Tag: outcomes

What If?

As I am writing this, people in my country are voting or preparing to vote in a Presidential election.  Many of them are voting in fear, confusion, or anger, and asking, “What if my candidate/cause/political party doesn’t ‘win’ today?”  “What if I voted for the ‘wrong’ policies or people?”  “What does the future hold?”

These are not uncommon or unrealistic questions, but they are questions that can waste our time and sap our energy in hypothetical posturing.  The writer of Ecclesiastes says:

alone beach calm dawn

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 King James Version (KJV)

11 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 

woman wearing grey long sleeved top photography

It is not wrong to wonder about the future, but we cannot be sure that our actions will always produce the results we long for– especially when we have little control over other people’s actions and consequences.  The first two verses of this passage warn us not to “put all of our eggs in one basket”.  As free citizens in a democratic republic, we shouldn’t put our trust in any one political party, platform, or politician.  Nor should we live in a social or political “echo chamber”, listening only to the views and ideas with which we feel most comfortable, or least challenged.  However, we should look at the long-term consequences of proposals and the reasons behind them before we promote change just for the sake of it.

The third verse reminds us that some changes and events are beyond our knowledge or control.  It’s not that our vote “doesn’t make a difference” or that we’re on “the wrong side of history”– it may mean that history has taken a detour surrounding a certain issue.  It may mean that God is allowing for something we have not imagined (as He did in the days of Habakkuk). Get some great “Insight” into the Book of Habakkuk here.

aerial photo of buildings and roads

But there is more wisdom to come in verses 4-6.  Waiting for certainty of outcome, or being distracted by our circumstances or every “wind of change” can lead us to miss the very real opportunities for present action.  God has given us everything we need (see 2 Peter 1:3-5) for godly living and godly decision-making.  That doesn’t mean that our decisions will always reflect popular “wisdom”; it doesn’t even mean that our decisions will be the same as all other fellow believers and followers of Christ.  It DOES mean that we can make our decisions without fear.  God knows us– He understands your heart and mind better than anyone; He knows why people who agree on spiritual matters may not agree on politics.  But more than that, God KNOWS the future!  He knows all the things that we merely guess at.  So we should act in the present with the best information we have, and leave the rest to the God who knows best.

girl wearing blue denim dress shirt

Modern politics relies heavily on conjecture– polls, predictions, pledges, projections, plans, and campaign promises.  But God is still sovereign over all nations, governments, and peoples.  Instead of asking, “What if..” we should be asking of God, “What now?!”   And we need to be ready to listen and obey!  Let’s pray today for the wisdom to listen more, act with confidence, and trust our future to the one who has already seen it!

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Choosing to Pray

Yesterday, I voted in a primary election. In a few months, I will vote in a general election for President. I live in a nation of choices. I can choose to vote for any of the listed candidates, or I can write in a name. I can choose not to vote at all. I can choose how to spend my money– I can invest, purchase, pay my bills (or not), gamble it away, or give the money to charity. I choose what to do with my time– I can sleep all day, go to work on time or arrive late, I can spend all my time on-line, or I can binge-watch movies or TV shows. I can keep a consistent schedule, or I can take each day’s time as it comes. I can choose where to go– I can stay indoors in my apartment, I can walk all over town, or I can get in my car and drive to another city. I can choose my attitude and outlook; I can choose my political and social stands, and I can choose my beliefs. Others may apply pressure and coercion, but they can’t take away my right to choose.,. For better or for worse!

However, my choices have consequences. If I choose to act against the law of the land, it is very likely that I will be caught and punished. I may be fined, or jailed. I may face a trial. In many countries, I may be executed for doing things that would be allowed in my home country. If I choose not to pay my bills or not to go to work, I may face economic hardship as a result– late fees, loss of a job, and a difficult time finding future employment. If I choose to eat only junk food, or no food at all, I will experience health issues. The choices I made today in the voting booth, and the choices I will make in November will have consequences– most of which I cannot predict with any accuracy. I think I know what will happen– and others may predict dire consequences if I don’t vote “their” way– and my one small vote may not seem consequential, but it counts! Even my small actions have a ripple effect on the rest of my life, and the way in which I conduct it. I will either “show up” or I will “stand back.” I will either accept responsibility in the small things and large, or I will try to blame others. I will practice self-control and discipline, or I will drift through life at the whim of emotions, influences, peer pressure, and deceptions.

When it comes to prayer, I also have choices. There are times when I feel “compelled” to pray– circumstances beyond my understanding or control will cause me to want to cry out for divine help. Hearing about others’ needs make me want to ask God to work in their circumstances. Sometimes, I feel waves of gratitude and worship that cause me to sing and praise God for His character, His faithfulness, and the blessings He has poured out in my life. But I am not required to pray. I choose to pray. Sometimes, my choice to pray is simple, natural, and automatic. At other times, it is a sacrifice to pray. Prayer is more than just “an option” in my life. It really is a pursuit. I choose to keep a prayer journal. I choose to focus on prayer every day– both in practice and in testimony (as in this blog entry).

So today, I will join with others this morning in corporate prayer. I will pray alone at home. I will pray throughout the day for my community, and for individuals as they come to mind or show up in my prayer journal. And some of the prayers will come naturally; others will require me to dig deep, to confess my own failures, and admit my need for God’s Grace, His Wisdom, and His Strength.

And the consequences? Well, I can’t predict how my prayers may impact my own life or the lives of others. I don’t know how God will choose to answer my prayers. I don’t pray because God always does what I want– I trust Him to do what is BEST; and I have learned that His timing and His ways ARE the best!–but I pray because I know it is the best and first action I should take in any situation. I’m not perfect in prayer. I don’t always pray first. I don’t always listen for God’s answer when I DO pray. And I also know the consequences of NOT praying– worry, confusion, anger, restlessness, disappointment, and more. Oh, I may not experience all of these things instantly. But eventually, my choices and their consequences lead to frustration when they are not coupled with prayer, trust, and obedience.

I hope you are praying, trusting, and following God today. I hope that is your choice every day. God will not force you to come to Him. But He is ALWAYS right there when you do! Your choice to pray may not change the world instantly, but it WILL have consequences!

When I voted yesterday, I got a sticker, proclaiming to everyone that I had made the choice to vote. What might happen if Christians (myself included) were bold enough to proclaim our choice to pray every day and in all circumstances!?

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Vending Machine Prayers

As I write this, my mom is dying. We don’t know how much longer she has, but we’ve asked for prayers as she takes this journey toward death and resurrection. These are sometimes difficult prayers to make. We don’t like to see Mom suffering, but we don’t like the thought of separation through death, either. Our initial prayer would be for complete healing. But that’s not realistic, given that Mom has heart failure and is almost 90 years old. That doesn’t mean that God cannot or would not grant total healing. But we aren’t expecting that kind of miracle when we pray today.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

For some people, our prayers seem meaningless. One of my classmates from school reacted to my request for prayer by saying, “I just wish that prayer DID something…” I take this to mean that if we don’t get a miraculous outcome, she believes our prayers are wasted. I hope I’m misinterpreting here, but I know that this is a common criticism of prayer in tough times. It seems that every time there is a natural disaster, or a mass shooting, people who offer “thoughts and prayers” are roundly criticized for praying “instead” of “doing.” As though the two are mutually exclusive. As though prayer is an empty gesture in the face of disaster and distress. As though there is no hope, no comfort, and no help in praying.

There are others who will assert with complete confidence their belief that God will answer any prayer for a miracle, simply because they ask it “in Jesus’ Name” or because many people are praying for the same outcome. I call these kinds of prayers, and attitudes about prayer, “Vending Machine Prayers.” It is the belief that prayer must produce an immediate and positive outcome, or it is “broken” or invalid. If you don’t get what you were expecting, you must have prayed “wrong,” or didn’t have “enough” faith. Or your prayer just didn’t “work.” When someone puts money into a vending machine, and presses a button or punches in a code or pulls a knob, and they don’t get the expected item, some of them will kick the machine, or curse. Or they will try again, carefully trying to get the “right” result. Vending machines are inanimate objects designed to give a satisfactory consumer experience. If the coins or bills “jam,” if the knobs or buttons malfunction, if the product gets “stuck,” or isn’t available, the consumer feels cheated. Sometimes, they can get their money returned, but most often, they go away angry and unfulfilled.

God is not a vending machine. He is not “designed” to serve us or give us satisfaction. There is nothing we can “insert” in our relationship with God –even sincere prayer–that obligates Him to give us what we desire. God chooses to answer prayers in whatever way He knows is best for our eternal and overall well-being. God still gives miracles. I’ve seen it and experienced it. In fact, we could have lost Mom several years ago, when her heart failure put her in a similar state. God provided a miracle in the form of heart valve replacement surgery–and a cancellation that moved her surgery schedule forward before her condition was too far gone. I’ve seen people healed of cancer– and people whose prayers for healing ended in their rapid decline and death. But none of those prayers were wasted. Not one. God was working– sometimes on the sidelines, strengthening family members to deal with grief; sometimes providing testimonies to those with doubts and questions; sometimes planting seeds that would bear fruit years later in the lives of those left behind–sometimes God was working “sideways,” as He did with Mom years ago to give her several more years of life, even though she wasn’t completely healed, to grow and prepare for this next step and testify to God’s sustaining power.

God is not apathetic, and He certainly isn’t “happy” about Mom’s decline and her impending death. He shares our sufferings and our sorrows. But God knows and sees the “rest of the story!” Jesus wept over the death of His friend Lazarus, even though He knew that Lazarus would be raised back to life. Jesus was sharing the deep grief over the loss and sorrow felt by all of His friends, just as He rejoiced with them as Lazarus walked home from the tomb! (See John 11 for the whole story.) God doesn’t delight in death. He is the author of LIFE. But He is very present through every stage of life– even that last bitter taste of death we all must experience. And just as we pray for God’s miraculous presence, we pray for His guiding, comforting, and hopeful presence in ALL situations.

Prayer DOES something! Even if we don’t see immediate changes in situations; prayer changes US. It changes OTHERS. It changes our priorities and perspectives. It draws us close– to each other and to the One whose Love is Eternal and unchanging.

116 I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

4 Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

6 The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:

11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.

12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.

14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

16 O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

19 In the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

Psalm 116 KJV (emphasis added)
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of people praying for my Mom (and all of us who love her so very much). And probably, there are some “vending machine” prayers among them. That’s ok. God hears them all. And I am so very blessed by them all. Because prayers DO SOMETHING AMAZING. They rise to a God who sees, who hears, and who LOVES unconditionally, eternally, and perfectly! We’re actively trying to do what we can do to make Mom comfortable and seeking treatment that will ease her last days, but we depend on God’s touch, His healing, His timing, and His good will to see us all through and keep us in perfect peace.

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