“Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray
… I once read this quotation a church bulletin board: “When life knocks you to your knees, stay there and pray.” That is not an exact quote but it is very close. I love the message because it is so true. People have a tendency to give up and throw in the towel when life puts them in hard places. This is as true of people in churches as it is of people who do not attend church. We Christians should realize that we have a profound resource to help us through the down times of life. We somehow have gotten the idea that life should always be to our pleasing, but that is not the way the world works. A man, who had everything that his world offered, named Solomon, looked at life and declared, “Vanity, vanity all is vanity.” What he meant was that life is empty when God is left out of the loop. Why would we not pray when life knocks us to our knees? I think that too many people, even Christians, want to be considered self-sufficient. Having faith in God, and depending on Him, is considered to be weakness instead of strength. We have a high view of human strength, and I am amazed at times at the strength of character and perseverance that we humans can have. It is good to be a person who does not fold when life caves in. The problem that I have is when we think that we have to face life without God’s help if we are to be considered strong. I think that it is God’s strength that makes all of the difference when we get knocked to our knees. I know that I do not want to face life’s hardships without knowing that God is with me and giving me His strength. There are people who do not feel that they are good enough for God to help them, and that God does not care about their lives. Understand that everything that God does for us is based on His love and grace and not on merit. Jesus revealed this when He went into the city of Jericho and encountered one of the most hated citizens of that town, whose name was Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was hated because he was a chief tax collector who made his riches on the backs of the people of Jericho by collecting the hated Roman tax. Zacchaeus was short of stature and had to climb into a sycamore tree to see Jesus. Jesus saw Zacchaeus, called him from the tree, went home with him and in the process saved him. Zacchaeus proved his conversion by restoring much of his wealth to the citizens of Jericho from whom he had collected taxes. Zacchaeus was certainly not “good enough” for Jesus to accompany him to his home and do a work of grace in his life, but that is what happened. No one reading this is as unworthy of God’s blessings as Zacchaeus. Throw yourself on the love and mercy of God and see what He will do in your life. Remember: “When life knocks you to your knees, stay there and pray.” That is not just good advice, it is necessary advice. Heed it! Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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September 2021
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