Get Your Boots On!

Dear beloved friends, before you go further into this blog today, I request--respectfully-- that you put your boots on.  Put on your sweaters too so that those feelings you wear on your sleeves won’t show, and buck up.  This one might hurt!  

Now, before you think (as I so often do) what gives me the right to preach to you when I am so needy myself, keep in mind this:  iron sharpens iron.  We are commanded by our Lord to encourage one another and, as Colossians 1:28 states:  “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

Friends, it’s time to grow up.

My pastor has really been preaching some good messages lately and this past Sunday was no exception.  He spoke of how many children of God are still feasting on the milk of the Word and not often getting into the meat of it, the things to chew on, to sink our teeth into, and the need to digest more slowly, so that we get a different form of nourishment.  He also brought out in Colossians 1 that when the words ‘dear’ and ‘faithful’ are used that it implies a personal relationship that is based on the love of Christ.

That being said, dear and faithful friends, as I was reading Psalms just a bit ago, I came across the 77th one.  Sigh.  Yes, I thought of you.  And you.  And (gulp) of me too.  I’m preaching to the choir here today so let’s all be reprimanded together.  Misery loves company, right?

Seriously though--and here’s where you need to make sure your boots are laced and tightened--I get impatient with some of you.  I’m sure you do of me as well but since this is my blog, let’s focus on you for now and I’ll deal with me at the end.  

There’s this person I know whom it seems that each time I ask how s/he’s doing, the response is a negative one.  Without controlling my spiritual tongue as I’m wont to do--when this happened again just the other day--in exasperation I said to this soul, “One day I’m going to ask you how you are and you are going tell me something good!”  

Mortified, my Good Stef looked down with askance at Bad Stef here as I waited for the fluff to hit the fan.  What had I done?!  However, this kind soul said in response something to the effect that one day God would make it right either by healing or when death took place.  We smiled and agreed that what a great day that would be for either choice and I went on about my way, with Good Stef kicking me all the way and telling me to get control of myself better.

Now while I agree that some folks need more healing prayers than I offer up, many of us just want to whine, to pass the buck when we have been asked to pray for a situation or a person, and instead of doing so, we put this need on the prayer list in hopes that someone else will be faithful in fulfilling the request and we can say in all sincerity that we have done our Christian duty.  

Do we think this makes us look good?  Does this make others sorry for us?  Do we think it absolves us somehow of our duty?  Are we asking something of them that really needs to be taken care of by ourselves?  

Read with me these convicting verses from Psalm 77:1-3, please, dear friends:

I cried out to God with my voice—
To God with my voice;
And He gave ear to me.
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;
My soul refused to be comforted.
I remembered God, and was troubled;
I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah

Do you notice who was doing all of the work?  “I” cried out with “my” voice.  “I” sought the Lord.  “My” hand was stretched out and “my” soul refused to be comforted.  “I” remembered God and “I” complained and it was “my” spirit that was overwhelmed.  Me.  My.  

Asaph went on in this Psalm to explain how he couldn’t sleep because he was troubled.  As he poured out his heart to God, his spirit was overwhelmed.  He then recalled the promises God had made and fulfilled and began praising Him instead of complaining to Him.  He realized Whom he was talking to and how many times God had done all of these wonders, and taken care of His children.  He recollected the ancient times when all seemed lost but God took care of it.

But the kicker here is that Asaph did it.  He didn’t go to his brother, his co-workers, his “person” that was always there.  Nope.  Asaph went to God for his own problems, distresses, and calamity.  I mean, Who better to tell it to than the One Who can handle it best?

Often I write a Bible verse and replace the pronouns used in it with my own name to personalize it and make it stand out more to me.  Today, may I ask that you do this with these verses above?  Please don’t misunderstand me and think that I don’t want to pray for you or don’t care about your issues.  I do!  And, I will willingly and fervently pray for you when you ask me to but… But please don’t ask me to do what you are supposed to be doing.  Please don’t ask me to pray for someone I don’t know when clearly you were the one who was burdened with this task.  For you see, if you pass it on to me, it won’t go anywhere.  There’s no connection like there is between you and the soul who asked for YOU to pray for him/her.

Do your thing, friends.  Pray first, second, and even third for the needs you have.  I can’t help you with them but Almighty God can.  He already knows what’s going on and the time you spend explaining to me all the details would be better spent by you and Him conversing, don’t you think?  Sure, I can listen, pat you on the shoulder, and even cry with you if that’s what you really need.  I can and will pray with you over circumstances but you--well, my friend, you’ve got to do your part.  Don’t ask me to do what has been asked of you unless it’s something I can really help you with.  Think about it:  how many times a day can God hear the same form request “Dear Lord, I ask You to bless so-and-so.  You know the need so here I am, beating You over the head with it because Sister Susie asked me to remember this one mentioned.  For more details, Father, check with Susie.”

Don’t you think He would rather personally hear from one who really knows what’s going on?  From the one who is troubled by this instead of the one who is only asking out of duty rather than love?  He’s not stupid.  Let’s not treat Him as such.  If He has the whole world in His hands--and I assure you, He does!--He’s not going to not bless or not help out in this situation because we didn’t get 152 people in on the prayer chain.  

In conclusion, how many times do you need to be told to do something?  Something you already do without even thinking about it, such as putting one foot in front of the other, blinking, or sighing?  Mmn hmn.  God by nature is love and He will take care of His children.  Let’s not pester Him with insincere prayers that probably don’t even go past the ceiling anyways, shall we?  It’s the sincere, fervent prayers of a righteous man that availeth much, remember?  Picture it like this:  you’re in a crowded stadium and all these voices are roaring about you but you cannot discern what is being said.  Murmurs.  Shouts.  Commands for you to do this or not do that but it’s all just ruckus because the only voice you are paying attention to is the one on your headset or when the coach is whispering in your ear when you are on the sideline talking with him and listening to his response.  Unlike the game “Gossip” where one whispers something to another and then that soul tells the next in line and so on and so forth until the message is all scrambled and may not even be the same as the one first presented, our God wants to hear from you.  It’s not that He can’t keep the facts straight, friends.  He can.  He’d just rather hear them from you, don’t you think, so there aren’t any misunderstandings.  Does that make sense?  Hope so!

Let’s pray!

Whew.  Lord?  That was a toughie to write.  I’m sure the feedback won’t be kind as I am questioned as to what sort of friend am I anyways who won’t pray for someone when asked to?  Sigh.

You and I know, Lord, that You’ve got this, that, and all the in-betweens and my input isn’t needed to tell You how to do Your job.  For it’s not a job to You, Father, is it?  How dare I tell You to bless this one, heal that one, and make things right for the ones who aren’t doing a thing to make Your will be done in their lives to begin with?  Why should I waste Your time with half-hearted (if even that much of my heart is involved) requests for people I don’t know about when You know the very hairs on their heads?  What makes my prayer so special anyways, Lord, that it would take precedence over another’s?  Do You have to get a certain amount in agreement that this prayer need should be prayed over before You will act upon it?  As if!

Why should I remind You of the need You are already fully aware of when folks ask that I pray for some nameless soul that they are burdened about?  I mean really, Lord:  if You know the need (and we all agree that You do), isn’t it just kind of disrespectful to bombard You with nameless facts and unnamed people just to...to...well, Lord:  I really don’t know what the purpose is of requests like that.

I know most folks are kinder than I am but when I pray to You, Lord, I want it to matter.  To pray for things that don’t concern me are truthfully none of my business and if that makes me appear to be heartless, then I will deal with that.  Hey!  Maybe it will even get folks to stop asking me fluff and leave me with more time to dwell on the what-so-evers instead!  Sounds like a win-win to me!

Thank You for hearing me and Your other kids when we cry out to You.  But also Lord, thank You for listening to us when we just want to chat, to tell You about our day, and to reflect about how great and wonderful You are.  I love You, Father God, and pray that this blog wasn’t too offensive to those who read it today.  I want us all to be ready when You come for us, not in our diapers and sucking on our bottles, but ready to walk down the aisle with our Groom Jesus as we head to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb where we will feast and not be spoon-fed!  Come soon, Lord?  May it be so!  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen!