God is moved by our prayers

Today I opened up the Bible after a long while and I was glad that I did. My passage was in 2 Samuel 24, a passage that is about God's anger at David for numbering the people of the land.

At first I was intrigued by why did God punish Israel when, (1) He incited David to number the people, and (2) it was David who sinned and yet the innocent people of Israel died in the pestilence. I still don't have the answers to my 2 questions, but verse 1 of the passage, "the anger of the Lord burned against Israel" gave
some clues that it was for the sins of Israel, and He incited David to do the first steps.

Though I do not know the exact nature of the sins, I do know from the passage that God is merciful. He will relent from punishments when we pray. Three things stood out for me about God here.(1) He does punish - He is a God of justice. (2) When punishing He will relent from it - He is merciful. (3) God can be "moved by prayer" v25. It is important to pray as God does move and be moved when we pray.

This passage reminds me afresh that I should pray. It can and does work.

One question that I asked myself, 'Since prayers do work, what is ONE thing you want to ask for in 2012?'

I prayed for a turn around in attitudes for myself, my spouse and my children. A good turn around from the many inadequate attitudes that stumbled us in 2011, so that we can move anew in this coming new year.

Pray. It works!

"though it is smaller... yet.. it grows"

Can small insignificant things/people ever amount to much? They can.

Mark 4:30-34, "though it is smaller.. yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all ... so that birds of the air can nest under its shade." Though this verse refers to the Kingdom of God, I felt that this word spoke to me this morning. God can turn things around. Here, from smallest to the largest. In Eze 17:24, the reference passage, from a tender one, to a stately cedar. He will do it to make the dry tree flourish for His name sake.

God gave me hope in this passage. For me, I'm thankful that I'll grow even though I'm a small seed. I don't need to be the largest and never sought to be one. Here God's word encourages, in that there will be growth.

The growth here is for a specific purpose, not for myself. Its that the 'birds can nest under its shade". Rest is a more common word for me, but enable others to nest is new. I'm reminded here to be strong and cooperate with others to en-nest others.

Fresh word this day to "grow up and form larger branches" so that others can nest under it. Its a scary word if its all up to me. But its a comforting word, when He is the source of power and enabling.

Help me to respond alright Lord.

2 Fears. 2 Asleep.

This is an old familiar passage about Jesus calming the storm. The last time this passage touched me was on 18 Jun 2004. Then the message was on 3 greatest things. The Greatest Irony – Stormy weather and yet Jesus was asleep. The Greatest Accusation – that Jesus do not care. The Greatest Need – Faith in the storms of life. It was a pretty need outline which I used to share to others then. What other thoughts could come out of this passage now? (That’s my challenge – squeezing fresh wine from old grapes).

Pulpit Reminders

The preacher was talking about Brother Lawrence last week. He was a lay brother of the Carmelite movement in the 1600s, doing nothing spectacular, only washing and cooking in the kitchen of the monastery. But in his quite moments, his heart was tuned into God and his life was transformed.
I was reminded that the mundane things in life need not continue to be mundane, energy sapping and demoralising. Through God's enabling, I can do something about it. The issue always, is whether I am willing to let God break in and do His specialty - doing the impossible.