Did I stutter or...

Did I stutter or are your ears flappin’?

Listening is not just a valuable relational skill

or best business practices.

Listening is an essential part of prayer,

and the key to access the ability to hear
and to be heard

is God Himself.

Selective Hearing

“And they said to Moses,

‘You speak to us, and we will listen;

but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.’”

~Exodus 20:19

Too Self-Absorbed to Listen

“If one gives an answer before he hears,

it is his folly and shame.”

~Proverbs 18:13

Drawing Near to Hear

“Whoever is of God

hears the words of God.

The reason why you do not hear them

is that you are not of God.” 

~John 8:47

Listening with Respect

“Know this, my beloved brothers:

let every person be quick to hear,

slow to speak, slow to anger.”

~ James 1:19

Prayerful Listening

“He who has an ear,

let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…”

~Revelation 2:7

Able and Attentive Listener

“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Mark 4:23

Completely Dependent Listener

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them, and they follow Me.

I give them eternal life,

and they will never perish,

and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

~John 10:27-28

Invaluable Listening Skills

“My son, if you receive my words

and treasure up my commandments with you,

making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

yes, if you call out for insight

and raise your voice for understanding,

if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,

then you will understand the fear of the Lord 

and find the knowledge of God.”

~Proverbs 2:1-5

Costs and Benefits of Listening

“Take care then how you hear,

for to the one who has, more will be given,

and from the one who has not,

even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

~Luke 8:18

Listening Pleasure

 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,

and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

May my teaching drop as the rain,

my speech distill as the dew,

like gentle rain upon the tender grass,

and like showers upon the herb.

I will proclaim the name of the Lord.

Oh, praise the greatness of our God!”

~Deuteronomy 32:1-3

God Listens

“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him,

that if we ask anything according to His will

He hears us.”

~1 John 5:14

God Always Hears

“So they removed the stone [from Lazerus’ tomb]. 

Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said,

“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

“I knew that You always hear Me;

but because of the people standing around

I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”

~John 11:41,42

Words of Life Received

“But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word

that comes from the mouth of God.’”

~Matthew 4:4

"Lord, teach us to pray..."

Prayer is considered by most people

to be

a personal thing.

It is interesting that

Jesus was careful to teach His disciples

two very specific approaches to prayer…

Prayer Approach #1:  In Secret

“But you, when you pray,

go into your inner room,

close your door,

 and pray to your Father who is in secret,

and your Father who sees what is done in secret

will reward you.” 

~Matthew 6:6

Prayer Approach #2:  Together

 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.]’”

~Matthew 6:9-13

Hmmm…

Out of curiosity,

I began noodling among several other passages of Scripture

which specifically address or demonstrate prayer.

Psalm 5:2 is a very personal form of prayer,

including “crying out” and “groanings”,

displaying Prayer Approach #1

Philippians 4:6 is addressed to “brethren”

and “will guard your hearts and minds” (plural),

so is definitely Prayer Approach #2

Although I Peter 3:7 is directed toward husbands (plural),
each husband is encouraged to apply Prayer Approach #1

for his own wife

In Matt 14:23, the act of retreat, for the purpose

of being alone to pray, identifies Jesus Himself

as applying Prayer Approach #1

James 5:12-18 provides several scenarios

highlighting the effectiveness of prayer

as both Prayer Approaches #1 and #2 are accomplished

Thank you, Lord,

that not only do You hear me when I pray,

but You are glorified

as the hearts of Your people are knit together in prayer.

~ae

Qualified

Reading is for musing

but it’s sometimes quite confusing

when the paragraphs are thick with complication.

So if words cause me to stumble

and my brain begins to grumble,

qualifiers clarify their application.

for = there’s a purpose

if = there’s a condition

and = there’s more

but = there’s a challenge

Variations…

as

or

so

yet

still

thus

that 

then

since

while

though

even so

because

however

although

inversely

therefore

in spite of

conversely

nevertheless

consequently

on the contrary

notwithstanding

on the other hand

“If we confess our sins, 

he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ~I John 1:9

“Do not repay evil for evil 

or reviling for reviling, 

but on the contrary, bless, 

for to this you were called, 

that you may obtain a blessing.” ~I Peter 3:9

“If my people 

who are called by my name 

humble themselves, and pray 

and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, 

then I will hear from heaven 

and will forgive their sin 

and heal their land.” ~Chronicles 7:14

Isn't that fun?!

To Bear the Stretcher

To come before God on someone's behalf

is a multifaceted experience. 

It reveals my helpless estate,

my lack of strength or ability to offer help in any other way,

and my utter dependency upon Jesus,

the source of comfort and healing.  

Humility is so... humbling. 

Jesus tells me to make my requests known to Him

and holds the promise of peace

that is way beyond my capability to understand (Philippians 4:6,7).

As I was praying for a friend,

the paralytic man of Mark 2:1-11 came to mind. 

This man had friends who knew that

their only remaining hope was to somehow

bring their friend into the presence

of the One who could offer healing, newness, life. 

But the crowds... it was so difficult. 

The crowds of people,

crowds of emotion,

crowds of inadequacy,

crowds of "what ifs",

crowds of reminders of my helplessness.

The creative means; a hole in the roof. 

The  mode of transport; muscles, sweat and tears. 

The goal; to do whatever it took to lay him at Jesus' feet. 

They didn't tell Jesus what to do;

their wordless action

displayed their barebones trust in Jesus alone. 

Jesus equated the power to heal

with the power to forgive sins

..."Which is easier?" (vs.9)  

One reminds us of the other

and vice versa. 

Yet ultimately,

it is not the healing or the forgiveness

that causes us to fall prostrate before Him in awe and wonder

and ascribe all glory and honor to Him...

…it is being in His presence

that is so unfathomable,

so amazing,

so indescribable.

As I read through the list of names of friends and relatives

to whom prayers had been requested,

and realized that each of those names

had likely extended the same request

in their fervent desire on my friend’s behalf

to their friends and church families,

I was overwhelmed with awe at the power of prayer.

So there we were,

on our knees before the Holy Creator and Sustainer of Life

... together. 

To think that He hears us

and speaks comfort and guidance

and yes, even healing,

into our beings. 

It was God's completely adequate gift of faith to us 

that bore the stretcher

and laid my friend at the feet of our Savior

... adequate because of who He is.

Father, words cannot express our hearts

when we bring our friend to You. 

We cry out for your Holy Spirit to intercede for us

with groans too deep for words (Romans 8:26,27),

knowing that You are entirely trustworthy. 

Please encourage our friend, and us, as only You can. 

In Jesus' precious name,

amen.

On Our Behalf

When Daniel prayed for his people,

he was honest and forthright.

As he recounted the “desolations” of the people

before God,

he included himself in the masses; a commoner.

He had not been worshiping other gods,

nor did he participate

in the activities of godless pleasure

which were common among his peers.

In comparison to many of his day,

he likely was considered to be

a “good” man.

Yet what are comparisons

within the realm of humanity

in respect to Almighty God?

Daniel was not only willing

to lay bare his own imperfect heart,

but to acknowledge the heart of mankind as well;

fallen and without hope

apart from God.

As I cry out to the Lord

on behalf of my friends,

I desire to pray as Daniel prayed;

not on account of any merits of my own,

but on account of God great compassion

for them

…and for me.

 “So now, our God,

listen to the prayer of Your servant

and to his supplications,

and for Your sake, O Lord,

let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary…

O my God,

incline Your ear and hear!

Open Your eyes and see our desolations…

Desolation:  Misery, Despair, Wretchedness, Barrenness, Emptiness,

“…and the city which is called by Your name;

for we are not presenting our supplications before You…

Supplication:  Prayer, Appeal, Request, Plea

“…on account of any merits of our own,

but on account of Your great compassion.

O Lord, hear!

O Lord, forgive!

O Lord, listen and take action!

For Your own sake, O my God,

do not delay,

because Your city and Your people

are called by Your name.”

~Daniel 9:18,19

Facing the Morning Together

It is morning.

With a yawn and a stretch,

I amble down the stairway

in my sock feet

to offer my morning greetings

to the children.

My daughter’s alarm

blares its methodically obnoxious

but ineffectual reveille.

Flicking on the light,

I sit bouncing on the bed beside her,

pressing her cheeks into a “squishy face”,

singing a silly impromptu song.

Her eyes open in confusion,

moving rapidly here and there,

squinting, unseeing,

until, 
with the beginnings of awareness

and slowly increasing comprehension,

they rest upon my face.

… a wane smile, “G’mrningmm…mmom”

My son, buried head-to-toe

in thick blankets,

meets my welcome with a groan,

smacking of dry lips

and a deep sigh.

He rolls over

mumbling incoherently.

Flicking on the light,

I sit bouncing on the bed beside him,

pressing his cheeks into a “squishy face”,

singing a silly impromptu song.

His mouth forms the hint of a smile,

taking with it the corners of his eyes.

...“G’mrningmm…mmom”

Sluggish, unwilling eyelids

flutter, fighting to acclimate,

until, 
with the beginnings of awareness

and slowly increasing comprehension,

they rest upon my face.

It is morning.

I feel myself awakening

to the awareness

of God’s quiet whisper of hope,

the assurance of His sovereignty,

the promises recorded in His word.

Reluctantly, the eyes of my heart

flutter, fighting to acclimate,

until,
with the beginnings of awareness

and slowly increasing comprehension,

they rest upon His Face.

“In the morning, O Lord,

You will hear my voice;

in the morning I will order my prayer to You

and eagerly watch.”

~Psalm 5:3

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro

throughout the earth

that He may strongly support those

whose heart is completely His.”

~II Chronicles 16:9

“I pray that the eyes of your heart

may be enlightened,

so that you will know

what is the hope of His calling,

what are the riches of the glory

of His inheritance in the saints,

and what is the surpassing greatness

of His power toward us who believe.”

~Ephesians 1:18,19

“Seek first His kingdom

and His righteousness,

and all these things will be added to you.”

~Matthew 6:33

Beyond Words

Words captivate me.

Words I see or hear

are constantly being filtered:

Are they flippant, exaggerated, dull,

misspelled, misapplied, inappropriate?

Are they accurate, inspiring, meaningful,

motivating, intentional, sincere…?

Words demand my focus,

their relevance vies for my attention,

their accuracy assumes authority to gauge value…

…perhaps too much so…

What blessing can come through sorrow?

What wisdom can be gained through loss?

What treasure can be found in emptiness?

Jesus,

be my focus

be my relevance worthy of attention,

be my authority to gauge value.

Draw me to

Yourself

…to be content

Beyond Words… 

~ae

Petitions

She describes her situation

with enough accuracy to persuade,

but there are hints of self-deception,

maturing of illusive pretext;

like a softly done make-up,

sweet in its first impression.

The depths of her eyes speak otherwise.

Sincere intentions and earnest prayers

began in truth

but have been nurtured in her desire for safety at all costs,

eventually leading to thorough explanations

and petitions offered in self-defense.

She wants approval.

Her desire is to hear,

"That's great!  I'm so happy for you."

But I cannot say those words.

The undertones of looming destruction

drone with undulating dissonance

in sobering anticipation.

The unknown quantity,

her core motivating factor,

has yet to be revealed.

It's not just her, Lord. 

I am quite familiar in my own experiences

with this type of creeping transformation,

toe-dipping over the line,

redefining truth in my own mind

... all within the clever disguised of prayer.

When does prayer become sin?

...when they become petitions

offered in my own defense?

...when I explain my needs,

set the agenda

and design the expected outcome?

...when my will collides

with that of the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God?

If I am honest with myself,

I will ask Him...

The Hard Request

"Lord teach (me) to pray..."

~Luke 11:1

It is the hard request

because it requires true submission of my heart,

relinquishment of my perception of control,

my refusal to yield to distraction,

my focused quietness before Him.

And when He speaks to me

the answer which I already know by memory...

"When you pray, say:

'Our Father who is in heaven,

hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

for we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom

and the power

and the glory forever.  Amen."

~Matthew 6:9-13

...reassurance of His presence will be made known

perhaps as a quiet whisper,

or like sheets of wind and sleet,

or like light shining through a keyhole,

or simply like a the gentle touch and assurance of strength

from a comforting arm around my shoulders.

"These all with one mind

were continually devoting themselves

to prayer...

And they prayed and said,

'You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men,

show us."

~Acts 1:14,24

"...striving together

for the faith of the gospel..."

~Philippians 1:27

"Beware of the dogs,

beware of the evil workers,

beware of the false circumcision;

for we are the true circumcision,

who worship in the Spirit of God

and glory in Christ Jesus

and put no confidence in the flesh."

~Philippians 3:2

"The Lord is near. 

Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God. 

And the peace of God,

which surpasses all comprehension,

will guard your hearts and your minds

in Christ Jesus." 

~Philippians 4:5-7

Shoes of Dependency

How do I pray for someone

who must endure chemotherapy treatments?

I have never walked that path

and cannot imagine my way into her shoes.

Although her loving family and dear friends

Are by her side as much as they can possibly be,

she must taste and see

the depths of this valley alone.

If I cannot wear her shoes,

What shoes must she wear?

How can I offer her courage for this journey?

“Stand firm therefore…

having shod your feet

with the preparation

of the Gospel of peace…”

~Ephesians 6:14,15

God’s Word reminds me that

I don’t know how to pray as I should,

and that the Holy Spirit Himself

intercedes for me with groaning

too deep for words. (Romans 8:26)

But I asked the Lord

to teach me His heart in this matter.

The words to an old familiar song

Began playing its comforting message in my mind

with rocking chair tempo

and lilting melody…

"I come to the garden alone

while the dew is still on the roses.

And the voice I hear

falling on my ear,

the Son of God disclosed.

"And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

and He tells me I am His own;

and the joy we share as we tarry there

none other has ever known.

"He speaks, and the sound of His voice

is so sweet the birds hush their singing;

and the melody that He gave to me

within my heart is ringing.

"And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

and He tells me I am His own;

and the joy we share as we tarry there

none other has ever known.

"I’d stay in the garden with Him

though the night around me be falling;

but He bids me go through the voice of woe,

His voice to me is calling.

"And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

and He tells me I am His own;

and the joy we share as we tarry there

none other has ever known.

~Text & Music by C. Austin Miles, 1940