Living on a Prayer

“Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak.”

-- Matthew 26:41

We read in Luke's gospel that one day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples made a simple — yet profound — request that Christ-followers remember to this day.

"Lord," the follower said. "Teach us to pray, just as John (the Baptist) taught his disciples."

Jesus' famous response is what we know today as The Lord's Prayer:

"When you pray, say: Father, help us to honor your name. Come and set up your kingdom. Give us each day the food we need. Forgive our sins, as we forgive everyone who has done wrong to us. And keep us from being tempted."

Jesus wasn't teaching his followers some magic formula to compel God to

grant their most heartfelt wishes. Instead, he was modeling his intimate, ongoing conversation with his Father. And the religious leaders of the time were highly offended by the notion. "After all," they said, "Who dares go before God but our High Priest?"

The answer, of course, was much closer than they bargained for.

Jesus also taught his 1st Century disciples that he could do only what he saw his Father doing. That's also a reminder to 21st Century Christ-followers that to do God's will in our communities — and the entire world for that matter — we must be in constant conversation with him. It’s through ongoing prayer that our hearts, wills and vision become closer to the Father's. And his ways become our ways.

The notion of prayer evokes different images to different people. If you grew up attending a traditional church, you might think of kneeling on pews (with eyes closed and heads bowed) between the sermon and the choir's stirring rendition of How Great Thou Art. To others, prayer is something done aloud with hands outstretched and eyes looking skyward. But Jesus' lesson to us is that prayer boils down to the simple act of conversing with God. And it's a remarkable concept. The Creator of the Universe — the One who counts the number of hairs on our heads — wants a personal relationship with us! 

In these uncertain days marked by political unrest, economic uncertainties and natural disasters, it's reassuring to know that every Christ-follower has a direct line to the Father. 

"I was in terrible trouble when I called out to you," wrote the Psalmist. "But from your temple you heard me and answered my prayer."

With Friends Like These

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

-- Proverbs 18:24

Who is your BFF (Best Friend Forever)? And for that matter, what’s the mark of a true friend?

Writer Elbert Hubbard defined a friend as “… someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” Actress Marlene Dietrich remarked that the friends who matter are the ones you can call at 4 a.m. But President Harry S. Truman was less sentimental about friendship. “If you want a friend in Washington,” he said, “get a dog.”

Maybe President Truman was onto something. After all, dogs are known to be

loyal and committed. And it just happens that loyalty and commitment are rare qualities that God values in his people. Joshua — one of the great servant leaders of the Old Testament — displayed this trait when he challenged the tribes of Israel to choose who they would serve: the false gods of their ancestors or the one True God.

“But for me and my household,” declared Joshua, “we will serve the Lord.”

Jesus also seeks total commitment from his modern-day followers. Rather than would-be believers who might help build his kingdom if it’s not too inconvenient for them, Christ demands an all-or-nothing relationship from those willing to give the little they have to eventually gain everything.

Does this sound unrealistic? Jesus’ disciples once thought so. One day, a rich young man asked Christ what he had to do to gain eternal life. Knowing what was in the man’s heart, Jesus reminded him about following God’s commandments about theft, adultery, murder, lying, and honoring one’s parents. When the man replied that he had kept these laws since childhood, the Savior told him that he lacked just one thing: the need to sell all his possessions.

Jesus knew that rather than loving God with all his heart, soul and mind (the first of the 10 Commandments), the rich young man was more devoted to his money. The would-be follower was crushed by Jesus’ harsh revelation and soon turned away.

How about you? As Christ-followers, we demonstrate our commitment and loyalty — as well as our friendship with him — by showing kindness to those Jesus calls “the least of these.” They might be famine victims in Africa, tsunami survivors in Asia or fellow citizens in America who are picking up the pieces after a wildfire or tornado. But then again, those who most need our kindness might be much closer: perhaps next door, down the street or even across the living room. They might be total strangers. Or they could be your family members, your friends ... or even your BFFs.

Conversations with God

But please listen to my prayer and my request. I am your servant, and you are the Lord my God. Hear this prayer that I am praying to you today.

– 1 Kings 8:28

We enjoy some very special privileges as Christ-followers. One of the greatest is the ability to go to God in prayer about our blessings, troubles, concerns and everything else that’s going on in our lives. Prayer is a give-and-take conversation. And it’s all possible through our faith in his Son, Jesus.

But if we have such a special relationship with the Creator, why is it that some

of our prayers go unanswered? After all, there are times when even the most seasoned Christ-followers feel like their petitions go no higher than the bedroom ceiling.

Let’s keep in mind that prayer is a bit like a long-distance phone call. Sometimes the message comes through loud and clear — as if the other person is in the next room. But sometimes there’s static, or the call doesn’t go through at all.

There are several reasons for these dropped calls to God. First, we need to make sure that the line is clear by dealing with any unconfessed sin in our lives. Likewise, if we’re carrying a grudge against someone — like a spouse or co-worker — it needs to be ironed out before we can expect God to listen to us. And faith also plays a big part in the equation. If we pray, but don’t think God has the power or desire to deal with our issues, why even ask in the first place?

But what happens when we pray sincerely and with good intentions, but our prayers still go unanswered? What’s important to remember is that God really does answer all prayers. It’s just that sometimes the answer is “no” or “not now.” As the Creator of all things past, present and future, he knows the big picture — the people, places and circumstances that make all the difference in the world to our situation. It's only later that we'll realize that God had a much better plan for us all along: not for what we wanted, but just for what we needed.

The Jealous Type

You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

-- James 4:2

Millions of Americans invest in their health by working out at the gym, eating organic foods and avoiding excess sugar and fat. Nevertheless, our nation still has a heart condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women. Every year, it claims the lives of about 610,000 Americans — as well as about 17 million others around the globe.

Heart disease is more than a physical infirmity — it’s also a debilitating and deadly spiritual condition. One variety is jealousy, and there are several well-known cases recorded in the Bible. The first occurs within the opening chapters of Genesis between brothers Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was jealous that God preferred Abel’s offering over his own. And unable to control his bitterness and envy, he killed Abel, and then tried to mislead God about his crime. When his Creator asked about Abel’s whereabouts, the murderer responded, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

It’s later in Genesis that we find another instance of jealousy and deception. This time it involves Joseph, the son of Jacob — the patriarch of the nation of Israel. Jacob doted on Joseph, and the boy’s older brothers resented it. Joseph also didn’t win their affection by telling them about his symbolic dreams, which suggested that they would one day bow down to him. What’s more, Jacob had presented Joseph with a special coat of many colors, which signified the prominence of his handsome young son in his heart. One day, when Joseph ventured out in the fields to find his brothers, they spied him from afar and conspired to kill him. But they soon had a change of heart and instead decided to sell him into slavery.

Although the brothers’ horrendous deed led to years of heartbreak and struggle for both Joseph and Jacob, God used their jealousy as a vehicle for good. Joseph was both blessed and protected while in captivity. And he gained favor in the eyes of Egypt’s pharaoh — so much so that he eventually became the second-most powerful man in that nation. When a famine spread across the region, Joseph would even use his God-given wisdom to rescue millions of people from starvation — including his brothers and father. And yes, the brothers did bow down to Joseph, just as his dreams had predicted.

“You meant to do me harm, but God meant it for good,” Joseph explained, “so that it would come about as it is today, with many people’s lives being saved.”  

Are you the jealous type? Rather than envying each other’s accomplishments, possessions or good fortune, the cure for jealousy — the so-called Green-Eyed Monster — is to adopt an attitude of gratitude for our own many blessings. Let’s take this passage from the Book of Jonah to heart:

“But as for me, I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation and deliverance belong to the Lord!”