Pondering Prayer

Scriptures have been running through my brain today… I’m thinking and meditating, chewing, and debating with myself. Could you ponder these things with me as I attempt to organize the chaos of my thoughts?

Prayer

It’s a simple word. It’s a simple thing; bringing our requests, our praises, our thoughts to the Great Listener.

But here’s what’s got me turned inside-out. I’m confounded and perplexed; awed and amazed.

Jesus Makes Intercession For Me. There it is.

Yes, He died and bore my sins. But even more, He lives! Not only does He live, he Lives to make intercession for me. For me. For you.

This morning I gained new perspective on “Praying in Jesus’ name.” I’ve been taught it’s more than a simple “In Jesus’ name, amen;” that it’s actually praying according to His character; praying as He would pray. And all of a sudden this means so much more because what I pray, He takes to the Father on my behalf. What I pray, He prays for me.

He is my mediator. He is the middleman doing the work I cannot. He’s my High Priest entering the Holy of Holies, bringing requests and supplications before Almighty-before a God so sacred and set apart none could stand in His presence and live. None is worthy, except the Lamb.

There’s a battle being fought before the throne. A war is waged at my expense as the enemy stands accusing me day and night. I can almost hear his snide remarks- She’s unfaithful. She’s a liar. She’s proud and unteachable. The Father hears the endless allegations, considering the charges as He’s drawn to a scent- a sweet smelling aroma. My mediator is interceding on my behalf; Jesus is reconciling and intervening as only He is able.

There you have it- My mind blowing impression of Heaven, prayer, and the work being done.

Will this change the way I pray? I HOPE SO! As I consider the enemy accusing my children, my friends, my unsaved loved ones, those I know are suffering- I realize our only hope is in prayer; my prayers being uttered by Jesus Himself before an Almighty God. A sweet smelling aroma in the heavenlies.

Take my prayers out of the equation and what’s left? Allegations of the accuser filling the ears of Almighty God.

Pray in Jesus’ name? Pray, sisters! Wage war! Because the works that He did you will do also; and greater works than these you will do, because He is before the throne. And whatever you ask in His name, that He will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in His name, HE WILL DO IT. (John 14:12-14)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter! Do you think Jesus takes our very prayers to the throne and presence of God Himself? Does He utter our praises and requests for us?

No one can come to the Father except through Him.

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Why Being Asked to be a 'Prayer Group Leader' Stirs up Fear and Uncertainty

It’s not that I fear prayer itself. Well, that would be plain silly.

When the scriptures tell me to go to the hidden place, to seek out the space less sought, to remove myself from the chaos and the noise and the distractions, I welcome the invitation. It’s not prayer that I fear.

What I fear is man. Or in most cases, woman. What I fear are the words I speak audibly; the ones spilling out of my mouth that are better left unsaid. They really are just sounds and blends and yet, once verbalized they cannot be taken back. The spoken word has such power. Power that, when usurped carelessly, can crush and wound or empower and encourage.

He knows my heart, yet those that look at the outside, those that simply hear the words and react, are unable to see the intent, the thoughts, the desires I desperately wish to speak.

Unfortunately, I lack eloquent speech and divinely inspired verbiage (I didn’t even know that was a word). The ability to express and truly portray myself- that gift was administered to another. I have so many thoughts rolling around in this little mind of mine; so many cares and needs, ideas, and reflections of praise.  Why can’t I simply speak and be understood- because I’m not a walking lexicon. He says, “Let there be light” and all of creation obeys. I utter phrase upon phrase and yet neglect to verbalize the heart behind the mess.

It’s all there, and He knows. But do you? Do they? And do my words come close to articulating the spirit behind the terminology?

And so I choose to pray alone. I choose to sit before Him, solely Him, because He knows me so intimately. His love for me is so unrestricted that nothing audible could ever come between that love and His child.

So when you ask me to pray with you, and I seem a little quiet, and my words remain few, know that my heart is full, and my needs are many. The one who is introverted and hesitant in daily discourse, will likewise be timid and cautious regarding group prayer and public displays of faith. The recluse trusts the Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart far more than those looking and listening from the outside.

Know that I love you, and I want to fellowship with you. Know that I want to pray with you and grow in this area alongside you. Know also that a fear of woman is terrible and can knock the words right out of the meekest of sisters. 

Because if everyday words are unworthy for the casual hearer, then uncertain and indiscernible words spoken for the ears of the Most High are the unworthiest (and no, that is NOT a word). Because He and only He can see past the words and into the depth that really counts.

And if any of this makes any sense at all, then feel free to agree or disagree in the comments. Only do it gently, because otherwise I may cower from blogging altogether. 

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Itching Ears of the American

Nearly a month ago, my husband and I took some time to watch the ABC News Iowa Republican Debate anchored by correspondents Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos. Watching was hardly my decision, but my husband’s. Given the choice, I would have turned to HGTV or The Food Network. However, I surprisingly found myself growing interested in this question and answer process. Difficult and controversial issues were raised and I anticipated each candidate’s response.

What disappointed me most was that I realized, yet again, my inability to decipher true meaning behind countless words of grandeur. Had I been given the challenge to cast my vote for the next President of the United States upon viewing this debate, I would have failed miserably. Why? Simply because almost every candidate presented themselves to be a wonderful choice! Each made valid points. Each came across as having genuine concern for the welfare and wellbeing of our country and our people.

Truth is, I prefer not to bother myself with politics. Most issues I simply don’t understand. I know I could, and maybe should, invest my time in researching all the hot topics and backgrounds of each candidate, but I choose not to. These divisive subjects are just plain confusing and I feel inadequate when it comes to all things political. So I choose to let my husband, pastor, and other leaders I trust make those decisions for me. Sad, I know.

What’s even worse is that most Americans do this very thing when it comes to religion and the truth of the scriptures. Many of us feel overwhelmed with doctrine and incapable of deciphering truth, so we let someone else do it for us. We find churches and pastors teaching prosperity and the good life with smooth words and flattering speech, deceiving the hearts of the simple (Rom 16:18). We really don’t want to hear all the negativity that comes with judgment, right and wrong, and an eternity in hell. We desire simply to attend church, knowing we should, and we want to leave church feeling like a good person, worthy of approval from an all loving, all accepting god. And many will follow their destructive ways... by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words (2 Pt 2:2,3).

While allowing others to decide our country’s future is irresponsible and terribly risky, allowing others to decide our eternal future is downright dangerous. And not just dangerous, eternally dangerous! Each candidate knows exactly what the American people want to hear, laboring tirelessly to tickle our ears and win the next vote. Likewise, countless churches and pastors are operating the same way, teaching faithfully and precisely only that which will fill their buildings and their pockets rather than fill your spirit with truth and the Kingdom of God with saints.

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. -2 Timothy 4:2-4

Yes, knowing the truth of God’s Word takes effort, and yes, sometimes it seems overwhelmingly difficult, if not impossible. However, we MUST be in the Word and in prayer. We MUST guard our hearts against deception. If you find it difficult to read, study, or understand His Word, pray, pray, and pray some more. Ask God to open your eyes before you read, as you read, and after you read. Satan is capable of stealing God’s Word right out of your heart and mind (Matt 13:19), but God desires for you to read and understand. However, we cannot understand without the help of God through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:10-16).

If you missed the ABC News Iowa Republican Debate and are interested, you can get caught up here, since I really can’t tell you anything that was said L.

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Clean House

Wow, this whole blogging thing might be getting out of control! Ten seconds ago I was sweeping my neglected floors and had another ‘I have to stop everything I’m doing and blog about this!’ moment. (And I was worried about running out of things to say?) So, my kitchen is half swept and here I am, again. I anticipate my laptop vanishing, my hubby being responsible for the disappearance, as he comes home day after day to an unkept house with dirty floors and heaps of laundry. If I suddenly stop posting, you’ll know why!

Anyway, as I was attempting to please the hubby by clean, clean, cleaning, I was taken aback by things I had slowly grown blind to: the growing mass of mail on my microwave, the neighbor’s leaves covering my backyard, my son’s numerous drawings taped to the kitchen wall, the smudged fingerprints throughout every window and sliding glass door. When did all this happen? Surely when I went to bed last night the place was spotless!

Unfortunately this happens in our spiritual lives as well. Over time we begin to grow blind to the ‘stuff’ that has slowly crept in, to the invasion taking place: that movie or TV series, those secret novels, bitterness and resentment toward someone, lustful desires for another man or women, pride in ourselves and our works, impatience, the list goes on and on.

The funny thing is, we really never grow blind to these things in the lives of those around us. If you were to stop by, you would probably immediately take note of my mountainous collection of mail and unkept windows. Likewise, there’s a good chance you notice the sin in my life well before I see it myself. While you’re examining me, I am in Lala Land, thinking everything is organized and in shipshape. However, I am noticing how cluttered and chaotic your life is. (Not really, I actually find you all perfectly presentable with not a sin in the world! Haha!)

You see, unless we take time to examine ourselves, we will not only continue in blindness of our depleting state, but will begin to draw further and further from the One that wants to cleans us. The living and powerful Word of God is a discerner of our heart’s thoughts and intents (Heb 4:12). It is through God’s Word that this ‘stuff’ is revealed to us, as if looking into a mirror and realizing, ‘wow, when did that happen!’ (Jas 1:22-25). As a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, the Word cleanses our ways so that we may be righteous before Him (Ps 119:9,105). It is when we are not looking into it daily, letting it reflect upon us, that we so easily fall prey to the bondage of sin and self-righteousness.

So, before I come knocking on your door, pointing out the speck in your eye, I am going to take time with God’s Word, asking Him to do some house cleaning and remove the plank from my eye (Matt 7:3-5). You better do the same, because I will be stopping by soon! Now, go get some housework done!

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and

spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner

of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

-Hebrews 4:12

Distracted Much?

I got to have my nephews (ages ten and eleven) over for the weekend after Thanksgiving. You know my son hardly spoke to me the whole time they were here! He scarcely even looked my way! No hugs, no “Good morning mom,” no complaints of dire boredom. Not even an annoying plea for attention by spontaneously throwing himself off the couch. I even left the house for a thirty minute run and I’m absolutely positive he had no clue I was gone.

Sometimes I anticipate these times, calling up friends and pleading for them to send their child over so I can have a moment’s peace. But this weekend I felt utterly invisible and useless. Of course, that feeling was quickly replaced with the old desire for solitude after the boys returned home and my son was again deathly bored, hungry, and in need of my full attention.

As I sat in my quiet, lonely house, watching the boys play in the backyard, I thanked God for my nephews. Of course I also shared with Him my feelings of insignificance. Sinking into self-pity, my heart was convicted of doing this exact thing to my Father. Wow! How often am I distracted with busyness: family, friends, school, housework, my mother/taxicab service, all really important things! There have been times in my life that God surrounded me day in and day out with dear sisters in the Lord. As I look back on those times, I thank God for them! What a blessing my sisters are. I also reflect on the countless times I took my cares, frustrations, hardships, even my moments of excitement to those sisters rather than to my Father.  I am so easily distracted.

Jesus was a busy, busy man, but even He knew He needed time alone with God (Mark 1:35). Whether it was before the sun rose, late into the night, or in the heat of the day, Jesus took time to acknowledge His Father; to cast His burdens upon Him (Matt 26:36-44), to thank Him (Jn 11:41-42). Just as I noticed the absence of my son’s presence in my bed the next morning as he went running for the Wii with his cousins, my Father is fully aware of the countless times I pass Him by, heading straight for my ‘to do list’ or the exciting book I’m currently captivated by (that darn Kindle).

As my son came back into the house to move onto their next grand adventure, I pulled him aside and gently reminded him of his obligation to hug his mom every day. He quickly obeyed, squeezed my neck, told me he loved me, and was off and running once more. I was immediately restored as mother again! Is your Father pulling you aside today? Is He gently reminding you that He is there, waiting to spend even a moment together? I hope that I will be quick to acknowledge His tug, tell Him about my day, my cares, my worries, my joys, and most of all that I love Him.

Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;

And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice;

Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

~Isaiah 30:18