Paul's Prayers & 'Organ Recitals'

Go to a 'Prayer Meeting'. Record the requests that are offered. Compare them to the prayers of the Apostle Paul as found in the Epistles he wrote. Be astonished. Be mortified. Be stunned. Be grieved.

Why?

There is little or no correspondence between what you heard as 'requests' and the prayers of Paul. The former were what I label 'organ recitals'. Almost entirely requests for physical ailments of one kind or another. That might be legitimate if there were also a corresponding number of requests for spiritual power, forgiveness of sin, confession and repentance, etc. Not so. Paul left Trophimus at Miletus sick (2 Tim 4:20). It is not recorded that he prayed after the fashion we hear most often in our Prayer Meetings. 'Organ Recitals!'

I offer just one passage that is typical of Paul's prayers. Please consider and imitate as you pray.

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,  17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

1.  may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 

2.  having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,

3.  that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,

4.  what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 

5.  and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,  17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,  18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,  19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might  20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,  21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,  23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.  (Ephesians 1:16-23).