February 5, 2011

• "Where is your faith?"

  I've noticed recently, in reading the Bible, that there are good ways and bad ways to ask God for things.  The key difference is faith.  That is, trust that God exists and that He cares about us and will reward us some day. (Hebrews 11:6)

  The Israelites in Numbers 20:1-5, faced with a lack of water (a legitimate problem/need) could have said "Moses, please pray our great God on our behalf, who brought us out of Egypt with awesome power and amazing compassion, providing for us at every step of the journey.  We humbly ask Him to now provide water for us."
  But instead they said "If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why then have you brought the Lord's assembly into this wilderness, for us and our beasts to die here? Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink."

  The disciples in Mark 4, faced with a storm-induced drowning (a legitimate problem/need) could have said "Teacher, please do something!  We know you said that we will cross over to the other side, but right now we really need Your help!"
  But instead they said, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, faced with being thrown into a fiery furnace (a legitimate problem/need) could have said in Daniel 3, "Our God seems to have abandoned us! God, why don't you care about us? We've been faithful to You!  Why have you brought us to this dismal end?"
  But instead they said, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
  But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

  The Jerusalem Christians in Acts 4, threatened with physical harm by the same people that had just killed Jesus (a legitimate problem/need) could have said "God, why have you brought this persecution upon us?  We're all going to die now, simply because we did what You told us to do.  Don't you care about us?"
  But instead they said,
  "O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
  'Why did the Gentiles rage,
  And the peoples devise futile things?
  'The kings of the earth took their stand,
  And the rulers were gathered together
  Against the Lord and against his Christ.'
  For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
  And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."
  When faced with your own agonizing life problems, how do you pray to God about them?
   

  • 11:26 am
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