Tuesday morning = Bible Study around here.
The men of IBEX are studying prayer. Abner is one of those guys who sees things about 17 levels deeper than we do. It is challenging, it is even frustrating, but it is so good.
We talked about prayer today, duh, but more specifically, we talked about Daniel's prayer in chapter 9 of his book and the prayer of the Martyrs in Revelation 6.
What's the connection? Beats me, ask Abner. That's how we felt when he told us to read those two passages the day before.
But we read them. First we read Daniel and then we discussed it. I have never seen 20 guys not answer a question with the full right answer for 10 minutes... Abner asked us about what Daniel was praying and then used a real-life kind of example and asked us what we should pray for the person. We had all the "right" answers. The things you should pray for, but we were missing something deeper. Much deeper.
What do you pray for a pastor, who in the middle of a sermon says that he can't keep preaching? He just needs to stop. What do you pray? Well we had the answers. That God would show him things he needs to see in his life or his church. Pray that God would be glorified (a KEY part of prayer, but how? is still the question) We had all the classic church answers. But not the central one. The key being much less eloquently stated by Eli goes somewhat like this: One of the things we do too much is focus on too narrow of a scope, an individual, a ministry, or we are super general. We should be praying that God's glory comes through that individual, but more so we should pray that God's plan is advanced in all that is going on. In short, to quote my friend Jordan who I just asked to sum it up, "praying more for with whole in mind not just the individual." The whole = God's overall plan and glory. There was much more to it, but that's the jist of it and that's all I can even remotely wrap my mind around.
Wowee. I stink at prayer.
You ever get those times where your heart and mind are in knots all day trying to figure out what you just heard and figure out how you fit into the part about bringing about God's glory? That's today. But it is good. But I could use some prayer. This is an amazing time. I don't want to forget anything.
Then we talked about Revelation, but that's another story. I'll tell it tomorrow I think. I need to read some and go to bed and it's already 11:15 over here. Not to mention I am trying to figure out how to really pray in a way that is powerful and honoring to our God.
Miss you all.
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Hi Eli, it is your Aunt Sue, just found out you have a blog....what an exciting and life changing adventure you are having. Just being in another part of the world is such an eye-opening experience, we tend to be very egocentric as americans i have found. and to be learning the fundamental jewishness of the scriptures is so challenging i am sure. i liked your comments on prayer, except you dont stink at it, no one does. after all the most important prayer you ever speak is simply "Lord save me, a sinner" and remember, there is one prayer that never fails, and that is "Thy will be done". It applies in every circumstance, and works for every situation.
ReplyDeletewhen i read your blog i thought how proud your grandma would have been of you, and i hope she knows what you are doing somehow. i like to think that heaven is very close to us. i hope you know that she prayed for you and each of her grandchildren daily. that is an example of faithful prayer, always reminding God eh? And he honors that faithful heart.
Thanks for taking time to blog,
Love Aunt Sue
Thanks Aunt Sue, it's good to hear from you and with such encouraging words too :)
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