A Prayer Perspective

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Andrew Murray lived from 1828 to 1917. He was born in South Africa more than a hundred years ago, but He experienced the national tensions we suffer today. He lived through the Anglo-Boer War and recorded his reflections. His question and his thoughts gripped me when I read them last week.* I share them with you.

Would it not be sad if we came into God’s presence divided into two camps, praying one against the other? No, we must pray for both our leaders and for all who are in authority. As leaders of the people, their influence, for good or evil, is inexpressible [beyond words].

Their hearts are in God’s hands, and He can turn them wherever He wills. Let our prayers ascend to God in all sincerity and He will hear and grant that which is good for the whole land.

Let us pray, “Lord, the hearts of rulers are in Thy hands; teach them to do Thy will.”

Amen.

*From Daily Secrets of Christian Living

A Grace Perspective

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

I love to be shown grace. I deeply appreciate the many times my unwise words are forgiven, my lack of kindness is excused, and my ignorance is overlooked. I am awed by the grace God extends when my bad behavior is repeated, or my neglect reveals my selfishness, or my complaints are shamefully without excuse.

Grace—unmerited favor—so sweet to receive and so challenging to give.

This week, we are mourning the loss of a man who exhibited grace. This is not a eulogy for Charlie Kirk, but an acknowledgement of his inspiration as a grace-giver who demonstrated tolerance and acceptance without compromising his beliefs.

My prayer and hope is that Christians and Americans, and all who have eyes to see and ears to hear, will examine their hearts and the words that flow out of them. May our words reflect the remarkable grace God has shown us.

O Lord, may we be like You.

Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth,

but only that which is good for building up,

that it may give grace to the listeners.

Ephesians 4:29 MEV

A Political Perspective

~ Barbara ~ 2 Comments

 The most political opinion I can find from Jesus is His advice in Matthew to “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s.” That is quite something when we consider the harsh Roman rule and restrictive Jewish oppression of His time. Jesus promoted and exemplified righteousness and did not allow politics to divert His attention from the kingdom that mattered most. Hmm.

Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” He lived in full awareness that Earth was not His true home. It isn’t ours either, but do we reflect the same mindfulness as Jesus? Do we live like the heroes in Hebrews 11, admitting we are “aliens and strangers on earth… longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (vs 13-16)?

The hatred, name-calling, swearing, and conniving we witness in the news are not congruent with those of us who profess that this world is not our home. But party spokespeople, red or blue, are not our enemy. “We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Our battle is against the forces that propel the hatred we see.

When will we protest evil on our knees and cry out for forgiveness? When will we love our neighbors into the Kingdom? When will we cease to repeat and repost the opinions of critics? When will we remember there is a greater war to wage? When will our words and actions reflect our faith?

Consider this post a call to prayer, to tolerance, unity, and love. Let us heed Paul’s advice to Timothy:

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

Hours after I wrote this post, I heard that Charlie Kirk was assassinated. I did not know or follow the man, but I’ve learned his earthly life spoke volumes, and his eternal life was secured by his faith in Jesus. Sadly, his tragic death punctuates the words above. May God forgive us all and lead us to follow Him and His ways.

A Peaceful Perspective

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Do you sometimes feel there’s too much noise, too much traffic, and too many demands? I can’t speak for readers in other parts of the country, but life is pretty hectic in North Jersey. On the other hand, if you live on planet Earth, it doesn’t matter whether you’re in the suburbs or the city, farming in a valley or living in hill country, turmoil will find you.

Sickness comes, debts mount, hatred invades, and opinions assault. Sin infects wherever people are found. Jesus not only knew this but experienced it, which is why His words carry weight.

He told His disciples they were about to face deeply challenging events, but they could find peace in Him. He added, “In this world you will have trouble.” That is not a maybe, but a certainty, and would sound pessimistic if He hadn’t added this clincher: “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

 Jesus knew experientially what we can only imagine. Pain and sadness, loss and confusion, hatred and desertion—all will pass. The sorrows of this life are temporary.

We can endure what is temporary—a seedy hotel when it’s only one night, the pain of surgery when it promises relief, and tense conversations when the end is in sight. When we grasp the reality that all of life is temporary, we experience God’s peace!

Our future extends beyond what we see and feel. Anticipate the future and have peace.