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>Teaching Jesus’ Way

June 26, 2010 by Fritz

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“as [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray” – Luke 11:1

This prelude to the now famous “Lord’s Prayer” in the Gospel of Luke does more than set the context, it shows how to teach Jesus’ way.

Eleven chapters into the Gospel a disciple finally asks Jesus how to pray. One would, naturally, think Jesus had started teaching prayer from day one. He did, but not the way we try to teach.

We “teach” by disseminating facts, steps, and information. Jesus did some of that with the crowds but with his closest ones he taught by doing and waiting to be asked1. They saw Jesus pray and eventually said, “How can I do that?!”

“Lord, help me to implement that kind of learning in my home and with my family, at my job with my co-workers, and daily with my friends. Amen.”

-fritz

1 – Related post: “New Take on Pearls and Swine”

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The Unchangeable One Changes!

June 25, 2010 by Fritz

God tells king Hezekiah to get his house in order because he is going to die. But Hezekiah prays and God changes his verdict saying,

“Thus saith the LORD, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.” (Isaiah 38:5)

Fifteen years later a new king reigns, at age 12, who would not have even been born had God followed through with His original pronouncement. History for a nation was changed by answer to prayer.

We sometimes think since God already knows what we need, why ask? We secretly wonder if He acts on His sovereignty, benevolence, and wisdom; not our asking. It may sound spiritual but that idea kills one’s prayer life.

Jesus throughout the gospels tells us to pray and not quit. Bible stories like this remind us God is affected by sincere prayer. His greatness is shown in sometimes changing decisions when asked.

It is not inherently “greater” to be inflexible. That is an unfortunate human idea of greatness, … it is far greater to be flexible and yet able to achieve the good goals one has set. And that is an essential part of the Divine Personality shown in the Bible”1

– fritz
1. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, Published by HarperCollins e-books, Copyright 1998, page 251

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>A Friendship that Sustains

June 24, 2010 by Fritz

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“Now will I sing … a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: … and it brought forth wild grapes”– Isaiah 5:1,2b1

Isaiah is giving an analogy – God, the owner, was expecting His vineyard, Israel, to produce good fruit.

What I see is Isaiah’s relationship with that owner, the Almighty. Notice how he describes God – “My wellbeloved hath a vineyard…”! The term means “Friend”.

Isaiah lived in the midst of injustice on a scale we, too, are beginning to see in today’s world. Daily he was grieved with what he saw and he stood strong for righteousness, speaking truth without fear, living without depression, and looking forward to God’s presence because he had a friend-to-friend relationship with the Almighty!

Jesus offers that same relationship to sustain us through difficult life tasks.

“Henceforth I call you not servants; … but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” – John 15:15a,c (KJV)

– fritz

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