Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD! ISAIAH 31:1
Where do you turn in a crisis? That is your god. Whom do you immediately think of when you receive bad news? Is it God? Israel thought of Egypt, and our world today offers many Egypts . . . We can go to medical doctors and accountants—and, at times, we should. We can go to the self-help, do-it-yourself section of the bookstore—and often we do need information from experts. We can hire someone to fix what broke, anything from a computer to a car to a refrigerator—and certainly that’s prudent. But getting help isn’t the same as fully relying on that help. Getting help can even be an obedient response to the Lord’s guidance. So don’t go to God only as a last resort, only after the world’s suggested remedies or solutions have failed. Go first to the one true God for He—and He alone—can supply your every need, protect you from every enemy, and guide you to make wise decisions. Let seeking God always be the default for your life.- Blackaby Being Still With God
There's so many opportunities in this world to deal with our situations and our problems.
Sometimes I have to wonder if a great deal of the time we miss out on the blessings of God because we think that the problem or situation isn't worth His time.
In this last 8 days alone, in my life, prayer has been given as the subject to write about more than once. In practical application, it's been a necessity more than anyone knows.
Where do I turn in a crisis? In the meetings that I was put through, at work, my reliance was on God. I know of the book of Nehemiah, what's often referred to as arrow prayers. Nehemiah in his distress, had only time for an immediate prayer. No time to go and be alone. No time to seek out the direction of where Jerusalem and the former Temple. No time to prepare his heart to enter into the Throne room of God. Consider all that well. In his day, as we read in Daniel, that's what was required for prayer.
I know that in the days since the beginning of the Church, all that was no longer necessary.
Prayer can be anywhere at any time. Daniel was following what he was taught, to pray 3 times a day, facing the Temple's location.
The meetings that I went through were brutal, by my reckoning of them. Prayer in that moment kept me from fear in those moments. What was being discussed could have repercussions in my future with the company. My Savior was with me as He always is. Fear was nowhere to be found. I can relate to Peter's exit from the prison by the Angels of God. It was very surreal. Indeed the peace of God which passes all understanding was guarding my heart in Christ Jesus.
But what about other, so-called less stressful, matters? In all reality all matters look the same to God, just like all sin is the same before God. Sin is sin in the eyes of God. A single "white lie" sin is as grave and has the same penalty of death and separation from God as a murderer.
Prayers can be anywhere at any time. Later that same day I inadvertently found out that I accidentally had betrayed the trust of a friend without knowing it. Asking them to accept my apology was certainly the first thing that I did. Prayer is what I have been doing since concerning the situation.
In practical terms it was a sin. I still asked God to forgive me as well. The Bible speaks to sins of omission and of commission. Those we intentionally do and those we unknowingly or willingly do is another way to look at it. We can't help but sin. Until we no longer have a sin nature at the Resurrection, at the Rapture of the Church, we will struggle with sin. As Paul wrote, thanks be to God that Jesus is still there, still able to forgive and put us back on our feet. To clean us up and help us get moving again.
Things that happen to us are not great or little to God. They are opportunities for us to see the hand of God in our lives.
There's times in our lives when yes, it's appropriate to seek out those whom God has endowed with the learning for things in our lives. The Doctor trained to detect and deal with cancer. The Mechanic that deals with why your vehicle has problems. The things that you really ought not try to fix yourself.
In prayer we can also find that God has a better way and right way to deal with our situation.
What is your go to in your life when life isn't going the way you hoped?
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