Tag Archives: Colossians 4:2

Earnest Prayer, Prayer Never Ceasing

(The Everlasting Way) Until the Darkness Fades

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I don’t take advantage of it much, but one of my favorite times of day is right after the sun peaks over the eastern sky. Where we live, in a uniquely rural neighborhood in the midlands of South Carolina, trees block the horizon. However, I can still make out the soft bands of peach, lavender and rose as the sky slowly fades into a pale blue beyond the shadows of the pines.

In early fall, the drying of our wide variety of oak tree leaves releases a dry and nutty fragrance as the time of harvest begins. And oh, those acorns! This year they seem larger and many more than ever before.

The fallen pine needles emit a strong resinous scent, mingling with the sweetness of decaying foliage. Our tea olive blooms give off a soft fragrance, which I’ve always associated with heaven.

A gentle cool breeze brushes over my bald head and exposed skin as a welcome salve from months of summer heat. Breathing in deeply, the dawn air tastes clean and mineral rich.

Melodious bird songs awaken the quiet night. A neighbor’s rooster crows in boisterous glee.

Such are the marvels of a new day.

But in all the splendor, perhaps the fading of the veil of darkness most lightens our souls.

Jacob wrestled with a mysterious man throughout the night. At daybreak, God gave him a new name, Isreal (He that strives with God). Then he limped away, transformed. [1]

During the first Passover in Egypt, the Israelites endured the darkness of death throughout the night. At dawn, they began their journey of freedom, having been released from bondage. [2]

Light, as it brightens many a dark night of the soul, ushers in the hope of a new day and the fading of darkness.

In this World you will Have Trouble

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about our human endeavor to remain courageous while the storms of life swirl all around us. From Jesus’ own words, we know tribulation is a part of our journey, and He calls us to remain courageous. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

But how? How do we remain courageous with so much darkness?

The twinge of grey in a predawn sky, which brightens with the rising sun, carries with it the mercies of a new day.

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease.
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

The smallest ray of God’s loving, healing light can illuminate the darkness in a human heart and grow ever brighter.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day (Proverbs 4:18).

May this Cup Pass

Jesus, in His humanity, asked God to remove the cup of suffering. He prayed earnestly until blood dropped from His pores. He longed for His Father’s purposes to be accomplished differently. But He always submitted to God’s will no matter how it affected Him.

“Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done (Luke 22:42).”

There are situations in my life right now that are very hard. But by the strength of God’s Indwelling Spirit. I want to keep earnestly praying for His love and healing touch to break through.

And always to surrender, as Jesus did, to Father God’s will in my life. And always to trust in His great love.

Darkness in the Land

There’s plenty of darkness all around. People we love are sick. People have broken relationships. Loved ones do not know Your love and will spend eternity without You. Folks are lonely, addicted, jobless and homeless. When we see these troubles, we can easily become discouraged.

Yet, we’re to expect trials and to remain courageous. Knowing this, and realizing God’s greater purposes, we keep asking for His light to shine in the darkness, around us and in us.  

Praying for Light  

But even as our hearts are being transformed and healing light shines around, darkness remains in our land. Do I allow it to steal my courage and zap my joy? Or, do they become the impetuous to follow Jesus’ example of earnest prayer? If this darkness is keeping me praying, it must serve some purpose.

As Graham Cooke stated on his podcast Brilliant Perspectives, “God has allowed in His wisdom what He could have prevented in His power.”

Praying and Not Giving Up

I’m learning not to hang my welfare on my happiness. I’m learning to draw my contentment from what Christ has already done, my hope for His return, my righteousness in His accomplishments,

I pray and never give up.

Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2 NIV).

Prayer

Lord, I’m really not good at consistent praying, but I want this to change. I’ve seen light emerge in very long difficulties, and some remain completely dark.

Please give me the persistence and self-control to remain vigilant in prayer. My mind so often wanders.

Jesus, even as the Son of God, You prayed earnestly and often, getting up early before sunrise to be alone with Your Father. [3]

Lord, like anything else in life, apart from You, I can do nothing of real value. [4] Please develop in me a tenacity and consistency in prayer. I can’t do it without Your Spirit.

I love You

Reflection

My bride has created what she calls a war room, inspired by the book and film of the same name. [5]

It’s part of her office on our second floor.

So far, I haven’t used it as a prayer room, but I’d like to see that change.

On her walls, she has pictures of our family and those we hold dear. There’s much joy that springs forth from these photos and symbols, but also much pain. I hope to spend time in this warrior room, praying circles around all we hold near.

As I pray, I want to surrender idols in my own heart which would choose comfort and false affection above God, my Highest Joy.

I keep on praying until the darkness fades

[1] Genesis 32:24-31

[2] Exodus 12

[3] Luke 5:16

[4] John 15;5

[5] War Room is a book by Chris Fabry turned into a movie by The Kendrick Brothers

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995 version of the Bible.

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Minding Your Busyness

Our Deepest Longings Filled

Rules Don’t Rule

Mice in the Sock Drawer

Turning Gainers into Drainers

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Alone with God, Prayer, Staying Present with God

Rhythms: UP (Communing with God) (Published in Rhythms of Joy)

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Much has been written about folks communing with God and walking with Him throughout the day.

Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Genesis 5:24 NASB).

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9 NASB).

He guides me in the paths of righteousness For the sake of His name.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me (Psalm 23:3b-4a NASB).

Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.  You will guide me with Your plan, And afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:23-24 NASB).

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (I Corinthians 1:9 NASB).

As amazing as it seems, having intimate fellowship with the Creator of the Universe is possible for us right now. As believers, Jesus Christ indwells us by His Holy Spirit. He is always with us, as close as breathe. But do we acknowledge Him as we go?

For me the answers is: sometimes. But I want to know Him more deeply and communicate with Him more consistently, not only in my set aside times alone with Him, but also throughout the day.

After all, our access to God has been paid for by the precious blood of  Jesus, the Lamb of God, for the purpose of us experiencing eternal life, even now. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3 NASB).

Knowing God. Walking with Him, having fellowship with Him, communing with Him is possible. Today. This moment.

But how? 

Let’s look at a couple of rhythms for staying connected to God in true communion and fellowship.

Being Alone with Jesus 

One way to take advantage of our direct pathway to God is to regularly set aside dedicated times of being alone with Him. These times, though they can also include reading God’s Words or songs of worship, can be considered times of prayer.

Unless we are simply going through the motions, which I sometimes do, true communication is happening during these times of being alone with Jesus. 

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:6 ESV).

Jesus often had these times of pulling away to isolate with His Father God. 

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed  (Mark 1:35 NASB).

And when it was day, He departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them (Luke 4:42 NASB).

But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray (Luke 5:16 NASB).

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God (Luke 6:12 NASB).

The last verse tells us what Jesus did prior to selecting the twelve disciples.

Following are some suggested keys concerning our times alone with God which produce genuine communication. 

  • Be as consistent with the time of day as possible. Mornings are good, but not necessary. If unexpected events occur, no worries. Take the time when it can be grabbed.
  • Treat the time alone with God as other scheduled meetings. Mark it off. Protect it. These are, by far, the most important meetings you have.
  • Have a regular format during these meetings, but allow the Holy Spirit to alter your plan. Suggested routines might include worship, times of silent listening (more on that later), consuming God’s word and responding to what God might be communicating to you.  
  • Have a plan for reading God’s word, but be sure the amount doesn’t cause it to become dutiful. It’s not like homework, it’s delightful fellowship 
  • Write down your worship, insights from God’s word and your response. A journal, dedicated to your times alone with God, works great for this.

Our entire time alone with God should be looked at as a time of communing prayer.  If at times, your mind wonders into “get it done mode,” pause and reconnect into genuine fellowship.

Throughout the Day

Our communing with God doesn’t have to end when we leave our times of being alone with Him. God is always with us, even in the darkest of times. But we need to be intentional about recognizing His nearness. Some may call it practicing the presence of God, after the book of the same name by Brother Lawrence. He wrote about thinking often of God during the day and night, in our business and in our diversions. He called this art of practicing God’s presence a single act that never ends.

A cook by trade, Brother Lawrence considered his time communing with God while working in the kitchen of the same quality as when he was alone with God on his knees. He learned to cultivate the presence of God by joyfully thanking Him and praising Him as he went through the day.

One of my favorite verses about communicating with God as we go is: Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2 NIV).

Digging deeper into this verse, “devote” means to adhere to, to be steadfastly attentive to, to give unremitting care about something.

So, as we go, even in the midst of the fray of the day, when unexpected brokenness and “interruptions” crowd in, we’re to stick with our continual commitment to communicating with God.

“Watchful” – be active, be aware, be alert for what God’s doing through and around us.

“Thankful” –  have an attitude of gratitude, even for the hard things, knowing God, our Fullness of All Joy,  is always with us.

Following are some suggestions for staying connected with God and practicing His presence throughout the day.

  • As you end your alone time with God, ask Him to keep you aware of Him as you tackle the challenges of the day. Talk with Him about the events on your schedule and invite Him into each activity.
  • If you’ve ever been on a long road trip or hike with a trusted companion, think about the “withness” you experienced. Words were not always spoken, but the extended time together gave you a deep sense of fellowship as you experienced the adventures along the way. Picture, in the dwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ, this same realization of continual “withness”.
  • As stressful challenges crop up during the day, see these as reminders that God is with you. Realize that whatever “brokenness” you face is not a surprise to your Father God. Talk with Him about it and depend upon Him more deeply in it.
  • When you are reminded again of God’s presence, after an extended time of focusing only on the endeavor at hand, don’t get discouraged. Simply thank God that you’re thinking of Him now and ask Him to keep you aware of Him now.
  • Don’t waste the down times. Unless you’ve packed your schedule to the brim, which I have a tendency to do, there will be times you find yourself alone with a bit of “free time”. A tendency is to fill this time with some noise or screen time. Instead, enjoy some silence with God. Love Him. Thank Him. Praise Him. Listen to Him.
  • Play the “I spy God” game. A number of years ago, Karen and David Mains, in there radio show Chapel of the Air, encouraged folks to go on God hunts throughout the day. Look for God in the beauties of His creation, in unusual “coincidences”, in unexpected encounters with folks. Thank God when you see Him and share the sightings with others. 

As we practice these and other rhythms of communing with God, inertia will build and we will more and more experience continual fellowship with the One who loves us and gave Himself for us. 

About Brother Lawrence it was written, “He often stated that it is God who paints Himself in the depths of our souls. We must merely open our hearts to receive Him and His loving presence.” [1]

Story:

A couple of years ago I was introduced to a small book on listening prayer entitled Chair Time , by Dan Sutherland. It’s based on what Ephesians 2:4-6 says about us being raised with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places before the throne of God. The author asks us to picture a multitude of chairs around the throne of God and us seated in one of them. In this scenario, Sutherland asks, who would be doing the talking? Certainly not us.

He encourages a daily rhythm of picking the same chair, in the same place, at the same time, to sit and listen to God.

When we first sit down, Sutherland warns us that our minds will most likely be bombarded with all manner of distractions. His answer is to “spin off” each hampering thought. Perhaps use a  “spin off” page to write things on and refer to them later.

When I practice “chair time” I have a journal and a black and blue pen. 

The first phase, after “spin off” is called WOW. This is where we focus on being wowed by God’s magnitude and wonder. I usually use a Psalm to stoke the fires of my heart into praise. Using my black pen, I might write some genuine responses to who He is.

Next is NOW. This is when there’s a true acknowledgment of God presence with us right now. It’s believing He’s near, that Jesus, by His Holy Spirit indwells us and that our lives are hidden in Him.

I then write in black ink, “Do You want to say anything to me now?”

The blue ink is for what follows. Sometimes there’s silence, an enjoyment of just being with God. Other times, I get a sense of what He might be saying and I write it done in blue. I’m very careful during these time to be sure what I write down is not just what I want to hear.

An example was when I was listening to what He might be saying concerning the death of my sister. What I believe I heard was, “I am enough. No matter what, I am enough.“

Looking back over the blue ink in my last few journals, What I see is God’s truth from scripture, nothing new. But each time, it’s exactly what I needed to hear at the time. 

These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you (John 14:26-27 NASB).

 The last phase is HOW. How do I respond to what I believe God has said? For me, this is usually a prayer written in black ink.

Conclusion

We were designed to live in community with God. When sin separated us, Jesus’ blood brought us back. Our Lord is near. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17 NASB).

We can walk with God, praising Him, talking with Him, listening to Him, depending on Him as we go. Being with Him, savoring His nearness, loving with His love is our path to full joy, in spite of what we face.

Part of the formula for communing with God is time alone. Jesus modeled this for us on countless occasions. But also, when we’re in the midst of our days, our fellowship continues as we seek God’s will and His guidance. Being dedicated to our conversations with Him, we rest in His nearness, abide in His Spirit, listen to His promptings seek to glorify Him with every word and deed. We keep alert, looking to praise Him, thank Him and enjoy Him each moment.   

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)

In all our ways, as we we go, we acknowledge the Lord is with us.

Prayer

Lord,  right now I truly recognize You are here. I know it. Yet, sometimes I forget. Sometimes, even in my “quiet times,” I fail to truly acknowledge You. I read Your Word and talk to You, but in becomes an activity, not true fellowship.

I’m sorry, Lord.

In my day, I can get so caught up with the duties, I miss You. I can go large stretches of time not even thinking of You are thanking You for my breaths.

I’m sorry, Lord.

As I write, I sense Your forgiveness and Your desire for me to leave all that’s in the past behind. Right now I go forward with You. Keep me aware of You.

I  love you Lord.

 Amen.

Personal Study

Chair Time Pick a chair in a place you can have silence and solitude. 

Spin Off – Give to the Lord all that crashes into your mind to distract you from quiet.

WOW – Be amazed at who God is and praise His name.

NOW – Recognize God nearness right this moment.

Try and spend at least 15 minutes listening for what God may be saying to you. The recommendation is to write down what you hear. Don’t be discouraged if you hear nothing the first time. Try again.

Follow it up with:

HOW – Determine how to respond to what you’ve heard.

[1] From Goodreads description of The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/498641.The_Practice_of_the_Presence_of_God

Previous posts in the UP series:

God’s Amazing Love

God’s Essential Love

What Hides God’s Love

Christ Lives in Me

Raised up with Christ

Who’s your Treasure?

Obtaining the Joy of Jesus 

Orienting Life from Above

When Things Get Hard

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Please Check out the new Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child with the gospel.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains