Mourn Until He Moves
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid. -- Nehemiah 2:1-2; English Standard Version
I have, in past times, let some really silly things bother me. My wife could, but better not, tell you stories of the times that I've been totally despondent after losing a softball game. Isn't that ridiculous? We've driven home and I have sat on the steps, and no one dare speak to me. Isn't it ridiculous to get worked up over so much over things like that?
There have been other times that I have heard or experienced some really sad situations and forgot about it in a few minutes. I remember a young man that I spoke with at the youth center one time that I knew did not know the Lord. I shared with him, sure, I did that, but I walked away from that experience and did not give the young man another thought until I read in the local paper that he had died in an auto accident. It occurred to me, in that moment, that I COULD have prayed more for that young man; I could have pursued that a little more.
Here's a little something else I've learned from Nehemiah...don't give up till God moves. We find Nehemiah, MONTHS later, still grieving about the state of Jerusalem and the people there. Nehemiah was waiting, prayerfully for God to move.
Now, wait...before you think I am telling you to go about life like someone stole your cookies every day, all day...that's not what I am saying. What I am saying is that we should NOT give up praying for things and people so quickly. We should indeed be more committed.
I read a story once about a famous rock star (I don't remember his name) whose parents went to their church's altar to pray for him (and asked the church to do the same) EVERY SUNDAY FOR 25 YEARS! That man got saved! His parents didn't give up. His parents' church didn't give up. Those folks mourned for the soul of that man until God moved. All of a sudden, Nehemiah's few months seems small!
Time is not really the point. I'm talking about an attitude; the attitude that doesn't give up; the attitude that continues to ask and expect God to do something.
AGAIN, do not hear me saying that we should walk around wearing black and pouting all the time. I'm just trying to get us all to think a little more about our prayer lives and how we petition God and wait for Him. I've been known to give up too soon. I don't want to be that way!
Take abortion for example, I think it is a hateful sin. It breaks my heart. It has been 33 years since the Roe v. Wade case paved the way for abortion to become "legal" in the US. I am more committed than ever to pray EVERY DAY that God do SOMETHING to end this! I'm not giving up! Another example; I have many lost loved ones with whom I've shared the Gospel MANY times...I'm NOT giving up! I have a vision to reach the lost of my area; I'm NOT giving up! I'm going to keep praying, keep fasting, and keep working. I am not giving up!
God has used Nehemiah to reignite me! I WILL be most concerned about the most important things and I WILL keep pleading with the Lord...I WILL NOT QUIT until He moves!
You all know that God has placed me in the Baptist thread of Christian life. I've often joked that when you ask a Baptist to do something and they respond with "Let me pray about it" that what they really mean is "NO!" It's funny, and has often been true. Here's what I want to mean when I say "Let me pray about it"...I want to mean "Yes, I WILL pray about that and I won't stop until God moves in that situation."
Whatever is appropriate, I am more sure than ever that I will pray, I will mourn, I will do whatever needs to be done until He moves, even if the ONLY thing God moves is me. How about you?
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid. -- Nehemiah 2:1-2; English Standard Version
I have, in past times, let some really silly things bother me. My wife could, but better not, tell you stories of the times that I've been totally despondent after losing a softball game. Isn't that ridiculous? We've driven home and I have sat on the steps, and no one dare speak to me. Isn't it ridiculous to get worked up over so much over things like that?
There have been other times that I have heard or experienced some really sad situations and forgot about it in a few minutes. I remember a young man that I spoke with at the youth center one time that I knew did not know the Lord. I shared with him, sure, I did that, but I walked away from that experience and did not give the young man another thought until I read in the local paper that he had died in an auto accident. It occurred to me, in that moment, that I COULD have prayed more for that young man; I could have pursued that a little more.
Here's a little something else I've learned from Nehemiah...don't give up till God moves. We find Nehemiah, MONTHS later, still grieving about the state of Jerusalem and the people there. Nehemiah was waiting, prayerfully for God to move.
Now, wait...before you think I am telling you to go about life like someone stole your cookies every day, all day...that's not what I am saying. What I am saying is that we should NOT give up praying for things and people so quickly. We should indeed be more committed.
I read a story once about a famous rock star (I don't remember his name) whose parents went to their church's altar to pray for him (and asked the church to do the same) EVERY SUNDAY FOR 25 YEARS! That man got saved! His parents didn't give up. His parents' church didn't give up. Those folks mourned for the soul of that man until God moved. All of a sudden, Nehemiah's few months seems small!
Time is not really the point. I'm talking about an attitude; the attitude that doesn't give up; the attitude that continues to ask and expect God to do something.
AGAIN, do not hear me saying that we should walk around wearing black and pouting all the time. I'm just trying to get us all to think a little more about our prayer lives and how we petition God and wait for Him. I've been known to give up too soon. I don't want to be that way!
Take abortion for example, I think it is a hateful sin. It breaks my heart. It has been 33 years since the Roe v. Wade case paved the way for abortion to become "legal" in the US. I am more committed than ever to pray EVERY DAY that God do SOMETHING to end this! I'm not giving up! Another example; I have many lost loved ones with whom I've shared the Gospel MANY times...I'm NOT giving up! I have a vision to reach the lost of my area; I'm NOT giving up! I'm going to keep praying, keep fasting, and keep working. I am not giving up!
God has used Nehemiah to reignite me! I WILL be most concerned about the most important things and I WILL keep pleading with the Lord...I WILL NOT QUIT until He moves!
You all know that God has placed me in the Baptist thread of Christian life. I've often joked that when you ask a Baptist to do something and they respond with "Let me pray about it" that what they really mean is "NO!" It's funny, and has often been true. Here's what I want to mean when I say "Let me pray about it"...I want to mean "Yes, I WILL pray about that and I won't stop until God moves in that situation."
Whatever is appropriate, I am more sure than ever that I will pray, I will mourn, I will do whatever needs to be done until He moves, even if the ONLY thing God moves is me. How about you?
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