Prayer Thought: Lean In to Grace-filled Prayer
Recently, we explored a position of prayer that was very personal, very internal; silence in prayer. So, I thought it only right to follow that up with, still something personal for sure, but with more gusto, more fire, more DOING. And it all can be found in the short yet ever-so impactful letter of First Peter.
Recall that Peter is talking quite a bit about suffering for the cause of Christ in this letter. But what I want us to see first is the call for us to be alert! Be of sober mind! But we don’t do it alone either!
“According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a LIVING hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time…Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope COMPLETELY on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for ANYONE he can devour. Resist him and be FIRM in the faith (1 Pt. 1:3,5,13, 5:8-9).”
Peter is saying, “Now is not the time to let up, give up, or give in. Now is not the time to become lackadaisical in our work, in ministry, on mission, in the home. Instead, he uses some pretty strong words here to get our blood pumping. Be alert. Be of sober-mind. Be ready. Be of sound and solid judgment. Be prepared to slam the Enemy’s gateways shut when they come to lure you away! Be equipping yourself for battle!
Now IS the time to LEAN IN to the hope of grace we’ve been promised at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We need it, desperately. We cling to it as if nothing else can take its place…because nothing else ever can or ever will. We trust that the Lord can, does, and will continue to sustain us even through the most challenging of times.
And, yes, of course all of us have heard this kind of RAH-RAH Christian truth before…multiple times. But what will we do with it TODAY? How do these truths present themselves in the 10,000 small moments of every single day? In my home. In my small group. In our diligent work with people who have been called to be fulltime “Hope of the gospel at the revelation of Jesus Christ” missionaries all across Europe.
We stand with them. We stand with each other. We encourage one another to not become fainthearted when, for the nth time, somebody’s Visa issues aren’t resolved. Or when COVID is still doing its thing…whatever that looks like next week. Or when the possibility of camps and trips and exploratory outings can’t happen in the time we’d like. We keep going. We stay focused. We continue in each other’s lives. And we do it because we trust in the supremacy and sufficiency of the One who holds ALL of these things in motion in the palm of His hand. This laser focus on our Father is something that isn’t given lightly. It’s not necessarily innately inside my humanity side of life. But we’ve been given restoration and hope in Christ Jesus. And He is equipping us with what we need for the tasks at hand. Do we trust Him? I think we do and I think we have!
Prayer Action:
This week, pray and ask the Lord to reveal one thing…just ONE situation, experience, thought, difficulty, doubt, sin etc. that you need help with to stay alert! Stay focused! Stay sober-minded. Maybe it IS something at work. Or maybe it’s something in your personal life. Whatever the case may be ask the Lord for a deep abiding trust and focus on Him as you lay it down and give full dependence of yourself to Him. Trust me…I definitely have more than one.
Blessings,
Clay
Clayton J. Elliott, Kontaktmission USA
Director of Pastoral Ministries and Prayer
clay@GoKMUSA.org