Peace from the Fire of Prayer

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our trouble
He will hear our faintest cry, He will answer by and by
And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin’
And you will know a little fire is burnin’
Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

Just a Little Talk with Jesus
By: Cleavant Derricks (1909-1977)

Listen as you read. This is an updated version of this old hymn.

On Tuesday we continued our walking and talking journey with Jesus by rehearsing the advantages of taking all our troubles to Him. Today we consider the effect that such confidence can have on the intensity of our prayers. We find things made right as we let the practice of taking things to Jesus become the norm in our experience. Let’s think about this.

Prayer Wheel Turning

The second half of this chorus introduces a very unusual illustration. It is odd to see a reference to prayer wheels in a Christian hymn since they are very common in Buddhism, originating in Nepal or Tibet. What are they? Important prayers are written on metal or wooden wheels and it is believed that spinning the wheels has the same meritorious effect of orally reciting the prayers. I honestly wonder if the author was familiar with this Buddhist tradition.

What I imagine he is actually making reference to is the momentum that grows as we increase the fervency of our prayers. Think of it like this. You begin to talk with Jesus about your troubles. You are moved to tears as you speak about the burden you are carrying. Even as you are praying you begin to get a sense that the answer is on the way. That sense encourages you to pray even more fervently as a zeal not only for your answer but the glory of God in it begins to burn within you.

Momentum. Energy. Heat. These things can all build on each other. And so can prayer.

Have you ever had the experience of your heart burning within you as you waited in a group for the opportunity to pray? The Lord was putting things on your heart that you just had to express. Maybe your heart rate increased? It may have even effected your breathing.

Fire Burning

Or maybe that has happened as you read the Bible and it begin to come alive to you, seemingly opening up before your very eyes. I like to read the Bible and then leave it open before me as I begin to pray. One of the ways Jesus speaks to us is through the Word of God. Never was that more true than on the Emmaus road after His resurrection as He walked along with two unaware disciples.

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 ESV

It was not until Jesus blessed their meal and broke the bread that their eyes were opened to reality of who He really was. They asked Him a few questions and Jesus talked to them. Can you imagine what that must have been like?

This reminds us that prayer is not a monologue, but a dialogue. When we have a little talk with Jesus, we need to be quiet and let Him do at least some of the talking, otherwise we are talking to Jesus and not with Him, like those disciples on the road to Emmaus. Take a few moments and try that right now. Have a little talk with Jesus.

A Little Talk With Jesus Makes It Right

Those disciples on the road were sad. They were talking as they walked along about all that had happened surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus entered into that conversation with them. That little talk with Jesus had a remarkable impact on them.

Though these words come from a different encounter, this is effectively what He was saying to them. It is effectively what He wants to say to all of us as we face troubles of many kinds. As you read them, know that Jesus is speaking them directly to You right now. Let them begin to give you a different perspective on all the things in your life are are going wrong.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 ESV

Let peace begin to settle your mind. What are the tribulations that you facing? Talk with Jesus about them. Ask Him to cause His peace to well up within you. As it does, trust Him to cause a new day to dawn as He begins to make things right.

Jesus, thank You that I can talk with You. When I face trouble, help me to talk with You. Light a fire in my soul as the intensity of those prayers increase. Flood my soul with Your peace as I wait on You to make things right. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Peaceful Thinking!

Are these thoughts helping you to develop greater spiritual awareness? Sign-up in the form to the right above to get updates of new tools to help you be Resonant.

Below is content normally only available only to Subscribers and Free Members, but today to EVERYONE. Want to learn more about accessing all the additional material in the Subscriber Content Library, click here. Or check out some samples at our Free Member Content Library. We have lots of tools and options designed to help you be Resonant! Check them out today!!

Everyone enjoy this podcast and the transcript below!

Podcast 8.3 Transcript

Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our trouble

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

How do we cast our anxieties, cares and troubles on Jesus? We pray. We have a little talk with Him. What is causing you anxiety today? Take a few moments right now and tell Him all about it, or at least get started.

He will hear our faintest cry, He will answer by and by

Psalm 34:17 ESV

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

What an incredible promise! He hears and delivers out of all trouble. But did you catch to whom this incredible promise is made? The righteous. And what makes someone righteous? Rightly responding to Jesus’ offer of grace for deliverance from sin, and then relating rightly to all He has commanded us. Determine to walk in righteousness today.

And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin’
And you will know a little fire is burnin’

Luke 24:32 ESV

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

These words are spoken by the disciples on the Emmaus road when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. It reminds us that prayer is not a monologue, but a dialogue. When we have a little talk with Jesus, we need to be quiet and let Him do at least some of the talking, otherwise we are talking to Jesus and not with Him. Try that right now.

Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

John 16:33 ESV

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Listening to Jesus gives us peace even in the midst of tribulation. Maybe as you listened above, you began to get a sense of what Jesus is saying to you. If this is a new experience for you, I want to encourage you to open your Bible when you are listening because what Jesus says will always be in line with it. Take heart, and listen again.

Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.

Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.

Image Attributions
Prayer Wheel Turning – https://pixabay.com/photos/kathmandu-nepal-old-cylinder-3205674/
A Little Fire is Burning – https://pixabay.com/photos/christmas-love-romance-heart-red-2141493/
Peace Coming Like the Dawn – https://pixabay.com/photos/nature-landscape-kaçkars-mountains-3048299/