Undeserved Hate

 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.                                Proverbs 26:2 NIV

In today's era of social media, so much malice, hatred, and anger is screamed at a variety of people for a variety of reasons. Some people respond by withdrawing from social media. Some people fight back with equal venom. I think the Bible is telling us to just ignore hateful speech when it is directed at us. If someone is cursing us for no good reason, their ill-will will not be able to hurt us in any significant way if we do not give it any strength. The impact will be so transient, like the brief stop of a fluttering bird, that we need not be worried about it. We do not need to fear the harsh criticism of others if we are closely following God's guidance for our life. He will easily swish away the fluttering swallow or darting swallow of an undeserved curse.

I pray that I will not let other people's malice settle on me. As a child of the King, I do not need to care about undeserved criticism. I do pray, though, that I will have an open mind to hear godly criticism and be prepared to confess my sins to God and make amends for wrongs I have done to others.

Watch, Hope, Wait

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me. 

Micah 7:7 NIV

The news is filled with troubles and division. People are angry, scared and stressed. How much more turmoil can we stand? In this verse, the prophet Micah gives us guidance on how to deal with difficult times. We can watch the world knowing that the Lord has revealed the end of the story. He has told us to hope because He has overcome the world and death. For a time, there is pain and suffering but God and his purposes prevail.  The forces of darkness would like us to see them as conquerors, not the already vanquished. As Christians, we wait for the fulfillment of the salvation, the rescuing, the deliverance that comes from the Lord. We have the promise that He hears our prayers.  When our focus is Jesus, and our hearts cling to Him, we don't sink into the mire of conflict and fear.  He is our Saviour; He saves us from our sins, from destruction, from hopelessness. Praise God.

I pray that I will offer a message of hope to people who are feeling overwhelmed with the trials of these days. I pray knowing that God hears my prayer, knowing that no matter how He answers my prayers that I will be drawn closer to Him through them. I thank God for his assurance of salvation and that the "story" ends well. 

Forfeited Grace

 Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.  Jonah 2:8 NIV

I think many non-Christians believe that putting themselves under the authority of God would mean that their lives would be less satisfying, less fun, less financially lucrative, more lonely, and so on. What they don't consider is what they are giving up. This passage reminds us that following worthless idols or ideologies that have no real foundation only means that we miss out on the grace that God is waiting to bestow on us.  For those who do turn to God and desire fellowship with Him, He offers peace beyond our possible understanding and an enduring love that nothing can shake. He offers a deep fellowship with other believers that goes beyond mutual everyday interests. He forgives our sins so that we don't have to be weighed down by guilt, and He promises us a life in heaven after we die. God desires a relationship with us based on love so He is never coercive. He won't force us to worship Him. 

I pray that non-Christians will be moved to read the Bible and see what it really says about God. I pray that they will be drawn to the love that God offers us. I thank God for the grace, the special favour, that he has given me.

Quality Prayers

 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16 NIV

This verse has a significant qualifier : "righteous". It doesn't say that all prayers are powerful and effective, but that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective. What is a righteous man?  Specifically, James is referring to a man who is in right relationship with the God of the Christians, a man who is a believer in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In 1 Kings 18, we read about Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Elijah challenges the false prophets to pray to their god which they fervently do but to no avail. However, when Elijah prays to the God of the Hebrews, his prayer is answered with a supernatural manifestation which lights the water on the altar on fire. Clearly, the message here is that not all prayers are equally effective as the object of prayer is of primary importance. Praying to a god who does not exist, or to a god  created by our whims and imagination has no effect at all.

I am thankful that I have righteous men and women in my life who pray for me because I know their prayers are powerful and effective. I pray that God will give me insight into how and when I should be praying for others. I thank God that He has given us an example of prayer with the Lord's Prayer.