At least I have a choice!

Working in the garden this evening, I checked the thermometer that is in the shade - 41C!   I brought out the one in the house, that was reading a comfortable 25C.  It rapidly moved to 41C.  I left it in the sunshine, just where I was working.  Before I knew it, it had reached 50C - the maximum for which it is calibrated.  However, it just kept climbing!  It stopped at what I reckon must have been 60C!!!  Little wonder that I was having difficulty working for more than fifteen minutes at a time!!

 However, I then thought of the hundreds, indeed, thousands, who must work in those kinds of temperatures without any breaks.  They have to do so because that is the only way in which they can earn even a meagre living; or because they are prisoners - many of them incarcerated for no other reason than their allegiance to Jesus the Christ, and their faithfulness in witnessing to Him.  I, at least, had the choice as to whether, or not, I attended to the work I was doing. They have no such choice.  I was able to stop when I wanted to.  They stop when they are permitted to do so.  I could enjoy a glass of fresh, ice-cold, water.  They can only dream of such a privilege.  I eventually came into a comfortable home.  They return to what may be little more than hovels; or to prison cells.

This all raises a very important question.  It's not a new question - I think of it every morning as I give thanks for, and ask a blessing upon, my breakfast.  It's a question that many have asked, and continue to ask.  It's the simple question: "Why?"

Why is it that I am so blessed, when others suffer in ways that I can barely imagine?  I wish that I had a nice easy answer to that one!  I don't!  David, the psalmist-king of Israel, wrote these words: "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." (Ps. 16:6).  That is really all that I can say.  I do not know the mind of God.  I recalled, this morning, an old couplet that may be known to some: "That Thou shouldst love me as Thou dost, and be the God Thou art; is darkness to my intellect - but sunshine to my heart"!

What I can do is two-fold.  I can constantly thank Father God for His undeserved blessing and favour.  Indeed, I am certain that there are many who do not enjoy the material blessings that I enjoy, who are walking much more closely to Him, and are in deeper and sweeter communion with Him, than I will ever enjoy in my mortal body.  The other thing that I can do is ensure that I share the blessing that I have received, and continue to receive, with those who do not experience the same abundance of provision that is mine.  If you follow the links at the bottom of this page, there are some to a number of Christian organisations who work with the disadvantaged, the persecuted, the imprisoned, and who are able to provide much-needed material relief - provided that we who have so much are willing to support them in their work!

God willing, I shall be working in the garden again, tomorrow.  The indications are that it will be just as hot.  However, I shall not complain.  Rather, I shall give thanks to Him "... Who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy." (I Tim 6:17).  And I shall remember, especially, my brothers and sisters in the Lord who do not enjoy the privileges that are mine.  I am convinced that they will be closer to the Lamb, in Glory, than we who have so much here and now!

Prayer - in time, and eternity!

This afternoon, I took the back off a clock that no longer kept good time.  However, it also had two dials in addition to the main clock-face - a thermometer, and a hygrometer.  The body of the clock I consider to be quite attractive so, rather than throw out the whole piece, I removed the back; disconnected the hands; took out the clock mechanism; and was left with a hole in the middle of the dial!  That didn't look too good.  What should I do?  In a flash of inspiration, I went to where I knew I had some "Praying Hands" stickers - black on a gold background - and stuck one of them across the centre.

I do hope that some folk, when visiting me in my (still to be organised!) study, will look at the object on the wall, and ask why there are no hands for the clock, but Praying Hands in the centre!  The answer, of course, will be that it is always time to pray!

Prayer is of great importance to the disciple of Jesus.  When I was invited, earlier in the year, to bring the message to L'Église Évangélique Libre de Bergerac (The Bergerac Free Evangelical Church), I did not know if I would be invited again, this year.  The message that I brought was on "The Cost of Prayer".  Shortly afterwards, I was asked to bring the message again.  This time, I spoke on "The Importance of Prayer".  I am due to speak on Sept.13th.  The message will be based on "The Prayer of Jabez".  So, without any prior planning, I will have brought a brief series on Prayer!  [By the way, if anyone wishes to listen to any/all of those messages, recordings may be found at http://www.eel-bergerac.fr/apercu.htm].

Then, in yesterday's regular 'Cultural Commentary' from Dr Jim Denison (which I only got around to opening today!) he states, having referred to two passage in the Book of the Revelation given to John: "Think about it: God turns your momentary prayers into eternal incense that rises before him in heaven. That means your prayers today can affect events yesterday, since God knew yesterday you would pray today."   

Dr Denison continues by quoting from C.S.Lewis: "We can at noon become part causes of an event occurring at ten a.m. . . . My free act [of praying] contributes to the cosmic shape. That contribution is made in eternity or 'before all worlds'; but my consciousness of contributing reaches me at a particular point in the time-series."

He (Lewis) explained: "We must not picture destiny as a film unrolling for the most part on its own, but in which our prayers are sometimes allowed to insert additional items. On the contrary, what the film displays to us as it unrolls already contains the results of our prayers and of all our other acts.

"There is no question whether an event has happened because of your prayer. When the event you prayed for occurs your prayer has always contributed to it. When the opposite event occurs your prayer has never been ignored; it has been considered and refused, for your ultimate good and the good of the whole universe."  [You may see the full article at https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/14f8dbd09dba1113] 

So prayer is not only important, and effective, within the time/space continuum in which we live and move and have our being.  It may also be seen as being important from an eternal perspective!  I wonder if that is behind the old 'jingle' - "Satan flees, when he sees the weakest Christian on his knees"!

Do you pray?  How much of your time do you invest in prayer?  Is prayer merely an "Emergency" button; or is it regular, intimate, communion with the Sovereign Lord of all that is?

"Let us pray" may be a useful way in which to introduce corporate prayer at a church worship service.  However, for the individual disciple of Jesus, prayer should be as normal as breathing - and it is, in fact, more important!