Luke 21.36 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that
you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place,
and to stand before the Son of Man.” (ESV)
Jesus foretells many things in Luke 21. He foretells the
destruction of the Temple. He foretells the rise of wars and conflicts. He
foretells the destruction of Jerusalem; He foretells His second coming. And, He
warned His listeners to stay awake, and pray. He told them to pray for strength
to escape all the tumult and to be able to stand before the Son of Man.
I listen to prayers; I hear how we pray. I hear us pray
for things we already have. I hear us pray for things that God won’t do. I’m
not saying I’m an expert but I do hear some wild stuff out there – weird stuff.
People seem to start to pray and then turn off their minds. I think most adult prayers
sound like the requests made by a five-year old: childish, petty, and
impossible. It’s not that we ask; it’s
what we ask for. What do we really
want?
Jesus wasn’t offering a casual suggestion; He was
explaining to them that times were going to be very difficult. Difficult times
lead to difficult prayers and more often than not, a wandering from God. So,
Jesus told them to pray for strength. If there is one thing we need, it’s
strength to stand firm in our faith in the coming days of difficulty…
There’s an enormous distinction between strength and power in Scripture. Strength seems to be portrayed as defensive,
whereas power seems to be offensive. However, we are never instructed to ask
for power, but we are instructed to pray for strength. Jesus’ words to them
(and to us) in Luke 21 are significant because He knows the weakness of the
human heart; theirs and ours.
The strength I need today is the strength to oppose lying
words. Worry, anxiety, fretting all spring from lying words. FEAR: false evidence appearing real. Worry is my
self-imposed listening to lying words about the power and presence of God.
Worry denies God. Worry is fretting about things that are yet to come. I’m not
to live worrying and fretting. I’m to live in the reality of the presence of
God no matter what is going on around me.
And therefore my prayers must be declarations of the
presence of God and His power towards me, always thanking Him what He has
already done; what He is doing presently; and what He will continue to do. I need
strength to believe it and to pray accordingly. And that strength looks like an
unflagging determination to hold onto God’s words and God’s truth despite my
circumstances. And my reward? My reward is my escape from the clutches of
unbelief.
Father, today I pray as instructed: for strength to
believe in the midst of the stuff of this life. It is the strength necessary to
defeat doubt and lying words. It is the strength necessary to walk with my head
held high trusting in You when all else seems to be falling apart. Father, I
pray for strength today – not to fight my own battles, but to trust in Your
unseen providence in the midst of them… Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment