Do Not Be Discouraged or Impatient

In the morning, I write. I write for a few reasons. Writing is a way that I pray. Most of the time my writing begins with thanksgiving. I try to offer thanks for 3 things each day. This varies from one to many, but my aim is for 3 things. I have been thankful for the wonderful love of God and for a pain in my back that didn’t seem to have an end, for fresh coffee and for crazy Ohio humidity.

I write to get my thoughts to line up so I can see them. I write to ask and find answers to questions.

Writing is very beneficial for me.

This morning I was thinking of a project as I was writing and at the moment it was being very frustrating. As I was writing the questions only seemed to pile up higher and no answers were on the ever-rising horizon.

Then I remembered something Jesus said and I began to understand where the answer always lies. In Matthew 7:7 & 8, Jesus says,

`Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you; for every one who is asking doth receive, and he who is seeking doth find, and to him who is knocking it shall be opened.

This is a little different translation from what we might be used to seeing but it is suppose to be a literal translation from the original language. It got my attention because of the second verse that begins with, “for every one…”.

I am first of all drawn to the universal nature of the promise. Jesus says everyone. This is a promise with a condition (most promises are). But no one is disqualified if they fulfill the conditions.

Then I am surprised and encouraged by the active nature of the qualifications; be asking, be seeking (searching) and be knocking.

I am so inclined to be someone who asks and then waits and becomes discouraged or impatient. Jesus is saying be someone who is in the process of asking until they receive, seeking until they find and knocking until the door is open.

Let’s be active.

  

I Need to Listen Better

My current favorite preacher just recently finished a series of sermons entitled “SILL HERE” he spoke about the benefits of meditation. Last week he started a series entitled “STILL HEAR” and he is speaking about the value of listening carefully.

Today is Veterans Day. I am a Viet Nam combat veteran. Please do not thank me for my service, I was drafted. I have come to a conviction about non-violence. I realize that this is not a universal conviction among Christians and I am content to leave it there and trust God to speak to each one in this regard. Last evening the church that I attend had a veteran’s dinner. Since my brothers were singing and I’m pretty down with free food, I went. It was extremely stressful for me!

I came away from what was intended to be a pleasant evening frustrated and 2/3 angry. The people who planned the evening were not at fault. The meal was very tasty. The people who prepared and presented the program were not at fault. The problem is completely mine.

I failed to listen.

There are so many indicators in my life and thinking that say that I should simply avoid this type of event. I ignored them and went anyway. I was obnoxious and irritable the whole time.

This morning after a good deal of wrestling with this whole matter I see that, listening is a thing that I need to work much harder at doing. First, I need to listen very carefully to what God is saying to me through his word, the Bible, and through his Word Jesus. I need to be still and listen to the Holy Spirit of God.

Second, I need to listen much more carefully to those around me that I deal with from day to day.

In several places Jesus has said, “Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit says.” And James wrote, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” (James 1:19)

LISTEN.

Under the Circumstances

As I look out my window, down the line of recreation vehicles, I see mostly trailers that are permanently here. This is Ohio. It’s getting cold, at 9:00 in the morning it has just climbed above freezing. My neighbors are working to stay warm and dry. I am working to hopefully keep warm and keep the pipes from freezing this winter. It’s supposed to get down into the 20-degree realm next week. Burr!

Thinking about my situation and thinking about my neighbors, it would be pretty easy to become discouraged. I don’t have a clue about how I can be a help and I am using most of my resources to prepare my own space. Under the circumstances, what can I do?

Last month a very special aunt passed away leaving a loving husband of many years and 2 grown children and 3 grown grandsons. Last week a very special friend passed into Glory leaving a wife with very limited resources and a grown daughter. Under the circumstances, what can they do?

Single mothers with way too much month left at the end of the money. A young mother of 2 rambunctious youngsters who is supposed to be on bed rest, while her husband is busy at work. Under the circumstances, what can they do.

This morning I thought about these things and wondered. As I wondered the thought came to me, “what is the truth that you believe?” And so, I began to write the things that I believe to be true.

I believe in one true and loving God who created and maintains all things by the word of his power. I believe he has created me, in his own image, to be a glory to him. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only begotten son, who lived the perfect life of unity with his Father to show us how to live in this body. He also died on a cross to ransom or redeem all of us from the power of sin so we could live our lives abundantly in every circumstance.

I wrote several other things that I believe. I wrote things that are encouraging that I believe. Under the circumstances I have hope and I am encouraged.

What do you believe? What is the truth that will keep you moving forward, under the circumstances?

It’s something to think about, and maybe to write down so you can read it out loud to yourself.

Be Faithful.

A Universally Misunderstood Mystery

Prayer is pretty much a universally misunderstood mystery. This may be because we usually limit prayer to one or two functions and to one single method.

The other day I wrote about the discipline of reading the scriptures. I think it might be beneficial today to write a few words about prayer.

Looking at the single method I begin to see that different groups have different primary methods. Our Episcopal brothers and sisters and other high church groups are very inclined to read their prayers. Evangelicals scorn this method and prefer extemporaneous prayers in the common language, while our Pentecostal brothers and sisters will pray in unknown tongues. Unfortunately, each group is inclined to reject the method of the others. I suspect that this inclination is a great mistake. I would suggest rather, that all of these methods of prayer have value, and that it would do each of us much good to explore methods that are not familiar. I would also suggest that there may be other methods of prayer, such as meditation, that would also benefit each of us to explore. I hope to write more about that at another time.

Praise or thanksgiving and petition seem to be the primary functions or purposes of prayer. Once again, I am pretty sure that the focus on these limits what we can receive or benefit from this great mystery. *Brian Zahnd states that the primary purpose of prayer is, “that we might be properly formed.” Another purpose of prayer should probably be to deepen and enrich our personal relationship with our Father in Heaven and with Jesus.

This is something to think about and should also be one of the disciplines of a disciple. I cannot imagine being a disciple without regular prayer and reading of the scriptures.

Be Faithful

*Brian Zahnd is the lead pastor of “The Word of Life Church” in St. Joseph Missouri where he hosts prayer schools several times a year. He is also the author of “Water to Wine” which tells the story of some of his discovery of prayer.

The Discipline of Daily Reading

After that, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax collector's desk. He told him, "Follow me!" So, Levi left everything behind, got up, and followed him. (Luke 5:27-28)

This is just one of the times Jesus told someone to “Follow me!” Some did and others didn’t follow him. He offers the same invitation today  

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."

But how can we follow Jesus as the disciples of his day did, leaving everything and following him?

Yesterday I wrote about the disciplines of a disciple. I don’t have all of the answers to this question, nor do I claim to have mastered all of the disciplines of a disciple.

One thing I have found extremely helpful in learning to follow Jesus is to take time every day to slow down and read from the Gospels. I simply read 1 chapter in the morning and work my way through the Gospels and then start through again. Sometimes I will repeat a chapter for 2 or more days when I see things that I need to think about more. Other times I will progress from chapter to chapter for several days. But I almost always see something that is important for me to think about.

In this way I can walk with Jesus every day and see how he lived and learn from his teaching. This surely is a part of the disciplines of a disciple.

I hope that if you have not established this small discipline, you will consider incorporating it into you schedule.