December 16, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Advent readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 16 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Popularity
Read Sections 3.25 through 3.28 (pages 46-48)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
Advent Day 16
The Life of Jesus 3.25-3.28; 1 Kings 1-2
“And when you pray, don’t be like the people who don’t know God. They say the same things again and again. They think that if they say it enough, their god will hear them. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
When I’m praying, I often find myself spending a lot of time trying to articulate my current circumstances and requests to God as best as I can. What a great reminder this passage is that we don’t have to perfectly articulate what we’re going through or what we need in order for God to work in and through our circumstances. We don’t even have to fully understand our struggles and needs ourselves, for “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)
9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
All these subjects. Loving your enemies. The only way I can do that is to remind myself to look at them through the eyes of Christ. About giving. About praying. About fasting. What is our motive. To impress others or to help others. . Praying and fasting is totally directed at our father. Looking vertical. Not horizontal. We have been sort of programmed as we help others that is where joy will fill our hearts. Not surprising right after this. The subject of money. Have a few friends first thing they do is check their stocks in the morning. The same ones who get out their calculator to figure out a tip on $15 breakfast. No more. A few dollar bills. Drives me nuts!!!! They’re millionaires and miserable. Buy and sell me a few times over. My God is the one true God who oversees all things. We are Worth much more than many sparrows. Their god is dust in the wind True freedom is being a slave to God!!!!
Jesus makes clear that motivation matters to God and for us. How important it is to not seek recognition for the things we do, in any aspect of the Christian life. How much that matters to our mindset and effect we have on people. When everything is done to God’s glory (because everything comes from Him anyway), that’s when we will find our motive purified. Humility and selflessness are key as well. And that is best developed by engaging with God, learning of Him and knowing He deserves all the glory anyways. And when we get there, we win, we don’t lose.
And what an incredibly powerful outline for prayer Jesus gives. As one author suggests, each of these statements are like hyperlinks to the kinds of prayers we can pray on each subject. But each subject shows what God cares about and what permission God gives for us to pray for these things. Don’t miss that forgiving others is the only thing repeated after the outline is given.
And along the same line of motivation matters, where our treasures are will drive where our heart is. Loving people and using things, not loving things and using people. Contentment and hard work are the key. Do what it is before you and glean from it what God provides and then be content with that. And if you pursue improvement, don’t pursue it like you need it but only according to what God would provide. Then just be a proper steward of what God has provided.
Advent 2023 – Day 16
One over-riding message in these four sections – giving, prayer, fasting, saving, serving – is heart motive. Are we doing these things as an outward demonstration for others, or to foster a relationship with the Lord? This is comforting, because we can know that these activities are not about score-keeping, or earning, but rather about communication with the living God. The point isn’t for us to struggle to succeed in prayer, fasting, giving, but rather to embrace these tools to know God better in our hearts and minds.
“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”
Because of the major storm yesterday we had no power until early this morning. But I did read and comment on days 16 and 17. Here they are now. I wrote the comments down on a note pad. As often times in the scriptures it is our heart that matters. Whether it is giving, praying, fasting. Also when it comes to treasures on earth. That is not important. God desires us to have a contrite heart toward Him and by so doing it will affect how we do these other things. After all didn`t He show all these things to us by His teachings and actions. May God bless.
Jesus says to give to others privately. When we give, it’s important to ask ourselves why we are doing it. It’s most likely for many reasons, but if one of them is for praise or recognition from others, then we must be aware of that and be intentional about not allowing it to happen. God sees all that we do and pleasing him should be first and foremost, the only thing that matters. What is most important are the treasures we build up in our hearts, such as a steadfast love for God, obedience to him, love for others and a forgiving spirit.
Motivation….what is driving us to do what we are doing? Are we searching for approval of people or being driven strictly by love of our Father and a desire to a deeper relationship with Him?
He knows our heart and He knows our prayers. In the same way He knows why we are praying and fasting He knows what we are praying and fasting for.
To have a Savior who knows us so well it seems foolish to try to impress others as they are not the ones who matter and there is no need to try to make our prayers or good deeds motivated by anything other than gratitude and come before Him as we are…He already knows our heart anyway!