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A few months a back I realized that winter was coming. I
went to the garage and got out the snow shovels and ice scrapers. I discovered
the leftover snowmelt and put it on the porch. I unhooked the garden hose from the
spiket to avoid a break due to freezing in the cold months ahead. There was no
need to do any of these things now. It would be weeks before even the scrapers
would be needed. But being ready was ingrained into me by my father and the
unpredictable South Dakota winters. Preparation often is the cause for peace
and the absence of panic.
Recently I have been “feeling” some unease in my spirit. I
took the time to craft a prayer for our extended family and attached some spiritual
songs and sent it off the all the kids, asking them to consider praying this
common prayer as a united family. The goal in my heart was not to deal with something
that was happening now, but to deal with something that was coming. The following
passage from Psalms 32 was instrumental in my actions.
A Psalm of David. A
Maskil.
How
blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How
blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose
spirit there is no deceit! When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day
long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained
away as with the fever heat of
summer. Selah.
I
acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I
will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of
my sin. Selah.
Therefore,
let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely
in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. You are my hiding place;
You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Psa 32:1-7 NASB
In this passage I see three simple thoughts among the
thousand deeper insights.
1.
Forgiveness is a blessing from the Lord
2.
Open confession, not hiding sin, is a part of
deep forgiveness
3. God is not always “findable.” We can fail
to seek the Lord when He can be found and end up in deep trouble.
Years ago I was listening to an evangelist from South
America speak at a conference. One of the things that He said that penetrated
my heart was that Americans tend to run to the cross when they have troubles.
He described us as people who go about our daily and religious lives mostly
unaware of God’s will and plan. Then, when we have trouble, a national crisis,
a critical situation, we call for fasting and prayer, sacred assemblies and
sacrifice. He thought that was strange. Why not just live close to Jesus, close
to the cross was his question?
Many of us have practiced the cycle of ease, dis-ease,
seeking God and God’s intervention so long that we may be unaware of any other
way to live. However I believe that most of us, as soon as we see what we are
doing, will seek to turn from this pattern to one that is more harmonious with maintaining
a close relationship with God. Why run to God when we can walk with Him every
day?
One of the books on prayer that I am now reading is from
Richard Foster, “Finding the Hearts True Home.” In that book Foster lists five
other books that deal, in part, with the concept of continual prayer. The
practice of praying without ceasing aids in our living at the cross and avoids
the need to run to God when trouble comes. I have not read all of each of these
books, but I have read most of all of them. Here is his list with links to
Amazon. You may shop around and find
better prices on different translations or publications but these links can get
you started. I have placed them in the order I would recommend for people not familiar
with the authors.
The best way to spend enjoyable time with God is to become
His friend. How do you become God’s friend? Jesus called the disciples friends.
They became His friends the same way we become friends with Jesus, by being with
Him and doing His will. The first part of doing the will of God is spending
time with God so that you know what His will is. Many of us try to do the will
of God based on our own strength and commitment.
In the natural we find ourselves going way beyond our limits
when friends and family are involved. Following one blizzard I was shoveling
snow with my Grandpa. Their driveway was about a quarter of a mile. I got up
early and joined grandpa in the labor because of my relationship with him. An
hour into our labors I continued on, because of our relationship. If I was alone
I would have stopped and sung to myself a little tune to comfort myself in the
midst of defeat, “he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.”
Doing stuff with friends develops endurance and perseverance. Becoming a real
friend of Jesus results in spiritual endurance and perseverance. To become friends, spending time together is
necessary. To spend time with God we speak, laugh, pray, talk, sing and communicate
with Him on an ongoing, never ending basis. It’s not only possible, it is
enjoyable!
Use your friends and family to help you connect with God. Maybe
you can send out a “family prayer” like I did, using this event to motivate you
to pray for one another. Maybe you can set your alarm three times a day for you
to take a few moments and whisper a prayer to the Lord. You can find more insights
and strategies in the book mentioned above and in Richard Fosters, Finding the HeartsTrue Home. Contact me if you what to share an idea or pass on a helpful form of
prayer with others. But no matter the method, develop a friendship with God
that enjoys an ongoing relationship, avoiding the agony of not finding God when
life floods in.
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