Do You Want More than Just the “Motions” of Prayer?
Here at Join the PAC Prayer we cover topics of prayer and encouragement that help us pray effectively for our adult children and other loved ones. We talk about the ‘stuff of life’, the heartaches, the joys, the dangers, and the eternal truths that God reminds us of in His word.
But it’s good to stop and think about the process of prayer, too. We often focus on what we are praying, but do we think about howwe are praying? How are we approaching God? What is our heart posture? What is our mindset? What is our purpose in prayer?
Prayer Traps
Recently I watched a bit of The Master’s golf tournament. I’m not a big of golf, but it was intriguing. The players are so skilled. But even with all their ability and experience, several of them hit their golf ball and it veered off in a direction they didn’t want it to go and they ended up in a sand trap. They were stuck and had to take more strokes to get to the hole. It became a diversion to the goal.
As we pray, we can find ourselves in ‘prayer traps’ that redirect our prayers and our attention and our hearts to those things that are not productive or God-honoring. We run the risk of saying empty words and just going through the motions.
One-sided prayer:
Have you ever had a conversation with someone who does all the talking, doesn’t take time to ask about you or listen to what is important in your life, and then finishes the conversation and goes off as if all is good. You’re left feeling unimportant, unheard, and kind of used.
When we only approach God for our needs and wants without addressing Him, glorifying and worshipping Him, and listening to Him, we are really having a one-sided conversation that fails to step into the fullness of prayer. Prayer is a sweet communion between us and God. We shouldn’t cheat ourselves out of the blessing of hearing from God and worshipping His greatness.
“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Matthew 15:8
Expecting Quick Delivery:
Too often we fall into a pattern of treating prayer like a fast-food drive through. We pull up, place our order and then wait (impatiently) for our order to be handed to us in a matter of moments or, at the least, days. It becomes impersonal and selfish. We asked for it, God should deliver it, right?
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance
about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
God proves His faithfulness over and over. Sometimes He takes us to the brink only to show His greatness in ways that will crush any doubt and fill our hearts with unwavering commitment to Him.
God could have delivered the Israelites after one plague, but He didn’t. But why? He knew we needed the testimony and power of ten plagues in the process of God’s deliverance. He wanted a powerful story that would last for thousands of years and be recounted through generations to remind His children of His goodness, protection, and deliverance. He wanted us to have every Red Sea, manna from heaven, water from the rock moment to bolster our faith and remind us of His faithfulness, His power, His plan.
Without the testimony of God’s powerful deliverance, we would be spoiled believers who use God for our own means rather than being surrendered believers, relying on Him for our every breath and life.
An Attitude of “Deserving”:
Another trap we fall into is the ‘deserving’ trap. We buy into the performative posture. Because we ‘do’, we ‘deserve’. We view our value to God based on what we accomplish for Him- teaching Sunday School, evangelizing, leading worship, writing a blog or speaking to gatherings, the list goes on. But God wants relationships, not performance. He wants authenticity, not production. He doesn’t redeem us so we can be producers, He redeems us so we can worship Him and be in fellowship with Him.
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done,
but because of His mercy.”
Titus 3:5a
We are God’s family, not His employees. When we talk to God, He wants us to approach Him as our Father, not our HR rep. Begin with a mindset that fully understands the depth of mercy He’s lavished on us. That changes our mindset, our posture, our heart. We were devastatingly lost in our sin, yet He died for us to redeem us. He loved us in even when we were in our detestable state of sin, drowning in darkness, unworthy, without merit, and without hope.
Are we deserving? No. Is He gracious and merciful? Absolutely. Remember that as you approach Him in prayer.
A Pattern for Prayer
King David gives us a great pattern for prayer throughout the Psalms. Is this the only way to pray? No, but it’s a great example and actually one that Jesus followed in the Lord’s prayer. Let’s take a look:
First, exalt God.
“I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.”
Psalm 34:1-3
Before you ask for anything, focus on God’s character and nature. Spend time in worship and praise of Who He is. Set your heart and mind in the right posture to begin an authentic, effective conversation with the Almighty. He already knows what you will ask and what weighs heavily on your heart. Don’t rush into the requests. Take time to rest in Who He is. Don’t simply be a consumer.
“Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come into His courts.”
Psalm 96:7-8
Recall His works and wonders.
“Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul.”
Psalm 66:16
Thank Him for the Red Sea rescue, for the widow’s oil that didn’t run out, for being the God who stood and triumphed against the hundred prophets of Baal, the God who healed leprosy, crippled legs, blind eyes and deaf ears, the God who defeated death and paid for sin with His own life. Record those miracles and wonders from scripture so you have a go-to list to remind yourself of His power and provision. List the amazing things God’s done for you and shown you and thank Him for them. Remind yourself of His greatness and provision. It sets the tone for your upcoming requests and reminds you that nothing is too hard for Him. He sees. He hears. He acts. Believe Him.
“LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”
Habakkuk 3:2
Surrender yourself to Him, ensure your heart is right.
Confess any lingering sin or offense. Scripture tells us again and again that our heart condition is important to God.
“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;”
Psalm 66:18
If we want effective communion with the Lord, we need to ensure there is nothing that stands between us and Him.
“The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”
Proverbs 15:29
Humble yourself before the Lord. Allow Him to reveal what needs to be confessed. Let Him show you if there are idols that need to be displaced. Ask Him to soften your heart and make it right with Him.
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:12
Pray
Pour out your heart to the One Who created you.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6
Throughout Scripture there are many different descriptions of prayer from crying out to quietly meditating. Prayer can be shouting in grief or joy, and interceding for ourselves and others. There is no ‘right’ volume or words. When we pray, we step past the veil into a spiritual realm that we cannot see but our spirits understand and where Jesus is our High Priest. He advocates for us in ways that no other will. He loves us. He protects us. He provides. Take time to dwell in that space and enjoy His presence.
Wait in hope
God always answers. Always. But His timing does not match our own. He exists outside of time and space and He holds all of history that has been and is yet to come in His scope as He works. Everything He does is interwoven with Who He is and with His plan for mankind. Trust His work.
“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”
Psalm 130:5
When we had children, it wasn’t simply to ‘get a child’ but to grow that relationship, watch how they learned, explored, and deepened their understanding of themselves, their family, and the world. The answer to our prayer for a child wasn’t just in the delivery (whether by birth or adoption) but in the unfolding of the whole experience of parenthood.
Prayer is similar. We should not just be there for the answer, but for the unfolding of the process and how it grows us. Waiting in hope deepens our faith. It shows us the depths of God’s love, care, and faithfulness- His ‘hesed’ (Hebrew). Hesed is God’s covenant faithfulness, His powerful merciful kindness that has our best at the heart of His work and His ways. Everything God does is ultimately pointed toward His will and plan to bring everything under His authority and rule, to bring Shalom- to set everything at one again, a step back to the garden before the fall. As you wait, remind yourself of the words “shalom” and “hesed”. There is purpose in the waiting. Don’t let your impatience and your longing overshadow His work.
Journal
How often do we hear or experience something and say “That’s something I’ll never forget!”, and yet, we do forget. Those powerful examples that God gives us often become dim or clouded when we’re desperate, struggling, longing for an answer. Journaling is a testament not only to ourselves, but to those who follow. It is a legacy of faith that attests to what God has done and how we learned to follow after Him. Because, if we’re honest, though we pray for answers to our prayers, our deepest longing is more of Him. When we stand in eternity, we won’t cling to that car, that job, that friend or family member, we will cling to Jesus and praise Him.
“We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what You did in their days, in days long ago. It was not with their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, for you loved them.”
Psalm 44:2-3
We want to ensure we leave a Godly heritage for our children and pass along generational blessings. What a treasure to have a record of what God did in a life!
“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.”
Psalm 103:17-18
Prayer is a beautiful, powerful communion with God that can take you deeper into fellowship with Him and strengthen your faith. There is no ‘perfect’ way to pray. God just wants to talk with you. Step into that conversation and listen for His voice.
I’ve created a printable you can use for this format of prayer. There are two versions, fancy or plain. Feel free to print them and share them. My prayer is that it will help you grow in your prayer life and deepen and enrich your time with the Lord.
Pray without ceasing, friends!
A Phone Call in the Night
“It was a dark and stormy night.”
Last Thursday night was truly a dark and stormy night. Spring weather in the midwest USA can be tumultuous and unpredictable. My husband and I sat watching the weather reports as storms moved into our area and severe cells began showing rotation with potential for tornadoes. As many midwesterners would understand, we made sure we had our shoes on in case we needed to make a run for the tornado shelter. My 10pm bedtime came and went and I was still awake. Then my phone rang. It was our youngest daughter. Her voice was a little hard to hear as she said “I was on my way home on the highway and got hit.” It was her birthday and she’d driven to the city to meet friends for the evening and to celebrate turning 24. She sounded shaken and uncertain with traffic noise in the background and rain pouring down.
As a mom, my mind raced through all the things, “where is she?”, “is she okay?” “what do we need to do?” She said she was alright but needed a ride home because her car wasn’t driveable. That brought more concern, how ‘not driveable’ was it? We sprang up from our seats, concern over the weather now a distant thought. We grabbed our wallets and headed to the car- thinking enough to grab a raincoat and a coat for our daughter as well. We prayed as we got onto the road that the Lord would keep her safe, protect her from harm, give us clear travel and hold off the weather. “Lord, protect her life.”
She was nearly 40 miles away, in a limited access construction zone that was only accessible by exiting the highway and getting into the westbound lanes and waiting in the miles-long backup caused by the accident. We were told to pull up to the accident site, on the highway, in the midst of the chaos. As we crawled through the traffic, our patience was tested. All I wanted to do was see my girl, affirm to my own eyes that she was okay. After what seemed like forever, we finally saw the emergency lights and made our way up to the accident. As soon as we stopped I jumped out and saw her walking toward me, safe and well. Praise God! I looked around and saw a semi truck, a flatbed tow truck and then, I saw the car…or what was left of it.
It was in that moment that God showed me the power of prayer and that our prayers are never wasted, never unheard, never pointless. My daughter was whole and unharmed save some bruises and sore muscles. The Lord guarded her life in so many ways.
Sometimes we may wonder what effect our prayers actually have- does God even hear us? Does He really respond? Then God gives us a glimpse of His working. He does hear and He sees our love for our children and He loves them too. He is always watching over them.
The officer in charge smiled kindly and told us there was nothing more we needed to do and the car would be towed to a local wrecking yard. We got back into our car, made our way back into the flow of traffic and began the trip home.
The story unfolded as we drove home, she was the second car in a 4 vehicle chain reaction crash, the first and last vehicles being semi trucks. She had plenty of room as the truck in front of her braked fast and hard, and the tow truck behind her did as well, but the semi truck at the rear of the line couldn’t stop and plowed into the tow truck who then hit our daughter’s car and pushed her into the front semi. As we listened we understood even more how God protected her life.
The days that followed brought more details and then a visit to the wrecking yard to gather her belongings. When we asked how the car looked in the daylight all she responded was, “Bad, bad, bad.” We recognized the goodness of God, yet again. The car was so beyond repair, but it did what it was designed to do- it saved her life in a crash. She is a living, walking testimony of the goodness and protection of the Lord (and the wise design of Toyota- thank you!)
It’s amazing, (but not surprising) to see how God aligns His messages and His word to everyday life. I’ve been studying 1 Samuel and this week’s lesson had me read 1 Samuel 25 and one verse jumped out at me because it was such a beautiful picture of God’s protection. I Samuel 25:29, “If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.”
The backstory to that verse is that David was being pursued by Saul, the King of Israel. Saul wanted to kill David. All of Saul’s men, his loyal followers, were part of the pursuit. David was on the run, cut off from connection with his family, from fellowship, sacrifice and offering at the tabernacle. He was exiled and hunted. His life was in danger on every side.
The enemy had an agenda…you see if David was destroyed, the line of David would be erased and the Messiah would be thwarted (or so Satan thought). There was much at stake that even David didn’t recognize, but his heart was tender to God. David had to surrender himself to God’s plan and trust His protection. He was in the storm, on the run, but he trusted that God had a plan. He was God’s anointed.
In 1 Samuel 25, Abigail reminded David of the Source of his protection. She said, “If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.” 1 Samuel 25:29
That line resonated with me, “The life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God.” There is so much that pursues our sons and daughters. The enemy wants to incapacitate them, he wants to eliminate their influence, diminish or remove their testimony, and snuff out their potential. He wants to keep them from the mission God has established and he wants to poison their fruit.
David could have been distracted by the others around him, by the difficult circumstances, by pride, by hardship, but he kept His focus on God and God sent others to remind him of his purpose and to protect his integrity.
So often situations in life mirror our spiritual walk. As our daughter drove on the highway, she could have been distracted by the other drivers going too fast in that construction zone. She could have been consumed by her thoughts, worries, or even fiddling with the ‘entertainment’ in the car. But instead she stayed focused on what was ahead of her. She was mindful of the storm outside. She stayed in her lane, not wandering back and forth. She remained steady to what she knew would keep her safe if the unthinkable began to unfold. Are our sons and daughters mindful of the storm? Are they cautious of those around them who might cause them to ‘crash’? Are they taking care to ensure they are following the Lord and not wandering or veering off the narrow road?
We can raise our sons and daughters with caution and care. We can do our best to protect them from negative influences. We can do all the things to ensure their life is protected (we can put them in the safest car.) But there is nothing more powerful we can do than to ask the Lord to surround them and hold them close. When we ask God to bind them in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord our God, the omnipotent One whose ways and will cannot be thwarted, we are protecting them in the strongest way. When God does that, they are held securely by Him, held closely to Himself, for safe-keeping. Nothing can touch them out of His will. I love that symbolism. Ponder that for a moment.
Our daughter was bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord our God. That is what preserved her life. God has a purpose for her. He chose, on her 24th birthday, to give her life again. He has a plan. All of our efforts mean nothing if He is not in it. Had the semi truck been going faster, had the tow truck been even closer, had the first semi not begun moving before the initial crash, we could be grieving a much different outcome. But our sweet girl was bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord our God.
I ask for nothing better for my sons and daughters- Lord bind them close to You! Today, you should pray the same. Trust God for the care of your children. Trust that He has a plan that outsmarts the enemy, outmaneuvers the obstacles of this world, and surrounds them with spiritual and physical protection that is far beyond what we could generate or orchestrate. God is mighty. His protection is invincible. He has a plan and we need to trust Him.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your powerful hand of protection over my children. Your mercy is more than we deserve and you give it to us daily, new every morning. I pray that You would remind me daily of Your guiding hand and open my eyes to see Your kindness, Your goodness, Your powerful protection each and every day. I pray, too, that (name) would recognize Your hand in their life. Help them to see that not a moment, not a breath is guaranteed and each is a gift from You in line with Your plan for their life. I know You have a plan, Lord. I trust that You will protect and preserve (name) so they will be able to fulfill what You have for them to do. Help them to be surrendered to You and obedient to Your will. Keep them walking faithfully with you, not straying to the left or the right. Protect them from others who would influence the in the wrong ways. Remove distractions that would take their focus off of You. Lord, there is nothing better I can do to keep them from harm than to give them to You and trust Your shield about them. Help us, as parents, to give our sons and daughters to You. Take away our fear. Free us from worry that consumes our thoughts and keeps us from fully trusting You. Remind us of Your omnipotent power. You are the Lord of the storm-both physical and spiritual. Be our shelter and our safe place. Guard and guide us. Keep us in the center of Your will and under the shadow of Your wings. Bind (name) in the bundle of the living in Your care, oh LORD my God. Show Yourself powerful to protect and preserve (name) today and in the days ahead, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Does God Even Hear Me?
“I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted.” Psalm 77:1-2
Are there days when you wonder if God is listening? You’ve been praying desperately and faithfully, yet nothing seems to change. Or maybe you’re convinced He’s stopped listening altogether, that He’s turned a deaf ear to your pleas. Maybe He’s tired of hearing from you. You pray, but it seems to go nowhere. You wait and wonder. You long for a sign, a response, a glimmer of hope. But everything is quiet.
When we desperately pray, we look for any sign, any movement, that will show us God hears us and is working. Yet that time of waiting can be dark and lonely. It can be disheartening to be looking for a response and not hearing anything. We get anxious. We get impatient. And we get frustrated with God. We don’t see things as He does, we can’t see His plan, and trusting grows more difficult as the wait stretches out before us. How long, Lord?
It is in those dark, silent times that the enemy begins to weave his lies. We hear things like, “God isn’t listening” and “God doesn’t really care.” We begin to believe the lies that God is too busy to attend to our prayers and that our needs are not important to Him. And if a lie is repeated often enough, it is believed, it is embraced, it becomes truth to us. The enemy will do whatever he can to pull our eyes away from God and fill us with regret, despair, and heartache. We begin to fall for the lies and we doubt God will answer.
That’s why, when we’re longing for answers and seeking responses from God, we must remind ourselves of what is true. God is faithful. God is Sovereign. God is merciful. God will work justice for the oppressed. There are so many reminders of our Almighty, Sovereign God and His attributes and His ways. There are so many examples of answered prayers we can point to. We need only begin to read the Psalms to see all that He is and does.
Psalm 77 is a beautiful and powerful account of someone in just this situation. The Psalm begins at a place of questioning God in despair.
“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Psalm 77:7-9
The psalmist is wrestling in his heart and mind with grief, trauma, and desperation. He is asking all of those questions that we ask too- has God forgotten to be merciful? Has His love vanished? Although we KNOW the right answers to these questions- our heart and mind wrestle with these thoughts as we desperately cry out to God.
We need to ask ourselves, where are we turning for help? Are we seeking answers that make sense in a time-bound world and to a human mind with limited understanding? Or are we seeking the One who always was, is and is to come? Are we truly trusting the One who is not bound by time or space and has unlimited resources at His disposal? Are we resting in the One whose plans are eternal; the One who knows our heart intimately and has plans for our life that are for our good and His glory.
How can we battle the desperation and loneliness that consume us when we’re pleading with God for deliverance and waiting for His response? How can we fight the feelings of being forgotten and forsaken when it seems like nothing is happening?
When we’re discouraged and defeated, we tend to look at our circumstances and gauge God’s love for us by what is happening to us and around us.
The psalmist, in his despair, knew what he needed to remind himself of….
“Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.” Psalm 77:10-14
When we’re discouraged and defeated, we tend to look at our circumstances and gauge God’s love for us by what is happening to us and around us. But God calls us to look to His faithfulness, His power, His greatness as the reminder we need to assure us that He is still in control and nothing is too hard for Him.
When you’re struggling, ask yourself these questions:
How has God provided for and protected me in my life? Look back through the years and remember God’s faithfulness.
What evidence of God’s Presence and goodness have you seen today? Did you wake up? That’s a start!
Is there any other god that supersedes our God? Go on, consider that. There is none. That alone should give you pause and encouragement. Only one God ever died for the sins of humanity and that One is the singular God who rose from the dead, conquering death and hell, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. All powers and authorities bow to Him. There is no power, no circumstance, no misfortune, and no enemy that can override His will and His authority.
List miracles that you’ve learned about in Scripture and miracles and answers to prayer you’ve experienced in your life prior to this situation.
When we consider His works and His great deeds, we can rest assured that He will indeed answer our prayers and work all things for our good.
God is able to do more than we could ask or imagine. He is not limited by our imagination, He is not constrained by our little faith or by our understanding. He is not bound by time, finances, or location. He is El Shaddai, the God who is sufficient for the needs of His people, always.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14
Whatever you’re praying for, know that God hears you. But also be willing to expand your expectations, release your timeline, and surrender your will to His. Watch with faith. He is listening and working, many times in ways you cannot see. Trust Him and be more desperate for Him than for His reply.
“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!” Psalm 31:24
Today, let’s pray through Psalm 77. Then let’s encourage our sons and daughters that God IS working. He hears them. He knows their needs. He will answer. Always.
If you enjoy reading Join the PAC Prayer, why not share it with a friend!! It’s good to be reminded we’re not alone in parenting or in walking with Christ each day. Let’s build this community of believers!
If you have a prayer request, please feel free to email jointhepacprayer@gmail.com. Know that I’m praying for each of the readers! It’s a joy and privilege!
Pray without ceasing.
Obedience Is Greater than Sacrifice
“Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him.” Psalm 128:1
Israel begged God for a king. They wanted a king like all the other nations so that when they went into battle, the other nations could see their leader and they would be successful. But what Israel didn’t understand is that they DID have a king…God was their king. Unlike any other nation, God was on Israel’s side and the other nations saw the power and might of Israel’s God. Yet, Israel rejected Him and begged for a human king. So, God relented and chose Saul to be the first king of Israel. Israel’s rejection of God led to hardship and heartache. And their king? He started off good, but got distracted by fame, by power, and by selfishness. He did what he wanted and then offered sacrifices to earn God’s approval.
Saul was anointed king, but he struggled with obedience to God. He seemed to think that his way was better than God’s way. He was impatient to wait for God’s timing, going so far as to offer the sacrifices himself rather than wait for Samuel, the priest, to manage the sacrifice as required by the Law (1 Samuel 13). The last straw was when God told Saul to destroy the Amalekites, every man, woman, and child, every herd and flock, take no spoil, leave nothing intact. But Saul thought better of that and chose to capture the King, Agog and bring him back to Israel, alive. Saul’s men plundered the best of the flocks and herds to “offer in sacrifice to God” (1 Samuel 15). Was this what God asked of them? No, it was not. Was this better than God’s plan? No, it was not. Did this put Israel at risk? Oh, yes, yes it did. Yet Saul didn’t see it. He continued to make excuses and offer platitudes. He blame-shifted and spoke bravely and self-righteously. Samuel, the high priest, wasn’t having it, neither was God.
“But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”” I Samuel 15:22-23
Samuel called Saul out on his disobedience and proceeded to tell him that God was grieved that He chose him as King. As a result, God removed His blessing from Saul and chose another to take his place. Saul, in all his efforts to engineer his fame and success had offended and disregarded the One in Whose hands his fame and success were held. He missed the whole point. Saul was God’s servant, a tool to be used to bring Him glory and accomplish His purposes. Yet Saul opted to be his own master and make it look good by offering sacrifices after the fact. Saul did not fear God. He did not respect God. Saul tried to manipulate God, and it didn’t work.
Saul isn’t unlike us, is he? How often do we, or our children, choose to do what WE think is best, ignoring God’s commands and compromising our integrity, morality, and spiritual testimony to satisfy our selfish desires? We think we know better. Do we balk at what God asks of us, instead pursuing an alternative and ‘dedicating it to Him’? Or, in an effort to ‘make up for it’ we offer sacrifices, we ‘do’ things to honor God or ‘give’ to bless Him. Our disobedience and efforts after the fact are offensive to Him. Yet we think we can engineer our life, our choices, and our results. We cannot. God is Sovereign. He is in control. He sees our heart. He sees that we fear failure, suffering, and loss more than we fear Him. He sees that we put more faith in our own efforts and plans than we do His. He sees. He knows. And He will respond.
God saw Saul’s heart. He saw that Saul was more concerned with his own fame and success. His offerings and sacrifices to God were an effort to appease Him rather than an act of worship to bring pleasure and delight to God with a fully surrendered heart. He was not a servant of God but was serving himself. Isaiah 65:5 says, “Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.” Their fake sacrifices are a stench, not a pleasing aroma.
Today, it’s time to take stock on what and how you sacrifice to God:
Is our heart surrendered to Him?
Are our motives pure?
Do we ask God to bless our actions after we take them? Or do we search out the heart of God before we act?
Do we consider how our words and actions will testify to our love for and fear of God?
Are we more concerned with honoring Him than with getting the desired outcome for ourselves?
Are we willing to do whatever He asks or do we resist, instead trying to bargain with Him and offer compromises?
Obedience is greater than sacrifice.
Deuteronomy 28 gives a very detailed description of the benefits of obedience and the dangers of disobedience. He wanted Israel to understand the blessings of obedience and to see that they were nothing the Israelites could ensure on their own.
The LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. (Deut 28:1)
You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. (Deut 28:3)
The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. (Deut 28:4)
Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. (Deut 28:5)
You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. (Deut 28:6)
The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. (Deut 28:7)
The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. (Deut 28:8)
The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him. (Deut 28:9)
Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. (Deut 28:10)
The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Deut 28:13
Wow! That is a list of blessings that no man could ensure for himself- only God. And all of these blessings were what Saul was longing for, and yet he chose to pursue his own path and ended up losing it all.
When we teach our children obedience, it is not just for their compliance, but for their good, their protection, and their success. As they become adults, we pray they carry those lessons with them. And we pray, too, they understand the value and importance of obedience to God.
Even if obedience does not make sense, we need to remember that God’s ways are higher than our own. His wisdom is eternal, His plan is divine, His methods are not human. We can choose to go our own way and suffer the consequences of faulty, limited, unwise humanity, or we can choose to obey God and rest in His eternal, Sovereign, all powerful ways that will protect us and prosper us according to His will and for His glory. These are good things to remind our sons and daughters.
It’s a hard lesson to learn, isn’t it? Obedience is always more powerful than sacrifice. It carries a stronger testimony and offers Godly protection. Obedience glorifies God. Sacrifice without obedience is a stench.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters understand obedience to God and pursue it with their whole heart. “Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him.” Psalm 128:1
“Heavenly Father, You are a good God who asks us to pursue You with our whole heart. You promise blessing and protection in our obedience. I pray that You would surround (name) today and impress upon them a desire to obey You. Please keep them from compromise. Keep them from going their own way and then trying to offer sacrifices to appease Your disappointment and anger. Lord, we cannot bargain with You. That is not how You work. You require our obedience, yet You’ve given us a free will to choose whom we will follow and obey. I pray that (name) would always choose You. Lord, show them the rewards of obedience. When things do not make sense, give them an unshakeable trust in You and Your plan. Help them to rest in the knowledge that You are all-knowing. You are all-powerful. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords, there is none greater, stronger, or wiser and there is salvation in no one else. Jesus, You are the Messiah, our Savior, Redeemer and Friend. I pray that (name) would trust and obey You each and every day. Help me to live a life that demonstrates obedience and surrender to You. I pray these things in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing!