psalm37fretnot

Psalm 37:37b says, “…There is a future for the man of peace.” John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” That peace. I want it.

A FaceBook post by Timothy Keller on Black Friday challenged me. He said, “To learn and digest the Word of God requires a fight – we must fight our busy schedules, our distracted minds, our stubborn hearts, and the world’s opinion and disdain.” No kidding. But, I still want that peace. I still want His Word. I’m willing to fight.

The Peace Jesus gives comes with a fight. Our busy schedules. Our lists. Our calendars. Our checkbooks. All the things that expose who we are and where we are heading. With no room for spending time with God in His Word, no room for really hearing Him, no room for knowing the condition of our hearts, Peace comes with a fight.

The Peace Jesus gives comes with an upstream battle. The Black Fridays of our distracted minds, the mania of holiday gift-buying, maybe even slavery to perfectionism – all stand in our way. God’s Word promises to help us replace those frenzied thoughts. Romans 8:6b says, “…The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”  It is the diet that really counts. And has eternal ramifications. But, a fight is required.

The Peace Jesus gives comes with a difficult journey. Our stubborn hearts interrupt forward movement again and again. Romans 3:10-12 reminds us, “…There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away… there is no one who does good, not even one.” But, thankfully, God sought us when we didn’t seek Him. He sent us a Savior and a King. He redeems our stubborn hearts, but a fight worth fighting is required.

The Peace Jesus gives comes with a great struggle. The world’s opinion and disdain. Surely the world’s a very hostile place, spiritually dark, divisive, dying. Opposition to believers is the world’s standard operating procedure. John 8:12 promises, “When Jesus again spoke to the people, He said, ‘I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ ” Still, a fight is required. There is still time to invite the King of Light into our lives. Not marginally, but fully.

There are so many implications regarding that special baby in that manger so long ago – the King of our hearts. I John 3:1 says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” Only made possible by the incarnation of God through Jesus Christ. God’s one and only Son Who made it possible for us to be God’s legitimate children. The perfect Lamb, the perfect Savior, the perfect Lord, the perfect King.

God freely gives us His Spirit to gradually transform our hearts to resemble King Jesus (the ultimate reason for the Christmas season). Hearts to resemble the thoughts, attitudes, and actions of the Son of God. Unloading our appetite for worldly things. Ending our doubt of God’s goodness. Throwing off sinful habits. More and more love for Him, His Word, and people. But, a fight is required.

Against all the odds, come to the King of Hearts – King Jesus. Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37b-38).

Finally Peace. Believe, drink. Flow with living water. Let Jesus be the King of your heart.

The real occasion is life on earth, life that is difficult and full of heartbreak. Life that is a constant reminder of need. Life that is a constant reminder of death. Shattered dreams all over the place. Rising to the occasion is an act of tremendous love and courage, sometimes against all the odds…

Like any special occasion, planning is required. Special protocols, special attire, and special energy are required. At this writing, I am excitedly anticipating the birth of my 4th granddaughter in December. I am also hosting a baby shower for my daughter-in-law/second time mother-to-be Margaret. This is indeed a special occasion wrapped in hope, including the hope that her due date doesn’t lean too close to the shower date. 🙂

If every occasion could be like a baby shower, it would be easy to rise to the occasion. But instead, most occasions come unexpectedly and are adverse. These invite us to do something to exhibit our faith, knowing that God has allowed them. Rising is jumping over them properly. Psalm 18:29 says, “With Your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” (BTW, I’m not a baseball fan, but I appreciate the courage and skill it takes to overcome gigantic barriers on the road to victory.)

Today, America has elected a new president. No matter what the outcome brings out in us, rising to the occasion means giving God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus Christ in the responses of His people as poured out wine and broken bread – to nourish others. I can’t help but recall Philippians 1:27-29: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ… stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved – and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him.” Rising is delivering worthy conduct.

The special protocol is love. The special attire is kindness. And the special energy comes from unity in the Body of Christ by God’s Holy Spirit.

After many months of loving the wisdom of Psalm 37, I can honestly say that rising to the occasion is refusing to fret. Psalm 37:37 says “…there is a future for the man of peace.” Let life happen. It will happen whether we let it or not. Let the wine spilling begin. Let the bread breaking continue. With love and kindness and unity in faith, let us rise to every occasion to nourish others.

 

Psalm 37:3 “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.”

Ezekiel 37:14 ” ‘I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken and I have done it,’ declares the Lord.”

My own land is basically eastern Virginia, but I sometimes extend that to include Kill Devil Hills, NC. The beach is close enough to feel like it is a part of my home territory. I claim it. I love to share a small beach cottage with five of my dear friends twice a year. I’ve mentioned these girlfriends before. In a post on April 11, 2016 (“Creativity Unleashed”), I introduced them.

Our recent trip reminded me of our “Mary-likeness.” I am thinking of the wedding in Cana during which Jesus performed his first miracle – turning the water into wine. And not because of the wine miracle, but because of the way Mary knew enough to place all matters of concern at the feet of Jesus, even if misunderstanding God’s timing on things. The six of us have put many situations at the feet of Jesus, and still do. We have trusted Him in crises and we have enjoyed spiritually safe pasture. Dwelling in Christ has been the key.

While working a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, we banded together to do it in one day (crazy idea, but got it done). Just like we banded together to pray for one grandson recovering from surgery for a brain tumor. While playing the Phase 10 card game, we happily contemplated luck versus strategies. We gave up on luck and strategy, but laughed a lot. We have acknowledged that neither luck nor strategies have pushed our lives forward in Christ. He has probably laughed at our crazy human plans. Only Christ has pushed us forward. Only God has put His Spirit in us. Only God’s Sovereignty has caused our lives to unfold in His grace. Not by any kind of luck or human effort.

We always do joyful things. Sometimes we joyfully sit and talk. Sometimes we silently read or sleep on the beach. Also, great enjoyment comes from the great food we share – oatmeal cookies, M&M’s, ABC cake, tuna salad, lots of coffee, lasagna (or something Italian), and breakfast casserole. This isn’t the half of it. I’m not kidding.

But, our favorite moments are when we share devotionals with each meal for which we are individually responsible. At our recent retreat, we spent some time on Ephesians 2 as it references believers as God’s masterpieces – His workmanship. There is a uniqueness that comes with our individual geographical locations – a blooming where we have been planted. Most of us are blooming in eastern Virginia, one in Tennessee, and one getting ready to do some blooming in Louisiana for two months. We were reminded that God does immeasurably more through us than we can think or imagine. Because He put His Spirit in us.

We have stories. Each of us. In our shared “Mary-likeness,” we have regularly renewed our faith and friendship at the beach land, and when the wedding wine of life seems to be running out (which is often), we have learned to trust Jesus like Mary did. We have moved beyond the miracles that pointed to Him, to just Him. Our hope became bigger. The good times and Kodak moments come and go. But, our perpetual reality is that Jesus has entrusted Himself to us.

We know and live these verses. John 2:23-25 “Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name. But, Jesus would not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.” By God’s grace, we moved beyond knowing the gospel and participating in all the trappings of worship. It became real. We got to know Jesus Himself. And He knew what was really in our hearts.

Years ago, we participated together in Master Life (a 13-week discipleship training course) at a local church. It forever changed our lives. We stopped going through the motions of belief, and instead, God put His Spirit in us and settled us in His land. We were transformed. It was a turning point that has kept us connected for over 25 years. While the beach trips are more recent, the fellowship of shared faith that we experience is a longer term gift. We call the Outer Banks at Mile Post 7.5 “our beach.” It’s really not, of course. Only a reminder…

We really dwell in God’s land. We know the Lord has spoken. And we know He has done it.

 

 

 

 

Psalm 37:1-2 “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”

Considering those evil men (and women) in our lives…There is that brand of evil which is not “run-of-the-mill,” but comes from people who were once considered close friends, even those who shared common faith in Jesus Christ. Especially blistering! Like Psalm 55:12-14 says, “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.” I fret greatly when Christian friendship erodes or a ministry partnership dissolves. Suppressing the compulsion to return to the past and help everybody get the facts straight (according to me of course), hoping to build consensus on the straight record (again according to me), I have questioned how it is possible not to fret.

And then God has reminded me… After the many afflictions of Job and the “pile on” from his naysaying wife and so-called friends, Job had to ignore their errant counsel to blame himself and/or curse God. Job expressed his fretting in Job 30:15: “Terror overwhelms me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud.” I can imagine Job also saying, “to top it off, my dearest friends and family members have betrayed me in the worst ways so that I am in unending shock!”It is at times like these when the Lord seems very silent – when we believe we have excellent reasons to fret. We experience fretful sleepless nights, self-pity, fatalistic thoughts, emotional stress, and thoughts of would-be retaliation.

When we prayerfully settle down and breathe deeply and are finally silent ourselves, listening… God whispers through His Spirit and written Word and still small voice saying, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him (Job 40:2a)?” When Job has reached the answer to this one question of his many questions, he concludes, “My ears had heard of You (God), but now my eyes have seen You (Job 42:5).” He understands that God can be fully trusted in and through afflictions. His faith has been tested. He has heard God speak. He has peace. He knows Who God really is.

Jacob’s afflictions were different from Job’s, but God similarly walked Jacob through a painful process whereby he (Jacob) stopped his striving and recognized what God was up to. Jacob was afflicted with rebellion and a demanding spirit. He ended up walking with a limp the rest of his life after a strenuous wrestling match with God. Yes, with God. Unlike Job, Jacob had been a cheater all of his life. God chose to use different tactics with Jacob, taking on a human body to struggle with Jacob and displace his hip. A wounding of a different kind was required to get his attention and transform his life. All for God’s glory.

For God to get our attention, does it have to be a severe wounding? I think the answer is mostly yes. The way God Sovereignly reshapes our lives is not usually smooth. The way He leads us to become new creations is by His design and deep pain seems to be a great vehicle for spiritual transformation. Fretting hinders trust in God. In fact, fretting may only feed and prolong the problem we have of doubting that God is even attentive to our perilous circumstances and shenanigans.

Scripture says evil plotters will wither like grass. That’s a good thing. But thankfully, so will our own old natures wither when we encounter and receive the reality of Who God really is. Sometimes we are the evil plotters. Rebelling, trying to fix or control things on our own, wrestling with God repeatedly. Self-centered plans pointed against us come to a natural end – it is only a matter of God’s timing. But this includes our own self-centered plans against ourselves, too. Sometimes we are the enemy. Many times we are the evil plotters against ourselves.

But, God… God makes us a new creation. When we are reshaped by God, like Job and Jacob, through the wrestling, the wrenching, the tossing, the turning, the agonizing, the questioning, the shaking, the shattering – if we will only gaze upward, as Job and Jacob finally did, our eyes will finally see God and His purposes. Sure, we have heard of Him. But now we will truly see Him. We will surrender to Him. We might even lose the use of a hip. We might even have to start over and have a new family or new friends.

Trusting God, I know I cannot ever be the same again. He will transform me. When I really see Him, my dignity and safety can only be tied to His Providence and provision, not the wind. I will depend on Him alone.

Yes, I have heard of God many times. But, in the shattering, I see Him oh so clearly.

 

 

 

 

Psalm 37:23-24 “If the Lord delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Just like an earthly father should, the Lord prompts me to grow up so I will stumble less and less. The ground beneath me will stay firm because He is the ultimate loving Father in my life with a very strong hand.

In an honest line from the last novel in the Mitford series by Jan Karon (Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good), character Sharon McCurdy says, “It drives me crazy that God… doesn’t allow Himself to be seen. It seems all smoke and mirrors, a fabrication of the silliest sort. How are we supposed to believe?” Then Father Tim wisely responds, “All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all that I have not seen.”

There are times I agree with the character in the novel… Even knowing that God has spoken to me through His Son and through His infallible Word, and knowing He has given me His model for prayer in scripture, I struggle with His invisibility. In my humanness, I forget all that I have seen. The enemy incessantly whispers the “silly fabrication” notion in my ear. I become easily distracted by persuasive illusions. Falling for the fraud is part of the infant-only experience. Or is it?

Still, I wish that I could visibly pray face-to-face with my Father sitting physically with me in a quiet, living room-like atmosphere. I forget all that I have seen. And many times I wish my Father’s answers to prayers would come to me in skywriting and be simply unmistakeable. At times, I imagine my position before the Father is precarious…

Yet, through faith in My Father, He convinces me that my position is definitely not precarious — it is solid. I am the legitimate child of my Heavenly Father. No deception here. He removes the bursts of smoke. He removes the retracting mirrors. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” (I John 3:1)

The sermon entitled “Praying in the Spirit” by Timothy Keller reinforces a clearer understanding of the Lord’s Prayer. From a very young child’s perspective, the beginning acknowledgement in the prayer is “Abba Father” which translated, means “Daddy,” or more closely “Da Da.” My two-year-old granddaughter knows that, when she plays with her toy cell phone, “texting Da Da” is indicative of her wonder, love, and the instinctive connection that puts her dad at the top of her list. Immature praise offered unabashedly. The beginning of prayer.  The imprint of baby child onto father is pure and irrevocable. It is just simply – “You Daddy (and for course, mommy), are the most important people in my life.”

While we pray privately much of the time, note that Matthew 6:9 says, “This is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in Heaven…’ ” “Our” stresses corporate prayer, the vitality of prayer when believers gather in unity. The communion of saints. The Body of Christ. “Our” reveals the Father’s heart about how believers should pray, together – in community.

I have repeatedly needed the private reminder that I am a child of “our” God, a daughter, completely adopted, no reneging on this reality. And just like any child, when I keep going back to “our” Father, I am assured that He will mature me, grow me up, see me through His Refining fire, and bring me out of the dark and into the light. Just like in a baby’s birth and subsequent development, dark into light. I will always be His daughter. I can never fall out. I can never be fired. I can never be disowned. I am inextricably bound to “our” loving Heavenly Father. His daughter. His child. Always.

He listens. He wants to hear from me. I Peter 3:12a says, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer…” No smoke and mirrors here. He makes my steps firm. He upholds me with His hand. He is attentive to my prayer. As my Heavenly Father rears me faithfully, the trajectory of my spiritual rebirth will include some missteps (big and small), but a constant nudge to mature. And a promise to uphold me with His hand. I agree with Father Tim Kavanagh. “All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all that I have not seen.”

 

 

A.W. Tozer said this about unity: “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers together, each one looking away <from each other> to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become unity conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”

Psalm 37:23-25 says, “If the Lord delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fail, for the Lord upholds him with His hand. I was young and now I am old…”

And piano lessons were part of my life for many years, on both ends, as a student and a teacher. Tuning perfection has always been a mystery to me. The standard that all instruments try to live up to. One voice. Tones matched. Harmony. Unity. Perfection. Concert. But, even without musical training, it is easy to hear dissonance and discord when it occurs. For some reason, this skill does not require rocket science. Our ears let us know something isn’t right. They just do.

I grieve for the Body of Christ when it fails to live up to the scripture’s picture of unity. The kind of unity expressed by the Trinity. The kind of unity that is characterized by joy. The kind of harmonious fellowship that feels loving and safe and kind. I find myself asking a lot, “Why can’t we all get along? Why can’t we mature together? Why can’t we build stability by becoming mature in Christ? We know when something isn’t right. Discord. We just do. Even if we are not well-acquainted with the Standard Himself.

Like Psalm 37 claims, I have seen wicked schemes, plots against the righteous, the sword drawn, the bow bent, borrowing without paying, lives sought. And much too often. You name it. But, I always wonder what would happen if an army of godly corporate unity came answering back. Unified Christlikeness. What would that look like?

Definitely a force to be contended with. Ephesians 4:13-14 says, “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”

I think unity in Christ would put an end to schemes once and for all. Believers would be tuned to the greatest standard Himself – Jesus. Like 100 pianos. No more tossing. No more blowing winds. No more crazy teachings. No more infancy. No more discord. No more sour notes.

Only firm steps. Only the fullness of Christ. Unity in Him. Tune in.

Psalm 37:30 “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.”

At a local restaurant called “Food For Thought,” I was recently reminded that I have two great friends who have always provided me the Psalm 37-like kind of fret-not food for my thought. These two have uttered wisdom and spoken what is just on more occasions than I can count. They have been the voice of conscience. They have been counselors in challenging ministries. They have been godly in perspective and sober in speaking truth, even when I wasn’t listening.

About wisdom worth waiting for, the Passion Translation of Proverbs 8:32-36 says, “So listen, my sons and daughters to everything I tell you, so nothing will bring you more joy than following My ways. Listen to My counsel, for My instruction will enlighten you. You’ll be wise not to ignore it. If you wait at wisdom’s doorway, longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say. For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find Me, and this is the secret of growing in the delight and the favor of the Lord. But those who stumble and miss Me will be sorry they did! For ignoring what I have to say will bring harm to your own soul. Those who hate Me are simply flirting with death!”

While meandering through conversation over lunch, the three of us briefly discussed the eschatological viewpoints of the endtimes and the return of Christ. These viewpoints for interpreting the Millennium include postmillennialism, premillennialism, amillennialism, all the “isms” – no, we didn’t figure it out. But, I treasure the many conversations we have had over the years about anything from raising children to raising the bar to raising conscience to raising money to raising the Name of Jesus Christ.

Wisdom is a true gift. Usually it is backed up by increasing years of age. The three of us are all getting “up there” so to speak, so thankfully, wisdom is increasing among us. We agreed that stating positions unapologetically is a good thing. Courageously discussing viewpoints is part of the path of wisdom. Seeking to study and gain understanding, rather than bury it. One wise friend said – take a position, yes. Be bold, yes. Care deeply about it, yes. Discuss it openly and gently, yes. Care deeply.

Now, as one of these dear friends will soon face nine weeks of cancer treatments, a wonderful interpretation of the Millennium for him and the rest of us would be Pre-November. Jesus is needed now, in a big way, we all agree. The Lord’s appearance Pre-November would be excellent. Before cancer treatments start would be great. But, kidding aside, we agree that hope is only found in the Lord, no matter when He has planned to return. Together, we know this and speak this often. The three of us simply wish Jesus would hurry up and return now. Pre-November!

Waiting for our Savior has never been easy, not even for the disciples. The cumulative effects of sin are simply devastating. The brokenness that infiltrates the Church and Christian ministries is heartbreaking. The patterns of disease and disaster continually cry out for a Divine Fixer. The tattering of partnerships and the hurts of wrongful paths have taken their toll on us. But thankfully, wisdom is setting in.

Jesus is not willing that any should perish. Surely this is why the Lord tarries. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 says, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” This is wisdom. It just needs to be applied.

We also share a Pre-November prayer for our country. We pray that voters will become prayer warriors. We pray that America will discontinue its spiral toward being an unparalleled unchurched nation. We pray that believing friends will increase in their utterance of wisdom and their speaking of what is just. For Christ’s sake. For God’s glory.

I am grateful for righteous friends that utter wisdom and speak what is just. And I pray that God will preserve my two “Food For Thought” friends until Jesus returns to make all things right and new, and to eradicate cancer, for one thing. If it will be Pre-November, we are ready.

 

 

Psalm 103 is rich in meaning! It is a cure for joylessness and has nine encouraging “alls:” All that is within me, all His benefits, all your iniquity, all your diseases, all who are oppressed, His kingdom rules over all, all His hosts, all His works, all places of His dominion. Read it “all” when you get a chance and deeply absorb the “all” encouragements offered.

In my lifetime love of mathematics, and especially symmetry, I love the thought of “all or nothing,” “black or white,” “right or wrong.” Gray areas are just hard. They upset the symmetry. They mess with the balance. They create tension. They demand patience. So, you can imagine, I love it when “all” means “all.”

Psalm 37:28 (NIV) says, “For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.” “Forever” is an “all” word! In my role as a grandparent of (so far), three beautiful granddaughters, I am sobered by the scriptural indication that patterns of faith or wickedness are passed on through the generations. The “either/or” of it fits my mathematical sensibilities. “Forever” is a serious reality when I consider my grand girls. What “all”-pattern have I laid before them? Psalm 103 gives a great blueprint.

Psalm 103:17-18 (ESV) says, “But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments.” As I think deeply about the gifts of God through Jesus Christ and the gifts of grandchildren, the “all” words here are “from everlasting to everlasting.” No fog there. Only what I desire for them. Only the comfort of a God Who keeps His great promises over generations, from everlasting to everlasting. Only the requirement of faith, and the obedience that springs from faith. That is all.

Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” “No other” is the definitive “all”-phrase. Acts 4:10 says, “…It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified but Whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” This is imperative. Passing along faith in Jesus to the next generation. That is all.

In Psalm 103, it is in the Lord alone, and in no other, who:

• Forgives iniquity, removes transgressions
• Heals diseases
• Redeems your life
• Crowns you with love and mercy
• Satisfies you with good
• Works righteousness and justice
• Shows compassion

That is all. Those three little girls running through the sprinkler – all my grandchildren at this moment in time. This is my hope for you. All His benefits. All places of His dominion. All your diseases healed.

 

 

 

Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him;…” Like Elijah.

James 5:16b-18 (NIV) says “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” Years ago, as a Christian high school student, I memorized part of this scripture in the King James Version: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” I have never forgotten the verse, but I have often forgotten to pray Elijah’s way.

Part of Elijah’s story is found in I Kings 17. Verse 1 says, “… ‘As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.’ “ Verse 5 says, “… he (Elijah) did what the Lord had told him.” I am reminded that Elijah’s prayers were initiated and prompted by God, and not by Elijah himself. He was responding to a call. He was obedient. God communicated with Elijah first. Then, Elijah displayed God’s glory as a righteous man who prayed effectively and fervently.

The story of Elijah’s interaction with the Widow at Zarephath (I Kings 17:7-24) indicates that Elijah was sent to the widow by God. God initiated the mission. And, against the widow’s serious doubts, God provided ample flour and oil beyond the almost empty containers she had. She witnessed manna from heaven.

When the widow’s son passed away unexpectedly, Elijah cried out to the Lord, and the Lord resurrected the widow’s son. Elijah was on the spot to pray because he had been sent there by God. It was no coincidence. This was the first resurrection recorded in scripture. In this ancient society, the widow’s son was her only hope for future security, making this miracle especially significant. As a non-Israelite, the widow received a covenant blessing that introduced God’s resurrection power to the world. Elijah was there for a reason. God initiated. Elijah prayed. Resurrection happened.

In I Kings 8, the vision for building the Temple was planted in David’s heart by God, but then carried out later by David’s son Solomon. Another initiation by God. Prayers moved the vision along in unseen ways, at least as far as David was concerned. “Behind the scenes” is a significant place for prayer to occur. Nehemiah 4:13-14 says, “Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’ ”

The rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall revealed an important prayer principle. Effective and fervent prayer always fills the exposed places behind the lowest points, similar to a battle strategy. Prayer protects the vision and enables God’s plans to be carried out wisely and safely. When we are called to pray, we can be sure that God initiated the call and that we’ve been placed in a strategic battle post by Him.

I John 5:14-15 affirms, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

Elijah was a man just like us. I want to pray like Elijah – effectively and fervently. And confidently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 37:8 “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil.”

Today it was my turn to say “do not fret.” Here I was playing “Angry Birds” (the board game version named after the popular video game) with my 7-year-old granddaughter. After numerous frustrating attempts to construct Level 1 buildings with two especially stubborn plastic game pieces, I said let’s just get a little duct tape and fix these two halves that are supposed to snap together, but don’t. This answer made the game immediately less annoying. Problem solved. The two halves became a whole. Fretting eliminated.

The duct tape helped to make construction with malfunctioning plastic pieces more attainable. An extraordinary “magic fixer” with multiple constructive uses – not just for ducts – Nana’s great “bandaid” momentarily cured all “fret-able” frustrations and permitted tower building to move forward at a reasonable pace. Game on. Rescued at last.

Being the polar opposite of a gamer, and being way out of my league concerning any games (with the exception of “Words With Friends”), I still want to record my impressions. The slingshot demolition objective of the game featured two angry birds – I am guessing Red and Hal? Red or Hal were alternately catapulted by each opponent toward some stacked plastic blocks and characters, including green pigs. Points were gained when the appropriate “angry bird” knocked over the entire stack, which of course, by design, was nearly impossible to accomplish beyond Level 1!

I don’t like the word “angry.” Not because I don’t get angry, but because anger can go south quickly, bearing a destructive connotation. I wonder what a 7-year-old thinks of a game called “Angry Birds.” I wonder what it teaches children about anger…

Scripture has a lot to say about anger. Mainly, be angry, but do not sin. It’s all about what we do with our anger, not that it is wrong to feel angry. I sure don’t want my granddaughter to equate demolition to the normal response of anger, except maybe on I-64 (just kidding). I suggest a name change for the game – to “Flying Birds.” Bring it down a notch.

Now that I reflect on it, I neglected to take advantage of the teachable moment to tell my granddaughter that angry birds, just like angry people, do not accomplish anything good when they go on the attack. I know it’s just a game. Maybe even harmless at times… Still, I pray that all my grandchildren understand God’s heart about anger. Proverbs 29:11 says “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” As God’s image-bearers, let us be encouraged to take on the character of Christ described in Exodus 34:6 which explains, “…The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, (is) slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”