Private Prayer
~ Rev K. Mangte
"The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The preacher starts off with Genesis 39, the story of Joseph and how because of Joseph’s presence, the Lord blessed Potiphar (his master) and everything in his house and in his fields.
Potiphar’s wife tried to get Joseph to sleep with her but Joseph refused, saying he is to care for everything that is his master’s and he cannot sin against God committing adultery. She tried daily and he avoided her.
One day Joseph was alone with Potiphar’s wife and she grabbed him by his cloak. He slipped out of his cloak and ran outside. She told her servants that he had come to her to try to sleep with her and had left his cloak behind. She told Potiphar and had him put Joseph in prison.
Still, the Lord was with Joseph so Joseph was put in charge of all the prisoners and all the happenings there and had success in whatever he did.
His faith was strong and he never doubted the justice of the Lord so he didn't fear anything. He prayed in private, in the unseen, in the depths of his heart even when he was imprisoned. Although all the evidences were against him, the Lord stood as evidence of his undying faith and continued to bless him.
Matthew 6:6
"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
The most critical ingredient to a successful and fulfilling life is to keep aside your pride about your physical appearances, worldly possessions, and intellect while praying and submit to God in its entirety.
1 Samuel 16:7
“The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
The preacher also quickly touches upon the importance of waking up early to be able to attain the life we desire. Stating the examples of billionaires and butchers, he tells us how we can accomplish more if we start our days early and pray thrice a day like Daniel (Daniel 6: 10) facing towards the Temple of Solomon built for The Lord (1 Kings 8:29).
