Tag: Pray with me

Pray with Me blog

Ep039: Psalm11: Foundations are Crumbling. What to do?

Hi. I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 11 asks, “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Wherever we turn, we see foundations crumbling and destroyed.
– society violates the ten commandments,
– politicians lie and scam,
– churches value relevance over godliness,
– celebrities celebrate evil,
– moral relativity trumps old fashioned values,
– standards of conduct yield to sloppiness,
– scholars sow confusion instead clarity.

Decay and fragmentation are overtaking western civilization, permeating politics and business and church life. We smell the rot. We see the weakness. What can the righteous do?

The first verse of Psalm 11 suggests, “Flee like a bird to your mountain” (v. 1). Is that the solution? Run away from the awful truth? Escape from it all? Go off the grid with our guns and all terrain vehicles and build a mountain hideout? Sit in safety while the world goes to hell in a hand basket?

The poet roundly rejects this solution. He has two responses to the escapist option.

His first response: God is still involved in the world. The poet says, “God is in his holy temple, God is on his heavenly throne, God watches the human race, his eyes examine the righteous and the wicked.” God continues to watch over the world. If God remains involved in a world with crumbling foundations, we his servants must also stay engaged. Escape is not an option.

The poet’s second response is to point out the true nature of our foundation. It is
not in rules,
not the ten commandments,
not right interpretation of the Bible,
not family values,
not a just society,
not an honest political system.

The only foundation is God himself. The poet tells us that God hates those who love violence (v. 5). He plans to deliver fiery coals and burning sulphur to the wicked (v. 6). But the righteous will see God’s face. He is our only foundation. It is our privilege to walk with him by faith through the evils of the world, until we meet him in a better world to come.

Let’s pray.

Our father, we hear from many sources of decaying and destroyed foundations.
– Preachers complain endlessly about slipping standards in Bible interpretation, in morality and civility and commitment and faith
– The media report mass shootings, corrupt politics, and salacious celebrity gossip.
– Scientists hypothesize, analysts analyze, philosophers philosophize, commentators opinionize, but wisdom has left the building.
– The wheels of western civilization keep turning, but the  motor has seized and the vehicle is coasting.

We come to you, God, because we are frightened and we want to escape. Wouldn’t it be better to abandon this hopeless situation? But that would deny who we are and who you are. You are still God of our world, you work to preserve good and punish evil. We are still your servants. We represent you. Our job is not to preserve ourselves. Our job is to be courageous witnesses, to remind the world that you still care and judge.

We see the crumbling rot in all our systems: in theology, in moral codes, in our Judeo-Christian values, in our own lives. None of our systems can sustain us while civilization fragments and disintegrates. So we turn to the only foundation that is firm. Be our refuge and strength, God, in the midst of chaos. Come walk with us through change and violence, help us walk with you until we see you face-to-face.

Amen.

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep038: Elijah on Climate Change

Hi, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me.”

Today, we look at the prophet Elijah. The New Testament uses Elijah as an example of prayer saying, “Elijah was man with a nature like ours. He prayed that it would not rain, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:17-18).

Here’s the story. Elijah was a prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel when King Ahab and most of the Israelites had abandoned the God of Israel and were worshipping a local Canaanite deity called Baal. Queen Jezebel, Ahab’s Canaanite wife, encouraged this process. One day, out of the blue, an unknown prophet went to King Ahab and said, “The God of Israel is not happy. There won’t be dew or rain for the next few years until I say so.” Then Elijah the prophet went into hiding.

Sure enough, it didn’t rain for the next three-and-half years, creating hardship and famine in Israel. Finally Elijah came out of hiding, and he organized a competition with the prophets of Baal to see whose god would send down fire on an altar of sacrifice. The prophets of Baal spent all day asking their god to send fire, but it didn’t work. Then Elijah prepared his altar, prayed to God, and the fire of the Lord came down, consuming everything!

Then Elijah prayed seven times for the rain to start again. Soon the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, and the rain poured down.

Some observations:  

1.    James calls Elijah a man with a nature like ours. Elijah’s prayer stopped and started the rain, and called down fire from heaven. If that’s the standard for prayer, then my prayers are under performing. The only rain I’ve stopped and started is in the shower and my on/off technique isn’t exactly prayer.

2.    We often wish God would send fire from heaven to demonstrate that he’s real, that our culture of consumerism is modern Baal worship, and that the prophets of Baal on Wall Street are false prophets and posers. But God seems reluctant to stage demonstrations like that.  As Jesus said in Luke’s gospel, “they wouldn’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!” (Luke 16:31). Even the Christian vs atheist debates are unconvincing — they all end in stalemate. It’s almost as if God wants to leave room for doubt about whether or not he exists.

3.    This leaves a problem for our prayers. Should we try to stage a big demonstration like Elijah, and hope God shows up? Should we pray like Elijah for rain to stop and fire to fall? Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. So why did this work for him, but it doesn’t work for us?

Let’s pray.
Our father, this story leaves an empty space in our hearts, wondering why our prayers are so powerless. Wondering what you really want from us. Wondering what to pray for next. We thank you that your word has done this work in us, emptying us of self-confidence, removing easy answers, creating questions and doubts. Our God, as you brooded over the waters of chaos at creation, so brood over this emptiness in our lives, and make us into your new creation.
Amen

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep037: Psalm 10: God Goes into Hiding.

Hi. I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 10 starts with the question, “O God, why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” What a great question! Is this the God you pray to? A God who runs from trouble? Who retreats to his private hideout when things go wrong? A God who can’t face the evil we experience? Let’s call him the gopher god — hiding in his hole.

Where do you think the poet got this unflattering view of God? He got it by looking at the success of evil in the world. He tells us what he sees:
– Arrogant gangsters prey on the weak
– They boast about sex and drugs and money
– They get filthy rich from the income of violence
– They are so strong and successful they never give a thought for God
– Their language grows more and more arrogant, the F-word is always at hand
– They murder, kidnap, and crush the innocent
– They say, “God has forgotten, he covers his face and doesn’t see.”

Did you get that? The violent say, “God covers his face and doesn’t see.” This is exactly where the poet started, “Why are you hiding, God?” The psalm has come full circle. Neither the righteous nor the wicked believe that God is watching.

Perhaps. But the poet does not stop at cynicism and unbelief. He speaks to God who is hiding, he moves beyond the sour note of unbelief. He calls God to action, “Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand” (v. 12). He reminds God of his responsibility to help the fatherless, to encourage the afflicted, to defend the oppressed (vv. 15-17). He urges God to bring the wicked to justice: to expose their deeds, to break their arms, to stop them terrorizing the earth.

The psalmist has asked the classic question, “If God is loving, why does he let evil run loose in the world? Can’t he fix something?” Unbelievers say, “God, if there is a God, doesn’t see or care.” The poet responds by asking God to do something, and by affirming that God is active in the world, even when we don’t see evidence of what he is doing.  

Let’s pray.

Our father, perhaps it is good that we don’t have your job.  The things we try to fix end up more broken than when we started. We look with pain at our broken homes, broken marriages, broken society, broken churches, broken courts, our broken and violent world. Sometimes we see even our own brokenness. What happened to the people you created? What went wrong in the world you made? Why can’t you fix it, God? Are you hiding from us instead of answering our questions?

To you, the God in hiding, we speak our statement of faith:

  • We aren’t hiding our head in the sand, pretending everything is ok.
  • We speak to you, citing the evidence of rampant evil that makes unbelief so reasonable.
  • But despite the mountains of evidence, we refuse to believe that everything has gone wrong. We see the goodness when you answer our prayers, when you punish the wicked and reward the righteous. Your actions are not consistent and predictable, God, but we feel your spirit calling our world to salvation.
  • We refuse to believe that you have abandoned your creation. As sure as the sun shines and the stars come out, surely you will implement your program of love and justice. Surely you will set the world right.

Amen.

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep036: Solomon Dedicates the Temple.

Hi, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me.”

Today we look at Israel’s third king, Solomon, who built a temple for God. The temple was about the size of a basketball court, and about 4 or 5 stories high. It was not large by modern standards, but it was very ornate with lots of gold and silver and brass. It had impressive cedar paneling and detailed sculptures of angels and palm trees and flowers and pomegranates. It took seven years to build.

When it was complete, Solomon held a big ceremony to commission the temple. He sacrificed thousands of sheep and goats and cattle. God showed up at the ceremony – his special glory came like a cloud and filled the temple. Then Solomon prayed one of the Bible’s longest prayers, a prayer suitable to the importance of the occasion. Let’s look at his prayer.

First, he gave God credit for being big and powerful, for keeping his promises and making good things happen. Solomon said, “There is no God like you in heaven above or earth below” (v. 23).  “You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father” (v. 24).

Second, with a nice touch of irony, Solomon points out that the temple is too small for God. He says, “Will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (v. 27).

The prayer’s longest section catalogs the sins Israel will commit and the punishments God will send. Solomon asks God to forgive the people every time after they forget God, get into trouble and then change their mind and decide it was a bad idea to sin. It seems odd that on this triumphant day of temple dedication, Solomon prays through a catalog of defeats. He says:

  • People will do wrong to their neighbours. When they do, God, punish the guilty and vindicate the innocent.
  • Israel will experience devastating climate change — rains will stop and crops will fail and famines will come. But when the people turn away from their sin and pray to you, send the rain and save them.
  • Israel’s enemies will defeat them and take them captive because of their sin. But when they have a change of heart, hear and forgive, make their captors merciful and bring the people home.

Solomon ends the prayer with a reminder to God: “You brought us out of Egypt and made us your people. Whenever we sin our way into disaster and start praying again, forgive us and keep bringing us out of captivity.”

Here are some observations:

1.     In the most wonderful moments of our spiritual life, when the glory of God descends on the temple and all seems right with the world, we are probably not as spiritual as we feel. Sin is always lurking at the door.

2.    Second, how ironic it is that Solomon reminded God of the great deliverance from Egypt, but he married the daughter of an Egyptian Pharaoh. Somehow he missed the connection between God’s past deliverance, and Israel’s current political situation. What was he thinking? That Egypt had changed? Learn from Solomon: it’s not a good idea to make alliances with things that have tempted or enslaved us.

3.    Third, Solomon sees that Israel’s relationship with God does not move the people steadily toward goodness and life. Instead, he sees a merry-go-round where Israel serves God, then they turn from him and suffer consequences, then they repent and go back to God. Each time round the circuit, the people need new forgiveness and a new saving relationship with God.

Let’s pray.
Our father, Paul taught that we are the temples of God. Fill us with your glory. Help us journey faithfully round the circle of sin and consequences and forgiveness. May each circuit erode our love of sin and deepen our love for you.
Amen

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep035: Psalm 9: Judge of the Nations

Hi. I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Today we look at Psalm 9. The most striking thing about this psalm is a vivid description of what has happened to the evil nations who were enemies of the poet and his people.

  • The nations stumbled and fell (v. 3)
  • They were filled with terror      (v. 20)
  • They fell into the pit they dug    (v. 15)
  • They were trapped in the snares they set   (v. 15)   
  • They were destroyed                 (v. 5)
  • Endless ruin overtook them       (v. 6)       
  • Their cities were uprooted         (v. 6)
  • They went  to the grave            (v. 17)
  • Even the memory of them perished    (v. 6)

It sounds like someone dropped a nuclear bomb on them, and there’s nothing left — not even a memory. So what caused this unhappy outcome for the nations?  It was God. He was on his throne judging.

But wait, wasn’t the poet talking about the God of Israel, who only had one temple, located in Jerusalem? Wasn’t the poet writing in the ancient near east, where each nation had their own local gods? And weren’t these local gods competing with each other to protect their people and harm their enemies? Who is this international, world-judging God the poet praises?

Israel never saw their God as just a local deity. They worshipped the creator-God of the universe, the salvation-God of his people, the judge of all the earth. He chose Israel as his special nation, but he also judged Israel. In the end, he didn’t even bother to protect his temple in Jerusalem — he let invading Babylonians pillage and destroy it, which convinced the Babylonians that this God of Israel was just another ineffective local god. And it threw the Isralites into a crisis of confusion and doubt.

There’s another striking thing about Psalm 9: this nation-judging God takes special interest in people who are afflicted and downtrodden. He creates social justice for the disadvantaged, he raises them up with dignity and honor, he gives them their share of God’s creation resources, he protects them from evil politicians and corrupt judges, he provides a stronghold to hide them from military conflicts. The poet says, “The needy will not always be forgotten, nor will the hope of the afflicted perish” (v. 18). Part of our job on earth is to join God in his social justice initiatives.

Let’s pray.

Jesus, when you told us to love and pray for our enemies, we hoped that your insight you would set the world at peace and bring your kingdom of love. But we have discovered, as you discovered on your way to be crucified, that the haters go on hating, traitors betray the innocent, empires crucify the unlucky, religions suppress the truth, and the rich and powerful have their way.

With the poet, we call on you as the judge of all the world, as one who values justice in persons and in nations. As China persecutes the church, as Boko Haram terrorizes central Africa, as the Saudis bomb Yemen, as America withdraws from Syria, and Canada says a weak, “Peace, peace,” we ask you, God, to judge the nations. Destroy what must be destroyed, tear down the power structures and fantasies they have built, until the rulers stand naked before you, their creator-God and judge.

With the poet we say “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken the ones who seek you” (v. 10).  We know your name, we call you the judge of all the earth. We seek you in our prayers and lives. When all the world around us seems chaos and injustice, we wait for you, God. Be our stronghold in times of trouble. Arrange our affairs with justice.

Amen.

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.