Coffee With The Lord

Just finished reading Ecclesiastes this morning during “Coffee with the Lord.” Some like to refer to the book as the musings of “a backslidden preacher” – the reflections of an individual that has largely abandoned a God-centered focus in life and become occupied with nothing more than money, power, pleasure, and sex.

I disagree… although it records the vain and fruitless search for fulfillment in all of those things; it expresses wisdom “this side of heaven!” The writer has not lost complete sight of the heavenly perspective… He merely draws his conclusions based upon a largely worldly horizon. There’s good stuff in there… but there is always the sense that there is more!

So what was his conclusion once he moved beyond “the vanity of it all?” What’s the bottom line? Here it is…

“The end of the matter; all has been heard… Fear (reverence) God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man!” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

I want to learn from the search (and mistakes) of the writer of Ecclesiastes! I have to tell you, I want the bottom line of my life to be reverence for the Lord and obedience to His word! I am convinced that is where “vanity” (an empty, fruitless, futile life-search) is overcome and significance, purpose and meaning in life are discovered. With God’s help I’m going to learn from the writer of Ecclesiastes!

There will always be adversaries, critics and naysayers when you try to do something for the Lord. (…Those who say things like… “It can’t be done!  It isn’t going to work!  You don’t have the ability or resources to pull it off!  I’m not going to give you the approvals you need!”)

Nehemiah provides a case study for us in how to respond to people like that… (I just read some of it this morning in my Bible reading during “Coffee with the Lord”)

“When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall [of Jerusalem], he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews!  And he said… ‘What are these feeble Jews doing … will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish and burned ones at that?’

Nehemiah’s response?  “Hear, O our God, for we are despised!  Turn back their taunt on their own heads … for they have provoked You to anger in the presence of the builders.”  SO WE BUILT THE WALL… FOR THE PEOPLE HAD A MIND TO WORK.

“But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward… they were very angry!  And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.  AND WE PRAYED TO OUR GOD AND SET A GUARD!

“It was said, ‘The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing!  There is too much rubble!  By ourselves we will NOT be able to rebuild the wall!’

“And I looked and arose and said… ‘Do not be afraid of them!  Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome!  Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your homes!’

“When our enemies heard that their plan was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.”  (from Nehemiah 4:1-15)

This is not the entire story, but Nehemiah and the people prevailed over their adversaries and the challenging task was completed!  So, if you’re doing something for God and it is difficult… if there are adversaries, critics and naysayers… check to see if it is a “God-thing” or just your own idea and ego that is involved.  But if it is a “God-thing” – follow the example of Nehemiah and continue to work and expect God to act and help what you are doing for Him to succeed!

I admit… I am wary of any approach to prayer that hints of “God-manipulation!” But, on the other hand, I am convinced that God responds to an honest, sincere, appeal for “favor” on the part of His children! I’ve seen the positive results of such prayer too many times to dismiss its effectiveness!

When I served in a national leadership role for our denomination I had a director of one of its ministries who repeatedly taught me the value of such prayer. On multiple occasions, when facing a challenge where we needed a positive outcome, Dr. Jimmy Ames would say, “why don’t we pause and ask God to give us ‘favor?’” We had done all that we could… now we needed God’s help! We needed the Lord to work in the heart of someone else, beyond our control, so that the results would be positive and God-honoring. And it worked! God heard us and helped us… on multiple occasions!

I was reminded of this during my Bible reading this morning… Nehemiah, cup bearer for a pagan king – King Artaxerxes – had received a deeply troubling report of conditions in Jerusalem. God put it in his heart to do something about the sad state of affairs there. Nehemiah knew that he had no leverage with the king to demand the privilege of returning home to help his countrymen! He knew that apart from God “a leave of absence” was out of the question! He knew his resources were limited and God would have to supply! So he prayed… He prayed for “favor”!

Here is the account of Nehemiah’s brief prayer and it’s results from the Bible…

“And the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.’ Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, ‘Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’ Then the king said to me, ‘What are you requesting?’ SO I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN! And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.’ And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), ‘How long will you be gone, and when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy. AND THE KING GRANTED ME WHAT I ASKED, FOR THE GOOD HAND OF MY GOD WAS UPON ME” (Nehemiah 2:2–8 ESV)

I don’t know who may need this bit of advice or word of encouragement today… But just let me say, it may be time to pray for “God’s favor!”