Today was a very good day of prayer. Our brother Jason has returned from Mexico and joined us which led to air of celebration in the prayer room. Psalm 20 states that "We will shout for joy when you are victorious" - it is both a psalm of blessing and a psalm of prophecy. Today it was clearly a prophecy fulfilled.
The following contrast may help to explain it:
When the prodigal son returned to his father, the father rejoiced and welcomed his son back into the family reinstating his position and celebrating his sons "resurrection". The prodigal's brother, however, was resentful at the royal treatment of his brother, feeling that it was unjust - "why should the prodigal be rewarded when I have been faithful and diligent and received no such reward?" Of course the faithful son's jealousy was wrong and he was unable to a) celebrate the return of his brother and b) be content with his promised reward in the future.
Think now what it would be like if this were the situation: The son, instead of being prodigal, obeyed his father to travel to a distant place and rescue the people there from utter ruin. The son is sent off with blessing and provision, his brothers arming and supplying him. The son successfully sets up a base of operations and the people of that land begin to be loosed from their bondage. This son's return to home is not only greeted by celebration from the father, but his brothers as well who are eager to hear of his success, bless him and provision him once again.
I hope that the comparison somehow captures what it is like to have our brother Jason back. Not prodigal, but obedient it is very easy for us to celebrate his victorious return. That's not to say we wouldn't celebrate the return of a prodigal, but how much better it is to travel the path of life than death!
The big idea today comes from something Jason said that really struck a chord in me: listening to God's question. Has God asked me to be in the place I am? If so I should be here. If He has asked me to be somewhere else, then I'd better go there. It is very important for us to try and tune our ears to the questions of God and be prepared to give an answer. Too often, I am the one asking the questions, possibly to the extent that I 1) can't hear the answer and 2) miss the question that God is asking me. More and more I'm thinking that my prayer time needs to be spent seeking to hear the questions and purposes of God, then answering as Isaiah - "Send me!"
I still feel I have much to learn about prayer and certainly need to spend more time practicing.
Without bending my knee
I will never find the way
I will never do a thing
If I don't learn how to pray
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