The Word For Today

In the early days of America, a stranger asked how he might identify George Washington among those present at Congress. He was told, 'You can easily distinguish him when Congress goes to prayer. Washington is the gentleman who kneels down.' Washington was known as a man who prayed. When the fate of the new nation hung in the balance at Valley Forge, he frequently found rest and relief in prayer. One day, a farmer approaching Washington's military camp heard an earnest voice. When he drew nearer, he saw Washington on his knees, his cheeks wet with tears. The farmer returned home and told his wife: 'George Washington will succeed, and the Americans will secure their independence.' His wife said, 'Isaac, what makes you think so?' He replied, 'I heard him pray out in the woods today, and the Lord will surely hear his prayer. He will, Hannah, rest assured, he will!'

When we have less, we're more aware of our need and pray more. But as we acquire and achieve more, we become more self-sufficient and pray less. That's a mistake. The more God entrusts to you, the more you need his strength, wisdom, guidance and grace. David sat on a throne and ruled Israel. Was he proud or arrogant? No. 'My enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me...in God I trust and am not afraid' (Psalm 56:9, 11 NKJV).

So, this is the word for today: more responsibility calls for more prayer.

From the beginning of the Bible to its conclusion, we see absolute evidence that God answers prayer. Things that we think are impossible, God does when people pray! When we pray, we align ourselves with the purposes of God and tap into the power of the Almighty. Because we pray, God works through us in ways he wouldn't otherwise. God has made certain things dependent upon prayer, things that will never be done unless we pray. Could God do whatever he chooses without our prayer? Of course. But God has determined that he will use the prayers of his people to accomplish his purposes.

When we do not pray, we limit what God will do in our lives. Some may not like the sound of this, but if it were not true, what could James mean when he writes: 'You do not have because you do not ask' (James 4:2 NIV). Why would Paul ask some friends to, 'Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured...that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people' (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 NIV), if he did not believe their prayers had the power to change his circumstances? Both James and Paul believed that God might well withhold his hand of blessing from them if they neglected to pray. Since they wanted all the blessing available to them, they not only prayed themselves, they recruited others to pray for them. They never wanted to limit what God might be pleased to do in and through them by failing to pray.

If you want all the blessing God has available, you too must pray.

In Western culture, we think of a day beginning when the sun comes up. But the creation account says: 'The evening and the morning were the first day' (Genesis 1:5 NKJV). Each day began with evening. Author Eugene Peterson noted that in this way, the biblical writers help us to remember: 'Everything doesn't depend on me. I go to sleep; God goes to work. It's his day. The world keeps spinning, tides ebb and flow, lives begin and end even though I am not there to superintend any of it. God is present when I sleep.' So, the psalmist wrote: 'In vain you rise early and stay up late...for he grants sleep to those he loves' (Psalm 127:2 NIV).

It's estimated that sleep deprivation and driver fatigue is a contributing factor in up to one fifth of road incidents. Lack of sleep causes people to argue with spouses and friends, do subpar work, be less loving and more irritable with children and friends, and generally feel miserable.

So, here's how to 'have a good day'. Before you go to sleep, take a few minutes to review your day with God. Seek to resolve any household conflicts before bedtime. Paul wrote: 'Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil' (Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT). Confess any sin that comes to mind and ask for forgiveness. Where you were blessed today, take time to savour it and say thanks. In other words, give God the last word in your day.

Patience, from the biblical perspective, embodies these four things: (1) Confidence in God's unfailing love and faithfulness to us: 'His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness' (Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV). (2) Confidence that he will keep his promises to us: 'There has not failed one word...which he promised' (1 Kings 8:56 NKJV). (3) Confidence that he has everything that concerns us under control: 'The Lord will vindicate me' (Psalm 138:8 NIV). (4) Confidence that even in the most difficult of circumstances, he is working for our good. 'We know that all things work together for good to those who love God' (Romans 8:28 NKJV). Confidence in God enables us to live by the word: 'Whoever believes will not act hastily' (Isaiah 28:16 NKJV).

Impatience is at the root of many of our failures. The apostle James wrote: 'Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord' (James 5:7 NKJV). Look at Simon Peter: he came close to committing murder in the garden of Gethsemane in a vain attempt to protect Jesus (see John 18:10). Look at Moses: his impatience caused him to strike the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded; hence he forfeited the Promised Land (see Numbers 20:1-13). Look at Abraham: his impatience while waiting for God's promise of a son to be fulfilled led to the birth of Ishmael and complications in his family (see Genesis 16:1-16).

Hence Paul wrote: 'Whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope' (Romans 15:4 NKJV). So, the word for today is - exercise patience!

Here are three things you should be clear about before you commit to a lifetime relationship in marriage (if you're not in this situation yourself, perhaps you could use these points to guide your prayers for others):

(1) Does your partner have a strong relationship with Jesus? 'Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction' (Amos 3:3 NLT)? To stay together, you must walk in step and in the same direction. (2) Is your partner growing spiritually? 'But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 3:18 NIV). If you are not growing together, you will eventually grow apart. Shared faith and values will keep you together for the long haul. (3) What kind of family background does your partner have? God can help us overcome obstacles caused by family dysfunction. But you need to know what you're dealing with before you vow to love one another 'for better or for worse'. Paul wrote: 'Carry each other's burdens...this way you will fulfil the law of Christ' (Galatians 6:2 NIV). But you need to know upfront what those burdens are before committing to a lifetime of helping to share them.

The Bible tells us: 'If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone' (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)! This doesn't mean keeping your past secret or lying about it. Mutual transparency is the name of the game! When you know the whole truth about one another, the past loses its power to sabotage your present and your future. No spouse is perfect, but don't settle for less than God's best.

Some of the world's greatest achievers went through life with physical disabilities and overcame incredible adversities. Sir Walter Scott was disabled. John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress, was imprisoned. George Washington, America's first president, almost died in the snows of Valley Forge. Abraham Lincoln played a critical part in ending slavery in America, yet he was raised in abject poverty and died prematurely from an assassin's bullet. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli was subject to bitter religious prejudice. Franklin D. Roosevelt was struck down with infantile paralysis. Ludwig van Beethoven became deaf. Glen Cunningham, an Olympic runner, had his legs badly burned in a school fire. Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Marian Anderson and George Washington Carver were born into racial discrimination. Enrico Caruso was from a poor Italian family where only a few children survived past infancy. Itzhak Perlman, concert violinist, lost the function of his legs at age four.

In his family's eyes, David wasn't considered worthy to be Israel's next king. Moralists and legalists would have disqualified him because of his affair with Bathsheba. Yet God referred to him as 'a man after my own heart' (Acts 13:22 NIV). And David said: 'My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion...I have put my trust in the Lord God' (Psalm 73:26, 28 NKJV).

The word for today is: with God's help, you will succeed.