It doesn’t take much effort on our part, does it? Even without eyes to see, we have ears to hear the state of our nation. Where is there not unrest? I don’t believe that we disagree about the desire to see people – all people – treated with respect and equality. I believe this is especially true within the church, where we know that everyone matters and is deeply loved by our Father in Heaven. I do believe we all agree on that.
What is shocking is the amount of animosity and even hate spewing from our mouths and actions in an effort to demonstrate our thoughts of how we show our support. We all feel we need to DO something. Right? So we try to do anything we can possibly think of to bring about change, or to reflect the passions of our hearts. We try to make our voices heard – in a variety of ways. We want our brothers and sisters – our neighbors – our world – to hear us.
Can we pause for just a moment here?
Why are Christians – followers of Christ – looking so much like the secular world these days? I mean in our attempts to solve the evils and end them – we are looking just like the secular world. Can you tell us apart? I mean do our actions and words look different? From what I can see, it would be hard to distinguish in a crowd those who claim Jesus as their LORD and Savior from those who don’t.
Please hear me. I am not trying to attack any side. I am not trying to heap guilt onto the heads of anyone. I do believe we are simply going about things in the wrong way.
I believe that God has really been impressing on my heart and been confirming this truth: We are not the ones to solve our problems. We are not intelligent enough. We are not able to see the big picture. We are not able to understand the complexity of the situation. Nor are we able to give everyone everything that they want.
Our efforts often bring more struggle. Our proclamations are often misunderstood or misinterpreted. Our actions are often falling short of what is really needed.
This is what is so important to understand: We are not the ones to solve our problems. We aren’t the ones who will plant the seeds of change. We aren’t the ones who have a clue how to do that – even with the best of intentions.
We are gifted with something that CAN and DOES bring about change. We are called not to shout and jump into public action, per se, but to fall to our knees in game-changing action. Prayer. We have direct access to the throne of the Most High God. This is not a last resort type of action. This should be our first resort – neigh – our primary resort of action. Why? Because God DOES see the big picture. God DOES know the need. God DOES know how to bring about change – the right change. God DOES have the ability and power to impart upon others. God DOES hold in His hand the entire world and ALL that are in it.
He is the answer. His well meaning – yet sin-filled children are not.
I cannot speak for you, but for me, there is no battle I want to face without Him going before me. There just isn’t. This is the idea that we want Jesus as our Savior but also as our LORD. That means submission of my desire to act independently and take matters into my own hands. God wants us to let Him lead. He cares about us. He loves us so deeply. He desires better for us. He does.
One of the books I read in the mornings after reading my Bible is a devotion book called God Calling. Its message for today was “I love to pour My blessings down in rich, in choicest measure. But like the seed-sowing – the ground must be prepared before the seed is dropped in. Yours to prepare the soil – Mine to drop the seed-blessing into the prepared soil. Together we share in, and joy in, the harvest. Spend more time in soil-preparing. Prayer fertilizes soil. There is much to do in preparation.”
Prayer fertilizes soil. Our job is to prepare the soil. God’s job is to do the rest. My job – our job – is to pray.
I confess, for many of us, myself included, we don’t pray enough. We don’t feel like prayer is enough. It’s sort of a last resort. When I’ve used all I know to do – I pray. We are blowing it. You and I wouldn’t enter into a war or battle and leave our weapons behind – waiting till the very end to then grab a weapon of defense, would we? Wouldn’t a more intelligent thing be to head into battle with our weapons in hand? God has told us He will fight for us. He is for us, not against us. God has told us that we have His word as a sword and friends, we have access to the Father through prayer. Through prayer and thanksgiving we are to make our case known to Him.
Are we doing this? This is not a doing and then asking God to bless my efforts. This is advocating what is on our heart with the Father. This is presenting our case to Him and pleading with Him for help. This is inviting Him to act and move in His way, in His timing. This is asking Him to speak into our lives and listening for His voice. This is engaging in spiritual warfare.
Preparing the soil through prayer. Thanking God in advance for what He is doing (even if we can’t see it), and for the outcome that He is planning. That is our calling. That is our purpose. That is our best way to bring about change. United in prayer.
Prayer isn’t our last resort. It isn’t a passive reaction. It is direct access to the King of Kings and the LORD of LORDS. The One who will overcome the gates of hell itself.
Think about it. Consider it. Make it your priority. Your battle plan.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6) “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6) “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18-19)
Blessings!