We constantly hear the fear of man ringing through our daily lives: “What is the world coming to?” Is there something new that we should fear?
Scripture is clear and gives us the knowledge we need in Ecclesiastes 1:9: "What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun."
From time past, we have heard similar words.
Luke 21:25–26
25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
From the beginning, violence and corruption have been with us. Truly, nothing is new under the sun.
Genesis 6:11–13
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Why, then, do we turn ourselves so intently toward fear? Why isn’t our faith challenged in these times to realize that God will work mightily in these times? I believe R.T. Kendall’s insight may help us.
J. John asked R.T. Kendall, “What would you say to the young R.T. Kendall?” Here’s the short response: https://fb.watch/v/7DwImi4MX/ (2 Minutes).
If you don’t have time to watch now, Mr. Kendall says he would have skipped seminary and spent more time in the Bible and in prayer.
According to Barna Group data, the average pastor spends about 5 minutes per day in prayer. It’s even less for the Christian community as a whole.
This is my thought: isn’t it truly amazing that, with 5 minutes a day, the Father does so much with our prayers? What would happen if it went to 6 minutes per day?
What, Prayer Ministry?
Not long after meeting Crystal, I decided to leave the church where I was youth pastor and apply for a staff position with CRU (then Campus Crusade for Christ). After a long series of interviews, they finally accepted me and assigned me to a ministry. Believing I would be joining the High School ministry, I went confidently to my mailbox to check my ‘calling.’
There, by confirmation, was my assignment: You are assigned to Vonette Bright and the Prayer Ministry.
“WHAT! No way. Prayer ministry?” I proclaimed outloud. I immediately became downtrodden. Thinking to myself, what have I done? I left a perfectly good position with a growing youth ministry to join CRU's prayer ministry?
I never finished raising my support for that CRU position. Several years later, after we married, we returned to staff with their music ministry. I never saw the purpose in applying my life to a prayer ministry, yet everything God-centered in my life has been because of prayer.
The Deterrent
Why do we see prayer as a deterrent in our daily schedule rather than the beginning?
I believe it is because we truly don’t know how to pray, and we don’t spend the needed time to develop a prayer life that is inspirational. We have based our prayer life on two or three individuals who have made prayer a labor-intensive discipline. Woe is me!
Answering the Deterrent
In reality, there are many ways to apply prayer in our lives.
Let’s look at Lectio Divina. Here’s what Google’s definition suggests:
Lectio Divina is a Latin phrase that means “divine reading” or “sacred reading,” referring to an ancient Christian practice of slow, prayerful scripture reading aimed at communion with God rather than academic study.
Most users agree that it is a personal dialogue with God through the Bible, shifting the focus from gathering theological information to being transformed by the living word.
Google Link: https://share.google/aimode/Ub1jMIQRJGj2AD3YL
I add that Lectio Divina is meant to be a stepping stone into prayer. It's a way to connect with the Father through the Word and prayer.
What about meditation? Lectio Divina is also considered a form of meditation. But how is meditation prayer? With meditation, we turn our hearts toward the divine, cultivating inward stillness. From these moments of meditation on God, I often find myself expressing prayers outwardly.
In Closing
However you choose to enter prayer, remember that it comes from the core of our being, the heart of the matter, the truth of our spirit, that the Father hears and responds.
I assume that is why 5 minutes a day with pastors makes a difference to those they lead. I ask again, what would one more minute of prayer do to our world?
What is on your heart today? Make that a prayer.
If you’re looking for a way to encourage your community into a season of prayer and open the door to focused prayer, check out A Royal Invitation: 40 Days of Prayer.
For 54 years, my husband and I have prayed together every morning. Even when on different continents, via phone or Zoom, we have kept in contact with this choice, with rare exceptions like hospital days or a couple of weeks when he walked a route on the Camino. Prayer is essential, our anchor through many storms and a lifeline to share with others.
Could you send me my questions for the podcast again. I can't seem to find them. Sorry.