Driven to Pray?

I met up with an old schoolmate last week, and he asked a question that made me think a lot. He wondered whether our generation– specifically our classmates and friends, were “driven.” His observation was that many of his nieces and nephews seem to have a lot of drive and ambition that he doesn’t remember seeing (or experiencing) in our youth. He noted that few of our friends have gone on to become lawyers or doctors, engineers or CEOs.

I wasn’t sure how to answer his observation. I started, but didn’t complete, a master’s degree. I know several of our friends who are teachers, paralegals, and business owners. Many have what most people would consider at least moderately “successful” lives– happy families, rewarding careers, the respect of others in their communities. And yet very few have distinguished themselves on the national or international front– aside, perhaps, from him! He is a tenured professor, with several published books, and has studied and/or taught at several universities around the world. If HE can’t remember being driven or ambitious, how does he explain his own “success?”

But the observation struck a nerve with me on a personal level. I know that many of my former classmates and long-time friends may find it odd that I have “settled” for the life I live. I own a business, but it is a modest one. I have taught and worked in libraries, but I could have chosen to become a professor or administrator or library director; I could have taken any of a number of more “important” or lucrative positions over the years. But I wasn’t driven to “succeed” in that way. Did I waste my potential? Was I lazy or fearful of success? Did I not have the potential, or did I not have the drive to become “more” than what I am?

Ultimately, I am driven (I hope) by the Holy Spirit. Not to become a “successful” person by the world’s standards, or even by my own ambitions, but to become the person God made me to be– a person who reflects His character and His priorities. I hope that I am becoming a “successful” follower of Christ– no matter what that looks like on the surface to classmates, neighbors, or family. I don’t need to be rich, famous, popular, or “important.” I DO need to be developing Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control (Galatians 5:22-23)

This week, as I have been meditating on the idea of “drive” and ambition and “success,” I started thinking about how it relates to prayer. I am driven to become more like Christ, and that includes being driven to live a life of prayer. But what really drives my prayer life? Because my pursuit of prayer and my practice of prayer may be “driven” by something other than pure motives:

Am I driven to pray because I believe that I am “ticking a box?” Have I read the Bible today? Check. Have I prayed some kind of prayer at some point? Check. Have I done a random act of kindness? Check. This is not really a spiritual pursuit of prayer. In fact, it can become idolatry– I can pray because I believe the act of praying makes me “better” or “good enough” to deserve God’s forgiveness or mercy. This drive comes from my own desire to control my growth and behavior. It is not “wrong” to set goals or make lists and stick to them. (After all, we are to be developing discipline and self-control!) But we must be careful not to shift our priorities from God’s discipline to our own lists and habits.
Am I driven to pray when/because others are watching? Am I seeking their approval more than I am seeking God’s face? Am I seeking to be “important” or pious, when God is asking me to be humble and obedient?

Perhaps I am praying out of fear, worry, or doubt. I am driven to pray in the same way that others are driven to consult a horoscope or carry a “lucky charm.” God wants me to trust Him. He knows that I will not always be perfect in Faith, but my prayers should not be double-minded (see James chapter one). I should not be using prayer to “hedge my bets” when faced with adversity. It is good to call out to God if we are frightened or uncertain, but we must develop Faith over fear. And in the end, God also wants us to be joyful in remembering and trusting in His promises
Am I driven by guilt or shame? It is good to confess our sins. But we also have to remember that IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us (1 John 1:9). If I am still confessing the same sins over and over, is it because I didn’t really trust God to forgive me, or because I didn’t really want to repent and change my ways– I just wanted a “free pass” to keep sinning, but not feel guilty for the consequences?
Maybe I am driven to pray for others because I think MY prayers can save them, or influence their life. Again, this can become idolatry. We have been given the amazing opportunity to pray for others. God already knows their needs– better than we can! And God can do miracles without any input from us. Yet He chooses to give us the privilege of praying and participating in His work! Again, it is commanded that we pray for one another, but we must remember to Whom we are praying. Our prayers for others are part of a circle– God’s Spirit moves us to compassion and concern– we take that compassion and lift up others before His throne. He knows what is best; He will do what is best. He wants us to participate, not to dictate!
Sometimes, I may be driven to “dictate” a particular outcome in my own life. My own ambition may be to become what I want, rather than what God wants for me. This can be a tricky concept. There are ambitions that God lays on our hearts– they are not wrong, but God’s timing may not match ours. I prayed for years to be married; to “find” the “right” mate, and to “be” the right mate. I even prayed that God would change my heart if my ambition was “wrong.” God’s timing was certainly not my timing. The ambition was not wrong, but my patience and trust needed to be developed.
Perhaps I am NOT driven to pray…maybe I lack the focus or lack the drive in my walk with Christ because I am drifting away from my first Love. I am driven to seek after something other than intimacy with my Creator. Maybe I am so content with my life “as it is” that I am not seeking direction and correction from the Holy Spirit. Perhaps I do not have the compassion and drive to pray for others because I do not see them fully as God sees them. Perhaps I do not trust God fully with the “little” things in my life because I do not see my need for His guidance.

I think it is not a bad thing to wrestle periodically with questions like this. Maybe today is the right time to ask, “Am I driven to pray? What drives me to my knees? What should be driving me there?”

August 9, 2023 0

Who Is My Neighbor?

One of the best known among the parables of Jesus is the story of the “Good Samaritan.” Jesus tells the parable in answer to a follow-up question from a n expert in the law:

The Parable of the Good Samaritan
²⁵On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
²⁶“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
²⁷He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
²⁸“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
²⁹But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
³⁰In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
³⁶“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
³⁷The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)

Jesus paints with a broad brush, here– perhaps because the law expert “wanted to justify himself.” Our neighbor is anyone who crosses our path, engages our attention, and has a need for mercy, or help, or encouragement.
How do we apply this to prayer? Most of us are willing to pray for those in dire need or those close to us– friends, family, and such. But there is so much more we can do! Prayer is powerful and mysterious–much more so than most of us realize. If we want to pursue prayer, we need to consider how we can lift others up–including our “neighbors” who may not otherwise come to our attention. Here are a few suggestions to try:

Make lists. It’s easy to list members of our families or close friends. Try some other lists: co-workers; the people who live on your block or on the floor of your apartment building. Are you feeling really adventurous? Dig up an old yearbook or staff directory from an old job; list all the people in local, regional, state or provincial, and federal government who directly represent you. Lists will help you to remember to pray for people, not because you already love them or know their needs, but because God already loves them and knows their needs!
Find a focus–Choose a person (maybe someone who is facing chronic pain, or someone you don’t know as well as you would like, or even someone at random: Pray earnestly for that person every day for a week– or a month! Don’t turn it into a bludgeon (“I think you should know I’m praying for you, because I think you really need it…” In fact, you don’t need to tell the other person you are choosing to focus on them, but you may wish to ask if they would like prayer and how they would like you to pray for them).
Pray for your enemies! You may not have a long list of “enemies”, but it is likely that you know several people who are “difficult”. Don’t pray at them or about them– pray for them. If they have caused you pain, ask for the grace to forgive them. (Keep asking as necessary!) Ask the Lord to bless them, and to help you be an encouragement to them. This is one of the most difficult things you will ever pray, but it can be life-changing.
Pray the calendar–write in three or four names or general prayer requests for each day of the year. For example, on February 14, I could pray for my nephew who has a birthday, three couples I know with anniversaries that day, and for those I know who struggle with being alone on a day when others celebrate their relationships. On February 15, I can pray for those who broke up yesterday (even if I don’t know of anyone specific), for a friend who celebrates her birthday that day, and for marriage and relationship counselors.

Pray the newspaper. NOT the TV or internet news! By this, I mean that the newspaper is organized into sections– pray for national and international news issues one day a week. Another day, pray for local issues; weather/environment on another day, etc. When I do this, it causes me to see God in every aspect of what is happening around me– business, government, entertainment and culture…

Remember that prayer is not about “being good enough.” The primary purpose of pursuing prayer is to speak to, and hear from, and to obey God. As God’s Spirit inspires you, pray for whoever, or whatever, or wherever He leads you. Using tools may make it easier to get started, but don’t make the tools an idol that distracts from the focus of communing with Our Creator.
There is no perfect formula for being a “Good Samaritan” in prayer. But there is good reason to pursue ways that God can be glorified (and we can reach maturity in our walk with God) through our prayer life.
See more suggestions in the pages section of the blog.

August 7, 2023 0

“Praying” Hide and Seek With God

A strange image popped into my head the other day while praying with our Wednesday morning prayer group from church. I was trying to express the amazing paradox that we are being pursued by a God who is omnipresent, while seeking the same omnipresent God. And the image God gave me was one of playing a game– “Peek-a-boo” or “Hide and Seek.” Of course, prayer is not just a game– it is nothing less than communicating with the Sovereign Lord of the Universe! But God delights in our prayers, and He delights in delighting us as we learn and experience new aspects of His Character.

I love to play “Peek-a-Boo” with babies and toddlers. They love the idea of being “discovered” and “finding” someone. There is a moment of supreme joy in finally seeing oneself in the eyes of the beholder– that moment of recognition and reaction to being the focus of someone’s attention–the joy of intimate connection, “I SEE YOU!” But the game only brings joy if both of us are present and interacting. It brings no joy to a baby to see me staring off into space, or glued to my cell phone. The baby might be intrigued, or even comforted by my nearness, but there is a deeper thrill when she knows that my eyes will shine as they are revealed– looking directly at her! And I get great joy from seeing the baby’s delight.

The same is true of “Hide and Seek.” Yes, the idea is to hide from sight–for awhile. But what fun is it to hide and never be found? What fun to search for someone who has gone away and has no desire to be discovered again? The joy of the game is in that moment of discovery and being discovered– even though we know the other person is somewhere close by, there is that moment of re-connection that brings a jolt of delight. AHA!! I have found you! AHA! You searched for me and found me!

This is the great tragedy of Sin. Sin causes us to want to hide and NOT be found. (See Genesis 3:8-10). We live in shame and fear, dreading the thought of God finding the “real” us, the secrets we carry, and the ugliness of our hearts. We are frightened by the thought that God is omnipresent– that He sees us; that He sees THROUGH us! We do not want to “Face” God’s justice, and see disappointment and anger in His face. Instead, we want to run away, to cover our eyes, if He will not cover His.

Conversely, this is the great joy of being a Christian. We don’t hide from God’s presence; instead, we turn to Him in delight and recognition. We pray to BE found and to be seen! Finding God, and being found BY Him, involves no fear, no condemnation (Romans 8:1), and no shame. God sees us– all our secrets and shame– through the blood of Christ’s redemption. We are “Born” again– like babies, we can revel in the connection with Our Loving Father. Like a child waiting for the “boo” in Peek-a-Boo, we anticipate the day when we will see Him face-to-face in all His Glory; in the meantime, each glimpse of His Grace, each revelation of His Faithfulness, builds our Hope and our Joy, excites our anticipation, and makes our Heart yearn for the future.

God is omnipresent. His spirit is all around us all the time. As Christians, His Spirit is indwelling– He is not just all around us, but He lives and works IN us and THROUGH us! And yet, God delights in those moments when we turn away from the world around us to focus on just Him. In the same way, even though God is everywhere, He seeks after us and pursues us with a passion and devotion that knows no limits– “Here I am!” “I SEE YOU!” “You are the one who makes my eyes shine!” “I LOVE YOU!”

Today, as you turn away from the world to focus on the Lover of Your Soul, may you find that incredible delight in recognizing His Presence for what it is– Divine, Eternal, Limitless, and Loving.

August 4, 2023 0

Making God Look Good

A few years ago, I worked for a boss who told our staff that our number one job was to “make her look good”. This announcement came as a bit of a shock to all of us. It was nowhere in our employee manual, this idea that her status was more important than our work ethic, or our customer service, or our ability to work together as a team. What I’m sure she meant to convey was that everything we did reflected on her, and, by extension, all of us, our library, and our community. It should have been our priority to work, look, speak, and interact with patrons in a way that brought honor and respect to everyone in the building–including her–so that she could concentrate on making an already great library even better. But that’s not the way it was expressed or understood. And the results were unfortunate.

It WAS our job to respect her leadership, and do our best work, allowing her to guide the direction of the library’s growth and service. I’m ashamed to say that I did not do this– I fought her leadership, complained about the way she treated staff and patrons, criticized her ideas and her management style, and finally quit my job there.

I start with this story as a contrast to the story of Daniel as it is told in the Bible. Daniel’s job was to make his bosses–kings and emperors who had conquered his nation, exiled and enslaved him, and destroyed his home and culture–“look good.” He was an adviser to kings who were powerful, ruthless, vicious, and often petty, vindictive, and even edging on madness. He did not have the freedom to “quit” or to harbor pride or criticism.

Daniel’s ability to work under such circumstances sprang from his conviction that his number ONE priority was not to make his bosses look good, or even to be the best administrator or adviser he could be. His number one priority was to seek and to serve Almighty God. All the rest would fall into place if only Daniel would keep the right priorities.

The truth is, we cannot make someone else “look good”. We can try– we can sing someone else’s praises, brag about them, work hard to gain their approval, promote them and honor them, even worship them. And, in a superficial way, these things can make the other person appear important, wise, popular, or even “good.” But it can’t make someone else BE good, or important, or wise. And, often, our efforts are not really about making the other person look good. Our efforts are about making ourselves look good in another person’s eyes, or making someone else appear better than they really are.

Throughout his life, Daniel did his best to make God known. He made kings, from Nebuchadnezzar to Darius, acknowledge God’s power, His authority, His grace and mercy, and His goodness. But at the same time, Daniel could not “make” God look good– unless God was (and IS) all the things Daniel said He was. Daniel’s job was never to “make” God look good. His job was to point away from himself, and let God be God–awesome, mighty, loving, eternal, and Holy. In return, Daniel was used in amazing–even death-defying– ways that continue to astonish and teach us today.

My attitude toward my boss didn’t make her look good– or bad–her own actions and words spoke louder than anything I did or said about her. But my attitude and actions didn’t make me look good, either. They just made me look spiteful, arrogant, and uncooperative. Worse, they made my walk with Christ “look bad.” I wasn’t pointing people toward Him; I was pointing to the negative (and being negative) about a situation that was so much smaller than the God I serve. What a missed opportunity to demonstrate, as Daniel did, what obedience and faith look like. What a missed opportunity to let God’s goodness shine through me!

Today, as we pray to this same awesome, mighty, loving, eternal and Holy God, let us not waste time trying to “make God look good.” No amount of fancy rhetoric, holy elbow grease, finger-pointing, or pious posturing can make God better than He already is. Instead, let us come before Him humbly and with a contrite heart, ready to obey, honor, and worship Him with our whole being as Daniel did. Not in pride or arrogance, sounding like an advertisement for a new “super” product or exercise routine, or like an expert on spiritual living, but in awe that the God of Jacob, the God of Daniel, the God of the universe(!) wants to extend grace even to the least of us. God sees us in our troubles– exiled and oppressed, alone and in danger, surrounded by rivals, enemies, madmen, and beasts. God will provide; He will defend; He will bring justice; He will never leave us. Because God IS Good!

August 2, 2023 0

Behold!

Matthew 6:22-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

²²“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, ²³but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

adult anger art black background — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

O be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

There’s a Father up above

And He’s looking down in love

So, be careful little eyes what you see

whole song text here

This little light of mine–I’m gonna let it shine!

black frame sunglasses beside table lamp

Both the scripture text and the children’s song above are often used in the context of watching pornography or violent images, and their negative effects. It is true that if we fill our sight with negative and sinful images, we will be impacted negatively. We become desensitized to violence and evil; we become addicted to images that shock or excite us.

But I think there is more going on in this text, and I think it has a bearing on our prayer life. What we choose to see also involves what we choose NOT to see. We talk a lot about what we shouldn’t be watching or seeing, but there are some things– even unpleasant things– that we MUST see if we are to be the light of the world. Not only must we see such things, we must shine a light on them and cause others to see them. Injustice, corruption, dishonesty– we must be careful to see them for what they are. And we must see them clearly to pray about them wisely.

We live in a world of optical illusions, and it can be very difficult to see clearly. But that is what we are called to do. If our eyes are good/healthy, we will let in the light of truth, so that shadows and illusions will become stand out. If our eyes are bad/unhealthy, the shadows and illusions will trick us. We will see only what can be seen in a glance, and miss the bigger picture. And we will pray, not with an eye toward the bigger picture, but narrowed in on our own limited vision of the world around us.

John the Baptist had excellent “vision.” As he was out in the hot sun glinting off the Jordan, he looked up to see hundreds of people waiting to be baptized. But his eyes were searching the horizon, seeing all the others, but seeking one face. And when he saw it, he drew everyone’s attention to it– “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Our eyes, like those of John, should be looking with purpose and hope.

Throughout the Bible, God looks at people with love and compassion. Several times in the gospels, Jesus looks upon or takes note of people (some of whom are seeking him, and others who know nothing of him) and has compassion on them. Our eyes, like those of our Father, should be looking in love. Love sees things as they really are– it sees sin, pain, disease, betrayal, war, hatred, greed. But love sees beyond to people who need salvation, healing, restoration, peace, compassion, and hope.

I need to give careful consideration to what I allow myself to see– do I see all the negative, hateful, sinful things going on around me? Do I see such things with a sense of purpose and with compassion? Or do I ignore them and turn my gaze inward, shutting out the hurt and need all around me? Do I see all the shadows and illusions and let my own light grow dim? Or do I see the Light of the World, ready to shine (even through me), with hope and redemption? Will I pray with my eyes closed and shuttered, or wide open?

July 24, 2023 0

People, Places, and Things

Most of the time, when I lift up prayer requests, they are about people. I love people, and so does God, so it makes sense to remember those who are rejoicing, those who are mourning, and those who are struggling.

But I also pray about places. God created places, just as He created people. Through the prophets, God spoke of places– nations, certainly, but also specific mountains, rivers, cities, forests, and deserts. God pronounces judgment on people, but He mourns the destruction of places, as well.

At least once each month, I hope to post some thoughts or practices that I have found helpful in my pursuit of prayer over the years. Today, I want to talk about the importance of place.

Every day, on my prayer journal pages, I have a focus on a specific place. Yesterday, it was the island of Madagascar. Many times, I pray for the people of a specific place. Sometimes, I know of conflicts or natural disasters that impact the people living there. But often, I know very little about the places I pray for. I can look them up to find out more– what language do the people speak? what is the climate like? what are the natural resources of the area? Madagascar is home to many animal and plant species that are found nowhere else on the planet. God cares about His creation, and so should I. I may not have the resources to protect wildlife in Madagascar, but I know the creator and sustainer of all creation. And in praying for the land, people, and wildlife in Madagascar, I am taking the time to remember the vastness and variety of God’s creation, and His power to sustain life and cause it to flourish.

Jesus prayed over Jerusalem. He prayed over the Temple there. If Jesus can pray over places, then maybe we should, too. Over the past several weeks, I’ve been praying over the house where I grew up. After my mom’s death, we children decided to put the house up for sale. It hasn’t been an easy decision, but we feel it is the right one. I’ve been praying, not just that the house would sell, but that it would become a nurturing, safe place for a new family– a place where God would be honored and wonderful memories made. We aren’t finished with the process yet, but I believe that God can honor such prayers. God transcends “place.” He is omnipresent. But I believe that there are special places that resonate with the power of God’s work in the past (and other places that are haunted by the evil done there in years gone by). We should take time to acknowledge both the work that God has done in special places, and the need for His cleansing (and/or judgment) in others. Places are not more important that people, but they have lasting impact and are part of God’s purpose.

Cities, habitats, people groups, wildlife; wars, famines, floods and droughts, pollution and climate issues– from urban blight to toxic waste in the oceans. God’s heart is that we would do our best to care for the places in which we live– and that we would trust Him with the changes that are out of our control. Not just in Madagascar, or Ukraine or Rio de Janiero, but in our own backyard or in the next city block. Buildings, lakes, roads and parks– we can also lift them up in prayer, knowing that God is Lord of ALL around us–all that makes up life around us.

What might happen in our world if, instead of wringing our hands about climate change, we prayed and asked God what small steps we could take to make a difference right around us? What would happen if we prayed about the oceans and deserts and the wildlife that inhabit them– after all, I have no idea how many seals and gazelles, coral reefs and cacti there are in the world, but God knows them all!

Prayer doesn’t negate our need to care for the places around us– it’s still important to pick up litter, recycle, and be responsible about using, caring for, and disposing of resources. But praying about places will keep us “in tune” with God’s love of creation, and His desire that we honor Him in everything– everywhere!

July 21, 2023 0

Beyond Words

The world is filled with language–there are well over 5,000 recognized languages and dialects around the globe. And within each language are thousands upon thousands of words– nouns and verb forms and adjectives; names and even grunts and sighs and “clicks” that vary from language group to language group.

In spite of this, we often find ourselves “speechless”– unable to find a word or sound that adequately communicates our thoughts or feelings in the moment. We stammer or sigh, gesture, or scream– but the words either don’t come or they don’t exist.

God knows and understands our innermost heart– with or without words. The Apostle Paul refers to this in Romans, chapter 8, when he talks about the Spirit interceding for us with groans that words cannot express (v. 26). And it’s not always groaning– sometimes there are no words for our joy– only dancing or tears of gladness. Sometimes, there are wails and cries that come straight from our broken hearts. Sometimes, our excited thoughts come so fast that we cannot form words and sounds to keep up.

girl in pink jacket on wooden bridge in the forest

Prayer isn’t always about words– carefully drafted lists of requests or thank-you’s for our blessings–sometimes prayer is a spontaneous gush of sound or movement; sometimes, it is an intense stillness and profound silence, such that your heartbeat is deafening and the very air sings in your ears. Sometimes, it is the eruption of pain and guilt, regret and despair–the sound of your soul being pulled up through your throat and ripped almost in two. And sometimes, miraculously, it is the overwhelming presence of God in all of his Holiness, Splendor, and Might that defies any human utterance, but draws out pure praise, unfiltered by language!

Today, whatever words (or utterances, clicks, gestures, or groanings) you use, don’t neglect to express your heart and soul to the one who made you. Prayer is more than just mere words, just as God is more than just someone else to talk to! He knows every language, every thought and emotion, and each individual intimately. He will understand– even beyond words!

July 19, 2023 0

“Just a Vacation” by Faith

There is an old joke about a young boy who could hardly wait to go to a local evangelistic service. He begged to go– he counted the days– he thought of little else. Surprised and a little curious, his mother finally asked him why he was so excited. He said, “Mom, they said on the radio that the evangelist is going to be talking about “just a vacation” by faith. I want to go along– especially if he’s taking us to Hawaii!”

Of course, the joke is that the boy misunderstood what he had heard over the radio waves– “Justification” for “Just a vacation.” The evangelist wasn’t promoting travel or taking time off from work, or relaxing on an exotic beach somewhere.

But I think we often make a similar mistake when we talk about Faith. We make it sound like a vacation– a vacation from worry; a vacation from consequences; even a vacation from reason and “justification” for our beliefs. We carry our Faith as a kind of talisman against bad circumstances, or like a “free pass” from worry or responsibility. “If I just believe it, I will receive it!” is a great meme, but we need to believe in Jesus Christ– not just our belief about belief.

Faith goes hand in hand with work. Faith, according to the writer of Hebrews, “is the substance of things hoped for– the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 emphasis added) Faith is more than just positive or wishful thinking; more than just the power of hoping for the best; more than just acceptance of traditions and platitudes, or falling under the spell of a powerful speaker. It results in changed thinking and a changed lifestyle. Faith is transformative– our new life is evidence of our Faith IN Christ and His Holy Spirit working IN us! We don’t take a “vacation” from our old life or old habits– we change course. Faith isn’t momentary or circumstantial.

Nor is Faith about taking a vacation from responsibilities or hardships. Faith doesn’t magically make pain go away or trials vanish. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have cause to worry, or even to question, “Why?” Instead, Faith wrestles with such questions, and moves ahead, even when we cannot see over the next rise. Faith doesn’t make hard circumstances go away, or painful problems vanish. Hard times are still hard; pain is still pain, even with Faith. But Faith makes the seemingly unbearable, bearable. Faith gives us the endurance and the peace that helps us– with Christ– overcome whatever comes our way (See Philippians 4:12-13)

Faith doesn’t change our circumstances– it changes our perspective. Today is difficult– but today is not the same as forever. Tomorrow’s unknowns might be frightening, but so were yesterday’s trials. God was there with us then; He is with us today, and He has promised to be with us always. Our lack of faith doesn’t negate God’s promises, nor does our Faith cause them. But our Faith has a solid foundation– one that has been put to the test by millions of others over thousands of years and has not been found lacking! God is Faith-ful!

So when I pray today, I am not coming to God with wishful thinking or wondering if God will hear my prayer or be willing to act on my behalf. I trust that God knows my needs, hears my prayers and will answer according to His wisdom. He knows exactly what I need and when I need it– not just what I desire in a particular moment or when I think I would like my circumstances to change–but my true need. Whether or not that includes a vacation!

July 17, 2023 0

Hallelujah! Amen!

At least once a month this year, I hope to include a post on helpful tips to improve our pursuit of prayer. These are tips I’ve gathered over the years, and it helps me to remember as I write about them.

Today, I want to talk about starting and finishing well.

Beginning prayer with a Hallelujah helps focus my attention where it should be– on God! Too many times, I start praying with a “need” mindset. I’m focused on a need or a situation in my life or the lives around me. But the greatest “need” I have is to lift my eyes and focus on the ONE who is higher and greater and more powerful than any situation; the ONE who can satisfy every “need” and bring justice, restoration, and hope to any situation.

I have learned two different acronyms for prayer over the years– ACTS and PRAY. ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. PRAY stands for Praise, Repent, Ask, and YES! (action). In both, the first step is to bring praise and adoration to the One who is worthy of it.

Sometimes, this is easy to do. Sometimes, it is painful. When I am stressed, worried, grieving, or convicted, my focus is inward and downward– and I can spiral into depression, isolation, and fear. The last thing I want to do is turn my focus away. God’s glory and righteousness can be blinding in the face of dark depression and despair. And yet–

Start small. Begin with one aspect of God’s character that you have experienced– His Grace, His Faithfulness, His Love. Meditate on it. Express it. Expand on it. Recall some of the specific ways in which God has been gracious, faithful, or loving. Think about some of God’s other attributes– His wisdom, power, omnipresence; His eternal nature, His creation. Soon, it becomes easier to speak, and even sing, His Praise!

Often, this will lead naturally into confession and repentance. When we begin by focusing on God’s greatness, His Holiness, and His majesty, our worries show themselves for lack of faith; our needs, while still real, reveal opportunities for God to “show up!” and for us to learn new depths of His character IF we are humble, obedient, and willing to learn.

Praise and Adoration are important first steps in prayer. But it is equally important to end our prayers well. Sometimes, our “Amen” is muted as our focus returns to our requests. And sometimes, it can be difficult and even painful to say “Amen!” I KNOW God is all-gracious, all-knowing, and all-powerful. But I also know that I don’t have enough money to pay the latest bill, or that I have been diagnosed with an incurable disease, or that my son or daughter is still lost. And I know that God may be asking me to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. He will be beside me, but He’s not going to remove the shadow or the valley to make it easier.

Over the years, I have found that it is better to wrestle IN prayer than to end with a half-hearted Amen. I must go back to Adoration; find my Thanksgiving, reclaim my Yes, Lord! before I say, “AMEN!” Otherwise, I am like the double-minded person in the book of James: being tossed like a wave in the ocean and filled with petty doubts in spite of my knowledge of God’s goodness.

End your prayer on a high note today. Remember to sandwich requests and concerns between hymns of praise and odes of thanksgiving. “Amen” should always echo our “Hallelujah!”

July 7, 2023 0

My Anchor Holds…

(Note: This is a post from a couple of years ago…)

My husband and I like to go fishing. We have a small boat, and we take it out on a local lake, and spend many happy hours enjoying nature and casting about for fish. One piece of equipment we keep on the boat is an anchor. It’s a small anchor (for a small boat), but it is heavy and solid. The anchor stays within the boat while we travel, but once we’ve found the spot where we want to fish, out it comes. We “drop anchor”, and tie off the rope. The anchor sinks to the lake bed, where it digs in and holds the boat, keeping it from drifting with the water and the wind. The boat still moves a bit, but the anchor and the rope ensure that the boat will stay close to the spot where the anchor lies.

On calm days, it may seem as if the anchor is hardly necessary. The lake is still, and the boat doesn’t seem to drift at all. On windy days, the boat will be driven by the waves, unless the anchor is dropped and holds firm. But the waves still churn and batter against the sides.

The author of Hebrews compares the hope we have in Christ to an anchor. ” We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19a NIV) And as I thought of that, I was reminded of some key things about Hope (and its sister, Faith):

An anchor does no good unless it is IN the boat every time we leave shore. I have seen several anchors on display– in parks or at ports–huge and imposing. But they are useless to any vehicle out in the water. Similarly, we have to have the Hope of Christ IN US–we cannot “borrow” someone else’s hope or faith in moments of testing and suffering. We cannot leave our hope in the boathouse, or hang it up on display on shore, and assume that the waters will stay calm, or that our boat cannot drift.
An anchor is also useless unless there is a rope or chain or line attaching it to the boat. If I say that my Hope is in Christ, but I’m not in relationship WITH Him, the Anchor will still drop and hold, but my boat will be at the mercy of the waves and wind. If I know “about” God, but I have never spent time getting to “know” God, whatever hope I have will be detached and of little use.
An anchor is heavy. It is bulky. It sinks deep and isn’t easy to reposition. That’s how our Faith is meant to be. True faith isn’t lightweight, or convenient, or “cute.” Hope isn’t a balloon or a kite or a parachute. What will keep us from drifting in good times or bad is a faith that is heavy and unshakeable. And our Hope is not airy and wishful, based on wisps and popular philosophy; it is based on God’s eternal nature, and His enduring Word.
An anchor, while important, doesn’t make the boat move. Faith and Hope, by themselves, will not get us to our “fishing spot.” The Christian life isn’t about drifting or just staying still. There are times when we need to move out into deeper waters, or turn the boat around and head for home. For that, we need Love to be the motor, or the sail, or the oars to propel us. And we need the “chart”– God’s word, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit– to guide us to our destination. Only then can we get the most out of our Anchor and its ability to keep us firmly in the place we need to be.
An anchor, left dragging behind, will actually hinder or stop our movement. We can get so “anchored” on a certain doctrinal argument, or a certain job at church, or a certain tradition, that we fail to move where God would have us go next. Once again, the anchor does no good unless it is IN the boat as we travel. When God calls us to repent, to change, or to move, we have to trust Him enough to bring the anchor aboard and let His Spirit move us to our next destination.

There is much more that can be said about our sure Hope and Faith, but I want to stop and digest this much for now. I pray for wisdom to use the Anchor of Hope properly all my days.

July 5, 2023 0

Category: Prayer