Our God, Hear the Prayers

I do not enjoy politics. I don’t like the arguing, bickering, or truth-stretching/bending. I am opinionated, though, and a somewhat anxious person by nature. So currently, I am worried about the state and direction of our country (and the world). I find myself getting frustrated and angry over decisions that are being made, as well as failures (especially moral) of our leaders. I am really trying to pray for our country and our leaders when I get anxious or angry, but sometimes it’s hard to overcome those emotions.

This morning, as I was working on a different Bible study, the book of Daniel caught my eye and the Lord reminded me of Daniel’s amazing faith and sense of ownership of the sins of his people.

O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame – the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness, to you. O Lord, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and our people bear your Name. - Daniel 9:4-19

Daniel took ownership over the sins of his people. He knew that there were major corporate sins going on among his people and they were in this together, like it or not. Daniel had known this for a while. It was because of the disobedience of his people that they were given over to Babylon, to live in captivity.

It was because of the sins of his people that Daniel was trained and taught a Babylonian culture with Babylonian values. It was because of the sins of his people that Daniel had the opportunity to stand tall for the Lord in the face of adversity. And he did. Daniel lived one of the most amazing stories ever written because he held fast to the Lord and His teaching, no matter the opposition.

Daniel’s courage and dedication to the Lord is taught and viewed in high regard today. He didn’t bow to any other god. He didn’t defile himself with unclean food and drink. And, yet, Daniel placed himself right there alongside all of those who did bow to another god and did defile themselves. Daniel knew he was guilty of sin just like everyone else.

Daniel also knew that the only mercy and forgiveness of sins came from God. Daniel knew that a humble, broken heart before God was the only road to restoration of relationship with God. Daniel knew that it wasn’t about blame, but about admittance of guilt and complete reliance on the Father.

And so Daniel prayed – not for his people, but with them.

So no matter your political alignment or particular view, I challenge you to walk the road Daniel did, and pray with your people, your country. Don’t seek someone to blame for all of the problems. Don’t sit high and mighty on your spiritual hill. Get on your knees, heart poured out before Him, and seek forgiveness and restoration. Pray with your people.

Batting 7th

When I played softball, I liked hitting 7th. Not just that, but I actually didn't like hitting in the top 5 positions. I didn't like hitting 9th either. (In softball, the 9th hitter is usually really fast, so I didn't have a chance of hitting 9th.) But, yeah, if the coach ever announced the lineup and I was one of the first 5 names listed, I started freaking out inside.

You see, if you bat at the top of the lineup (or 9^th, in softball) people generally assume you will get on base. And it wasn’t that I was incapable of getting on base or a bad hitter. At times, I was actually a decent hitter. Now, I was never even close to the best hitter on the team (I was there for my glove), but I could string a few hits together now and then. The problem was somehow my position in the lineup had a direct effect on the pressure I felt before the game.

It all came down to expectations. I felt that if I hit at the top of the lineup, I was expected to get on base. If I got to hit 7^th, I wasn’t expected to get on base. If I did get on base, it was a pleasant surprise. I had surpassed my expectations.

And that’s what I like to do – surpass expectations. But surpassing expectations is easy when nothing is expected of you. And, honestly, I like it that way. Wow, that’s even worse to read than say. I like when nothing is expected because it’s easy to succeed. There it is.

But the thing is, in reality, we all have expectations placed on us. Even if they are low, someone places some type of expectation on us. We place expectations on ourselves. And God has expectations of us.

Expectation is no reason to have anxiety, though. Most expectations of us are placed there for a reason. Now, some expectations are unrealistic. I’m not talking about those. I’m talking about when people place expectations on you based on the God-given talents and potential they see in you.

Expectation is not a bad thing. Allow it to point you and others back to God. He created us. He created the potential that others see in us. Expectation is for His glory. Give it to Him. Don’t waste the opportunity to give Him glory by letting your anxiety rule. Allow God to take your anxiety and the glory.

‘Everyone to whom much was given, much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.’ Luke 11:48

Come Awake

I love music. I have a soundtrack to life. Maybe one day I'll tell you more about that soundtrack, but for now, just know that I have it. Anyway, I love music. I particularly love lyrics. I mean the music has to be good, but the lyrics are usually what get me. So I thought I would share the lyrics to one of my favorite songs. It came on my iPod when it was on shuffle the other day, and it just reminded me how much I love it. It's on my soundtrack to life from 2008. I also put it on our team soundtrack from 2007. It's that good.

The lyrics are amazing, but the music, especially the rhythm, makes the song. So if you've never heard of it, you should definitely give it a listen. :) Here ya go.

Come Awake - David Crowder Band

Are we left here on our own?
Can you feel when your last breath is gone?
Night is weighing heavy now
Be quiet and wait for a voice that will say

Come awake
From sleep, arise
You were dead
You’ve come alive
Wake up wake up
Open your eyes
Climb from your grave
Into the light
Bring us back to life

You are not the only one
Who feels like the only one
Night soon will be lifted friend
Just be quiet and wait for the voice that will say

Come awake
From sleep, arise
You were dead
You’ve come alive
Wake up wake up
Open your eyes
Climb from your grave
Into the light
Bring us back to life

Rise, rise, rise, rise, rise

Rise, rise, rise, rise….
Shine, shine, Oh shine
We will shine
We will rise
We will shine, shine, shine

Happy 4th of July Week!

In preparation for one of America's favorite holidays:

God is God and I am Not

Maybe you already know that.  Hopefully you know that.  I know that.  Do I believe it?  Sadly, if you look at my life, you would probably say that I don’t believe that. 

Why?

Because I worry.  I worry about the future – about things that will happen; about things I will do; about the way I will respond to circumstances.  I worry about decisions I have already made.  I worry for days, weeks, even months and years…about things that are over and done; things that cannot be changed.  

I cannot change the past.  I cannot control the future.  Yesterday is done and I have zero ability to affect tomorrow today.  And yet I worry.

Lately, I have been consumed with worry about starting my new job.  Consumed may seem like a strong word, but in this situation, it may not be strong enough.  Just ask my roommate. 

I have spent hours studying and reviewing material, trying to prepare myself for anything that might happen.  I study numbers, procedures, injuries, indications, contraindications, past results, etc.  I constantly have information and scenarios running though my head.  Right now, in fact, I have several different things regarding my job running through my head.

I have neglected Bible study and prayer to study.  I hate to even type that, but it’s true.  That used to be a habit of mine in college, but, thankfully, I haven’t done that in several years…until now.

I am anxious all the time, especially at work (which, by the way, has been nothing but orientation up to this point).  I worry about making a mistake.  I worry about screwing up.  I worry about what other people think of me.  I worry about doing harm not good.  I worry that I’m going to fail.

Now, I do believe that an arrogant confidence is harmful.  In dealing with injuries and potential emergency situations, it is good to be aware of the gravity of the situation and prepare for the worst.  Agonizing and worrying constantly, however, is not preparation.  In fact, it may even have a negative impact on preparation.

And, yet, I worry.

So this morning, God graciously gave me yet another reminder of how proud and untrusting my behavior is.  He allowed me to listen to a podcast about control.  Here were the main points:

-       God’s hands are not tied.  They never have been.  They never will be.

-       It is not up to me to control outcomes, but to be a good steward of what God has given me.

-       God is in control and I am not.

So, does this mean I quit studying and preparing altogether?  No.  Does this mean that I have no responsibility in any of this?  No.  It means that God gave me certain abilities and expects me to be a good steward with them.  Being a good steward means doing everything I do as unto the Lord – preparation and execution.

I still must prepare.  I still must equip myself as best I can.  I still must cultivate my abilities.  However, this constant anxiety has to stop.  God deserves more respect than that.

God is God and I am not.

‘We’re Looking to You’

“We’re helpless…We don’t know what to do; we’re looking to you.” 2 Chronicles 20.12 (The Message)

I’ve written about this verse before (I think on my last blog), but I decided I wanted to write on it again.  It’s just such a cool story of humility, reliance on God, and victory in God. 

Here is (without going into major Israelite history about which I’m not well educated) the context: 

Jehoshaphat was king of Judah.  Some people (Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites) were about to attack Judah.  Jehoshaphat, for good reason, was worried.  He ordered a nationwide fast throughout Judah, seeking God’s help.  Then he prayed to God in front of all the people.  He recognized God for who He is, His power, and His love.  He presented the situation to God.  Then He prayed this:

‘We’re helpless before this vandal horde ready to attack us.  We don’t know what to do; we’re looking to you.’ (v.12)

He humbled himself in front of God and all of the people under his leadership.  He admitted he didn’t know what to do, and looked to God for the answer.  (A person in authority admitting they don’t have the answer right now and turning to God for it – that’s a blog all in itself; maybe another day.) 

What did the people do?

‘Everyone in Judah was there – little children, wives, sons – all present and attentive to God.’ (v.13)

They followed their leader…to the feet of their Lord.

And then it says a man named Jahaziel was ‘moved by the Spirit of God.’ (v.14)  God gave him the answer to their prayers.  He said to them:

‘God’s word:  Don’t be afraid; don’t pay any mind to this vandal horde.  This is God’s war, not yours.  Tomorrow you’ll go after them; see, they’re already on their way up the slopes of Ziz; you’ll meet them at the end of the ravine near the wilderness of Jeruel.  You won’t have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch God’s saving work for you take shape.  Don’t be afraid, don’t wavier.  March out boldly tomorrow – God is with you.’ (v. 15-17)

And then Jehoshaphat and all the people laughed at Jahaziel, told him he was crazy, and began making preparations for war, while still freaking out, right?  Nope.

‘Then Jehoshaphat knelt down, bowing with his face to the ground.  All Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping God.  The Levites…stood to their feet to praise God, the God of Israel; they praised at the top of their lungs!’  (v. 18-19)

So early the next morning they left for battle.  Here is part of the charge Jehoshaphat gave them:

‘Believe firmly in God, your God, and you lives will be firm!’ (v. 20)

The Jehoshaphat got a choir (you know, just your everyday wartime choir).  He put them in robes and made them march AHEAD of the troops singing.  What???  Are you serious?  Here’s what they were singing:

‘Give thanks to God, His love never quits.’ (v. 21)

Ok, stop.  Rewind.  So Judah is about to be attacked by several enemy armies.  Their kings says, “Wow, this isn’t good.  I have no idea what to do.”  They fast and pray.  One crazy guy says, “Oh yeah, God told me to tell you not to worry, He’s gonna take care of it.  No worries.”  The king is like, “Sweet, lets have a concert, as we go to battle.” 

Is this for real?  Yup.  Know why?  Because that’s how awesome God is.  That’s the kind of assurance, peace, and confidence in Him we get when we trust and follow Him.  Because He is Almighty and All-powerful.  Because when He says He’s got it under control, He’s got it under control.

Notice something else about the story so far?  There has been no other indication, besides the promise of God, that Judah would even be survive, let alone be victorious…And they are praising and singing to God about His awesome love.  All they have as they march into battle is the promise God spoke through one man.  That’s it.  They didn’t all grow into giants.  God didn’t help them develop some super secret strategy or some super awesome weapon.  He just gave them a promise.  And they believed Him.

Well, in case you are still wondering what happened…When the people of Judah started singing, God sent ambushes against the enemy armies, and they basically destroyed each other.  Judah arrived to see ‘a killing field of dead bodies.’  So Judah didn’t have to lift a hand.  They won because they trusted God and He fought their battle.

This story came to mind today as I was thinking about my family, the economy, my job, and other things that I like to worry about on a daily basis.  God just kept bringing to mind that verse, ‘We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You.’ 

Things are really hard for most people right now.  It seems like the economy is at the forefront of most people’s thoughts, but there are other problems, too.  I know I can’t understand anyone else’s problems, so it seems like it would be naïve of me to offer a solution.  That would be true if the solution was a solution I came up with.  Fortunately, it’s not.  It’s God’s solution.

Trust God. 

God gave Judah a promise through one man.  They believed Him.  They believed Him for no other reason, except that He is God.  And they won.

God gave us a Promise, too.  And that Promise humbled himself, came to earth, and died so that we could have the ultimate victory.  He didn’t die just so we could live forever in Heaven.  He died so we could have eternal life.  That life starts now.  That life in Christ starts as soon as we put our faith in Him.  As soon as we accept that He won the war against the enemy and death, we begin to live a victorious life.

‘For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ‘ (Romans 10.13, NIV)

This doesn’t mean we don’t need to do anything or work hard or have a job.  It just means we don’t need to worry.  We don’t need to fear.  God has said He is on our side.  We just have to trust Him.  Even when we can’t see what’s ahead or all we can see is a huge storm cloud and a cliff, trust Him.  When you don’t know what to do, turn your eyes to Him.

‘God has assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you.” ‘ (Hebrews 13.5, Msg)

 

Main passage:  2 Chronicles 20

Plan B

Well, if this whole athletic training thing doesn't work out, maybe I can get into the family business.