In the newsletter, I gave three suggestions of how I might respond to an invitation to pray about our current world situation:
1. I’ve already been praying, thank you.
2. I’ll pray when I’m #%&@ good and ready.
3. I believe God’s already decided what to do, so why pray?
Honestly, I’d answer with none of the above. Here are a few quick thoughts…
- I have indeed been praying, but I know corporate prayer is commanded in God’s Word AND it’s effective!
- I try to keep my swearing at a minimum. 😉
- God is absolutely sovereign, but I know He’s moved by people’s prayers! (Or He wouldn’t have told us to do it!)
Confession Time
So, let’s get gut-level honest. I’m with the little kid at right and give a little inner raspberry when folks start soap-boxing about how “our world today” is “going to hell in a hand-basket.”
I’m not excited about going into a prayer meeting with a bunch of folks with that attitude. Instead, let’s try entering into the Almighty God’s presence with this focus:
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1
The Way We SHOULD Feel About Prayer
We SHOULD be all giggles and grins to join with our fellow believers in prayer, right?
But… “Don’t should on yourself,” says one of my best friends. 😀
Remember my first question asked how you FEEL when someone asks you to pray–now how you SHOULD feel. I know I SHOULD pray, but I don’t FEEL like praying when I hear/see/know about all the icky stuff going on.
Here’s another confession (I’m full of them today, huh?). I’m angry. I don’t want to watch the news or look at my Facebook feed. Eeee-gad! I want to wear that t-shirt I saw years ago that says:
I HATE MEAN PEOPLE.
But Jesus said I’m not allowed to hate, right? Hmmm.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:43-45
But Didn’t David Hate?
In that same psalm I quoted above (Psalm 63–it’s my favorite), David says about his enemies:
“Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth. They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.” Psalm 63:9-10
The same psalm that began with majestic praise for our sovereign God ends with David’s intense hatred for his enemies. Why might God preserve for all generations David’s intense hatred if Jesus wanted us to ignore it? I don’t think Jesus wanted us to ignore it…but rather LEARN from it.
Aiming Our Hate
David could unleash his unbridled hatred because he was convinced he was God’s chosen king–doing God’s business at the right time in the right way at the right place for the right reasons.
Granted, he wasn’t always right. He was human, after all. But David was confident (at least when he wrote the psalms about his enemies) that his heart was blameless before God–the Hebrew word for blameless meaning transparent, not sinless.
How does this apply to us when Jesus clearly commands us not to hate our enemies? I mean, we’re not God’s chosen king. Can we hate…
Jesus never said to tolerate EVIL. We can hate evil.
Praying With David’s Passion
I believe David’s passionate rants against his enemies are included in the Old Testament so we can hate EVIL passionately and pray against Satan’s plans.
In our society with its skewed-perspectives, it’s easy to think Democrats or Republicans are the enemy; but the Bible tells us it’s not true.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
It’s Satan’s influence on thoughts, words, and deeds that’s made our nation and world smell like smoke from the pit. We must get better at recognizing that smokey smell and place the blame on the true enemy’s shoulders!
Let’s refuse to join the hateful rhetoric that pervades our society because “those people” we’d be debating–no matter their race, color, or politics–are not our enemies. They are God’s image-bearers and many have not yet been redeemed by Jesus’ blood.
Praying Against Evil
Now, let me ask you: How do you FEEL about praying against evil? I hope, since we now have a target to aim at, you’ll wield the power of the Cross and take your stand.
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
Whether praying alone or with your church family, know that we are more than conquerers through Christ Jesus who strengthens us! And we can HATE EVIL!
