Being Prayer For

Now I know what my high school English teacher would say about my use of the phrase, "being prayed for..." but it carries with it an unmistakable message.  Preachers and spiritual leaders need other people praying for them.  Their leadership abilities are impaired without it.  I have often said that every preacher should be so blessed as to have a church like the Zoar United Methodist Church, a church on the Stapleton Charge, which I went to as a student and stayed on for a bit longer.  While there were many in that little country church who prayed for me, Mrs. Zeevie and Mrs. Estelle stood out then and stand out now in my memory.  They truly prayed for their young preacher.  I never doubted it.

 

All the way of my ministry there were many others, but at the last appointment I came to a surprising discovery one Sunday morning during worship.  Before the sermon I had to leave the pulpit area for a moment because of a coughing spell and nearly stumbled over John who was sitting on the steps leading out of the chancel area.  I found out that morning that he sat there most Sunday mornings while I was preaching.  It was the place he prayed for his preacher.  If such a find does not make a preacher work harder to be a better preacher, it is simply time to quit and find another line of work.

 

I am in debt to these saints who have invested their energy in praying for me.  While I may not be considered a five star preacher by anyone, except maybe my mother, any good preaching I did surely bore the marks of those prayers offered in my behalf.  Giving spiritual leadership to a congregation of folks is no easy task.  It may even be considered an impossible task if the preacher thinks it is all about him or her.  Whatever success any preacher or spiritual leader has is surely more about the way prayers have been offered to the Father in heaven than any personal skills and theological insight.  When such is forgotten, ego will surely get in the way and the preaching and leadership will turn into a message that says, "Look at me!" instead of "Come, see Jesus."

Leadership Markings

A few days ago a pastor and preacher of the generation ahead of me died.  He was remembered today in a memorial service in the town next door.  When I was ordained as a United Methodist pastor and told to preach the Word, this older preacher was one of the ones who was giving strong leadership to the larger church.  His sphere of influence went far beyond the boundaries of a particular pulpit and our Annual Conference.  While some disagreed with him at times, none doubted that he served the church as a leader.  In a time when it seems that strong leaders are hard to find, his witness remains clear as a gifted spiritual leader and caretaker of the church's mission.

 

Remembering Dr. G. Ross Freeman today has sent me to thinking about leadership in our church.  What are the markings of a leader in the church?  What is it that makes a man or woman who serves the church as a preacher or spiritual leader a real leader?  The first thing which comes to mind is something I remember from the writing of E.M. Bounds, a man who was serving the church back when 1900 rolled around.  He is most remembered for his prayer life and his writings about prayer.  One of the things he wrote was that preachers need to pray and to be prayed for.  Both are important.  A spiritual leader must be one immersed in a life of personal prayer and one immersed in the intercessory prayer life of others.  Without this spiritual immersion, it is impossible for one called to truly serve as a leader for the people entrusted to him or her.

 

This is likely more of an issue than most pew sitters realize.  First of all, ministry today is too much about being busy and productive.  If a pastor dedicated several hours each day in prayer instead of doing the work of ministry, many would soon decide their pastor was lazy and seeking to avoid work.  And, the truth is that most pastors would not disagree with such an opinion.  However, it still does not change the truth of the equation:  "Strong spiritual leaders pray and are prayed for."  The real leaders of the church are those committed to praying as well as those who humbly acknowledge their need for the prayers of those being served.

The Soul's Breath

If breathing air is essential for our bodies, then praying is the breathing that gives life to our soul.  Breathing is an natural things for our physical body.  No one has to worry about forgetting to breathe.  It is a natural thing that requires no intentional conscious thought.  However, such is certainly not the case with the well being of our soul.  We often forget to breathe the rarified spiritual air necessary for it to be nurtured toward a higher level of spirituality.  The traditional disciplines of the spiritual life are not just structured religious practices for the believer, but those things which open up our heart and mind to the presence of the life giving Holy Spirit.

 

When we think of prayer as a spiritual duty, or a holy habit, or something which we are supposed to do, it is likely going to be something which we do not practice with the kind of regularity that truly feeds the soul.  The right attitude toward prayer is not the one directed by oughtness, but the one guided by a genuine desire to be in the presence of our Father God.  The relationship God desires with each one of us is not one bound by duty, but one driven by love.  As this is true in all the important relationships of our daily life, so is it true of our relationship with God.

 

Prayer then is that human expression of an inner desire to be in the presence of God.  When we are driven only by our desire for His presence, we find ourselves in a place where getting things is no longer the thing which measures the success of our quiet time.  As we learn how to give breath to our soul, we discover that prayer is not about what we receive, but about how our heart and spirit is being fed and nurtured by the breath of God breathed upon us in those quiet moments.  Praying is also about breathing in and breathing out which gives life to our soul.  Breathe.

Strange Leadings

What is surprising about the leading of the Holy Spirit is the way it is often emptied of common sense and devoid of logic.  If you want logic and pragmatism, do not look toward God.  After all, God is the creator of the bush that burned yet was not consumed.  And then, there are those moments when God directed some of His own to do what made no sense at all.  When Judah's future was as bleak as pitch black, Jeremiah was told by God to go buy a field at Anathoth.  When a giant needed slaying, David picked up five smooth stones from the wadi for his slingshot.  When men like Peter and John heard Jesus say, "Follow Me," it meant leaving behind their means of making a livelihood.

And, what we want God to do is to be logical.  We want Him to do things which makes sense to us.  The only thing certain about the leading of the Holy Spirit is that it is likely to be surprising, unexpected, and totally out of what we think we can do.  It will require a full measure of faith because it usually means jumping off whatever it is that undergirds us with a comfortable sense of security.  So, before leaping, do what can be done to make sure the leading is of God and not some misguided desire to live as a hero for God.  Spend time in prayer.  Nothing is more important when it comes to discerning the leading of God.  After a season of prayer, start moving in the direction of the leading all the time asking God to confirm or to put roadblocks in the way. 

 

When we sense God's leading, avoid inertia.  Move toward it no matter how slowly. Positioning ourselves to be where we are believing God wants us to be is an important first step.  The Hebrews got to the promised land one step at a time.  The Apostle Paul's journey to Rome was not without some detours.  It took much effort and time.  Getting started on the road of obedience is always required before arrival can take place.  Jesus often said, "Don't be afraid."  It is a good word for those who want to be in the flow of God's surprising stuff.

Nudges

Nudges to act come in a lot of different disguises.  Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation which brings to mind a moment and a corresponding action from the past and we find ourselves moving in the old familiar direction again.  There are also those moments of wondering what would happen if we moved into some "unlike me" action and we dare to check it out.  Some nudges to act come from something a parent or grandparent said to us in the past and some come from those who share our life in the present moment.

 

In addition to these nudges to act, there are divine nudges.  This should be no surprise to us if we live believing that the Holy Spirit is present and active in our life.  While we may not always understand the way the Spirit works, it is certainly true that He is no passive player in our spiritual journey.  He may not be as pointed with us as was the case with Abraham or Jonah or Mary, but His direction can still be discerned.  When we sense Him leading us into something that seems strange and new for us, it may be that we will need to test the waters in an experimental manner before jumping in completely.  It is always possible that what we want to be His leading speaks more of our own desires, wants, and wishes than divine leading.

 

A good place to start any day is in prayer.  When we start the day with a prayer that tells God we are ready to do whatever He might need someone to do in that day, then we have every reason to expect some divine nudges to act as we move into that day.  God may bring into our path someone who needs nothing more than a kind and affirming word and in that moment of intersection we can become partners with Him in giving love and compassion to one in need.  Never be afraid to act on a nudge which coms from the heart, especially if we have invited God to make use of us. 

The Last Verses

When reading some of the letters written to the early church by the Apostle Paul, there is always that moment of coming to the end.  It is the place where it seems that all the meat of the letter is on the table and all that is left are a few polite words, greetings, and personal notes.  When I come to those last verses of the letter, I usually turn up the speed on my reading because everything of value has already been read.  These last words are just personal words that have little bearing on how I am seeking to live out my journey of faith.

 

Just look at the last section, the final thirteen verses of II Timothy.  Demas, a deserter is mentioned.  Then Paul writes a word about Crescens, saying he has gone to Galatia.  In a like manner, Titus has gone to Dalmatia.  Luke is still with Paul.  As the Apostle writes to Timothy, he encourages him to come and to bring Mark.  Another who was with Paul was Tychicus who was sent to Ephesus.  There really seems to be nothing here to cause us to read slowly and ponder what the inspired Word of God is saying to us.  There is nothing here but a listing of names, mostly obscure names. 

 

But, then to look more closely is to realize that the Apostle Paul lived out his life and shared his faith journey with men who were a lot like him.  What he did, he did not do alone.  He lived within a fellowship of men who shared faith in Christ.  These were men with whom Paul talked, prayed, and shared the daily portions of living.  Many times we try to do alone what was not meant to be done alone.  This life of faith was never intended to be a solitary experience.  We need one another.  Too often we learn this truth too late allowing years of spiritual possibilities to die on the vine.  Even Jesus called twelve to walk intimately with Him.  It is not too late for us to invite others to share our own journey of faith. 

The Confused Church

When I turned on the radio this morning to a Christian station, the first song I heard announced, "I am proud to be called an American..."   My first thought was, "What is that doing on here?" and then I remembered it is the 4th of July weekend.  The church seems to have trouble with holiday weekends.  Holidays like the 4th of July, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day seem to confuse the church and its leaders.  Years ago when a pastor in a town ministry, my Episcopal priest friend always asked us in our weekly clergy gatherings on holiday weekends, "Are you going to preach the holiday, or Jesus?"

 

Now count me as patriotic as anyone.  My father flew a B-29 bomber over Japan during World War II and then ten years later was killed in a peacetime air collision.  Being patriotic is part of who I am.  But, I wonder how all this 4th of July stuff fits inside the mission of the church.  We do not gather to have a patriotic celebration, but to worship God.  It often seems that this purpose gets put aside on the holiday weekends.  Patriotic celebrations have their place, but our Sunday morning worship services do not seem to be the appropriate format.  No matter what holiday the culture is celebrating, we gather to celebrate God in our midst and to worship Him.

 

Today was a day when many churches brought out the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag like we used to do daily in school, but it is not to the Flag or to America that we gather to pledge our allegiance.  It seems that the church and its leaders are confused when it comes to this holiday as well as some others.  To paraphrase Someone well known to us, "We should give to Uncle Sam what is his, but we should also give to God what is His."  Uncle Sam is celebrated in secular patriotic gatherings.  The presence of the God we worship is rightly celebrated in the Sanctuary when His people gather only for the purpose of worship.