February 5, 2021 Prayer - Beauty-Making

Beauty-Making God,

Thank you, Jesus, for the invitation you have extended to each of us to follow you.  Thank you that we can know you as Lord and Savior and serve in your Kingdom.  Your Love, Kindness, and Faithfulness have caused Holy Spirit to drawn us into relationship with you and we thank you for that gift of Grace.  Thank you that we can accept you as Master and Teacher, the One who disciples us.  God, sometimes (more than we want to admit), we find ourselves with the father of the sick boy, agreeing that "I believe, help me overcome my unbelief."  We are followers of yours - overcome the parts of our flesh that are not following. We trust you - help us to trust you fully.  We have some courage - help us to have more of your courage and holy boldness.  We follow you, with sometimes stumbling steps, knowing that you will make us "fishers of men."  But sometimes the process of "making" is long, difficult, and even painful.  You created us in your image, but the brokenness, pressures, trials, and wickedness of this world can break down the Beauty of who you created us to be.  You have made everything - each one of us - beautiful in our time, so give us the courage to call to you to restore that Beauty.   Give us courage to allow you to work within our hearts, minds, and souls to be renewed.  Make us fully devoted disciples, men and women of full faith, courage, trust, boldness, and beauty, who have eternity set in our hearts.  We ask all of this in Jesus's name, Amen. 

"Jesus said to them, 'Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.'” (Matthew 4:19 AMP)

"Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”" (Mark 9:24 NIV)

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

Going to the place God will show us

"This world has nothing for me...I will follow you..."  *

God told Abram to pack up his household and go to the place "I will show you." 

Jesus called to the disciples, "Come follow me."  And they left their nets and followed. 

Tonight I talked with friends who are preparing to move out of state because his factory has been closed here and they are hoping to have a job in Virginia.  They have both been a lifelong residents of this area.  Yet, they are prepared to uproot their lives, move away from families and friends, resettle four children (including one in high school and one in middle school), and start over in a brand new place.  But she's told me they have great peace about moving out there.  In fact, both their teenagers are excited (and THAT has to be a work of God, right??!!)  It's like God is saying "pack and go to the place I will show you.  The economy certainly isn't "calling" them to Virginia, like God was calling Abram, but this may be a time when God is calling them to a new field of ministry.  And they are willing to go.

We've probably each been through times in our lives where God has called us to GO but not told us where we are going.  Or we may be discerning now what God's call is or how to follow him.   Our church is searching for a new pastor...what if this isn't a "simple" pastor hire?  What if God's call is more involved to us -- maybe to "pack up" the way we've been doing ministry and "go" to a place God will show us?  I don't know that for sure, but sometimes the simplest invitation - "Come, follow me" - can have the most profound impact on our lives.  

So my prayer for this week...

God of Provision, Wisdom, and Perfect Timing,

Help us seek first your Kingdom

Help us listen to your Wisdom and put it into practice

Help us know the plans you have for our future, a future with hope

Help us trust you when we are walking through the chaos of decision making

Help us to be patient and recognize that your strength will hold us up when we are waiting for direction

Help us be willing to quit what we are doing and then follow you when you call us to a new place

We need you, Jesus, to come to our rescue; where else can we go?

Capture us with grace; we will follow you...

Maranatha, Lord Jesus, come guide our feet into your paths of righteousness

Holy Spirit, come, refresh, revive, restore, comfort, and whisper peace into our storm-tossed souls.

May our words, thoughts, and deeds be pleasing and acceptable to you, our Rock and Redeemer.

Amen.

Genesis 12 (NIV)

The Call of Abram

 ¹ The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

 ² "I will make you into a great nation 
       and I will bless you; 
       I will make your name great, 
       and you will be a blessing.

 ³ I will bless those who bless you, 
       and whoever curses you I will curse; 
       and all peoples on earth 
       will be blessed through you."

 ⁴ So Abram left, as the LORD had told him...

Matthew 4:18-20 (New International Version)

The Calling of the First Disciples

 ¹⁸As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." ²⁰At once they left their nets and followed him.

* "Rescue"

You are the source of life

And I can't be left behind

No one else will do

And I will take hold of You

My heart is Yours for life

I need Your hand in mine

No one else will do

I put my trust in You

'Cause I need You Jesus

To come to my rescue

Where else can I go

There's no other name

By which I am saved

Capture me with grace

I will follow You

I will follow You

This world has nothing for me

I will follow You

This world has nothing for me

CCLI Song No. 4084763

© 2003 Vertical Worship Songs (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.)

Jared Anderson

With all faith...follow

This Sunday our pastor challenged us to wade in faith into the "water" of our lives - to follow Christ wherever he goes.  I was realizing that sometimes (ok, a lot of the time) I have questions about things of the faith.  So, the prayer for this week is about those questions and about that faith to follow.

God, 

Just as Jesus called the disciples, "come and follow me," and they went, we also hear your call.  But, like others, we may have questions or concerns.  Help us to surrender those to you and be in a listening posture to hear your voice.  

 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' (Jer. 33:3 NIV)

You word says when we call out to you, you will tell us great things, so we call out to you.

Press in to the heart of the Father
Hold fast to the grace received
Breathe in the life of the Spirit
And with all faith believe
And with all faith believe                   ("With All Faith" by Don Harris - (C) 1999 Integrity's Hosanna! Music)

Give us courage, faith, and fortitude to press into your heart, to hold fast to your grace, to breathe in the Spirit's life, and to believe in you. 

  "Arise, shine, for your light has come, 
       and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

 See, darkness covers the earth 
       and thick darkness is over the peoples, 
       but the LORD rises upon you 
       and his glory appears over you.  (Isa. 60:1-2 NIV)

May we bask in your glory this week, even as we ask questions and seek your paths.

Amen.