Weekly Prayer Thought

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6.18

In previous entries on prayer we have discussed the idea of praying always. It is difficult and intimidating, but it is not impossible. This week I would like to focus on the very important concept of "praying in the Spirit." There are many times when the Christian comes to the prayer time, but does not know what, or even how to pray. This is when we should "pray in the Spirit."

Obviously, the reference to the Spirit is the Holy Spirit. We are encouraged to offer our prayers according to the will of God. Again, we may not know, understand or agree with God's will. That is why praying with the aid of the Holy Spirit is so important. God, the Spirit will inform your praying. Your only responsibility is to pray. God will provide the attitude, the words and the answer as you obediently pray to Him.

PRAYER: We don't know how to pray, Lord. We know we should. We want to pray. But we are at a loss. It seems that we are ineffective in our prayers. We get discouraged, distracted and lost. We need your help. Take our attempts at prayer and fill them with your love, your Spirit and your grace. Amen.

Broken Things

One of the advantages (or disadvantages, depending on your perspective) of lively in a wealthy time and place is that you accumulate a lot of 'stuff.' I have way too much stuff. I collect things (books and records) and in addition to that I have a lot of things that are useful or enjoyable to me. My home and my office are filled with things that are frivolous.

One of the consequences of this pattern of acquisition is that things are not valued as much as if they were rare to me. I do not get attached to my possessions the way I would if there were fewer of them. Scarcity creates an almost selfish preservation mentality. For the most part, I do not have that problem.

When I am finished with an item it is no problem for me to put it in a garage sale or flea market. I regularly take my clothes and other discarded items to Goodwill or some other thrift store or charitable/ mission organization. I can easily share the wealth with others, especially those who I perceive to have greater needs than I do.

This makes it much easier to dispose of broken things. I find it relatively easy to discard things that have worn out or been broken. Things that are no longer useful to me or anyone else get thrown away. I have thrown away dishes, clothes, cameras, computers, records, magazines, cars, toys, food, tapes, videos, mail, telephones, light bulbs and too many other things to name.

Often, it is more efficient to throw things away. After all, it is less expensive to buy a new television than to fix your old one. Just throw it away.

When things get broken, I get rid of them. Every Wednesday evening I cart a barrel full of broken things to the end of my drive and on Thursday morning a truck comes and takes it away. It is convenient and simple. I like it that way.

This is complicated when I encounter broken people, however. There are a lot of people who have problems. They have difficulties that I cannot understand. How easy it is for me to want to throw them away. How I am tempted to dismiss these men and women and children as too much trouble. I throw away everything else, why not people too?

But that is not God's way. God fixes broken people. No person should be thrown away. God is patient, willing and able to put together the broken pieces and restore life and health to anyone. This is a great lesson that I need to learn. I should be more understanding. More loving. More like God.

I want to throw broken people away, but God wants to fix them.

Cause vs. Call

It is very easy to get caught up in and consumed with a cause. There are many to choose from: global warming, save the whales, anti-war, pro-choice, civil rights, gun rights, etc. The list could go on forever. I have been committed to causes in my lifetime- many causes.

Usually I get inspired by a dynamic speaker or a great injustice. I see a problem and I want to do everything I can to solve the problem. I will give money, volunteer, speak out, almost anything to bring attention and assistance to the elimination of some difficulty. The problem is that almost always, I get bored. My attention span is usually shorter than the problem requires. I have great respect and admiration for those who are filled with enough substance to fight on at all costs.

Me, I go from one cause to another. Last week it was AIDS orphans in Africa. This week child slavery and human trafficking. Next week it will likely be poverty in America's cities. My causes change. I bounce from one to another. Consequently, I accomplish very little for any of my causes.

That brings me to a very important distinction. Causes do change, but callings never do. I believe that when you are called to a certain thing, you do not get bored with it. You are able to devote all your energy and your entire life to it. This was the case with William Wilberforce and his war on the slave trade in 18th century England. Martin Luther King, Jr and the US civil rights movement of the 1960's is another great example. There are many more that we can point to throughout history: Gandhi, Joan of Arc, Mother Theresa.

So what are you called to? What is it that you can give your whole life to? What would you die for? When you get bored with all the causes of the world, spend some time in reflection to hear what God is calling you to do with your life.

Weekly Prayer Thought

You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1.8

One of the biggest problems that Christians have in the area of prayer is direction. We all know that we should be praying. We want to pray. We even try to pray- often giving up in discouragement and defeat. The problem is that we are haphazard about our prayers. We pray at meal times and before bed, but otherwise our approach is pretty random.

We should always consider the Scriptures, however. Throughout the Bible we read about the definite direction that God has for the world. There is always a plan. Creation is accomplished in seven days. Plagues, tribes, rains, commandments and disciples all come in specific numbers. Surely our prayers should be definite and specific as well. Andrew Murray, a great teacher on prayer, said, "Let intercession be a definite work, carried on as systematically as preaching or Sunday school."

PRAYER: Lord God, although we are never careless with our prayers, sometimes we are less than systematic. Our prayer lists are ever-changing. We struggle to have a regular prayer time. Help us to commit to the ministry of prayer in a real, specific, regular and systematic way, for your glory and our good. Amen.

A Threat to Marriage??

For about 30 years Tony Campolo has been a favorite of mine. I remember the first time I heard him speak, he preached his famous "It's Friday, but Sunday's a-Comin'" sermon. Later, he spoke at Taylor University while I was a student there. I will never forget his dramatic, controversial use of profanity. I was changed forever (in a good way). Since then I have read many of Campolo's books. I have heard him speak several more times, listened to his tapes and watched his videos. I have tried to follow his career/ministry on a pretty consistent basis.

That's why I was so excited when Campolo did an interview with Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report a few weeks ago. I was watching the program and Campolo just showed up. What a wonderful surprise. And then, like he has done so many times before, Tony Campolo wrecked my life.

Here is what he said; "Homosexuality is not a threat to marriage, divorce is." Did you get that? I have always had reservations about the anti-homosexual position that many evangelical Christians hold. I do believe that homosexual activity is sinful in the eyes of God. But, at the same time, I believe that all people are created in the image of God. God loves all people equally, no matter what their lifestyle choices. I am uncomfortable with many of the political positions that Christians take in this area.

If God loves my gay brother as much as he loves me, should I hate him? Shouldn't I love him and show him love?

And isn't it completely possible that you and I (and a lot of other people as well) have ruined the God-created and ordained institution of marriage? Don't we corrupt marriage when we diminish the significance of extra-marital sex? Don't we decrease the importance of marriage when we accept unmarried people living together? When we look the other way as couples are divorced don't we lessen the integrity of marriage?

And so, let us realize the hypocrisy of accusing the pro-homosexual elements of the political world of endangering marriage. Collectively, we have endangered marriage. By what we have done and by what we have left undone we have created (or at least allowed) a crisis in the USA. Let's not blame someone else. We did this. I wonder if we would even be considering civil unions for gays if we had not already been treating marriage with such contempt.

Let there be no mistake; I am not making a case for the acceptance of civil unions. I am making a case for the reclamation of marriage and sexuality, as God intended it to be.

Who I Am

I have always been a Christian. I do not remember a time that I did not attend church, either with my parents and family, or on my own. The church, my faith and community have always been important to me. I knew, even at a young age, that I would never stray far from my faith. In fact, when I was very young one of my favorite things was to play church. I would line all my stuffed animals up in a row and preach to them. One Christmas my father built me a tiny pulpit so that I could complete the game.

By the time I had reached my teen years I had chosen a different path, however. I was planning a career in politics. I believed (and have not changed my mind) that we need honest, Christian men and women to represent the needs of all people in government. I was planning to become a Christian Congressman.

But God had different ideas. There are three distinct things that happened to change my orientation and focus.

• I was in the bedroom of my house playing my guitar and worshiping. I was alone and was convinced that I was on the right track with my life. I believed (and still do) that God needs people in all lines of work. I was being called into politics. That is until that night when the thought entered my head that I should become a pastor. However, my path was planned. I knew where I was going and what I was doing. I dismissed this call (the first) as a figment of my imagination.
• Several months later (maybe a year) I was attending a youth crusade led by the evangelist Bob Laurent with my youth group. I was very impressed by everything that happened, and especially by Laurent himself. He was fun and funny. He was likable and I liked him. While he was preaching one night the thought entered my head that I would love to do what he was doing. I spent some time talking to him after the service and he seemed genuine and godly (a good combination for an evangelist). I sensed God's voice speaking to me again. But once again, I dismissed it as my imagination.
• Finally, I was studying between classes about six months later in the Student Center at Ball State University. While taking a break I looked out a window and saw a girl walking under my window out of the building. I heard God say, "Someone needs to tell her about me." I knew then that I was the someone. I was to do God's work. He was calling me.

Prayer of the Week

As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. 1 Samuel 12.23
It is easy to give up on a prayer. We do not want to nag God. We do not want our constant praying to be a sign of a lack of faith. But this verse puts it in a different context. We should never stop praying for the needs that we are aware of. If the need does not go away, neither should our prayers for it.

You and I are called to pray and to fail in that calling would be a sin. I refuse to sin in that way this week. A life of holiness before God includes consistent, persistent, persevering prayer.

PRAYER: Praying every moment is daunting, Lord. I am intimidated by the thought of it. But you have called me to holiness, and I want to be holy. You have called me to faithfulness and I want to be faithful. Build me up so that I can pray regularly, selflessly, ceaselessly for the needs of others. Amen.