Teach us to pray

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”... And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:1, 9-10)

Teach us to pray. These are words of gold to our heavenly Father. They are words that will bring down the warriors of heaven on our behalf and send the enemy of our soul running in fear. Prayer is more about coming into connection with God has for us than it is us telling God what it is we need from him. We might think it is all about the request, but God knows in the request comes the opportunity to change things within our hearts and minds that need change. Yes, we express our concerns and bring our needs to him. Yes, we are free to express our fears and hopes. But...as we do these things, God begins to work in our hearts in ways we might not have even known we needed his work!

Boldness to come before God with our needs - even when we aren't quite certain what to ask, or what specifically we have need of at the moment. This is the privilege of his children - to come to their heavenly Father, opening up to him, and then pressing into him until we receive our answer. Will our answer always be exactly as we believed it to be? Not hardly! God's answers oftentimes come in the timing and ways we didn't count on. Keep on knocking, asking, and seeking - don't be afraid to be the 'pesky' kid who just keeps bringing their need before him. Why? For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Stop for a moment to consider the sequence of events Jesus shared here. Knock - there will be an answer. Ask - what we have need of is going to be fulfilled. Seek - for what is sought will be discovered. Did you ever stop to consider the answer we so desperately need might just be hinging on us having knocked, asked, or sought with this type of tenacity? James 4:2 reminds us we have not because we ask not. Don't be intimidated by the 'door' you see in your full view right now. Instead, pound hard upon it. Seek to have it opened. Ask and keep on asking. Perhaps that door isn't really blocking your answer - it might just be helping you to realize how much you need it and are willing to go after it! Just sayin!

Step forward in boldness, not blindness

“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. (John 9:30-34)

It is a rather long story, but I will shorten it a bit for us today. A man born blind just 'happened' to be sitting by the roadside as Jesus came by one day. Jesus made mud with a little spit and some dirt, rubbed it on his eyes, told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, and he came back with his total sight restored. He tells the Pharisees and religious leaders, but they are aghast that anyone would do such a thing on the Sabbath. They send for his parents, even though he was a grown man, asking if he was really born blind. There is no doubt he was blind, but now has totally restored eyesight. The miracle was lost on the religious leaders, for all they could see was that the healing was done on a Sabbath day - a day when no work of any kind was to be performed. Aye! What a silly lot we are at times! We get so focused on the stuff that doesn't really matter and miss the 'huge' thing God is doing right in front of us. 

The most amazing part of this story is this man's response to the 'learned leaders' of the day. His response is a challenge to their unbelief - something I wonder if he would have ever tried to do if he wasn't first touched by Jesus. If he were not from God - - - that statement probably ruffled more than one feather. All the leaders can see is that the man is 'unlearned' and a 'sinner', so he is incapable of teaching them anything. It is a sad, sad day when a life touched by God is judged by one's past and not seen for the magnificence it has once filled with grace and love. When we discount the work of God in a person's life, no matter how 'crude' or 'unlearned' that person may be, we are dismissing the power of God's grace. To dismiss grace is a very dangerous thing, indeed!

It warms my heart to know that God can take the 'rawest' of a life and use it for his glory. We don't need to be well-educated, or even super-talented to be used to bring truth and light into this world. We just need to be willing to step forward in boldness to declare the work he has done within us. To some, the work he has begun within doesn't seem to be 'complete', so they fear their message won't matter. This man had his eyesight for a mere matter of minutes before he began to boldly challenge the beliefs of those who were supposed to be the most 'learned' amongst the people. Not with haughty intent or prideful anger, but with sympathy for their lack of vision. One who now had vision challenged those who should have had the most vision. Amazing how God works, huh? Just sayin!