It's Not About You

Words still spoken by my beloved Mother, perhaps even more often, now that I am a parent. How's the famous last phrase go...I hope when you have children, they act the exact way that you act. Paybacks are rough.

Comedian Jeff Allen says, that the Bible never says how old Satan was when he rejected God's authority. Allen's guess? Sixteen.

Growing up under their roof, I had to learn as a part of maturity, understanding and compassion, I wasn't the center of everyone's universe, nor would I ever be...at least, not since the days I could be picked up without hurting someone.

Now, having been out from under their roof and having kids of my own (who are almost to the point of hurting someone when they want to be picked up), I'm still not the center of everyone's universe...nor my own for that matter. That's a good thing and I'm okay with it. It reminds me that, while I don't have it all together, neither does anyone else. At the same time, perhaps my experience, insight and friendship will be exactly what someone needs for whatever is going in their universe.

That said, Pastor reiterated during our Wednesday night service, how the breakthrough that occurred in Job's life, came when he prayed for his friends. Interestingly enough, a brief glance into Paul's life, while you see him request prayer for himself, he "always" prays for others. Individuals, a people group, a church or community...his letters aren't "woe is me, God help me through this". There's nothing wrong with praying for self, as we bring our needs to God, but as Mom reminds us, there is always someone in more difficult and challenging places than you.

The perspective alone, if you could only pray one prayer, wouldn't it be the most dire situation? Now that might be you, but a few seconds worth of thought and you'd probably come up with a different name who you could use that one prayer.

For this #communitySaturday, pray for your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family. Pray for the situations they face...job loss while you are gainfully employed, marriage and friendships that are rocky at best while yours is stable at worst, finances that are empty while you have something in savings, more than one car in the garage while someone is walking everywhere or hitching a ride, rebellious kids living it up while yours actively serve in ministry. Pray the church engages their community in tangible ways, simply by having the conversation and asking for the opportunity to offer it to God in prayer; that He may accomplish on earth what we can only dream exists in heaven.

For the glory of God. For the cause of Christ. For the building up of a community of faith.

-PNC

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