Sunday, April 13, 2008

I am beginning to understand...

I have said over and over recently that I just feel that God has been telling me to get ready, that the battle is coming. It's one of those conversations that keeps coming up when I get alone with Him.

I am beginning to understand what He is saying...at least part of it. I have been listening to John Eldredge's new book "Walking with God" and have been struck with what God has been trying to say to me. This battle in the spiritual realm is one that He expects us to fight...and others need us to fight.

This book is the kind of study in walking with God on a daily basis, a real life example of spending time with Him and growing to understand how to hear His voice. Through listening to John I am beginning to see the battle that is raging around us. I would guess that many of you have seen this long before me. I thought I understood it but realize it is much deeper, bigger, more inclusive and intertwined than I ever imagined. Even as I sit here to write this message I find myself being knocked off track by interruptions on every side. (it took over four hours to complete)

How many times have we been moved to pray together and for one another?
The bigger question is how many of those times have we let pass without spending that time in prayer? We get distracted by life. We get distracted by good things. Soon that strong urging within us fades and we succumb to the currents of life. Crap! We just missed God's prompting for us to walk with Him, to engage in the spiritual warfare around us, to intercede for another who needs help and is being stalked or attacked by the forces of darkness. We go AWOL and the battle rages on. Those spirits then begin to transfer to us, our family, our friends. God forgive me for not listening...and acting.

It's kinda like God telling me to take the garbage out and I say "sure, I'll do it in a minute".
Time passes, it gets late I head to bed or get caught up in something else...the trash doesn't get taken out. The next morning when I get up I realize it's still there on the floor...and the whole house stinks. Even though I then take it out, the house still smells at the end of the day when I return home. I have to clean the floor, open the windows...work much harder to eliminate the effect of my disobedience.

I think each of us can name a dozen times when we have said we need to get together and pray for something or over someone...but we didn't.

Two thoughts, first, we cannot let the accuser continue to throw this in our heart that we failed to meet up to the task. Let's ask for forgiveness and put it behind us. Second, let us renew our bond and covenant with our prayer partners that when we are moved to pray...we do it.
When we are moved as a group (two or more of us), that we pull together on purpose to pray. Maybe it requires designating a specific place to meet to pray. Maybe it requires committing to a specific time period to meet once we hear God calling us together. I don't know...but I am beginning to see another realm that I haven't seen like this before.

Enough rambling... I know that Satan is trying to and is going to continue to try and drift us apart with life, busyness and circumstances around us. Stand strong...

1 comment:

The Singing Ballerina said...

Hi Dad, wow that was deep...