This Weeks Prayer Focus April 15
CORONA VIRUS PRAYER FOCUS
The “Unnecessary” 40 Days: Week One
He presented Himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking to them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
There are signs that we may see a light at the end of the tunnel in this corona virus pandemic. Already there are those who are questioning whether all the government shutdowns, quarantines and regulations were really necessary. Some, who have been saying this since day one, are speaking out more loudly than ever now. You can be sure that when the pandemic has ended still more voices will join the chorus of those asking, “Was all this really necessary?”
Have you ever wondered why Jesus hung around after he was resurrected for 40 days before he ascended into heaven? Was this really necessary? On the day he was resurrected an angel told the disciples through the women that Jesus would meet them in Galilee. Yet, John’s gospel makes it clear that it took several weeks for that to happen. It was an easy stroll from the tomb to the Mt. of Olives where Jesus ascended forty days after the resurrection. Yet, that short jaunt would be detoured through not only Galilee but also the village of Emmaus and at least to two visits to the Upper Room in Jerusalem.
The following prayer focus is not intended to discuss the pros and cons of whether the recent government directives during the corona virus pandemic were necessary. The fact is we are in the midst of drastically changed daily lifestyles. The important questions to ask are: “What does God want us to learn about Himself and what does God want us to learn about ourselves during this time when many of us are confined?”
The following prayer focus is not intended to give a definitive answer as to whether the 40 days of Jesus’ resurrection appearances were necessary. The focus here is on what happened during those 40 days and what our resurrected Lord was doing, how this impacted His disciples and how such can impact us today specifically in relation to our prayer lives.
WEEK ONE: THE DISCIPLES … AND PETER … TO GALILEE
“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him. Just as He told you” (Mark 16:5-7).
Time of Praise (God is in Control)
Having been to Jerusalem, I have visited two sites that claim to be the tomb of Jesus. The oldest and most traditional site is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which is bedecked with ornate decorative fixtures and filled with the smoke and aroma of burning incense. My place of choice for the resurrection is called Gordon’s Calvary after the British officer who popularized a garden tomb near a hill whose rocky contour resembles a skull face, which reminds one of the Aramaic word Golgotha and the Latin word Calvary means, that is, “Place of the Skull.” On the door of the tomb is this sign, “He is risen. He is not here.” For me, the simplicity of that sign framed against a large hollowed out partially blocked up empty tomb spoke volumes more to me than all the manmade trappings of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Confinement forces us into times of solitude whether we like it or not. Solitude can be worked to great advantage if one contemplates simplicity. To get past the ways we complicate our faith, even by well-meaning trappings and traditions, and focus on the bare basics of what makes Christianity what it is, can be a prelude of praise.
Take time right now for prayers of praise to God for who He is and what He has done. Praise Him for His sovereignty. God was not caught off guard when the disciples failed to go right to Galilee. Our Sovereign has not been surprised by the corona virus pandemic. Our Sovereign God, who is in control, is worthy of our praise.
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior
Waiting the coming day, Jesus, My Lord
Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes
He arose a victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with His saints to reign
He arose, He arose Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Robert Lowry
Time of Reflection (Rounding up the Strays)
Much like the contrast between Gordon’s Calvary and The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the contrast between Galilee and Jerusalem. I was in Israel in January and Galilee was green and beautiful with a mild temperature. Jerusalem, higher in elevation and with less rainfall, was cold, brown and rocky. Jerusalem was bustling with activity, traffic jams and noise. Galilee was serene and peaceful.
During “normal” times people will schedule retreats or vacations just to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The down time created by the corona virus can be worked to your advantage if you turn it into a “spiritual retreat.” The confinement is a good time to ask yourself, “Am I where God wants me to be?”
I believe that one of the reasons the resurrected Jesus stayed on the earth for 40 days was because his bewildered and disillusioned disciples needed Him to prod them along, encouraging them to get past themselves and get to where they needed to be. Like straying cattle in a Texas round up, these dogies needed brought back into the herd. Whether it was to two men walking away disillusioned on the road to Emmaus, or on a second visit to the upper room to challenge a doubting Thomas, Jesus seemed to go out of His way during the 40 days in order to meet his disciples right where they were at their point of vulnerability. He had to deal with each situation individually in order to get His disciples to Galilee.
I find it very special that the angel adds “…. and Peter” to his announcement. Jesus knew that Peter of all the disciples would be especially down at this point, having denied Him three times. Therefore. I’m sure that the angel was commissioned to issue that personal invitation to Peter. It was a divine dispatch just for Peter that was needed to get him to Galilee.
This is a good time to pray, “God, now that you have my attention, what would you want to say to me?” Now listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit speak to you the same message that the angel spoke at the empty tomb. “Go tell the disciples and ____________ that I go before you…” Put your name in the blank and ask God to speak into your heart. Peter was dealing with denial and Jesus was saying to him that He was not kicked to the curb but that Jesus still wanted him on His team. What are you dealing with that may be coming between you and your ability to follow the Lord where He would like to lead you? Is it unforgiveness? Is it unconfessed sin? Is it a feeling of unworthiness? Self-condemnation? Do you think you have blown it big time; so much so that God is ready to write you off? Listen to the Lord speaking your name and that He wants to work with you and get you to where you need to be. Invite His input into your own personal unique situation. Jesus hasn’t given up on you! Don’t believe the enemy’s lies! Thank Our Lord for the love He has for you that would speak into your heart in such a personal way. Now get yourself ready to follow Him to Galilee.
I am so glad that our Father in Heaven,
Tells of His love in the book He has given
Wonderful things in the Bible I see
This is the dearest that Jesus loves me!
I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus love me, Jesus loves even me!
-Philip P. Bliss
Time of Intercession (Let the prayers flow out from “Galilee!”)
The Sea of Galilee fills with water from the Jordan River that flows in from the north and empties through the Jordan River that continues its southerly flow. The Jordan then meanders its way 105 miles finally emptying into the Dead Sea. These two “seas” actually are large lakes, but stand in stark contrast to one another. The Sea of Galilee teems with life while the Dead Sea is just that, dead. Both receive water from the Jordan River but one gives water out while the other holds it all in. The Sea of Galilee boasts life and gives life out through the outflowing river. The Dead Sea lets nothing out and the constant evaporation leaves a salt content that is too high to sustain life.
During this time of shut down we could sit around and stagnate as we evaporate into increasing concentrations of self-absorption. Or, we can be life givers through prayer, proactive engagement in our communities and forward thinking.
One of the reasons I think Jesus may have wanted to meet His disciples in Galilee was because of the familiarity and the reminders of their call to ministry. Recalling the blessings of their times together and call to be fishers of men, the disciples were in an ideal setting to be commissioned to go into all the world and spread the gospel (Matthew 28:16-20).
The “Galilee” where God may want to meet you is wherever you recall how you came to know Him, His faithfulness and His blessings to you over the years. One of my favorite verses is Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God has you, like He did Esther, in the kingdom for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). The “Galilee” where God has you today is where He wants to commission you to intercede for others. God wants us to be life givers during this discouraging time. Praying for others is a wonderful way to let life flow out from our lives through the throne room of heaven and into the lives of others. Take time to use your prayer lists to pray for others; including health care workers, COVID-19 victims, those who have lost their jobs, businesses which have been adversely affected and government leaders.
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged – take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness – take it to the Lord in prayer.
-Joseph M. Scriven
Christ Ascends … the Spirit Descends (the end is just the beginning)
One Spring, when Pat and I were driving through Pennsylvania Dutch country on a Thursday afternoon, we were baffled that some of our favorite Amish shops were closed. We asked around and learned that the Amish shut down for Ascension Day. Neither the church I grew up in nor the Christian and Missionary Alliance take much notice, if any at all, of Ascension Day, which is 40 days after Easter Sunday, which this year is Thursday, May 21. What is it about the number 40 anyway? God must like that number! After all, it rained 40 days and forty nights while the ark floated Noah and his family to safety. Moses was on Mt. Sinai getting the Ten Commandments for 40 days. Nineveh repented during 40 days of impending judgment. Jesus overcame the temptations of the devil during 40 days alone in the wilderness. Someone texted me this morning with such an interesting tidbit that I had to check it out myself and, sure enough, it’s true. The word “quarantine” comes from the Italian word for 40 and was the time a ship that had disease on board had to be confined before it could resume normal contact with anyone not on board. How ironic is that!
With this number 40 in mind let’s all agree together in prayer, just for the sake of having a target date, to believe God that by May 21 (Ascension Day) we will see the end or at least the “ending” of this current pandemic. Let’s ask God for stores to open, businesses to rehire furloughed employees, restaurants to be serving sit down meals and people to be singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch at Progressive Field. Let’s pray that by Ascension Day the scourge of the COVID-19 is being lifted from our land and every nation in the world!
At the same time let’s not make the mistake of thinking that our ultimate goal is getting back to ‘normal,” because it must not be. The disciples made the mistake of thinking that the Ascension was the end game. They thought there was nothing more for them to do but cash in on the coming Kingdom. Jesus was quick to warn them that what they thought was the end was actually the beginning (Acts 1:6-8). They were just getting started. In ten days the Holy Spirit would descend upon them at Pentecost and then things would really get moving!
I’ve been saying in these prayer guides and in sermons that our ultimate goal is not a return to “normal.” Our prayer needs to be that we will emerge stronger and better disciples, better followers of Christ as a result of this time of forced confinement. We need to pray that when our Ascension Day (when the pandemic confinement is lifted) comes and goes that we are looking forward to a Pentecost (what the Spirit would lead and empower us to do next). I’m asking for all of your to ask God to show you one thing that you can be doing, one goal you can be pursuing, one ministry you can be getting involved in … some one thing that can be driving you to serve the Lord on an ongoing basis when this pandemic is in the rear view mirror!
In closing this week’s prayer focus, pray for the Holy Spirit to fall and revive you, revive Clear Fork Alliance Church, revive the Church in our land, in the World. To God be the Glory! Amen.
We are gathered for Thy blessing
We will wait upon our God
We will trust in Him who loved us
And who bought us with His blood
We will glory in Thy power
We will sing of wonderous grace
In our midst as Thou hast promised
Come O Come and take Thy place
Bring us low in prayer before Thee
And with faith our souls inspire
Till we claim by faith the promise
Of the Holy Ghost and fire
Spirit, now melt and move
All of our hearts with love
Breathe on us from above
With old time power
Paul Rader