Broughton Knox challenges us in today's excerpt to be joyful in prayer. We're not to be foolishly, slap-happily joyful, but deeply and profoundly joyful. We are to pray with a joy shaped by the sovereign goodness of God.

We are to pray with thanksgiving. “In all things making our requests to God with thanksgiving”, said St Paul. So, too, Jesus prayed with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an essential characteristic of recognition of the true God, for God is a very gracious God in creation and particularly in redemption, and our hearts should be always filled with thanksgiving.

He fills our life with joy and gladness and we should recognize the source from which this comes. As we enjoy the good things of life we should be thankful to God who gave them and, even when we are in adverse circumstances, we should be rejoicing in our sufferings while we pray that those sufferings may be alleviated and pass away. Jesus himself taught us to pray that we should not enter into temptation (i.e. testing) but pray to be delivered; yet always rejoicing in what God has allowed to take place. Not that we appreciate or enjoy the suffering, but we rejoice in God in the midst of our suffering, knowing that it is our heavenly Father's will for us. He who controls all things, invites us to bring our requests to him that he might answer them according to what is wise and good so that we, accepting his gifts and his answers, may rejoice in him with thanksgiving for all his goodness.

The greatest of all his goodness in the present life is the privilege of standing in his presence through his Spirit and offering to him our petitions in prayer. It is his love in providing us salvation in Jesus Christ that enables us to do this and so all our prayers are offered in the name of Christ through the salvation which he has brought us.

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