Comfort Found

Two pews up and just to the left is where she was. From my seat I could see she was in deep meditation. The words on the pages lay before her in her lap. She was completely consumed by what she was reading. What was it that had her so drawn in? What was it about the words she was looking at? I couldn't help but notice. She was being affected by what she read. From where I sat, it was a beautiful picture.

I wanted to take her picture, but felt it would be rude to do so and not ask. Getting up out of my seat, I made my way to the end of her pew. Squatting down beside her I told her my intent, and asked if she would mind if I took her picture. She was touched by my asking, and agreed with the picture being taken. Sitting back down behind her, I took several. My heart had been moved, by her heart being moved, by what she was reading in The Book. It's hard to describe what I saw. It was more about what I felt, in her response to The Word, than what I saw. 

How can you explain the power of The Word? The words are old. The application is new. The words have been quoted by the wisest men in the world. The words are read to children. The words are displayed in federal buildings, and national monuments. The words are printed in children's literature. The words have caused wars. The words bring peace. The words are ancient. The words are new everyday. The words convict. The words encourage.

There are many formats by which we have access to The Word. It is in audible or digital format on our tablets, computers, or smart phones. Portions of it is found in magazines, books, and other printed material. It is read by teachers and preachers. There are lectures and classes studying it. TV evangelists proclaim it. The ways to access The Word seems unlimited. One of my favorite ways to access The Word is the exact same as I witnessed two pews up and just to the left. Feeling the weight of each side of the book in my hands as I open it. Hearing the crispness of the page. Smelling the familiar scent. Comfort found.

Stone Hedges, Moats, and the Moon

A friend of mine requested prayer from our group. She said she was spiritually exhausted. Battling a spiritual warfare on behalf of an addicted son had taken it’s toll on her. She came in the room, and looked spent. Looking like she didn’t have much more to give, she knew prayer could give her strength to continue the battle. Those of us in the room loved on her as much as we could. We wanted to offer help. Where do you start when someone feels they are spiritually exhausted? She probably felt she’d reached the end of her rope, and was reaching out. I didn’t know her very well. Prayer was the best thing I could do. My hope was to get to know her better, and be available if there was anything more I could offer. 

Daily spiritual battles are part of a christians life. Some days our battles seem to consume us. We are christians. God is on our side. All we need to do is pray and the problem is fixed, right? Asking for prayer might make us feel inadequate. We are suppose to be strong. Charge into life, like we have a tiger by the tail. Asking for prayer allows others to see our weaknesses. We tend to walk around like we have a suit of armor on. Hard and cold so nothing can penetrate. We are tough. We are independent. 

The vulnerability of taking our guard down to allow someone to see us exposed is scary, to say the least. It’s easier to keep a stone hedge around us, so no one can peer into our unkept life. It’s easier to dig a moat around us, so no one can come visit unless ‘we’ lower our bridge. It’s easier to build our house on the moon, so people can only see us from afar.

I constructed my stone hedge, dug my moat, and built my house on the moon. 

Why?

Perhaps my introverted tendencies started the process. Perhaps some unresolved resentment laid the first stone. Or perhaps it was just easier to keep a guard up rather than exposing my weaknesses, short comings, needs, troubles, failures, sicknesses, hurts, or problems. 

When my friend requested prayer, I was more than happy to pray. She was hurting, and asked for help. Her openness showed her maturity. She knew what she needed, and wasn’t afraid to ask. She let her guard down, and let us see her in a very vulnerable place. I want to be more like her. As I think back to that day, she continues to grow in my eyes. What a woman. What an example. Where is there more power than prayer? She needed God’s help, and asked us to petition God for her need. There was nothing better to do than pray. No casserole, or phone call, text, email, or cup of coffee can have an impact like prayer. My friend understood God was where she needed to take her weakness.

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayers and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

I must confess I don’t pray as often as I should sometimes. It takes desire to pray continually. At times my desire is weak. It takes discipline to pray in all circumstances. Some days I’m just too lazy. It takes humility to admit a need. My pride convinces me I can handle it by myself. It takes being unselfish, turning to the Lord for His strength, and seek Him. There are days my selfish hardheaded stubbornness stands in the way of seeking His help. Still wrapped in human flesh, I fail at times. 

The sight of my friend, and the words she spoke that day, made me think. It’s easy to ask for prayer when our leg is broken, or the car is broke down, or for a child getting married. How about when we are exhausted from fighting a spiritual battle? How about when we are being tempted? How about prayers for a family member who is in trouble with the law? How about prayers when we do something questionable? How about prayers for all those Sunday morning fights? What about those prayers that are difficult to speak? We will hesitate to step out of our comfort zone. It will be hard to open up to those we trust and love, and request prayer for ourself. It will be be hard to open up to those we trust and love, and request prayer for those we love and care for.  Quiet frankly, we may feel like we just can’t do it.

To be courageous like my friend we will have to push our limits. It will be hard. Don’t we want the peace that transcends all understanding, as mentioned in Philippians 4? We need help fighting our spiritual battles. I need help fighting my spiritual battles. Our struggles with our desires, discipline, laziness, pride, selfishness, and hardheaded stubbornness can hinder us in bringing everything to Him, and having that peace. However, we need to remove our stone hedge, fill in our moat, fly back from the moon, and bring all occasions, all requests, every situation, continually to God in prayer, right? Right.

I miss my friend. I haven’t seen her in about a month. She hasn’t been back to class, since she requested prayer. While you are talking to God, if you think of my friend, please pray for God to strengthen her for the spiritual battle she is fighting.

🙏