A lifelong journey of prayer and action (part 5)
July 31, 2010
So, after the first four parts of the odyssey, can I answer the question?
Here it is again:
In your partnership with God, how has the balance of your role/God’s role and prayer/action changed over the years?
I used to repeat the line about praying as if everything depended upon God and acting as if everything depended on us. Now, I just don’t believe it. I pray because everything depends on God and I need his perspective on absolutely everything. I also trust him to show me. I act as if everything depends on God too. I fret less about his work than ever, I worry about the lost and broken less now because I know that he holds everything. I read recently something about Jesus’ life looking pretty disorganised with his distractions, off-the-cuff actions and reactions, spur of the moment story telling and responses to people. Yet he seemed unfazed. He was completely at ease because He trusted his Father that the plan was in his hands, the job would be done. Other than ‘get to Jerusalem and die’ Jesus did not appear to have much of a plan. Jesus said that He just did what he saw his Father doing, and displayed a daily freedom because he knew his Father ‘had it covered’.
I’ve really benefitted from making the effort to chart my journey. Although it has taken several posts, it still is only a scant summary of the whole story. I’d be very interested to hear from others on this, so please take a moment – or longer – with the question and comment below.
As to my own answer, whether the balance between my role and God’s role, my prayer and God’s action has in actual fact changed, I can’t answer. What I can tell you is that from my point of view, there is a world of difference. God has defeated the external voices and the internal voices driving me to so much unnecessary or pointless or draining activity. Now he is blessing me with the freedom that should come with serving him. I spend more time with God than doing things for God, I spend less time trying to look busy on his behalf, and I am more able to trust that He is about his business. I take God and his role more seriously than ever, and I trust him to do his part, which is clearly the larger part. I also trust that the role he gives me is to be taken seriously, and is worth my obedience. I am really happy with this balance, and happy to acknowledge that I need to let go more, to play more, to trust more, to explore more, dream more and embrace more adventure. I know I have a long way to go, but the journey is worth it. There are breathtaking views along the road towards the ‘life in all its fullness’ that He has promised us all.
Thanks Iain, I have very much enjoyed re-visiting these parts of your life, told in your own, inimitable style.
My immediate thought on having read to the end, is that it seems to be less about a shift of balance between you and God / prayer and action, and more about you becoming more fully yourself – the person you have been made to be, as dreamed up by Jesus. The defeating of those external and internal voices was perhaps the key, made possible by hearing Dad’s voice and accepting what he says about you in increasing measure. Yay for that!
I would have to say that was the case for my own life. I don’t think I could claim to have taken over any of God’s roles along the way, but certainly find myself feeling more fully alive every year. I’d say I pray a good deal less than I used to as well, if I’m honest. But I also believe, that in being more fully me, I am able to intercede with my whole life a good deal more effectively than ever before.
Part of me wants to add that perhaps the balance has shifted – I certainly do things now that I never would have dreamed possible when I first met Jesus. But has my role really changed? God is infinite. I don’t think I am ever in danger of running out of things to learn or activities to grow into. Or me to be…
Which brings me back to your previous post, before this 5-parter. Dreams. I honestly believe that the more we can dig into these, the more we are able to fully become all that Jesus envisaged for us – to be more fully ourselves. And, as an infinite creator, I don’t think he has got any limits on how far this can go!
I’ll finish with a verse that is on my mind a lot lately: Ephesians 3:20
“…to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”
I think God delights when the things we ask and imagine in life are big enough to at least get his attention. What’s the point in doing immeasurably more than “not much”?! And WHERE exactly is this immeasurable power at work? In us?! Oooh…
oooh,
there’s a whole area right there – life as intercession and, in reverse, intercession as more than words of prayer. Intercessory acts are prayer, breaking down the veil between heaven and earth….
I’ve definitely seen more of my life, decisions, and actions in this way. Whereas in the past may I have responded with ‘spiritual warfare’ type praying, I find simple actions doing a similar job – that of destabilising the enemy and holding the curtain open for light to invade the arena.
I have very much enjoyed reading through part 1-5, Iain! And also the comment is stirring life!! You could probably fill a few books answering this single question, you chose as your your topic… Just coming home today with 3 of my children (17,18 and 23 after a camping trip) many big questions were tackled and am I glad I can depend on God and He inspires!! Two of them have huge questions and struggle, while 1 has embraced God. I guess the only difference is: opening up to more and more light and life and truth He pours in. Knowing Him equals eternity! Some verses that i read while camping:
‘God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of His purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest – what God determined as the way to bring out His best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene.’ It’s the part where God’s message of the cross is expanded upon and the fact that God wants to share His depth with us!!!! How good is that!
Another single word that caught me was: to utilize.
God utilizes us just the way a stream is utilized to power a mill…who does the work? The stream just streams, the mill produces power. I feel like the stream utilized by God…
greetings, Gerrit.