pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: prayer


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Was, Is, Always Will Be

Reading: Exodus 3:10-15

Verse 14: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM who I AM.'”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

Having gone to the place that one expects to meet God, Moses does just that. Having been drawn to the burning bush so that he can receive God’s word, Moses is tasked with a mission. His first response is too often ours: “Who am I that I should go to __?” In those times when it feels like God is asking much of me, I am a regular asker of this question. How about you?

God promises Moses that God will be with him. Notice that God does not assure, lift up, or coddle Moses. If God has selected him, that means that God has equipped him. The same is true for you and for me. Moses is worried about whether or not the Israelites will accept his leadership. So he wants to go with some authority. He wants a name to drop when they ask who sent him. God tells Moses to tell the people that “I AM who I AM” has sent him.

This is the perfect name for God. It says that God is here right now. This name of God can also be translated as “I am what I am” – God’s past will be both now and future. God is steadfast and can be trusted. And this name can also be translated “I will be what I will be” – the future. God is the God of the past, the present, and the future. This God who was and is and always will be is a God that Moses and the Israelites can trust. The eternal God has heard their cry and is responding. This same God will hear our prayer and will respond. In this God, may we trust.

Prayer: Lord God, you are all-powerful and all-present. From forever and into forever you will always be. You are and have been and will be peace in the storm, strength in the battle, comfort in the pain, joy in the midst of life, hope for this world and the next. You are my all in all. Thank you God! Amen.


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Wrestling with God

Reading: Genesis 32:22-31

Verse 28: “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Photo credit: Rainier Ridao

In this week’s Genesis account we find the most intimate and humanly personal encounters with God that we have recorded in the scriptures. Yes, many in the Bible have intimate and personal conversations with God. But none have this close, intimate, physical encounter with God.

Often when we wrestle with God or with our faith we emerge feeling as if we’ve gone a few rounds with a worthy opponent. After intense prayer sessions we can feel drained. Leaving a worship space after a moving and powerful experience can remind us of a good physical workout too. Wrestling with who and what we are as followers of Jesus Christ is something that requires effort and energy and commitment.

In the literal sense we know that this is what was required of Jacob as he wrestled with God (or with the “man of God” in many translations.) I imagine a conversation running throughout this bout. Spiritual points would be made at strategic shifts in the actual wrestling match. This move and counter-move flow is not atypical of our relationship with God.

As God works in our lives the Holy Spirit acts as our guide and as our advocate, as our disciplinarian and as our corrector. We wrestle with things like giving up that dear sin and with dying to self. The Spirit holds on, not giving up, not letting go, not giving in. When faithful, we do the same. It is then that we emerge a bit closer to God. In these wrestling matches, like Jacob, we grow. For this we too can say, thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, what a battle we have some days. My spirit wanting to go this way or to do this thing, your Spirit trying to lead me a better way. When I try to run, when I try to avoid the match, hold onto me. Don’t let go until you’ve accomplished your purposes, your vision, your goal for me. Draw me deeper into relationship. Make me more willing. Change my heart, O God. Conform me today closer to who you made me to be. Amen.


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In All Things

Reading: Romans 8:26-30

Verse 28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love God.”

Romans 8 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Today and tomorrow we focus on the last portion. We open today’s verses with a great reminder that we have an advocate. Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak by praying for us. These are not just random prayers. No, the Spirit searches our hearts and prays for exactly what we need. These prayers are awesome in two main ways. First, the Spirit prays for us according to God’s will. Second, this Spirit is the very Spirit of Christ – the one who walked among us, the one who knows our trials and struggles and temptations personally. We have a great team on our side!

In verse 28 we read, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love God.” We first note that Paul says, “in all things.” God does not cause all things. Yes, God designed the world and it operates according to God’s design. Death and disease and sin and poor choices are part of this world, and are part of “life.” God does not scheme and orchestrate, causing bad or difficult things to happen so that God can swoop in. Yes, our loving God will work through and in all that life can throw at us if we invite God in and if we seek God’s presence.

God designed us in “the likeness of God’s Son.” We are to be like Christ, the one who fully trusted in God. So in all things may we too turn to God, walking and living as Jesus Christ walked and lived, one day also rising to glory.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for the intercessions and guidance. Help me to listen better and to follow closer, seeking to be a part of living out your good will for me. Amen.


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When God Calls…

Reading: Genesis 24:58-67

Verse 58: “I will go.”

After hearing the servant’s account of God’s leading and guiding, Rebekah’s brothers ask her if she will go with the servant. Without hesitation she says, “I will go.” The evidence of God’s hand at work must’ve been strong. She was leaving almost everything and everyone behind to go with a man she’d just met to marry a man she’s never met to live in a place she’d never been. This was a really big “I will go.”

We make choices and decisions all the time. Some are big and important – to marry, to move, to switch jobs, to have kids… We too experience God’s guiding and leading. This often helps in our decision-making. When “doors” open or close we perceive God at work. When the Holy Spirit whispers or nudges or speaks, we sense God at work. In the big decisions we often seek God through prayer or by studying the Bible. Because of this we are open to God’s presence and direction.

We can struggle, though, to sense God at work or to listen to or feel the Spirit in the ordinary. A young woman went to fetch water – for cooking, for cleaning, for the animals? It was for some task that she needed to do. How often do we ignore or put off the prompting because we have a meeting to get to or because we are focused on our task? She paused what she was doing to encounter the stranger and to meet his needs. It was a simple act of welcome and hospitality and generosity. And look where God took it from there!

In those moments when God calls or when the Holy Spirit rises in our hearts or minds, may we be as willing to respond, stepping into a role in God’s kingdom building. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, you are there in the small, everyday just as much as you are in the big and important. Help me to understand that I’m not as big and important as I tend to think. Help me to realize that all opportunities matter, that you are in all things. Amen.


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Kind, Generous, Serving

Reading: Genesis 24:42-49

Verse 42: “Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come.”

Photo credit: Ditto Bowo

In today’s portion of Genesis 24 the servant of Abraham lifts a prayer to the Lord. It is a prayer for the mission that he is on. Before he can say “Amen” a young woman appears. She is God’s answer to his prayer. She graciously gives him a drink and generously waters the camels. Rebekah would’ve had to make many trips to water the 10 camels. Can you imagine the thoughts that went through his mind and heart as he watched?

As they talk he learns of the family connection, further assuring him that she is God’s answer to his prayer. He offers gifts of jewelry, an invitation to a relationship. The servant praises God for this answer to prayer. This is something we’ve experienced and done too. God has answered our prayer and we express gratitude. Rebekah is God’s answer to prayer. The question for us to ponder now is this: When are we a Rebekah to others?

Sometimes we know the answer to this question and sometimes we do not. Some of the time we are clearly the answer to someone’s prayer. They tell us so with their words and/or with their actions. They are grateful and thankful. When we are kind or generous or serving others, we might be an answer to someone’s prayer. More often than not, we do not know our impact on others. God just works in and through us, accomplishing God’s plans and purposes. May we choose to have a spirit of kindness, generosity, and service each day, allowing God many opportunities to work in and through us.

Prayer: Lord God, use me as love poured out and made real today. In all things and with all people may I be generous and kind and compassionate. Use me today as a means for others to experience your love and provision. Amen.


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Learning to Trust

Reading: Psalm 86:1-7 and 16-17

Verse 7: “When I am in distress, I call to you because you answer me.”

In the Psalm this week David prays to God. It is a prayer for help in times of trouble. These are prayers that we pray often. Life can be challenging and difficult at times. Unwanted change, loss, illness, broken relationships, death, failure – these and many more drive us to God in prayer. The psalmist is no stranger to these challenges and difficulties. David certainly has his share of these times of trouble.

As revealed in the Psalm, David also knew who to turn to in these times. David chose someone who was trustworthy, merciful, forgiving, good, loving, and responsive. All of this is summed up in verse 7: “When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.” Hear the confidence and faith in these words. As each challenge arose, as each difficulty came, David turned to God and God answered. Was it always the answer he wanted? No. But David knew that God’s ways were higher and better than his ways. This too was learned over time. This trust and faith was built through a steady and disciplined walk with God.

God invites us into this kind of a relationship. God invites us to be open and honest, vulnerable and trusting. When we are in need, God wants us to call out. When we feel overwhelmed, God yearns for our prayers. When we are worn out or dried up, God longs for us to kneel in prayer. God desires a relationship with us. In these personal and intimate moments of prayer we learn to trust into God, deepening our faith and our relationship. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, you are faithful and true. May you be where I turn to first. You are compassionate and forgiving. In humility and trust may I bring all that I am and all I am not to you. Day by day deepen our relationship, O God. Amen.


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Praise the Lord!

Reading: Psalm 104:35b – “Praise the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord.”

Today’s reading is short and sweet. It centers on just one thing. So what does it mean or look like to praise the Lord?

The simplest and perhaps most obvious answer is worship. We gather together on a Sunday morning or a Saturday night or whenever to praise and worship the Lord. This formal setting often includes reading and proclaiming the scriptures, songs and/or hymns, prayer, and fellowship. There may be other elements too. These corporate gatherings are a way that we praise the Lord as the community of faith.

Some of these public worship practices are also a part of our personal faith life. In our daily quiet time we often read and meditate on scripture, we pray, and maybe we journal or write about our reflections on the word. In their quiet time some may thank God for their blessings, offer confessions… Each of these are also a means to praise the Lord.

Every time we listen to the Holy Spirit and follow the guidance or respond to the conviction with confession and repentance, we are praising the Lord. Being obedient and faithful to the voice or the nudge is another way that we bring praise to the Lord – by living a life of faith. The Holy Spirit often leads us to action: loving a neighbor, helping one in need, bringing consolation to the grieving… Not only is being the hands and feet of Jesus an act of praise – it invites the other to praise the Lord for what has been done on their behalf.

As we seek to live a life that praises the Lord, in what other ways do you praise the Lord?

Prayer: Lord God, you are ever present in my life. So I ask that you would use me today ever as a means of praise – whether it is me praising you in word or action or if it is these things drawing another to praise you. Amen.


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Three Lessons

Reading: Acts 1:12-14

Verse 14: “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

Photo credit: Clay Banks

In yesterday’s portion of Acts 1 Jesus gives the disciples some instructions. They were to stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit was given. And they are to be witnesses of Jesus to the ends of the earth. Now, I do not know about you, but I might have tried to tackle these in reverse order. I am a doer. It is hard for me to wait when a clear task is right there in front of me.

The disciples return to the city and gather in the place they’ve been staying. The 11 gather together with other devoted followers of Jesus: “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” This faithful group was “constantly in prayer.” There are several lessons for us to take away from these three verses.

First lesson: follow Jesus’ instructions. Trust that God has a plan and a purpose and that you are equipped for it. Be obedient to that. Second lesson: include others. Note that the 11 didn’t huddle up and shoo everyone else out. Like them, we need to realize that being witnesses is all of our jobs. It’s not a task just for the pastor or other church staff or even the leadership team. Together we accomplish this task better and more effectively. Third lesson: pray. Pray a lot – “constantly.” Pray about what was spoken to you by the Holy Spirit, by the Bible, by someone… Wrestle with it before God. Seek discernment and direction. Spending time in prayer further connects us to God and to God’s plan and purpose. This deepens our faith. And this better equips us for the task that God has laid before us.

As we all seek to witness to our faith may we be obedient to God’s instructions, may we seek out others to walk faithfully with, and may we pray, pray, pray.

Prayer: Lord God, speak to me today. Lay out your plan and purpose for me. Grant me the will, the courage, and the faith to be obedient. Lead me to those you want me to partner with in ministry. Reveal all we need to know and understand as we spend time in holy and prayerful conversation with you. Amen.


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Come and Hear!

Reading: Psalm 66:8-20

Verse 16: “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what God has done for me.”

The Psalm begins with praise to God for the saving acts experienced during the exodus from Egypt. It was a corporate experience that called for a corporate response. As we turn once again to Psalm 66 today we focus on verses 13-20. Note how the pronouns change to the first person.

Verses 13-15 recount the psalmist’s response to God hearing and answering his prayers. The response here is a fulfillment of “vows my lips promised.” When in a time of deep trouble, the psalmist begged and pleaded with God to save him. And God did. So now the writer keeps his word and offers rams, bulls, and goats. While we do not live in the time when animals were sacrificed it is still good to consider what our response is or will be when God hears and answers our prayers and petitions.

The psalmist offers another response in verse 16: “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what God has done for me.” He wants to encourage others, to tell them the story of what God did for him. In the context of his day, the faith was kept within the Israelite community. With Jesus this circle was cast wide open. In Mark 16 the commission is to “go into all the world” to tell the story of what the Lord has done. With this added understanding, our call is to invite all people to “come and hear,” to tell others the story of “what God has done for me.” It is a story we both live out and tell with our witness. May we share the good news of Jesus Christ with all people, both in word and in deed.

Prayer: Lord God, you have filled me with stories of faith as you have touched my life again and again, as you have made a way when there seemed no way. Make me a story teller, Lord, sharing with others what you have done for me. Amen.


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Alive to the Spirit

Reading: Romans 8:6-11

Verse 9: “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.”

Carrot sticks or potato chips? A doughnut or some oatmeal? A glass of water or a beer? The list could go on. In these choices and probably any others I could list, we know what the ‘right’ or ‘good’ or ‘healthy’ choice would be. Is it not the same in the spiritual realm of our lives?

In Romans 8 Paul contrasts the mind controlled by the flesh with the mind controlled by the Spirit. The mind controlled by the flesh is selfish and indulgent. It chases after and fills our hearts and minds with things that bring us temporary, earthly pleasure. These are sometimes sinful. Sometimes they are just bad for us in the long run. Living in and for the flesh is a choice. So too is living in and for God.

The mind controlled by the Spirit focuses on God’s ways and on living in ways that are pleasing to God. This focus is fueled by our relationship with God. This too is a choice. If one chooses to saturate one’s life with worship, prayer, study, and other spiritual disciplines, then the choice is being made to be led by the Spirit. Being filled by the word and ways of God, we will be “alive because of righteousness” – alive to God, alive to our faith, alive to one another, alive to the world. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to choose wisely – physically, relationally, and spiritually. All of me matters, not just one part. Fill me more and more with your Spirit so that all aspects of my life may flourish. Thank you, God. Amen.