911 Prayer

Have you noticed:  there's often a rise of prayer, with a rise of crisis.

What I like to call:  911 Prayer.  

Amazing.  Persons can 'push' God aside every other day -- but on 'crisis day' -- persons organically blurt out:  'you're in my thoughts and prayers' -- or -- 'please pray for me.'

What does that mean? 

First -- People Really Are Searching.   Yes, there is the rise of the new atheism, and we're hard-pressed to find much tolerance of God, faith, and, in particular, Orthodox Christianity.

But underneath the indifference, even hostility, persons are vulnerable, with literally no place to go.  And so in crisis, persons tend, either to ask us for prayer -- or -- assure us of their prayers. 

During the 2015 shootings in San Bernardino, the New York Daily News was highly skeptical, even cynical, regarding the rise of prayer.  And so, late night talk show host Stephen Colbert responded:  

“As someone who occasionally thinks and prays, the reason you keep people in your thoughts and prayers is admittedly not to fix the problem, but to find some small way to share the burden of grief.” https://newh2o.com/2015/12/10/when-you-say-youre-in-my-thoughts-and-prayers/ 

And so in a skeptical, cynical world, we reach toward God and each other, sharing, heavy crisis, life-moments.

Second -- God Really Is Working.  Though sharing grief-burdens is important, eventually, we point people toward God.  For prayer really isn't about our effort, but God's effort.  To quote a hymn stanza from Martin Luther (on the eve of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation):  

"...Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing; Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth His Name, From age to age the same, And He must win the battle..."

And thus, we remain pro-God in an anti-God world, affirming:  that we are not determined, in the end, by our choices and context.  We are finally determined by God's overarching hand, who, if He wills, can redirect life, in myriad fashion.  Why even “…the kings heart is [but] a stream of water in the hand of the Lord -- he turns it wherever he will.  (Proverbs 21:1, ESV).

The rub, however, is that God’s directing, turning and willing, often feels covert, not always predictable.  Thus, it’s easy to doubt and question God’s providential initiative and follow-through. 

I’ve wrestled with this ambiguity greatly.  Among the many ways I’ve tried to reckon with this complexity is announcing:  God is working.   My standard spiel goes something like this:  “I know the cancer is wrenching – but God is working.  I know the divorce is unbearable – but God is working.  I know the job loss is humiliating – but God is working.  I know – the economy looks hopeless – but God is working.” 

I have found that mantra effective, for it holds together two lifeblood truths.  First, the reality of the awfulness of life (on occasion).  The fallenness of this world, coupled with the presence of personified evil (e.g. Satan, the Devil, the evil one) does reek havoc on our lives, in reoccurring fashion.  

But, secondly, God is ruler yet, who is working (albeit slowly), bringing order out of chaos, thus showing evidence, eventually, of His providence.   As David Ferguson points out:  

“The biblical account...depicts the world as blessed…a fitting home for human and other creatures in which to flourish and multiply…This flourishing requires wisdom to discern, attention to maintain, and worship that celebrates…the character of the world and God’s rule...At the same time, God’s rule is threatened by forces of chaos that manifest themselves in…sickness, injustice, misfortune, and untimely death…This resistance is not constructed in a Manchurian sense since there is no other creator. God ultimately commands the world order. Nonetheless, God is inexplicably delayed and too often silent in dealing with these palpable threats to the divine rule. This delay and silence are frequent sources of Israel’s complaint that are resolved only by the action of God in reasserting the order of the world through the vindication of the righteous…[Thus] the solution rests in divine action that obliterates evil.” David Fergusson, Chapter 11, Divine Providence and Action in, God’s Life In Trinity, edited by Miroslav Volf and Michael Welker, 154-55.] 

It is reassuring to note Ferguson's acknowledgment of God’s delay and silence; this is actuality, if we are perfectly honest.  But it is equally reassuring to note Ferguson's acknowledgment that such seasons of absence do not equate a God who doesn’t work providentially, dealing with threats, reasserting order, thus extending our days.  God is working!

Third -- Thus, We Really Can Live.  With crisis after crisis compounding, many appear paralyzed, in spite of our thoughts and prayers -- in spite of bearing one anothers griefs -- in spite of assurances that God is working.

And so another step is needed.  We need to go beyond compassion and reassurance -- and model with our own lives the outcome of compassion and reassurance:  hope. An audacious hope, that believes -- in spite of threats and terrorism -- that we can go on and really live.

Yet another hymn stanza from Martin Luther points the way.

"...And though this world with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us; The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him..."

And so in spite of our fears -- we 'speak the Word' -- we nevertheless, boldy, truly live!

Last month I celebrated my 66th birthday with my son in Oklahoma City.  Determined to prove my 'continued worth,' I decided to do a George H.W. Bush stunt.  You know, something shocking and mucho, to verify that I am not an old man.  Well, I looked for a sky-diving venue, but couldn’t find one.  But I located the next best thing:  a U.S. Olympic/Para-Olympic training facility for white-water rafting in Oklahoma City of all places.  And so I went white-water rafting on my 66th birthday.  And it was a blast.  But you know I discovered something:  you can’t do white-water rafting partially – tentatively – or moderately.  You have to do white-water rafting completely and totally, ‘all-in.’ And so I got into the raft and decided to be ‘all-in.’

Now, to be honest: there were moments I thought I would die.  I mean this was not the jungle cruise at Disneyland, this was the real thing, an Olympic level white water rafting course, with wicked rapids, indeed prompting a member of our raft to spill out.   But I am proud to say, by the grace of God, I didn’t spill out, I stayed in the boat.  The result: I got one of the biggest rushes of my life, on my birthday, no less.  But most importantly, the biggest smile you’ve ever seen on my son’s face.  You might call it a beam of love-light, as the bond between us became tighter, closer. All because I decided to get in the boat, with him, and give the white-water everything I’ve got.

God is asking us to get in the boat with Him and give the white-water -- the smack and shock of life – everything we’ve got! We tend make this life of ours about all kinds of other things: career, appearance, money, crisis.  But it’s really about devotion and discipleship; about bonding with Jesus and navigating life with Him -- nevertheless.  

Now mind you, like white water rafting, life and obedience to Jesus is risky – turbulent – all consuming.  And you might just spill out.   

But it’s also the biggest rush of life, ever!  In fact – it’s the only true life.  

And so, its OK to breath 911 Prayers.  But realize it's more than prayer -- it's a discovery there really is a God who is working, empowering us, in spite of the whitewater -- in spite of the smack, shock and crisis -- to nevertheless -- boldly, truly -- live!