Tug of War?

Matthew 6:9-10 (KJV) ⁹  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Before the memory of Irma fades I’d like to share a few more thoughts. As the hurricane approached the U.S. many people began to pray – for the Caribbean Islands as well as for Florida. I was among them, and it is the Florida-related prayers that I’ve been thinking about. No one knew for sure which path Irma was going to take. Most prayers took the form of asking God if it could go out to sea and affect no one. But, if that couldn’t happen… would the prayers of the west coast believers prevail, or would the prayers of the east coast believers? It makes me wonder… is prayer – at times – like a tug of war? A tug of war is “a contest in which two teams pull at opposite ends of a rope until one drags the other over a central line”. Many of us have participated in such a contest when we were younger.

My prayers (from Maine) were “west-coast” oriented, because my son lives about a quarter mile from the Gulf Coast, and I know others up and down the west coast of Florida. I wanted them to be safe. I wanted their property to be secure. I wanted everything to be okay for them. BUT… at the same time… I also know people on the east coast of Florida. I did not want harm to come to them or their property either. At first people on the west coast were “relieved” because the storm was supposed to travel up the east coast. Perhaps the brunt of it would miss them. Then people on the east coast were relieved because the worst of the storm was forecast to travel up the west coast. So… whose prayers “prevailed”? The east coasters or the west coasters… or someone else’s? Does prayer even affect the weather? Did the Christians on one coast have more faith… or were they “better” people? What about the south coast (the Keys) and the mid-state region? The more you think about these things the “trickier” prayer is to nail down to some automatic formula or response on God’s part. In fact, these kinds of thinking reveal some flaws in our understanding and practice of prayer.

Too often we approach prayer like we do the restaurant experience. And, though we do not use these words, the true approach of many a prayer is, “Dear God, are you ready to take my order?” We come before God and we see/imagine the “menu” available to us. Then we say, “I’d like this… and this… and that… please be as quick as you can to bring me just what I want.”

When the Holy Spirit (the “waiter”) takes our order to the cook (God the Father) we expect something great. When it is placed before us we do not always receive it with satisfaction. If I get a meal at a restaurant that I do not like, what do I do? In my case, I say nothing. But to myself and to Joanne I will grumble, grumble, grumble. In contrast, when my older brother gets a meal that he does not like, he sends it back demanding that it be “fixed” or replaced. How dare the cook send out such a disgusting or inferior thing and expect him to eat it!

Is the unwillingness to accept what God sends our way an appropriate attitude in our prayer lives? Is grumbling or complaining? Is getting up and walking out on Him? These things (as well as a “perfect meal”) are all related to “me getting what I wanted” out of God. But God is not my servant. I am His. Sometimes what God puts before me is bitter. It’s really hard to swallow. I don’t want it. Yet it is what God puts before me. Sometimes what God puts before me is sour. It feels like it has gone bad. It’s not fresh. It may even give me the “shivers” to get it down. Sometimes what God puts before me is salty. It leaves me wanting/needing more… something else to wash it down or quench my thirst (for Him). And sometimes what God puts before me is sweet. It tastes great. I can’t get enough of it. I think it should always be this way. If God “really” loves me everything He gives will be this way, and it will always be in line with just what I want.

In cases like these, we end up in a “tug of war” not with other Christians, but with God Himself. And guess what? That is one you will never win. If you think in these terms you will inevitably have to conclude at some point that God is against you. And honestly… is that the case? Do you really believe that? Dallas Willard (in Renovation of the Heart) asks a question that all of us truly need to come to terms with:…

“Do you want God to help you, or do you want God to be God?” God has a perfect will, and my only need is to seek, receive, and follow that will, not to seek for my will to prevail. At the end of it all, our best prayer is no more and no less than what Jesus taught us to pray…

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name…” – More than anything else, O Lord, I want your name to be honored by me, through me, and in me.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done…” – Jesus modeled this at the end of His life when He came to the cross. And He taught it as the model of our prayers.

Am I willing for God’s will to be done… even when it is bitter to me? Can I trust God to do what is best and right in His sight, and can I trust that He is strong enough, wise enough, and loving enough to carry me and to glorify Himself in me? The tug of war of prayer is what is going on in my heart – between self and surrender, between discontentment and contentment, between rejection and acceptance. Do I really want God’s will, or don’t I? Will I be satisfied in Him? Will I follow in faith, or leave in disappointment? Am I ready to hold everything else with a loose grip, so that I may hold tightly only to God?

If your pattern of prayer is, “God, are you ready to take my order?”… I believe you will inevitably be disappointed with God. But if your pattern of prayer is, “Not my will, but Thy will be done”… then you will be living your life at a whole new level spiritually: deeper and richer and ultimately satisfying to you, as well as pleasing to God.

John 14:1 (NIV)  "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

Matthew 26:42 (NIV)  He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

1 John 5:14-15 (KJV) ¹⁴  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ¹⁵  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Job 2:10 (NIV)  He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

PRAYER:  Lord, may I want your will… may I love your will, and may I accept your will with faith… each and every day. In the name of Jesus, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

A Personal Money Manifesto - Part Five

Psalm 150:6 (NIV)  Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Amidst the ways that money impacts our lives (in the last four weeks we have looked at work, worry, wants, waste) we now come to consider a usage of money that brings us great joy and fulfillment. Any “personal money manifesto” with no room for the relationship between money and worship would be a very limited and ultimately sad list of beliefs/goals. Our attitudes toward, and usage of money reflects our hearts, and it is from the heart that true worship comes.

WORSHIP – Though worship is accompanied and assisted by many outward forms and practices, the Bible clearly communicates to us that our God looks at and cares most about the heart. He knows the status of my heart. He knows when there is a disconnect between my heart and anything I might be doing or saying in any given moment. When I attend worship services and do the things we do there (sing, pray, give, listen to preaching, etc.), God knows if/when I am worshipping and when I am not. The actions in and of themselves are not true worship – unless they are accompanied and motivated by love, praise, gratitude, and trust that fill the heart of the worshipper. A heart that is empty of these produces a life that is empty of worship, regardless of what outward visible or audible activities one might engage in at a church building, worship service, or other such setting. Only God knows how much or how little actual worship is taking place in the individual believer and in the gathering of any people for the purpose of worshipping God.

All of life is a vehicle for worship and an opportunity for thanksgiving and praise. You do not need a liturgy. You do not need a pew. You do not need a song leader or preacher. Now, I like some of those things (especially since I am a preacher), but you don’t go through life with them constantly with you. They do not accompany you to the office (or wherever your job takes you). They are not in your house or your car. They are not at family meals or with you when you go for a hike or a run. None of them are with you all the time. But God is, and only God is. Therefore, if God is ever-present to you, you can worship Him in a variety of circumstances, and actually, in all circumstances. If one or more of these are present in your heart – love, praise, gratitude, trust – in a real way – wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing – then you are worshipping. And hopefully, worship is actually happening in the church building on Sunday mornings too.

There is a potential – for every single time you handle money (or some type of financial transaction) – for you and I to worship God – for love for, praise to, gratitude to, or trust in Him to be filling our heart and/or motivating that action or attitude. For example, how much does grumbling, complaining, or worrying about money result in worshipping God? None at all. Since all of my money and possessions come from God, I am constantly afforded an opportunity for a heart full of gratitude. When I “give up” money for an end that glorifies God (such as meeting the needs of others), I am being moved by love. When I release “my” money for some work of the Kingdom of God, I am declaring my trust in the Lord to take care of me without that money being mine anymore. When I am filled with thankfulness and “just feel like” sharing or giving in some way, I am pointing my heart and life to God. Money is a great vehicle for worshipping God. It’s such a prominent part of life. So why not “capture it” for the glory of God? I think if we don’t do this, then we must be wary, for money will capture our hearts if our hearts are not first and foremost captured by love for God, praise and gratitude to God, and trust in God.

Therefore…

-          I will seek to be generous, so that I might become more like the Lord I love. (Philippians 4:19)

-          I will seek to be intentional with my attitudes about giving, so that my giving will always be true worship.

-          I will seek to connect all my financial thoughts and dealings with love, praise, gratitude, or trust in my heart for God.

-          I will seek stop doing anything with money that I cannot connect in some way to worship of the Lord.

-          I will seek to be thankful in all circumstances – especially financial ones – so that God may be glorified (1 Thessalonians 5:18)… and to live with joy.

-          I will seek to be an example and encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ of what comes forth from a heart filled with love, praise, gratitude, and faith for God.

-          I will seek to keep my giving from ever becoming an action that is for my self-promotion, for people to love me or think more highly of me, or for any self-centered motive. I cannot worship God when I am the object of my giving.

-          I will seek to treasure the Lord as so much more valuable… above all other things and all other persons.

Would you add anything to my list?

May the Lord be gracious to us. He knows when love, praise, gratitude, and faith are not present in our hearts. Without Him, and without the help of the Holy Spirit, all our attempts at worship – including those related to money – will fail. By His grace and mercy, we shall actually worship. God is good.

John 4:23-24 (NIV) ²³  Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV) ³⁶  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" ³⁷  Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' ³⁸  This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ⁴⁰  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)  So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Matthew 6:21 (NIV)  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

PRAYER:  Father, fill my heart with love… praise… gratitude… and faith… all directed to you. Let these cover all my thoughts and dealings with money… for your glory. In the name of Jesus, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott