Why Pray?

As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. (Daniel 9:13–18)

I ’ve sometimes had the notion that if I am just good enough and obey God as much as I can, He is more apt to hear and answer my prayers. This is a sin-nature reason for praying — to get or earn God's favor. 

It does not work that way and Daniel knew it. He said his pleas were not because of any goodness he could claim, not even the imputed righteousness of a truly saved person. Just as he did not obtain that salvation by works, he did not think that his works would incline God to do what he asked.

According to this prophet and godly man, God answers prayer because of His mercy. This means that when I pray, I am to be surrendered and humble of heart, never thinking that He hears and blesses because I’ve somehow earned it. 

Yet even as I say that, I know that disobedience is a good way to shut His ears to my pleas. To obey is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22) and if I cherish sin in my heart, He does not listen. (Psalm 66:18) He is far more concerned with a clean heart than whatever I bring to Him in prayer.

Daniel had a job to do. God was about to tell him things of the future, of the end times. His obedience was important so that he could clearly hear what was said. While theologians often wrestle with his predictions, God said this:

Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:10–13)

No one will understand except the wise, and most of what I read and hear is either jumbled and unclear, or bragged about as if the entire proclamation is known only to them. Sadly, this may mean that wise people either are very rare, or they know to keep their mouths shut.

Lord Jesus, You want obedience because it is the best thing for me and You want the best for me because You are merciful. You are amazing. I have nothing to offer You but pleas for the fullness of Your Spirit that I might always listen to You and do what You say.

 

One mouth, two ears…

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. (Ecclesiastes 5:1–7)

Any effort in life to be prosperous (a dream) requires much business (or busyness) which this writer compares to the hasty and prolific words of a fool who talks too much. Another writer compares this thought this way:

Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

This is like those who busily do what they think is serving God without actually listening to or obeying Him. They go through the motions and appear to be devout, but their actions are mere ritual. This was condemned then, and by Jesus, and today often goes undetected or sometimes applauded. 

Those who “serve God” in this manner perhaps have vowed to do so, yet when doing so, are doing what they assume is wanted rather than what God accepts. As one writer says, the truth that it is more acceptable to God is that one should go to Him to hear the Law taught and expounded, than to offer a formal sacrifice of ‘good’ works. This is the offering of a godless man and in proverbial language called “the sacrifice of fools” (Proverbs 21:27).

This same writer also says that the “fools” who offer unacceptable sacrifices do not know how to worship God heartily and properly. Thinking to please Him with their formal acts of devotion, they fall into a grievous sin. 

In my thinking, this is a failure to recognize the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. Instead of glorifying God who uses us like a hand in a glove, the glove gets credit for cooperating with the hand instead of moving with it in obedience and with the recognition of its own helplessness. 

. . . .  though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:6–10)

Paul knew the glory of few words and obedience because he knew his own helplessness and the foolishness of talking too much. He sought the will of God and was told his power was in helplessness, not in the many good things that God's hand did with him. His ‘dreams’ were successful because he feared God and listened. 

Lord Jesus, every day something happens requiring Your instruction. In my response to these events, I talk big about what I will do, but You urge me to shut up and listen. Then You surprise me with Your solutions. These are lessons in what it means to fear You and listen. You are the most amazing God and I am blessed to be weak and listen, rather than be ‘strong’ and do what I think is best.

 

No Excuses…

 

In thinking about what it means to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh, the desire to be comfortable seems the most powerful issue for most of us, myself included. When illness or pain jumps in, my prayers are for healing and relief. I don’t want my body to suffer.

My old nature’s desires go deeper than skin. My mind wants to know answers, the bottom line of things. This results in impatience with God's timing and lack of trust that He even hears me. This is how my flesh thinks — too often.

Emotions factor in too, all the negative ones like sinful anger, fear, envy, hurt feelings, etc. As much as my old nature might want to be happy, that emotion is based on circumstances so I might be praying for all sorts of things that would make me happy.

Human desires to be noticed, praised, put first, have all I want (even call them needs), and that hunger to win prizes, perform perfectly, and get an A on everything comes from that fleshy nature too. The only way to overcome this me, me, me stuff is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and yielded to His control.

It is a daily thing, a moment by moment thing. If my cup is upright and He is poured in, the only thing that ruins it is sin, not mere outward actions (“But I’ve never murdered anyone”) but inner attitudes, expressed or not.

Piper writes about the importance of meditation on Scripture that stress the supernatural reality of my Christian life. He begins with: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) My mind argues that there are degrees of persecution but I cannot fool myself. If I were more public about faith, I could be a target.

Piper also says the Spirit-filled life is joyful with meaningful labor in the cause of Christ. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) This requires more than I can do. At my age, the flesh is too weak and tired to imitate it (some people try to do it in the flesh) so I can use that as an excuse to avoid the menial tasks and leave them to the younger people rather than seek the energy of the Spirit and do anything that requires more than my flesh can give.

The Apostle Paul puts my excuses where they belong. He said:

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. (Ephesians 6:10)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

All this reminds me that Moses was eighty when God put him to his most serious work. This link lists more who changed the world in their later life. My excuses need to be replaced by God's specific instructions. I’m not called to be a pastor or an evangelist, or anything that I’m not doing, only to daily walk in the Spirit and obey Him, whatever He asks me to do. No excuses or “yea, but” responses. I can confess my sin, but better to obey in the first place. As Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)

PRAY: Lord, You whisper that making excuses can be a pride thing that addresses a selfish ambition to be more than I am and an attempt to explain why I’m not, but that dishonors You also. Your will for me is not the same as my prideful will for me. Instead of excusing it, I admit that I can want more for my own glory than wanting it for Your glory. Duh. Forgive all discontent and enable me to want only your will — so that You are glorified. Amen.

God is not about my opinions . . .

 

This week I was annoyed with another person. I spent time trying to figure out why that person bugged me so much and finally realized the problem was not with her but with me. Once that became apparent, it was much easier to resolve than if she was at fault. I can confess my own sins and change my opinions, but I am not able to do much about the failures of others!

This is something like what I tell my hubby when he turns up his nose at chocolate. The issue is not that chocolate is bad but that he does not like it. I’m the same with green olives and soy sauce. Other people like both, so the issue is not about the virtue of those foods but about human preferences.

This also relates to how God is viewed. People will say of Him that He is uncaring, does not exist, disappointing, and a host of other negative descriptions but these are opinions. They reveal much more about the person holding them than they accurately describe God.

These thoughts came to mind as I consider how the Bible says Jesus Christ is BETTER yet how often this is taken to mean an opinion rather than an objective quality. It comes into play when a person dismisses faith by saying, “That is okay for you, but I’m not interested” as if the value of God is a matter of opinion or personal experience rather than a reality.

However, the OT does use ‘better’ to express an opinion based on what is more pleasing. For example, Exodus 14:12 says, “Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

The same word takes on greater significance if the ‘opinion’ expressed comes from a wise or educated authority, someone with experience in whatever they are evaluating rather than giving an opinion. The psalmists spoke of God being better in several ways such as His love is better than life, a day with Him is better than a thousand elsewhere, refuge in Him is better than trusting man or even royalty, and His law is better than silver or gold.

The value and reliability of saying something is better takes on the highest significance when it comes from God, at least for those who know that God is wiser and more knowledgeable than any person and is the ultimate authority on the value of all things.

1 Samuel 15:22. “And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”

In the NT, Jesus spoke with authority when He said it was better to lose an eye or a hand or be crippled  than to wind up in hell, and better to be drowned than cause a believer to sin. The NT authors expressed many ways how obeying God is better than disobedience, a lesson many learn by experience.

The strongest use of better is in Hebrews where Jesus is compared to the former religious practices of the Israelites, practices that were given by God in the OT as they waited for a better way.

Hebrews 7:22–25. “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 8:6. “But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Faith is “believing that God exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” It is also “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1; 6) It is not about having an opinion such as ‘maybe there is a God’ or thinking He has no power to reward anyone. At best, even the strongest opinions are ‘I hope so’ in nature. On the other hand, faith is a deeper, an ‘I know so’ conviction with a strong assurance that is not based on sight. Faith is a gift from God, a mystery that comes from hearing Him speak and being convinced that He is the ultimate authority on whatever He says. Faith deepens as I listen. It grows deeper every time I act on what I hear. It also is not like opinions because opinions and premises beg to be debated and defended. The reality of God needs no debates; He just is — and while knowing Him begins with faith, experiencing Him reveals how much better He is than any other idea or conviction that is grounded in my opinions.