Learning to Pray

Readings for today: 1 Kings 8-10, Psalms 96

The prayer of King Solomon at the dedication of the Temple is one of my favorites. It’s serves as a great model for us as we think about our own prayer life or prayers during times of great cultural upheaval like the one we’re currently living in. It begins with an ascription of praise for who God is and a recognition that He is utterly transcendent. 

“Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below, who keeps the gracious covenant with your servants who walk before you with all their heart.” (1 Kings‬ ‭8‬:‭23‬ ‭CSB‬‬‬) Solomon acknowledges the greatness of God. His majesty. His glory. His splendor. He is not just one among many gods. He alone is the true God of the heavens and the earth. He is also a God defined by faithfulness. Eternal loyalty. Steadfast love for His covenant people who are the humble recipients of His blessing. This attitude is truly the starting point of prayer. Prayer must begin with an understanding of who God is and who we are. We are not the same. We are not on the same level. God is the shepherd and we are the sheep. God is the potter and we are the clay. God is the king and we are his servants. Prayer places us in a humble position before the Lord. This is the only posture one can take when we come before God in prayer. 

“But will God indeed live on earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this temple I have built. Listen to your servant’s prayer and his petition, Lord my God, so that you may hear the cry and the prayer that your servant prays before you today.” (1 Kings‬ ‭8‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭CSB‬‬‬) As we come humbly before the Lord, we are assured of His promise to hear us. To listen. To attend to our prayers. God hears every word. Every cry. He sees every tear. He knows the secret thoughts of our hearts and He delights when we bring those before Him openly and honestly. Solomon makes it clear that the Temple’s primary purpose is to serve as a house for prayer. A place where Israel can come before God and lay their requests before Him. 

God not only listens to our requests, He also hears our confession. Throughout this prayer, Solomon acknowledges the inescapable reality of sin. It is ubiquitous. It is epidemic. It is simply part of who we are as God’s people. So when a man or woman sins. When God’s people sin collectively. Whether against neighbor or friend. Through systems of oppression or abuse. When Israel suffers defeat at the hands of their enemies or the rains are shut up in the heavens or famine strikes the land. When viral pandemics rage, economies fail, racial tensions rise, and shelter-in-place orders are laid down. In those moments, if we will humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face, God promises to “hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know...” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:39 CSB‬)

God will do all these things in such a way as to make His name great upon the earth. Even in Solomon’s prayer, there is a missional, outward-facing component. "Even for the foreigner who is not of your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name — for they will hear of your great name, strong hand, and outstretched arm, and will come and pray toward this temple — may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all the foreigner asks. Then all peoples of earth will know your name, to fear you as your people Israel do and to know that this temple I have built bears your name.” (1 Kings‬ ‭8‬:‭41‬-‭43‬ ‭CSB‬‬) God desires to fill the earth with His glory. Israel is called to serve this very purpose. In the way Israel orders her life and faithfully serves her Lord, she will be a witness to the nations and to all of creation of the steadfast love of God. 

You can see why I love this prayer so much! As I said above, it is a great model for us to follow in our own lives as we ponder and reflect on the challenges we face individually and collectively. Passages like this invite us to bring our requests before the Lord and trust Him with the results. Because of Christ, Christians have access to the Father in ways Solomon, in all his wisdom, could never have imagined! Because Christ sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for us continually, the door is always open. The way to the Holy of Holies always clear. We have a standing invitation to come before our Heavenly Father with the blessed assurance He will always listen. When you pray for yourself or the world in which we live, pray with this eternal promise firmly fixed in your mind and heart. 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 11-13, Psalms 97

Intercession

Readings for today: Exodus 28-29, Psalm 26

I remember my ordination service. It was nothing like what we read about today thankfully! ;-) No sacrifices. No special anointing oils. No incense. No elaborate dress. I was 29 at the time. I stood before my colleagues in the Presbytery of South Alabama and took vows to serve the Lord and God’s people with all my heart and all my strength. When I read these verses about the ordination of Aaron and his sons, it feels strange. The cultural distance between our time and ancient Israel is vast. I struggle to connect or even picture all the rituals and sacrifices. However, there is one thing I do understand. Every time Aaron entered into the presence of the Lord, he carried the names of Israel with him. His job was to keep their names ever present before God. He interceded for them. He understood their needs, wants, and desires and brought those to God. His job was to represent the people to God and God to the people. “Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder…Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord.” (Exodus‬ ‭28‬:‭12‬, ‭29‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

I feel very much the same way. I don’t have gold breastpieces or gemstones or anything else to carry with me when I enter God’s presence but I do take the time and make the time to intercede for God’s people. I meet with lots of folks on a regular basis so I can understand their needs, wants, and desires and bring those before the Lord. I represent the people I am called to serve to God and God to the people. However, this calling is not just for pastors. It’s for every believer. We are a royal priesthood according to 1 Peter. Each of us is called to act in a priestly fashion and intercede for our families, friends, churches, communities, nation, world. We are called to bring the names of those we love and even those we hate before the Lord to ask for His grace and mercy on their behalf. We are to bring their needs, wants, and desires and submit them to God. We are to represent them to God and represent God to the people.

It’s a sacred responsibility and a precious one. To think that God knows each of us by name. He wants to hear about our lives. He wants to know all we think, say, or do. Not to curse us but to bless us. Not so much to judge us - though there is some of that - but to love us. Not to tear us down but to raise us up. Not to ruin us but to restore us. This is God’s will for us and why He calls each of us to a ministry of intercession.

Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 30-31, Psalm 27

The Prayers God Loves

Readings for today: Philippians 1-4

If you are like me, prayer isn’t always easy. It’s hard to know what to say to the Lord of the universe. What do you tell someone who already knows everything? How do you talk to someone who doesn’t always talk back? At least in an audible way? What do you do when it feels like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling or you can’t seem to find the right words or you feel like you’re just going through the motions? For me, that’s when it’s time to go back to the Scriptures and read over the kinds of prayers God’s people have been praying for centuries.

The first one that comes to mind is the Lord’s Prayer, of course. The Psalms are next as they express the full range of human emotions and can help us find our “voice” again. But then you run across prayers like the one we read out of Philippians today. I love it. Listen to it from the Message version, “So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Isn’t that awesome? Paul is literally in prison, potentially awaiting his death, and how does he spend his time? He’s praying for his brothers and sisters in Philippi to increase in love. I can think of no better prayer to pray!

Paul is an amazing man. As you read Philippians today, listen to how little Paul thinks of himself. From a human perspective, he has every right to complain. Every right to demand justice from God like Job. Every right to be angry with where his life has ended up. After all, has he not given up everything to follow Christ? And this is his reward? Thankfully, Paul left the “human perspective” behind a long time ago. He now sees the world as Christ sees it. It’s why he calls the Philippians to have the mind of Christ. It’s why he can say to them that to “live is Christ and to die is gain.” It’s why he points them to the love of Christ even as he languishes in a prison cell awaiting execution. Paul lives a “lover’s life” to the very end. He never stops preaching. Never stops making Jesus Christ attractive to everyone he meets. He wants everyone to get involved “in the glory and praise of God.” And for that great end, he is willing to give his life.

I still remember going to Africa for the very first time. Meeting church planters in some of the most remote areas on earth who also lived “a lover’s life.” Like Paul, they too were willing to sacrifice everything for the privilege of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. I was changed by that encounter. My life has never been the same. I came back with a renewed desire to lay down my life for my wife, my children, my family, and my church. Most importantly, I came back with a passion to give my life to God and His great mission in our world. The mission of love. And God has answered my prayers. He gives me opportunities every day to share Christ with those around me. I wouldn’t want my life to be any other way.

Readings for tomorrow: Philemon, Colossians 1-4

Gethsemane

Readings for today: Matthew 26:36-75, Mark 14:32-72, Luke 22:39-71, John 18:1-27

It’s important not to rush through these readings. As familiar as these stories may be, it’s important to read slowly. Savor each word. Let your heart connect to the deep emotions being expressed in the text. Jesus’ grief and anxiety over what’s to come. His heartfelt request to His Father to let the cup pass. His humble submission to the Father’s will. The temptation He faces to call down legions of angels in His defense. His disappointment with His disciples. Jesus is experiencing the full range of human emotion as He approaches the final hours of His life here on earth.

I will say it helps having been there. I’ve walked in the Garden of Gethsemane. I’ve seen the olive trees whose lineage may trace back to the first century. I’ve walked the road up to Caiaphas’ house where Jesus was taken after being arrested. I’ve stood in the courtyard where Peter denied Him. I’ve read Psalms of lament in the storage room where Jesus probably spent His final night. It’s a powerful experience. All of the events of the final hours of Jesus happen within a very small geographic area. The close proximity of Gethsemane to Caiaphas’ home to the Antonio Fortress to Golgotha and the empty tomb is striking. You can literally walk to all these places in the same day. You can touch the same stones. Breathe the same air. Taste the same dust.

Many theologians - myself among them - believe the agony Jesus began to feel in the Garden of Gethsemane was due to the withdrawal of the Holy Spirit. For the first time in His life, He was beginning to feel alone. The full weight of humanity’s sin was now being placed upon His back. He would bear this final burden to the cross alone. Bereft of His Father’s presence. Bereft of the Spirit’s power. Jesus now walked this final leg of the journey in existential isolation and this caused Him unimaginable suffering that far outstripped any physical pain He would endure. It’s impossible to get our minds around. It’s a mystery beyond our understanding. Somehow the Trinity experiences a rupture without being ruptured. A separation without every separating. Isolation without ever losing communion. And all this takes place so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled and the Triune God’s plan of salvation come to pass.

Jesus did all this for me. That’s perhaps the biggest reason to slow down and let these words sink in. Jesus wept in the Garden over what it would cost Him to save me. Jesus prayed in the Garden for another way to save me. Jesus submitted in the Garden to unimaginable suffering so that He might save me. My sin created these conditions. My crimes against God deserved His full wrath and judgment. My rebellion is what Jesus came to put down. Not with violence but with love. Can I not pray with Him one hour? Can I not walk with Him without rushing through the reading? Can I not sit with Him and let the magnitude of what He’s done sink in?

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 27:1-31, Mark 15:1-20, Luke 23:1-25, John 18:28-40, 19:1-16

Slowing Down

Readings for today: Matthew 4:23-25, 8:14-17, Mark 1:21-39, Luke 4:31-44

One of the things I admire most about Jesus is His ability to take the time and make the time to be with His Heavenly Father. There has never been anyone more busy with more demands on their plate. Everywhere Jesus went, people came out to see Him. They brought their sick and diseased and demon-possessed. They interrupted Him constantly with their needs. They loved sitting under His teaching day after day after day. There’s a great scene from The Chosen when Jesus finishes up a day of healing and comes back to camp utterly exhausted. He can barely stand. Barely eat. Barely say His prayers before laying down to sleep. It paints a very realistic picture of what Jesus had to go through on a daily basis.

At the same time, the Gospels make it clear Jesus also took time away. He didn’t let the demands of the ministry drive Him. He didn’t let the needs of the people overwhelm Him. He refused to let anything come between Him and His first priority…His Heavenly Father. I love how Mark describes it in his Gospel. “While it was still night, way before dawn, Jesus got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.” (Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭35‬-‭37‬ ‭MSG‬‬) One gets the sense that Jesus often found such moments. He would get up early before anyone else and spend time with His Father. He would let the Spirit minister to His heart and strengthen His body. He would talk to His Father about the plans He had for His Son. And He ultimately obeyed His Father though it led to incredible suffering and death on a cross. In all this, Jesus models for us what a life lived with God looks like even amidst the craziness and busyness of our world.

For years, I’ve tried to practice what Jesus models and here’s what I’ve discovered. The more the pace of my “external” life picks up, the more my “internal” life needs to slow down. The more demands I take on in my life, the more I need to carve out time for Jesus. Often those moments come in the middle of the night or the early morning hours when no one else in my home is awake. I find myself awake and praying for those I love and those I serve and the responsibilities God has laid on me in this particular season. I love the life I’ve been given. My life is rich and full. But the pace can be a bit overwhelming at times. I carry responsibilities as a husband and a father and a son. I carry responsibilities as a pastor and adjunct professor. I carry responsibilities as a leader in my denomination and a trainer for church planters internationally. I write blogs and record podcasts. I read voraciously. I work out faithfully. But most importantly, I spend time each day with God. I carve out the time I need to be alone with Him so I can receive His wisdom and be strengthened by His Spirit so I accomplish all the plans He has for me.

Readings for tomorrow: John 3-5

Fasting and Prayer

Readings for today: Ezra 7-10

The mission of God is impossibly large and complex. It is global. It is universal. It’s reach spans the centuries. God will never rest until the gospel has been preached in every tongue to every tribe in every nation. He will never rest until all have the opportunity to come to a knowledge of His truth and be saved. He will never rest until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that He is Lord. And perhaps most amazingly of all, He entrusts this great work to His church. His people. Now, if you are like me, the task seems overwhelming. Where do we even begin? How can I even begin to marshal the resources and wisdom and strength to accomplish this mission? I am so weak. I am so small. I am so insignificant. Where can I go to find what I need to do what the Lord has called me to do?

Much like Ezra, I begin with fasting and prayer. “I proclaimed a fast there beside the Ahava Canal, a fast to humble ourselves before our God and pray for wise guidance for our journey—all our people and possessions. I was embarrassed to ask the king for a cavalry bodyguard to protect us from bandits on the road. We had just told the king, “Our God lovingly looks after all those who seek him, but turns away in disgust from those who leave him.” So we fasted and prayed about these concerns. And He listened.” (Ezra‬ ‭8‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Fasting and prayer have been part of my life for many years now. The discipline of fasting reminds me of how empty and weak I am. It reminds me of my deep need for God. It makes me hungry for more of Him. More of His Word. More of His Spirit. The discipline of prayer is my connection to God. It is the ongoing conversation between my soul and God’s Spirit from which I draw so much wisdom and strength.

God has promised so much to His people. He promises to feed those who are hungry. He promises to quench the thirst of those who seek Him. He promises to give wisdom to those who ask and strengthen those who are weak. He encourages us to cast all our anxieties on Him and to lay our worries at His feet. He loves to listen to our needs and wants and desires. He is a good and loving Father who does not give a stone to those who ask for bread or a snake to those who ask for fish. He wants us to seek. He wants us to ask. He wants us to knock. And He promises He will be found. He promises He will respond. He promises He will open the door to anyone who humbly comes before Him.

Why then is fasting and prayer a last resort for us? Why is it not the first step as it was for Ezra and his people? Why do we wait until we’ve exhausted our own strength and wisdom and effort before coming to God in fasting and prayer? Why do we try so often to go it alone? Is it pride? Is it fear? Is it selfishness? Is it a desire to prove ourselves? To demonstrate our independence? Maybe some combination of all of the above? God invites us into His presence. God invites us to draw on Him for all we need in this life. God invites us to taste and see His goodness and His glory. God invites us to lay hold of His power for His mission in this world. Take the first step today. Spend time fasting and praying and asking the Lord to show you His will and His way.

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 1-4

Processing our Pain

Readings for today: Lamentations 3:37-5:22

What comes after lament? That’s a question I often deal with as a pastor. I walk with people through crisis. I sit with people in their grief. I do my best to comfort them as they mourn. I help them process their pain. After making space for all of the heartache, what comes next? After walking through the valley of the shadow of death together, what happens when one gets to the other side? Honestly, in my experience, this is where the hard work really begins.

I think of a woman I once knew who was married for decades. On the outside, things in their family looked good. He was very successful in his business. They were able to travel the world together. Pursue whatever their hearts desired. But after he passed and the funeral was over, the real truth began to emerge. Alcoholism. Abuse. A life of torment and fear. As the widow and I met to process what she was feeling, we talked about her need for healing. Her need to recover. Her need to be patient and give herself time to work through all the emotions she was experiencing. We also talked about what life would look like on the other side. Her desire to be married again. Her desire to pursue some of the dreams her husband had denied her. Her desire to reconnect with their estranged children and recover some of the years they had lost. This would require a lot of introspection and self-reflection. Owning what she needed to own and disowning what she needed to disown. Thankfully, she had the courage to walk the road faithfully before the Lord. She took up hobbies like horseback riding and cooking. She renewed her relationship with her son. She began dating a good man who treated her with the love and respect she deserved. It was beautiful to watch.

We catch Jeremiah at a much earlier, much darker place in the journey. He is still very much processing his pain. The heartache is real. The emotions are visceral. Though the reading is hard, it is good to know we can be raw and real before God. At the same time, we see the stirrings of a new season begin to emerge as well. Jeremiah calling for the people of Israel to think about what comes next after lament. Once they’ve fully grieved, they will need to take some time to reflect and repent and renew their faith and trust in God. “Who do you think “spoke and it happened”? It’s the Master who gives such orders. Doesn’t the High God speak everything, good things and hard things alike, into being? And why would anyone gifted with life complain when punished for sin? Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living and reorder our lives under God. Let’s lift our hearts and hands at one and the same time, praying to God in heaven…” (Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭37‬-‭42‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Jeremiah knows what comes next. He knows the people of God must return to Him if they are to experience the healing and restoration their hearts so desperately long for.

Anyone who has ever walked with grief knows the journey well. It begins in deep darkness where it’s hard to see any light at all. Momentum begins to pick up as we take our initial steps and the darkness doesn’t seem as deep. As we continue walking the road, a light does appear at the end of the tunnel. Eventually, as we keep doing the work, we emerge into the bright sunshine of a new day. God is faithful! He will walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death and as we turn to Him - lifting up our hearts and hands in worship - He promises to cast out all our fear and bring us to green pastures and still waters, to places where we will find our souls restored.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 1-4

Resisting Evil

Readings for today: 1 Kings 1-2, Psalms 37, 71, 94

It is easy to “fret yourself because of evildoers.” It’s easy to watch the news or scroll through social media and focus on all that is negative. All that is wrong with the world. It is easy to focus on the unrighteous and their manipulation, oppression, and greed. It is easy to give in to anger and hate. To lash out at those who perpetrate abuse and violence. There’s something deep inside all of us that longs for revenge. Longs to see those who do evil get what’s coming to them. We get frustrated when they seem to prosper. We lose heart when they get ahead. We question the justice of God when the wicked seemingly get away with all their plots and schemes.

Once again, the Psalmist gives voice to how we feel. He speaks directly to our hearts and points us to God. He helps us reframe our understanding and teaches us God’s eternal perspective. Do not be envious of those who do wrong. They will fade like the grass. Do not fret over the one who carries out evil. They will be cut off. In the grand scheme of things, the evil only prosper for a moment but it is the righteous and the meek and the godly who will inherit the earth. Our job is not to seek revenge but to trust in the Lord and do good. Delight ourselves in God and commit ourselves to walk in His ways. If we will remain faithful, God promises to make our light shine. He promises us an eternal inheritance and the blessing of peace. He promises to uphold the righteous and never let us be put to shame. He promises to establish our steps and provide for our needs and give us a future.

This isn’t easy. Our world is growing more chaotic by the day. Evil is rising up all around us. Evil people are taking advantage of the instability to hoard power and wealth and influence. They plot against the righteous. They draw the sword. They bend the bow. Their goal is the destruction of the godly. The oppression of the poor and needy. They are a curse. They sow fear. They spread anxiety. They will stop at nothing until they achieve their sinful, selfish, unrighteous ends. But God sees them and laughs. He knows their day is coming. He will execute judgment on them and cut them off forever. So place your trust in the Lord. Make Him your stronghold in times of trouble. Seek His help. Deliverance and salvation come from His hand. Take refuge in Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalm 119:1-88

Personal God

Readings for today: Psalms 111-118

Christians believe in a personal God. Not a private god. Not a cosmic butler. Not a divine ATM machine. But a God who is personal, present, and who fulfills His promises. Today’s reading is a good one. In so many of the Psalms, God reveals His heart to us. He is a God who is with us. He is a God who is for us. He is a God who is at work in us. He will never leave our side. He will never let us go. He will never give up on us. 

“This God of Grace, this God of Love. He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise…He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He’s so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.” (Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭4-5, 9‬ ‭MSG‬‬) God’s covenant with us in no way depends on us! What a glorious truth! It is completely and utterly dependent on the steadfast, faithful, fiercely loyal love of God!

“God is higher than anything and anyone, outshining everything you can see in the skies. Who can compare with God, our God, so majestically enthroned, Surveying his magnificent heavens and earth? He picks up the poor from out of the dirt, rescues the forgotten who’ve been thrown out with the trash, Seats them among the honored guests, a place of honor among the brightest and best. He gives childless couples a family, gives them joy as the parents of children. Hallelujah!” (Psalms‬ ‭113‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭MSG‬‬) The Lord is especially tender towards those in great need. The poor. The needy. The barren. The hurting. The struggling. The depressed. The anxious. The lonely. God sees you! God looks down on your broken condition and He is at work to raise you up! There is nothing hidden from God. No secret pain or heartache. No injustice. No unrighteousness. The Lord sees it all and He will set all things right!

“I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy. He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him.” (Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭1‬-‭2 MSG‬‬) God hears every cry. God sees every tear. God knows every anxious thought. God feels all our pain. And He inclines His ear towards us. He doesn’t force us to come to His level. Doesn’t require us to ascend the heavens to gain an audience with Him. He inclines. He descends. He listens closely. Intently. He gathers His beloved into His arms and leans in to make sure He hears every word. Every thought. Every prayer. 

By the time you get to Psalm 118, it’s like the Psalmist can’t help himself. The words tumble over each other. Promise after promise. Declaration after declaration. So much to praise God for! So much to thank God for! One of the best ways to read the Psalms is back to back to back and let the words wash over you. Let them fill you. Let them give you confidence today. Let them give you strength. 

The Lord is on my side. 

The Lord is my helper.  

The Lord is my strength.

The Lord is my song. 

The Lord is my salvation.

Claim these promises as your own today. Let them guide you through each and every challenge. Each and every crisis. Each and every circumstance of your life.  

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 1-2, Psalms 37, 71, 94

Honest Prayers

Readings for today: Psalms 108-109

Psalm 109 is nothing if not honest. David is expressing his anger and frustration towards his enemies. He is being attacked. His reputation is under assault. His character is being assassinated. He tries to repay evil with good. Tries to respond to the hate with love. He prays for them but nothing seems to change. If anything, their hatred for him burns even hotter. So David lets loose. He unleashes all his outrage to God. He calls for their destruction. He curses them every which way but sideways. He basically asks God to consign them to hell. It’s a brutally honest prayer and one I will admit I have prayed myself at certain times over the years.

Many years ago, I somehow got crossways with a person who served on a board overseeing my work. To this day, I do not know what I did to them. Despite the fact that I went to them over and over again to ask for forgiveness and make things right, they never did tell me what happened or why they hated me so much. They made their singular aim to destroy my career. They talked behind my back at board meetings. They sabotaged the work I was doing in the church. They contacted people in our small group to impugn my character. It was brutal. It was costly. I lost relationships as a result. And I almost left the ministry. After resigning my position, I spent months in prayer as I looked for work. It was one of the scariest seasons of my life. I didn’t know how I was going to feed my kids. Provide for my family. I had never been in this position before. Like David, I felt like I was “at the end of my rope, my life in ruins. I was fading away to nothing, passing away, my youth gone, old before my time. I was weak from hunger and could hardly stand up, my body a rack of skin and bones. I was a joke in poor taste to those who saw me; they took one look and shook their heads.” (Psalms‬ ‭109‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭MSG‬‬) In the midst of my despair and anguish, I asked God to curse the person who attacked me. I asked God bring judgment down on them. I asked God to return to them what they had done to me. I was angry. I was bitter. I was beyond frustrated at the injustice of it all.

Here’s what I learned from that season. God’s a big boy. He can handle our most honest, gut-wrenching prayers. In fact, He invites us to share our deepest fears and anxieties with Him. He encourages us to hold nothing back. He wants us to feel safe and free to express all our emotions. Turn everything over to Him. And here’s what happens when we do…as we empty ourselves before Him. Expressing all our anger, bitterness, frustration, and pain; God begins to fill us with His grace. He turns our sorrows to joy. He turns our fears to faith. He turns our bitterness sweet. He heals our pain. He wipes away our tears. He holds us close. And even our deepest frustrations turn to praise. Listen to David as he ends Psalm 109, “My mouth’s full of great praise for God, I’m singing his hallelujahs surrounded by crowds, For he’s always at hand to take the side of the needy, to rescue a life from the unjust judge.” (Psalms‬ ‭109‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Here’s the thing I discovered in the depths of my own despair…God is faithful. God can be trusted. God is at work. God never leaves us or forsakes us. God holds us in the palm of His hand. God draws near the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit. God is safe. We can literally share anything and everything with Him and trust Him for the result.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 23-26

Praise the Lord

Readings for today: Psalms 97-99

Today’s Psalms are songs of praise. They declare the truth that God is king over all the earth. He is the sovereign ruler of the universe. As such, He deserves our praise. He deserves our thanksgiving. He is worthy of all honor and glory. His name is above every name. Because He is good and just and righteous, we can trust Him. We can submit to Him. We can gladly give our hearts to Him.

It’s impossible to overstate the utter uniqueness of the Jewish - and later, Christian - view of God. Human beings have always worshipped gods. The earliest records of Homo Sapiens found deep in caverns across the globe depict humans engaged in worship. We worship animals. We worship the weather. We worship nature. We worship each other. We make up names for these gods. We create elaborate rituals to appease these gods. They are capricious and arbitrary. Often cruel and malicious. They are selfish and greedy for their own gain. In short, we make gods in our own image. Gods that reflect what we know of human behavior. It’s all we can understand.

The great 20th century rabbi, Abraham Heschel, once described the Scriptures not as man’s search for God but God’s search for man. This is what sets Judaism and Christianity apart. We didn’t create God, He created us. We didn’t make God in our image, He made us in His own image. We didn’t seek God or find God or discover God, He revealed Himself to us. He has come to us over and over again throughout history starting all the way back with a guy named Abraham and then culminating in the Person of Jesus Christ. The Word made flesh and blood. Over the course of thousands of years, as God interacted with humanity, He revealed His nature and character. He showed Himself to be good and just and righteous and trustworthy. He is the source of all wisdom and power. He reigns sovereign over all He has made. He sits on His throne as judge and king over all the earth. And this is why we praise Him. This is why we compose new songs to sing to Him. This is why we rejoice in the Lord and all He has done for us. This is why we love Him.

One of the most important things we can do as we seek to cultivate a deep, intimate prayer life is learn to praise God. Praise God for who He is and all He has done. Praise God for the ways He has impacted our lives and blessed us with every spiritual blessing. As we learn to praise God, giving Him the honor and glory due His name, we find our hearts lifted up. Our souls find rest. Our minds are at peace. For we know God is still sitting on His throne. There is never a moment He is not in charge. And because He is a good and righteous and just and loving God, we can trust Him. We can trust Him with our lives. We can trust Him with our families. We can trust Him with our needs, wants, and desires. We can trust Him with our future. This is why we praise the Lord!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21-22, Psalm 30

God Listens

Readings for today: Psalms 3-4, 13, 28, 55

Today’s Psalms contain precious promises for the believer. They are a reminder that we can always turn to God in our time of need. He is a very present help in times of trouble. He is with us always even to the end of the age. He draws near to the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit. He doesn’t stand apart from us when we grieve or mourn or cry out in pain. Listen again to just a few of the verses. Let these words sink deep into your soul today.

“But you, God, shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, you lift my head high; With all my might I shout up to God, His answers thunder from the holy mountain. I stretch myself out. I sleep. Then I’m up again—rested, tall and steady, Fearless before the enemy mobs Coming at me from all sides.” (Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say. “More, more.” I have God’s more-than-enough, More joy in one ordinary day.” (Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭6-7a‬ ‭MSG)‬‬

“Blessed be God— he heard me praying. He proved he’s on my side; I’ve thrown my lot in with him. Now I’m jumping for joy, and shouting and singing my thanks to him. God is all strength for his people, ample refuge for his chosen leader; Save your people and bless your heritage. Care for them; carry them like a good shepherd.” (Psalms‬ ‭28‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Recently, I was talking to some friends about how when the pace of life ramps up on the outside, we need to slow down on the inside. When the exterior life is running and gunning, we need our interior life to slow down so we can experience the strength and peace of God. My life right now is pretty crazy. I lead a large church. I have national responsibilities with my denomination. I teach seminary. I just got back from training church planters in Africa and serve on the board of the ministry. Even more importantly, I am a husband and a father. Though my children are older, they still need my help at various times. My parents are aging and my father has been in and out of the hospital recently. So life is pretty full right now. At times, I feel overwhelmed. When I feel overwhelmed, it’s a great reminder to slow my interior life down and spend even more time with the Lord in silence and solitude and quiet reflection. When I do, He fills me with His strength. He fills me with His wisdom. He energizes me for every task. He helps me be fully present in every moment.

God listens to our prayers. Such a simple and yet deeply profound statement. God hears our cries. God is engaged in our lives. God knows our needs. God is good and faithful and true. He is dependable and gives His children good gifts if they will but seek Him. Whatever is going in your life today, cry out to the Lord! Wait patiently on Him to answer your prayers and give you what you need to make it through every moment of every day.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 16-18

The Prayer of Jabez

Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 3-5

Almost twenty years ago, a best-selling book was published on the prayer offered by a rather obscure Old Testament figure named Jabez. He shows up in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 but no specific mention is made of how he fits into the family tree of Judah. He is described as a man of honor who was birthed in pain by his mother and who prayed a prayer God answered. That’s it. Two verses total. Not much to go on. Not much to draw any conclusions from and yet the book written about him became an instant best-seller, selling millions of copies, launching an entire cottage industry.

Why the popularity? I think it has to do with the fact that Jabez’ prayer fits the prevailing self-centered, “health and wealth” theology of so many Americans, Christian or not. “Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, “A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!” Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked.” (1 Chronicles‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Fundamentally, we believe we are worthy of God’s blessing. Fundamentally, we believe we have earned the right to have our territory expanded. Fundamentally, we believe we should never experience evil or pain or suffering. Fundamentally, we believe life is about us and our comfort and the prayer of Jabez only reinforces this idea.

I was in seminary when the book came out and I remember church after church teaching on it. All kinds of miracles were attributed to this prayer. Entire congregations would commit to praying this prayer for thirty, sixty, or ninety days and then report back on the ways God answered their prayers. Preachers, even from evangelical and mainline church contexts, would preach entire sermon series on this prayer and encourage people to memorize it and pray it daily. It seemed utterly crazy to me. After all, this was a verse ripped completely out of it’s Old Testament context. It comes from a figure in the Old Testament we know almost nothing about. If we’re going to memorize one prayer from the Bible and pray it fervently and daily, shouldn’t it be the Lord’s Prayer?

This highlights a danger for us as we read through the Scriptures. The Bible is not a magic book. It is not a book full of mantras that we can pray to get what we want. The Bible is not a self-help book meant to teach us how to have a better life. The Bible has one primary purpose and that is to reveal the character and nature of God. It tells the story of God’s mission to reach His people with the gospel. As one rabbi famously put it, “The Bible is not the story of humanity’s search for God but God’s search for humanity.” God is on a rescue mission to deliver us from the powers of sin and death and evil. His goals are far greater than material blessings or expanding our territory or giving us more influence in this world. He wants to save a people for Himself. He is growing His family through the conversion of women and men. He is building His Kingdom here on earth through His church made up of Jews and Gentiles together. This is His plan and this is what should be the focus of our prayers.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 6, Psalms 36, 39, 77, 78

Personal God

Readings for today: Psalms 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 21

One of the great dangers of studying theology is that God often becomes less of a Person and more of a philosophical construct. Take, for example, the theological idea that God is “impassible.” The doctrine of impassibility states that God is without “feelings or emotions” and that it’s impossible for Him to suffer. This is an idea based more in Greek philosophy than Biblical theology as God refers to Himself throughout the Scriptures as having emotions. In fact, one of His most enduring traits is His compassion which literally means “to suffer with.” If the Bible is God’s supreme and unique and authoritative revelation of Himself then one cannot help but conclude that God is “passible” and capable of feelings, emotions, and yes, even suffering.

At the same time, we know God is the “same yesterday, today, and forever” and that there is no “shadow or turning with Him.” He is immovable and unchanging so His emotions do not “force” Him into actions He has not already freely embraced. Suffering is not something enacted upon God from the outside. He is not at the mercy of anything in this world. He is not a victim nor is He helpless. He is not driven by His feelings. He is not overcome by His emotions. They do not enact a change in His being. He remains perfect in every way and He has freely chosen to be a personal God. A God engaged in intimate relationship with human beings. A God who loves and draws near the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit and shares in their pain. A God who binds Himself in everlasting covenant to His people.

This is why the Psalmist is so confident and so honest when he prays to God. He knows God personally. He knows God intimately. He knows God sees his broken condition. He knows God hears his cries. He knows God answers his prayers. This is why he thanks God in advance for all the wonderful things He has done and will do. He knows God is a refuge for those who are in trouble. A stronghold for those who are weak. A sanctuary for those in desperate need. He knows God opposes the proud and lifts up the humble. He knows God judges the unrighteous and fights against the wicked. He knows God acts within human history to save His people. Deliver them out of trouble. He knows God is his strength which is why he sings a new song.

The Psalms keep us from falling into the heresy of deism. The heresy of keeping God at a distance. The heresy of treating Him like an abstract idea. God has revealed Himself fully in the Person of Jesus Christ. He left heaven and came to earth to introduce Himself to us. He wanted us to see Him face to face. Hear His voice. Feel His touch. God refused to remain distant. He refused to keep Himself apart. He refused to let any walls or barriers stand in the way of a relationship with us. Re-read the Psalms for today and let them lead you to a deeper understanding of the relationship you have with God through Jesus Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 1-2, Psalms 43-44

Seeking After God

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 25-27, Psalms 17, 73

The hardest thing I have ever set my mind and heart to is seeking after God. Even as a Christian. Even as a pastor. I get so easily distracted. My fears and anxieties sometimes get the best of me. My selfish and greedy desires sometimes push me off course. Even my desire to serve God can get in the way of me seeking after God. That is why it’s so critically important for me to spend time with God every day and invite the Holy Spirit to search my heart. Check my motives. Reorient my desires. Restrain my passions. Refine my thoughts and attitudes. Judge my words and actions.

I love how David describes this process in one of the Psalms we read today…“Go ahead, examine me from inside out, surprise me in the middle of the night— You’ll find I’m just what I say I am. My words don’t run loose. I’m not trying to get my way in the world’s way. I’m trying to get your way, your Word’s way. I’m staying on your trail; I’m putting one foot in front of the other. I’m not giving up.” (Psalms‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Perhaps it’s because I’m getting older or my bladder’s getting smaller but I often find myself awake in the middle of the night. I used to get frustrated by it but I’ve learned over the years to turn that time to prayer. I seek the Lord in the quietness of my home when everyone else is asleep. There’s no one clamoring for my attention. No texts or emails to return. No phone calls to make. No demands on my time. It’s just me and my Lord and that seems to be when I hear Him best. In silence and solitude. In the peace and quiet. In the stillness when the noise of my life is at it’s lowest ebb.

I think of how much pressure David faced in his life when he was on the run. I think of the stress he must have felt as he did his best to care for those who followed him and their families. I think of the fears he must have fought along the way. The temptations he faced to take matters into his own hands. How many sleepless nights did he face? And still he sought God. He took it day by day. He put one foot in front of the other. He never gave up. That sounds about right. That’s how I’ve experienced prayer over the years.

The most important thing to remember in prayer is that it is less about getting an answer and more about spending time in the presence of the One who loves you most. It’s less about getting what you want in the time that you want it and more about cultivating a deep trust in God. It’s less about the content of our prayers - though God wants to hear everything that has us concerned - and more about the consistency of coming before Him with open hands and an open heart.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 35, 54, 63, 18

Take Refuge in God

Readings for today: Psalms 56, 120, 140, 141, 142

It’s a powerful thing to read the Psalms within the context of the person’s life who wrote them. David is not in a good place. He is running for his life. He is living in the wilderness. He has gathered a pretty motley crew of people around him. He can never rest. He is never safe. He is never fully secure. Anxiety and fear are constant companions. This is not his fault. It’s not something he brought on himself. He is not facing the consequences of his choices. No, it’s the opposite. He is being unfairly treated. Falsely accused of crimes he did not commit. All David has ever done is try to serve his king faithfully and well. He has fought for Saul. Bled for Saul. Won victory after victory for Saul. When Saul was troubled, it was David who played the harp to calm his soul. All that for what? Betrayal? And now he’s being hunted like an animal.  

But how does David respond? Does he play the victim? No. He turns to God. “Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?...This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalms‬ ‭56:1-4, 9-11‬) This is what I love about David. He honestly acknowledges his fears. He doesn’t try to pretend like his life is going well. He’s being trampled. He’s being oppressed. He’s being attacked by his enemies. However, rather than respond in kind. Rather than give into his fear. Rather than play the victim and rail against the betrayal and injustice of it all, David places his trust in God. He praises God. He keeps his eyes fixed on God. What happens as a result? David is filled with incredible confidence. What can man do to me? Take my life? Take my future? Take my possessions? Big deal. I trust in God. I place my faith in God. I know God is for me so who can stand against me? 

We live in a world where it is common to play the victim. We seem to be unable to handle disappointment. We avoid responsibility. We blame-shift. We get wounded. We are hurt. We feel betrayed. And we believe this gives us license to end relationships. Avoid hard conversations. Escape the Biblical call for forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. Someone lets us down? We cut them off. We get confronted at work? We find another job. Someone holds us accountable? We stop talking to them. A friend hurts our feelings? We move on. Such behaviors are rampant both in our society and in the church. Study after study has been done on the lack of “resiliency” in our culture. We seem to be unable to handle suffering. Pain. Heartbreak. Disappointment. We seem to be ill-equipped to have hard, honest conversations. We seem to be too scared to face our own internal demons so we project them onto those around us. Especially those we are closest to. So marriages fail. Families break apart. Friendships end. All we are doing is perpetuating a cycle of brokenness.

Would that we would follow David’s example! In the face of all the hardship and suffering and injustice and pain and disappointment and betrayal...David looked to God. He took refuge in God. He cried out to God. He asked God to search his own heart so that he may not sin. Most of all, he praised God for he recognized that it is often in the “wilderness” when we are “on the run” from our enemies that God does His best work in us. Shaping. Forming. Forging our character. Making us into the people He created and called us to be.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 25-27, Psalms 17, 73

Learning to Pray

Readings for today: Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

The Psalms are the prayer book of the Bible. 150 prayers written by God’s people. Written in times of celebration to commemorate great victories and triumphs. Written in times of grief to chronicle despair and exile and defeat. Written for use in worship like the Psalms of Ascent. Written for very specific occasions like when David sinned with Bathsheba. They are authentic and raw and real because they reflect real people bringing their deepest longings and questions and heartaches before God.

In today’s selection, David is on the run. He is being pursued by his own people. Betrayed by his own king. Unjustly accused. He has lost his position. His home. His family. One would think such circumstances would lead to bitterness and despair. Anger and frustration. Fear and uncertainty. These are honest feelings and David doesn’t shy away from acknowledging them. “”O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it into pieces, with none to deliver. (Ps. 7:1-2) “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.” (Psalms‬ ‭31:9-10) One can hear in his words the anguish and heartbreak. He is afraid. He doesn’t know what the future holds. There are no guarantees he will escape. So he brings these feelings authentically before the Lord. He humbles himself before his God. He knows the Lord sees his afflictions. 

At the same time, David prays in faith for his very real needs. He prays for God’s protection. “In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!” (Psalms‬ ‭31:1-2‬)

He prays for God’s guidance and wisdom. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.” (Psalms‬ ‭27:4-5‬)

He prays for God’s comfort and provision. “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalms‬ ‭34:17-19‬)

Most of all, David lifts his eyes above his current circumstances to praise God for who He is! God is worthy of praise even when we find ourselves in the middle of the most difficult times of our lives. “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psalms‬ ‭34:1-3‬)

One of the greatest lies the enemy tries to tell us is that our needs don’t matter to God. They are too small. Too insignificant to demand His attention. The enemy tries to convince us that we are a burden to our Heavenly Father and praying authentically somehow makes us unholy or unworthy. The Psalms teach us otherwise. They are raw. They are real. They are emotional. They are bold. The Psalmist - in this case King David - enjoys such intimate fellowship with God that he can literally tell God anything. And that is what God desires from everyone of His children.  

So what is your prayer life like? Is it real? Is it authentic? Or are there things you are afraid to share with your Heavenly Father? Areas of your life you try to hide? Do you fear coming into His presence? Afraid of what He might do? What He might say? What He might think? Do you trust God’s gracious character? His unconditional love? Do you believe His mercies are new every morning? Do you believe God is generous towards you? Having an inexhaustible supply of time and attention? Do you know nothing is insignificant to God? Not one need. Not one desire. Do you bring your requests humbly before Him, trusting He knows best what you need? I’d encourage you to use the Psalms as a model, a guide, for your prayers. Let the Psalmist lead you to a deeper understanding of your relationship with God.  

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 56, 120, 140, 141, 142

Heartfelt Prayer

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 1-3

Have you ever prayed a prayer from a place so deep it felt like it was wrenched from the depths of your soul? A prayer you prayed night after night? Day after day? Maybe even hour by hour? A prayer you prayed for years? A prayer you prayed through tears? A prayer you prayed with everything in you?

Hannah prayed such a prayer. Listen to how Eugene Peterson translates it in The Message…”Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies (literally Lord of hosts), if you’ll take a good, hard look at my pain, if you’ll quit neglecting me and go into action for me by giving me a son, I’ll give him completely , unreservedly to you. I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline.” (1 Samuel 1:11) Hannah had endured so much pain over the years. She was tormented and abused by her rival Peninnah. She was ashamed of her barrenness. She felt cursed by God for not being able to bear children. Her suffering was so great she often lost her appetite. She constantly felt like she was letting her husband down. She was “crushed in soul” according to the account we read today. Thankfully, in her despair, she sought God. She cried out to Him. She brought her tears and broken heart and laid it at His feet. So distraught was she in prayer that Eli, the high priest, thought she was drunk!

Hannah’s pain and Hannah’s prayer were both real and authentic. “I’m a woman broken-hearted. I haven’t been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I’ve been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God. Don’t for a minute think I’m a bad woman. It’s because I’m desperately unhappy and in such pain that I’ve stayed here so long.” (1 Samuel 1: 15-16) Clearly, Hannah holds nothing back and Eli honors her with his blessing and this changes everything for her. Her appetite returns. Her sadness lifted. She seems ready for whatever God has in store.

This is truly the purpose of prayer. Yes, Hannah will conceive and bear a son. Yes, Hannah will dedicate him to the Lord just as she promised. Yes, God will use Samuel in a powerful way to accomplish His will for His people. But the biggest answer to prayer was the change in Hannah’s heart. In seeking the Lord, she exchanged sadness for joy. In honestly and authentically coming before Him, she exchanged despair for hope. In holding nothing back, not even her deepest pain and heartbreak, she exchanged anxiety and fear for peace. How was she able to do this? She kept her heart focused on God not just the answer God might provide. She trusted His will above her own. She surrendered her life into His sovereign hands.

What about you? What prayers do you pray? Do they come from the heart? From the place of deepest brokenness in your life? Are you willing to lay everything before the Lord, holding nothing back? Are you willing to relinquish your will into His hands? Trust Him for the answer He may provide? This is the essence of true prayer.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 4-8

The Greatest Prayer

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 4-7

Deuteronomy 6:4 contains the single most important prayer in all of Israel. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” It is the prayer known as the “Shema” (pronounced Sh’ma). Jews are required to recite this prayer twice a day. It is the first prayer they teach their children. It is the last prayer they pray before they die. It captures the essence of their monotheistic faith. Praying this prayer twice a day reminds the Jewish people of the personal relationship they have with God. They are His chosen people. They are His royal priesthood. They are His holy nation. Set apart by God Himself to declare His glory to the nations of the earth. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…” (Deuteronomy 7:6-9)

Because God has set His great love on them, the expectation is that Israel will love Him in return. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) This is the second part of the Shema. The commitment of the believer to honor God in every facet of their lives. First, we must love God with all our hearts. All our affections. All our feelings. We must love Him first above all other things. All other people. All of our accomplishments, dreams, and visions. Second, we must love Him with all our souls. From the depths of our beings. From the deepest recesses of who we are. To love God with our “soul” is to literally love Him from our bowels. From the gut. From a place deeper than our minds. Deeper than our hearts. The very core of our beings. Finally, we must love God with all our might. All our physical strength and activity should be dedicated to the glory of God. All our work. All our play. All our relationships. All our physical labor. All of it is to bring glory to God. This is what the Apostle Paul - a former Pharisee who prayed this prayer all his life - is referring to in Colossians 3:17 when he says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

There’s a lot packed into today’s reading. So many reminders of God’s great faithfulness to His people. Despite their sin and grumbling and complaining, God remains steadfast. This is the essence of the covenant of grace God made with His people. Fast forward a few thousand years to Jesus. A lawyer challenges him one day to identify the greatest of the commandments. Jesus goes right back to the Shema. “And Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 22:37-40) Not only did Jesus place the Shema at the center of His life but He demands His followers do the same. 

How are you seeking to love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength? What does that practically look like in your life? If you do not know or nothing readily comes to mind, let me challenge you to memorize Matthew 22:37 and ask God to give you the wisdom to know how to place the Shema at the center of your life just like Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 8-11

Power of Intercession

Readings for today: Numbers 14-16, Psalm 95

Today’s passage reveals two things in stark terms. If God were not faithful. If His steadfast love did not endure forever. If His grace was not extended to generation after generation. We would all be dead. We would all be destroyed. Our sin is simply too much. Our penchant for rebellion to hard to resist. Our pride too much to overcome. At the same time, God has a mission. Come hell or high water, God will make His glory known on the earth. No obstacle will stand in His way. Not even His own people! No power will prevent Him from accomplishing His great task. Not sin. Not evil. Not death. “But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” (Numbers 14:21) 

The people of God quake in fear at the report of the spies. They mutiny against Moses and the Lord. They make plans to head back to Egypt. Back to slavery. Back to what was familiar. It reminds me of one of my favorite Proverbs, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” (26:11) But for the intervention of the Lord, they would have stoned Moses to death! Incredible! So God tells Moses to step aside so He can destroy them and start all over yet again. Once again, Moses is being tested. Once again, Moses is being challenged to stand in the gap for God’s people. Once again, Moses intercedes. He calls on God to remember His own name. To be true to His character. It’s an amazing prayer and worth reading again. 

“But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” (Numbers 14:13-19)

Some might see this as Moses talking God down. Talking God off the ledge. Persuading Him to change His mind. This is where the true nature of intercessory prayer comes in. Intercessory prayer actually creates a new condition, a new situation to which God responds. Whereas the sin of the people of God created one situation to which God responds righteously in judgment; Moses’ intercession creates a second situation to which God responds righteously in mercy. If Moses refused to intercede, God’s people would have perished. God would have followed through on His threat and His punishment would be just. However, Moses did stand in the gap. He fell on His face before the Lord and asked God to forgive and pardon – not because the people of God deserve it – but for the sake of His own reputation and great name. 

So often we are tempted to believe prayer is worthless. After all, God already knows what He will do, right? God already knows the outcome so why pray at all? Friends, this is part and parcel of what it means to be in a real, authentic relationship with God. He invites us to intercede. He invite us to lift up the needs of those we love. He invites us to stand in the gap for our friends and neighbors and community and world. And as we do, He promises to respond in accordance with His divine nature and character and will. Does this mean we will always get the outcome we desire? No. Like any good Father, God keeps the bigger picture in mind. He sees what’s happening on a universal, global scale and we have to trust He knows what is best. But this does not mean our prayers are any less powerful or effective. Let me encourage you to accept God’s invitation to intercede on behalf of others. Don’t be afraid to boldly ask God to act on their behalf. Call on God to intervene in accordance with His divine will and nature and then trust Him with the results. 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 17-20