Tag: prayer

Psalm 147:1-11 – An Ode to Divine Love

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
The Lord treasures the people
who honor him,
the people who wait for his faithful love. (verse 11, CEB)
 
            Early each morning I rise, take the dog for a short walk, make a cup of coffee, then open the life-giving message from the God of the Bible.  I read out loud – slowly, mindfully, carefully allowing the words to seep and make their way down into my soul.  The Holy Spirit of God gently nudges, sometimes forcefully hurls, me toward a verse, phrase, or word from the text.  Contemplating, ruminating, thinking about the Holy Scripture begins to set the trajectory of my day.  God is throughout the hours, as I move from one to the next.  Sometimes very much at the forefront of my thinking, other times in the background shaping how I speak and act, and always on my heart enlarging it and filling it with his grace.
            Most of life is lived in the mundane.  The banality of life is the norm.  While others run from prayer to prayer looking for miracles and the next big spiritual hit, the one who is patient… waits… and honors God… has a treasure within which transcends language or outward fanfare.  The settled conviction of the person in continual communion with the God of the universe peacefully waits for faithful, steadfast, committed, divine love.
            There is no description for such a divine/human spiritual relation which exists, giving patience to the penitent and joy to the heart of God.  Such love exists beyond the plane of daily news crises and the continual hum of the crowd.  Indeed, the Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, has stooped to cup his hands and treasure his creature.
            The great medieval mystic, Teresa of Avila, said: “Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.”

 

            Patience is not a bore, and to wait is to be at peace because God is in it.  It is good to be full of him.

Psalm 35:1-10

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Sometimes you just have to tell it like it is.  There is a time to do your best in putting up a good face and dealing with people who don’t ever stop gossiping, slandering, and trying to get their way.  But there is also a time to call such behavior “evil” and cry out to God for help.
            Psalm 35 is a classic prayer in the category called “imprecatory psalms.”  The term “imprecatory” means to call down a curse on a person or group of people.  Maybe this surprises you that there is such language in the Bible.  In fact, there are 18 such imprecatory psalms which make a clear petition to God for him to turn the evil back on themselves that they inflict (or try to inflict) on others.
            I’m a believer in making simple observations about the biblical text.  Let’s observe a few things about such psalms:
1.      David asks God to deal with the evil behavior of powerful people.
Unlike most of us, David went through a time in is life where there were powerful people who were literally trying to hunt him down and take his life.  As much as we might speculate whether David wanted to take matters into his own hands, the fact remains that he didn’t.  David relied on God to execute judgment.
2.     David did not hold his feelings back in describing exactly what he wanted God to do.
There is nothing sanitized here in the psalm.  David was understandably upset.  He did nothing wrong, yet he was being chased like an animal.  David said it plainly to God: “attack my attackers;” “aim your spear at everyone who hunts me down;” “send your angel after them;” “surprise them with disaster;” and, “let them fall and rot in the pits they have dug.”  Whatever you might think about how a proper Christian ought to say and pray, imprecatory curses might not be your first thought.  But here they are, out there for us to read in the Holy Bible.
3.     The psalms are the prayer book of the church.
That includes the imprecatory psalms.  Yes, they ought to be prayed by us right along with psalms of praise, thanksgiving, and song.  I want you to think what might be a radical thought for you: We ought to include imprecatory prayers in our regular rhythms, routines, and rituals of prayer.
 
            Evil will not have the last word.  God opposes the proud and the arrogant who step on others to get their way.  But he gives grace to the humble, that is, those who look to him for justice and righteousness; are open about their feelings of hurt and upsetedness; and, lift-up imprecatory prayers which are biblically consistent.

 

Saving God, you protect the helpless from those in power and save the poor and needy who cry out to you.  Mighty God, turn back on those with slanderous tongues, gossiping words, and sinful actions the evil they intend to inflict on others.  Let them fall into a deep black hole for which they cannot get out and harm anyone again; through King Jesus, our Savior, in the assistance of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Prayer is the Heartbeat of the Church

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Exploring Church Ministry BlogLeave a comment
 
 
Imagine not having to purchase what you need the most today.
 
            Maybe you are in a real pinch.  Your budget won’t budge this month.  Perhaps you’re wondering what items you need to do without for a while.  It could be that the bills aren’t all getting paid.  Or maybe you’re concerned with how in the world you’re going to pay off that credit card, after buying Christmas presents for the family.
Imagine having all the love you need today without working to earn it.
 
            Maybe you have a strained relationship.  It might be that you’re hurt from a marriage or a love that has gone sour.  Perhaps a friendship is on the rocks, or a family member won’t talk to you.  You’re wondering if it will ever be better, if love will find you again.
Imagine having the experience this week and every week of your church full of the grace of Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
            Maybe your church has a legalistic bent.  Perhaps the church is withdrawn into cliques and special interest groups.  It could be that the Spirit hasn’t shown up since 1959.  You’re tired, weary of the chronic sameness and status quo of a stagnant place.
            There is good news… really good news!
 
Prayer is the currency to what you need most, the means of receiving love, and the path to a gracious and powerful church.
 
Jesus Christ himself said, “My Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.” (John 15:16).  Prayer is the heartbeat of the church.  The promise of prayer still stands.  God gives.  We receive.  But we must ask!
 
Sometimes God just gives without us asking.  That’s great.  But God wants so much more for you and me and our churches.  He longs for us to be vitally connected to him, and that connection happens through prayer.  We can bank on the answers to our prayers when we:
·         Stay joined to Jesus (John 15:4)
·         Let Christ’s teachings become part of you (John 15:7)
·         Remain faithful to Christ’s love for you (John 15:9)
·         Obey Jesus (John 15:10)
Imagine having your will align with the perfect will of God.
 
Then, “you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered.” (John 15:7)
            Perhaps you are skeptical.  You’ve prayed a long time with nothing happening.  You are discouraged and feel like prayer doesn’t work, or that something is wrong with you.  There is a mysterious and mystical aspect to prayer that we will never quite understand.  But I do know that Jesus didn’t put a timetable on the answers – they will come when they come.  They will, however, come.  And maybe we will discover that what we want and need the most is to let God’s will and way be done in us, no matter what it is.  Perhaps the point is to change us, and not always to change our circumstances.
            We have an incredible privilege.  We simply get to ask.  We don’t buy answers to prayer.  We don’t have to do backflips to get God’s attention.  We ask.  We don’t have to try and work to earn God’s favor.  We don’t have to draw up detailed plans like some sort of architectural design to see a fruitful, loving, and powerful church.  We simply ask, and remain closely connected to Jesus.
            So, pray… about everything.  Some of the best prayers you will ever pray are the psalms.  Great prayers can be found in the church fathers from the ancient church.  Beautiful soaring prayers exist from the medieval mystics in church history.  There are also your spontaneous, specific, and special prayers offered to God.  Whatever prayers you pray, in whatever form or shape they come in, the thing to do today is to pray.  I conclude with an ancient one which I pray each week for your use now:

 

“O Lord, grant me to greet the coming of this day in peace.  Help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will.  In every hour of the day, reveal Your will to me.  Bless my dealings with all who surround me.  Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all.  In all my deeds and words, guide my thoughts and feelings.  In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You.  Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.  Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.  Direct my will; teach me to pray; pray You Yourself in me.  Amen.” –St. Philaret of Moscow 

Psalm 111

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            One of the great things about the psalms is that they enlighten us about God.  To read and pray the psalter is to have a crash course in Theology 101.
We pray because we believe we will be heard.
We believe we will be heard because we believe there is a God who listens.
We believe there is a God who listens because we believe that the One who listens is always merciful, kind, and good.
The basis of all prayer is our view of God.  Nobody sustains a prayer life to a fickle distant God who is only attentive when he feels like it.  But if God is really God – fair, just, committed, and full of good deeds – then, prayer is an effortless interaction and we are eager to do so.
            Notice the descriptions of God in the psalm:
·         “Everything the LORD does is glorious and majestic”
·         “His power to bring justice will never end”
·         “He is kind and merciful”
·         “He always keeps His agreements”
·         “God is always honest and fair”
·         “He will never break his agreement”
The psalm concludes with the sage observation that the first step to wisdom and good sense is to respect and obey the LORD.  Because God is the very definition of gracious and tenacious loyalty, respect and obedience to Him is willing and joyful.  Entrusting oneself to a benevolent God who makes and keeps promises to His people is easy.  You don’t need to be coerced to have allegiance to such a God.; and, you don’t have to convince other people who God is – all you’ve got to do is declare the good things God has done for you.

 

Loyal and gracious God, you always keep your promises, and there is never a time when you renege on them.  Thank you for promising deliverance from sin, death, and hell through your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ who with you and the Holy Spirit benevolently reign forever and ever.  Amen.