Last Thursday we remembered an event that forever shaped our nation: September 11, 2001. I know that there were many memorials occurring throughout the nation; we will always remember those that were lost, the shock that was felt as the smoke rose, the brave men and women who responded, and the terrifying, humiliating feeling that we were not as safe as once thought.
At Little Rock Christian Academy, where I teach, our weekly Chapel service was the time which we used to remember. The student body sat in silence watching the footage from that fateful day thirteen years ago. After the footage, there were still photos from each of the impacted sites as one of our students sang. As her song ended, the lights went down, and this video began playing:
Throughout the video, students and faculty came onto the stage and began praying for some of the crises which plague our world today. The message was simple: God works in what appears to us as chaos. We, His people, are called to respond: we are called to pray.
As citizens of the world who have, through the shed blood of Christ, become citizens of the Kingdom of God, we are called throughout Scripture to pray for the world. We are also called to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Most importantly, however, we pray so that we may better know God.
As he begins a chapter on the topic of prayer, Richard Foster offers us this: "Real prayer is life creating and life changing" (33). Take a look at what David says in Psalm 40:1-4:
To be completely honest, I struggled as I was writing this post. Prayer, you see, is a big topic, and there is so much to say. Beginning in October, we will weekly take a look at prayer here at The Landing: we will study the Scriptures, we will see what men and women of God had to say throughout history on the subject, and we will work to better understand the spiritual discipline that is prayer. I cannot say for sure how long this will be our topic. As we seek after God through this study, I am excited to see just how He will move.
Until then, brothers and sisters, I offer the same challenge to each of us that was given last week to the students: let us seek after God in prayer. Let us wait patiently and cry out, knowing that the Sovereign God will hear.
As he begins a chapter on the topic of prayer, Richard Foster offers us this: "Real prayer is life creating and life changing" (33). Take a look at what David says in Psalm 40:1-4:
"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. And He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord. How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood."
Where does the change come from? Notice the beginning: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry" (emphasis mine). As we cry out to God, He will hear, and He will use those moments to work His will and power in us.
To be completely honest, I struggled as I was writing this post. Prayer, you see, is a big topic, and there is so much to say. Beginning in October, we will weekly take a look at prayer here at The Landing: we will study the Scriptures, we will see what men and women of God had to say throughout history on the subject, and we will work to better understand the spiritual discipline that is prayer. I cannot say for sure how long this will be our topic. As we seek after God through this study, I am excited to see just how He will move.
Until then, brothers and sisters, I offer the same challenge to each of us that was given last week to the students: let us seek after God in prayer. Let us wait patiently and cry out, knowing that the Sovereign God will hear.
Bibliography
Foster, Richard J. "The Discipline of Prayer." Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. 20th Anniversary Edition ed. San Francisco: Harper-Collins ebooks, 1998. 33-47. Kindle.
New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.
Foster, Richard J. "The Discipline of Prayer." Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. 20th Anniversary Edition ed. San Francisco: Harper-Collins ebooks, 1998. 33-47. Kindle.
New American Standard Bible. La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1977. Kindle.
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