Press the arrow to listen to “When I Call On Jesus” while you read today’s devotion on desperate prayers.

Scripture
“‘Lord help!”‘ they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.” Psalm 107:6

Observation
There is one prayer that brings an answer. It is like a master key that will open any door. It is not complex. It is not eloquent. It need not be memorized, because every human being on the planet knows this prayer by heart.

There are just two words that bring an answer: Lord help! Those two words can punch through the noise of a storm and be heard in heaven. For some reason, this prayer works best when we have run out of words to say. In fact, we can’t pray it convincingly until it seems that all hope is gone.

When we have run out of words, just two will do: Lord help!

Application
To pray this prayer, I need to do more than to speak words. I must gather up all of my frayed nerves and push this petition out of my lungs with all of my emotion. God will rescue me when I am convincingly serious.

Prayer
Father, today I ask for help. Let it be more than just talk but deep action from my heart. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Mercy Me sing “You Reign” while reading today’s devotion on rest.

Scripture
Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath
and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Isaiah 58:13

Observation

God commands us to enjoy a day off. That’s an odd thought. Why would we need to be told to do what we want to do?

For the same reason that a mother must tell her child to go to bed.

For the same reason that we bristle when someone suggests that we take a break.

For the same reason that we can’t relax until we feel that we have “deserved” a vacation.

The reason is that we have trouble letting go of work because somehow we think it is up to us. As the saying goes, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” We just don’t know how to switch that off. Our problem is that we forget, that though we are make like God, we are not God. Rest reminds us that the Lord is God and we are not. For that reason we resist rest. For that reason God commands us to rest.

Application
Rest is not a suggestion to me; it is God’s command. I’m listening. But it is not enjoy just to take the rest; I must enjoy it and speak of it with delight. I take a regular day off, but I don’t enjoy it nearly as much as I ought to.

Prayer
Father, help me to do the enjoyable things that you command. Help me to rest. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to “I’m Letting Go” by Francesca Battistelli as you read today’s devotion about leading in new ways.

Scripture
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.” Isaiah 35:3-4

Observation
God can make a new road, but it is possible that no on will walk on it. New ways bring fresh fears to those who are used to old paths.

God makes new roads and it takes leaders to fill them with pedestrians. In Isaiah 35 there is a remarkable prophecy of a new way that God was preparing to open in the desert. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy and made the new way. It was John the Baptist who encouraged the first travelers to walk on it.

God is constantly making new ways but he needs leaders to lead pedestrians on them. The trail blazing has already been done by the Lord. It is up to leaders to infuse confidence into others to use them. This takes a special skill of mixing leadership with encouragement.

It takes more than leadership to bring change. In fact, leadership can be too courageous and cause followers to freeze in fear.  Leadership is not always waving the flag at the front of the parade, but slipping behind others, inspiring them along the way.

Application
God has called me to strengthen and encourage with words that are like rebar to reinforce the soul. Hands are tired and knees are weak because the work and way has been hard. The message of hope is that road conditions have changed. Old hazards have been removed. It is safe to travel.

Prayer
Father, help me to counsel as I lead. And most of all, give me the words that make a lingering difference in the lives of others. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Chris Tomlin’s worship song “Jesus Messiah” while reading today’s devotion on endurance.

Scripture
…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us….Hebrews 12:1

Observation
My wife bragged to me the other day that she has entered the domain of the hypermilage drivers by scoring 48 miles per gallon in her Honda Civic. We went on a long drive together and she carefully tapped the numbers into her calculator. I scored a humiliating 34 miles per gallon. Why? Because I drove with impatience while she drove with endurance. I wanted to get there cool and fast. She is quite content to roll down the windows and drive in the slow lane. Leslie is an endurance rider and I am not.

The race of life we are to run, but only with endurance. There is a sense that we are to meter our days with the end in mind. Instead of gazing only at the goal, we are to drive like a rally driver who takes all of the winding, dusty road into account. What matters is first to complete the race not to compete the race.

When I was 25 and just out of the staring blocks, I ran my first six months of full-time pastoral ministry as if Jesus were coming by nightfall and I were Billy Graham. I got to the end of that season fatigued. I ran with only the end mind and not the middle bit.

It was in about year 13 of full-time ministry, and I was plain pooped and thought I needed a vacation immediately. A wizened old saint taught me that rest does not always come by stopping, but in how we slow for the curves along the way. Rest is not always found in the word “stop” but also in the word “slow”.  There are micro-vacations along the way that meter our energy at sustainable levels.

Application
Now at year 22 of full-time pastoral ministry I need to keep the word “endurance” in mind. There is a pace for my race that may not get me there first and fast but right to last.

Prayer
Father, I ask that the word “endurance” will become one of my life words. I can see that faith is all about pushing through hardships not just to get to heaven but to bring heaven down to earth. Let my deliberate steps make a difference. Amen.