9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 19:9-14 (ESV)
I study prayer. I write about prayer. But I am not an “expert” on prayer. That is not to say that one cannot become proficient in prayer or learn to pray “better.” But prayer is ultimately the pursuit of a relationship. I can pray eloquently in public. I can pray earnestly at home. I can pray fervently every day. And I will still pursue prayer– “more” “deeper” “better” prayer.
But it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that my relationship with God is based on my own efforts. That the “more” or “better” I pray, the more God will listen; the more God will accept me. That is a lie. God doesn’t want my “best.” He wants my all. He wants me to come to Him “just as I am”– not in an idealized version of myself.
Jesus spoke of this kind of prayer in the parable of the Pharisee and the Sinner. The Pharisee knows how to pray eloquently about himself. He is confident in his own righteousness. He does not need to ask God for anything. He really doesn’t need to thank God for anything. He has secured his own righteousness in his own eyes, and he wants to thank God for noticing (and surely rewarding?) his goodness.
We are sinners saved by grace. Yet we often act like sinners saved by our own cleverness in accepting God’s gracious gifts. Sure, Jesus paid a price for our sin on Calvary– but that was nearly 2,000 years ago. We are saved! We are justified! We “get it.” And our prayers are offered up in pride and self-confidence. God will hear us. God loves us. God will be impressed by our discipline and our fervor. When we do this, we are like the arrogant Pharisee in the parable. Such prayers do not honor God. They do not honor the work of the Cross. They do not reflect a right relationship with our LORD and Savior.
However, we are not exactly like the Sinner in this parable, either. If we have confessed our sins, and believe on Jesus Christ, our sins HAVE BEEN forgiven, and we have been justified. We do not need to offer sacrifices or beg for mercy over and over again for our past offenses. Our guilt has been washed away. We come humbly, but we come as sons and daughters of the King– co-heirs with Jesus.
God does not want wimpy, doubtful prayers. He does not want us to waver or hide from Him. He wants us to come boldly to the throne of Grace (See Hebrews 4;14-16). But we do so knowing that it is Jesus’ righteousness that gives us the right and His love that gives us the desire to come. It is the finished work of the Resurrection that makes us confident. We should pray honestly and humbly–whether in thanksgiving or confession of new sins– but with confidence and joy in our restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Let us never forget that we pray to an all-powerful, Holy God, who is also gracious and merciful. We can come with TRUE thanksgiving for what God has done; for who He is; and for who we are IN Him.
“Lord, I thank you that YOU are not like other men and women. I thank you that You have made a way for me to be cleansed. I thank you that no matter what I have done, or what I do, Your love for me never changes. And I thank you that You listen to, and answer my prayers! You are Holy, Faithful, and True.”
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.
Psalm 14:1 (ESV)
Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
Psalm 53:1 (NLT)
One thing that seems to surprise many intellectuals is the discovery that other intellectuals are Christians! There is a certain class of thinkers who believe that only ignorant people “need” to believe in God. Many of them posit that the concept of “god” is outdated and primitive, steeped in superstition, and unnecessary for anyone. Others claim that any belief in a supreme deity, a Sovereign God who has authority over all humankind, and all of nature, is actually dangerous
If God could be discovered by intellect alone, this might be disturbing for those of us who are not certified “geniuses.” If mere knowledge about God could save us, we could trust intellectuals to be our “saviors” and spiritual guides. But just because someone is intelligent and learned doesn’t mean that they have attained wisdom. Wisdom is a gift of God, and it begins with acknowledging a simple fact– God exists. This does not come automatically with knowledge about God–such knowledge can be dismissed, twisted, and even lost. If God exists– not just as a concept or a long-lost myth–certain other truths must be acknowledged. Chief among these is the truth that I am NOT God.
Fools come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and intellects. There are people of limited intellectual capacity who are very wise. There are intelligent people who live as fools. Foolishness comes when we deny God– whether we deny His very existence, or His authority over our lives– and live as though we are the supreme authority in our own lives.
“The Fool says in his HEART, ‘There is no God.'” Foolishness doesn’t begin in the brain. It begins in the heart. The more I believe that I KNOW better than others–including God–the less I will listen to instruction, advice, and wisdom. The more I will do what I want– and justify it, even if others get hurt. The Apostle Paul–no intellectual slouch himself– warns us in 1 Corinthians 8:1 that “Knowledge puffs up..” Not all intellectuals are snobs, but it is easy to become hardened to others if they believe they know more or better than everyone they meet. And Paul’s warning is to believers! Just because we believe that God exists, we can be foolishly puffed up by our very knowledge of scripture, and ignore God’s sovereign call to love our neighbors! We can be foolish “Christians” who acknowledge that Christ exists, but deny His Lordship in our lives.
There are many intelligent Atheists. Some of them lead moral lives, and do many things that we might see as “good.” They give to charities, advocate for healthful living, a clean environment, and world peace. So why does the Bible use such strong language to denounce them as fools, who are corrupt and even abominable? Doesn’t God see their good works? Doesn’t God give them “credit” for doing the “right” things (sometimes more than their Christian neighbors!)?
God sees us from a different perspective– He looks on the heart. The heart of someone who denies God is the heart of someone in rebellion. It may be a quiet rebellion; it may be vocal and even violent. But once a person denies the very one who created her/him, their heart is corrupted and opposed to giving God His proper place. Even “good” deeds done in defiance of the God of all goodness will become twisted by the selfishness and pride of the doers. The smartest among us may have many great ideas for achieving world peace, but they do not have the power to control all of humanity, nor the authority to force others to accept their “brilliant” ideas. In the end, they will either face disillusionment and despair, or they will become tyrannical in their efforts to “fix” the world’s problems according to their own plans.
God asks us, first and foremost, to trust Him. Second, we are to obey Him. Third, we are to live with, and love, others– to share the love and wisdom He gives! Fools may know about God, but they stop short of trusting Him, obeying Him, and learning to serve others. They deny His wisdom; they deny His Grace, and their need for it. They deny themselves the joy of relationship with the God of Love. There is nothing wrong with learning and intelligence– they, too, are gifts from God–but when we depend on them ahead of leaning on God’s wisdom, we become fools.
Father, I don’t want to be a fool. Help me to acknowledge You in everything I say and do. Help me to recognize Your wisdom, and cling to it. And help me to appreciate the wisdom of Your Word in guiding my intellect and learning.
Prayer is an exercise in juxtaposition–we seek to have intimate conversation with a mysterious and unknowable God. He INVITES us into this mystery. He pursues us, seeks us out, surrounds us with His Presence, yet He hides His face from us and shrouds Himself in light and cloud.
God is Spirit– He is Eternal, Omnipresent, and Invisible. Yet He chooses to reveal Himself– in the beauty of Nature, in the smile of a stranger, in His revealed Word, and through His Son. Everything we need, we can find in and through Him, yet we cannot say that we comprehend Him, because He is so far above and beyond anything we can imagine.
Prayer is a humbling experience– to approach the Throne of the One who holds the Universe in the palm of His hand; but it is also an intimate and very personal experience– to run into the arms of the One who knit us together and knows the very hairs on our head (or lack thereof!).
After a lifetime of praying and pursuing prayer, I still marvel at the complexity, majesty, mystery, and fragility of prayer. That God should desire to listen to me–whimpering, questioning, confessing, and even offering my best and inadequate praise– it astounds me. And yet it also sustains me, strengthens me, and stimulates me. This same God who holds the stars and planets inhabits the tiniest of atoms in the air I breathe. The same God who ordered the first sunrise, and has watched empires rise and fall, cares when I shed a tear and rejoices when I laugh. God who is perfect, has mercy on me when I confess my pettiness and offers forgiveness when I throw tantrums. The same God who bore the pain and agony of betrayal and crucifixion promises eternal life to those who have rejected Him– if only they will listen, turn, and follow Him.
Today, let the awe of Who God IS– both sovereign, unknowable, and mysterious, AND intimate, loving, and gracious–wash over you as you enter into prayer.
I love puzzles, puns, mysteries– I love clever plot twists in novels. Most of the time. But there is a type and degree of “cleverness” that is offensive to me. And that is the kind of clever that is meant to sting, hurt, or humiliate.
I love the old movie with Jimmy Stewart called “Harvey.” It is a silly comedy about a man who claims to see, and talk to, a six-foot tall invisible rabbit named Harvey. Jimmy Stewart’s character, Elwood Dowd, is a mostly harmless and genial man, but he is an embarrassment to his socialite sister, and a puzzlement to his neighbors and the staff at the mental institution where his sister wants him committed. The doctors are especially intrigued by Elwood, because he appears to be intelligent, rational, and agreeable– “nice”– except for the rabbit! Meanwhile, the other characters in the film are mostly uptight, stressed, angry, and unpleasant. But Elwood has an explanation. He claims that his mother always told him there were two ways to “go through life.” You could be “oh, so clever,” or you could be “nice.” Elwood has chosen “nice.” And his life– even with its crazy invisible rabbit, is more serene, more fulfilling, than the lives of those who are “smarter” and more powerful.
Such a simple line in a silly film, but that thought resonates with me, and it matches Biblical teaching, too! The Bible has much to say about people who think that they are clever. Those who are proud of their intelligence and acumen; those who are wise in their own eyes. This is not the same as being intelligent, while acknowledging that you don’t know everything. Such “clever” people tend to be cynical, snide, and sarcastic. The Bible calls them “mockers”– people who make fun of and belittle others; those who use their intelligence and quick thinking as a weapon to bludgeon and bully their way through life.
We see and hear it often on television, in government, on talk radio, or comedy routines. We hear it in conversations among groups of peers in the workplace or in social situations. There’s always at least one person who entertains others with jokes or stories that are “wicked” funny– jokes that might make you a bit uncomfortable in certain situations, because you know they are unkind, unjust, or downright offensive–even if they are funny. Jokes that get a laugh at someone else’s expense. Remarks that “burn” people with differing beliefs, opinions, or lifestyles. We sometimes even hear it in the church, with harsh remarks for those who think or worship differently from us.
Just like Elwood Dowd’s mother, God has given us a blueprint for life– we can go through life being “oh, so clever” or “nice.” We can be arrogant; overly certain that we know everything, heaping contempt on those who are struggling or who don’t see things “our way.” Or we can be humble and kind; listening to others, offering loving encouragement and counsel, rather than snide “I told you so’s”, embarrassing comparisons, or pithy quips.
The Apostle Paul, in Galatians 6, outlines how we should not only “bear our own burdens” by taking responsibility for our own strengths, weaknesses, faults, and duties, but also “bear one another’s burdens” by showing compassion and reaching out in love. In the middle of this advice, Paul warns us against deceiving ourselves, and reminds us that “God is not mocked” (v. 7)– We cannot dismiss God’s Holiness in our own life, nor can we dismiss God’s command to love our neighbor. Anyone who does mock God (and those made in His likeness!) are deceived in thinking they are clever and beyond judgment.
Recent world events have reminded me of this truth. The opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics was marred by a “clever” but offensive display. Those who organized it and put it on, “explained away” the offense, claiming it was something entirely different; that their actions were not offensive, and those who were offended were misinterpreting their intentions. Many of them are sneering at Christians, even as they “mythsplain” their mockery. But their actions weren’t just mocking Christians around the world, they were mocking Christ. And many of us Christians responded with our own angry and mocking comments, memes, and posts, calling them names, or worse. But God– and God alone– is Holy and Just. Those actions will be punished, but they will be justly punished by God Himself. In fact, if any of those who participated in that display (and any who have responded hatefully) will repent and turn from their mockery and sin, Christ Himself has already paid the price for their actions!
People can be mocked. Even Christians can be mocked. Christ can be laughed at, spit upon, and even crucified in this fallen world. But God is eternally Holy and Just. He will have “the last laugh.” No one is too clever for God. The same people who laugh at Christ will someday bow before Him in worship, acknowledging that He is the King of Kings. That same King offers His Grace to each of us.
Christ isn’t about being “clever” or smug. Even though He has the perfect right to boast. He chooses to be “nice.” He chooses Grace. He chooses Love. And THAT makes all the difference!
We don’t like to talk about (or write about!) prayers of confession and repentance. And yet, the Bible is full of such prayers. In fact, even the Lord’s Prayer contains the phrase “forgive us..” Even if we pray eloquent prayers of praise and petition, our prayers will be lacking without first evaluating our relationship with Christ and seeking His forgiveness and continued cleansing.
I know there are those who will challenge this statement– after all, once we have “accepted Christ,” aren’t we considered to have His righteousness? Haven’t we BEEN forgiven? If we must keep asking for forgiveness, does that mean that Christ’s death and resurrection are not sufficient to “save” us?
I do not mean to suggest anything of the sort. We ARE forgiven– past, present, and future– our names entered in the Lamb’s Book of Life. God isn’t holding on to a grudge over every future fib, flub, or fall. And nor should we. Confession in the prayer of a Christian shouldn’t be wallowing in guilt and shame, or confessing the same sins over and over, doubting that Christ’s finished work isn’t actually finished. But just as in all close friendships, we sometimes ask, “Are we ok?”, to clear the air and maintain closeness, it is appropriate to “fess up” with God– to clear the air– precisely so that shame and guilt DO NOT build up or slowly seep into our relationship.
God will not withhold His promised salvation from us if we are trusting in Him. We are justified, and our advocate, Jesus Christ, mediates for us constantly, just as the Holy Spirit indwells us to be able to overcome temptation and do what we cannot do on our own. But WE are still living in our fallen world and fallen bodies. We will find it difficult to trust; we will find it tempting to judge others; we will doubt our own decisions– did we really do “right”? And while God is eternally faithful– we are not; nor have we reached perfection in all our daily actions and thoughts. We are “okay” with God– but confession reminds us of that!
In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the son rehearses a speech of confession. And even as he begins saying his rehearsed words, His father interrupts with complete reassurance of his love. How much more does God delight in reassuring us of His eternal, unfailing love!?
Two thoughts I’d like to add here:
One– It can be very easy for us to fall into confession as a works-based ritual. Confession adds nothing to Christ’s finished work on the Cross. We are saved by God’s Grace– period. Ten thousand prayers of confession will not make us “more” saved.
Two– It can be just as easy to avoid self-evaluation and discipline as we grow “comfortable” with our Christian Walk. Confession is not about “right” and “wrong” as much as it is about humility. The Apostle Paul says, “And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns.” (Philippians 1:6 The Living Bible)
We don’t need to be hampered by guilt, fear, or shame– but we should want to keep our relationship with God pure above all other relationships. And that means being willing to submit to God’s will and God’s discipline on a daily basis. Confession is not an admission of God’s failure to save us; nor of our commitment to follow Him. Rather, it is an admission of how important that relationship is, and how much we need to keep our commitment fresh, pure, and vibrant. God HAS forgiven us; He will continue to forgive– freely, and fully!– as we follow Him.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ –Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
As someone who spends her time “in pursuit” of prayer, I pay close attention when I hear others praying. People use many different phrases to address God when they pray– “Our Father in Heaven,” “Father God,” “Heavenly Father,” “Daddy,” “Papa God,” “Lord Jesus,” and many others. And there is no “right” phrase or “wrong” phrase to use. But there definitely IS a right and wrong mindset and heart attitude!
Jesus himself, shortly after teaching His disciples what is known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” talks about those who go around calling Him “Lord, Lord.” But they do not obey God, and they will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This suggests that that have “prayed” in some form or other, but it is merely a formality or a ritual, and not something that comes from a humble heart. Jesus goes on to tell of their insistence that they “deserve” to enter Heaven based on the incredible things they have done “in (your) name.” Most people, looking at their outward success and good works, would surely assume that they are sincere followers of Christ– after all, how else could they perform such miracles? They have called on the Name of Jesus and they have called Him, “Lord.” Yet, Jesus says of them, “I never knew you.”
What terror those words strike in the heart of those who desire to follow Christ! Is it possible that God will reject those who have called on His Name and believed on Him?
Well, Yes and No… Later in Matthew, Jesus is teaching His disciples about the final judgment, and He tells a similar story, but with more “context:” In the following parable, both the sheep and the goats claim to have done good works and both groups believe they will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It can be assumed that both groups have prayed at various times and believe themselves to be “known” to the Father…
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” –Matthew 25:31-46 (ESV)
We can call Christ “Lord” without actually making Him our LORD. We can pray to God without seeing Him for who He really IS. And we can follow “Christianity” without actually following CHRIST.
I think the phrase that Jesus uses in the first quote is very telling. The people call Him “Lord, Lord.” And then, they go into a litany of things “WE have (done) in your name” (emphasis added). They do NOT call Him “Father” or even “LORD” (In the Bible, the term, “LORD” is “Adonai”, which is the substitute for Yahweh– the actual NAME of God, sacred to the Hebrew authors. It is not like “lord” as we might use for any nobleman or someone in authority, but is reserved only for the One with ultimate authority and majesty. In other words, not “Lord, Lord” but “LORD– the ONLY LORD”). Instead, they call Him, “Lord, Lord”. And they boast of the spectacular and even superhuman things THEY have done. But one of the things they fail to mention is prayer. They have used His name, but they have not necessarily called on His name– except as a formality. They have not spent time in communion with Jesus. They have not asked for His will to be done. They have not come to Him in humility or praise for HIS mighty works, only in arrogance of how they have done miracles similar to His. Nowhere do they mention following in service, as Jesus taught His disciples, nor do they mention suffering in His Name! In the later parable, both groups (the “sheep” and the “goats”) were startled by the examples Jesus gave of what they HAD or HAD NOT done. These were simple acts– humble acts rendered to outcasts, rather than showy acts of power. They were acts that materialized (or didn’t!) out of humility and compassion, rather than power or favor.
True followers of Christ will take up His yoke. They will listen for His voice, and they will be eager to obey. They will serve like Him– they will stay yoked to Him in humility and in submission. If you wonder whether or not you are truly following Christ– this is a good test. Satan will always try to make us feel as though WE must carry the load, proving ourselves worthy. He may tempt us to compare ourselves with others who seem to be “winning” at Christian service by getting noticed or listing multiple achievements. But our eyes should not be on others or even on ourselves or our accomplishments. Our eyes should be focused on God– what He has done for us on the Cross; what He is doing in our lives as we obey Him; and what He chooses to do through us as we continue to follow Him–even when it seems that we are doing very little things. We may never know in this life how important our small acts of service really are. In God’s economy, they are huge. Heaven rejoices over such small things as giving a cup of water to a thirsty child, or smiling at a lonely person on the bus, or visiting someone in the hospital or in a jail cell. The world needs more humble servants and fewer TV evangelists. (Note: I am not saying that TV evangelists cannot be doing the work of God– but I am saying that I see very few humble celebrity pastors…just an observation.) And, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, God’s strength is shown best in our weakness. (see 2 Corinthians 12:9) As we come to Him in prayer, in dependence and in humility, God’s power is perfected. As we respond in obedience, our life is brought into conformity with His.
Today, as I pray, “Lord Jesus” or “Heavenly Father,” I pray that I will do it with the right spirit. I pray that I will be quick to praise, quick to obey, and eager to seek my Father’s face, instead of my own validation. After all– Jesus is LORD!
In 2 Kings, chapters 18 and 19, we can read about the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. During his reign, a mighty king, Sennacherib of Assyria, came to lay siege to Jerusalem. Sennacherib taunted King Hezekiah, sending him a letter boasting about the might of the Assyrian army, and all its conquests. In the letter, he also taunts King Hezekiah about trusting in God to save Jerusalem, suggesting that God was unable to rescue the Jews, while simultaneously suggesting that God had given the Assyrians His blessing.
Hezekiah had already made some provision for the coming siege. He had his workers divert the water supply that flowed out of the city, creating a system of tunnels that kept the water inside the city walls and filled pools and wells for the people to withstand the siege while depriving the invaders of a crucial resource. (Evidence of these tunnels has been discovered by archaeologists, including carvings by two work crews who were “competing” to see who could complete their part of the tunnel fastest!)
Entrance to Hezekiah’s Tunnel in Jerusalem
But Hezekiah did not trust in his preparations. He did not trust in diplomacy or alliances. He took the offending letter from King Sennacherib into the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord (2 Kings 19:14). He prayed earnestly, never mentioning his own efforts and preparations, but reminding himself of God’s power and glory. He even acknowledged that the Assyrians had been victorious in their other conquests! But then he asks for God to rescue the nation– “then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God. “(v. 19).
I was struck as I read this recently. Hezekiah was a king. He had done a great deal to bring reform and renewal to the kingdom of Judah. He could have appealed to God on the basis of his own efforts. He could have asked for God’s help for his own sake, and for the sake of his people. He could have spoken about how Sennacherib taunted the army, or the king. He could have cried out in panic and outrage that God would allow Judah to be invaded. But he put it all on the table, literally, asking God to judge Sennacherib’s words and respond for the sake of His Sovereign Glory.
God DID respond, and the Assyrian troops were routed by the Angel of the Lord. Sennacherib returned to his home, and was assassinated in the temple of his false god by his own sons. Hezekiah’s troops didn’t even have to lift a finger!
What situations am I facing today, that need to be brought to God in prayer? What threats seem to hover over me? Do I respond as Hezekiah did? Or do I try to bring only the part that seems “too much” for me to handle? Do I bring my own agenda, or my own efforts to cloud the issue? Do I worry more about my own reputation than I do about God’s honor?
Lord, may I be more like Hezekiah–may I lay everything on the table before You, knowing that Your power is more than sufficient, and that Your honor and glory are greater than any force at work against me. Protect and defend those who humble themselves before You. Destroy those forces that would seek to exalt themselves and taunt Your Holy Name. Rise up, that “all the kingdoms of the earth will know that You alone, O Lord, are God!”
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you ask most people what they need, you will not hear the items listed in this passage of scripture. Most people view needs in very personal and concrete terms– food, water, shelter, safety, air…we need these to exist during our life on earth. God cares about our physical and most basic needs. But most people have other “needs” that they try to meet with what the Apostle Peter refers to here as “evil desires”. We “need” to feel loved– but we end up in unhealthy relationships, or fleeting relationships that don’t meet our need. We “need” to feel secure and worthwhile– but we end up feeling fearful and ashamed. We “need” to achieve; to find fulfillment and worth in our actions, words, relationships, and legacy–but, too often, our efforts lead us to compromise the very dreams and ambitions we started with, leading us to mediocrity or even disaster.
Jesus, through His divine power, has given us everything we need–everything! His death and resurrection provided the way for us to find true forgiveness and new life. We won’t find it in any of the things we think we “need”– a new job, or a new relationship; a new car or a new cause.
Over the years, I have returned to this passage many times. There is a lot to unpack in just a few verses. One of the things that always “gets” me about this passage is that I want to just leap from Faith to Love without the steps in-between. The world needs love– I need love– and I want to spread love, reflect love, and be known for loving others. God is Love, and showed His love through Christ– I believe in God and trust Christ. Voila!– He has given me everything I need, so I should be loving. But Peter writes what he knows very well. Following Jesus, learning from Him, growing to be more like Him–it begins with Faith, but it grows through discipleship. I “loved” people before I had Faith in Christ. I may “feel” love for others, but if my thoughts and actions are not being transformed by His Spirit; or if I continue to act out of habit or selfish impulse, my “love” will be corrupted and compromised by the world. It will be “my” love and not God’s love working through me. For that to happen, I need to add goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance and all the rest.
And adding these virtues requires that I humble myself to admit that I am not “good”, that I don’t already “know” everything…that I “need” to depend on God for any goodness, wisdom, discipline, strength to persevere, etc.
God is Good– He has already made provision for me to have everything I really need. He will guide me every step of the way; giving me all that I need when and how I need it most. I don’t “need” to worry or run myself ragged trying to earn God’s approval or favor. But I do “need” to trust that God will continue to work in me and through me for His Glory. And I need to come daily before His throne to listen and learn from Him, and reach out daily to go through the steps of turning Faith into Love in action.
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)
I hear a lot of American Christians complaining about the “dark days” in which we live. And indeed, they are dark. There is great evil in the world– wars, famines, injustices, hatred, division, greed, and immorality. But, along with complaints, I hear a note of whining. Isn’t God supposed to deliver us from just such evil? Isn’t He supposed to clear the way for us to love one another in peace and harmony? Surely, it can’t be His will for us to be laughed at, spit upon, misunderstood, and treated with contempt?!
The ancient nation of Israel was conquered and sent into exile. Israelites who had abandoned their faith, as well as those who had steadfastly served the Lord, were ripped from their homeland and marched to Babylon. Worship in the Temple of Jerusalem ceased. The Temple itself had been destroyed. There were no tabernacles, no festivals– none of the systems and structures of worship left available to God’s people. Yet some still worshipped– in homes, isolated from their fellow Jews, or in secret groups. They were not surrounded by reminders of when “their” religious beliefs were considered the cultural norm. Nor did they live in a culture that practiced religious “toleration” as we understand it today.
In the book of Daniel, the commitment of s handful of exiles is detailed as it comes in conflict with the oppressive control of the Babylonian (and later the Persian) Empire. Daniel and his three friends are challenged by the pressure to compromise and adapt to their surroundings. They are tempted and bribed by the promise of power in the court– if they can compete with other Babylonians. But they secretly hold fast to their “old” diet, and religious practices. They refuse to eat the rich food of Babylon– or bow to its gods.
In Chapter 3 of Daniel, the three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refuse to bow to a golden statue of Nebudchadnezzar, the megalomaniac for whom they worked. Even though he had appointed them to high offices, he refused to “coddle” them in their worship of a foreign god. He demanded that they bow to his statue– something God had commanded them NOT to do.
It might have been easy enough to secretly meet in homes and celebrate Passover without alerting those around them. It would have been possible for them to hide scrolls containing the ancient words of their historians and prophets, to be read or studied. But they were being asked to publicly bow to a statue of their King– to acknowledge him as a “god.” And they refused. As court officials, their refusal was not just a minor snub, but a scandalous insult. Yet they stood firm.
Shocked and angered, Nebuchadnezzar, a notoriously cruel and impulsive king, gave them a generous “second chance” to save their careers and lives by obeying his orders. Amazingly, the three did not even spend a moment considering their options. They answered, boldly, courageously, and graciously, that they would not bow down to the statue. And God rescued them from the fiery furnace, so that not even their hair was singed by the flames– even though their captors were killed in the very act of pushing them into the furnace! God not only rescued them– He appeared WITH them in the midst of the flames. This so astonished Nebuchadnezzar, that he ordered them released and proclaimed that no one should say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego–an incredible act of religious toleration for that culture and time.
The story of The Fiery Furnace is well-known. I’ve used it before in my posts. But today, I’d like to focus on just one little phrase that stood out to me this week. When brought before Nebuchadnezzar the first time, the three men said, “we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter…” (v. 16).
How tempting it might have been to have defended their refusal– to give Nebuchadnezzar a lecture on God’s Law and His past miracles. But they refused to explain or defend their actions. They merely gave testimony of their faith that God COULD save them, and that, “even if He does not..” they were willing to die rather than dishonor Him. And Nebuchadnezzar SAW the proof of their faith in a way that their words and arguments could not have accomplished!
Most of the time, when I hear Christians talking about this story, they focus on the miraculous deliverance of the three men from the flames. The lesson is that God will be with us, no matter what. He can deliver us FROM the flames, but often, He chooses to deliver us THROUGH the flames. And that is a wonderful lesson and a true promise.
But that deliverance should not overshadow the quiet dedication of the three men. Before God joined them in the fire, they were already committed to dying in silence to obey God rather than their earthly king. They stood to lose everything– their lives, their legacy of faith, their service, their families (who might have been left destitute or even subject to punishment)– all of it was riding on their willingness to suffer injustice and torture. We know that God “showed up”– literally– in their defense. And they certainly knew that God COULD save them. But they also acknowledged that “if He does not..” they were still willing to die. And they were willing to do so, not acknowledged as martyred heroes, but as convicted criminals.
Centuries later, Jesus Christ would appear before Pontius Pilate, who asked Him to give a defense. Astonished at Jesus’ refusal to argue and plead for His life, Pilate came to the conclusion that “I find no fault in Him.” (John 19:4) Jesus willingly accepted an unjust sentence of Death, offering no argument or defense, except the Truth. No one came to His rescue. And God did NOT spare His life! The Son of God died as a criminal on a Roman cross, betrayed by Jewish leaders. Yet, Jesus’ obedience; His willingness to die brought US life, and forgiveness and peace!
There are millions of believers in Christ today who must be prepared to face a “fiery furnace” moment–maybe it involves death or torture. Perhaps it only involves being teased or despised by a neighbor or a classmate at school. And we may pray for deliverance–that is natural. But how often do we give up the chance to argue, and justify our diligence, our “right” to worship “our” way? How ready are we to be seen as foolish, or even rebellious to the culture of the day? We long for God to come to our physical rescue– to join us IN the fire– but are we willing to let Him be our defense? Are we willing to be humble in the face of obvious injustice, and let God speak up on our behalf? And what if He does not?
The Apostle Paul also faced this dilemma. Not only were there Greek and Roman officials who thought him a fool, there were Jews– his own people– who were going around defaming him, denouncing him, and spreading lies and rumors. Paul (never one to let a good argument go unargued!) spent much of his time in letters writing out his defense of the Gospel. But, in his own defense, he downplayed his position and his great knowledge of the scripture. He was not defending himself “in these matters”– he was defending the Truth of the Gospel! He also acknowledged that God could use even detractors and tormentors to spread the Gospel. And he often urged fellow believers to live in peace with their unbelieving neighbors, even those who taunted them!
It is tempting in Western Culture, where Christianity has been normalized, to think that when we defend ourselves, we are defending Christianity. But what if, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we let God be our defense– in the flames, in the courtroom of public opinion, in our own families? What if we followed Jesus’ example and remained calm and confident, even under duress? What if we lived humble and quiet lives of integrity, ready to submit even to the flames or the cross, serving even those who would stoke the fires or pound the nails? God might just “show up” in ways we never could have imagined! Courage is often seen as boldness and speaking up in our own defense. But, sometimes, it takes greater courage to stand silent and let our actions– even when they are disparaged and misinterpreted– speak as a testimony of God’s power.
A few years ago, I got really ambitious and decided I would take up crocheting. My grandmother taught me the basics many years ago, and I thought I would be able to pick it back up and make delightful scarves and mittens and maybe even afghans… Except, when I started a scarf, I ended up with a nice start attached to a horribly snarled up ball of yarn. No problem. I would simply work at the snarl until it melted away, and continue with my scarf. Except it didn’t melt away. I was able to “move” the snarl a foot or so down from where it was, but I couldn’t work it all the way out.
I struggled with that snarl far longer than I should have, and eventually gave up the project and moved on to making candles (another story for another time). But I learned a painful lesson. I would love to say that I prayed about the snarl and God unraveled it for me, but that didn’t happen. I prayed– yes; but God allowed me to continue in my stubbornness and self-confidence to do battle with a few yards of green yarn for days, when I could have been doing more productive things.
I have a great need to try to “fix” things– I think most of us do at some level. We live in a broken world, and we know that there are things that are “snarled” all around us–relationships, situations, circumstances–that need fixing. And God has given us opportunities to do good works that can make the world around us better. But it is not our job to “fix” the brokenness in the world. Only God can really “fix” it–even though He may give us work to do along the way.
And that brings me back to prayer. No, God didn’t “fix” the snarl in my yarn. And He didn’t “fix” my stubborn attitude or my willingness to finish the project another way or ask for help from someone else. God isn’t interested in making our lives (or our projects) easier for us by removing our problems. And God isn’t impressed by our stubborn efforts to “fix” the situations in our lives. God’s ways are not our ways (see Isaiah 55:8-9; and check out https://blackaby.org/gods-ways-are-not-our-ways/.
So many times, we think of prayer as a last resort, as a crutch to fall back on when our efforts seem to be failing, or when we think a situation is “too big” for us to handle on our own. Even in the things of Christ, we tend to plan first, and pray later. Prayer becomes our Plan B. But what if, in the grand scale, prayer was always our Plan A? What if we started the morning, not looking at our planners and calendars, but listening for God’s direction? Even if it meant scrapping our own plans and leaving the “snarls” to God? What if, as our churches planned for programming and outreach, we resolved to do nothing until we had prayed for a month about our goals for the coming year? What if our churches had more people coming to prayer meetings than coming to Family Game Nights or Teen Overnight Parties? In my own life, what if I spent less time writing in my prayer journal than actually asking God to inhabit my prayers?
In the book of 1 Samuel, King Saul undertook a mission for God– God had chosen him to be King over all Israel, and to lead the nation against the wicked peoples in their midst. Saul led his warriors in battle, and even had success, but God rejected Saul because of his disobedience. Saul wanted victory to confirm his status as a warrior and a king. He listened to God’s instructions– superficially. He even insisted that he had followed God’s instructions– after all, he defeated the enemy! But he didn’t do it God’s way or for God’s glory. God gave him victory in many battles, but Saul was impatient, imprudent, and impudent. Saul ended his reign in shameful defeat because he wanted to “fix the snarls”– his way.
I’m not saying that my prayer blog and prayer journal are wrong, or that churches shouldn’t do programming– not at all. But it is something to think about, before the next yarn snarl comes along… Am I busy trying to “fix” a situation that I can’t (or shouldn’t) fix, when I should be watching for God’s next assignment? Am I trying to win a battle to prove myself worthy, or am I letting God set the terms and take the Glory that is rightfully His? Am I busy asking God to unsnarl yarn, when He wants to move mountains?
Pursuing Prayer 