prayer

A Lenten Prayer

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“O Lord, this holy season of Lent is passing quickly,
I entered into it with fear, but also with great expectations.
I hoped for a great breakthrough, a powerful conversion, a real change of heart;
I wanted Easter to be a day so full of light that not even a trace 
of darkness would be left in my soul.
But I know that you do not come to your people with thunder and lightning.
Even St. Paul and St. Francis journeyed through much darkness
before they could see your light.
Let me be thankful for your gentle way.
I know you are at work.
I know you will not leave me alone, 
I know you are quickening me for Easter – 
but in a way fitting to my own history and my own temperament.
I pray that these last three weeks, in which you invite me to enter 
more fully into the mystery of your passion,
will bring me a greater desire to follow you on the way you create for me
and to accept the cross that you give to me.
Let me die to the desire to choose my own way and select my own cross.
You do not want to make me a hero but a servant who loves you.
Be with me tomorrow and in the days to come,
and let me experience your gentle presence.
Amen” (Henri Nouwen).

Lord, may the last three weeks of Lent not be wasted. Help me to use my time away from social media to create margins of unhurried space within my day for me to hear Your voice speaking to me. Give me a quiet heart and a calm mind to receive Your words. Above all, grant me the ability and willingness to obey what I hear. Amen.

A Symphony of Prayers

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“We are not alone. My prayers are perhaps a single note in a symphony, but a necessary note, for I believe in the communion of saints. We need each other. The prayers of one affect all. The obedience of one matters infinitely and forever” (Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart, See I Corinthians 12:12).

I love that image. All the prayers of all the saints make a kind of symphony that is pleasing to God. I do think that God hears and answers each individual prayer, but I also believe that collectively they rise to the Lord as an incense and aroma like the animal sacrifices of old.

There is something powerful that happens when two or more are gathered in Jesus’ name. The Church can have a greater Kingdom act when gathered together than all the people working and praying separately. That’s why it’s vital to gather and not neglect the meeting together of the people of God.

Each prayer matters. Each act of obedience matters. Together they make up a symphony and show the hands and feet of Jesus to a world that has a need that it cannot name but will recognize Jesus in us as we preach both in our actions and our words.

A Prayer for the Church

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I found this prayer for the Church that spoke to the state of the American Church and its great need for renewal and revival. In my opinion, so many of the churches in America have lost their way by either tying the gospel with politics and candidates or by becoming so much like culture that they no longer have a distinct message of hope that actually offers hope.

There’s a warning in the book of Revelation to the church at Ephesus that if they don’t repent, Jesus will come and remove their lampstand. That means that either they will cease to be an actual church or that they will continue with no authority or influence. I think some churches (and some denominations) in this country are already there. Many of them are what Jesus called the church at Laodicea in that they think they are alive but they are actually dead.

What we need isn’t the right candidate to win the election or for our side to be proven right and the other side shown to be wrong. What we need is to get back to the whole gospel that Jesus and the disciples proclaimed.

This is a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer written in 1662 that just as well could have been for 2024 (with little update on the old King James English):

“Most gracious God, we humbly beseech thee for thy holy catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all peace. Where it is corrupt, purge it; where it is in error, direct it; where anything is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen and confirm it; where it is in want, furnish it; where it is divided and rent asunder, make up the breaches of it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

God of this City

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I confess that I have had a certain worship song on my mind for quite some time. The song is God of This City, as recorded by Chris Tomlin in 2011 for his Hello, Love album. My church is in the middle of a Pursue campaign, part of which is for the purchase and renovation of a facility for my campus, The Church at Avenue South.

The song originated from a mission trip to Pattaya, Thailand and speaks to how where God is present, better things are still to come. It fits with what I believe God is doing in the city of Nashville. I believe God will use all nine of Brentwood Baptist Church’s regional campuses, including The Church at Avenue South, to start an awakening in this city.

Also, I can’t believe this song is already 13 years old.

“You’re the God of this city
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You are

You’re the light in this darkness
You’re the hope to the hopeless
You’re the peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city

You’re the God of this city
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You are

You’re the light in this darkness
You’re the hope to the hopeless
You’re the peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city

Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

There is no one like our God
There is no one like you, God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done

We believe, we believe in you, God

Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here
Greater things, still to be done here” (Aaron Boyd / Andrew Mccann / Ian Jordan / Peter Comfort / Peter Kernaghan / Richard Bleakley).

Happy Ash Valentines Wednesday Day

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“Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever” (Collect, First Day of Lent Commonly Known as Ash Wednesday, The Book of Common Prayer).

In case you got confused, today is both Valentines Day and Ash Wednesday. Apparently, it happened before in 2018 and will happen again in 2029, so this is just practice.

As I have learned, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a season of repentance and fasting. Typically, the participant will choose to fast from a kind of food or an activity for the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. I have traditionally fasted from social media.

Practically speaking, that means that I catch myself mindlessly opening up my Facebook app numerous times before I quickly minimize it and remember that it’s Lent. I try not to be uber-legalistic about Lent, but I also recognize how easy it is to slip into a social media addiction if I’m not constantly vigilant.

The purpose is to give up something that means something to you so as to free up more time to focus on preparing for Easter. I’m really good at the giving up part but not so much at the preparing part. It’s easy to replace one mindless activity with another if I’m not careful.

Easter and Christmas need each other. Without Christmas and the virgin birth, there is no Easter. Without Easter, Christmas has little or no meaning. Without either, we are still stuck in our sins and without hope.

This Lent season will hit different because I am once again in career transition. This year, I will have no excuse for not making time to really get ready for Easter Sunday. I will have more time to devote to prayer in seeking the face of God.

Hopefully, I will be wiser this year and actually use the time well. Hopefully, we all will.

Wise Words from Amy Carmichael

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Amy Carmichael was a missionary to India for over 50 years without ever taking a furlough. She was involved in rescuing women and children from temple prostitution, so basically she was on the front lines against human trafficking way before that was a term.

She also wrote some beautiful and profound books. Here’s a taste of something she wrote that many of us will find helpful and timely in this day and age:

“Let us end on a very simple note: Let us listen to simple words; our Lord speak simply: “Trust Me, My child,” He says. ‘Trust Me with a humbler heart and a fuller abandon to My will than ever thou didst before. Trust Me to pour My love through thee, as minute succeeds minute. And if thou shouldst be conscious of anything hindering that flow, do not hurt My love by going away from Me in discouragement, for nothing can hurt so much as that. Draw all the closer to Me; come, flee unto Me to hide thee, even from thyself. Tell Me about the trouble. Trust Me to turn My hand upon thee and thoroughly to remove the boulder that has choked they river-bed, and take away all the sand that has silted up the channel. I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. I will perfect that which concerneth thee. Fear thou not, O child of My love; fear not.’

And now…to gather all in one page:

Beloved, let us love.

Lord, what is love?

Love is that which inspired My life, and led Me to My Cross, and held Me on My Cross. Love is that which will make it thy joy to lay down thy life for thy brethren.

Lord, evermore give me this love.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after love, for they shall be filled” (Amy Carmichael).

A Prayer for Anxiety

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“Dear God, as I lay me down to sleep, relax the tension of my body; calm the restlessness of my mind; still the thoughts which worry and perplex me. Help me to rest myself and all my problems in your strong and loving arms. Let your Spirit speak to my mind and heart while I am asleep, so that, when I wake up in the morning, I may find that I have received in the night-time, light for my way; strength for my tasks; peace for my worries; forgiveness for my sins. Grant me sleep tonight, and tomorrow power to live” (Author Unknown).

Sometimes, the anxiety just won’t go away. The sad truth is that worry is the default setting for most of us. We don’t how to train ourselves on how to fret — that comes naturally. We do have to discipline and train ourselves in ways to relax and destress.

But we have the promise of the Prince of a peace that passes all understanding. We have Jesus’ invitation for all who are burdened and heavy-laden to come and find rest. We know that God’s truth is more real than anything that we think or feel.

The best news is that any anxiety is temporary but the true peace and joy that comes from God is forever. This light and momentary affliction will soon yield to an eternal weight of glory far beyond anything we endure that brings anxiety. Hope and help are on the way.

When It Seems Jesus Doesn’t Care

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Here I am with another mostly borrowed blog post. But this one spoke to me as deeply as the one I posted yesterday. Some days, God can feel distant and silent. If we trust in our feelings, we’re very much tempted to give up on God. But if we trust in the promises of God that are all Yes and Amen, we will find that God is present even in the silences and we can see Him near just as our eyes adjust to the darkness around us:

“Martha came to him Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care?’ (Lk 10:40).

Lord Jesus, when Martha called your empathy and compassion into question, thank you for giving her grace and not taking offense. Though she ‘only’ felt under-appreciated, there are times when we experience crises, stories, and heartaches that seem to contradict your compassion, care, and control.

When ‘darkness hides your lovely face’ we become vulnerable to all kinds of graceless voices:

•The devil’s toxic whisperings … ‘Where IS your Jesus now?’.

•Karma replacing the Gospel, telling us, ‘You’re sick because of hidden, unconfessed sin’.

•The narration of a cynical friend or weary family member, or nosy neighbor. Like Job’s wife telling Job, “Curse God and die” Job 2:9.

•Our own emotionally exhausted, pain-fueled monologue … ‘Maybe there is no Jesus. Maybe I’d be better off dead.’

Lord Jesus, though you don’t always explain yourself or fix things on our timetable, you will never “crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle” (Matt.12:20). The Scriptures are very honest about life between your resurrection and return: We will have days when mystery is more real than mercy, heartache is more tangible than hope, and pain is more convincing than providence. But, we will never have a Jesus-absent day.

When we’re angry like Jonah (Jonah 4:9), disillusioned like Job (Job.10:15), fearful like Elijah (1 Kings 19:3), doubt you like John the Baptist (Matt. 11:3), ‘beastly’ like Asaph (Psalm 73:21-22), despairing of life like Paul (2 Cor. 1:8)… you welcome us, and meet us right there… taking no offense, only giving us grace.

Jesus, no one cares like you. No one understandings suffering like you. No one has done more to eradicate all ‘death, mourning, crying and pain’ (Rev.21:4). Thank you. Meet us today, and meet our most weary friends through us. So Very Amen” (Scotty Smith).

A Prayer of Confession for 2024

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I found this prayer penned by Scotty Smith on Facebook and thought it was worth sharing. I think more than anything the Church in America needs to posture itself for the new year in a position of repentance and seeking forgiveness for not living up to biblical standards.

I think on one hand we’ve been too legalistic and self-righteous, looking down on others who sin differently than we do. I also think at times we’ve tried to look too much like the culture we’re called to reach out to and have compromised the message of salvation in the process.

So here’s my prayer for 2024:

“Abba Is Changing Us. Let’s Cooperate.

‘If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness’ (1Jn.1:8-9).

Heavenly Father, for your steadfast love, we bless you. For your patience and kindness, we praise you. For your daily mercies, we trust you. Hallelujah… you’ve already declared us righteous in Christ, and now you’re at work to make us as beautiful as Jesus. Here are some of the areas of heart and life for which we need grace and the Spirit’s work—clear manifestations we’re not as Christ-like as you intend.

•We confess thinking of ourselves too much and marveling at Jesus too little.

•We confess it’s easier for us to rush to judgment than linger in your presence.

•We confess over-believing our fears and under-resting in the Gospel.

•We confess scheduling ourselves into bad attitudes and diminishing health.

•We confess indulging a critical spirit more than we seek your Spirit’s filling.

•We confess being more upset by the news than at peace through your Word.

•We confess making more of other’s sins and weaknesses than our own.

Father, thank you for the full forgiveness we already have in Christ, and the sure hope of being like Jesus one Day. We look to you for strength to repent quicker when you convict us of these and other sins. Humble us. Change us. Heal us. Free us. Thank you… and So Very Amen (Scotty Smith).”

Faith in the Waiting

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I’m revisiting season 3 of The Chosen in anticipation of the new season premiere in February. I just finished the episode where Jesus has a talk with Little James about how God has chosen not to heal him but is sending him out to preach and to heal.

Jesus says that the testimony of Little James’ faith in the midst of his suffering is a greater witness than if he had been healed. God is trusting Little James to be faithful for a little while until the full and final healing comes in eternity.

How many of us are waiting? How many of us have desired that God should make us healed and whole but have yet to see it? How many have prayed for the healing of others and not seen the answer they prayed for and desired so earnestly?

If God granted us everything we ever wanted, our faith would seem like a natural response. It’s only when we hear the words not yet to our petitions, when we don’t get what we ask for, that trust shows itself as supernatural.

The prayers of the saints throughout history has always been along the lines of “Lord, I trust You, no matter what. Use me however You see fit wherever You see fit for as long as You see fit. Have Your way in me, no matter the cost.”

That is the prayer that God honors. That’s the prayer of lives who leave a legacy of faith behind for us to follow.

So you and I can rest in the promises of God even in the waiting and know that whatever God withholds is only because He has something much better in mind that we are not yet ready to receive. Best of all, what we find is that more than anything God could give us apart from Himself is God giving us Himself completely.