"The Ministry of Intercession" Day 15
Yesterday God Rocks led worship at Trinity. I saw many kids who smiled, moved their hands, danced freely, a few who looked distracted, others who were swept up into God's embrace during praise. On the one hand they are a cross-section of us. On the other hand, maybe they were more wholehearted than us? Even the distracted were not trying to prove anything, or do their best to look pious.
I admit to being convicted by yesterday's guide to prayer. "With my whole heart; hear me, O Lord." (Psalm 119.145). Murray writes, "God lives and listens to every petition with his whole heart. Each time we ask, the whole infinite God is there to hear. He asks that in each prayer the whole man be there, too. He asks that we cry with our whole hearts. Christ gave himself to God for men. And so, he takes up every need into his intercession. If once we seek God with our whole hearts, the whole heart will be in every prayer with which we come to God. Pray with your whole heart for the young" (188).
I recognized how distracted my heart is in prayer. I haven't judged myself too severely for distractions, and I don't think judging ourselves is very helpful in this regard. I also haven't been intentional about my atmosphere. There is a reason they used to go into their prayer closet. Now the phone and Facebook and text messages and the newspaper, and oh yeah, how did the baseball game end up... The call to join our whole heart to God's whole heart will take intentionality for me. What about you?
Today's focus on schools and colleges couldn't be more important. Pray for the local schools and colleges our kids and young adults attend, and where our members teach. Pray for the Bible Schools that we are currently connecting with (Association Free Lutheran Bible School in Minneapolis and Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute in Camrose Alberta). Pray for the January term school we began and have hosted for the last two years (SoCal School of the Bible). Pray for the AALC Seminary and Master's Institute Seminary and School of Ministry. What else am I forgetting?
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