Every human being on the planet has a deep seated desire to be “known”. Let me introduce you to one of the most life-changing pleasures of prayer – the fact that place of prayer is the place of being accepted, loved, and liked by the most important Being in the universe.

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Every human being on the planet has a deep seated desire to be known, a craving to be understood and accepted. And today, I want to introduce you to or bring to your remembrance one of the most life changing pleasures of prayer. We’re talking about the endless pleasures of prayer. This friend is one of those pleasures, one of those joys, one of those transformative elements of digging and finding and discovering that they kind of just the wonders of personal prayer.

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And it’s the fact that the place of prayer is the place of being known, accepted and loved and liked by the most important being in the universe. Again, we can assent to this mentally. We can read on the pages and kind of nod to in kind of good religious fashion. But it’s in the place of prayer where it becomes a living, breathing reality. And you hear those words spoken, say softly to your own heart. You know, when papa made you he didn’t do it by accident.

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When God created you, he created you to be uniquely you. And he did not make any mistake in his design. I mean, I’ve often wrestled with him over this one. Sometimes when I’m not really firing on all cylinders or I’m not manifesting that kind of Christ like personality that I would like to you know, I’m very much like, God, what did where did you go wrong? You know, but here we go. You know, your personality, my personality, the unmistakeable ways that we are at the very things that delight our father.

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And they are there to be harnessed and sanctified for his purposes. And I’m really a hard on kind of guy, you know, and sometimes that means that I can be misunderstood easily. You know, the boldness I appear to display can sometimes come across a bit arrogant or boorish. And I say that I maybe that’s just the way I see myself sometimes. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just my own insecurities about how others might perceive me speaking, but and doubtless you’ve got your own bag of marbles you have to deal with.

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But I’m sure you understand sometimes when we look in the mirror, we are less than gracious toward ourself, then we are maybe towards others. And there’s this whole self acceptance thing is a big deal. But I believe that God wants to take us a step further into a place of self celebration. You know, the scriptures say in Ephesians one, verse six, he has made us accepted in the beloved. You are accepted in the beloved and in.

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I remember one time the Holy Ghost highlighted this word beloved to me. And he said, David, is it not time in the light of the fact that you are the beloved and accepted in him, that you allow yourself to be loved? Be loved. Self acceptance begins with the presence of God being accepted by the maker loved by the Lord of the universe, and not only that, more than that celebrated by him, you know, as like I mentioned, I used to lament over my own nature and slap slap myself around for not being more diplomatic and winsome in my ways and bringing this to God one day after another spat of honesty that left me feeling like some kind of rebellious dude.

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I railed at his design and asked him like I was I was indignant. Why did you make me so intense? Why, why? Why am I so provocative all the time? And I don’t think all the time. But sometimes when we’re kind of looking in a negative way, we make one event every thing, don’t we? We we attribute our entire being to one mistake or whatever else it may be. And, you know, in my head, I’m thinking, God, if only I could be another way, if only I could be more loving, more gentle, less confrontational, maybe a little less enthusiastic and not so loud and not so ready to just open my mouth.

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And you know what his answer to me was, son, I like you intense. I made you that way. And I’ve called you to provoke people to pursuit and to purity. Now, God will affirm you even when you do not God affirmed me that day, even when I was doing quite the opposite, the father pointed out that that. It’s essential, something that’s essential for each one of us to grasp that he did not make a mistake when he wired us for our mission.

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He did not make a mistake when he made you the way he made you. And you know this this doesn’t mean that you’re not responsible to steward your own actions in an honourable way or that you’re excused from liability. You know, when you overstep whatever, Mark, you may have stepped across. Of course not. You know, each one of us will give account for our words and our actions. But as to your nature, like the fundamental way that you’re wired, you are that way for a reason.

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Finding acceptance and affirmation in the father’s presence can help you harness all that you are and make you a force to be reckoned with. My friend, one that has no need to excuse yourself or apologise for who you are now is that I was like that. The vessel spoken of in Jeremiah 18, that clay pot, you know, wondering why the master made me the way he has, you know, why am I not more more winsome? Why am I often so abrupt?

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Can’t I just keep my lips sealed and swallow my indignation? You know, like, why, why, why? Romans nine verse twenty picks up on this idea and says shall the thing formed Save him that formed it. Why have you made me thus? But the truth is he is the potter. We are the clay, not the other way round. Is it for us to say how the potter should mould us? Matthew six verse says, your father knows the things that you have need of before you ask him, but we must ask him.

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He knows us, he knows what we need, and he knows the purpose that he has formed us and the function that he has formed us to fulfil on this planet. He craves your presence more than you crave his presence. He made you for himself, for his pleasure, for his purposes, for his kingdom, so we can boldly come to the throne of Grace and that grace embraces us into the father’s bosom as his child. So let us let his words be the ones that shape your acceptance, let his affections be the one that kind of affirm you and take away the fears that you may have of what others might think or say in the place of prayer.

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You will not only discover an intense love for God, you will find yourself, and you’ll be surprised to realise that you are actually a very rare kind of awesome. Well, thanks for listening, hopefully. It’s been an encouragement to you today, if you want to connect any further, you can do so through my website at Davidleemartin.com. Have a great day.