November 01, 2011
Wish List
A woman I know seldom attends any church worship and yet invariably she
asks to be put on the prayer chain with every near miss or crisis that comes
her way. In exasperation one of her friends told Jane Doe, “Jane you have to start coming to church for yourself. You can’t keep
expecting people to include you on the prayer chain if you aren’t going to do
your part. The prayer chain is not a wish list.” Jane is a little hurt and still somewhat
stand-offish, however I think her friend was spot on. As harsh as it sounds,
the friend spoke the truth in love. Jesus said to the church in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither
cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!” (Rev
3:15 NIV) A lukewarm relationship with other believers might well result in
lukewarm prayers.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----I’m not so sure it should. We see things so much through the perspective of time. And the biggest connection we perceive is the present. At least in my life, the second most known connection is the past. The future registers a rather distant third in my knowledge of it. So what I am in my eyes is mostly what I am being presently mixed with much of what I have been recently, and seasoned with what I aim to be shortly. But God perceives the three equally. He knows Jane Doe’s past as well as He knows her present as well as He knows her future. So what Jane Doe is in God’s eyes consists not only of her past and of her present equally, but also just as much of what she will be in her future. And we do not know what that is for her. So it is our prayers which are highly needful for that future to happen in a way which makes the best Jane Doe for God’s greatest enjoyment, no matter what Jane’s behavior has been today and yesterday. -----I know it is hard to pray for people who stick only a toe through the church door. But God said He would not quench a smoldering wick or break a bruised reed. If the toe is there because of a smolder, it seems best to fan the spark gently and pray ambitiously.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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