Job: An Example of Genuine Prayer

Hello Friends! 

A few weeks ago we looked at prayer and how we can use it in our daily routine. I hope that those few notes from Max Lucado were helpful and that you have found yourself spending more time (even if it was only a few extra minutes) talking with God.

This week I would like to continue with that thought and get a bit more personal.
Two of my dear friends and I have been working through the same one year Bible. Together, we completed the book of Job (the Bible we have chosen works through scripture chronologically). As I spoke with one of them recently, we shared our thoughts regarding Job. I was so encouraged by our conversation and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Many times we see one perspective of Job. He was a man who endured losing everything while staying faithful to God and in the end was rewarded with even greater blessings. To someone who has never read the book of Job, he comes across as bit of a spiritual “Superman.” This illustration of Job is not incorrect. He did lost everything. He did remain faithful to God. God did restore Him. But… there’s a lot more to Job than just this neat and clean “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15)” montage.

Job is one of the most honest characters in the Bible. He tells God exactly how he feels throughout his entire journey. There are moments when Job is handling his loss rather well and others where He feels completely abandoned and frustrated with God.  

Have you ever been in a place like that? A major event happens in your life (loss of a loved one, destroyed dreams, eviction from a home, devastating news from a doctor, etc.) and you are fine with God. You are saying all of the right things, believing and trusting what you know from the Bible and experience, and dealing with your emotions better than anyone expects. Then, out of the blue, you lose that resolve and begin to deal with the raw brokenness. Perhaps you stop talking to God. Maybe you keep talking to Him but it comes out more aggressively. If you’re like me you know the right answers but have immense difficulty applying them to your situation. Well, take heart my friends, you are not alone.

When we read the book of Job we see that he didn’t immediately dust himself off and “get over it.” No, he had genuine conversations with God, asking Him what the purpose was in all of his agony. In chapters 29 – 30 he even whines a bit as he tells God that men who used to praise him now mock him.

Here’s the real “kicker.” What do you think God does during Job’s lament? Does He smite Job down? No. Does He ignore the cries? No. Does He patronize him? No. God listens to Job’s every thought. Then, God responds. Yes, you read that correctly, God responds to Job’s hurt and complaint. God is not offended by Job’s raw emotion.
The same is true for us.

So often we believe that we can only talk to God when we have it all together. We can only tell God the “good” stuff because we’re not supposed to admit that we don’t understand why certain circumstances are taking place in our lives. This is not true. Friends, God is strong enough to handle the hurt of your heart. He already knows what you’re feeling and thinking so why not tell him?

When you come to this level of comfort with God you will notice a greater intimacy with Him developing. It’s just like what happens with you and your husband. After you’re married you can no longer perpetuate the illusion of perfection. The man sees you for all that you are as you do him. When we show God all that we are -- the good, bad, and broken -- we recognize that He is completely trustworthy. Our faith grows as He walks with us through that pain. We become more comfortable in our relationship with Him.

Job learned that God is faithful. God’s plan is perfect. God restored more than what Job lost. This God that Job encountered is the same one who longs to be in relationship with you. He wants to sit and have a forever long conservation with you. He’s ready to hear it all. He’s ready to respond.

The question is, are you? Are you ready to lower your mask of perfection, expose the raw underneath, and begin an authentic journey with God? If you are, now is the time. Just start talking. He’s waiting…

Teach Us to Pray

This past week at Cornerstone, our pastor reminded us to "focus on prayer." This topic excites me because it has only been recently that I have found joy in prayer again.

Believe it or not many believers struggle with talking to God.
Don't believe me?
Take a walk down the "Christian Living" section of your local bookstore one Saturday afternoon. Most likely, you will find book after book devoted to prayer. Some are thin, others are thick, and all of them attempt to answer a question that has been asked by mankind for thousands of years: "How do we pray?"
While Jesus was here on earth, the apostles (the twelve men that served with Jesus during His earthly ministry) asked Him for one lesson (Lucado, 3). They didn't ask how to turn water into wine or raise people from the dead like we might have been tempted to do; no, they asked, "Lord, teach us to pray (Luke 11:1) (Lucado, 3)." 

Jesus did not deny them this request. He proceeded to teach them the following prayer,
"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen (Matthew 6: 9-13 KJV)." 

We commonly know this passage as "The Lord's Prayer." Did it come to you? Did you quote it mechanically from years of exposure and recitation? If that was your experience, I encourage you to dust off the cob webs and allow the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into this passage for you. If you are not familiar with this prayer you can find it in Matthew 6 and Luke 11:2-4. I encourage you to read these verses and become familiar with what Jesus was teaching his disciples. Reading this prayer, again or for the first time, will be a great asset to you as you "focus on prayer" this year.

Back to the bookstore... If you go down the aisle and find a book entitle Before Amen by Max Lucado, pick it up. This is a short book on prayer with a powerful message. Max Lucado's fresh perspective was just was the doctor ordered for my prayer life and I believe it will help yours as well. 

In this book he outlines a way to pray "pocket sized prayers." This basically means that it is a prayer you can use throughout your day. Like this: "Father, You are good. I need help. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus' name, Amen." By using this simple prayer we eliminate the boundaries created by ourselves and others and go straight to the heart of God with all of our needs -- any time, any place.

Now, I'm not going to rewrite Lucado's book but I do want to share his main point with you. He attempts to communicate that if we use this simple prayer then we will have learned to pray just as the disciples did and we will be good at it. 

Caitlin, it's not right for someone to say they're good at prayer.

Why not? That means they are good at talking with God. This pleases Him. This should be our goal. You see, if more believers utilized prayer the way Jesus taught us to, we would see a greater change in the world, in the church, in our families, and in our personal lives.

This week I encourage you to pocket pray at least once every day. Do as Philippians 4:6 tells us and take every request to God (even the things that seem insignificant) because He cares for you. He cares so much that He said in the following verse: "...the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (v.7)." As you pray this week, be on the look out for God's overwhelming peace. That will be the first response. The rest of your answer is coming...

Citations:
Lucado, Max. Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2014. Print.