Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Is It So With Us

LUKE 9:28-33 -28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.

THEME OF THE DAY. IS IT SO WITH US? Imagine we were in a small group walking along the road with Jesus. He stops, looks at us, then points His finger to a mountain just beyond the valley we are in and says, “See that mountain over there?”. He follows up the question with this statement, “Let’s go. We are going up there for the weekend to pull away from the world and have a prayer meeting.” Not a one of us would respond, “Lord, my schedule is full. I got this social event to attend, kids have a full schedule of sports, work is piling up, we are having company over, and this just isn’t a good time. Can we reschedule?” I mean, really, who would look at our wonderful Savior and say, “Jesus, I am really sorry, but I have no time to break away from life to be in prayer with You.” The “big three” of the disciples – Peter, John, and James – sure didn’t. In fact, they go, and Peter says, “Master, it is good that we are here.”

Now, let’s fast-forward to our lives this very week. We are not going to get Jesus to suddenly and literally appear and invite us to a prayer meeting. But we have three things making His invitation and experience of praying with Him just as real as what the disciples knew. We have His command to pray with Him and His people; we have the church consisting of His people with whom we are to pray; and we have the Holy Spirit who will make Christ as real as He was on that mountain with Peter, John, and James. And all it will take for us to respond to the Lord’s written command to be “continually steadfast together in prayer” is our heart attitude that moves our wills (Acts 2:42).

So, here comes the core issue at hand. How do we respond when we are aware of advertised opportunities to pray with other Christians? For instance, our churches have regularly scheduled prayer meetings and we know it. Or other opportunities come our way to pray with other Christians. What is our attitude about such gatherings? How we answer the attitude question will determine if we are participating in prayer with other Christians as God desires and commands of His people. If our attitudes are indifference, never give it much thought, and thus never participate in praying with other Christians, we are choosing to not only disobey the Lord but are absenting ourselves from one of the primary sources of joy in the Lord and the practice of Biblical fellowship. Conversely, if our attitude is one of understanding how the Lord sees prayer among His people, we will regularly participate in such gatherings and not only deepen our joy in the Lord, but start to discover the chief place true spiritual fellowship among believers occurs – in prayer together.

It would be a great time to do two things and both are self-examination questions. First, is our desire to be with Jesus and other Christians in prayer like that of Peter in today’s scripture, saying, “Master, it is good that we are here”? The second question naturally follows, if we are not delighting and thus not praying with other Christians, why not? It is a clear command of the Lord but if that isn’t enough for us to start praying with other Christians, remember how it delights the heart of God when we do. That will surely seal the deal and move us to faithfully pray with other believers.

PRAYER: “Father, create in me a delight and discipline to be in prayer with Your people .”

QUOTE: “To pray with other Christians is a command and a way to the joy of the Lord and true Biblical fellowship.”