Growth Purpose

Proactive Prayers

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It’s not uncommon to hear about some scandal in the Church. Whether it’s a small issue that only local congregants know about, or a large one that receives national media attention, it is not uncommon to be reminded that the Church is made up of sinners and as such there are going to be times where we, and God, are disappointed by its members’ actions.

When I hear about such incidents, one of my first responses is to pray for the people involved. I ask that God would be glorified even in the midst of the hurt and the embarrassment. If it is something that is played out on the national stage, I also often ask that those who speak representing the Church would do so in a way that demonstrates God’s holiness and not in a way that is fodder for soundbites and pundits. I believe that this is an appropriate response. After all, while people may let us down, God never will. Our dependent should be on God alone and these circumstances often serve as a reminder of that fact.

However, I’ve recently been convicted that praying after the events occur is not enough. While asking God to redeem a situation is appropriate, it would be better if I were praying against them before they ever occurred. It would be good for me to be regularly lifting up those in positions of influence and authority – in the church I attend and in the Church around the globe. It would be wise if I did not merely react to these situations, but sought to proactively pray against the devil’s influence and strongholds in people’s lives. I need to not only respond after the fact, but I need to be mindful of where vulnerabilities may lie and to pray that God would work in those individuals’ lives before those vulnerabilities are exploited and the Kingdom of God is marred as a result.

Having this proactive approach requires diligence. It is much easier to simply watch as scandals unfold, shake my head, and pray that God would restore and redeem in those circumstances. However, being proactive about my prayers not only petitions for God’s hand in circumstances before scandal occurs, it makes me more mindful of what I am doing to represent God and His Kingdom well. It reminds me that although my life may not play out in the news media, there are people who’s impression of Christ is being formed by the way I behave. And I need to be proactive about praying that I would represent Him well too.

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Purpose

Here

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The game of hide-and-seek is beloved by children of all ages. The cat-and-mouse interchange makes for great fun and the better hiders can make the game last for hours on end. Of course, if you play the game with young children the game is often quite different. First of all, they aren’t the most adept hiders so it is often easy to spot them with a quick glance around the area of play. Secondly, if you take too long to announce that you have found them, they will often reveal their hiding place with a loud “Here I am!” –  excitedly jumping from their supposedly obscure position.

In Scripture we see a similar situation play out in the lives of men and women that God has called. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve try to hide from God due to the shame of their sin (Gen. 3:8) However, just like playing hide-and-see with a toddler, trying to conceal oneself from God is an exercise in futility. You may think that the place you have selected cloaks you from detection, but He knows where you are even without looking.

Conversely, we also see individuals in the Bible who when called by God, quickly state “Here I am.” Abraham did so in Genesis 22:1; Moses did so as well in Exodus 3:4. Isaiah and Samuel uttered the same words when they were beckoned, and other examples of those with the same attitude abound. They were quick to state where they were because they were eager to hear from their Heavenly Father. Out of love for Him, they answered when He called.

The big difference between Adam and Eve and the lives of the individuals who were quick to respond to God is that Adam and Eve were ashamed to be seen by their Maker. They had blatantly disobeyed Him and a result both their physical and spiritual nakedness was revealed. The other individuals, while certainly not perfect, were living their lives in such a way that when they were called by God they were eager to be found. They were not mired in a life of unrepentant sin; instead their relationship with God was such that when He called their response wasn’t to hide, but to listen.

We should desire that our response would be similar. Our goal should be to walk so closely with Christ that when He calls, we are eager to hear what He desires for us and are quick to obey His words. If our inclination is to hide, if we desire to be cloaked in obscurity rather than used for His purposes, them we need to examine our lives and see if their is unrepentant sin that we need to confess and seek His forgiveness. We should be eager to hear from our Lord and when we do, we should be equally as eager to do what He says. Our response shouldn’t be to hide; our response should be to say “Here!”

 

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