"Then Jesus spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1).
Jesus tells a story about a poor widow in dire straits. She went to see a judge, thinking "he can get me out of this. He'll know what to do." And she was right--he was certainly in a position to help her, but unfortunately was no man of compassion. He could care less about her--how she struggled day after day, how her enemies were harassing her at every step. So her plea, "Protect me from my enemies!" fell on deaf ears. But that didn't stop her; she never gave up. She kept hounding this judge until he finally broke down, and did all he could to help her. And it was this dogged perseverance that is the key to the parable of Christ. Jesus told this story teach us that we "always ought to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1).
I'm so glad we don't have to face a judge like the widow did. God is so unlike that unjust judge! For our God delights to give. He is more than ready to step in whenever we need His help, to do "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). God is more like a loving parent, who wants only the best for His children. He cares about every detail of our life, no matter how big or small. And He loves to lavish on us all the riches of heaven, to give us everything that pertains to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
And yet, prayer has a depth that goes beyond all this! For the design of prayer is not merely to change our circumstances--to bless us with health or strength or to put food on the table. Prayer is designed to change us.
"Prayer is not to work any change in God; it is to bring us into harmony with God" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 143). The very act of praying places us where Jesus can change our lives. Especially as we pray to be like Jesus and share Him with others. In a way, these 2 things are almost identical. For Jesus never lived for Himself. For others He always lived and thought and prayed.
So you might say, the heart of prayer is to "ask that we may give" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 142). Ask Jesus for greater patience to be a better mom or dad. Ask Jesus for His Spirit so you can share Christ with your neighbor. Ask Jesus for holy boldness to share your testimony on how Jesus saved your life. For "our mission to the world is not to serve or please ourselves; we are to glorify God" (Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 142-143). And He is glorified through us when we shine with His love--in how we live, what we do, and what we say about Him.
And the exciting thing is--the more we give, the more room we'll have for Jesus. For giving always uproots those pesky weeds of selfishness and pride (which keep Jesus outside our hearts). And the more room we have for Jesus, the greater our capacity to know Him. And to love Him.
So "let your heart break for the longing it has for God, for the living God. The life of Christ has shown what humanity can do by being partaker of the divine nature. All that Christ received from God we too may have! Then ask and receive" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 149).
"I will never forget Your precepts, for by them, You have given me life" (Psalm 119:93).
I have often heard the phrase, ‘I am only human.’ Or ‘Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.’ But these sayings seem to forget the power of the Gospel or the power packed in God’s Word. This is no ordinary book! It has the potential to turn us around so completely that we can love exactly like Jesus! People will see Him in what we say and do. He will even be seen by the look on our faces!
The transforming power of God’s Word is the single most exciting thing of being a Christian. We can be free of everything that entangles us or separates us from an intimate walk with Christ. And that power is within Christ’s Word! "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). By the word, Jesus spoke this world into existence, and that same creative power is in the Bible!
But we must do more than put in the time to read. We must seek to find Jesus there with a hungry heart. And we must put His Word into action! For “the mere knowledge of truth is not enough” (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 97).
But IF we study and obey, we will be restored into God’s image! The character of Christ will be perfectly reproduced in each one of us, and people will take notice of us, as they once did of the early disciples, that we have been with Jesus (see Acts 4:13).
This morning as I was reading the parable of the leaven from a devotional book, I was inspired by the incredible good news of the gospel. I saw how high and how deep our calling is in Christ--how we must "walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6), abide in His Word, and "become blameless and harmless, children of God, without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life" (Philippians 2:15,16).
The heart of him who receives the grace of God
overflows with love for God and for those for whom Christ died. Self is not
struggling for recognition. He does not love others because they love and
please him, because they appreciate his merits, but because they are Christ’s
purchased possession. If his motives, words, or actions are misunderstood or
misrepresented, he takes no offense, but pursues the even tenor of his way. He
is kind and thoughtful, humble in his opinion of himself, yet full of hope,
always trusting in the mercy and love of God (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 101).
How far I feel from this ideal--how can I love like Jesus? How can I be as faithful as He was? Certainly not on my own. But whenever I read the awesome possibilities before me, the HIGH calling of a disciple of Christ, I see it surrounded with the power of the gospel. I see it as incredible good news. I am not able, but Jesus is! I may be flawed, but Jesus is perfect. And when I seek Him with a hungry heart, He will do for me what I am so incapable of doing for myself. As Paul says so succinctly, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God!" (2 Corinthians 3:5)
So this morning, I am so pumped, because I believe that "as the wll of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in HIS strength. All His biddings are enablings" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 333).
By faith in Jesus, I can be a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) I can live by every word that proceeds from the word of God (Matthew 4:4) I will delight in all my Father's commandments and obey them from my heart (Psalm 40:8). I will be holy as my Lord and Savior is holy (1 Peter 1:15,16). I will be pure, just as He is pure (1 John 3:3).
I can't do any of these things by myself. But when I soak in God's Word and give the Holy Spirit access to my heart every day, God will do it in me. Even today--He will do it! It is so exciting, all I can say is, "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57)!
