Mark 12:24-27
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?…He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
Jesus was answering the Sadducees, who believed there was no resurrection. We worship and pray to the living God! Not just those Sadducees but all of us make mistakes when it comes to God’s truths, prayer and what to pray for.
In 1 Timothy 2, Paul urges prayers be made for all people because God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”. Later, he speaks of lifting up “holy hands”.
In this article, I’m going to share what a handful (Excuse pun!) of us have adapted as a guide for our Friday morning prayer meetings these past two months. It has given us a framework of what to pray for while allowing the Holy Spirit to lead as He wishes.
A-C-T-S is an acronym I was taught when I became a Christian for how to pray: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Using the hand and fingers, here’s the adaptation:
THUMBS up for God in ADORATION, praise and singing. Thanksgiving often comes up here.
INDEX FINGER which points, also has three fingers pointing back at us so we CONFESS anything to God asking for forgiveness. Sins of commission and omission. What we’ve done or haven’t done. Then grateful thanks for Christ’s redemption on the cross.
TALL MIDDLE FINGER reminds us of our TOP TEN needs for the world, our church, our missionaries. Those concerns that loom big in our minds, like Afghanistan and COVID-19, our leaders, our enemies, those with “impossible” needs.
RING FINGER encircles our FAMILY and FRIENDS who need our loving prayers.
LITTLE PINKY represents self. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Here we share our personal needs with each other and pray for ourselves. We matter to God. He sees us, He hears our prayers, and He loves us.
Our hands and fingers can help us remember to adore God, confess our sins, thank Him, pour out our top ten petitions for the world, our church and our missionaries, encircle our family and friends with loving prayers, and also pray for our personal lives.
Rose
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