May the mumbling commence!
Have you ever asked yourself: “What is prayer?” Prayer has many facets. It is not simply a wish list that we bring to God – though that is part of it. The beginning of the book of Isaiah begins to mine the greater depths of what prayer truly is. Read from chapter one:
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!
Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;
but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword."
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Verses 15-20)
Prayer forms how we relate to others – especially those people who are most vulnerable. This transformation is the result of moving closer to our Lord. Prayer is a transformative meeting with God. The one who truly opens up to prayer will be transformed. Read from the beginning of Isaiah Chapter two:
Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord. (Verses 3-5)
Prayer is coming to the Lord for instruction. Prayer is coming to the Lord for a spiritual GPS that will keep us on the narrow path of the Lord. Prayer is allowing space for the Lord to judge. What a weight lifted off our shoulders! Prayer is building bridges both to the Lord and to the people around us – not tearing bridges down. Prayer is walking in the light of the Lord.
And that light will reveal our sins for what they are. Prayer is not only a coming to the Lord, but it is also a leaving behind of the things that impede our relationship with God and others. Read from the end of Isaiah Chapter two:
Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground
from dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.
They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags
from dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he? (Verses 19-22)
Prayer will sometimes cause a flight reflex. God’s weakness is far more powerful than all the things we think of as powerful. Let us leave our idols behind – the god of money, wealth, influence, and power; the god of capitalism, consumerism, and the American way; the god of democracy. Only the Lord can save us!
Enough mumbling for today…
Peace Out
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