prayer

Daily Worship

Frank

As some of you know, I’ve been busily writing small group curriculum for my church with a group of very talented people. Besides the usual lesson + discussion material, we are also adding daily devotional and weekly accountability topics. During our last meeting this raised an intriguing question- what is the difference between a devotional, “quiet time”, and personal study. The worry was people committing to the daily material if they are already dedicated to a personal study.

So what do you think, what is the difference between these three acts of personal worship?

We concluded that you can tell a lot by the name. A quiet time is just that- a time to withdraw to a quiet place (Luke 5:16) dedicating that time to God. There is no script, no manual for what this looks like. I know some people who write poems during this time. Some will hide away in a prayer closet to be free from distractions. Others will sing praises to God. The goal here is a quiet, secluded recharge of your soul. In physical terms, think of rest. (My newest blogger-buddy, Rick Dawson has a great series on this very thing that is worth checking out)

A devotional likewise is self-explanatory. This is not necessarily a time, but rather a topic this is “devoted” to the Lord. Devotionals are short and simple by nature. You can buy daily or weekly devotionals at any Christian bookstore. You can even get daily Bible verse/deep thought calendars. The goal of the devotional to feed your soul; water the soil, if you will.

Which brings us to personal study. There is not a one-size-fits-all description. Some prefer depth, others breadth. Some people will do a word-study on a particular issue of need (purity, boldness, the promises of God). Still others will dig into the original Greek or Hebrew of a specific passage. This is not necessarily daily, but it can be. But it requires more significant time and focus than the other two. This is like eating a full meal, versus drinking milk. Or rather than just watering the soil, this is applying fertilizer.

It is important to note these distinctions. When I was a “baby Christian” I was taught how to have a catch-all quiet time: spend x number of minutes in Bible study (a chapter a day in the Gospels was always recommended as a good place to start) plus y number of minutes in prayer, usually following the “ACTS” outline.

And that was it.

More depth of study (referencing the nobility of the Bereans) and instructions on prayer (considering Jesus’ own personal instruction to his disciples) were talked about and implicitly encouraged, but we were expected to figure these things out and mature on our own.

This hurt me spiritually. I soon outgrew the basics of the quiet time and started delving more into personal study. But in doing so, I lost out in my devotional and prayer life. While I’ve recovered to some degree the discipline of devotion (thank you daily devotionals from YouVersion!) I still struggle with growing in my prayer life as I mentioned in my sermon last week.

But I now see that just like I can’t eat the same thing every day for lunch (even though I do), I cannot feed myself spiritually the same way all the time and still walk away satisfied. My meal plan needs diversification and it needs a balanced diet.

What about you? What method of personal worship do you prefer or trend to most? Is there one area you particularly struggle in?

A Day in the Life

Frank

The following are notes from my sermon last week titled “A Day In the Life”. You can listen to it here.

A Day in the Life- from our series of Beatle’s tunes called “Get Back”. I used the song as a springboard for discussion and as the outline for my lesson using Acts 3 as my narrative.

From the song, “Got up, got out of bed, ran a comb across my head…” Are our lives really that different? We all have the same routine: get up, get ready, do what we have to do, come back, go to bed, start over. Our lives fundamentally all look the same. So how do we live a life that stands out, that makes a difference? What does a day in the life of a disciple of Jesus look like?

The song begins with the verse, “I read the news today, oh boy…” The first point is “I read the news today… oh, boy”

-what is our reaction to the news today? Do we get depressed, angry, stressed out?

-Francis Chan “Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace towards others, or our tight grip of control. Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it’s ok to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional.”

-Just a couple months before what we read in Acts 3, the disciples witnessed Jesus arrested, beaten, and killed. In fear they locked themselves away, unsure of what was going to happen next. But Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them, giving them confidence to face the world.

–Where do we get our confidence from? -Our response to the news in the world needs to be prayer

–Acts 3 begins with Peter and John going to the temple to pray

–I’m not a prayer warrior. I’m challenged by this quote from Martin Luther, “I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer.”

—The “epic quiet time” is an intimidating thought. Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves to pray. So here’s a tip- pray three times a day for 10 minutes each:

1) In the morning, praying for the day ahead
2) At midday, praying for the here and now
3) At the end of the day, giving thanks for the day that was

-Which is exactly what Peter and John were doing in Acts 3:1. Jews in Jerusalem would go to the temple three times a day to pray: 9 in the morning (see Acts 2), midday, and 3 in the afternoon (or evening in other examples)

-Psalm 55:17 “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.”

-If we can get in that habit, it’s not too much of a leap to “pray continually” as in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

–rejoice, pray, give thanks / morning, noon, night / three prayers

The middle section of the song begins, “got up, got out of bed…”. The second point is Got Up and Got Out

-we are not called to live a monastic, cloistered life isolated from the rest of the world. The disciples didn’t- they went out. The end of Acts 2 mentions that they spent every day in the Temple courts.

-Acts 3:2-8

–this was their regular routine. We know they went three times a day. We know from chapter 2 that they went every day. We also know from chapter 1 that they lived together. So you have to figure they went the same way, the same time, seeing the same people. The man they met was also there every day and we read later that everyone recognized him. So you have to wonder, how many times did Peter and John pass him by?

-We pass by needs every day. It is hard to break out of our routines to take notice the people we see every day. What a difference it would make to take the time to get to know the cashier that always serves you at the bank, the checker you always see at the grocery store, the beggar you see every day at the same intersection.

–“silver and gold I do not have…” It is easier to throw money at someone’s problem than it is to take the time to get to know them and their need. To quote Gustavo Gutierrez “So you say you love the poor? Name them”

-Peter and John knew that giving this man change would not bring about change. So they offered something that would have eternal impact: “in the name of Jesus of Nazareth…”

–It is Jesus’ name, not our efforts, that has power (v 16). John Stott writes about this verse, “The power is Christ, but the hand was Peter’s.” It takes both. Jesus needs us to be his hands and feet, but we need His power to have a lasting impact (and not get stressed out by relying on our own power).

-Peter and John went about their daily routine, acting in Jesus’ name. Brennan Manning writes, “God is calling each and every Christian to personally participate in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.” And later, “Jesus said the world is going to recognize you as His by only one sign: the way you are with one another on the street every day.”

-Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 10:31 that “whatever you do, do for the Glory of God.”. A.W. Tozer writes about this verse, “Paul’s exhortation to do all to the glory of God is more than pious idealism… It opens before us the possibility of making every act of our lives contribute to the glory of God.”

-every day, every act

–so as you go about your daily routine, ask yourself what you are doing in Jesus’ name for the glory of God. As you get up and get out, consider that there are no small moments, no insignificant actions, and that everything is an opportunity to make a difference in Jesus’ name.

–If you’re afraid, remember Peter who sunk while walking with Jesus on water because of a little wind. Who assured Jesus he would stick by him but gave in to peer pressure and denied him three times. But this same Peter saw the resurrected Christ and “received a spirit of boldness.” Because of this, he would draw a crowd.

The third point plays off the lyrics but mixes it up a little: I Made the News Today, Oh Boy

-When we live our lives in Jesus’ name, people will notice. What do you do then?

–1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

–if you’re living your life in Jesus’ name, you need to be prepared to explain why. Why do you make the choices you do? Why do you have the hope that you have?

-Acts 3:12-end

–Peter used this opportunity to share his faith. He was able to share about Jesus because he knew Jesus. He was able to share about the Old Testament promises because he knew them. We cannot share what we do not know.

-how is your Bible study? Can you honestly say that you “know” Jesus? Do you spend time with him, getting to know him, sharing everything with him? Do you know the foundations of your faith so that you can “share your faith” with others?

-if we skip to Acts 4:4 we read that their number grew to 5000. So let’s talk about “sharing our faith”

-imagine Peter and John saying to this man, “silver and gold I do not have, but here’s an invitation for church” or Peter saying to the crowd that gathered, “if you think this was great, come back Sunday at 10:00 and see what we’ll do then!”

–no, Peter shared right then, right there, about Jesus. He didn’t wait- he shared what he knew. He shared about Jesus because it was in His name that this man was healed. It was in His name that Peter and John lived their lives. And it made an impact. When we share our faith, it needs to be more than just an invitation to church, we need to literally share our faith. Who is Jesus to you, what has he done in your life, what is he doing now? Be prepared to give an answer.

-one day, one act, one diversion from their regular routine changed this man’s life forever and saved the souls of 2000 men.

-A.W. Tozer: “Let every man abide in the calling wherein he is called and his work will be as sacred as the work of the ministry. It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything. Let a man sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act.” There is no common act when you live your life for the glory of God in the name of Jesus.

What makes A Day In The Life so recognizable is how it ends. An orchestra builds what is called a glissando, building up to a crescendo. Note after note, louder and louder, higher and higher; our lives, if we are living in Jesus’ name are building towards something great. Then unexpectedly John, Paul, George, Ringo pound on pianos in the climax of the song. That last note lasts 42 seconds. What we build will last for eternity.

If we live a day in the life a disciple, in prayer, in action, and in the word.

Unanswered Prayer

Frank

Jesus taught his disciples that if they believed a mountain could throw itself into the sea, if they prayed for it, it would happen. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22)

I wonder how many cancer patients believe that God can and will heal them only for it not to happen? Or from a more worldly perspective, who here hasn’t prayed for some level of success only to have victory elude you? (I pray to win the lottery all the time, but I haven’t yet. Of course, it might help if I buy a ticket)

So there must be some fine print in there somewhere.

We can imagine Jesus, agonizing at the garden, praying that “this cup [would] be taken from [him].” (Matthew 26:39) Here was the Son of God, who taught his disciples how to pray, asking God for something fully believing God could answer that prayer. But he added this caveat, “yet not as I will, but as you will.”

God’s will is like a “get out of jail free” card for prayer. God doesn’t answer your prayer? Not God’s will. Things aren’t going your way? Must be God’s will.

Tell that to everyone in Colorado or Oklahoma who recently lost their homes.

Needless to say, citing God’s will can be unsatisfactory for some. So we need to dig a little deeper. Why isn’t it God’s will? What else does he have planned? We answer those questions by saying God is refining our faith, or there is something he wants us to learn, or there is something better out there than what we are praying for. The last one is clear in Jesus’ case. The cross was a better outcome for humanity, if not necessarily for Jesus, than any other alternative.

Remember the country song “Unanswered Prayers” by Garth Brooks? He sings, “Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers.” In the song he reflects on a girl he like that he prayed would like him back. But then he looks at his family, and recognizes that if God had answered that prayer he wouldn’t have the blessing he has now.

We can all relate.

So let’s look again at Jesus. In John 17, we read about three of Jesus’ prayers.

  • The first, for Christ to be glorified for finishing the work God gave him to do. (v 1-5) I think we can all agree that God answered that prayer. Two thousand years after the cross, we still praise Jesus’ name.
  • The second prayer was for the disciples, that they should remain faithful to the end as they are sent out to proclaim the Gospel. (v 6-19) History shows us that each of the disciples, with the exception of John who is believed to have died under house arrest, died a martyr’s death.
  • The third prayer was for you and me, Christians who would come along later after hearing the word passed down from other Christians. Jesus prayed that we would be unified in our faith. Look around. Has God answered this prayer? (v 20-26)

Again, this is the Son of God. I am sure he believed his prayer would be answered. I seems unlikely that his prayer was outside of God’s will. In fact, Jesus prays that we will be unified so that the world will know that God sent him. So it is no coincidence that as we become more and more divided, fewer and fewer believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

 Jesus left this earth with one unanswered prayer. Why? Was it to increase our faith? Is there something we need to learn? Is there a better answer in God’s will?

Jesus prayed for unity. I look around and I just don’t see it. Maybe Christ’s prayer needs to become my own.

Furiously Taking Baby Steps

Frank

The last book study go-around with hosts Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter covered A.W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God. As we went through the book week by week we identified some of the roadblocks that we put between ourselves and a relentless pursuit of a fulfilling relationship with our Creator. I wish I could say after that study my relationship with God has never been better, that I am maturing spiritually by leaps and bounds, and I am living a life that brings ever increasing glory to God the Father.

I wish I could say that.

Truth is, life happens. We forget lessons. We get distracted. And what we hope to be great strides are really only baby steps.

So I was excited when Jason and Sarah picked Brennan Manning’s book The Furious Longing of God because, while it hits on the same theme, it approaches it from the other direction: God’s Pursuit of Us. Plus, I have been wanting to pick Manning up, hearing so much about The Ragamuffin Gospel. His chapters are short, somewhat poetic, and straight to the point. He doesn’t craft arguments of logic like Tozer (which appeal to those who are left-brained like me) and instead goes straight for the heart. I know already I am going to struggle coming up with anything to write about as I need to listen to my heart an not rely solely on my head. Thankfully, Manning helps me cheat by providing discussions at the end of each chapter. I’ll get to those in a moment.

You don’t want to oversell a promise right out of the gate in your first chapter, but Manning does just that. Based on Song of Songs 7:10 which reads, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” (NASB, emphasis added) he promises that when we truly embrace that truth, this furious longing, our lives begin to transform. One way in particular that stood out to me reads, “In a significant interior development, you will move from I should pray to I must pray.” This would indeed be a significant development.

It is hard for me to imagine God pursuing me. I can picture God as the father keeping watch for his prodigal son. but I struggle to see Him in furious pursuit of me. Such a love would in fact bring me to my knees.

I’m not a prayer warrior by any means. I know I should pray. I feel it when I need to pray. But I struggle with the words. It’s not that I don’t believe God hears my prayer or that he has my best interests at heart. It is more that I let life discourage and distract me. I can’t furiously pray because I’m typically too furious about something else to pray.

Meanwhile God is chasing after me, like a beloved after his lover. Shame on me for playing so hard to get!

If I took baby steps towards God following Tozer’s Pursuit, then God took leaps towards me. This book may still be baby steps for me but hopefully I begin to toddle. And you know toddlers, once they get started, they’re off and running before you know it!

So please join me, Jason, Sarah and others as we dig into this book. We will lean on each other, learn from each other, and prayerfully all grow together.

Consider this:

When you read that phrase- the furious longing of God- what emotions or images does it evoke?
 
“… I should pray to I must pray.” How would you describe the difference between the two?

Eyes Without a Face

Frank

In ‘The Pursuit of God’, A.W. Tozer defines faith as “the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.” (pg 63) And notes that since this gaze is “but the raising of the inward eyes… then it follows that it is one of the easiest things possible to do.” (pg 67) He encourages us that when we “lift our inward eyes to gaze upon God we are sure to meet friendly eyes gazing back at us,” referring to God (pg 65).

But…

When Isaiah received a vision from God his response was, “Woe to me, I am ruined… my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5) John, when seeing the full glory of Jesus on his throne fell “as though dead.” I wrote before about Elijah finding God in the whisper. When he heard that sound, he “pulled his cloak over his face” before going out to meet the Lord. After Moses met with God to establish his Law, his face glowed because of God’s glory; so much so that he had to wear a veil to cover it. And Jacob named the place he wrestled with God Peniel because “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” (Genesis 32:30)

Gazing upon the Lord casually is dangerous. I don’t think Tozer’s description of it being “easy” is the same as being casual. However, I think we need to keep these lessons from the Bible in mind when in faith we seek God’s face.

The face of God in the Bible is also a sign of favor. Frequently the prophets warned Israel that God would “turn his face against” them. The Psalmist would cry, “do not hide your face from me” when in anguish and would often “seek [God’s] face” for comfort.

“My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.”
Psalm 27:8-9

So no, when the eyes of our heart seek out God we do not just see “friendly eyes” looking back at us, we see the full glory of God’s face. Yet because of Jesus, we do not need to tremble with fear or hide our face behind a veil. “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away… And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

Because of Jesus, we receive God’s favor and comfort knowing he will never turn his face away in anger. We can see him face to face and not only live, but live a new life.

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

This blog is part of a book club reading The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. Please join the discussion here and at our hosts, Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter. Need a copy of the book? You can get it for free on Kindle.

Prayer Warriors Don’t Fight Alone

Frank

When passing milestones, it is a good time to look back and reflect. Remembering old friends, the late-night talks about nothing and everything, the struggles and hurts, and the victories that followed. Wednesday night my congregation had a prayer service. It reminded me of the first midweek service I attended out here, a little more than ten years ago when I can out to interview for my job. That service was also a prayer service, where everyone was given an opportunity to pair up, get on our knees, and lift up our voices to God. It was moving to me then, and it moved me Wednesday night.

“If you believe, you will receive anything you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 22:21)

I cannot say I am a prayer warrior. I go through periods where I am “on”, when my heart just pours out and I am left feeling so refreshed. But then I go through dry spells as well, when it is all I can do to even whisper, “please, Lord, help me.” I have found that one of the best ways to get out of these ruts is to stop thinking about myself and pray only for others and their needs.

But the other night reminded me of a better way to get out of those ruts: to pray with someone else. As I prayed with one of my best friends, and then later with a brother whose wife is battling cancer, something different moved within me. I did not once pray for myself, yet I felt the weight of the world that I have been placing on my shoulders lift. I was one of the last people to leave as another brother and I opened up about some sin in our lives. And I was refreshed.

It’s funny, as I look back over the years I have called myself a disciple of Jesus I can point out a few single times, single events, that stand out as memories that mean something special to me. But what I seem to remember most were the times I wrestled in prayer with someone else. I remember praying with a stranger who would later become one of my best friends as we watched a sun rise. I remember going with my roommate on a prayer walk that I didn’t want to go on, and yet probably praying one of the most vulnerable prayers I ever had. I remember just a couple of years later, praying with this friend right before his wedding. I remember an elder who used to be here, and if you asked him what the weather was like he would first pause and pray about it before giving an answer. I remember praying non-stop the days before I was baptised, wrestling over a new conviction that turned my religious upbringing up side down. I remember my wife and I praying on our knees every night before bed; only a memory because we have since allowed our lives to wear us down and distract us from what is most important.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

How awesome it is that because of the sacrifice of Jesus we can enter into the presence of the Creator of the universe, that he loves us so much that he listens as we ramble on like little children, and that in his infinite wisdom he answers our prayers. That awe, that refreshing, that faith is forgotten when I neglect the power of praying with someone else.

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

Are you in a rut spiritually? I encourage you to find someone else and make time to pray together. Even if it is someone you do not know who sits on the other side of the fellowship every Sunday morning, there is nothing better to break the ice than to pray together. So who is someone you can call up today to pray?

Saint and Sinner

Frank

I haven’t kept track of the Liturgical Calendar for years, so I appreciate Shane Claiborne for reminding me that yesterday was the feast day for Saint Francis of Assisi. Of course all the animal blessings should have clued me in, but I don’t have a pet, and I’m not really into that sort of thing.

Though my Catholic background is well behind in my rear view mirror, I have kept a soft spot in my heart for St. Francis. Maybe it’s the name; he is after all, my patron saint. Maybe it is his background; I, too, was raised by a clothing merchant. Maybe it’s the animals; I’ve always been an animal lover. No, I never stripped down and walked out on my dad naked to prove a point. And as far as I know, I’ve never had stigmata (you’d think that’s something I would notice). I haven’t been imprisoned for my faith, nor have I made a thousand-mile pilgrimage by foot in order to try and convert someone.

So there are some differences between that saint and this sinner. But his life is one I want to imitate. As “missional” and “radical” are themes that have stirred my heart, I need to look no further than the life of Francis to see someone who was willing to eschew his social status in order to walk among the poor. He gave up everything to serve his Christ, whom he loved dearly. He literally lived out Paul’s instruction to “offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1)

The prayer attributed to him (though no earlier record exists before 1912) is one I still recite today. It is a simple reminder of what it means to be Christ-like – a reminder of where my heart needs to be today.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me show love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
and where there is sadness, joy.
Lord, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen

But Why?

Frank

What if you find yourself on the other side of the story? What if it was your baby who had to die so that another could live? What if you find yourself asking why?

Our whys could be losing a job, a spouse walking away, the tragic death of a child. Or your whys might be an ongoing struggle that will never change, no matter how desperately you pray.

My wife is a Special Education teacher. While her caseload doesn’t consist of the most developmentally disabled, daily she faces parents who deep inside are asking “why”. Six months ago one of her students shared the proud news of a baby brother being born. Unfortunately, this baby was born with just about everything wrong imaginable. He was hydrocephalus, blind, under weight, under developed, and under responsive. Collectively most babies in his condition would only survive weeks or at most a year. Naturally our heart went out to this family. Not only did they already have one special needs child, but they also lacked the means to fully take care of this baby. He requires frequent trips to LA for surgeries, check-ups, and other treatments. Without a car or any other means to make his appointments, my wife jumped in without hesitation.

This precious little baby was quickly accepted like part of the family. My daughter loves him so much she now wants a baby brother of her own.

At the same time we were struggling in prayer over my friend’s baby mentioned in my last post, we were also struggling in prayer over this baby. Do we pray that he will be healed? Do we even have that much faith? Do we pray that he finds peace and that God calls him home with no suffering? Do we pray for the family, facing this challenging circumstance? In the end, we simply pray that God’s will be done.

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’
‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,‘ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’“ (John 9:1-3)

For all the reasons one could ask why: every tragedy, every adversity, every infirmary, every disability; maybe the answer is as simple as “so that the work of God might be displayed in your life.”

Why is Tyler suffering through his short life while AJ is blessed with a new life? I don’t have an answer, but I pray that God is glorified through both.

Praying for Bad News

Frank

A few months ago, a friend of mine had a beautiful baby boy. Beautiful, but in critical condition. He had a bad heart. After some time in NICU, the doctors concluded he would need a transplant. Upon hearing this news, and seeing his picture, my heart melted. All things considered, my kids are perfectly healthy. Yet I knew what my friend was feeling. I put the call out for prayers and immediately hit my knees.

Another friend later approached me and told me she had a hard time praying for this baby because she knew that if he got a new heart, then another baby had to die. I had the same feeling. In fact, the night earlier I had a dream where I was in the OR and it was my baby on the operating table. In came the doctors wheeling in another baby. I was told, “just say the word, and we’ll pull the plug and your baby will be healed.” I couldn’t make that call. Yes, it would save my baby, but I couldn’t sacrifice another. I quickly woke up in tears.

I then talked to my friend. Turns out that there was a heart available the weekend prior. But the heart was too large. The kicker? The donor was a baby who had just drowned. I was shattered when the reality hit that another baby had to die so that this baby could live.

But I was reminded of another baby who had to die so that others could live.

“Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.‘” (John 12:23-24)

Another baby did die a little more than a week later. My friend’s baby got a new heart. He’s now home, healthy, happy and loved. But there is another home that is a little more empty right now. Yet I’m confident that it wasn’t just this baby who got a new heart. I did too and I pray so did the family that is now one less.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Frank

The other night when getting my kids down for bed, I was praying with my son. He copied my prayer almost word for word but then added his own flair. “Thank you for Transformers… Thank you for killing the bad guys… I pray I can sleep all day…” It was hard for me to not completely crack up. Transformers I get, but killing the bad guys? Where did that come from? Thankfully the Spirit speaks for us in prayer.

“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)