grace before time

As you let your requests be made known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, knowing that The Lord is at hand (Philippians 4:5-6), He's way ahead of you.  Not only has He known you since before you were born, but He has already formed each day of your life, including this one that you're praying in (Psalm 139:16).  

And if this weren't astonishing enough, prompting the Psalmist and us to say, Your Thoughts are far beyond my understanding, much more than I could ever imagine (Psalm 139:17), try this Thought on for size:  God's calling and saving Grace was given to us before the beginning of time (2 Timothy 1:9)!  OK, so let's run that one again.  When we pray, you and I seem to be appealing for God to ladle out even a little of His Grace to meet our current situation or someone else's.  But we're told that The Grace needed has been present, waiting for us to ask, like forever!  

So, let's not have any anthropomorphic thinking about God regarding our prayers. Making requests to God isn't our wrestling a human kind of grace out of a God that's reluctant to give, as might be the case for us when others ask us for a little grace.  Instead, our seeking God's Grace in prayer is simply placing ourselves in His Presence in time, seeking the Grace that has already been granted eons, even an eternity ago.

The Grace given might look a little different than what we're asking for.  St. Paul's thorn wasn't removed, even with three prayer sessions.  He was told My Grace is sufficient for you, for My Power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).  And he entered into and received that Grace which became the Power Source and the hallmark of his life and ministry.  Why not join him?

Let us then approach God's Throne of [Eternal] Grace with boldness, so that we [and those we pray for] may receive mercy and find [Amazing] Grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).