Skip to main content

The Standard


The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; (Psalm 19:7-10) 

            In one of the episodes of the original Battlestar: Gallactica, Starbuck was on some world and working a bunch of kids. The kids started talking about God’s judgment. I don’t remember the conversation well, except that Starbuck said something about God being lenient about some things in his life. Knowing Starbuck, this statement got smiles. Yes, God would have to be lenient with Starbuck. Likewise, though for different reasons, God will need to be lenient with me, and lenient with you.
            That’s what many people think, that God will just have to be lenient. Perhaps He’ll let judge on a curve. I’m not as bad as Stalin, Mao, or Hitler. I’m just a (name your pet sin) so I get a pass. Perhaps He’ll let me judge myself. Those who aren’t CINOs (Christian-in-name-only) know that there is no curve. It’s pass/fail and the only way to pass is to get 100%. The only ones who don’t fail are those who by grace have received and accepted Jesus’s test paper to hand in along with theirs.
            Even as Christians, our own test scores will matter. If God’s standards change when one becomes a Christian, they get tougher. That’s why God’s grace is new every morning. Those standards include prayerfulness and are a reason for prayerfulness. Mr. Bounds says, “No standard of religion is worth a moment’s notice which leaves prayer out of the account…. So necessary is prayer, so fundamental in God’s plan, so all important to everything like a religious life, that it enters into all biblical religion. Prayer itself is a standard, definite, emphatic, scriptural. A life of prayer is the divine rule… Prayer is the measure. Prayer molds the life.” (p. 125-126)
            Lord God, forgive me of my prayerlessness. Forgive me for trying to live this life on my own, for setting my own standards. Teach me how to pray. Teach me to seek You and find You in prayer. Stir up my negligent heart, and direct my distracted mind to Your purposes in prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more