This past Sunday, I had the privilege of speaking on John 11:1-16.
Church Signs: “The Best Thing We Can Give Someone…
…Is Our Prayers.”
Usually my church signs posts are about the disagreements I have with the message on a particular sign. This time I agree with the message, to a point.
We are encouraged and commanded to give our requests to our Father, whether those requests are for ourselves or for others. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us that we are to ask God to change a person’s heart when anything we might say to them would be like giving pearls to pigs. Prayer is important and it is a perfect way to show others that we care.
Unfortunately, it’s far too easy for us to use prayer as an excuse to avoid doing things for people. We’ll say that we will pray for someone when we have the ability to help them out ourselves. Sometimes we simply forget to even pray for them. That is not a good thing. James tells us that if we say, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” it does no good. In the same way, if we say, “I’ll pray for you,” but don’t help when we can, it does no good.
The criticism that Christians are more interested in a person’s soul than their physical needs has some validation if the only thing we do is pray. At the same time, prayer is not a last resort when nothing else is working. We need to do both. We are to pray for the kingdom to come and for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and sometimes we are the means through which that happens.
The best thing we can give others is prayer, and our help, and our love.
Following Jesus: Part 3-Loving Others
The second of the two commandments Jesus said summed up the Law and the Prophets is love your neighbor as yourself. This is another way we follow Jesus. In John 15, Jesus gave a new command. He said we were to love our brothers and sisters as he loved us.
The love that Jesus commands us to practice is a love that puts others first. It is a love that sacrifices for others, even to the point of laying down our lives. It is a love that does the same for others that Jesus did for us.
One of the primary reasons the early church turned the world upside down was their love, for each other and for their neighbors. The first Christians were well known for the way they cared for their brothers and sisters and the way they looked past social, racial, and other differences to form a family with God as their Father. They were also known for caring for their neighbors, often putting themselves at risk. No matter what else was said about the early followers of Jesus, it was obvious that they loved others in a way far different from the culture around them.
It seems as if those who of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus are known more for what we are against and our fighting than for our love for others. We seem to be quite willing to forget the command to lay down our lives in exchange for what we think is power and influence. At times our worship seems to be more about ourselves than about the One who gave his life for us. The things that capture our imaginations are many times antithetical to the Kingdom and are self-centered instead of others-centered.
Loving others as Jesus loved us means giving up our “rights,” our interests, our wants, for the good of others. While we may be willing to step in front of a bullet for someone, how willing are we to give up our time, comfort, or possessions? How willing are we to essentially become nothing so that Christ might be glorified and others benefited?
Following Jesus can be distilled into two commands. We love God with every fiber of our being, and we love others. Everything thing else flows from that. It is not an easy thing to do. In fact, it is impossible if we try to do it in our own strength. If we belong to Jesus, we have his Spirit in us giving us the ability to love as we are called to love.
Sad, Angry, and Hopeful
Today, I lied to one of my bus passengers. She told me she had been diagnosed with ALS and asked me if I knew anything about it. After stating a couple of generalities, I told her that I couldn’t think of anything else because I didn’t want to be the one to tell her that the disease is fatal. Two days ago, our next door neighbor died from pancreatic cancer, just a few days after coming home from the hospital. A week and a half ago, friends of ours lost their twenty one year old only son in a tragic accident. I see and hear of families and friendships being torn asunder because of pride and selfishness.
I am saddened by all these things. It is heartbreaking to see parents grieving a son that is supposed to outlive them. It grieves me to know that I will no longer speak to my neighbor across the fence between our houses. I am sad to hear of someone contracting a deadly disease. My heart aches to see relationships broken and people I know in pain.
I am angry because none of these things are the way it is supposed to be, the way creation was made to be. I am angry at evil, at sin, at the things that happen to us, and at the things we do to each other. I am angry because I feel helpless much of the time, knowing that so much is out of my control.
I am sad and I am angry. Yet, at the same time I am hopeful. I believe that the Creator of the universe has stepped into this world, taking on humanity. Entering death, on the cross, the King came through the other side and defeated death. His kingdom was inaugurated through this death and has been coming to fruition in small ways ever since. This King will return and set all things to right. I don’t understand everything that happens in this life and there are many things I don’t like. But, I do believe that one day there will be no cancer, no ALS, no death. I believe that all broken relationships will be reconciled and there will be wholeness and peace.
Even so come, Lord Jesus!
World Vision Wednesday
World Vision president Richard Stearns weighs in on the Middle East refugee crisis. It is worth your time to read this.
World Vision Wednesday
Because clean water is a necessity of life, World Vision is planning to spend 500 million dollars over the next five years to provide water in places where there is little to none. For more information about the program and to learn how you can help, click the link. You don’t have to have 40 million dollars either.
World Vision Wednesday
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Syrian refugee crisis.
World Vision Wednesday
For the last three months, World Vision has been helping with the relief effort in Nepal. While a great deal has been accomplished, there is still much more to be done. Check the article for information on how you can help.
World Vision Wednesday
In May, enough rain fell on the state of Texas to cover the entire state with 8 inches of water! 24 people have died and there is devastation statewide from the rain and tornadoes. World Vision is helping with relief efforts. For more information, including how you can help, check this out.
World Vision Wednesday
If you knit or crochet, here is a way you can be involved in helping poor children.