Lenten Devotional, Day 21: Does God the Father Pray?, The Counsel of the Lord
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Tuesday's Scriptures are Psalm 81, Genesis 29:1–14, 1 Corinthians 10:1–4.
DOES THE FATHER PRAY?
There is a Verse in the poetry of Psalm 81 that made me to wonder for just a moment if the Father somehow sighed and quietly prayed to Himself for us. Father, if You prayed for us this Lenten season, what would be on Your heart?
I'm not trying to start a theological debate. My muse was in earnest and hypothetical rather than technical. It stemed from the Verse: "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways." (Psalm 81:13). When I read those Words it just struck me as the language of prayer. No matter, I guess, it is just as beautiful as an expression our Father's longing for us. 'Father, what are You longing for us now?'
And by the way, Jesus did (rf. Luke 5:16) and does (rf. Hebrews 7:25) pray. Jesus what are You praying for us now? And, yes, the Holy Spirit does too (rf. Romans 7:25). Helper help!
THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD:
I was struck by Deuteronomy 29:4: "But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear." Dear God, No!
Struck because they saw signs and wonders tantamount and in some ways surpassing the apostolic generation. They experienced the power and presence of God viscerally and daily. But these same people were said to be saved and yet not saved. Indeed, "saved" has two senses in the Bible: It can mean temporal deliverance or eternal salvation. And so it still is that some enjoy all the blessings of the covenant people of God temporally and congregationally, yet know them not personally and unto eternity (rf. Jude 1:5).
Indeed, note also our reading in 1 Corninthians 10:1–4. It is a description par excellence of spiritual communion & "corporate" blessing. But I over-read today by one Verse only to find: "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness." (1 Corinthians 10:5). Saints, forbear, my point was not meant to be academic. I want to be Lenten/devotional, even if reminding us of one of it's sober themes. That is that Lent is calling out to us with the Apostle Paul: "Examine y/ourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test y/ourselves." (2 Corinthians 13:5).
That Verse about receiving, seeing hearing — rather to be pronounced dull in those senses — must be repeated nearly a dozen times in Scripture. Reading is, alas, no guarantee that Scripture will be to us alive & dynamic (rf. Hebrews 4:12).
So then let us pray:
Open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of Your Word." (rf. Psalm 119:18). Grant that the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope to which You have called us in Christ (rf. Ephesians 1:18). Yes salve Thou our eyes; anoint them that we may truly see! (rf. Revelation 3:18).
The Only Best in/is Christ,
tIM