Where Do You Go for Refuge?
“I will say of the Lord , "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."“ Psalm 91:2
Recently we’ve had some crazy weather in the Midwest, so safety is on everyone’s mind when the forecast starts to look nasty. When the weather turns bad, the news stations break in and the meteorologists begin a real-time explanation of what is happening. When you hear them say, “Get to your safe place, now!”, you know it’s time to run.
But before storm season even approaches, people are encouraged to be storm-ready, with supplies and a storm-safe space to which they can run for safety. The key is to be prepared, to know where to go, and to be ready.
Earlier this week was just such a time. I was in a deep sleep and was awakened to sirens wailing and my husband saying, “It’s time to go to the shelter!”. The urgency was palpable.
Here’s the thing. We knew exactly where to run. We didn’t ask questions. We didn’t stop to ponder if there was a better choice. We grabbed the pets and made our way right to our storm shelter. We stepped inside, closed and bolted the door, and then we waited, listening and praying. But we waited in confidence knowing that whatever happened outside, we were safe inside. We knew where to run. We were confident of its strength and stability.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
As believers, we have the ultimate shelter that provides supernatural ability to survive the storm. Do our sons and daughters seek the same safety and shelter in the storms of life? To what refuge do our sons and daughters run? Are they running to God or are they pausing to consider their options?
Far too often we fall prey to the schemes of this world. The lies that tell us our security is in our financial stability, or our possessions, or our relationships. Those lies only serve to pull us away from the Lord and turn our eyes to temporary, insufficient things that will not protect or shelter us from spiritual attacks. Sadly, too often God becomes our ‘backup plan’ if our other options don’t deliver.
We resist embracing the One option that is fail proof every time. Why is that? Why do we resist trusting the Lord as if He has a spotty record of success? Has He ever been unreliable? Has He ever failed?
God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5b-6
God protected Daniel from the lions (Dan. 6), David from Goliath (1 Sam. 17), Noah from the flood (Gen. 7-8). Scripture is filled with His supernatural, omnipotent deliverance that reaffirms His love for us and His extraordinary ability to overcome whatever we might face. He is sovereign, there is none stronger or with more authority. The earth is the Lord’s; He reigns supreme. There is nothing under the sun that can harm us if God is our refuge and strength. He is faithful. We can trust Him.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9
Our hearts should be burdened if we see our sons and daughters running to hide themselves in a semblance of shelter that is not God. We should be speaking words of truth that point them to the Rock. We should model what it means to find our refuge in Him. If we sit idly by, we give passive agreement to their misdirection.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3
Let’s pray for and direct our sons and daughters to the One who is their refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. God needs to be our first and only option every time. He is storm safe, refuge ready, and powerful enough to withstand anything the enemy can throw at us. He WILL keep us safe. But we need to run to Him. No wandering in the storm, wondering if there might be a better option. We need to run straight into His sheltering arms and trust that He will protect and sustain us, no matter what comes our way.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5
“Lord, forgive me for too often trusting in things I can see, things that I can arrange for myself, those resources that peddle false security to the gullible. You are my refuge and strength, You alone. I pray for (name) today. Lord, speak into their heart. Help them to hear You clearly and see that You, alone, are their refuge and strength. Impress upon their heart a desire to run to You for shelter and protection. I pray that You would give me discernment to model this well. Lord, be my shelter- help me not to complain or seek solace from anyone or anything other than You. You are my safe place. When life gets hard, painful, and stretches me thin, be that voice that says “It’s time to run to the shelter!” I pray that (name) would hear Your voice. Give them refuge from all of the pressures and pains of this life, not that You would remove them, because I know hardship brings growth, maturity, and a deeper love for You. But protect them, Lord. Teach them in that quiet place under Your wings. Show them Your love and care. Set them on solid ground so that they can withstand the storm and find their rest in You. I pray that as they find refuge in You, they would sing for joy because they love You and trust You. Surround them with Your favor, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Prodigal Prayer
“Oh, Father, my heart is heavy for (name). They are seeking shelter and refuge in every place but You. Lord, they are in the storm and the enemy continues to deceive them. I pray You would open their eyes to SEE You. Make Yourself real to (name) today. I ask that they would run to You for refuge and would find protection and shelter in Your great name. Draw them, Lord. Let your Holy Spirit speak into their heart and mind so they can’t help but be drawn to the beauty of Your Presence and the protection of Your covering. I pray that even today, You would draw them into a personal relationship with You. Show them their need for a Savior. Bind the enemy so his lies cannot interfere. Bring (name) to salvation today, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12
Rapture? Millennium? New Earth? What Will Life Be Like?
Recently it’s occurred to me that we spend a lot of time learning about how to live an effective Christian life now… but we pay little attention to what life will be like once this life on earth is through.
So much of our walk with the Lord is built on hope! The hope of heaven, the hope of our inheritance, the hope of living in Christ’s presence. But we spend little time learning about what it is that we are specifically hoping for. That’s concerning. How can our sons and daughters live in the expectation and hope of eternity with God when we spend so little time teaching about it?
We talk about the millennium, but we have little understanding of what we will do. What will our purpose be?
We understand that God will make a new heaven and a new earth and we will live eternally with Him as our Sovereign Lord and King. Yet, if you ask any believer, I guarantee, there would be more questions than answers and most only have a vague idea, at best, of what our life will be like at that point.
It’s no wonder we hear young people say “I do want the Lord to return, but I want Him to wait until… (insert marriage, children, career, travel, etc.) Our sons and daughters lack the longing for being present with Christ because they don’t have a clear picture of HOW it will be better than what they know right now. They’re only told it will be.
If I’m honest, when I was young, I didn’t know much about life beyond that which I knew and experienced to that point. When I thought of heaven, I pictured masses of people, wearing white, standing around in a nondescript cavernous space, singing hymns to the Lord. I mean, don’t get me wrong, who doesn't love a good hymn sing? But for eternity? It just didn’t hold the massive appeal that my parents and older believers said it should. And no one took the time to teach about it. Oh, there was teaching on the Tribulation, for sure, but when we got to Revelation 21 and 22, it was a quick fly-over with few references to the other places in Scripture that described God’s promises. For an extroverted, visual learner, it was a colorless, bland outlook. I struggled with guilt because it was supposed to be what I longed for, yet I didn’t know much about it and it didn’t seem overly exciting.
As I lived my life, I found joy and pleasure in spending a day at the barn and riding a horse through the woods. I communed with the Lord in nature, enjoyed seeing, hearing, feeling all of the wonder of creation while riding and being one with a horse. There was something in that experience that I felt and couldn’t put into words. I enjoyed walking through the woods, exploring, listening to the sounds of the birds and talking to the Lord about my hopes, my burdens, and listening to Him. I loved spending time with friends, especially those who shared my values and convictions, those moments when iron sharpened iron and our friendships were deepened in conversations about the Lord. Could it be that God would give me experiences and pleasures like this in His presence? What was it about eternity that I could really look forward to?
What was it about eternity that I could really look forward to?
Why would God give us a lifetime of doing things we enjoy here, seeing beauty, knowing love, feeling joy and pain, heartache and bliss, only to have an eternity of monotony? He wouldn’t and He won’t!
Oh, dear friend, that’s not what He has planned at all!! This life is a foretaste!! It’s a shadow of what is to come!
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
If we have good things here, IMAGINE the good we will enjoy in His presence?!
If we have good things here, IMAGINE the good we will enjoy in His presence?! God gives us continual ‘hints’ of what we will enjoy…are we paying attention?
““For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.”” Isaiah 65:17-18
Jesus said, “I will go to prepare a place for you.” Jn 12:2 When we invite someone to come and stay, we don’t just welcome them in the door and leave them standing in the entry. No, we bring them in, make them feel welcome, we give them a comfortable place to rest and we entertain them. We have a meal, conversation, and share our lives with them. Jesus is preparing a place for us, just for us! He’s getting ready to welcome us into His home- which will be our home, prepared just for us.
That heavenly banquet…
Will we enjoy food in Heaven? Absolutely!! Our Shepherd will dine with us in the most fabulous feast of perfect foods, delicacies from every culture and land- created by Him for our pleasure!
““I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;”” Mt 8:11
Imagine sitting with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob while we enjoy a banquet! Leaning over to ask the Apostle Paul a question, gathering around Jonah to hear what it was really like in the belly of the fish, listening to Daniel recount his hours in the lion’s den, hearing Jesus tell us that He loved us so much He willingly went to the cross to bear our sin- and He would again and again, but once was sufficient for all. Imagine walking hand in hand with Jesus in the fields and meadows of heaven, feeling that nail scar touching our own palm and knowing that if it had not been for His love for us, that scar would be our own and our destiny so different.
Worship is a way of life and will continue to be
But what about work and hobbies? Oh, I believe He will give us joy in working and creating things that bring glory to Him. You see, worship isn’t just going to church on Sunday and singing songs, praying, and learning. Worship is a way of life. Everything you do points to what you value. So if we value Christ, our lives will reflect that in the way we speak, work, play, and rest. It will be reflected in how we interact with others, how we celebrate joy and how we grieve and mourn loss. All of that will be heightened in the presence of Christ- imagine! He will wipe away every tear! Our daily lives will be a living model of worship to the Savior in all that we do, using our gifts, talents, skills, and in our deep fellowship with others who are doing the same!
Then there is His wondrous, glorious creation that awaits us! Imagine, if we enjoy being outdoors now, how much more amazing it will be in the New Earth where there is no corruption of sin, no thorns on roses, no sting in the scorpion or bite from the mosquito?! If nature holds us captive with beauty in a fallen world, how much more will it be in a perfect one?!
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:6-9
Shalom, once again
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord!! Everything will be at ‘Shalom’ once again- in perfect harmony with God and in worship and celebration of Him. There will be no coup attempt from the enemy to overthrow the Lordship of Christ because the enemy will be banished forever. We won’t have competing values, or struggles with temptation. We will live as God intended, a return to Eden of sorts, where we will walk and talk with the Lord in the cool of the day and enjoy the work that He gives us in the perfection of His creation. The tree of life will once more be available to us and oh, the sweetness of that fruit! Life-giving, refreshing, and boundless! Ours to enjoy!
“I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).
“…On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month;” Rev 22:2
There is so much yet that we need to learn. And there is much we need to encourage our sons and daughters with, even today. Are they truly looking forward to eternity with Christ, or is it just what comes next? Do they have an excitement for life in a sinless world? Do they comprehend what God has in store? Let’s have these conversations! Do we know everything? Of course not, but imagine the joy of discovery as we learn together! It might offer a little taste of heaven that we can enjoy here!
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters develop an eternal perspective of what is to come, the joy that is set before us when we step into Christ’s presence and the deep purpose and fulfillment that are promised for eternity in an uncorrupted world where God reigns unchallenged and forever.
“Oh, Father, You hold so much in store for us, yet we don’t understand it and we rarely seek to learn more about it. I pray that You would assure (name) that their eternal inheritance is so full of the very best of everything You create, all that You own, all that You can so generously provide that we will be overflowing with joy, gratitude and fullness in Your Presence. Give them tangible reminders of what You have in store. Assure them that they will have purpose. Remind them of the deep and refreshing fellowship they will enjoy with You and with other believers. Show them the wonders of Your creation here and remind them there is so much more they will see and experience. Open their eyes to see wonderful things in Your word (Ps. 119:18) that would affirm Your promises of what awaits us when we meet You face to face. Lord, we await Your return with anticipation, but please help us to learn and understand more of what we are awaiting! Our minds are so limited and this sinful world is all that we know. Holy Spirit, work in us to understand the things of God more clearly so that this world loses its charm and our hearts and minds long for the next. You are more than we can imagine and how amazing is that, because if we could, it would mean you are limited and small. Oh, great God and Father, thank You for being more than we can grasp and for giving us the promises of greater things! I pray that You would move and work in this generation. Turn their eyes to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
If you would like more resources on God’s promises and the hope of Heaven and life beyond the grave, I highly recommend Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven. You can also follow his ministry, Eternal Perspective Ministries. https://www.epm.org/
Pray without ceasing!
Are you praying for a prodigal?
Are you praying for a prodigal or know someone who is? Consider purchasing 40 Days of Prayer for the Prodigal. The book will walk you through heart preparation of confession, surrender and exaltation to the Lord. There are 40 days of prayer on specific topics, supported by Scripture, but you will enjoy a Sabbath refreshment every seventh day to keep your heart and mind focused on God. Don’t miss this solid resource to encourage your heart and empower your prayer life to more effective petition to the Lord.
Do You Believe in the Sovereignty of God?
God’s sovereignty is beyond our understanding
Stop and think about that. Then consider the following:
There is much happening in our world and I see so many people arguing politics. They are shocked and devastated at how events are playing out. (It IS grievous. It should not be surprising.)
But consider scripture and what is foretold. We know things will turn and go badly. We know that nation will rise up against nation. There will be wars, famines, earthquakes... honestly, scripture reads like the CBS evening news. What we're not hearing is of the beheading of 60 Christian believers in a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The genocide of believers in Muslim-controlled nations. It should break our hearts and put us on notice.
This week’s dust up between Trump and Zelensky led many to shout on social media about their opposition, disgust, and what they believe should be done. Then, I read a statement from a Eastern European politician and former prime minister of Estonia, K. Kallas, that said "Today it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.” (1)
Does that give you chills? It should. Considering prophecy, where will the antichrist come from? Hmmm.
“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.”
When we pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done” consider what that means. We will see world events, leaders, and alliances collide and separate in ways that could be terrifying. Could God be using politicians to begin setting the stage for what is to come? We need to be cautious that we’re not caught in the deception the enemy is weaving “if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived.” Matthew 24:24
There are so many moving parts that we do not see. We must be careful not to assume we have the whole picture, and we must be very cautious not to assume we know the mind of God. We need to do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly. We need to care for the widow, the orphan, the foreigner. We need to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. But God will do what He will and our anger, indignation and ‘know better’ needs to be in full surrender to His Lordship. Friends, things are happening that are far beyond our control. It’s easy for us, for our sons and daughters, to get caught up in the rallying cry for justice and change. But our submission to Christ must be at the center.
Mark 12-13 Jesus spoke to the apostles about the signs of the last days. He didn’t say fight. He didn’t say, “vote”. He didn’t say,” protest”. He said, “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many.” How can the enemy lure us into deception? By keeping us busy with arguments and anger as if they will rectify things.
And how can we avoid deception? Jesus said in Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” If we know God and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will know who the counterfeits are. We don’t study falsehood to identify falsehood. We study the truth so that the falsehood is magnified when we encounter it.
At some point, world politics will take a very dark turn- we’re seeing the signs. Our future here is tenuous. It is temporary. What we do for eternity matters. God is sovereign and He will do what He wills. Will we do His will as well?
We need to be in the Word, and then we need to share the gospel. When we stand before the Savior He’s not going to commend us for our die-hard support of (insert political party name or side of dispute). Are we being good and faithful servants? Are we pointing others to Christ.
So, how can we pray?
We must pray for discernment, authentic faith, love and commitment to God, an attitude of guardedness and watchfulness. Pray these scriptures over your sons and daughters
First, we need to pray that our sons and daughters have discernment.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11
Next, we need to pray that they love God authentically and wholly – no compromise, no divided heart, no part-time religion.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30
If our sons and daughters love God with all that they have and are, there is no room for deception and no opportunity for redirection to a false god.
We must pray that they are on their guard
The Greek word, ‘blepo’= to beware, perceive and take heed. Throughout Mark 12 and 13, Jesus warns us of what will come. His instructions are to be on your guard, be alert, be watchful. It also means to turn or direct your thoughts to a thing (2). He explained what was to come so that we would know and be watching.
“He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,' and, ‘The time is near.' Do not follow them.” Luke 21:8
“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen.” Luke 21:36
Finally, we need to pray they remain spiritually alert.
The Greek word for ‘alert’ is ‘agrypneo; and it means to be sleepless, to keep awake, to watch (3). It’s easy to fall into the lull of the daily routine and lose sight of Jesus’ pending return. We need to pray that our sons and daughters would be watchful and ever-ready to meet Him.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” Mark 13:32-33
“You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”” Luke 12:40
These are prayer points not just for our sons and daughters, but for all believers. We need to be authentic, guarded, alert, and ready. Keep praying friends. God is not done working, but He is soon returning.
Prodigal Prayer:
The urgency and angst of knowing your loved one is not in the fold of the Shepherd is overwhelming. The first thing you need to pray is that they would learn to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength and the next is that the Lord would protect them from deception as they grow and learn in their walk with Him. Guardedness and watchfulness will come with spiritual maturity, but first they need to submit themselves to Jesus’ Lordship and begin to grow in wisdom and knowledge. Pray that the Holy Spirit would interrupt their thoughts, that He would bring other believers to speak into their lives, and would bring conviction and sorrow over sin so they would turn from darkness to light and from deception to Truth. God is able!
Final Thoughts:
It is a joy to pray together, even though the Join the PAC followers are spread across the globe! Imagine the reunion we will enjoy in heaven when we all meet and share how God worked in and through us as we prayed! Every tribe, nation, and language celebrating and praising the King of Kings! Don’t get discouraged. God is working even when we can’t see it and when it seems all is stagnant. He works in times and ways that are beyond our understanding!
Pray without ceasing!
1. Oliver, C., Faggionato, G., Goury-Laffont, V., & Griera, M. (2025, February 28). “free world needs a new leader”: Europe defends Zelenskyy after Trump attack. POLITICO. https://www.politico.eu/article/volodymyr-zelenskyy-donald-trump-jd-vance-oval-office-white-house-us-ukraine-war-russia/
2. G991 - blepō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g991/niv/mgnt/0-1/
3. G69 - agrypneō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g69/niv/mgnt/0-1/
A great resource for the upcoming Lenten season!
Are you looking for a resource for the Lenten Season? Why not consider reading and praying using the book 40 Days of Prayer for the Prodigal to walk through specific prayer for those who need the Lord. Both the book and the journal can be found on Amazon.
Presents or Presence?
In this season of giving gifts and celebrating Christ’s birth with family and friends, we look forward to time spent together. If given the chance, most parents would likely say they would prefer seeing their children on the holidays versus receiving a gift from them. The gift is thoughtful, but having our son home for a visit, or eating together with our daughter, sharing conversation with our children and enjoying one another’s company means so much more. The relationship takes precedence over the gift. A gift can be thoughtful, but it doesn’t embody the person. It doesn’t talk to us or give the warmth of affection, personality, or life. It’s a gesture, not a relationship.
Much like an absentee parent might ply their child with expensive gifts to try and make up for their absence, too often we try to do the same with God with our acts of service, our ‘checklist of righteousness’, our talents and offerings. Yet we sometimes withhold the very thing He wants most- our heart.
The child is not fooled, and neither is God.
God doesn’t crave substitutions. He doesn’t desire our sacrifices for Him in lieu of our being with Him. He wants our presence, not our presents. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. All the riches of Creation are His. He lacks nothing and there is nothing out of His reach, beyond His ability or budget. The one thing He wants is our hearts. And that, friends, is the one thing we can withhold from Him, if we choose not to surrender. Oh, our heart’s cry should be that our sons and daughters surrender to the Lord with their whole heart- no compromise, no negotiation, no cheap substitutions, but an authentic relationship with God Most High.
God longs for us to abide in Him, to spend time in prayer, to commune with Him, rest in His Presence and find shelter, peace, and assurance in Him. When we opt to ‘do’ and ‘give’ and think that God should be impressed and delighted, we miss the point. Our gifts do not take the place of the relationship with Him. Nor do they make up for our shortcomings, failures, willful defiance, or conscious sin. God wants our being more than our doing. Doing without being found in Him is empty and really, it’s false religion.
King Saul did that very thing. He opted to do as He wished and give gifts to God to make up for His rebellion. But God saw through his ruse. God didn’t accept the gifts. And Saul’s willful defiance and attempt at ‘doing’ sacrifice versus ‘being’ obedient brought his downfall and his death.
1 Samuel 15:22-23 “Samuel said, “Does the LORD have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice, And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as reprehensible as false religion and idolatry. Since you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.”
What do we want most from our children this Christmas? We want them to follow Jesus- willingly and passionately. We don’t want them going through the motions, acting the part. We don’t want dramatic sacrifices that make big impressions on others. We don’t want lavish displays of talent ‘all for the glory’. We long to see authentic faith being lived out every day. We want to see our sons and daughters crave time with Jesus. We want to see fruit that gives evidence of a heart surrendered to Him. We want to see them living in the Presence of the Almighty God and Savior and, in turn, living a life that is a gift to Him, all day every day. Fully surrendered and loving Him intentionally and authentically. A present is short-lived. It often doesn’t fit, or we already have it. Soon after the holidays it may find itself on a pile to donate or put in a drawer or closet, to be forgotten until another time. But Presence doesn’t wear out. Presence brings a warmth and memory that endure. Presence is investment in the life of another by way of time spent, words spoken, arms extended and hearts knit together. This season, let’s pray that our sons and daughters practice presence with God, intentionally, authentically, and regularly- not just for this season, but for every day of their life.
“Holy Father, You make it clear your expectations of us. Yet too often we try and negotiate the terms. We try to do things our way, substitute gifts for obedience, acts of service for submission, and sacrifice in lieu of surrender to You. Lord, I know you see (name)’s heart. You see through the facade that we all put up and You see to the heart- the true condition of what lies there, our loyalties and our cravings, our willful sins and those that are hidden. Lord, I pray that You would speak clearly to (name) today. Holy Spirit, call them into fellowship with You. Open their eyes to recognize the emptiness of things and actions without Jesus. Help them crave time with You. Let their ‘being’ in Christ motivate their ‘doing’ that gives evidence of fruit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A selfish heart can’t produce those, only a heart that is truly surrendered to You. Lord, have your way with (name). May they give You their whole heart, every day, without reservation, so that You, in turn, can give them abundant life. Lord, I pray that You would give me the gift of seeing (name) follow after You authentically and intentionally from this point onward. Lord, do a work in (name)’s heart and life. May You be pleased with them and may it be for Your honor and glory, in Jesus’ name, amen.
On a personal note…
Thank you for following along in 2024. It’s been a joy to have you all read and pray- I know God is working in our sons and daughters, and He’s working in our hearts, too!
I will be taking a brief break to spend time with my own sons and daughters for the next couple of weeks. But don’t worry, Join the PAC Prayer will be back in 2025 with more devotionals and prayers….and a NEW BOOK releasing on Amazon soon!! - Stay tuned for updates on the new title: 40 Days of Prayer for the Prodigal.
“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:36
I pray you have a blessed celebration of Christ’s birth and a wonderful new year. Look ahead and be excited about what God is doing! He is moving and working and I’m confident He will show us great things in the year to come!
Pray without ceasing!
Dabbling in Darkness
“If we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”
1 John 1:6
Kids love water, don’t they? Whether it’s a pool, a creek, or a puddle, there’s an attraction to get closer to just “look at it”. We warn them not to get wet and we might hear the response, “Can’t I just put my feet in?” And we all know, if the feet get wet, the rest of the child gets wet eventually. They can’t help it, their “whole self” ends up soaked. And when they come back, soaking wet, we ask them, “what happened, why didn’t you obey?” The responses will likely include things like “I don’t know”, “It was an accident”, “I didn’t mean to get wet, it just happened” and the list goes on.
Sin is like that too. There’s an attraction to just get a bit closer, but soon, we’re dipping our feet in and before we know it, we’re immersed. We’re soaked in it. We can tell others that we’re not dabbling in sin, but when we stand there, soaking wet with the evidence, our words hold no weight.
1 John 1:6 “If we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”
That word, “in”, is important to note. It’s the Greek word, “en” and “denotes a fixed position in place, time or state.” Think about it. If we’re ‘in’ we have a fixed position(1). There is no halfway or just a little. Either we’re in or we’re out. There is no in between. It’s a powerful word.
When we walk in sin, even if we’re just “dipping our feet in”, we are in. We’re immersed. We’re sinning. We can’t dabble in darkness and not be impacted by it. 1 John tells us that if we claim to have fellowship with God, but walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Our location says a whole lot about our heart condition and our commitments. Our talk, talks and our walk talks. But our walk speaks much more loudly than our talk when it comes to giving evidence of what our heart loves. We can say we love Jesus, but if our actions demonstrate otherwise, which do you think people will believe more? Are we making choices and living in such a way that gives evidence that we love Jesus…or that we love something or someone else more?
1 John 1:1-6 uses the word “proclaim” several times. That word means to give a report, which indicates one has seen evidence of something, it’s an affirmation. Yet, 1 John 1:6 uses the word “claim”...there is no pro. That’s the thing with sin. If we’re involved in it, participating in it, we can claim we walk in truth, but there is no evidence. Our lives are proclaiming otherwise and giving evidence of fellowship with darkness. How we live matters and sin impacts how we live.
This world is dark and temptation is strong. If we think we can resist on our own, we’re deceived. We cannot just ‘say’ we’re following the Lord, we have to demonstrate it, our lives need to give evidence, otherwise our words are empty and our testimony is worthless. Our sons and daughters need us to walk with the Lord and give evidence that He is our focus, our passion, our God. They need to see their parents, their elders, their role models modeling what it truly means to follow Jesus. We need to proclaim with our lives that Jesus is our King.
We need to pray for spiritual protection for our sons and daughters every day. Satan wants nothing more than to keep them from following Christ. He wants to convince them that compromising with sin is okay, especially if it’s “just a little bit”. He lures them to just dip their feet in the water of darkness, just their feet and nothing more. But we all know what happens. If you’re “in”, you can’t be in two places at the same time. When we dabble in darkness, we take our eyes off of Jesus and allow our heart and mind to put something else on the throne and then we’re walking in darkness.
Today, and every day, let’s pray that our sons and daughters will be IN Christ- that at all times, in all ways, in all places, they are found in Him and that darkness has no place in their lives. Pray that their choices in friends, in entertainment, in places they go, things they take part in and what they read and listen to all support their pursuit of Jesus and their lives give evidence of living and walking in His light.
Pray without ceasing.
G1722 - en - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1722/kjv/tr/0-1/
When God Says, “Wait”: The Practice of Waiting Well
Waiting is hard and few people like it, but, whether or not we like it, it truly is a part of life. We wait for the birth of our children. Then, we wait for the milestones- sleeping through the night, crawling, walking, the first day of school, the list goes on.
As they grow and learn more about the Lord, we wait and pray our sons and daughters will embrace a relationship with Jesus…and sometimes we wait for their return to Him, as well.
Waiting. Always waiting.
We ‘endure’ it, but all the while we wonder when God will move? We ask why doesn’t He move now? We have an urgency to get solutions, resolution and rescue-How long will it be…doesn’t He see?!
Oh friends, He sees and He hears, but God is not restricted by time. He is not constrained by space. He has the ability to see our entire experience from start to finish- and He has mastery over it all. Sometimes His waiting is a pause for us to see, to acknowledge, to surrender to Him. God is not impatient, nor is he running behind. God calls us to wait, not because He is slow or unkind, but because He sees the whole picture. He has a plan.
But our limited minds and hearts are so fragile and futile that when we are called to wait, we begin to question His goodness, we question His timing and even His ability or desire to fix and redeem our loved one or the situation that impacts them. What we need to do is remind ourselves that God’s timing is so unlike our own.
2 Peter 3:8-9 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
The Israelites saw God part the Red Sea so they could walk through on dry ground. They witnessed God’s perfect timing and miraculous rescue from being cornered with no visible way of escape from an army that would surely destroy them. They SAW God part the sea. They walked on DRY GROUND through it. Yet, just days later, they turned and made an idol to worship because too quickly they forgot the miraculous hand of God and His saving power. They chose to ignore His deity and Sovereignty and exchanged their glorious God for a bull made by their own hands, Psalm 106:20. The foolishness of man is great. The shortsightedness is chronic. The selfishness is terminal.
Waiting. It’s a holding pattern that requires trust and patience. It’s not what we would choose, yet if we choose to wait for Him, we submit to His will for us and learn more about our God and His heart for us. Isn’t that best?
The word ‘wait’ in Hebrew isthe word Qavah which means to wait for, to twist and bind, to expect, often with hope (1). Think about the process of spinning wool or braiding rope. It’s a constant twisting together, but that twisting brings a binding and creates a strength that otherwise would not be present. The twisting and stretching brings together several strands that then hold together strongly. They can then serve a purpose and provide an endurance that a single strand on its own would not. Ecclesiastes 4:12b “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” When we wait, we are binding our hearts and minds to the Lord, trusting His timing, and growing stronger in our faith and more content in our ability and willingness to wait on Him, knowing His purposes are beyond our understanding.
Isaiah 30:18 “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
The King James Version states it just a little differently,
“And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you; for the LORD is a God of judgment; blessed are all they that wait for Him.”
God’s timing, love, and kindness are so evident in the story of Lazarus (John 11). When Lazarus was sick, his family sent word to Jesus to come- they knew Jesus could heal him, they’d seen His healing power. Yet, Jesus chose to wait. He allowed Lazarus to die. In fact, Lazarus was dead four days before Jesus arrived in Bethany. He knew there would be grief and He, himself, grieved too. Yet He waited.
John 11:3-6 “So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,”
Did you see that? Jesus loved Lazarus. He loved the sisters. Yet, He chose not to act on their timeline. Why? For God’s glory! It wasn’t out of unkindness or indifference, it was out of a deep love for those who would witness the miracle. He wanted His glory to be evident and their faith to be strengthened. There would be no question of Who He was or what He could do. His Godship would be evident to all.
Friends, sometimes we pray for days and sometimes we pray for years. Whatever the timeline, God is not indifferent. He calls us to wait because He knows exactly when He will act and how He will meet our needs for our good and for His glory. He loves our sons and daughters even more than we do. When it seems He’s not listening, we must remind ourselves that His timing is perfect and His ways are beyond understanding.
As we wait, let’s bind our hearts to Him. Let’s impress His word into our hearts and rest in His promises. Let’s trust Him. He is able. He sees. He hears. He is not indifferent to our cries. Pray that He would act for our good and for His glory. Pray that His Lordship would be evident to all and that He would bind our wavering hearts to His own in the process.
“Lord, waiting is so hard and we don’t do it well. Our impatient, needy hearts want to see action and we want resolution sooner rather than later. But in the waiting, we can learn to trust You more and to rest in Your timing. Help us, Lord. Help us not to run ahead. Help us not to grow impatient or angry when we don’t see You move. Help us to “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!.” Psalm 27:14 Then help us to pray Micah 7:7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” Lord, may the waiting bring me closer to You so that I’m fully surrendered to Your timeline and patiently resting in Your plan. Lord, may the waiting strengthen my faith in You and may it be an example to my sons and daughters. Trusting You is best. Waiting on You is never for naught. Let the waiting bring me closer to Your heart, Lord, in Jesus name, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Music can speak deeply to our hearts and point us to Christ in the hard times. Here’s a playlist to listen to in the waiting. Let it remind you of the goodness and sovereignty of God as you pray and wait for His answer.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qQTchds7QsIrbikoLorRF?si=db8e86ff4c664416
H5975 - ʿāmaḏ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5975/niv/wlc/0-1/
A Call to Parents: Encouraging Our Sons & Daughters
“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
We spend much time here at Join the PAC Prayer focusing on praying for our sons and daughters, but today we’re going to take a look at what God calls us to do as parents. What are we called to do? How can we do it well?
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to encourage them in their faith. Throughout the first and second chapters, Paul urged them to remain true and faithful. He instructed them on how they should live and commended them for what they did well. In chapter two, he explained his ministry motives along with those of Silas and Timothy and the nature of their instruction. Then he gave the statement in verses 11-12 and it’s here we need to pause and take time to ponder because Paul explained three key actions that exemplify how a father (a parent) should deal with his children, “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”
Let’s dig deep and get a better understanding of what God encourages us to do as parents.
Encouraging: Parakaleo
The first thing Paul mentioned is that he, Silas and Timothy were encouraging the believers. The Greek word for encouraging is parakaleo. It means to call near or call to one’s side; to exhort, console and comfort; to strengthen and instruct; it means to call in a loud voice; it’s not a silent, behind-the-scenes cheering on (1).
There is more to encouraging our sons and daughters than just saying “Good job! I knew you could do it!” The word ‘parakaleo’ comes from two root words, ‘para’, meaning beside or near, having proximity to (2) and ‘kaleo’ which means to call by name (3). So when we’re encouraging our sons and daughters, we need to call them near, call them by name, take time to be present and to teach and comfort them. We must be focused on them, and strengthen them in those things that are uniquely their own needs- it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s personal. It requires our presence and our mindfulness towards them so that we’re focused and our encouragement stems from knowledge of the individual son or daughter and knowledge from Scripture.
Like a paramedic is a medical professional who comes near to the patient, calls them by name and tends to their needs, our encouragement must be parakaleo, near our sons and daughters, calling them by name and meeting their needs to encourage them to walk faithfully, understand God’s word accurately and remain true to their faith and commitment to God.
Comforting: Paramytheomai
The next thing Paul mentions is comfort. The Greek word for the act of comforting is paramytheomai, which means “to speak to, address one, whether by way of admonition and incentive, or to calm and console” (4). It’s another form of encouragement. Note the prefix ‘para’ is once again a part of the word. It requires coming alongside of another to accomplish the purpose at hand. Paramytheomai means we need to be present and choose to be near, whether in person or, if that’s not possible, in communication and prayer. It’s an active role and not just that of an observer. The other portion of the word, ‘mytheomai’ means to speak, tell a story, a narrative. Often this word was applied to the sharing of genealogies in Biblical times. Consider what is your family’s story and how your sons and daughters could learn from it. Some questions to consider:
What is the heritage that undergirds your family?
What stories of faith are held forth?
What mistakes were made that should not be repeated?
Maybe the heritage of faith began with you … How did you come to know Jesus and begin a personal relationship with Him?
How can your sons and daughters carry on the Godly legacy?
How can you comfort them with lessons from the past and encourage them to be true to God into the future?
Comfort and encouragement can come through the stories of others and out of our own experiences. Those stories should be carried and shared by parents to their children to stand as encouragement and be cautionary as well.
Urging: Martyomai
Finally, Paul urged the Thessalonians to live a life worthy of God. The word used for urging is ‘martyomai’, which means “to be a witness, testify, charge or give evidence, bear record.” (5) Yes, it is related to the word ‘martyr’, describing those who gave their life for their faith. They bore witness and held fast to the testimony of Christ, even to the end. Paul urged, testified and bore witness to the Thessalonians in an effort to encourage them and teach them to hold fast to their faith.
The root word is martys means “one who is mindful, obeys”. (6) It’s not only what Paul wanted the Thessalonians to do, but it was what he held fast to as he lived out his testimony before them. And it’s what we need to do as parents. We need to demonstrate obedience to God and be mindful of what He calls us to do so that our words and actions testify faithfulness to Him to our sons and daughters.
The encouragement, the comfort and the urging are all directed toward helping our sons and daughters live wisely and follow Christ faithfully, or as the King James Version says, “that ye would walk worthy of God” who calls them into His kingdom. Isn’t that one of our most fervent prayers for our sons and daughters? We want them to live a life that acts as an example to others that we are Kingdom bound, sons and daughters of the Most High, His heirs and dearly loved children.
But what does it mean to “walk worthy of God”? The word for walk in Greek is peripateo and it means “to occupy oneself, make progress and follow; to make one’s way and make use of opportunities.” (7) It’s more than just heading in a direction. It’s being cognizant of where one is going, making use of opportunities along the way and always being mindful of whom you are following and the direction in which you are headed. The prefix, peri, comes from a root word, peran, which means, “beyond, on the other side.” (8) It’s directional and locational. It indicates that this walk is more than just a stroll. It’s purposeful. It has a specific destination. It requires mindful participation.
But here’s the powerful part: the remainder of the word, pateo, has a profound meaning. Let’s look at the original wording from Strong’s Concordance. Pateo means, “to advance by setting foot upon, tread upon; to encounter successfully the greatest perils from the machinations and persecutions with which Satan would fain thwart the preaching of the gospel.”(9) Wow!! When we pray for our sons and daughters to walk worthy of God, we’re praying that they will encounter successfully the greatest perils, deceptions, schemes of Satan and will overcome! We pray that they will live out and speak the gospel in ways that will defeat Satan and his demons and will overcome the ‘dangers, toils and snares’ of this life because they’re directionally moving toward the ‘other side’- the Kingdom of God…and Satan will do anything and everything to keep them from it.
These two verses are so rich and so powerful!! It would be beneficial for us to meditate on these Scriptures this week as we pray for our sons and daughters. He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. We have the power of the Eternal God within reach. He hears the cry of His children and He does not let it go unanswered. Take time today to pray for encouragement, for comfort and to urge this next generation to live victoriously. Why not write these verses down and carry them with you this week, memorize them and meditate on them, they are powerful directives and timeless truths and God can and will use them mightily.
Pray without ceasing.
G3870 - parakaleō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3870/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3844 - para - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3844/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G2564 - kaleō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2564/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3888 - paramytheomai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3888/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3143 - martyromai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3143/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3144 - martys - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3144/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G4043 - peripateō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4043/kjv/tr/0-1/
G4012 - peri - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4012/kjv/tr/0-1/
G3961 - pateō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3961/kjv/tr/0-1/
Looking for Smoke, Watching for Fire.
Read Jonah 3-4
God called Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to preach of His pending judgment for their sinful ways and call them to repentance. Jonah’s response wasn’t obedience, but a fast dash in the opposite direction and from God’s command.. But then, the storm, the fish, the 3 day ordeal and Jonah repented….or so we thought. His prayer in Jonah 2:8 was profound, “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
When we join him in chapter 3, Jonah is headed into Nineveh, a city of over 120,000 people. It was a large and influential city and a visit to all of Nineveh took no less than three days. That’s an important fact to remember.
Jonah began on day one, preaching “40 more days and Nineveh will be overturned”. Friends, this was one man speaking to a wealthy, influential city. Just one. We’ve seen accounts of someone storming a government meeting, shouting their warning- and being quickly whisked away, while all go back to their business. We’ve seen pictures of a man standing in a crowded city with a sign, “the end of the world is near” as people walk by, indifferent to his warning. Imagine Jonah, preaching God’s judgment in such a huge city- he was likely to be ignored, mocked or run out of town. But no. No, Nineveh listened. In fact, they listened so well that within a day, the entire city believed God’s warning. They began fasting and the king even made a decree that everyone should call urgently on the Lord.. Can you imagine a revival like that?! One day and the entire city was mourning their sin. That’s the power of God at work! Jonah 3:10 “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.”
You would think Jonah would be rejoicing- so overwhelmed, excited, and grateful that Nineveh responded to God’s message. But Jonah? He wasn’t impressed. In fact, he was angry. He was self-righteous and resentful. Jonah 4:2-3 “He prayed to the Lord, “O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”” Jonah then went outside the city, made himself a shelter and sat to wait and watch what would happen to the city (v. 5) He wanted to see Nineveh receive what they deserved- a fiery judgment from the Lord. So he waited. He watched. He wanted to see smoke. And his attitude kept him from seeing the blessing and grace of the Lord revealed to over 120,000 souls.
Here’s the thing, Jonah elevated his own standard of justice above God’s. Jonah resented God’s forgiveness of the Ninevites. He wanted to see them receive the just reward for their sinfulness. He was eager to see smoke and he was ready to be smug and say “you got what you deserved!” Yet, he was ignoring the sin in his own heart. Oh, he obeyed God…on the outside, but inside, he was still as resentful, rebellious and selfish as he was when he stepped foot on the boat.
Friends, I fear we are more like Jonah than we might imagine. We have a fierce sense of justice. We hate to see people get away with wrongdoing. We hate to see the wicked prosper. When someone wrongs another, we want to see them caught in their sin and punished for the pain they caused. Yet, what if they repent? What if they confess their sin and seek forgiveness? And what if they receive mercy instead of punishment? If we’re honest, we struggle with forgiveness and mercy toward those who did wrong because it’s not what that ‘other’ deserves. They deserve condemnation. They deserve for God to ‘smite’ them. Our sense of justice might demand they pay a little more, they suffer a bit longer, they earn their way back into grace. Oh friends, God’s justice is not ours. Isaiah 5:16 says, “But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts.” Psalm 89:14 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.”
Jonah lost sight of his own sin. He couldn’t see that he was rebellious against God, too. He didn’t see the depth of God’s forgiveness and mercy for him- he could only see the ‘injustice’ of God’s mercy on Nineveh. Jonah was outwardly obedient to God’s command and inwardly turning his back to the Lord’s standards and creating his own. Jonah, himself, had a idol- craving his own sense of justice and fairness, and that idol robbed him of the grace he would receive from God through his surrender and obedience.
Oh, the story of Jonah holds much appeal for our little ones as they learn the miracle of his rescue in the fish. But friends, the story of Jonah holds much for us and our adult sons and daughters in the bigger story of his outward obedience but his inward bitterness and rebellion. It’s not difficult to live in such a way that we ‘appear’ obedient- especially if we were raised in church.. We check all the boxes; we show up as we should; we ‘talk the talk’. But, we can appear outwardly obedient and still rebel against God in our hearts. We can resent his mercy to those who are undeserving….and totally miss the fact that we are just as undeserving. Romans 5:6-8 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We were undeserving. Justice demanded that we pay for our sin with our life- for eternity. Yet, Jesus stepped in on our behalf. He showed us mercy when we deserved none. And if we accept His sacrifice on our behalf, God looks on us and sees Christ’s righteousness. That, friends, is amazing. It’s undeserved. It's a merciful redemption that changes our eternity. And we should rejoice when anyone believes, repents and surrenders to God.
Do we have a Jonah heart? Do we hold others' sins against them even when God has forgiven them? Are we giddy to see people receive punishment or do we pray for their repentance and that they would know God’s forgiveness? Friends, we have nothing to resent when someone is repentant and shown mercy- it should always be a reminder of the mercy we also received from God. We were and are undeserving. We should rejoice in the repentance of others. And if we can’t? Well, then it might be time to check our hearts.
And Jonah? He was the author of this book. He could have resolved the story and shared how he followed God faithfully. He could have painted himself in a much better light. But he didn’t. Jonah ended his story with God’s rebuke against this prophet’s rebellious, vengeful heart. There was no ‘neat little bow’ on top of this story. Instead, there was a hard lesson and an unresolved sin that leaves us to ponder how Jonah, the prophet and author, was used by God in spite of his heart. And he was used by God in mighty ways. Even unbelievers know the story of Jonah- and God can use those seeds to change lives. Our rebellion will never be powerful enough to prevent God from working…but it can be powerful enough to cause us to forfeit the grace that would be ours.
There is no doubt we’ll meet Jonah in heaven and when we do, I’m sure he will have quite a story…but it’s not just going to be about the fish. It’s going to be about his heart and the weight of God’s mercy toward him. Instead of looking for smoke and watching for fire, let’s look to see how God is working and rejoice when He turns hearts and lives to Him.
Let’s take time to pray today for our own hearts and for those of our sons and daughters. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for a surrendered heart. Pray for freedom from a judgmental spirit. Pray that God would use each of us in spite of ourselves. And pray that we would not cling to idols and forfeit the grace He wants to lavish on each of us.
Pray without ceasing.
The Light of the World
Isaiah 9:2 “The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.”
As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth this month, we are going to focus on the names of Jesus spoken in prophecy, mostly those mentioned in Isaiah 9:6. Each day we’ll have a Christmas Season prayer challenge in addition to our prayer points for our sons and daughters. But let’s start with Jesus as the Light of the World and how that speaks to our need and His provision.
When we think about light, we might consider how our sun gives such radiant light, that nothing can really compare to it. When we wake up and see the sun is out, it illuminates everything and we can see clearly. Oh, we’ve created artificial light that is powerful and pierces the dark, yet it can never match the fullness nor the comprehensive light provided by the sun. Have you ever driven by a highway crew working at night? The powerful lights pierce the darkness, yet they are no comparison to daylight. They still do not offer the fullness of light that daytime brings. They just cannot reproduce that all-encompassing light that drives away the dark. Any other light is just an insufficient, incomplete imitation that can’t even come close. The daylight brings everything into perspective and drives the dark away. That is a beautiful picture of Jesus and the spiritual freedom and release that He brings. Jesus is the Light of the World.
When scripture talks about “People walking in darkness”, we can picture it. People walking slowly, unable to really see what is around them, perhaps stumbling or walking without purpose.. In the darkness there is danger, obstacles and pitfalls that cannot be seen. The darkness hides those with ill intent, wanting to do harm or commit crime. Darkness itself is a metaphor for everything evil, for everything associated with Satan.
Strong’s Concordance defines darkness ‘hosek’ in the Hebrew, as “darkness, obscurity, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow and wickedness.”(1) There is nothing and no one in this world that can conquer that list. No one but God. Why would we think otherwise? Well, that’s part of the deception of the Enemy. He leads us to believe we can find light, meaning, happiness, restoration, life, wisdom, joy and goodness in anything but Jesus. That’s the great lie and that’s part of the darkness itself.
So when scripture says “People walking in darkness” it’s a very apt metaphor that gives a clear picture of what the human spiritual condition is without Jesus. Without Christ, there is no light; there is no ability to see and perceive spiritual wisdom and no way to have spiritual freedom. But scripture doesn’t just leave it there, it continues saying, the people walking in darkness have seen a great light…. What a powerful, hopeful statement! Jesus is the light of the world and He alone came to shine into the darkness and redeem those wandering without hope and without light. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light (Jesus).”
As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, let’s ponder the significance of His entry into this world and what His presence brought to all of mankind. He chose to leave heaven and enter this sinful world so that He could bring light and life to all who would believe. John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””
Friends, today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters realize, without a doubt, that Jesus is the Light of the World and in Him they will find life, redemption, forgiveness and purpose. Pray that they will gain an eternal perspective because Jesus’ light dawns in their hearts and minds. And today’s Christmas Season challenge? Choose one person at random, maybe at a traffic light sitting in the car ahead of you, or standing in the checkout line at the store and pray that they would come to know Jesus as the Light of the World, their Savior and Redeemer.
Pray without ceasing.
H2822 - ḥōšeḵ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2822/kjv/wlc/0-1/