The simple substance of prayer

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the task of prayer. Are our words sufficient? Are we touching upon the proper subjects?

As Paul emphasizes, the exacts words or topics of our prayers aren't critical (Romans 8:26, CSB),

We do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.

With that it mind, it's useful to turn to David's directions to the Levites. In 1 Chronicles 23:30 (CSB), the directions are,

... to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and likewise in the evening.

Similarly for us, our prayers every morning and evening (and throughout the day) should, first and foremost, give thanks and praise. Other topics are fine, too. But let us emphasize thanks and praise! 

Where to put our trust

The bible makes clear not to trust in earthly possessions for security. For example, Proverbs 18:11 (KJV) reads,

The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

It's easy to convince ourselves that we are following this advice. But does any of us really maintain a healthy attitude toward earthly possession? I would argue that this seemingly simple and obvious message is one that we disregard the most!

After all, don't our moods improve when our bank accounts look more plush? And don't we become anxious when they don't? I suppose that's a natural part of trying to survive, but what if those moods also correlate with our spiritual mindset? Do our prayers become frequent and joyful when we're financial secure, only to then become infrequent and difficult when we're distracted by financial troubles?

When confronted by a follower convinced of his own righteousness, Jesus responds (Matthew 19:21, KJV),

If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Of course, the person sulks off, realizing that he's not willing to make that sacrifice.

The larger point is that, simple as it sounds, our main, and very difficult, task is to place our trust in God, and God alone. As David expresses in Psalm 9:10 (KJV),

They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Making the right choice

In 1 Kings 18, Elijah confronts Ahab and the pagan prophets of Israel. In verse 21 (KJV), he issues a famous line,

How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.

The prophets of Baal were present, but as verse 19 makes clear, so were the prophets of Asherah (called the "grove" in the KJV). As outlined in a previous post, Baal and Asherah were the gods of prosperity and fertility (lust).

So Elijah's message to the people -- and also to us! -- is that we must choose between God or the earthly pleasures and treasures of sin. We can't pursue both.

As if to emphasize the folly of the incorrect path, the prophets of Baal then engage in an elaborate, and embarrassing, ritual aimed at getting a divine demonstration of power from Baal. The predictable outcome (verse 29, KJV),

And it came to pass ... that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

The story then proceeds to a legitimate show of power from God.

So the lesson is clear. We have a choice. One path, despite its shiny appearance, is empty. The other is the path of life.

The temple and forgiveness

Solomon's dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 8:22-53) is a crucial moment in the Old Testament, but it takes on even greater importance in light of events in the New Testament.

First, we must recognize that the Temple, as well as its builder Solomon, both portend the coming of Jesus. Solomon, the literal son of David, builds the earthly house of God. But then Jesus, sometimes called the "son of David" by virtue of being David's direct descendant, would establish a "temple" of far greater importance -- his own body.

For this reason, Christians don't pray at or toward a physical structure, as is common in other religions. In fact, despite the presence of physical churches, those buildings function primarily as gathering places, not holy shrines. Jesus emphasizes this point when, in chapter 4 of John, a woman presses him on whether worship should occur on a mountain in Samaria or in the Temple is Jerusalem, which evidently was a point of dispute in ancient Palestine. Jesus responds (John 4:21,23, KJV),

The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father ... true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Which brings us back to Solomon's dedication of the Temple. While reading that passage, translate any mention of the Temple into "Jesus" to gain a sense of the full sweep of what the Temple portends. For example, in 1 Kings 8:30 (KJV) Solomon prays to God,

When they shall pray toward this place ... and when thou hearest, forgive.

The point is, when we pray to the "Temple," by which we mean "Jesus," then God is faithful to forgive of sins.

Christian Standard Bible (CSB) review

I occasionally post about Bible translations. In this post, I'll say a bit about a new translation, the Christian Standard Bible, published in March, 2017.

The CSB is a major revision of the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), a relatively popular translation that I, admittedly, don't know much about. Not knowing what to expect, I picked up an inexpensive promotional copy of the CSB when it was first released a few months ago. After a few months of browsing through it, I really REALLY like the CSB!

First, the CSB is not a revision (of a revision of a revision...) of the King James Version, so it doesn't flow in the "Tyndale tradition" like, say, the ESV. But that's OK. Although I use the KJV as my "benchmark" bible, it's nice to have a translation with a different flow.

Not being an expert on ancient Hebrew and Greek, my impression is that the CSB is about as "literal" as the ESV, but, again, with a less KJV "feel." The CSB really excels in its economy of words, in that most passages seem to be rendered succinctly and efficiently. I like that; it feels like good writing.

The publisher seems to be aggressively marketing the CSB. For example, its twitter feed is active and useful, and the entire translation is already available on major online Bible platforms.

So if you're looking for a fresh, modern, and understandable translation, check it out. I leave you with a small sample, and a useful prayer (Psalm 25:4-5, CSB),

Make your ways known to me, Lord;
teach me your paths. 
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
I wait for you all day long.

Moses and the snake

In chapter 21 of Numbers, the Israelites begin grumbling at God, which prompts God to send poisonous snakes throughout the camp. When the people repent, God commands Moses (verse 8, KJV),

Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

Upon first glance, this seems like a strange passage. Why not just heal the afflicted? Why set up something that could easily become the object of idolatry?

As with many passages in the Old Testament, the full significance of the "snake on the pole" would not become evidence for several thousand years. Only when Jesus spoke with Nicodemus did the concept of something being hung on a pole come in to full focus (John 3:14-15, KJV),

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

I see three lessons here:

1. God's plan for salvation does not require much from us. Just look up at something!
2. The snake itself was insignificant, but it portends something far more important -- Jesus on the cross.
3. The Bible is meant to be consumed in its broad sweep. That is, the snake story seems strange in isolation, but it's meant to be interpreted alongside material from the New Testament.

So in our prayers today, let us "look up" to that simple, and gracious, offer of salvation.

Nothing really belongs to "us"

In 1 Samuel 30, David takes 400 men into battle against the Amalekites, but 200 men remain behind due to exhaustion. After the victory, a dispute breaks out regarding the spoils of the battle. The 400 men who went into battle argue (1 Samuel 30:22, KJV),

Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered.

But David answers (verses 23 and 24, KJV),

Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us ... but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.

In modern market-based systems, it's easy to view our money/houses/possessions as rewards for our hard work. We want to take ownership of those items and use them almost like trophies that testify to our ingenuity.

But this passage from 1 Samuel serves to remind that, whatever we have, and however we came about possessing it, it ultimately came from, and belongs to, God. And as such, it doesn't really belong to us, but should be used for the betterment of others.

This lack of covetousness is difficult; our brains want to covet! But we can train ourselves through diligent, and never-ceasing, prayer.

God's dealings with us

Try as we might, we'll never fully comprehend God's intentions, as least not during this life. To make that clear, God says (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV),

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways ... For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

But despite our inability to grasp God's intentions, I believe we can comprehend his dealings toward us. I believe Psalm 106 makes this clear in three (nonconsecutive) verses. First, in verse 6 (KJV),

We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

That verse describes our hopeless, fallen state. But then in verse 8 (KJV),

Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

God saved us, not because we deserve saving, but rather to make his compassionate power known to us. How should we react? In verse 12 (KJV),

Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

We can't "pay" God for his forgiveness. All we can do is believe and offer our praise.

Those three verses appear to summarize God's dealings with us. Let us use those verses to guide our prayers.

The four witnesses

A person's testimony about himself, whether true or not, may not be convincing. To be persuasive, testimony needs witnesses. To that end, Jewish law required two witnesses for any testimony to be deemed credible.

So what made Jesus' claims about his divine mission accurate? In John 5:31-47, Jesus provides four witnesses, thus doubling the number required by Jewish law.

The first was John the Baptist. Jesus said (John 5:33, KJV), "Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth." For example, consider John 1:7 (KJV): "[John] came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe."

The second was the teachings and works of Jesus. In John 3:2 (KJV), Nicodemus, the Jewish Pharisee, said, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."

The third was God himself. Consider Peter's retelling of the Transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16-18, KJV): "[We] were eyewitnesses of his majesty ... when there came such a voice ..., This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ... when we were with him in the holy mount."

The fourth witness was the Old Testament scriptures. Jesus said (John 5:39, KJV), "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (For a book-length treatment of the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus, see this.)

That larger point is that Jesus was not some lone voice claiming supernatural authority. Rather, there were witness, double the number required under Jewish law at the time. The onus on us is to believe those witnesses.

Can't comprehend even the name

I think I've posted about Judges 13 before, but it's a passage worth visiting again. In that chapter, an angel of God appears to Manoah and his wife to announce the impending birth of Samson. Upon hearing the announcement, Manoah says to the angel (Judges 13:17, KJV),

What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?

The angel responds (Judges 13:18, KJV),

Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

The phrase "seeing it is secret" is translated in the NIV as "it is beyond understanding," while the NET renders it as "you cannot comprehend it."

What a low position for Manoah! After all, the messenger is not God, but rather an angel. And Manoah is not asking for the grand sweep of the plan, but just the angel's name. Nonetheless, evidently Manoah cannot even process the name of this messenger!

Nonetheless, Manoah was called upon to father one of the most important people in the Bible, making his much more important than any of us. And if being important enough to father Samson still leaves Manoah unqualified to comprehend a name, how much lower must our own understanding be?

The whole story is humbling. But it ultimately drives us to trust in God, and God alone.

Avoiding sin before it happens

The Bible stresses our need to obey God's commandments, but it is very easy to slip from obedience simply due to the environment in which we find ourselves. Therefore, it is our duty to recognize and avoid those toxic environments before they lead to sin.

Proverbs 14:7 (KJV) hits on this point,

Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

That admonition to "go from the presence" applies not just to the "foolish man," but to any situation in which sin might fester, including forms of media and entertainment. In a world with constant distractions, that sort of spiritual discipline is easier said that done. We must train ourselves to avoid sinful situations, and we can do that through diligent and non-ceasing prayer.

Joshua's farewell address to us

In chapter 23 of Joshua, an aging Joshua assembles the Israelite leaders in order to issue his farewell address. In the address, Joshua cautions against following the gods of the surrounding nations. Here are portions of that address (KJV):

Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, ... That ye come not among these nations ... neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God.

Two gods, in particular, worshipped by Israel's neighbors were Baal and Asherah. Despite having somewhat overlapping roles, Baal and Asherah were viewed among people of the ancient Levant as being the ultimate sources of prosperity and fertility. In modern times, we don't "swear by" or "serve" or "bow ourselves" to Baal and Asherah. But we are at risk of elevating what they stood for -- prosperity and fertility (sex) -- above God.

Therefore, Joshua's address is just as relevant to us as it was to the ancient Israelite leaders. We are to "cleave unto the LORD," and not unto the worldly elements represented by Baal and Asherah.

Reading "the law"

Chapter 8 of Joshua finds the Israelites capturing the town of Ai. Afterward, Joshua leads the community in reading the law (Joshua 8:34, KJV),

Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

The Law of Moses require that the law, itself, be read periodically in order to keep the statutes fresh in mind. This "law," commonly understood as the first five books of the Bible, is still with us to this day, and it is still incumbent upon us to read it.

That is why it's important to read and study the Bible, including the Old Testament portions. Fortunately, there are many useful reading plans. I enjoy the One Year Bible, which divides the Bible into shorter chunks for daily reading. But there are many other good reading plans. The important thing is the find a Bible reading plan, and stick with it!

True blessedness

We like to take pride in certain parts of our lives. If we're athletic, we take pride in our athletic accomplishments. If we're professionally successful, we take pride in those successes. If our children are healthy and happy, then we take pride in that.

In Luke 11:27 (KJV), someone tries to brag on Jesus for his family lineage. The person says,

Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

But Jesus responds (verse 28, KJV),

Rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

The message is simple, but very difficult to apply to our lives. Taking pride in earthly matters starts us down a slippery slope of sin. Essentially, the only thing that should matter is obedience toward God. Let us remember those words in verse 28 to focus our prayers.

Prayer before battle

Chapter 20 of Deuteronomy provides various laws for warfare. Verses 2-4 of that chapter describe how, prior to entering battle, the priest is to lead the soldiers in prayer. That prayer reads (Deuteronomy 20:3-4, KJV),

Ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

This prayer applies to all of us, regardless of whether we serve in a military capacity. Every day, we face "enemies," which, since the earliest days of the church, have been viewed as the world, the flesh, and the devil. And those enemies would consume us were it not for God's presence fighting with us.

So as a method for prayer -- especially morning prayer -- read those verses and reflect upon God's saving power.

God preventing our evil actions

The story of Balaam (chapters 22-24 of Numbers) is fascinating on many different levels. But in this post, I'd like to focus on one small piece of that story.

In chapter 22, Balaam is riding his donkey to a place where he'll be able to curse the Israelites. During that journey, an "angel of the LORD" stands in the path of the donkey to prevent its passing. The donkey sees the angel, but Balaam does not. When the donkey stops moving, Balaam become irate and hits the donkey.

Finally, the angel reveals himself to Balaam, and explains why the donkey's path has been blocked (Numbers 22:32, KJV),

I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me.

This passage seems to imply that, although we occasionally sin, and although we pay the consequences for those sins, there are other sins that we never commit, because God prevents us from committing those sins. If not for God standing in our way, we'd be even worse than we are!

Recognizing how deeply ensconced in sin we really are can be depressing! How to respond? Two verses later (Numbers 22:34, KJV), Balaam responds,

I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me.

Subsequent parts of the Bible speak to Balaam's complex legacy. But at least on this one occasion, he appears to confess his sin and humble himself. Let us aim to do likewise.

"Fringes" to help us remember obedience

I occasionally warn that I am not a trained theologian. I hope that what I write here conforms with Biblical doctrine, but I encourage readers to seek independent guidance on these matters.

With that disclaimer aside, Numbers 15:38-39 (KJV) includes God's instructions, delivered via Moses, that the people attach spiritual reminders to their clothes. Those verses read,

Bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments ... And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eye.

Modern translations usually render the word "fringe" as "tassel." The point is that the ancient Israelites used those fringes, always on their clothes, to remain focuses on spiritual matters.

We can do this in modern times as well. Those "fringes" may take many possible forms: crucifix necklaces, prayer beads, and pocket Bibles, just to name a few possibilities. Modern smartphones offer many options, as well, including prayer reminders, spiritually-theme background images, Bible apps, etc.

Now the reason for the aforementioned disclaimer is that some people see such reminders as violating the second commandment's prohibition against "graven images." And maybe they're right, although I think the second commandment's real prohibition is "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them."

So I think such reminders are beneficial, so long as they don't displace God, but rather direct us toward him.

Cleansed of sin

One statute of emphasis in the Mosaic Law is the prohibition on eating blood. Although certainly important from a health standpoint, this rule also served to emphasize the spiritually symbolic importance of blood.

First, sacrificial blood for the atonement of sins is an important element of the annual Hebrew Day of Atonement (known as the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur in modern times). And then Jesus sacrificed the ultimate blood for the permanent removal of all sins. Thus, Christians view the Old Testament Day of Atonement as foreshadowing the eventual crucifixion of Jesus.
 
Mosaic law, in prohibiting the consumption of blood, required those who do consume it to thoroughly cleanse themselves (Leviticus 17:16 (KJV),

If he wash [his clothes] not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

David hits a similar theme (Psalm 51:2, KJV),

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

The Bible contains many such passages that reference "cleansing" of sin. Returning to the subject of blood, we don't literally wash in blood, of course, but we do figuratively wash ourselves in blood -- through faith in Jesus -- to cleanse ourselves of sin. Let us make that a point of emphasis in our prayers today.

Gathering manna every morning

Chapter 16 of Exodus finds the Israelites traveling through the wilderness, without easy access to food. God, in turn, rains manna and quail from heaven, with specific instructions regarding how they are to collect it. Verse 21 (KJV) of that chapter reads,

They gathered it every morning.

This passage first reminds us that God provides our daily provisions. But, second, it reminds us that we bear responsibility to gather. This gathering pertains to items to sustenance, such as food, and also to spiritual matters, such as godliness. And what better time to conduct that gathering than in the morning, before the distractions of the day begin!

So let us begin our days in prayerful spirits, collecting that spiritual manna that God is so eager to provide for us.

Unquestioning trust

Mark 6:30-44 tells of Jesus feeding more than 5,000 people with five loaves of  bread and two fish. The very next passage (Mark 6:45-52) tells of Jesus' disciples getting stranded on a boat during a storm. Being stranded during a storm must be a scary experience, but you'd think that, having just witnessed Jesus create matter out of nothing, the disciples would trust Jesus to save them from danger.

Mark 6:52 (KJV) highlights their lack of trust,

They considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

We all struggle with this problem. We intuitively "know" that God -- having created time, space, and matter -- certainly can bend the physical rules of those things in order to establish his will. But somehow we doubt that he will.

As a broader point, a common complain is: How can God allow bad things to happen to his followers. The key, I think, is to realize that, whether we experience joy or pain, God works for the ultimate benefit of his followers. For an extreme example, consider Joseph being sold into slavery. His extremely dire circumstances eventually worked for the benefit of billions of people, including us! But his circumstances didn't seem so hot at the time!

God knows what he's doing, and he asks for our trust. But establishing that type of unquestioning trust is a difficult aspect of faith. I don't have it! But I believe that we can work toward it through prayer.

"My face shall not be seen"

In Exodus 33:18 (KJV), Moses says to God,

I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

God responds (33:20, KJV),

Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

As discussed in the Life Application Study Bible, because we are finite and morally imperfect, we cannot at the same time exist in our imperfect states and see God. In fact, our earthly perceptions struggle to fathom what "seeing" means in a spiritual sense.

However, God does reveal part of his presence to Moses (33:23, KJV),

Thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

God allows Moses see him as he passes by, which indicates that our finite minds know God by what he does, not by how he "looks."

As humbling as this passage is, I also find it encouraging. Whenever we become frustrated that we don't comprehend God's full plan, and we struggle to sense his full presence, we should recall that Moses, one of the central figures of the entire Bible, and the person who arguably came closest to actually seeing God, also struggled with this same partial revelation.

Our task is to remain humble in prayer, and trust that God's design is greater than ours.

"Cause the lamp to burn always"

Genesis 41:4 (KJV) describes a part of pharaoh's dream,

The ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine.

As Joseph interprets for pharaoh, the lean kine -- "kine" being an archaic word for "cows" -- represents a seven-year famine that would follow seven years of economic success. Joseph advises pharaoh to save during the seven successful years in order to prepare for the lean years.

But as Charles Spurgeon points out, those lean kine also represent our own unfortunate experiences with spiritual backsliding. As Spurgeon puts it,

My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry ... my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life.

How do we avoid those times of "lean kine"? An answer comes in Exodus, where God instructs the Israelites on construction of the holy tabernacle. A seemingly trivial detail in those instructions involves the burning of the lamp (Exodus 27: 20, KJV),

Command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

It's easy to fall asleep while reading details of Hebrew law in the Old Testament. But those details help emphasize spiritual commitment and/or foreshadow the arrival of Jesus. The detail of the lamp obviously serves as a reminder to keep our spiritual zeal burning. And we can achieve that through "praying without ceasing."

Just ask

Chapter 20 of Matthew's gospel includes a story of two blind men begging Jesus to restore their sight. In verses 32-34 (KJV),

Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

Note that the two men didn't have to perform some task, or recite eloquent prayers, or even prove their righteousness. There merely had to ask Jesus!

Turning to Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV), we find a similar theme,

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Again, nothing complicated is required of us. Just "Call unto me."

In our prayers today, let us dispense with complicated words and attempts to prove our worthiness. Rather, let us earnestly ask God for spiritual sight!

Healed by faith

In Matthew chapter 9, Jesus encounters a woman long plagued by a blood-related illness. Fighting through a crowd to get to Jesus, she touches his garment, knowing that simple physical contact will heal her. After being touched, Jesus says to her (Matthew 9:22 KJV)

Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.

Later in the same chapter, two blind men come to Jesus asking to be healed. Jesus asks (9:28 KJV)

Believe ye that I am able to do this?

When the men respond that, yes, they do believe, Jesus responds (9:29 KJV)

According to your faith be it unto you.

Note the common thread: Faith is the key to health. And though both stories appear to deal with physical health, there is an obvious undercurrent of attendant spiritual health. This is especially true in the second story, where being able to "see" doubtlessly implies spiritual understanding of God's will.

Growing in this "faith" is difficult, but a central part of our spiritual journey. Thankfully, we are not alone in that journey. Recalling the words of James 1:5 (KJV), when we lack spiritual vision,

...let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

This is the day the LORD has made

Psalm 118:24 contains a famous verse, one which has inspired a famous hymn. It reads (KJV),

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

When we're struggling to pray, when we fail to find the right words of praise, and when our thoughts seem to drift during our prayerful meditations, it might be useful to consider this verse.

The reason this day exists, and the reason we're even alive to breathe the air around us, is because God willed it to be so. That, alone, is reason enough to offer praise and proceed through the day with spiritual gladness.

A prayer of praise from Revelation

The first several chapters of Revelation present letters to various churches around the Mediterranean. But, starting in Chapter 4, John begins describing visions of heaven. At the end of chapter 4, we find the twenty four "elders" offering their praise to God. Their prayer is (Revelation 4:11, KJV),

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

The prayer offers praise to God, and then describes why God deserved such praise. I like this prayer, because it's easy to memorize, and it gets right to the heart of worship.

Hey, if this prayer is what God's followers pray in heaven, then it's certainly worth us praying as well!

Promises from God

In Zechariah 2:5 (KJV), God describes life in "Jerusalem," which is an obvious pointer toward the future "New Jerusalem," or heaven. In that verse, God says,

For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

That is, God will offer both (1) protection from outside trouble and (2) inner joy. A simple message, to be sure, but one which should focus our prayers, and encourage us to remain diligent and faithful.

A lesson from Obadiah

The book of Obadiah is easy to overlook, in part due to its brevity -- it clocks in at a mere 21 verses -- and in part due to its seemingly narrow message of judgment on Jerusalem's neighboring nation of Edom.

Evidently, as the Hebrews were being carted off to captivity, the Edomites were sitting nearby mocking the Hebrews. Recalling that the Edomites were related to the Hebrews through Isaac, Obadiah delivers the message that the Edomites' mockery will not go unpunished (Obadiah 1:12, KJV),

But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.

For this haughty attitude, God promises (Obadiah 1:15, KJV)

Thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

Again, it's easy to ignore the book of Obadiah since it appears to deal with an ancient political dispute between two nations. But the larger question for us is this: Have we ever behaved like Edom when misfortune fell upon someone else? When politicians, or athletes, or even people we know encounter embarrassing situations or misfortunes, do we ever take a kind of perverse delight? Plain and simple, that kind of attitude, even if kept to ourselves, is a sin. And our "reward" for such an attitude? "Thy reward shall return upon thine own head."

Let us try to flush such haughty thoughts out of our heads.

But if not...

In the third chapter of Daniel, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar erects a golden idol and demands everyone to bow down and worship it. Three Jews (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) refuse, drawing the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar, who threatens to throw them into a fiery furnace.

The response of the three Jews is one of my favorite passages in the entire Bible (Daniel 3:17-18, KJV),

Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

The three words "but if not," which I place in bold font, have earned a certain mystique thanks to their potential role in the World War II battle of Dunkirk. But in terms of pure theology, those three words are powerful. The three Jews recognize that God was under no obligation to save them from destruction, but they were under an obligation to obey God.

It's tempting to view prayer as a method to get stuff from God, and certainly some prayers take the form of requests. But prayer is more than the process of making requests. It's deeper purpose involves conforming our will to God's through a life of spiritual obedience. Facing near-certain destruction Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego understood that. Let us try to emulate their example.

The nearness of God

Where is God? In John 4:24 (KJV), Jesus says,

God is a Spirit.

Being a spirit, he is anywhere and everywhere, all at the same time.
God, himself, expresses this concept clearly through Jeremiah (23:23-24, KJV),

Am I a God at hand ... and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? ... Do not I fill heaven and earth?

This omnipresence of God speaks first and foremost to his infinite power. Our finite minds cannot process such infinite presence. But it also speaks to his nearness. Even now, as I type on my keyboard, God is here, watching my actions and reading my thoughts. That should provide motivation for me to remain obedient, but more important, when I stumble, it means that God understands my weaknesses, and is ready to forgive when I confess.

The "nearness of God" is one of his defining features, and one that we should acknowledge in prayer.

But thou didst trust in thine own beauty

In chapter 16 of Ezekiel, God spends verses 1-14 outlining all of the blessings he bestowed upon his people. As we pray today, let us read those 14 verses, pause for a moment, and reflect upon how God has provided for us.

But then continue to verse 15, which begins (KJV),

But thou didst trust in thine own beauty...

So many of our sins stem from this very problem. We gladly accept God's blessings, including the very blessing of being alive. But then we turn our attention and adoration to those blessings themselves, rather than toward he who provided them.

In our prayers today, let us focus (as Paul put it) on the creator rather than the creation.

A famous verse, and a simple prayer

The opening verse of Psalm 118 appears to have been an important part of ancient Jewish prayer, seeing that it appears many, many places throughout the Bible. Even to this day, that verse remains an important part of worship services, whether Catholic or Protestant.

The KJV rendering of that verse reads,

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

The verse is simple, but spiritually rich. It gives a command for how to pray (i.e., give thanks), and it lists two important reasons why we should give thanks.

The verse also is easy to memorize, and easy to convert to first person for use as a frequent prayer throughout the day. (For example, we can say, "Thanks, Lord, for you are good. Your mercy endures forever.")

However we choose to use this verse, the frequency with which it appears in the Bible strongly suggests its importance. Let us find a way to employ it in our prayer lives.

Two "two evils" we all commit

Staying in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 2, verse 13 (KJV) outlines the double-edge sin we all commit. In the verse, God first says,

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters...

Note the similarity to the language Jesus uses when speaking at the well with the Samaritan woman (John 4:14, KJV),

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

So the first part of our sin is that we refuse God's life-giving "water." But it gets worse! Returning to Jeremiah 2:13,

...and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

So, not only do we turn our back on God, we search out things to replace him, things that "can hold no water." In our prayers, let us search out times we have committed those sins listed in Jeremiah 2:13, and ask for forgiveness.

A prayer for mercy from Jeremiah

Compared to other Biblical prophets, the book of Jeremiah offers fascinating glimpses into the (often despondent) psychology of its author. Simply put, Jeremiah did not seem to enjoy his job as a prophet!

As an example of a window into Jeremiah's mind, consider his prayer for mercy on behalf of the Hebrew people (Jeremiah 14:20-21, KJV),

We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

The first sentence offers a humble acknowledgement of sin. The second sentence asks God to temper his punishment, but note the reason for Jeremiah's wanting mercy. Not because the people deserve mercy. Not because the people promise thereafter to remain obedient. Rather, Jeremiah requests mercy for God's "name sake." Jeremiah requests mercy because humans are the "throne" of God's glory.

The point is, everything we do, including repenting, should be for God's glory, and his glory alone.

The biggest problem with sin

Do we ever feel distant from God, to the point that we begin to doubt his power? Isaiah 59:1 (KJV) says,

...the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

God has infinite power, and he hears our concerns. But why do we feel that he doesn't answer us? Verse 2 (KJV) answers,

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

And therein lies the biggest problem with sin. It pulls us away from God, and separates us from his saving power. So if we feel distant from God, and if we find ourselves doubting his power, let us first examine our own lives. We'll likely find that that fault sits with us, and not with God.

Trust in God's light, not our own

Isaiah 50:10-11 presents a clear dichotomy of where we should, and should not, place our trust. First, in verse 10 (KJV),

Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

Do we distress, and feel like to have no answers? (That is, do we "hath no light"?) Then fear God, trust him, and "stay" (i.e., "rely") on God.

That sounds easy, but our human inclination often leads us to rely on our own cleverness. Verse 11 (KJV) cautions against doing that,

Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

So if we "hath no light," to use the phrasing from verse 10, do we try to "kindle a fire" ourselves, and "walk in the light" of those sparks that we have created? The verse notes that such reliance on self eventually leads us to "lie down in sorrow."

The Bible includes many such dichotomies, but this one is especially stark, particularly with its allegory involving "light." In our prayers, let us seek God's light, and not our own.

Preparing the heart for prayer

When fitting spiritual moments into a busy day, it's tempting to quickly close our eyes, fold our hands, and hammer out a quick prayer. That process takes less than a few minutes.

But the Bible makes it clear that, before praying, we are to prepare our heart. Psalm 57:7 (KJV) states,

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

(In place of the word "fixed," other translations have "committed" or "prepared.") Similarly, Proverbs 23:12 (KJV) states,

Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

(The Hebrew word rendered as "apply" also could be translated as "come," meaning that our hearts and ears are "coming" to God.)

Note from these passages that the Bible does not give a set recipe for preparing our hearts for prayer;  we should be very thankful for that! God does not want us to follow some set of ritualistic machinations before prayer. Rather, he wants our hearts and minds in a correct spiritual setting so that we can properly commune with him. Doing so will help us get more out of our prayer lives.

Why do we work?

Why do we work (or, if you are a student, study)? One could argue that work increases our likelihood of survival. Certainly if we ceased working, our lifestyles would diminish. But, in a modern society, would it threaten our survival? Maybe, or maybe not, depending on our individual circumstances.

My guess is that much of our day-to-day work/study is not geared directly toward survival, but rather toward increasing our wealth or prestige. This seems to be especially relevant in careers that involve building an impressive resume. Now that pursuit of professional success, in and of itself, is not a problem. After all, Solomon notes (Ecclesiastes 3:22, KJV),

I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion.

But problems start when we let our work come before our relationship with God. We begin focusing on the temporal rather than the spiritual. Proverbs 23:4-5 (KJV) states,

Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Wealth and resumes will vanish eventually and become meaningless. But this is a tough psychology to accept, because we spend so much of our day working, that it can become easy to let work define us! To maintain focus during the workday, recall the words of Paul (Colossians 3:23-24, KJV),

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Isaiah's repentance

Chapter 6 of Isaiah contains only 13 verses, but, wow, is it dense! Over the course of those 13 verses, Isaiah

• sees a vision of God in heaven surrounded by angels
• realizes his own lack of holiness in relation to God's perfection
• repents of his sins
• receives a (painful) forgiveness of his sins
• answers God's call to be his messenger
• hears God's plan of impending destruction, and the reason for that coming doom
• receives a hint of God's plan to save a holy remnant

That is, in essence, the entire message of the Bible jammed into 13 verses! Needless to say, there is too much material here to cover in one post.

Therefore, I'd like to draw attention to Isaiah's repentance and forgiveness. In verse 5 (KJV), Isaiah proclaims,

Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Then, in verses 6-7 (KJV), one of the angels...

... having a live coal in his hand ... laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Isaiah didn't offer excuses or explanations for his sins. He didn't even name specific transgressions. Rather, he simply and humbly acknowledged his falling short of God's perfection. God does not require flashy shows of repentance or eloquent appeals in iambic pentameter; he only requires a contrite heart.

But note that the process of forgiveness was painful! A hot coal, taken from the alter, must have scorched Isaiah's mouth. The Bible includes many examples of painful cleansing from sin. But more important than anything, Isaiah was, indeed, cleansed.

Simply repentance, and simple (yet possibly painful) forgiveness. Let those ideas animate our prayers today.

Different circumstances, same conclusion

In the books of Job and Ecclesiastes, two important Biblical figures reflect on the meaning and purpose of life. The circumstances in which they find themselves differ drastically. Job has lost his earthly possessions, his family, and his bodily health. Solomon, on the other hand, is enjoying the pinnacle of earthly prosperity and celebrity.

Yet despite those different circumstances, both Job and Solomon, as they reflect upon life, reach the exact same conclusion!

In Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV), Solomon succinctly summarizes his reflections,

Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

And in Job 28:28 (KJV),

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Those passages show two things. First, the meaning and purpose of life is not complicated: fear God and obey him. Second, that conclusion applies regardless of our life circumstances. Whether we sit on top of the world like Solomon or suffer in the depths of agony like Job, our mission is the same: fear God and obey him.

Searching for and finding mercy

The Bible is often described as a book that explains itself. For example, Proverbs 21:21 (KJV) reads,

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

Those seem like huge rewards for following righteousness and mercy! Now, the "righteousness" part of this is clear: we must follow God's commands. And note, from the passage, that righteousness is, in fact, a reward for pursuing righteousness. So righteousness appears to beget itself.

But what about "mercy"? Where do we find that? Although the immediate surrounding text doesn't provide an answer, other parts of the Bible do. For example, Psalm 36:5 (KJV) reads,

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens.

So all mercy emanates from God in heaven. And the way for us to connect to that mercy is to pray to God for that heavenly gift of mercy.

This is but one, relatively easy-to-understand, example of the Bible explaining itself. The Bible's pattern of explaining itself, I think, becomes clear if one habitually reads the Bible, especially a "literal" translation that attempts to adhere to the original Hebrew and Greek wording. Making a practice of doing that (eventually) helps clarify passages and answers questions that some sections might pose.

(Note: I don't mean to disparage more "dynamic" translations. I, myself, frequently use the NLT!)

God's promise and warning

2 Chronicles 7 finds the ancient Hebrews, led by Solomon, dedicating the newly-constructed Temple. As part of the dedication ceremony, God issues a powerful promise, and an equally powerful warning.

First, for the promise, summarized in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV),

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

If we've sinned or drifted away from God in any way, then this verse is directed right at us. What a great verse of hope and grace!

But then, in verses 19-20 (KJV), comes the warning,

But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight...

Taken together, these verses indicate that sinful behavior causes God to turn from us, but just as quickly, repentance brings about mercy and forgiveness. This, of course, is a dominant theme throughout the Bible, and one which should animate all of our prayers. Today, let us praise God for his infinite mercy!