5 Fingers

Five Fingers of Prayer

1. Your thumb stands for Praise. Praising God should be first in your heart, for what He is and has done for you. Praise God for who He is; for all that He stands for; "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised." Psalm 48:1

Your thumb is nearest to you. So also praise God for and pray for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The Thanksgiving Prayer. "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thess 5:16 Thank God for what He has done and what He is going to do. This is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The Confession Prayer. "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will see it." Psalm 66:18 This is the is the tallest finger. It also reminds us of our leaders because they stand out. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger stands for Intercession Prayer. We should pray for others interceding for specific people for specific purposes. "And the Lord saw it... and wondered that there was no intercessor." Isaiah 59:15,16

This finger is our ring-finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our Petition Prayers. This prayer is for yourself and those whom are the most important to you. Often called the "gimme" prayers, because we are telling God of our needs. Make sure they are your needs, not greeds; asking with wrongs motives is a sure way to not hear from God, or at least not in the way you intended.. "First of all, I urge you that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on the behalf of all me, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity,." I Tim 2:1

The little finger; the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Don't forget to Listen! Extend your palm to Him in you prayers, expecting a blessing. Palms are for receiving; our greatest blessing is to hear from God. Pause a few moments. Let your heart be still. Listen to see if God wants to speak to you. "My sheep know my voice..." John 10:27

Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight, just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.