 I have a 15-year-old son. He’s starting to learn how to drive. As I’ve taught him a few of the basics of driving it’s been fun to watch him slowly grasp the concept of driving.
One of the basics my wife and I have taught him is the principal of the review mirrors. If you’ve spent any amount of time driving you may know what I’m about to say is basic. In order to make informed decisions moving forward, a driver should glance in her review mirror. If you don’t you have a high risk of making a stupid decision that will end in someone getting hurt. Now a driver can’t dwell in the past or we’ll end up crashing as well. There is a fine balance between glancing and dwelling. Not looking at all and dwelling are equally as bad as we drive forward. As we move forward as a church I’ve taken a lesson from this simple, elementary truth from driving. Looking into the review mirror of history in order to make informed decisions moving into our future. We can’t ignore what God has done in the past, we also can’t dwell on it either. There have been times throughout history that God has supernaturally moved in specific areas throughout history. God’s spirit has been poured out, miracles have taken place, people have been healed, marriages restored, thousands of people have found salvation in Jesus. These revivals have transformed individual, family and community legacies. As I’ve studied these revivals throughout history there are a few common themes throughout each one. Starting with the first revival in Acts 2 a group of young people got together and started praying. They waited until God moved. The Great Awakening, the Second Awakening, Asuza Street Revival in 1906 each have an origin story of young people getting together praying seeking God. Waiting for God to move. That sounds simple enough. Until. I had a moment of honesty with myself. True confession time. I struggle at praying. I know people who spend hours praying, and to them, it seems like a few seconds. I spend a few seconds praying and it seems like it’s been hours. I’m learning to pray. I know I should have this mastered, but I don’t. Maybe you do, but I don’t. Like Jesus’ original disciples I find myself asking Jesus, teach me to pray. Here is where I REALLY struggle. I have a tendency to pry doors open. I don’t like to wait. So as I ask Jesus to teach me to pray I want to pry doors open. Pastor Kevin Queen has a brilliant statement, he’d rather pray a door open than pry a door open. I’m learning this. Jesus, teach me to pray. I repeat this statement over and over and over again throughout my day. I’m glad I’m not the only one who needed help learning how to pray. Jesus’ original disciples asked Jesus this. Jesus taught them how to pray. His response is documented in Matthew 6 and Luke 11. These are the same events, simply documented by 2 different people. Jesus doesn’t shy away from questions. He doesn’t laugh and demand his disciples know the right answers. He models it for these high school age guys. So often I feel like I should have these things mastered, and know all the right answers. I am comforted knowing that Jesus teachings us. I’m pretty sure Jesus realized that 70% of knowledge is learned through experience. He didn’t just model prayer in these examples Jesus prayed often throughout the gospels. The authors of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke & John continually mention that Jesus would pull away from crowds and pray. He longed for the time with His father. As we walk through this season we are asking followers of Jesus to pray throughout Merrillville. We don’t have a catchy slogan like Awaken the ‘Ville yet, but we are asking people to pray as we drive. If you don’t know what to pray, simply ask, Jesus, teach me to pray. In the coming weeks, you’ll notice a few maps of the streets in Merrillville in our lobby. We are asking people the people of RE.THINK Church to pray as we drive, walk, travel throughout Merrillville. As you pray remember where you’ve driven and highlighted the maps on Sundays when you enter our building. In the next few days, we’ll post another blog and send another email with suggested prayers. I’m still learning how to pray. I still ask Jesus, teach me to pray. Photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash
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 This last Wednesday was the beginning of a season in the church world called Lent.
Some of us may have participated in Lent throughout our lives. Some of us may not have. I personally never participated in Lent. I have several friends who have, and this season is significant to them. Jesus warns us not to merely go through the motions of religious traditions to do it. He always encouraged His followers to find meaning and purpose in doing so. At RE.THINK Church we encourage followers of Jesus to take seasons throughout the year and seek Jesus in meaningful ways. There are times that we encourage people to disconnect from parts of our society to connect with Jesus more profoundly. During these next weeks as we prepare for Easter. If you feel like you should participate in Lent, I will encourage you to do so for a deeper connection with Jesus. I'm attaching a link for some Bible Lent Plans to guide you through Lent. I'd encourage you to find a plan and participate in Lent if you feel like this is something you should do. |
