly, prayer is not merely about seeking answers from God, but rather about establishing perfect and complete oneness with Him.
He also teaches us not to get frustrated if prayers seem unanswered, because there might be a deeper reason for it. The ultimate goal is to become so attuned to Jesus that prayer becomes a natural extension of one's life.
Chambers also warns us against blaming others or getting angry with God when prayers go unanswered, instead encourages us to focus on personal growth and understanding through prayer.
Hallelujah!