“Why” ask “Why”?

God has gifted (Sometimes it seems like a curse) me with the ability to plan strategically.  My favorite question in the world is “why”.  I frustrate myself, not to mention others who know me when I remain stuck on this question.  I don’t have to think about asking “why”, it is a built in part of my hard drive.

“Why” would I want to engage in that activity? 

“Why” would I want to watch that movie? 

Why should we go down this road?  (Figuratively speaking)

Why should we make that choice rather than this one?

These are all standard questions that run through my mind throughout each day of my life. 

I have always been about making decisions and choices that align with the things I think are important.  Ask me to do something without telling me how it aligns with my values, and you will see one stuck, frustrated individual.  Just ask my wife.  One time my wife and I went on a vacation and we decided we would be spontaneous, and go where our whims led us.  Let me tell you, that was difficult for me.  I wanted to let myself go, but my hard wiring got in the way.  It was a vacation!  Did every minute really have to be strategically mapped out?!

I have tendency to ponder things with the goal of producing the perfect strategy, perfect plan, or perfect answer.  In other words, it’s easy for me to edge God out of the planning process.  Not a good idea!  It doesn’t work! Or at least it doesn’t work out the way I “plan”.  I think this is God’s way of reminding me who is ultimately in control.  (He has had to remind me of this often)

Although I know God has given me this gift and I am to use it for his glory, I have learned over the years that it needs to be tempered. 

The message that points to Christ on the cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense.  This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out.  It’s written,

I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head,

I’ll expose so-called experts as crackpots.

So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age?  Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense?  Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing god.–I Corinthians 1:18-20

I am not to rely my own abilities at the expense of relying on God.  The key for me is to tune into my level of frustration.  When I am planning the future, I often find myself being stumped about what’s next.  ”What is the next logical step to take around the next corner?”  Of course in my stubbornness I labor even more intently trying to ”fugure” it out.  God always waits patiently for me as I bang my head against the wall once again.  I have run ahead of God and he wants me to come back to Him.  I have learned that it’s about trusting God with my life rather than my own resources or abilities.  I know this is a lesson God is going to continue to bring to me…….At least now I think I understand “why”. 

Dave for Wellspring c 2007

Time for the Wilderness

 

I have been on a journey to learn the language of prayer …actually much of my life.  There are those like the author of the little book the Prayer of Jabez who say they have it figured out.  A prayer God has to answer yes.  In this little book the author encourages the believer to pray that prayer, word for word (Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm – I Chron 4:10) for 30 days and then see the miracles happen.  It is almost like it is some pill we could take to make us well and pain free.  For years and years I have found prayer to be a journey, with plenty of failures along the way.  Struggles and pain in life continue, but amazing grace also fills in those empty places as God speaks through the difficult times.

So I continue to seek to grow and understand this dynamic relationship we enter into when we pray.  I hope to note in my journal every instance concerning prayer in the Bible that I come across…what people pray for, how and why they pray, how God responds and particularly Jesus’ pattern and teaching on prayer.  Will you join me in this search in your own personal study?

The recent days found me in Matthew chapter 14.  After hearing about the death of John the Baptist, Jesus sought prayer.

Matt 14:13-14 As soon as Jesus heard the news, He left in a boat to a remote area to be alone.  But the crowds heard where He was headed and followed on foot from many towns.  Jesus saw the huge crowd as He stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick. 

After hearing the news Jesus wanted to be alone, but the crowds interrupted and it led to the scene of the feeding of the 5,000.  Jesus took care of their physical needs.  He served with compassion and mercy and put aside His need for solitude and fellowship with His Father, but His need for communion was still there.

Matt 14:22-23  Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that His disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while He sent the people home.  After sending them home, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray.

Jesus’s pattern of prayer was one of purpose and total dependence upon it.  Distractions and life will interrupt this deep need for prayer but yet one must find a way to make a space in life for it.  After feeding the 5000 Jesus sent the people home and the disciples into a boat.   Jesus truly needed to seek solace and comfort from the only place it could be found, from His Father.  Just like Jesus, we must also seek frequent times of solitude as well.

In Luke 5:16 it says that “Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer“.  He sought out a quiet, lonely place to be with His Father.  This wasn’t about making a good show or asking to be blessed abundantly.  I believe He was taking the pains of life to the Father.   I am sure that He suffered and grieved over the death of John. 

When life hurts where do you go?  Where do I go?  I have learned there is only One.

And when we go to that wilderness place where we can pray and lay everything down at His feet we may not even need many words.  I wonder in those long hours of prayer Jesus spent, whether for much of it, He actually uttered much or even made petition.  I wonder if finding the quiet and resting in God’s presence and love was what drew Him over and over to seek His Father.  I find more and more that I need to spend time in that quiet, lonely place and let God love me.  We must come back and serve as Jesus did, but we absolutely must find that wilderness to pray.  Jesus did. 

Of course the story continues in Matt 14 as the disciples find themselves in rough water and frightened out of their wits.  Jesus comes walking on the water at 3:00 am, His time of solitude apparently finished for the night, and says, “Take courage.  I am here!”

Blessings as you seek your wilderness.

Scott for Wellspring © 2007