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

Keep Praying!

My prayers will not change the world. Read that again, because it is important to come to grips with certain realities, and with certain half-truths. My. Prayers. Will. Not. Change. The. World. BUT…

My prayers WILL be heard and answered.

My prayers WILL reach the throne of Heaven.

My prayers WILL make a difference!

We have a great tendency to think in extremes. And the subject of prayer is no exception. Either our prayers seem powerful or they seem empty. But we live in a world of limitations, a world of boundaries. I can do small things– things that make a small difference. I can help a neighbor. I can give out of my abundance. I can exert whatever power or influence I might have. I can write or speak in an effort to persuade.

But I can’t move mountains. I can’t fix a broken soul. I can’t end wars or stop famines or control the wind and waves. And my prayers cannot FORCE God to bend to MY will; to act as I see fit, or in My timing. It is not my actions or my wishes or my words– even in prayer– that will ever change the world.

Sometimes, others will see this as failure. They will say that prayer is ineffective, or weak, or no more than wishful thinking. They see it as an abdication of power– asking God to do something instead of taking action. And that kind of faulty thinking can take root and cause me to stop praying as fervently or as faithfully as I once did. It might make me doubt God’s goodness or His willingness to hear me, or to bless others. Worse, I may see His blessing of others as a slight to my own prayers and pains. I may see my prayers as a waste of time, and I may place more value on striving and struggling and fighting over the power of Faith and Obedience.

Keep Praying!

The truth is that God is the only one who has both the power and the wisdom to save the world– and us– from all the problems we see around us. And the other truth is that HE is the one who invites us to pray as an act of communion with Him IN all his power, wisdom, mercy and love. Our “small” prayers are tied to a Great and Mighty God!

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My prayer will not CAUSE God to change circumstances, but it WILL involve me in the process of change– it will allow me to confirm and acknowledge God’s work as it unfolds.

My prayer may not result in immediate change of my circumstances or in the face of great disasters. But it will result in a change in ME. And it will result in changes I can’t even begin to imagine– changes that may unfold over generations; changes that may multiply ten-thousand-fold! Prayer will put me in a place where God can more easily mold me and shape my character to endure and thrive and even ACT in ways that make a positive and lasting difference.

Even prayers of worship and thanksgiving, that may seem to go in only one direction– we have no idea how God uses such prayers to pour out His greatness and worthiness on those of us who are unworthy. God’s ways are mysterious and unpredictable– but they lead to unexpected miracles and unmerited blessings.

Keep Praying!

Keep praying in the face of doubt. Keep praying in the face of exhaustion and pain. Keep praying in the face of persecution and misunderstanding. God is listening. God is at work. And others are watching and listening, too. Your prayers may be the inspiration to someone else who is struggling. Your prayers may be the seed that is being planted in the very person who is persecuting you. Your praise may be the fuel that will start a fire elsewhere in the world!

Keep Praying!

May 10, 2023 0

Praying for Fiji

At least once each month, I want to encourage you with a practical step in pursuing a life of prayer. Today, I want to talk about how you can pray globally.

What does this mean, and how does it look? Well, it means making a concerted effort to pray for different places, people groups, and issues around the world. How you do that may look very different from how I choose to do it, but I’ll give you a peek into my method. You can tool around until you find what works for you.

I mentioned in a previous post that I once found a commercially-produced “Prayer Journal” on sale at a Christian Bookstore. It was a marvelous book with a world mission focus. Each week, there was a short discussion of a different “at-risk” people group. There was information about the region(s), the population, the average life expectancy, the literacy rate, the estimated percentage of Christians (as well as percentages for other religions) in the area, and more. There were suggestions about how to pray for the people/area, and then space to write notes and other prayer requests. I have never again found such a resource in a bookstore, but I decided to make my own journal.

My journal takes up four notebooks– one for each quarter of the year– roughly ninety-two days in each notebook. Each day has a heading with a geographical location: a continent, a nation, a state or province, a city or town, even major rivers, deserts, and oceans. (In addition, I have space for the names of individuals with birthdays or anniversaries, and a space for urgent and immediate prayer requests for that day. In the front of the journal, I have a list of “Prayer Points” for the various days of the week– you can check out my page on Prayer Points here Proactive Prayer Points. The notebooks can be used from year to year, and have space on the back of every page to record answers.)

I don’t have the marvelous demographic information that was in the earlier journal, but I have an almanac or the internet if I want to dig deeper. In putting the notebooks together, I alphabetized all the names of places I wanted to include, narrowed the list down to 365, and assigned one place to each day of the year. Yesterday, I prayed for Fennville, a small town in Michigan where I used to be a student teacher. Today is Fiji, which comes next alphabetically. So I will be praying for Fiji, along with other people, places, and issues on my list. I may not know a lot about Fiji- I know it is an island republic in the South Pacific. I know that many Fijians are Christian, while others are Muslim or Hindu. But God knows everything about this group of islands– He knows if it is the rainy season there now, or if the people are battling sickness or poverty, or if they are in a season of clear skies and abundance!

So WHY do I recommend praying for Fiji (and all the other nations of the world, as well as major cities and even deserts?) Why Global Prayer?

First, it is Biblical, and it is a step in obedience. We are to “go into all the world” to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15). So we should also pray “into all the world”– pray for those who are going to other nations; pray for those who need to hear the Gospel in other nations; pray for those who are going FROM there into all the rest of the world. “For God so loved the WORLD…” (John 3:16). And so should we. Whether we can travel or not; whether we can study all the needs and factors of each nation or area or not, we should remember them in prayer.
Second, it will change your prayer life. I believe it makes my prayer life richer and more effective. Once again, it takes my focus off of me and lifts it to the God who holds the whole world in His Hands. I’m not just praying to “my” Father– I’m praying to “Our” Father. He loves me, and He listens to me, but He is big enough, powerful enough, and compassionate enough for the entire world! Once I acknowledge that, it changes the way I approach prayer.
It also is a great way to learn about the world and about other people and cultures! Imagine meeting someone from Fiji, and being able to say, “I have prayed for your homeland!” Imagine how much joy it can bring to pray for those places that have special meaning to your family and friends. I haven’t traveled the world, but I have met people from many countries. I’m still waiting to meet someone from Fiji, but if I do, I will have even more joy in praying for it next year on this day!
It brings discipline to my prayer life. Sure, I feel an urgency to pray for “hot spots” around the world– wars and famine, political upheaval and natural disasters call to mind certain areas of the world for prayer. But praying for an area without such prompts requires that I have some system in place. And who knows what God’s plans are for any given region on any given day, or what needs may arise that I can’t know about in advance?

So HOW can you pray Globally? I can recommend a few first steps:

Make a list. Maybe start with a single week. List seven locations– nations, cities, even continents or oceans (there are seven continents and “seven seas” after all). Perhaps you want to list places both near and far– local towns or villages AND faraway lands–over the course of a month or even a year.
Set up a system–you may want to use a notebook, planner, or calendar. Or you may want to set up a database. Your system can be set up weekly, monthly, yearly— whatever will work for you.
Be flexible and persistent. It has taken me nearly 20 years to settle on a system that truly works for me. Don’t be afraid to make changes or say “no” to a system just because it works for someone else.
Pray about it!
Resolve to DO IT. Many years, I spent so much time trying to “perfect” my system that I neglected to do the actual prayer! Please don’t let this happen to you. And don’t let guilt or impossible expectations keep you from your pursuit. Even if you take a step backward, forget a day, stumble through a week– Keep going!
Thank God for the opportunity to pray for others. Thank Him for loving the whole world (including you)! Praise Him for being a God who watches over every grain of sand and every drop of water in the oceans, over every bird of the air, and every precious life!

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Imagine what can happen in our world if even a few of us are faithful in praying for all of us?! God is giving YOU an opportunity to be involved in HIS work throughout the world. Will you pray for Fiji today? Who can you pray for tomorrow?

April 28, 2023 0

You’ll Never Pray Alone!

I attend a mid-week prayer meeting. Sometimes we have a dozen or two in attendance. The other day, we had just five. But God shows up every week! There is a mystical, spiritual quality in communal prayer– voices raised in praise, thanksgiving, and intercession; voices raised in agreement, in harmony, and in support. We spend nearly an hour in prayer; some stay after to pray longer, some stay silent for most or all of the hour, just listening and giving spiritual support by their presence. We also spend some time reading scripture, sharing updates on missionaries and community outreach programs, or updates on requests from previous weeks. And, in listening to others pray, we can “hear” their hearts and get to know them a little better. But this is not meant as a social hour. We are there for one purpose– to pray. It is a commitment to pray faithfully, to pray consistently, and to pray humbly and gratefully.

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We are blessed to have the opportunity to gather publicly and freely to pray. But what about those who cannot? Not everyone has the freedom in their weekly schedule to attend our prayer meeting (or other meetings that might be scheduled throughout the community). Not everyone lives in an area where public prayer is safe and encouraged. Some people are shut in. Some face persecution for their faith– public gatherings increase the risk of violence and arrest.

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Most prayers happen in seclusion and isolation. And sometimes, this can lead us to believe that personal prayer is a small thing. One silent prayer in a room somewhere in Michigan may seem tiny and frail. It can seem puny and ineffective. And praying in isolation or under threat can feel even smaller and lonelier. We trust that God hears us, but we can feel so weak, so ineffectual. We long for support and communion. Praying in a group “feels” stronger, and more “important,” surrounded by fellow believers and hearing the voices chiming in with praise and heartfelt requests.

I value and appreciate meeting and praying with other believers, but most of my prayers are personal– said in silence in my own home. I pray by myself, often with my Prayer Journal in front of me; sometimes, just lying in bed, or sitting at my workspace. Yet, I never pray alone! Jesus, in The Lord’s Prayer, taught His disciples to pray to “Our Father.” But He must have known that they would also pray personal prayers. He did not teach them to say “My Father,” or “My God.” Surely, when we are alone, we can use those terms (as Jesus Himself did in the Garden of Gethsemane). But I think Jesus was acknowledging that God “inhabits the praise of His people” (Psalm 22:3)– and that when we pray, we are mystically and spiritually joined with God– Father, Son, and Spirit– and also with the family of other believers. And their prayers join with ours. When I pray, alone in a darkened room or closet, I may be physically separated from believers in Pakistan or Colombia, but I am spiritually linked with them (and they with me) in ways I don’t fully comprehend. I can’t hear their prayers; I can’t understand their language, and I don’t know their needs. Nor do they know mine. But God knows them all, and knits them all together in ways that bring Glory and Honor to Him! Praying with our Wednesday group (or any time I pray with other believers) helps me better feel this connection, but it goes beyond what we experience in corporate prayer. None of my “puny” prayers is lost in the fugue of a hundred thousand other prayers prayed in that moment– instead, they blend in with other silent cries and unspoken expressions of praise from all over the globe. They rise up like the notes of a never-ending symphony!

Prayer is so much more powerful and deeper than we imagine! Today, let’s pray–together–knowing that whatever our situation or circumstance, we will never pray alone!

October 28, 2022 0

Priorities

Get up.
Make the bed.
Shower and brush teeth.
Get dressed.
Fix breakfast– cereal, toast, orange juice.
Don’t forget to take the morning medication–Must be taken with food
And plenty of water.

Go to work.
“How was your weekend?”
Check e-mail.
“How can I help you?”
Staff meeting. Don’t be late. Don’t forget notes.

Lunch time.
Meet with an old friend.
Healthy salad. No dessert.
“We must meet up again, soon!”
Don’t forget to tip the waitress.

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Back to work.
Check e-mail.
Work on report for the boss.
Take the stairs, not the elevator.

Home at last.
Check e-mail.
Check mail for bills, etc.
Pay bills, etc.
Fix dinner–or maybe get take-out from the Chinese place around the corner–no dishes!

Watch TV.
Finish the Sunday Crossword.
Brush teeth.
Get ready for bed.

(Pray.) Lord, help me to make prayer a priority in the days ahead.

Wake up and repeat…

³²For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
Matthew 6:32-33 (AMP)

October 17, 2022 0

Hi-Fi or Wi-Fi?

(Please note: This is an updated post from a few years ago. Please enjoy.)

I know by writing this, I’m dating myself a bit, but when I was younger (MUCH younger!) we used to listen to a Hi-Fi stereo system. It was a piece of furniture, made of wood, complete with legs and fabric-covered speakers, and it had an enormous hinged cover that had to be locked into the “open” position or it would slam shut as your head and upper body was “inside” trying to adjust the settings! It had a turn-table for records, an AM/FM radio, and even storage for albums and other gear. It stood proudly, if awkwardly, in the living room or family room, off to the side of the other large piece of entertainment furniture, the giant television set, complete with rabbit-ear antenna. Hi-Fi stood for “High Fidelity”, reassuring us that the sounds issuing from this box were as close as we could get to “being there” for concerts, broadcasts, and other recordings. Our model was “old school”– there was no remote control, no way to record in any other medium (no tape deck or USB port), no “pause” or “mute” function– all the knobs and buttons and “arms” had to be operated by hand.

person holding vinyl player in shallow focus photography — Photo by Ivan Boban on Pexels.com

Today, we have “Wi-Fi”– a word that looks and sounds very much like the earlier “Hi-Fi.” Many people think that Wi-Fi probably stands for “Wireless Fidelity.” I looked it up– the “Wi-” does stand for wireless, meaning that information is transferred via radio waves, eliminating the need for a wire or cable connection. But the “Fi” part does NOT stand for fidelity (or anything else, exactly). It is simply a brand name for a particular wireless protocol See more about the definition of Wi-Fi here. Still, wireless communications, including cell phone service and internet, has radically changed our world, making it possible to connect with virtually anyone, anywhere, any time. It is a marvelous innovation with potential for great good. In our world and culture of global communications, we rely on Wi-Fi or wireless connections every day. We use them for information, entertainment, business, and social networking. I rely on it for this blog.

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When it comes to prayer, it’s important to recognize the important difference between Hi-Fi and Wi-Fi . Both are important, but they are not the same.

High Fidelity Prayer (as I see it) is consistent, daily prayer. Faithfully coming before God and seeking His face. Some may use a rote prayer for grace, or bedtime prayers, matins, or other standardized prayers. Others may set aside a daily time to pray–15 minutes in the morning, or an hour after breakfast, or even 10 minutes before bedtime. Some people set an alarm to pray at a certain time each day. Many even make a habit to pray with a group once or twice a week. To some, this type of prayer may seem passe, outmoded, old fashioned–after all, if God already knows our every thought, why does it matter if we pray every day or meet with the same group? It matters because fidelity matters– faithfulness, even in the “small” things, matters to God.

High Fidelity Prayer may seem awkwardly placed in the middle of our “living room”–forcing us to take time; to make and keep a commitment; to face questions or ridicule–it may seem clunky and wooden at first, even scratchy and hard to tune. And it depends on being “plugged in” to our power source! Hi-Fi prayer is meditative, deliberate, and worship-focused. We should be careful, however, of making Hi-Fi prayer a relic. Many Hi-Fi stereos from “my day” are now collecting dust, or being used to hold plants or books! Hi-Fi prayer must be practiced– even in an age of Wi-Fi lifestyles– if it is to do us any good.

Wi-Fi Prayer is not the opposite of Hi-Fi Prayer. It is not “wrong”, or illegitimate. In fact, it is great to know that we can talk to God anywhere, any time, for any reason. Wi-Fi Prayer (again, as I see it) is spontaneous prayer that is poured out to God “in the moment”. It can happen as you are driving or walking down the street (just don’t close your eyes!) It can happen alone or with a group. It can happen in response to something you overhear on a bus or a train, or read in an e-mail, or hear on the news. It is not a substitute for Hi-Fi Prayer, but it is certainly a healthy addition to it.

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But Wi-Fi Prayer, just like Wi-Fi communication, can be taken for granted. Wi-Fi prayers can become “small” and “hand-held”– things we bring before God because it seems like the thing to do. We tend to put little thought, and even less grammar, into our wireless messages; we sometimes put little thought, and even less doctrine, into our Wi-Fi prayers, relying on common phrases that sound religious, but lose meaning. “Jesus just be with _____________ during this time”, “put a hedge of protection around ________________”, “I’m just claiming your promises, Lord.” There is nothing “wrong” with any of these statements, but what do we really mean? Isn’t Jesus always with us? Why is protection always a “hedge”? Which promises are you claiming? Again, there is nothing wrong with any of these phrases, and we know that the Holy Spirit can understand even our deepest utterances and wordless groaning. But just like auto-correct can mess up the simplest message, so our auto-pilot praying can mimic real communication with our Lord and Creator. There are entire comedy routines built around this kind of praying– but it creates an uncomfortably convicting kind of laughter. We should not be shamed out of Wi-Fi prayer, but we should also be careful not to let our prayer lives become a joke. Thankfully, God listens to our hearts and not just our words!

Hi-Fi or Wi-Fi, prayer is a sure connection to a faithful God.

On a final note, whether we have to turn down the knob or hit mute, there is another important “sound” principle of prayer– LISTEN! There have been some voices mocking this element of prayer, claiming that those who claim to “hear” from God are hallucinating or just plain crazy. God rarely ever speaks aloud and directly to an individual–even Jesus, while He claimed that He only did what His Father “told” Him to do– never claimed to hear the audible voice of God telling Him what to do or where to go next. There are only a few recorded instances of anyone else “hearing” the voice of God directly throughout history. But there are countless instances of people discerning the “voice” of God, and the leading of the Holy Spirit throughout the ages. How? Often through changes in circumstances, other trusted voices, new insights into scripture, or the “still small voice” of their own conscience giving confirmation. One caveat about “listening” for the voice of God– it will NEVER lead you to contradict God’s own word or act in contradiction to His character.

We have a Hi-Fi, Wi-Fi kind of God–let’s keep in tune, log in, and listen!

October 5, 2022 0

For Goodness’ Sake!

^5-9So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
2 Peter 1:5-9 (The Message)

What does it mean to be “good?” This is a question that Jesus posed to the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18:

¹⁸A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
Luke 18:18-19 (NIV)

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Jesus went on to list several Biblical commandments– you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, etc.., but even when the young man answers with confidence that he has kept all these commandments, Jesus says, “you still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me.” (v. 22)

Civil Rights activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gesturing during sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church. (Photo by Donald Uhrbrock//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Being “good” is not a matter of avoiding evil. It is more than being “correct” in our principles, and upright in our actions. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his famous address in 1963 said that he dreamed of a day when his children… would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the “content of their character.” Character, and more specifically the “good character” mentioned by Peter in the above passage, includes thoughts, principles, actions, and habits by which we are judged. I may never commit murder in the literal sense, but I will be judged wanting in character if my words and actions are vicious, snide, malicious, sarcastic, and brutal. I may never be convicted of theft, but I may be judged harshly for being ungenerous or miserly toward those in need. Dr. King wanted his children to be judged–positively–for their character, not for something as superficial and arbitrary as skin color, nor for whatever they hadn’t done.

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The young ruler in Luke’s story, not willing to give away his possessions, went away disappointed. But he missed the more important calling– “Then come, follow me.” Jesus wasn’t being self-effacing when He asked, “Why do you call me good?” Far from it! Jesus WAS good– He was (and is) the embodiment of Goodness! It is not through ritualistically following the commandments that anyone becomes “good.” It isn’t even in the self-sacrificing act of giving away one’s possessions. It is in the humble act of following the Master! To follow Christ is to step out in faith, and to walk in goodness.

Peter makes the natural connection that James also makes in his epistle– that Faith, while fundamental, must build good character through our actions, words, and habits. Faith, without works, is dead. (James 2:14-26) So the next building block is developing a good (or Godly) character. Our lives should reflect the Goodness of Christ. We won’t be perfect. But we will be given strength and guidance by the Holy Spirit to walk in Goodness. And as we walk, we will build on that foundation with the next step…Spiritual Understanding. (More about that next time.)

Today, I pray that God will show me how, and His Spirit empower me, to develop in goodness; that I would become more like the “Good Teacher” who is also my savior and Lord. For Goodness’ Sake!

September 14, 2022 0

Laundry List Prayers

Do you ever feel like your prayer life has become an endless pile of laundry lists?

I keep a prayer journal, and I have daily “prayer points” that help focus my prayers, but I have to be careful not to let my prayer life become all about “ticking the boxes.” It’s easy to see a list of names or a topic on paper or a screen, and make prayer about what is written in my journal, or making sure I don’t “miss” someone on the list. Prayer is a conversation, and it should flow like one. I would not like to have a conversation with someone who came to me with a long list of requests and nothing else.

That doesn’t mean we can’t bring our requests to God– we should! And sometimes it makes sense to list them out methodically and specifically. But it’s also important to remember that God already knows all the concerns of our heart. He is eager to hear from us— not just our concerns, but our other thoughts, too. He wants to hear our excitement and joy over small triumphs; our questions and ponderings; and all the little things that make us go, “hmmm.”

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When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He didn’t have a list of names or specific situations. He asked that “Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10). He asked the Father to “give us this day our daily bread,”(v.11) without specifying when or how. And He asked, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,”(v.12) without naming names or reminding God of the debts involved! Sometimes we need to be reminded that that God knows our needs, our neighbors, and our universe far better than we do!

Today, I want to put aside the “laundry list” and just spend time conversing with my Savior. I hope you will, too.

September 9, 2022 0

Praying On “Borrowed” Time

When do you pray each day? Do you have a time set aside in the morning and/or evening? Do you say grace at meal time? Do you stop during the day to pray for a certain period of time? Do you wait for “the right moment?” Do you miss precious time spent in prayer?

Most of us have a “regular” prayer time– even if it’s just a short burst of prayer in the morning or tucked into the period just after Bible study, or even a quick “Thank you” at meal times. But, for some reason, it often feels like we’re praying on “borrowed” time– time when we are planning to do other things, but a situation or feeling overwhelms us and causes us to pause for “unexpected” prayer.

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Sometimes, we feel awkward, stopping to pray in the middle of some other activity; sometimes it feels forced or rushed somehow. Yet we are encouraged to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to be “constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

We can be grateful for the privilege to coming to God in prayer– anytime, anywhere, for any reason! Imagine if we only had one opportunity every day to “catch up” with God. Imagine if we actually had to “borrow” time to be in His presence. What a wonderful gift– the omnipresence of God. What a marvelous comfort to be able to pause and know that God is always listening and always available.

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In one sense, however, we are praying on “borrowed” time. Our lifetime is a gift. And our Spirit is eternal. But our physical earthly life is finite. Our ability to call on God is immediate and ever-present. But our ability to live in peace and harmony with Him depends on our acknowledgement of His Sovereignty and acceptance of His Salvation and Reconciliation. God is gracious and loving– every moment we are alive we have the opportunity to seek His face. But for those who choose to ignore or reject His invitation, there will be a moment that is “too late.” There will be no borrowing, begging, or buying another opportunity.

Today–right now!– is a perfect time to accept, claim, celebrate, and utilize the precious gift of God’s loving presence, and His desire to share all that is on our hearts and minds. Even on “borrowed” time!

June 10, 2022 0

The Privilege of Prayer

Pursing prayer sometimes leads to taking prayer for granted. Prayer becomes a habit; a daily activity; even a task to check off the list. But prayer is so much more. Prayer is a lifeline; a divine mystery. I can’t explain how prayer “works.” But I know from experience that it transcends the words I speak and the emotions I feel as I pray. I’m not praying to “a higher power” or an abstract “spiritual being.” I pray to the One who created me, and the One who loves me more than I can even comprehend.

More than that, I am praying to the One who oversees the universe, and all the inhabitants thereof. There is something powerful and mysterious about prayer. I was reminded of that just recently, when I asked for prayer for my mother, who fell and injured herself. She is 88 years old, and very frail. She is also beloved by many in her family and community. Within minutes of posting a very general request for prayer, several dozen people had responded– some with a simple message of “praying” or “sending prayers.” The next day, I was more specific, and again, dozens of people responded within minutes– “praying for your mother,” “prayers for healing,” etc.. Suddenly my prayers became more confident and hopeful. And I was reminded of all the prayers I lift up each day–those “daily prayers” that sometimes seem like little tasks. They are unique, personal, and important– not just to me, but to many others.

I shared recently about praying for others’ requests. This is also a privilege. In a mysterious and divine way, when we pray for others we join in God’s work of bringing hope, healing, and love to others. I can pray for others (and they can pray for me) regardless of where I am, or what my situation may be. I cannot always DO something, or BE somewhere. I can always pray. And where I can act, prayer often sharpens and directs my actions to be more effective.

If you’ve ever tried to help in the aftermath of a disaster (as a member of the general public and not an emergency worker or someone deployed to help), you know it can be frustrating. If you’ve ever been caught in a disaster zone, you know it can be frightening AND frustrating. People do their best to help and offer hope, but in times of chaos and lack of communication, people can be left behind and resources can be misdirected or spoiled before they can get to those who need them most. Prayer never gets misdirected. It never goes unanswered or forgotten; it is never a wasted effort. God is faithful. His ways may be difficult for us to understand, but they are not warped, doomed, or limited in any way.

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There is great comfort in that reality. Sometimes, we just need to be reminded of how powerful and necessary our prayers are. God loves to hear them. He loves to answer them. He loves to use them for His glory and our wholeness. What a privilege to carry EVERYTHING to God in prayer!

January 7, 2022 0

Tag: habits

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