Monday, November 9, 2009
What Are You Going to Do With Your Life?
Here's a great article entitled What Are You Going to Do With Your Life?: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/career-money/blog/18895-what-are-you-going-to-do-with-your-life.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Can I Have Some Candy?
As I looked up to see a kid quickly gliding toward me I heard his question in a very excited, almost frantic, voice: “John, can I have some candy?” At that moment I had a lot of value to this kid. He knew I had candy in my office to give or deny him. His pleading for some succulent sweetness caused me to consider how I approach God (who has the power to give or deny) with my desires through prayer.
There exist volumes and volumes on the idea of prayer. I’ve read one or two of them myself, but I’m no prayer expert by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I thought I had this article all figured out and was about to write it when a friend stopped by my office and unknowingly ruined my intentions with some good common sense and Biblical wisdom.
Prayer is basically talking with God. When I pray, sometimes it’s as if God is sitting right there next to me. Sometimes it’s as if he’s far away in another universe or like I’m talking to a brick wall. At those times I often feel very distracted and struggle through any sort of semblance of prayer. I found myself in that spot this morning. To keep focus I simply began repeating the word “hallowed,” thinking of the Lord’s Prayer; it was all I could do to keep God in mind while praying.
Even with my frequent prayer struggles God still seems to participate in conversation with me. Most of the time I can’t tell you exactly how, but I can tell you I’m learning and growing. I can tell you I gain encouragement and freedom and comfort in prayer. Even when I go through long periods of stagnant prayer, when I look in the rear view mirror, I see some sort of change in my life.
Sometimes my prayers primarily contain pleadings of God; just like that kid who came begging candy from me. I had been thinking that this type of prayer annoys God, because I honestly was annoyed with the kid, but without realizing what he was doing, this morning my friend recounted to me the Bible story of the godless judge and the widow who kept begging for justice. This widow basically wears the judge out by pleading her cause to him again and again. Finally, the judge can’t take it anymore and gives in to her pleading. Kind of like I did with the kid and the candy.
It turns out I was wrong. God does want us to continually come before him with requests.
I resented the kid a little bit for his approach. But God doesn’t resent us. He’s not mad at us. It’s silly to think he is. Remember, prayer is about the conversation and connection with God. At least we’re talking with him. God actually encourages us to have that approach; just like the widow with the judge.
Of course this isn’t to say that if you keeping asking God for a new car a shiny new Jaguar with your name on it is going to magically appear in the parking lot. But if you keep asking God for a new car, or whatever your request is, something probably will change within you. God will probably teach you and grow you and generally love you. And sometimes giving you that candy you’re asking for even brings you more deeply into relationship with him.
There exist volumes and volumes on the idea of prayer. I’ve read one or two of them myself, but I’m no prayer expert by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I thought I had this article all figured out and was about to write it when a friend stopped by my office and unknowingly ruined my intentions with some good common sense and Biblical wisdom.
Prayer is basically talking with God. When I pray, sometimes it’s as if God is sitting right there next to me. Sometimes it’s as if he’s far away in another universe or like I’m talking to a brick wall. At those times I often feel very distracted and struggle through any sort of semblance of prayer. I found myself in that spot this morning. To keep focus I simply began repeating the word “hallowed,” thinking of the Lord’s Prayer; it was all I could do to keep God in mind while praying.
Even with my frequent prayer struggles God still seems to participate in conversation with me. Most of the time I can’t tell you exactly how, but I can tell you I’m learning and growing. I can tell you I gain encouragement and freedom and comfort in prayer. Even when I go through long periods of stagnant prayer, when I look in the rear view mirror, I see some sort of change in my life.
Sometimes my prayers primarily contain pleadings of God; just like that kid who came begging candy from me. I had been thinking that this type of prayer annoys God, because I honestly was annoyed with the kid, but without realizing what he was doing, this morning my friend recounted to me the Bible story of the godless judge and the widow who kept begging for justice. This widow basically wears the judge out by pleading her cause to him again and again. Finally, the judge can’t take it anymore and gives in to her pleading. Kind of like I did with the kid and the candy.
It turns out I was wrong. God does want us to continually come before him with requests.
I resented the kid a little bit for his approach. But God doesn’t resent us. He’s not mad at us. It’s silly to think he is. Remember, prayer is about the conversation and connection with God. At least we’re talking with him. God actually encourages us to have that approach; just like the widow with the judge.
Of course this isn’t to say that if you keeping asking God for a new car a shiny new Jaguar with your name on it is going to magically appear in the parking lot. But if you keep asking God for a new car, or whatever your request is, something probably will change within you. God will probably teach you and grow you and generally love you. And sometimes giving you that candy you’re asking for even brings you more deeply into relationship with him.
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