Praying the parables

Jesus was full of stories - stories which pack an emotional and spiritual punch.

These stories or parables are a great springboard for prayer, says Joyce Huggett, author of Praying The Parables.

Huggett says we can get the most out of these stories if we set aside time to meditate on them and look at them from various angles.  Then, based on what we have learned, we pray.

Take the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37, one of Jesus' most  powerful stories.

Jesus was confronted by a lawyer who asked him: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

The lawyer probably thought he had backed Jesus into a tricky corner.  But Christ responded by asking him what was his answer to that question.

The lawyer replied by reciting the great commandments to love God and love your neighbour as yourself.  Then, he tried to pin down Christ by asking him who his neighbour is.

Jesus answered by telling the story of the Good Samaritan rather than offering a dry theological, philosophical or legal response.

As you know, a man was walking along a road in a deserted area when he was assaulted by thieves and left naked, bloodied and near death.

A priest and a Levite, pillars of Jewish society, passed by him without offering help.  But a Samaritan - a man whose people were hated by Jews in Judea - stopped and tended to his wounds.

Not only that, but he put him on his donkey and took him to an inn where he took care of him.  The following day he gave the innkeeper money to pay for feeding and caring for the wounded man and promised to give him more money on his return if that wasn't enough.

Then, Jesus asks the question that strikes right to the heart: "Which of these three was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The lawyer was forced to answer: "The one who had mercy on him."

And Jesus told him: "Go and do likewise."

As Huggett notes, this parable is rich with prayer possibilities.

For example, I can think of these questions:

• How would the Jewish audience react to the story of the priest and Levite avoiding the desperately wounded man?  
• How would they react to the Samaritan - from a hated sect - stopping and going beyond duty to help the fallen Jew on the roadside?
• What is in the heart of the Samaritan which prompted to help this man?
• What is in our hearts as we read this story?

This leads to the ultimate question: How should we pray as a result of this parable?

The answers to that question will vary from person to person and from time to time.  Huggett says she comes back to the parable periodically and finds new things to pray about.

Looking quickly at this parable, I can see myself asking God to reveal my own heart towards people that are hurting and different from me.  I might celebrate the heart of the Samaritan whom many people believe is a type of Christ himself.  I might ask God to work in me to be more like the Samaritan.

Or, I could go beyond the personal and ask God to break down prejudices between people.  I could ask him to pour out his mercy on struggling people.  I could ask him to send us out as believers to be good Samaritans - true neighbours - to people around us.

You may have other prayer ideas.

What a fertile prayer source these parables are!

Leaning on Jesus

I am a compulsive planner in spiritual areas - including prayer.

It is, I admit, a weakness.

I am learning the wisdom of the writer of Proverbs in Proverbs 3:5-6:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

The danger of my over-planning is that I may miss what Jesus really wants in my life.

Jesus was quite clear about this when he said in John 15: "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

This issue leapt to my mind once again while reading an engaging book Everyday Supernatural: Living a Spirit-led Life without Being Weird by Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft.

Pilavachi and Croft are seeing God work powerfully in people's lives through their charismatic Anglican church in Watford, England.

They say the key is not their personal abilities but the presence of God.

"Our goal should be relationship with Jesus, not power from Jesus," they write.

They point out that in Exodus 33, Moses refused to lead the Israelites any further without God being present.  The Lord had indicated he was upset with the Israelites because of their disobedience but was prepared to have an angel lead the way.

Moses said that without God's presence, the Israelites would be no different than any other group of people.  God agreed to go with them.

Moses had an extremely close relationship with the Father.  And the disciples had a similar relationship with Jesus.  And God moved with power among them.

"What sets Christians apart from non-Christians isn't that we're funnier, better-looking or better dressed than non-Christians," say Pilavachi and Croft.  "What really distinguishes us is that we are a people of God's presence.  It's never about what we can do - it's about who we are with."

They say that we must allow God's love to flow through us to others.  That means we must know God's love ourselves and be willing to do what God wants us to do.

So, how does that apply to me in my prayer life?

I still think planning is worthwhile.  But I must not let my plans stand in the way of what Jesus wants.

I must constantly ask the Lord: "What do you want me to do?  What do you want in this situation?"

And I must have my eyes, ears and mind open to what he is telling me.  And obey.

Speak to me

The boy Samuel heard the voice of God but thought it was his mentor and guardian, Eli the priest.

Fortunately, Eli knew better and told Samuel to go back to bed and ask the Lord to speak to him.  Samuel did and it was the start of a lifetime of being guided by God.

This Bible story in Samuel 3 is instructive.  It tells us something about listening to the Lord.

There are several lessons I draw from this episode:

• I need to take time to hear God;
• I need to figure out what is from God and what is not; and 
• I need to accept and obey whatever he asks me to do.

Samuel learned to distinguish God from other voices and he obeyed the Lord to the letter.  His experience in asking God which of Jesse's sons to anoint as the future king showed that he did not let his eyes and mind decide who was best suited for the job.  He listened to God and chose the youngest and least likely son - David (see 1 Samuel 16).

As you know, there are various ways of hearing God - reading the scriptures, hearing God's audible voice, seeing images and visions, and receiving promptings among others.

Probably the most common ways are God giving us mental promptings and the Holy Spirit bringing scripture passages alive in our minds and hearts so that we act upon them.

For some years, I have kept a spiritual journal somewhat along the lines outlined in Mark and Patti Virkler's book How to Hear God's Voice.  I bring a question to God - most often it is "Father, what do you wish to say to me?"  And then I write down what comes to mind.

I trust the Lord to honour my request to speak to me as he did to Samuel many centuries ago.  I then enter a dialogue with God, pursuing some of the things he says.

So, how do I know whether it is God speaking?  I can tell from the responses that flow over my page.  If they are contrary to the words and character of God, they are not from him.

The vast majority of these journal entries are mundane, everyday things.  But they deal with heart matters that are important to me at the time. 

God's words help straighten me out when I have hurt someone - but he is gentle in how he does it.   And, more often than not, his answers are loving and encouraging and even uplifting.

Of course, getting to know God is essential.  That's where consistent reading and pondering Bible passages is so important.

Naturally, we don't all have time - or the inclination - to write.  But writers on listening prayer are quite clear that we need to find time and a place where we can say to God as Samuel did: "Speak, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3: 10)

I have never had a life-changing word from the Lord in the years I  have kept this journal.  The Virklers and others say that we should never make a major decision without carefully examining God's word and discussing it with mature believers.

But I have found that this journaling exercise has refreshed me, brought me peace, and pointed me to the path I should follow. 

It has also underlined areas where I need to change.  That can be humbling.

But God does not condemn me. 

As the apostle Paul said in Romans 8:38, nothing in all creation "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord".

The sacrifice of praise

I am an occasional praise-er and thank-er.

But the apostle Paul tells me I must give thanks in all circumstances all the time (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  That means praising and thanking God in both good and bad times.

Why is it important that I offer thanks and praise to the Lord?

I think it's because it's pleasing to God and good for me.

Praise and thanks are offerings to the Lord.  And he responds with pleasure and power.

The book of Hebrews says: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess his name."  And the writer goes on to say that God is pleased with that and with acts of kindness.

It's interesting that the writer of Hebrews calls praising and thanking God a sacrifice.

On the surface, saying a few words to God doesn't seem very sacrificial.  But if I do it to please God, it becomes a sacrifice.

The key issue is: Do I mean what I say?  Am I offering heartfelt praise and thanks?

Terry Law, author of The Power of Praise and Worship, says that true praise is a choice and a discipline.  It is a choice that I must make all the time - to praise God for who he is and to thank him for what he is doing in my life.

He tells the story of a pastor of a large charismatic church in London, England who realized that people were just going through the motions during praise and worship in his church.  They weren't offering praise from their hearts.

So, the pastor told the congregation that the world-class worship leader Matt Redman and the worship band would cease playing during periods of worship.  Instead, people would offer worship on their own - out of their hearts.

"When you come through the doors of the church on Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God?" asked Pastor Mike Pilavachi. "What are you going to sacrifice today?"

At first, there were awkward silences during the church service.  Not much singing.  But gradually the congregation learned how to worship the Lord from the heart.

After a few weeks, Matt Redman and the worship band returned to lead singing.  But the congregation had changed and the experience led Redman to write his song "The Heart of Worship".

I can see a few easy things I can do in continually praising God and thanking him:

• I can spend time thinking about him and who he is as I read the scriptures - the Psalms are full of good material;
• I can recall the good things he has done in my life during the day - the little things I usually take for granted; and
• I can turn to him when I'm down and recall Christ's great words to his disciples in Matthew 28:20: "Be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

I know from experience that praise changes me and my outlook on life.

I just need to practice it.

Submit

Most of us accept that an army can only succeed if the soldiers submit to authority.

Susie Larson says the same is true of Christians as members of the army of God.

An earthly army would quickly lose a war if soldiers decided they would only obey orders that they like and reject others.

"When answers seem slow to come, when the battle rages on, and when we wonder why the enemy continues to harass as like he does, we need to step back and take an inventory of our attitudes and actions," says Larson in her book Your Powerful Prayers: Reaching the Heart of God with a Bold and Humble Faith.  "Our choices are often our biggest roadblocks to a thriving, powerful prayer life."

I ask myself: Are there issues in my life where I insist on doing things my way - no matter what God says?  Am I hanging onto things that run counter to what God is telling me?

Larson offers a checklist for me and other believers to consider.  Do we hold a grudge; refuse to forgive; complain and grumble; usurp God-given authority; disobey; gossip; embrace selfish pride and selfish ambition; and embrace envy and jealousy?

There are a few in that list that give me a twinge.

"We are citizens of the Lord's army, and like it or not, we need to stay in rank and respect God's order of things," she writes.

One of the most telling scriptures is Psalm 66:18: "If I had cherished sin my heart, the Lord would not have listened."

Cherishing suggests holding onto something and defending it against all comers.

The first step to getting back in rank in the Lord's army is to "surrender our hearts, our agendas, and our toxic attitudes" to God, says Larson.

"First he helps us win the battle within, where battles are won or lost.  Then he teaches us to stand in the authority he has given us."

She quotes A.W. Tozer who said: "Strange as it may seem, we often win over our enemies only after we have first been soundly defeated by the Lord himself."

The evil one is out to destroy us.  He will use whatever openings we give him to bring us down and keep us from praying with power.

As the apostle James says in James 4:7: "Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

James is telling me that when I am submitted to the Lord, I can resist Satan and he will leave me alone.

Once we are submitted to God, we can better determine his will in our lives.  And once we know and pray according to his will, we are promised in 1 John 14-15 that God will answer and give us what we request.

A timeless lesson for me.