Tag: Priority

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A “Sweet Hour” of Prayer? Pt. 2

Last week we began looking at prayer and the time we spend talking with God. For most of us our prayer life is relatively short; two, three maybe ten minutes. Because to mirror Christ’s example of praying ‘the whole night’ (Luke 6:12) seems a little out of reach. But is it really that hard to do, pray for an hour? We blame our busy schedule and those hectic calendars that take our life in all sorts of directions. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we take on a ‘fast food’ approach to praying.

The priority of prayer should be as focused as it was for our Savior. Opening the first chapter of the gospel of Luke we read that following Jesus’ baptism He takes the time to pray (vs. 21). An example of faith and power to turn His heart toward God first. But perhaps Mark chapter one shows us the priority of Jesus when it came to prayer. The text tells us in verse 33 that, ‘the whole city had gathered at the door,’ the house of Simon and Andrew, to be healed and have demons cast out. (Not sure my ‘busy schedule’ excuse can beat that.) Notice what Jesus does after a FULL day of people at His door. The next day…“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” He could have slept in, most of us would have, but Jesus got up early to pray. His strong desire, His priority, was to spend time talking to God!

Continuing the message of the hymn, “Sweet Hour of Prayer” let’s consider the second verse of this song as it was written by W. W. Walford almost 175 years ago;

“Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer, the joy I feel, the bliss I share of those whose anxious spirits burn with strong desires of Thy return! With such I hasten to the placed where God, my Savior, shows His face. And gladly take my station there, and wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer.”

Again, follow the thoughts found in this verse. First, those who are eager for Christ’s return (whose anxious spirits burn) have a happiness, ‘bliss,’ that no one else can understand. And in prayer, we feel that joy and share in that ‘bliss.’ But I especially like the wording that comes next; with such a feeling of joy (bliss), I hurry to the place where I can communion with God in prayer. Where is that place? It’s wherever you make HIM your priority, your focus. Take your ‘station’ there. Position yourself, ie., get ready to spend an hour or more with your God in prayer. Be patient, slow down and wait…forget your schedule and your prayer will be ‘sweet.’

Next week we’ll conclude with the last verse of this beautiful song. Take your “station” before God’s throne and pray today!

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Securing the Hearts of Our Youth…Part 1

“How shall the young secure their hearts, and guard their lives from sin?”  Though penned almost three hundred years ago, this question continues to echo through the ages.  Finding its roots in Psalm 119:9, “How can a young man keep his ways pure?”  this passage and song express the concern of God-fearing parents and congregations of Lord’s church across the world.  We who are genuinely concerned about the spiritual well-being of our children seek to know what can be done to take on the wiles of the devil.  Many congregations actively study and prepare their teens for baptism; an admirable and Biblical objective but one that falls short if we fail to teach our youth the character of discipleship.  As we prepare our young people for a life of faithful service, we must example the elements necessary to answer the question, “How shall the young secure their hearts?”

As we investigate the answer to this question, let’s look at three basic methods that will help us draw closer to understanding how we can mentor our youth toward a life of faithful service in Christ.  If we take the approach that we must begin preparing our young adults (the college student or the recent high school graduate) for a life in Christ, we are (quite frankly) about 20 years late.  The ‘mentoring’ of our youth must begin during the formative years of childhood; a principle that is fundamental in history as well as Biblical text.  But where does it begin?  Who bears the burden of responsibility for their foundation of faith?  Can I wait until my son reaches grade school to begin to impart ‘words of wisdom’?  As our young people begin life on their own, whether as a college student or a young professional, they take with them the building blocks from an early childhood.  Fathers and mothers alike must model an example of Biblical consistency and Spiritual faithfulness.  In a word, make God your priority and be certain your children know it.

That includes making worship on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings and Wednesday nights (or your mid-week Bible study) more important than the baseball tournament on Sunday morning.  When your congregation hosts a Gospel Meeting on the same Monday night your son is playing in a soccer tournament; you’ll need to ask yourself, “To which of these events will I take my child?”  If your child’s coach calls for practice on Wednesday night, parents, you will model an example of Biblical consistency and Spiritual faithfulness when you inform your child’s coach that, “We won’t be there.  Our family has already made plans to meet for Bible study tonight.”  But you must understand this one basic principle: you can never make that statement if you as the parent fail to put God and Godly living first.  What will your children see when they learn that your boss has given you tickets to the NBA playoffs, on Sunday night.  Depending on where you go will be teaching your children about priorities.  But this is all about making right choices when my family is young.  What do I do if they are older, perhaps on their own and making their own decisions?  How can I mentor young adults into a life of faithful service?

Let’s continue next time as we consider the importance of securing the hearts and lives of our young people.  Remember the first step is to model an example of Biblical consistency and Spiritual faithfulness.