EXAMEN
Years ago I visited a Sunday School class where the teacher was talking to a group of young children about prayer. She explained how important it was to go to God with their hearts, cares and concerns while a number of the kids were getting wiggly and distracted. All of a sudden a little boy popped up on his knees, turned around to his friends and said, “You guys, REALLY, when you talk to God, He LISTENS!” It was one of the most profound messages on prayer I think I’ve ever heard, not only because of the simplicity of his words, but also because of the great faith expressed by a six year old boy. I’ve often reflected on that day and Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:3, “Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The older we get, the more we tend to complicate things, including our approach to God in prayer. This child would simply tell you to tell Him what is on your heart and mind, knowing that He hears you. He could tell you with confidence that when you approach Him, He is ready to spend that time with you.
In another classroom, a teacher introduced the children to a new practice as they entered the room each week. They were given space on the walls to write out the ways in which they had seen God at work during the previous week. And in another space they were invited to write out the things that were difficult or painful for them. You might think that a bunch of 8- and 9-year-olds would opt for the other available activities at the beginning of the hour, but week after week we saw kids go straight to the wall, pick up a dry erase marker and write out, before the Lord, their thoughts and reflections. They had been introduced to a practice, although simplified, known as the Daily Examen.
The Examen is an ancient approach to prayer attributed to Saint Ignatius that simply encourages us to take a few minutes, usually at the end of the day, to reflect before the Lord on all the ways that you have noticed his activity in you, your life, and the world around you. It is a way of slowing down enough to pay attention to what is going on in your life, and like that little boy, to take it to your Heavenly Father, knowing that He hears.
Consider this simple way of practicing this approach to prayer next week: Set aside a few minutes, before getting too sleepy, to slow down, be still with God and review the events of the day with him.
Pray through these two questions: What things that were life-giving to me? What things were life-draining or difficult? Give thanks for the ways you’ve seen God at work in your life and ask him to give you grace for what is to come in the next day. Whether you are apprehensive, peaceful or excited, talk to God about it. In child-like simplicity, take your honest thoughts to your Heavenly Father with the deep conviction that He really listens.
Nicole Jiles
Director of Children’s Ministry
Choosing to Discern
Sometimes life is confusing and chaotic. Can I get an Amen!? This COVID season has brought so much good: a slowing down and opportunities for change. For many, it has also brought about stress, loneliness and disillusionment. As 21st century Americans living relatively comfortable lives, if we feel bewildered and uncertain about our future, I wonder what a young, 11th century BCE Hebrew boy must have felt. The Lord came to Samuel, in the middle of the night, conveying a message that would bring devastation on the house of his master Eli. Can you imagine the fear Samuel must have felt as he lay awake until morning, pondering the warning that he had heard from the Lord; no doubt questioning his next steps.
The following morning Eli came to Samuel and said in 1 Samuel 3:17, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” At that moment Samuel had a decision to make. He had the freedom to choose whether or not to obey both the Lord and Eli. In choosing obedience, he demonstrated discernment at a young age. Verse 19 continues with, “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” This proved to be true throughout the rest of Samuel’s life as he went on to be the last of the Hebrew judges, anoint the first two Kings of Israel, and serve as a prophet and priest. All of these roles required knowing the truth of Scripture and a deep connection with and obedience to God. These values in Samuel’s life led to wise discernment.
We long for discernment, yet feeling confident in decisions can be very confusing. Discernment first and foremost comes from a heart relinquished to God. Being able to evaluate what is from the Lord and what is not, is dependent on knowing the truth found in Scripture. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 says, “But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” This does not have to be a mystery! 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that God’s “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” How then do we know when we are making a wise and discerning decision? Philippians 4:6-7 tells us about the peace, or consolation that follows when our desires are fully submitted to God and his will for our lives. The journey may be difficult, but God will not fail hearts that are relinquished to him.
In what area of your life are you seeking discernment, and searchingt Scripture for guidance? Are you seeking the Lord with a heart that is relinquished to him? Ask the Lord today for strength to obey and a heart to follow whatever the path may be.
Lynette Fuson
Women’s Ministry Director
Cultivating Space
Before COVID-19 came in and ruined everyone’s travel plans, my wife and I were avid travelers. Having lived in Spain for 10 months in 2016, it was my personal goal to see as much as possible and as quickly as possible. I would find myself putting together elaborate itineraries packed full of events. While the photos are great, looking back on that year, it doesn’t take me long to realize everything that I missed by not being present in the moment. While my body kept moving, I missed so much that God may have had for me if I just stopped for a minute to breathe.
Have you ever lived life this way? Ever felt like you’ve hurried through your to-do list and your days that you just felt like every day blurred together in a series of tasks and never-ending to-do’s? Eugene Peterson once wisely said, “Busyness is the enemy of spirituality. It is essentially laziness. It is doing the easy thing instead of the hard thing.” Doesn’t that seem counterintuitive? However, the discipline of slowing down to raise our awareness of God’s working is something that requires intentionality.
Most of us pack our days like I used to pack backpacks for vacations in Europe; stuffed to the absolute brim with no room to spare. The discipline of slowing is allowing intentional space and mindfulness to allow ourselves to see what it is that God might be doing in a particular space or moment. As a gardener cultivates the ground for the harvest, we can cultivate awareness of God’s working by slowing down. You won’t find any commandment in Scripture that says, “Thou shalt slow down” but you will find that on the 7th day, God rested. You will find that Eli, instead of chastising Samuel to go to bed because they’ve got a lot on the temple cleaning list tomorrow, encourages him to listen to what God might be saying. Perhaps we can learn from Jesus himself that in the midst of preaching, teaching, and healing, I never get the sense that he was ever hurried.
So, how can we practice slowing down? Here are some key practices:
Sabbath. The Lord commands it for a reason. Slow down, rest, worship, tend to your soul.
Build margin in your day: One of my favorite little Apple Watch apps is the “breathe” app. Six times a day, I get a reminder buzzing on my wrist to breathe. Maybe you have this or you set something up to build 30-second margins into your day to simply pray, be, and listen to what God might be doing in any given moment.
There are many other things you could do, modern life is quick (even in COVID!). Sometimes if we want to hear from God, like Samuel, we just have to slow down for a second to listen.
Pastor Seth Redden
High School Ministry
Junior High Band and the Art of Listening
1974: My 7th grade self decided to retire from piano after an illustrious four-year career and buy a pair of drumsticks. Our band director was a big-time drummer somewhere on the Vegas Strip. Following our first class, the director walked over and said, “You play piano, and sing, right?” “Yeah,” I said. He replied, “Transfer to band. You’re going to play French horn now,” and handed me a gray case that looked like a vacuum cleaner. The first week of band was torture. We learned two things -- how to make a sound and how to tune. The director would play a note, then stand in front of us, helping match his pitch with prompts like, “No, a little higher ... push the slide in ... more air, tighten the sides of your mouth -- good, there!”
Tuning our hearts to God is a lot like this. He gently prompts us as we listen and adjust to Him. Here’s how I’ve learned to listen and tune my heart to His:
1. Turn down everything else. Ever noticed how quiet it gets at the start of a symphony? The group is taking time to tune and adjust. They listen to the common pitch being played and adjust to everyone else. To hear God’s voice, turn down the noise around you.
2. Pay attention. Inexperienced musicians spend so much time trying to make a sound that they forget they’re supposed to be paying attention to the tone the director is producing. “Jesus said, I am the Way the Truth and the Life.” He is the tonal center for us. When a musician tunes up, they alternate listening to the absolute pitch, then themselves, comparing and adjusting. This should be true for believers when praying. Listen. Evaluate. Adjust.
3. Keep tuning and learn “muscle memory.” Musicians constantly re-tune, even between songs. Playing in tune is about feeling the note. Repetition reinforces the ability to play in tune –- it’s called “muscle memory.” Jesus said, “my sheep hear my voice.” We learn to identify the Lord’s voice as we become familiar with it, which takes practice.
4. Learn to play in tune with others. Some musicians have “perfect pitch,” but many of them are incapable of playing in tune with other musicians. Or, their technique is so bad they can’t produce a note with quality or consistency, even though they hear the note in tune. Only Christ has “perfect pitch,” spiritually-speaking, and He would rather we learn to play in tune with one another. It’s called “unity.” When the Lord speaks, He shares with more than one person. God isn’t interested in solo acts. He unites us to create a symphony of praise, declaring His glory and kingdom work. We must learn to tune to one another as we tune to Christ.
Lord, Jesus, help us to listen for Your voice in the midst of the mundane and the ordinary. Grant us the courage, faith and humility to adjust our lives to your call. We want to sensitize ourselves to Your presence and voice. Speak Lord, we are listening; we want to stay in tune and in step with Your Spirit today. Amen!
Dave Hook
Pastor of Worship
I'm Listening
As a child I couldn’t correctly say all my letters (I probably still don’t!), so once a week I would get pulled out of class to go practice speaking correctly. We would play games that would get me to say certain sounds or words, we would have different exercises to accomplish a goal, and sometimes there were activities to do at home. I remember how much I would just listen to the instructor pronouncing the sounds and trying to sound the same. Listening was just as much work as talking.
Listening to God and talking to God takes practice, it takes different forms, and it takes time. God speaks today powerfully, just as he has throughout history. John 10:10 reminds us that the people who follow Jesus (his sheep) can hear his voice which signifies a relationship with him and lets them follow him. Now don’t assume you need an audible voice.
God speaks to us through his creation to let us know how powerful he is (Psalm 19:1-2). He gave us a wonderful book to get to know him (2 Timothy 3:16) and it still speaks powerfully through it. He also puts people in your life to speak through (Hebrews 1:1-2). God also gifted us a helper to hear him, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:13). He did all this so we could know him, follow him, and bring others on this journey with us.
In my speech therapy, it took time to learn what I was doing wrong so I could hear how things actually sounded. It took time to talk to feel comfortable listening, (and learning how to actually listen). When we cultivate a listening ear and a soft heart, we can hear God speak.
God is speaking to us in meaningful and powerful ways. Take a moment to think about times when verses seem to leap off the page and make sense, think of a moment when someone called or came to you in a time of need, think of a time when you could feel a nudge to go do something or stop doing something, and think of a time when the sermon was just for you! All those and many more are how God is speaking to you today.
Can you set aside time today to pray and listen? Ask him for help to hear his voice and he will help you.
Jeremy Johnson
Pastor of Men’s Ministry
Effective Prayer
My parents didn’t call me Joshua until my third day of life. Before that, I was simply called, “this baby.” It was not a name, but a plea: “Lord, heal this baby.” I was two months premature and my lungs were not fully developed. I was placed on a breathing machine and given a small chance of survival. I weighed a little more than three pounds and things weren’t looking good for my future. By day three, the doctors were sounding hopeless and suggested that they would have to remove me from the machine if I didn’t start breathing on my own. I can only imagine the pain of parents in that situation. However, my entire extended family gathered at the hospital to pray together. I believe that I am here today because of those prayers. One of them has become especially meaningful to me. My Grandmother prayed: “Lord, if you heal this baby, we will dedicate him to the work of your ministry.” Soon after that prayer, I breathed on my own.
My Grandmother’s prayer was a vow to the LORD very much like Hannah’s vow in 1 Samuel 1:10-11. As the Biblical story goes, Hannah prayed, God answered, and then Hannah followed through in faith. Now, we don’t know what would have happened if Hannah had decided not to follow through in faith. None of us would blame her if she had decided to keep her son as her own instead of dedicating him to the Lord’s service, but I am pretty sure that we wouldn’t be talking about this story right now if she had. It would be just another story of God’s faithfulness and our faithlessness. We have a lot of those. However, I would like to suggest today that often the effectiveness of prayer is due to God’s faithfulness being reflected in the faithfulness of his people. Hannah’s prayer was effective, not just because God was faithful to give her a son, but because Hannah was faithful to follow through in faith and actually give her son to the Lord’s service.
And that is the same reason my Grandmother’s prayer was effective. Yes, God saved me on day three of my life. But it became even more effective and meaningful when I heard this story. You see, my Grandmother told me this story on the day she told me that I wouldn’t have to worry about taking out seminary loans. She was going to completely pay for it. Sure enough, Grandma paid for every dime of my education which is one of the reasons that I am here today. She followed through in faith on a vow she made to the Lord.
This is how prayer works. Join me in spending some time today asking God how we can follow through in faith with the prayers that we have made. Maybe God wants to use you to be a miraculous answer to prayer.
Josh Rose
Pastor of Adult Ministries
Quid Pro Quo
/ˌkwid ˌprō ˈkwō/
noun
a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something.
Those familiar and current with national, political news will know this to be a much used term a few months ago. Politics aside, it perfectly describes what is happening between Hannah and the LORD in 1 Samuel 1:11. As she finds herself in a place of deep desperation, she goes to a place of unique boldness. She attempts to make a deal with God, promising to give back to him the son he gives to her. And her action draws our attention to something that is (hopefully) part of all of our lives of prayer -- that of making “bold asks.”
Like many of you, I’ve been a Christian for quite awhile. As such, I’ve prayed with a whole bunch of people, both privately and corporately. One thing that has always intrigued me is the penchant of some to tack on to the end of their prayers the little phrase “if it’s Your will.” Now, before you criticize me and send emails to our Lead Pastor, just hear me out for a second. Is there anything wrong with saying those four words in prayer? Of course not! Jesus said them (or something like them) two times in the Garden (but I would point out that he said them after he already knew what the plan was, not before). But for some people, and perhaps I am projecting here, I feel like adding those words -- that phrase -- is a way of taking the riskiness and boldness out of what they are praying, of hedging their bets if the answer doesn’t come back the way they wanted it to.
Now, am I suggesting that we should pray from a heart that is not submitted to the will of God? Of course not! I find no disrespect or lack of submission in Hannah’s request. Do you? What I do find, however, is a strong and straightforward request for something she wanted and desired (as opposed to something she needed). This is an important point. It is okay to pray boldly for things you want! God is okay with that! And, get this, there is a way to do it such that submission and boldness live together in peaceful co-existence and where you actually take a risk with God.
As we look at Hannah’s example (and consider why passage is in our Bibles) we can see that while quid pro quo may not be the best way to approach him, prayers rooted in risky boldness surely are.
What will you ask from him today?
Scott Smith
Pastor of Discipleship Ministries
Learning to See
“Why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad?” These were three questions that Elkanah asked his wife, after he noticed her sadness. The problem I noticed in this situation is that Elkanah already knew the answer to these questions. He knew that Hannah wanted to have a baby, and that she couldn’t because she was sterile. He even asked her, “Am I not more to you than 10 sons?”
To be honest, every time I read this passage, I am reminded of how insensitive we can be toward those that are going through difficulties and pain in their lives. Sometimes our lack of compassion and empathy blinds us to the sufferings of others. In this narrative, Hannah was in so much pain, but her anguish seemed insignificant to her husband. One day, Hannah went to the tabernacle to pray to the Lord, and while she was praying, her heart was in so much agony that Eli, the priest, accused her of being drunk. So not only was Hannah’s husband insensitive to her pain, but her spiritual leader was as well. The great thing about this story is that Hannah’s pain wasn’t invisible to everyone. God knew exactly what she was going through. The Lord of hosts saw her in her pain, gave her His comfort, and answered her prayers.
As I was reflecting on Hannah’s story, it came to mind that maybe, in this COVID-19 season, there are people around us who, like Hanna, are suffering for different reasons. I’m sure that we all know of people who are struggling physically, financially, emotionally, socially, and even spiritually. Many people feel isolated and invisible to everyone around them. My hope and prayer is that as we continue to function as members of God’s family and as ministers of Christ in our community, our eyes would be open to see the needs of those around us. This way, we can partner with them in their affliction. Certainly, God sees and listens to those coming before Him in their pain with sincere and humble hearts, but we can intercede with Him on their behalf. We need to do better than Elkanah and Eli. Will you join me in asking God to open our eyes to the needs of those around us? We might be the instruments that God would like to use to relieve and heal their pain and come alongside them in their journey.
Would you pray with me?
Father, there are so many people in need around us during this time. May you use us to advance your kingdom in this season. Equip us to offer your hope and use us as examples of your love. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Esteban Tapia
Pastor of Spanish-language Ministry
Are You Pouring Out Your Heart to the Lord?
Doesn’t it seem almost sacrilegious to “pour out my complaints” to God? But if King David -- who had a heart after God -- can unload all his troubles on the Lord, shouldn’t we?
As a daughter of a Marine, I used to think that emotions were just pesky distractions from the sometimes difficult tasks of life. But in my college years, God took me through a time of deep soul-searching to help me realize that emotions are the seasoning of life, providing richness and depth.
When we share our emotions with others, we often connect with them on a deeper level. The same is true of God. To truly draw close to our Heavenly Father, we need to let him dig around in our heart and uncover the painful memories and discarded emotions. The truth is, God already knows what’s hiding there. But he wants you to see it and pour it out to him. When we don’t face the emotions we’re trying to ignore, they’re going to squirt out all over the place in ways you might not even notice -- but others probably do.
When I was in college, I often wondered: What do we do with all these jumbled up feelings? The answer is in the name. We feel them. And we express them to God -- one emotion at a time. Let God sit with you as you feel each emotion and explore the memories associated with it. Often one emotion will lead to another and then to another. Let them roll through, bringing each one before the Lord.
Are you frustrated with COVID-19 interrupting your life? Are you overwhelmed at being alone and disconnected? Are you a parent with young kids at home, and you’re just aching for a moment to yourself? Tell God. He’s waiting to hear from you.
Listen in as King David authentically and honestly unloads his emotional burdens on the Lord:
Psalm 142
"A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.
1 I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
2 I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.
3 When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. ..."
What are you feeling? Ask God to search your heart and spend time expressing your emotions to him. Talk to him like you would a best friend. He’s waiting for you.
By Cyndie de Neve
Senior Creative Director
Influence, Not Control
I liked math as a child. It made sense to me. One of the things I liked about it was the predictability. I knew that one plus one always equals two. I eventually found out that A2 + B2 =C2. Math works in the same way consistently; it doesn’t change us. That sense of predictability is a draw for logically minded people. I think many would like prayer to work more like a math equation. If we plug in the right inputs (say the right words to God), we get a predictable output (whatever we pray for). We want to know that if we pray the correct way, that God is going to respond the way we want him to. However, we all know that’s not the way prayer works.
God is not predictable like a math equation, he’s a living being. He doesn’t always answer prayer in the same way, he answers in accordance with his will for the situation that we find ourselves in. Jonathan embodied this ambiguity when he called his armor-bearer to follow him and attack the Philistines. He said,
“Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6)
“It may be…” how’s that for a battle cry? Jonathan knows that God is able, he’s just not sure that God will – even though he prayed. It’s hard to figure out how prayer actually works. And yet, study after study have shown that prayer is efficacious. In a non-systemic, unpredictable, and surprising way, prayer moves the hand of God. As Blaise Pascal wrote, “God has instituted prayer to impart to his creatures the dignity of causality.” Prayer allows us to participate with God as he shapes the future.
And yet, we must be careful not to suggest that prayer controls God. No, God is not bound to answer our prayers exactly as we hope. I’m convinced that we would pray less, not more, if God answered every prayer precisely as we ask. Prayer does not control God, but it does influence God. In his sovereignty, God has chosen to use prayer as a methodology for shaping history. Our prayers matter. They matter to God and to the people around us - whether they recognize it or not. The world changes because of prayer. I’m not sure how, after all, it’s not like an equation; but I am confident that it’s true. Prayer works.
Prayer Prompt
Today, I want to invite you to establish a prayer list. I’m struck by the fact that George Muller saw over 50,000 prayers answered in his life, but he was only able to know that because he kept track of his requests and God’s answers.
Here are a few categories to consider:
- Family and close friends
- Non-Christian friends
- Work
- Leaders (in church, community, and country)
- City, region, world
If you’d like a guide to help you establish a list, you can find one here.
Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor
