Press the arrow to listen to Lincoln Brewster sing “Today is the Day” while reading today’s devotion about life from God’s point of view.

Scripture
For though I were right, I could not answer;
I would have to implore the mercy of my judge. Job 10:15

Observation
Prior to the equivalent of September 11 in Job’s life, from all outward appearances the man of God seemed to have his relationship with God together. But it took tragedy and pain to reveal something to Job that he didn’t see in himself.

What was Job’s flaw? He put up with God. He accepted that God is sovereign and can act as he chooses. But deep down, Job felt that somehow he knew better. He imagined, if only he could have an audience with the Lord he could clear things up and God would see things his way.

It would take 40 Bible chapters of pain before Job would come to see things from God’s point of view. Job would discover that the greatest prayer is when we clasp a hand over our own mouths to keep ourselves from speaking in light of the majesty of a sovereign God.

Application
There are long and tedious waiting periods in pain. In those moments, the Father invites us into a stillness and silence, where prayer gives way to trusting in the eternal purposes of God. Our questions are put into storage as we become content worshipping the God we do not fully know who accomplishes all that we desire in ways that we do not understand. It is then that we discover a deep level of prayer, not trying to convince God of our point of view, but in seeing life from his point of view.

Prayer
Father, there are Job moments in my life, when I don’t understand why you disassemble things in order to build new things. I do not want to be one who puts up with you, harboring a superior sense of “I know better”. Instead, I trust what I do not understand because You I do know. When life is bad, I know that God is good. That is enough for me. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Jars of Clay sing Love Song for a Saviour while reading today’s devotion.

Scripture
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:2

Observation
Why does God delay? Answers come to prayer, but only after a long wait. What difference would it make if God answered a few days or weeks sooner? Would I be any less thankful?

God delays in answering because my heart is more significant than the answer to my prayer.

Delays bring my heart to the surface. There is nothing like God’s deferring that will sift through my desires. We desire many things, but what is worth wanting? Delays are useful for they sort out the heart. It is good sometimes for our heart to become sick, for sometimes we need to become sick of ourselves.

When our desires are somewhat refined through God’s delays, we are given more than an answer, but a tree of life. There is always the human tendency to snatch the answer and to keep moving on to the next desire. Sometimes we even forget to say “thanks”. We are restless because of our longings, always wanting what is next.

Wise is the person who turns a long hoped for answer into a tree of life. Just as the fruit of a tree can nourish the body, so an answer to prayer can long feed the soul. The choice to be increasingly thankful, to ponder things in the heart, to meditated on hidden wonders of the character of God, and simply to be amazed–this is the harvest from the orchard of answers to prayer that can last long after the day of celebration.

Perhaps then, prayer isn’t about answers but what we make of them.

Application
Years ago I lived in a house on the edge of the state forest, Two miles deep in those woods grew a lonely fruit tree in a sea of trees. Maybe it grew from a seed tossed from a worker’s lunch while erecting a power line nearby. So deep in the woodland, its fruit was forgotten. But I would trek deep into the forest shadows to find it and eat of it. There are many fruit trees in my soul of answered prayers from years gone by. That is where the nourishment of life comes. There are moments of reflection and thanks in the shade of their fruit-laden branches. What are the top ten answers to prayer in my life? When did I last visit them and nourish my soul with them?

Prayer
Thank you Father for so many answers to prayer. Help me to fully appreciate them. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Mercy Me sing “Here Am I” while reading today’s devotion.

Scripture
So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:38

Observation
One of the big fears I have in prayer is the generosity of God. That may sound odd to be afraid of God’s kindness, but I do have my reasons. My anxiety is this: the Lord comes to me saying, “What would you like me to do for you” and I have such puny things to ask of him.

He says to me:
Ask of me and I will give…
According to your faith it will be done to you.
If you have faith the size of a mustard seed…
What do you want me to do for you?

The Lord is so great and offers so much; I want my requests to be worthy of his glory. If the Lord has given significance to my request, I want what I ask to be useful to him.

When I am gobsmacked by God’s generosity, here is one prayer I can pray: “Lord, send more workers into your fields.” Jesus told me to pray it. He wants to answer that one. He wants to make me part of the answer to that prayer. I may be a worker to be sent. I may help others develop the skills to work.

Application
I want to start praying more deliberately and specifically for the Lord to thrust workers into the harvest. This is a prayer overwhelmingly huge. What would happen if at the sight of any corner church, I prayed for workers? What if when I walked through public places, teaming with unchurched people I prayed the same?

Prayer
Lord, send more workers into your fields. Send me if you need me. And if you need a coach I’ll help them get ready. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to this worship song while you read today’s devotion.

Vineyard UK All Who are Thirsty

Scripture
Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.” Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel’s wife.

When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”

She said, “Let me have another gift. You have already given me land in the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs. Joshua 1:12-15

Observation
This little real estate story from the life of Caleb is an odd bit of trivia to record in the Bible. It is listed for us twice, both here in Judges as well as in Joshua. Like so many other places in the Bible, I find myself wondering why it is given so much page space. I come to the conclusion yet again that if God repeats soemthing, then the story must be significant for us to learn from.

Caleb was the weathered old warrior who kept a dream alive for 45 years until he saw it fulfilled in his retirement. But this story shows us another side of the geriatric general. Caleb was a gracious man too. He gave away generous rewards to those who shared his zealous heart. To the one who fought a battle he gave precious land. To his daughter he gave a gift even before she asked. Caleb had not only remained passionate he had also managed to remain compassionate as well. Passion and compassion are an outstanding combination.

Acsah was a determined daughter. She took a risk to ask for more. She and her husband had been given land, but it was dry land. Like a good wife who wants her husband to succeed, Acsah wanted her man to have all that he needed to excell. She astutely perceived the need for water. What was more, Acsah had the courage to go to her father and do the ask. Others may have tried to survive in the desert on a few scattered raindrops, but she asked for refreshment in the desert place.

Application
When I read this story, I see something of God in Caleb and us in Acsah. The Lord is a generous God, especially to those who share his heart of adventure and risk for things that are eternal and significant. There are times God gifts to us the desert place. There is room to live, but nothing to drink. Too often we are content with that, when the Lord would give more if we would but ask. That is where our faith comes in to ask the Lord for more. We should not be reluctant, for he wants to generously give to us. There is a freedom for us to ask for water to be added to our dry desert. I want to ask more of the Lord, for he is more kind than I could understand.

Prayer
Father, today thank you for desert places, for it is here that desire is created. That would not happen in lush environments. You have give to us land in the desert, now give to us springs of water as well. Amen.