Jul 08, 2016 Words of Grace – Are You Praying Today?
I awoke this morning to the news that five police officers were killed in Dallas at a march protesting the death of two men killed by police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota.
I am working on the sermon for Sunday from the book of Judges that shows the depth of sin in the darkened heart that rejects the lordship of God.
And I am looking into my own soul and finding attitudes that don’t reflect those of my Savior Jesus who saved me by grace and is conforming me to his own image.
You probably have your own reasons for being brought face to face with this fallen world and the sinfulness of the human heart. What are we going to do? Silence the swirl of competing and confusing thoughts in our heads with mind-numbing activity? Draw quick and simplistic conclusions about what’s happening in our world and our hearts so we can just move on?
Now is the time to pray. I don’t mean to use prayer as an excuse for not searching our hearts for sin, to avoid having honest conversations about the state of things in our country, or to replace taking some tangible action to show love to others. I mean humble, dependent, and earnest prayer. I mean confessional and beseeching prayer. Prayer that cries out to God to send the kind of spiritual awakening to our souls, churches, and nation that will honor Jesus Christ and each other.
I encourage you to take 30 minutes today or this weekend to pray. Don’t spend the time brooding, blaming, or justifying. Don’t drift off into academic arguments about the human condition and the causes of conflict among us. Just cry out to God for mercy on your soul, your church, and our land. If possible, pray with someone.
Join us Sunday as we consider together the word of the Lord from Judges 3.
-Scott