Praying for your Pastor

"...for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance..." (Philippians 1:19, ESV)

In Philippians 1:19, Paul writes that he expects his that his circumstances-- dire though they may seem given his imprisonment-- will result in his deliverance or salvation (the Greek could be translated to as either deliverance or salvation). One of the striking things about this verse is that Paul acknowledges the prayers of the Philippians on his behalf. The people are praying for their pastor and friend! 

What an example worthy of imitation in our churches! If you want to pray for your pastor and would like some suggestions in how you might do so, I'd encourage you to check out the article "How to Pray for Your Pastor: Praying for Your Pastor's Personal Life, Family Life, and Ministry" at Leadership Resources. Consider printing off this article and reading one or two suggestions during your personal or family devotions and incorporating them into your prayers.

For Consistent Christian Lives

"Lord, you have made yourself to be ours. therefore now show yourself to us in your wisdom, goodness and power. To walk faithfully in our Christian course we need much grace. Supply us out of your rich store. We need wisdom to go in and out inoffensively before others; furnish us with your Spirit. We need patience and comfort, you who are the God of comfort and consolations, bestow comfort and consolation upon us; for Christ's sake. Amen."

Adapted from Richard Sibbes quoted in A Book of Reformed Prayers. Edited by Howard L. Rice and Lamar Williamson, Jr. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), 32.

Hebrews 5:1-4

"For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was." Hebrews 5:1-4 (ESV)

Father in Heaven: you have sent your Son to serve as our great high priest. While we are finite specks in history, he is the eternal Son; while we sin and fall short of your glory, he is the exact nature of your glory; while we think first of our own appetites, he thinks first of those lost ones he came to save. So we thank you for sending Jesus--eternal, glorious, loving-- to serve on our behalves. Thank you, Jesus, for clothing yourself in the frailties of human flesh and for dealing gently with us, an ignorant and wayward people. In you we are set free and scrubbed clean. Amen.

We Do Not Trust in God Alone

In reference to a Question & Answer 125 of the Heidelberg Catechism, Kevin DeYoung writes: 

"I'm struck by the line in the Catechism that our work, our worry, and our gifts cannot do any good without God's blessing. The great danger we have, living in such an affluent society, is the evil of self-reliance. How tempted we are to think that we are in control, that we are gifted enough, hardworking enough,and rich enough to tackle any problems. But the reality is God can frustrate the best laid plans of mice and Americans. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain (Ps. 127:1). 

"This is why prayer is so essential for the Christian. The simple act of getting on our knees (or faces or feet or whatever) for five or fifty minutes every day is the surest sign of our humility and dependence on God. There may be many reasons for our prayerlessness-- time management, busyness, lack of concentration-- but most fundamentally, we ask now because we think we need not. Deep down we feel secure when we have money in the bank, a healthy report from the doctor, and powerful people on our side. We do not trust in God alone. Prayerlessness is an expression of our meager confidence in God's ability to provide and of our strong confidence in our ability to take care of ourselves without God's help" [Kevin DeYoung, The Good News We Almost Forgot (Moody Publishers: Chicago, IL: 2010), 232, italics added]. 

 Convicting words. 

Puritan Public Relations Mishap

As mentioned previously, my wife and I have taken to reading Puritan prayers as part of our dinner-time devotions together. Now, I have had to do a great deal of public relations work when explaining my adoration of the English Puritans (I'm told that I have Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter to blame). Yet, I fear that even my best efforts are in tough after we prayed a particular prayer on the weekend when we had guests over for dinner. Humorously, the title of the prayer we shared with our friends was "The Dark Guest", and it opened with great force: "O Lord, bend my hands and cut them off..." As my Uncle Bill would say, "Awkward."

My quest to right the distorted Puritan image was once again made more difficult; however, I gladly persevere for those spiritual giants who would pray prayers like "The Dark Guest", which is not about mutilation of the body, but the mortification of sin and the pursuit of God's daily graces. Here's how the prayer ends: 

"There is no treasure so wonderful
     as that continuous experience of thy grace 

          toward me which alone can subdue 

               the risings of sin within: 

                    Give me more of it."

Arthur Bennett, ed., The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions (Edinburgh, UK: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 126-127.

The Convicting Spirit

My wife and I are using a collection of Puritan prayers as part of our mealtime devotions. Arthur Bennett collected a number of Puritan prayers and published them through The Banner of Truth. They have been an inspiration to us, putting into words our prayers and giving us a springboard into further prayers of our own. My thanks to Dr. Ben Reynolds who introduced me to this wonderful book, The Valley of Vision.

We read read this prayer, The Convicting Spirit, last night. 

Thou blessed Spirit, author of all grace and comfort, 

Come, work repentance in my soul; 

Represent sin to me in its odious colours that I may hate it; 

Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God; 

Show me my ruined self and the help there is in him; 

Teach me to behold my Creator, 

his ability to save, 

his arms outstretched, 

his heart big for me. 

May I confide in his power and love, 

commit my soul to him without reserve, 

bear his image, observe his laws, 

pursue his service,
and be through time and eternity 

a monument to the efficacy of his grace, 

a trophy of his victory.

Make me willing to be saved in his way, 

perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus: 

Help me not only to receive him but 

to walk in him, 

depend upon him, 

commune with him, 

be conformed to him, 

follow him, 

imperfect, but still pressing forward, 

not complaining of labour, but valuing rest, 

not murmuring under trials, but thankful for my state. 

Give me that faith which is the means of salvation,
and the principle and medium of all godliness; 

May I be saved by grace through faith, 

live by faith, 

feel the joy of faith, 

do the work of faith. 

Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find in Christ 

wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. 

May this be our prayer as well: to perceive nothing in ourselves, but to find all fullness in Jesus.