How, then, should we pray for our nation?
Should we pray for prosperity
or for grateful and generous hearts?
Should we pray for freedom to worship
or for sincere hearts that worship in spirit and in truth?
Should we pray for peace with the world
or for peace with God?
Your will be done, Lord, in this nation as it is in heaven.
Easy to sing, hard to pray:
“America! America!
God mend thine every flaw.“
Katharine Lee Bates
Lord God, mend America’s flaws–including the ones I profit from, the ones that I enjoy, the ones that I contribute to. Mend America’s flaws, Lord God, and start with me.
What do you think is the biggest problem facing our nation?
All of the above. More than the above.
When was the last time you prayed for our nation, seriously prayed, heartbroken-before-God prayed?
Maybe our nation’s biggest problem is the lack of prayer for our nation.
Thursday, May 7, is our National Day of Prayer. But you don’t have to wait till then to pray.
Forget the IRS rules.
According to God’s rules, give with no expectation of reward. If you give expecting some kind of payback, it doesn’t count.
It might be helpful giving.
It might be significant giving.
It might be sacrificial giving.
But it isn’t charitable giving.
Matthew 6:2-4 (CEV)
When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it. Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you.
There is something I’m tempted to hoard. Money.
It’s mine, I think, and I want to keep it.
But God says, It’s mine. Let it go. Extend your hand to the needy.
Proverbs 31:20 (NIV)
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
It appears that this noble wife actually knew the poor and needy folks who received her gifts. These words imply a touch, something more personal than a check mailed off to some distant charitable foundation.
Then again, the Bible is all about relationships.
Methinks this economic wisdom from the 1600’s still applies:
“Proportion thy charity to the strength of thine estate,
lest God in anger proportion thine estate
to the weakness of thy charity.“
Francis Quarles, English poet
A certain charitable foundation is in the news. It makes me think about generosity. How do you go about your charitable giving?
I understand why very wealthy people set up foundations to decide how to best distribute their charitable giving to worthy projects. I don’t understand why people contribute to someone else’s foundation. Why give away control of your giving?
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart.
Remember Peter’s vision about the unclean animals? Animals the Lord God told him to kill and eat?
Acts 10:14 (NIV)
“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied.
God asks us to do something unusual. It makes us uncomfortable. We say, “Surely not, Lord!”
Peter finally saw it God’s way. He said, “Yes, Lord.” And the gospel spread around the world.
Are you uncomfortable? Even so, just say, “Yes, Lord.“
