More of You

6.11.2011

Philippians 1:9-11 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. NIV

I don’t think there is one prayer in the New Testament offered for more riches. I don’t think there is one prayer offered in all of Scripture for the overthrow of the government, or for a bigger house, or for the success of any sports team. I do see prayer after prayer offered to God for more of Him.

Paul said, “And this is my prayer…” and he prayed for love to abound in knowledge and insight. He prayed that they would be able to properly discern what is best in order to be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. He prayed that the fruit of righteousness be abundant and plentiful to the glory and praise of God. Not once did he pray for health, wealth, or prosperity. The solution to all our problems in life (if they are indeed problems) is God Himself. What happens to us in life is probably more about learning lessons and growing in our faith than it is about having more money, time, and stuff.

As I read Paul’s prayers, I must guard my thoughts against the pull of the temporal – i.e. the stuff that is of little and decreasing value. Yes, there are things in this world that capture my attention and play upon my desire, but until I am willing to lay all of those things aside and crave only God, even my desires will be of little and decreasing value.

My prayers for you, me, or anyone else, is that we all come to know God more and more. Until my prayers become like Paul’s I think I’ll make little progress. Regardless of position, power, and possessions, unless I pray for more of God, I’m sort of wasting my time.

Father in Heaven,
You know that most of my issues in life have been as a result of asking You for more stuff rather than asking You for more of You. I know now that the end of my issues is asking You for more of You and less of me and the desires I have for more stuff. So my prayer today is for more of You in order that more of You will crowd out more of me and that I may discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ – in His Name I pray, amen.