When one begins to pray where does one start ? Children might say something like “Dear God…” as if they were sending a letter to God. I often say something like “lord” and then begin by bringing my requests to God. Jesus however taugh his deciples to refer to God in their prayers as “Father” he wanted them to share his perspective on prayer.

I would like to propose that as we pray for Cyprus this is precisely where we should begin. Perhaps the word “Father” has negative connotations for us, perhaps it’s a strangely intimate word to refer to God as we feel quite distant from him. I am sure that it was also quite strange for the disciples of Christ who in their Jewish tradition would avoid even saying God’s name let alone call him “Father”. Let’s be challenged by it.

There is a place for this introspection and it can shape our personal prayers as our heart condition is of great concern to God. However, as we prepare to intercede for others let us note these things, perhaps writing them down, and then focus instead on how Christ would have intended us to approach prayer in light of His understanding of God as Father. Let us pray from His posture of heart directing our own emotions to align with Christs with regard to God as our perfect father. Scripture can help us with this…

Reading: Matthew 6:19-34

Anxiety can often drive our prayers, and it can be particularly potent in the life of the Intercessor as those who pray can often be more introspective. This is one of the reasons why knowing where to start praying can seem so hard. Christ invites us to pray in the name of the Father on purpose though. I believe he wants his disciples to know that the beginning of intercessory prayer is a confidence and trust in the one whom they approach.

Christ wants those who pray to remember that, God is a perfect father, He gives good gifts, and He provides for all his creation. We may think or feel otherwise, and we must note those things bringing them to the father, but this is the truth we are taught in scripture. We must pray from that truth.

Why is this so important though? Because as we pray agreeing in spirit with the fundamental assumption of God’s goodness we allow ourselves to imagine all the resources available in what we might assume would be a hopeless situation. The truth is God is all powerful and he may just be waiting for us to see and ask for something because of who he is and not just who we are or what we feel. He want’s us to better understand what asking means as the child of a truly perfect father.

As we pray for Cyprus and resolution to the conflicts and invite Gods grace upon its people to be multiplied we do not simply search our own minds for familiar solutions. Instead we bring our requests to God our father believing that he will work and bring about a greater good for Cyprus than we or any person could imagine.

Perhaps in that place God might choose to reveal to us his intentions. A new and exhilarating image of what he might wish to do might come to our minds eye. Let’s join ourselves to that ancient expression of faith through the gift of prophesy and say “yes lord may it be so”. Let’s share it with others so they may join in that prayer with us.

I can’t wait to see what our Heavenly Father will do in Cyprus through the prayers of his children. Father indeed let your ways come, and your perfect will be done here in Cyprus as it is in heaven. Help us plant true seeds of prayer, and watch as you cause them to come to life and bear fruit we can only imagine…