4:29 p.m. Today's project was to join my friends at our home Bible study, sharing in the Word, worship, prayer and encouragement. Our text was I Samuel Chapter 11, where, after a resounding victory against the oppressive Ammonites, Saul is finally recognized as the King of Israel. After a rough start, marked by his own timidity and diffidence, Saul proved to be a strong military leader--exactly what the people had been looking for when they demanded that the prophet Samuel appoint them a king, "to go out before us and fight our battles." (I Samuel 8:20b)
Somehow the Israelites could not see that God Almighty Himself had been going out before them and fighting their battles all along, ever since He led Abram out of Ur into Canaan! (Genesis 12)
I think that we are much the same way, from the earliest age in which we can assert our independence. The two-year-old yells, "I do it myself!" when he can do no such thing, at least not yet. The teenager claims, "I already KNOW how to drive!" the first time they take the wheel with their learner's permit. The alcoholic says, "I can quit any time." The desperate mom who can't meet her bills says, "I'll take on an extra job and go to night school," not realizing that the kids need her more than ever in tough times. Our first response always seems to be counting on ourselves, counting without God.
God has given believers His Holy Spirit to guide, provide wisdom, open our eyes to the truths in the Bible, and to comfort us when we are hurting; in fact, He will pray in our behalf when we are so overwhelmed that we don't even know how to pray! Romans 8:26-27 says,
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Wow! I think that the more desperate my situation is, and the less I can do about it, when I'm "down for the count" after a series of body blows, is when I'm most ready to let God intervene! "At last," I imagine the Spirit saying, "I will pray as she really needs to be prayed for!"
When your name and mine are brought to the Father in the name of the Son, through the mind of the Spirit-- stand back! Amazing things are about to happen, things beyond our comprehension and for our highest and best good!
From despair to prayer is a transition I'm committed to making, because MY GOD IS ABLE!
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