No doubt about doubt

Did you know that followers of God experience times of doubt?

Some people don’t get this. Some people think that faith and doubt are opposites. In fact, one of the evil one’s most effective tools is to make Christians wonder if they really are believers simply because they doubt.

My friend Greg Waybright has helped me here. He says that you can only doubt what you believe. For example, you know what an atheist doubts, don’t you? In an unguarded moment, an atheist says, “What if there is a God?” You can only doubt what you believe. And if you’ve been a believer for very long, no doubt you’ve wrestled with doubt.

Asaph, who wrote Psalm 73, experienced doubt. His thoughts are so relatable and can be stated very simply in a question: If God is on our side, why do the wicked prosper? I mean, if God is good at all, if He has anything to say about this world, any involvement whatsoever, then it seems that God would be quick to reward those who are pure and quick to judge those who are evil. Asaph saw the success of those who didn't follow God, and he called it oppressive (See Psalm 73).

But then there was a turning point for Asaph:

…till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. PS 73:17

The answer is in the sanctuary.

I realize there are times when you just don’t feel like going to church. Nonetheless it is in the sanctuary that God reveals himself. Something happens at church. Something happens in worship. Something happens when we sing. Something happens in God’s presence. We gain an eternal perspective. We discover God’s viewpoint.

The answer is in the sanctuary.

To whom can you be a stretcher friend?

I wonder who first thought of it? When those four men, carrying their disabled friend on a stretcher, approached the place where crowds were tightly gathered around Jesus, who was the idea guy? Which one said, “If we are going to get close to Jesus, we will have to do something drastic! I know! Let’s break through the roof!"?

I like friends like that! And their creativity was rewarded because the story goes on to say, When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:5.

I think it is very interesting that the Bible tells us, When Jesus saw their faith… Now this may have included the paralyzed man’s faith, but it certainly was much broader than that. It was also the faith of his friends! There are times in our lives when we do not have a lot of faith. There are times when our faith is frail, times when we need others to trust the Lord for us.

To whom can you be a stretcher friend?

Think about those in your life to whom you can be a stretcher friend. You may feel like you cannot do much, but you can bring them to Jesus.

There seems to be three levels of faith in this passage (Read Mark 2:1-12).

• First there are the “If there’s a seat” people. This is a mix of curious and even oppositional individuals.

• Then there are the “Peering through the door” folks. They represented a higher level of commitment. They are there on the periphery and willing to take a back seat.

• But then there are the “Through the roof” people, who eagerly seek a close encounter with Jesus. Perhaps there is person in your life that God is bringing to mind. God wants you to reach out enthusiastically.

Are you willing to go "through the roof" to bring those you care about to Jesus?

A roadmap for your conversations with God

The Lord’s Prayer was never meant to be said by hurried lips. Instead we should see each line as scaffolding to build our prayers around. Let me suggest how you might use it as a roadmap for your conversations with God.

Start your prayer with both hands clenched. This represents the things we want to bring to God, the things we care about, the things we are holding on to.

The right hand represents the God-ward request of this prayer.

As you release your right thumb recognize the intimate relationship you have with God. Our Father in heaven,

As you release your right pointer remember God’s holy character, love and power. hallowed be your name,

As you open your tallest finger ask God to help you make His cause your highest priority. your kingdom come,

Opening your right ring finger, submit your will to His. In the process you will move from submission to anticipation as you open yourself to his purposes. your will be done

Then as you release your pinkie look for ways you might experience and express God in your world. on earth as it is in heaven.


The left hand represents the us-ward request of this prayer.

As you release your left thumb register your heart’s concerns with God; both big and little. Give us today our daily bread.

Opening your left pointer, let it remind you when it comes to sin, point to yourself first. Confess your sins, failures and blind spots. And celebrate His forgiveness. Forgive us our debts,

As you open the longest finger on your left hand, remember that God desires His forgiveness to reach into all the relationships of your life. Ask for a forgiving spirit. as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Opening your left ring finger, ask God to lead you. Ask him to lead in such a way that you keep your vows to him and other and do not yield to temptation. And lead us not into temptation,

Then as you release your pinkie pray for His protection from all that would be destructive in your life and lives of those you love. but deliver us from the evil one.

Notice how this prayer ends: with both hands open. You started with two clenched fists full of all of your cares. And along the way every one has been released. And now you are ready to receive all God has for you.

Do you blog?

If you go to Green Valley Church and have a blog, let me know and I'll create add a link to it on my page. I'll start with my new favorite GVC blogger, our worship pastor, David Toney. His blog takes awhile to load but it's worth it as you can actually listen to some of his worship songs directly from his website. Check it out here.

Wrestling in Prayer

As you can see on the right column, I’ve been taking a survey on my blog asking people which phase of the Lord’s Prayer they consider the most meaningful. The #1 choice so far is: Your kingdom come, your will be done…

Perhaps this is because as we wrestle with this phrase we often find ourselves struggling to put our priorities in the right place. So often in prayer, we want our castle, not God’s kingdom; our agenda, not His cause; our choice, not His will.

I believe so many of our seemingly unanswered prayers really are answered … they are just answered with the word, Grow. God wants to teach us to embrace His kingdom purposes for our lives.

Simone Weil said, “Isn’t the greatest possible disaster, when you are wrestling with God, not to be beaten?” Learn to ask the question, “Where do you want me to grow?”

_________________.

For fun, I’ve written a version of the Lord’s Prayer that sounds a lot more like I am sometimes tempted to pray:

My Butler, who is in heaven,
Hallowed by my plans.
My kingdom come,
My will be done,
On earth as it is in my mind.
Give me today enough surplus for a year (and here’s my list);
forgive me if I left something out.
And do all this in a way that I won’t experience anything uncomfortable;
for my little kingdom, forever and ever, amen.