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We’re in another era, so often described in Scripture where turbulence and discord seem to have gripped society in general and the church in particular.
Many of today’s pastors are NOT equipped to handle this era. Christians throughout the churches- judging by their comments across a wide range of Internet opinions- show what Deuteronomy speaks of to a troubled, vexed and rebuked society. We are seeing it played out in front of us all throughout the country.
The default response of the average Christian and his/her pastor is “we’ll pray about it.” Obviously, prayer is vital in the walk of the Christian, but it is not a mere default position. And it is certainly tempting, by the lack of any further insights or responses, to judge “we’ll pray about it” as a helpless “that’s all I know what to do” (or discern.)
So what does God require of prayer? In Genesis 32 we see Jacob wresting with the Lord before he received a blessing. Why the wrestling?
In Matthew 15 we see the Canaanite woman in desperation crying unto Christ for help in saving her daughter. Yet the Lord turns His back. He does not answer her. Why this apparent shunning of the women in distress by Christ our Lord?
Hannah cried unto the Lord. For years! There is no sin recorded of her and yet the Lord was silent to her request. She too had to “wrestle” with the Lord and despite years of a broken heart, a desperation expressed in tears and an adversary that provoked… God still did not answer her. Again, the question. Why did the Lord ignore her?
The apostle Paul cried unto God repeatedly and the only response by the Lord was to tell him he would continue to bear his thorn in the flesh. It would not be removed. Why again did the Lord appear unmoved by the prayers, tears and exasperation of his servant?
The Psalmist experienced exactly the same thing as recorded in Psalm 18. The preface to the Psalm (which is also inspired) shows us the Psalmist had years of dealing with the enemies of righteousness and with his enemy Saul.
Why again does the man of God suffer seemingly desperate circumstances without an answer to prayer?
There is a singular thread running through all of this. One which today’s churches must learn… and that in the face of ensnarement’s of evil.
You’ll be surprised at the single thread – the single theme- the SINGLE LESSON our Lord applies to all of these circumstances.
(Warning …if you think that you understand the answer to these questions by some version of the following)
God’s testing me
God wants to teach me humiliation
He is teaching me patience
STOP!!! If those are your answers, as true as they may be, they are not the answer to the above.
The answer to the above is the answer the church in America needs today.
