romans

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Pray Continually

In today’s world, it’s hard enough for us to comprehend how to carve out 10-15 minutes for a meal, let alone engaging in persistent and continual prayer. We stumble over not only when, but how as well. It’s hard for us to put into words what’s on our heart. We labor to put into words the thoughts which have been barely formed in our heads. We struggle with the what, how, why, when, where – everything! It’s important and we don’t want to get it wrong, right?

But, prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as a few short words or sentences said on the fly. It’s about pouring out one’s heart to God in whatever number or type of words that are needed. I think that’s one of the things that Jesus was getting at when he told the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. The Pharisee’s prayer was long and complicated, verbose and self-serving. It was more about how great he was in comparison to others and less about the greatness of God. The publican’s prayer, on the other hand, was simple, direct, heart-felt and honest. He would not even look up to the heavens, and he spoke directly to God about his own shortcomings, his own weakness, his own need for forgiveness and mercy.

“God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Luke 18:13

And that’s the point. It’s not about elaborate prose or flowery words expressed in perfect iambic pentameter. Prayer doesn’t have to be complex. The attitude with which a prayer is rendered is way more important than the manner in which it is delivered. The crux of the story is that when we pour out our heart to God in simple, straight-forwardness, what we’re really asking is for the Spirit of God to help us in our weakness. It recognizes that we cannot do it on our own, that we need God’s help, and this is how our prayer becomes more acceptable to God. In Psalm 51, David begins his prayer with this simple request:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;

Psalm 51

And while David’s prayer is a bit longer than a few simple words, it is none the less a heart-felt outcry of brokenness, of sorrow, of repentance.

A simple prayer I pray continually, almost every day, especially when I come up against some of the crazy things people say and do, is “Lord, help me…” It’s just three words, but those little words can help me; to have courage when I need it, to practice patience when I need it, to inspire me to hold my tongue when I need reminding that words can be weapons, to “have compassion on them” when I’m frustrated, to refocus.

One of the most profound prayers in the entire Bible was uttered by Jesus and is just 10 words long.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34

~SLM

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Thy Will Be Done

“Your will be done, on Earth as it is [done] in Heaven.” (Matt 6:10)

Sometimes, it’s really hard to conceive of the many ways in which God’s divine intention present in our lives, and this portion of The Lord’s Prayer is a reminder to us that no matter what, He’s in control. Many times in life, actually most times, things don’t go exactly the way we would have had them go, and when they don’t, we are quick to attribute the outcome to anything but God. After all, aren’t we told in Romans 8:28 that “all things work together for good to those who love God?” We charge forward, convinced of our own righteousness, sure we know exaclty what God wants, and eager to prove that he is indeed on our side. We get so mired down in the outcomes we’ve imagined, so caught up in how we think things ought to go, that we forget to wait on God’s will to unfold.

Romans 8:28 goes on to say “to those who are the called according to His purpose.” It’s His intension that is at work here, not ours. Revelation 17:17 says that God puts it into the hearts of people to do what will fulfill his objectives, which means he plants a thought into their heads or lays something upon their hearts, which they are unaware has atually come from him. That’s why Caiaphas acted as he did. He was convinced that putting one man to death, rather than an entire nation was what God wanted, and he was right. It was the direction in which God was leading him, just not in the way he had imagined, and certainly not in the way he had convinced himself and the rest of the Sanhedrin to believe. In his view, that man was a blasphemer, and God would judge him [Caiaphas] righteous for his actions, right?

When we pray this, it’s not because we’re giving God permission to direct our lives, or the events that surround us, but in recognition of the fact that God is most certainly in the driver’s seat. Whether we’re intenionally aligned with it through humble submission as Christ was, or through stubborn self-righteousness like Caiaphas, it’s still God’s plan, still his will being done on earth as it is also done in Heaven.

~SLM

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Whatever Happens, Be Thankful

It’s so easy for us to be thankful when Life goes the way we think it should, we say “Praise God,” or “God is good.” And it’s also easy to forget. When life smiles on us, the stars align, and we seem to dance into our future without a care, we get all full of ourselves, feel entitled, forget to be grateful, and when life throws us a curve ball, we can’t bring ourselves to it. But gratefulness is important, whatever happens.

In 1 Thessalonians 5 Paul tells us to be thankful in every circumstance. No matter what the situation we find ourselves in, whether joyous and care-free or stress-filled and disastrous, we can be certain that we are exactly where we have been called to be. God has put us there. Paul tells us in Romans that all things work together for God’s good purposes. At any given time, we are where we are most needed to do honor and glory to God, even when we can’t see it. We must press on, remembering that where we find ourselves is merely a weigh station along the road, a pause, a side trip, not the final destination.

Here is the constant: God is good, and no matter how bad I’ve been, or how I perceive the circumstances that I may find myself in, He still is. So, thanking him every day for whatever life throws my way is the best way I know to be faithful to Him, to honor Him, because He has put me here, this is where he needs me most at this moment in my life.

~SLM

 

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When in Rome Part 1: According to His Purpose

Sometimes it’s hard to see the purpose in the world around us. We aren’t able to understand how all the pieces fit together, and what we can comprehend, doesn’t make any sense to us, yet in Romans 8:28 Paul says this: “And we know in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Who is to say that the trials we face cannot be for the betterment of ourselves or someone else. We learn so much more about whom we are and the nature of life through our difficulties, our struggles. We cannot know how our burdens and triumphs may influence others, and likewise, we cannot know how our words or actions affect those with whom we interact.  If we know not sorrow, how can we know what true joy looks like? How can we be grateful for all that we are given, our mental and spiritual gifts as well as the physical, if we have not known hunger? And, if we are certain that God’s plan is good, we can go down that road, the one that’s uncertain and unsettling, where dangers may lurk and sorrow may live, facing incredible odds. We can walk through the fiery furnace with peace in our hearts, and praise on our lips, knowing that:

“Lord is our keeper, we have everything we need. He lets us rest in fertile fields of green and leads us to quiet pools of fresh water. He gives us new strength, and guides us to the right paths, as he has promised. Even if we go through the deepest darkness, we need not be afraid, for the Lord is with us, His shepherd’s rod and staff protect us.” (Psalm 23)

No matter what happens in life, what joys or sorrows besot us, we can rest assured that what we face is what God has intended so that He may accomplish His good purpose.

~SLM