Serious matters call forth the need for serious people! In our chosen hour, how do we lean into living victorious Christian lives? What should we be doing and what kind of people should we be in the midst of the ongoing challenges we face? How do we cope with the loss of a job, the loss of our health or the loss of a loved one? How do we handle the onslaught of changes that hit us in the face weekly if not daily? Obviously, we go to the Lord with all our needs, right? Or are we always on top of our game, with a “everything’s under control…I’m good” stance? Let’s face the facts. We have legitimate needs (even us in “the ministry”), and so do our brothers and sisters. For some, comfort food may be the answer, for others a shopping spree, and for others lying in bed depressed.
Furthermore, we don’t always make the proper choices that would reflect thoughtful, level-headed living. We run from God when we should run to God. We become shut-ins when we need to be out and about our Father’s business. We stop serving when in truth we need to be pouring out.
Three-step programs aren’t our answer; however, I’d like to look at some advice Peter gave in his first epistle, chapter four, verses seven through thirteen, that you’ll find very beneficial to God, yourself and others.
“But the end of all things is at hand.” (NKJV)(1Pet. 4:7)
Whether we’re sixteen or ninety-six, it doesn’t matter much. Life is a vapor, we’re here on earth living our lives and the next thing you know, the end of all things is at hand. Time goes by fast and we’re wishing we would have done things a little bit differently. We might as well start today while there is still daylight. It certainly appears things are closing in on us in numerous ways. There’s the appearance of fullness on different fronts.
I don’t think this was Peter’s way of psyching God’s beloved children into doing church better or having more meetings. Peter had a clue in what it would genuinely take in helping the brothers and sisters to a meaningful way stay rock solid in the turbulent days in which they were living. He wanted to help them stay focused in some simple elementary kingdom living. He had their welfare in mind as he penned his letter, not to mention God’s glory!
Therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. (NKJV)(1Pet.4:7)
The Moffat translation says, “Steady then, keep cool and pray!”
In other words, we can continue level headed. We can be cool, calm and collected as the saying goes. We don’t have to enter into a spirit of fear, anxiety and hopelessness, but we can continue in faith toward our loving God unto prayer. Our enemy (the devil) would want to try to convince us to choose any other course, anything but drawing closer to God in prayer. Our other enemy (the flesh) is either too tired, too busy or doesn’t believe it’s of any value. You know the “nothing really happens when I pray” syndrome.
The truth is, circumstances and situations don’t always change when we pray; however, as we open our hearts and unload on our Father all that is troubling us, as we petition Him and come before Him, our inner man becomes strengthened and refocused. This time with the Lord also helps bring our soul into alignment with Him who is the Truth. The truth will set us free from all the lies and fears that undermine our faith in God.
And above all things have fervent love for one another. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. (NKJV)(1Pet.4:8a & 9)
Peter is obviously building off the basis that we’re looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. When we are going to the Lord in all things with prayer, then immediately after that we are to “above all things” extend our love, be intentional, purposed in giving our brothers and sisters a preferred position only second to the Lord. It’s quite normal for us to need tender care and affection as well as give them out to one another. As we flow in both the giving and receiving of each other’s love, it does wonders for us in respect to our overall physiological well being. Focusing on others will quickly set you free from yourself and all that wants to undo you. Self absorption will trip you up and hinder God’s will from being expressed in us and through us.
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (NKJV)(1Pet.4:10)
God has graciously given each of us a minimum of one spiritual gift along with a measure of faith so that we can express God’s love and benefit others. God has entrusted you and me to function in serving others. A better way to picture this is as a waiter waiting on or attending to people. Our managerial skills are of the uttermost importance when others’ are depending on us. The Lord is counting on our obedience with the gifts He has given us to fulfill His will in others lives. What we may think to be small or insignificant may be a matter of life or death to others. Only God knows how great the need is for the body of Christ to be flowing and exercising their heavenly endowments for His glory and our brothers’ and sisters’ welfare.
All this sounds so fundamental, and I could be writing to the choir so to speak. Could it be getting back to or staying with the basics is just as much our answer today in these serious times as it was to the first century church?
Take notice of the divine order Peter laid out in this portion of Scripture we’ve been looking at:
First – waiting on God or intimacy with God.
Second – willing to be with the brethren or a willingness to identify with the brethren.
Third – working with God for profit of others or investing in others for their gain.
The gifts aren’t always the answer. Sometimes we hope for a quick fix when God is requiring something deeper and more sacrificial, like our willingness to take time and be with, understand and have empathy with those in need. Take for example the story of the Shunammite woman who set up a bed and breakfast for Elisha. She and her husband made accommodations for the “holy man” and in return for their hospitality and care Elisha wanted to bless them. Their need was the loosing of her womb or life in his seed. She was barren with no child. They desired a child. Elisha therefore spoke a creative prophetic word into the situation and God blessed the family with a son. The child grew and ended up dying in his mother’s arms with what looks like a brain aneurism or a tumor of some sort. She raced off to the man of God, Elisha, to inform him of the situation. In response, Elisha sent his servant and gave the servant orders to lay his (Elisha’s) staff on the face of the youth. The servant did so with no evident results of life. Elisha then proceeded to go to the boy himself.
2 Kings 4:33-37 says, “He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. (Emphasis added) And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, ‘Call this Shunammite woman.’ So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, ‘Pick up your son.’ So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.”
I believe the staff (gift) had its part to play in restoring life to the boy, but more was needed along with the staff (gift). Elisha shut himself in with God and “prayed unto the Lord.” But that wasn’t the end. Next, he made advances to completely identify with the death state. He went mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand with the youth. He got close to the situation! Eventually, life and vision were restored to the one that was deemed dead. His condition had changed because of intimacy, identification and investment:
Elisha’s intimacy with the Lord unto prayer
Elisha’s identification with the boy expressed in sacrificial, unconditional love
Elisha’s investment of his God given gift for the benefit of the boy, mother and father
I believe Peter’s advice is totally relevant for us today. Let’s hold our course or get back on course as we live in this chaotic world. We can be more than conquerors, totally stable and thoughtful in all we say and do, by drawing near to God for His pleasure, our own welfare and the welfare of others. We need to be involved and let others involve themselves in our lives. True love isn’t selfish, but is willing to go the second mile again and again. It would behoove us to begin or continue to exercise the gift(s) God has entrusted us with.
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