Tuesday Refocus
In prayer we come face to face with our need, and face to face with God’s sufficiency.
We wake up to our shortcomings and his boundless grace.
We taste and see that He is good and He does good.
Hallelujah, amen.
Praying,
AB
If we are honest, prayer can feel unproductive. Even the most devout Christians can believe their time is better spent laboring in ministry, laboring in the community, laboring in work, rather than laboring in prayer. Prioritizing prayer can seem like an excuse to avoid the ‘real’ work.
But if it is in prayer that our hearts are revealed, are priorities are realigned, our desires are exposed, our lives are surrendered, we become aware of our desperate need and dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and we grow in affection for the Person of God - why would we ever cease to pray? Why would we prioritize anything other than prayer?
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
We are invited to pray without ceasing. This constant flow of communication to our Father is right and good. But perhaps it is easier to speak than to be silent. Perhaps it is easier to pray without ceasing than to cease and pray.
In high school, I took a missions trip to Peru. There was an American 20-something who had lived in Lima, serving with a church for a year before we arrived. Our team of 20+ quickly dwindled to single digits as many were so sick they could barely crawl out of bed each morning. I remember she said to me, “Maybe God brought your team all the way to Peru not so that you could serve, but so that you could pray. So that you could pray for these people, this community, and this country.” This young woman who had left her own country, raised support to live and serve in this community, who wept through singing worship songs in English - because it had been more than a year since she could sing in her heart language - believed the real work was not our English classes, vacation bible schools, and street evangelism - it was prayer. Prayer was not the lesser work of our preparation but was the invitation to deeper work.
Father, what a gift to be your children, what a gift to approach you with boldness and confidence. May we never cease to pray, and may we cease to pray. In Christ’s name, amen.
Praying,
AB
If we are willing, prayer is one of the purest places to hear our hearts.
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…” Matthew 12:34
When we drop the pretense and approach the throne of grace with confidence as Christ invites us (Hebrews 4:16), all our longings are laid bear before God (Psalm 38:9). Our desires are realigned, and our delight is in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).
Father, you know all things. You know our every word before it is on the tongue. You see through to the motive of every heart. Would You, in Your kindness reveal our hearts to us? Would You, in Your kindness give us new hearts, new desires, and lives that are more open and obedient to You? For the glory of Jesus, amen.
Praying,
AB
Often we turn to prayer when we have run out of options. The force of will, the problem-solving self has found its edges, borders, and limits - and so we come to the One without limits. And it is in prayer that we recognize all the things we grasp with clenched fists have been held by the One who upholds the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).
Father, help us find the end to self in coming to you. May we experience joy in surrendering our lives to the one who loves and cares for our every need. In Christ’s name, amen.
Praying,
AB
I am not in control…
“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” - Colossians 1:17
I am not in a hurry…
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30
I walk in faith and hope…
“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.” - 2 Corinthians 5:6-9
I greet everyone with peace…
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:7
I bring back only what God gives me…
“But he gives more grace…” - James 4:6
Amen and amen.
Amen,
AB
Ours is a culture quick to denounce. In some ways, this is a good thing. Christians should be at the forefront of seeking to see “…justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24).” Because we know what is good, and what is required by the Lord: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). Christians should be quick to denounce racism, sexism, exploitation, injustice, and sin in all its forms and locations. And in this way be about the business of seeing “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10).”
But simply denouncing without weeping fails to enter into the brokenness of our world. Without weeping, we keep brokenness at a distance. Without weeping, anger feels like action.
Jesus, you wept at the tomb of your friend, and you wept over Jerusalem. You grieve and groan over the brokenness of our world, and have yourself been broken for our sake. You did not keep our brokenness at a distance, but stepped into it, and took it upon yourself. May we be people who model this kind of self-giving sacrifice to the world around us. For Your glory, and for the good of the whole world. Amen.
Both/and,
AB
My theology should not just shape my thoughts, but shape my life. Not just shape my ideas about God, but inform the practices, habits, aim, and direction of my daily life. If I am not being conformed to the image of Christ, experiencing a renewed mind, and being deeply transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit - then why even bother?
My life - your life - does not need any more accessories, activities, or excuses. I need - we need - whole life discipleship.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:1-2
Father, we are too easily satisfied. Give Your people a greater longing for Yourself. In Christ’s name, amen.
Amen,
AB
I am always struck by the reality that ‘…the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head (Matt 8:20).’ The One who holds the universe together by the word of His power, claimed no possession over His own creation (Heb 1:3).
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:25-33
Father, You know my need before I ask, You clothe and provide, You sustain and fill, and may all things from Your hand be received with grateful dependence upon You. Amen.
Amen,
AB
The presence of a fire is visible in all our senses.
But a tree?
Almost invisible.
Slow and underground.
A tree is nourished more than it is fueled.
In the same way, the spiritual life is experienced and rooted in the depths before it is stretched and sustained in the heights.
“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.” - Psalm 1
Father, may our lives be rooted in You. Jesus, may we abide in You. Spirit, may we be led by You. In Christ’s name, amen.
Growing,
AB
Right worship leaves no preoccupation for self in the same way that filling our minds, hearts, and lives with good leaves no room for ill:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” - Philippians 4:8
May our minds, words, actions, and lives be marked with nothing other than a preoccupation with the only One who is good. “You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.” - Psalm 119:68
Father, fill our minds and mouths with things that are good, beautiful, and true. May our hearts be an overflowing cup of life-giving love in response to the love we have received through you, in Christ’s name, amen.
Preoccupied,
AB
There is a story I have seen online, perhaps it is true, or perhaps it’s a bit of a parable. Either way, it communicates something true: a person walks up to the pastor following a Sunday service and says, “Pastor, I didn’t like worship today.” The pastor responds, “That’s okay, we weren’t worshiping you.”
Worship is the default setting of every human heart. But right worship only occurs when in His kindness God reveals himself, and we respond with our whole lives: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:1-2
If our worship is right - worship fueled and informed by the person of God - there will be no self-preoccupation.
Come, Holy Spirit, lift our eyes to the person and work of Jesus. May our worship be right, and may our lives be laid down. In Christ’s name, amen.
Worshiping,
AB
Our church has been studying the Gospel of Mark this year. Throughout the book we see glimpses of the humanity of Jesus grieved over sin and death. Jesus weeps, groans, and sighs as he encounters the brokenness wrought by sin in the world and on people made in the image of God.
We are so quick to avoid pain and suffering. We numb, distract, ignore, and brush past the brokenness of the world. And when we are left without option we even use Scripture to shield ourselves: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Of course this passage is true. But isn’t it interesting that Jesus never settles for Bible bandaids? We see in Scripture that he enters into the suffering of others, even though he knows he will heal, restore, and reconcile people. Jesus - though fully God and fully man - gives voice to the pain of the world, and people.
People are limited in our ability to heal, but by entering into the suffering of others (rather than avoiding, or Bible-bandaiding) we can give presence and peace that glimpses Christ for others. And as we enter in, we can celebrate that Christ has come to enter into the suffering of the world by taking our sin upon Himself at the cross (1 Peter 2:24). And we can look with hope, longing, and expectation to the day where he will return to wipe every tear, and set all things right (Rev 21:1-4).
Jesus, give us the courage to enter into the suffering of the world. In Your name we pray, amen.
With,
AB