Often we think of prayer as talking to God, that flow of communication with the Sovereign Lord of hosts by which we express our praise, thanks, laments, doubts, fears, petitions, complaints, confessions and all those other aspects of life in communion with our Father in heaven. But how often do we just linger in the presence of God practicing the call of Psalm 46:10 to "be still and know that He is God." The scriptures are punctuated with the reminder that our God is "with" us. He reminds us of this in Isaiah 41:10 to calm our fears. He asserts this in Matthew 28:20 to embolden us and authorize us for mission. Jesus promises not to leave us as orphans but will come to us and be with us (John 14). "With us"--what exactly does that mean? Let me think about it. That is the agenda of being still.
In our times of prayer we whip out the prayer list, run through it with dispatch, pack up and go on our way. How much different is that from the confessional, where adherents line up to enter the enclosure, dump their sins and be on their way? How strange would it be to linger in silence? Surely the priest would hasten us on our way, the business having been conducted.
But prayer is more than a business meeting. Prayer is communion with our God in the splendor of His glory and the expression of His care. One of our goals in prayer is to grow to know our God, to reflect on His revelation in His Word and in His creation and in His providence and in His Son. We want to ruminate. That takes time and that takes discipline, the discipline of being still to know that He is God. In that stillness God impresses His glory upon us, prompting praise. He reminds us of His wisdom, that His ways are not ours, His workings are often inscrutable to our finite minds. Our prayers being fueled by awe and saturated with humility, dependence and submission. Stillness before God fosters depth of relationship with Him by which we might know Him not just academically but experientially.
Silence in prayer can become quite noisy, both with ejaculations of response and with unarticulated murmurs of musing in communion with the God of glory and grace who has entered into relationship with us through the reconciling work of His Son. With these sounds of silence, unlike the song that bears the same name, we don't say, "Hello, darkness, my old friend," but commune with Him who is the Light as the sons of light He has made us to be.
Engaging Conversation
In our zeal to get the word out about the gospel of life in Jesus Christ, we tend to put an emphasis on speaking. Of course, Scripture does ask how people are to hear without someone preaching (Rom. 10:14). A presentation that unfolds the glorious logic of the gospel amidst the glorious illogic of grace has great value. (Note the GOD's good news icon on the CHOP home page for a systematic presentation of the gospel.) Speaking, however, does not mean merely spouting off.
In what I consider to be one of the best instructional manuals for the proclamation of the gospel the Old Testament has to offer (Isaiah 6 is a close companion), God in Isaiah 55 provides a presentation of the gospel (vv. 1-2), focusing on the everlasting covenant (v. 3) bound up in Jesus Christ (cf. Is. 53) and the call to listen to God (cf. John 5:24) and repent (vv. 6-7), the wisdom of God (vv. 8-9) and efficacy of the Word in the purpose of God (vv. 10-11).
In Isaiah 55:2, the prophet asks the question, "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread..." Part of listening is seeing where people are investing their efforts for spiritual life and what currency they are using (usually works righteousness). Then we can urge upon them the call to "listen diligently" to God that they might delight themselves in that which will truly satisfy and lead to eternal life (55:3). God uses us to convey what He says to which people are to listen.
In other words, we want to engage people for the gospel at the point of their searching. That means we will need to listen. This sort of evangelism will be conducted in dialog rather than monologue. When we say the gospel must be preached that does not necessarily bring to mind the pulpit ministry model. Rather it addresses the dispensing of truth instead of some sort of negotiated plan of salvation. When Paul tells Timothy to "preach the word" and to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:1-5), he is engaging Timothy in the same sort of reproof and correction (cf. 2 Tim. 3:14-16) we see in Isaiah 55.
The title of Ronald Johnson's book on evangelism captures the concern, How Will They Hear If We Don't Listen? "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame" (Prov. 18:13) is one of the many communication principles of Proverbs 18. That principle applies to the communication of the gospel as well. As Christ's ambassadors, we have only one answer but we minister that answer to people in keeping with the work of the Holy Spirit who gives ears to hear and creates itches we need to listen to in order to scratch.
In what I consider to be one of the best instructional manuals for the proclamation of the gospel the Old Testament has to offer (Isaiah 6 is a close companion), God in Isaiah 55 provides a presentation of the gospel (vv. 1-2), focusing on the everlasting covenant (v. 3) bound up in Jesus Christ (cf. Is. 53) and the call to listen to God (cf. John 5:24) and repent (vv. 6-7), the wisdom of God (vv. 8-9) and efficacy of the Word in the purpose of God (vv. 10-11).
In Isaiah 55:2, the prophet asks the question, "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread..." Part of listening is seeing where people are investing their efforts for spiritual life and what currency they are using (usually works righteousness). Then we can urge upon them the call to "listen diligently" to God that they might delight themselves in that which will truly satisfy and lead to eternal life (55:3). God uses us to convey what He says to which people are to listen.
In other words, we want to engage people for the gospel at the point of their searching. That means we will need to listen. This sort of evangelism will be conducted in dialog rather than monologue. When we say the gospel must be preached that does not necessarily bring to mind the pulpit ministry model. Rather it addresses the dispensing of truth instead of some sort of negotiated plan of salvation. When Paul tells Timothy to "preach the word" and to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:1-5), he is engaging Timothy in the same sort of reproof and correction (cf. 2 Tim. 3:14-16) we see in Isaiah 55.
The title of Ronald Johnson's book on evangelism captures the concern, How Will They Hear If We Don't Listen? "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame" (Prov. 18:13) is one of the many communication principles of Proverbs 18. That principle applies to the communication of the gospel as well. As Christ's ambassadors, we have only one answer but we minister that answer to people in keeping with the work of the Holy Spirit who gives ears to hear and creates itches we need to listen to in order to scratch.
Unearthing Pearls of Prayer
God instructs us in prayer in various ways and at various times throughout His Word. We sit in with Jesus' disciples as He responds to the request, "Lord, teach us to pray." The mechanism and mechanics of prayer are unveiled to us in teaching points on the subject giving us a practical theology of prayer. Prayer is illustrated for us in places like Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9 and Daniel 9. The psalms comprise a prayerbook leading us in multifaceted prayer. Paul's prayers in Ephesians, Phillipians and Colossians expand our framework for prayer beyond our parochial concerns. We are commanded to pray, enjoined to pray and constrained to pray.
But our God instructs us in prayer even beyond the more conspicuous teachings or examples of prayer. As we navigate the terrain of redemptive history in our regular reading of God's Word, we would do well to keep our eyes open for nuggets of prayer buried within the text that are easy to gloss over in our haste.
Genesis 20 serves as a good example. Abraham is traveling in Gerar. He represents Sarah as his sister rather than his wife. Abimelech, king of Gerar, pursues Sarah as an unattached woman. God speaks to Abimelech in a dream and alerts him to dire consequences because Sarah is Abraham's wife. As we read this account, we shake our heads in disgust at Abraham's lack of trust and in befuddlement wondering what God is communicating in the event. Yet buried in the account is a nugget on prayer.
God lays out His solution to Abimelech's predicament: "Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live." (Gen. 20:7) God showcases the role of Abraham as intercessor and prayer as God's means for the promised ends. Since God had communicated to Abimelech directly, couldn't He have just told him to return Sarah to Abraham and let bygones be bygones? Instead, God shows us that He deals in prayer. In so doing, He gives prayer a place and value, lending it a certain weight as we hold the weapon of prayer in our hands. Ten verses later we see how it plays out: "Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children."
Notice how stopping to pick up this nugget and study it enriches our notion of prayer, giving us appreciation for the extraordinary value of prayer in the workings of God. It emboldens us and raises our expectations in our role as appointed intercessors. The Bible is filled with such nuggets, easily missed unless we're looking for them.
But our God instructs us in prayer even beyond the more conspicuous teachings or examples of prayer. As we navigate the terrain of redemptive history in our regular reading of God's Word, we would do well to keep our eyes open for nuggets of prayer buried within the text that are easy to gloss over in our haste.
Genesis 20 serves as a good example. Abraham is traveling in Gerar. He represents Sarah as his sister rather than his wife. Abimelech, king of Gerar, pursues Sarah as an unattached woman. God speaks to Abimelech in a dream and alerts him to dire consequences because Sarah is Abraham's wife. As we read this account, we shake our heads in disgust at Abraham's lack of trust and in befuddlement wondering what God is communicating in the event. Yet buried in the account is a nugget on prayer.
God lays out His solution to Abimelech's predicament: "Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live." (Gen. 20:7) God showcases the role of Abraham as intercessor and prayer as God's means for the promised ends. Since God had communicated to Abimelech directly, couldn't He have just told him to return Sarah to Abraham and let bygones be bygones? Instead, God shows us that He deals in prayer. In so doing, He gives prayer a place and value, lending it a certain weight as we hold the weapon of prayer in our hands. Ten verses later we see how it plays out: "Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children."
Notice how stopping to pick up this nugget and study it enriches our notion of prayer, giving us appreciation for the extraordinary value of prayer in the workings of God. It emboldens us and raises our expectations in our role as appointed intercessors. The Bible is filled with such nuggets, easily missed unless we're looking for them.
Navigating the New Year
As we embark on a new year, our Lord alerts us to struggles, challenges and temptations. He assures us of the supremacy of His abiding presence with us and the sufficiency of His abounding grace in whatever He sets before us. On the cover of the weekly prayer guide I publish for my personal use I have a reminder to help me keep my bearings as I navigate those sometime stormy seas that threaten to undo me. Distress gave birth to the reminder as the Spirit of God girded me up with His truth and sustained me. I share it here as one seeking to comfort others with the comfort I myself have received from God.
I can handle all things
trusting God's providence
that brought it to me
in Christ's strength
that is perfectly sufficient for me
for God's glory
that is to be my goal over my comfort and convenience.
May the peace of God guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
I can handle all things
trusting God's providence
that brought it to me
in Christ's strength
that is perfectly sufficient for me
for God's glory
that is to be my goal over my comfort and convenience.
May the peace of God guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
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