Author: Dave Dishman (Page 266 of 475)

Ever been invited over to a friend’s house for the evening and when you arrive lights blaze and your friend’s watching and greets you even before you get to the porch? Or have you arrived at another friend’s house, dark and closed up, and knock on the door to echos of silence? You notice the light change in the peephole, so you know someone’s there, and your friend cracks the door and asks, what are you doing here? To which you stammer, you invited me…

Prayer is a lot like this.

My prayer experience at times feels welcoming and encouraging, while other days more akin to approaching a dark house. David shared the same experience. On the upswing he wrote: The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

But on another day his experience cratered: Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

I’m encouraged to know David, a man after God’s own heart, shared this frustrating experience. I wish it weren’t so, and I don’t have any easy answers for why we feel this way while at prayer. I’m pretty sure, however, it has more to do with me than with the Lord.

I also notice how David, despite his frustration, returned to the Lord over and over. He closed the same psalm where he questioned God with this thought: You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted, you encourage them and listen to their cry.

David understood a profound truth. Even if David didn’t feel it, the Lord remained close. The Lord heard his pleas. Why did David climb up to a dark porch again and again? Because only the Lord could meet his needs. There was no where else to go.

So it is with you and me. At times we may feel alone, but we’re not. Keep knocking. Only the Lord can possibly meet your deepest needs, and so to the Lord you must go.

Psalm 9 & 10 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by m wrona

The little church warmed in the summer evening, and soft light slanting through the stained glass tempted me to doze. But a specific sermon topic brought me to the service and promised to hold my teenaged attention—End Times. Nothing better than trying to figure out who the anti-christ might be (Gorbachov?), or imagining a beast with ten heads and seven horns rising from the sea.

The end of days remains a fascinating topic, although I admit one I don’t give much thought. But Jesus pointedly taught his disciples to stay alert:

Watch out that no one deceives you.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

After all these years keeping watch feels a bit silly. Why has this promised day of the Lord’s return taken so long to occur? Did Jesus miss a prediction? No, the answer is quite simple:

Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8 & 9).

In reality it’s only been a couple of God-days since Jesus spoke. The Lord pauses to give every person every opportunity to turn to him.

When the trumpet sounds I hope I’m not surprised. I’m not sure it will happen in my day, but it will happen just as Jesus promised. In the meantime I can remain grateful for his patience with me and with everyone around me.

Matthew 24 & 25 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Kyle Popineau

We all love to play the hypocrite—at least I do. Most everyone gives advice without following it themselves, your twitter feed being a living example. Plus, we love catching a hypocrite in the act of cheating on their advice.

Jesus didn’t care for hypocrites. He warned his disciples about a group of prominent religious teachers: You must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Timeless advice.

Or to turn this teaching around, whatever you preach, you’d better practice. I may tell others salad is good for them, but at the next meal I’d better chew a bunch of leaves and swallow.

Which leads me to one solution—stop preaching so much. I best preach on issues I plan to make my own, to follow-up on, to do the work on in my own life. Otherwise, I should keep quiet.

Practice what I preach. Good words to keep in mind the next time I spout off.

Matthew 23 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Carine L