Wings of Prayer Devotionals

July 2009 - What is Freedom?

2009-07-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

Scripture Readings:

Isaiah 58:6 - Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

John 8:36 - If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Devotional Reading:

Every year on the Fourth of July, Americans celebrate their freedom. Initially, it was freedom from English rule under King George III, which had become intollerabe. Thomas Jefferson included certain "rights" in his definition of freedom, such as the equality of all men, and the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." In this case, freedom is seen as an action toward something. Freedom can also be an action away from something, as in freedom from slavery, oppression, confinement, etc.

Perhaps one of the earliest expressions of freedom in children is when, upon being told to do something by a parent or another child, the child declares, "You're not the boss of me!" The child is exerting autonomy, and the desire to control his own thoughts, actions, and deeds.

Some would say that freedom means doing whatever you want to do, without any limitations. But freedom without some degree of restraint or reciprocal limitation is anarchy. This is why governments establish constitutions and laws to govern their citizens, for to have freedom there must be order. In order for me to be free, my fellow man must also be free.

I remember in high school, a teacher telling us, "I have the freedom to swing my arm -- up to the point where it would connect with your jaw." What he was trying to teach us is that for me to enjoy MY freedom, it must not infringe on the freedom of another. For example, I have the right to play my TV/stereo/radio in my apartment; but my neighbor has the right to peace and quiet in his. So, I can play my radio as long as I don't crank up the volume to the point where it disturbs his peace. Likewise, I have the right to drive my car. But I must drive within the boundaries set by law -- following the speed limits, driving on the proper side of the road and in the correct lane of multi-lane highways, and obeying the other laws of the road. These laws are not meant to restrict my freedom, but to preserve it, and my life, while driving.

There is no area of life in which we do not have to follow some rules. In school, children must raise their hands to speak in turn or there would be chaos and no one would be able to learn. Whether in educational, governmental, medical, or business institutions, there must be protocols to keep order.

So it is with the Christian life. Some would argue that God's laws are too restrictive. I recently saw a quote which stated: "God's rejections are His protections." In other words, when God says no to our prayers or desires, He is protecting us from the consequences of things that might be harmful to us. If a little girl asks God to make her doll into a real baby, obviously He is not going to say yes because she isn't old enough to care for a real baby. Or suppose a man asks for a position of greater power at work. Since God knows that man's heart, He might say no if that power would go to the man's head and ultimately ruin him and those close to him.

The commandments function as a protective fence, not so much keeping us in and stifling our freedom, as keeping things out that would destroy it. Within God's boundaries, I have all the freedom in the world -- to grow, to express myself, to engage with others, as well as freedom from destructive actions and attitudes that would ultimately destroy me.

In Exodus, Moses led God's people out of the slavery and oppression they had suffered in Egypt. Yet, while he was on Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments from God, the people down below began to express their newfound freedom in inappropriate and destructive ways. They created the image of a false god from the very land they had just escaped, and engaged in gluttony and debauchery that led to many of them dying. When Moses instituted God's laws, order was restored and true freedom was enjoyed.

Freedom is precious. It must not be taken for granted, and it must be understood. For to abuse it, is to lose it.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the freedom we enjoy in this great country of ours: the freedom to express our thoughts without fear of retribution; freedom to worship, to gather together for public meetings, to engage in educational opportunities and in business, to raise our families and pursue our dreams in relative peace. Thank you most of all for setting us free from the slavery and bondage of sin through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus. Help us to not take any of our freedoms for granted. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Optional Growth and Enrichment Activities:

Research: Using a thesaurus, look up the words "free" and "freedom" and their synonyms. Then, using a concordance, look up Scriptures that talk about being free or how we are to use or express our freedom.

Reflect: In your journal, discuss how your research has expanded your understanding of what freedom is, and what it means to you. Have you been taking your freedom for granted? In expressing your freedom, have you infringed on someone else's? If so, what will you do differently now?

Reach out: Decide on one action you will take this week to express your freedom to do something. For example: write your senator or congressman and express your views on a current piece of legislation being discussed; write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about some local issue; express your freedom to worship by going to your house of worship this week; etc. Also, express your gratitude for freedom from something. For example: if you have given up smoking, express your gratitude to the person or group that helped you kick the habit; volunteer your time to comfort and encourage those who are imprisoned or confined because of chronic illness or old age; contribute to an organization that helps those who are not free from poverty, disease, and oppression, etc. Use your freedom of prayer to pray for those who are not free.

May 2009 - Abiding in the Daily Struggles

2009-05-01T04:13:00.000-07:00

Scripture Readings:

Luke 24:29 - "But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them."

John 15:5 -"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing."

Devotional Reading:

At the culmination of a weekend camping retreat with my high school youth group, when I was a teenager, we arose before dawn Sunday morning, climbed up the side of a mountain, then sat trying to catch our breath as the sun came up and took it away again. All of the struggles through brush and over boulders, the skinned knees and scraped hands, the aching muscles, were forgotten when those first brilliant rays peered over the horizon and spread their beauty and light over the landscape. The view was breathtaking, and we would love to have stayed there just drinking in the wonders of God's creation. But soon we had to start back down the mountain, back through the tangled brush, the boulders, more skins and scrapes, back to the "real world" and back to our ordinary routines.

We all love the mountaintop experiences with the Lord; but it's in the day-to-day routines of life where our Christianity is lived and tested, and it's those day-to-day struggles that can wear us down. We trust God for the "big" things, like salvation; but lose sight of Him in the ordinariness of life: when the toilet backs up, the car won't start, the kids are fighting, someone lets us down, we're sick or just plain tired. Little things pile up and overwhelm us. Then, in addition to feeling overloaded and discouraged, we beat ourselves up for not being better Christians.

In one of my favorite hymns, "Abide with Me," is this verse:

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

When I am sick, in pain, almost too tired to breathe, I need God's presence "every passing hour." When I'm too weak to fight temptation, I need His grace to "foil the tempter's power." When I'm focused on my problems, and my own efforts prove inadequate, I need Him to be my "guide and stay." I know intellectually that He abides with me "through cloud and sunshine;" but when clouds obscure my vision, do I always remember that? No, because I am human, and humans forget. We get caught up in our daily struggles and forget that we're not alone, that He's there to help us. We forget that, in spite of us, the plumbing will get repaired, the car will start again, people who have let us down will uphold us sometimes and let us down sometimes, for such is human nature. Eventually, we will feel better and more rested.

In the meantime, what should we do? Allow ourselves to be human, accept that we will not always live "the perfect Christian life," that we will sometimes be a good example, and sometimes a not-so-good example, of what a Christian is and does. We need to forgive ourselves, knowing that God already has.

God doesn't expect perfection as we abide with Him. Abiding means living close to Him in all our imperfection, weakness, and failings, realizing that He loves us as we are. To abide is to bear patiently, tolerate, continue. We need to bear patiently with ourselves, tolerate our humanness; and continue on side by side with the Lord, remembering that we are loved, accepted, and valued just as we are.

Prayer: Father, help us to keep our eyes on You in the midst of life's struggles. Give us the grace to accept our humanness and to be patient with ourselves and with others, even as You accept us. Help us to remember that when we are weak, You are strong; that You know our frame, that we are dust; that You understand us better than anyone, for You made us. Help us to use the lessons learned from boredom, pain, sickness, sorrows, and struggles to reach out to others who are hurting and struggling. And every moment of every day and every night help us to remember that You are with us in the ordinariness of our lives, and that makes every day and every life extraordinary.

Optional Growth and Enrichment Activities:

Research: Look up the word "abide" in a dictionary and/or thesaurus and write down the various meanings. Then, using a concordance, look up the Scriptures that have to do with abiding.

Reflect: In your journal, write down the definitions and Scriptures on abiding that are most meaningful to you personally from your word study research. How can you "abide" with the Lord at work, while doing errands, while cleaning the house, when you're ill? In your own words, write what it means to YOU to abide in the Lord.

Reach out: Someone once said that a friend is one who knows all our faults, but loves us anyway. (1) Do you have a friend who accepts you as you are? Write a note, send a card, or make a phone call to tell him/her how much you appreciate their friendship. (2) Let your spouse and children know that you love and accept them as they are, too. (3) Write a letter to yourself in which you give yourself permission to be human; then vow to abide with and in the Lord, and let Him lead you and continue to mold you into the image of His Son.

March 2009 - When Life Knocks You Down...

2009-03-01T18:43:00.000-08:00

Scripture Reading:

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 - "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."

Devotional Reading:

Some time ago I participated in an online support group in which it was the moderator's custom to have fun exercises to do each day. Under headings such as "Wacky Wednesday 5" or "Fabulous Friday 5" she would list 5 questions for us to answer. One week one of the questions was, "Name something that might embarrass you and surprise others if they knew." As a 50-something Christian, I replied that I liked the chorus of the pop song "Tubthumping" (aka "I get knocked down") by the group Chumbawamba which is repeated over and over and goes:

I get knocked down, but I get up again
You’re never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You’re never gonna keep me down.

I had first heard it on my daughter's car radio. Generally, I don't care for pop music, but this chorus reminded me of the message of 2 Corinthians 4:3-10. It sometimes feels like we've been knocked down by life's circumstances -- by difficulties at work or loss of a job, the loss of a loved one, dealing with a rebellious child or a broken marriage. Those dealing with chronic pain or illness may feel knocked down by pain, discouragement, by friends and family members not understanding our limitations when we "look good," by unbelievers who ask why a loving God would allow pain and suffering, and by some fellow believers who say "If you only had more faith..." or "There must be sin in your life..." It would be easy to just lay there, spiritually bruised and battered, and give up.

But you know what? Most of us don't do that. As the song says, we "get back up again." Why? Because we know that "underneath are the everlasting arms." Because God has promised in Hebrews that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Because in Philippians Paul reminds us that we can do all things through Christ. And because God has promised that, for those who love Him, He will ultimately work everything out for good, including OUR good.

So, we get knocked down; but we get up again. Jesus says that in this world we will have tribulation, but that He has overcome the world. We may be cast down, but the Bible tells us that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God, so we are not destroyed. We know that our present circumstances are only temporary, because neither this world nor this body is our permanent home.

Christ is our Savior, our strength, our sufficiency, our shelter, our sustainer, and our champion. And when we get knocked down, HE lifts us up again, and again, and again.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the reminder that you are always with us, Your ears always open to our cries, Your heart attuned to every care and need, your arms always ready to catch us and lift us up when we fall. Thank You for encouraging us through unexpected people, places, and things -- even pop songs on car radios. And as You have encouraged us, help us to encourage others. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Optional Growth and Enrichment Activities:

Research: Using a concordance, make a list of scripture verses that you can refer to for encouragement when you feel “knocked down.”

Reflect: Write in your journal (or start a journal) times when God has lifted you up in the past, and how He has sustained you in the face of illness or trouble.

Reach out: Write a note of encouragement to someone you know who is going through a difficult time or who suffers from chronic illness, and add them to your prayer list.

January 2009 - Happy New Day After Day After Day!

2009-01-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

Scripture Readings:

Lamentations 3: 22-23 - "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."

Romans 6:4b - "that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

I always feel that I should begin my first journal entry of the new year with something profound: something that will motivate, stir, or challenge. After all, it is a new page on which to record the lived moments and events of life. Doesn't it deserve to be "special"?

Devotional Reading:

We note the demarkation between one year's demise and another's birth by the hands on a clock, the dropping of a ball in Times Square, the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" - artificial markers all. For time is fluid. Things carry over from one year into the next regardless of the change of day and date. Wars continue, problems aren't solved overnight, pain and sorrow aren't assuaged simply by the flipping of a calendar page. They travel with us, along with all our other baggage, into the new year, sullying it before it has barely begun.

We make and break the same resolutions we made and broke last year -- and the year before that -- and the year before that! Yet, the idea of a NEW year, a FRESH beginning, persists. We hope THIS year will be better, that THIS year wars WILL end, loved ones will draw closer together, the sick will recover, depression will lift, good will conquer evil.

No matter what happens, we can rejoice in one promise that is NEVER broken -- that God's mercies are new every morning. Each morning He provides us with a fresh start to fellowship with Him, to study His Word and ways, to share His love with those around us. And each night, when we confess our sins and failures, with love and mercy He wipes the slate clean, lets us renew ourselves in sleep, and awakens us to a fresh start, another chance to get it right.

We don't need parties, noisemakers, paper hats, dropping balls, or a countdown to give us a new beginning. With the fanfare of a glorious sunrise, God gives us a fresh start each day. And, by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God has made us a new creature, and that beats a new year any day.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your unending mercy, compassion, and love. Thank You for forgiving me my persistent shortcomings and failures, for Your faith in me, and for giving me the faith to believe in and to trust You. Help me to awaken each day to the possibilities You've given me, to be mindful of the work You may have for me to do, and the people You may want me to reach out to. Help me not to be discouraged in well-doing, but to leave the outcome of all things in Your hands, knowing and believing that You will work all things out for good, through Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Optional Growth and Enrichment Activities:

Research: Use a dictionary to look up the various meanings of the word "mercy." Then do a word search in your concordance and study the verses in which the words "mercy," "mercies," and "merciful" occur.

Reflect: In your journal, write down the times you have experienced mercy either from God or from another person. Next, write down the times you have shown mercy to others. Meditate on God's great mercy toward you.

Reach out: Do you know of someone who needs mercy now: a relative or friend who has wronged you or treated you unfairly: an unwed mother, a rebellious teenager, the poor and homeless? Remember, mercy is undeserved by the recipient. How can you show mercy to those with whom you come in contact on a daily basis, including the members of your immediate family? Jot down some ideas in your journal.