This chapter as well as the last further convict us in the need for the awareness of “naive self-love” and the importance of denial or checking of self. That entitlement Pastor Eric mentioned in his sermon yesterday where we “think and act as though everything was created for the purpose of bringing gratification to our selfish desires.’ Sadly sometimes we don’t reach out to God or pray to Him until we’re desperate. Even our prayer life is “replete with egoism.” Yes God wants to hear our desires and if His will and in His timing we will see an answer but thinking about how our request will or can affect and influence more people and give God a greater opportunity to show His glory helps us stretch our perspective. And join God in His work for all, using us in His perfect plans for more than just ourselves. “Prayer is the appointed way of giving Jesus an opportunity to exercise His supernatural powers of salvation. And in doing so He desires to make use of us.” And so we submit, here we are Lord, use us!
