ABOUT-ISM

                                         ABOUT- ISM?  

 WE CAN OFTEN FIND OURSELVES CAUGHT IN A ROMANS 7:15 KIND OF DILEMMA. “I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT I DO. FOR WHAT I WANT TO DO, I DO NOT DO. BUT WHAT I HATE, I DO.” ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO BUT DO NOT DO, IS TO PRAY IN A MEANINGFUL, CONSISTENT, PASSIONATE WAY.  

 WE CAN KNOW “ABOUT” LOTS OF THINGS. WE CAN KNOW ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, WITHOUT HAVING A DEEP PERSONAL INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. WE CAN KNOW ABOUT PRAYER. WE CAN KNOW ABOUT LOVING PEOPLE. WE CAN KNOW ABOUT LIVING SACRIFICIALLY, BEING UNSELFISH, LIVING A GODLY LIFE, FORGIVING THOSE THAT HURT US, STOPPING LONG ENOUGH TO REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO US, AND, AS YOU MAY HAVE GUESSED, THIS LIST IS ENDLESS. BUT KNOWING ABOUT ISN’T DOING.

THE BOOK OF JAMES IS FILLED WITH THIS THOUGHT OF DOING. HE SPEAKS OF FEEDING THE HUNGRY, CLOTHING THOSE IN NEED, INSTEAD OF SAYING “GO, BE WARMED AND FILLED”. IN FACT, HE GOES SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT HE WHO KNOWS THE GOOD HE OUGHT TO DO AND DOES NOT DO IT, SINS. FAILURE TO DO IT IS NOT JUST TOO BAD, OR A SHAME, OR “MISSED BLESSING”. IT IS SIN. I THINK IT IS SO MUCH MORE COMMON TO SEE ONLY SINS OF COMMISSION AS SIN, AND MISS SEEING THE SINS OF OMISSION.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT PRAYER. READ ABOUT PRAYER. THINK ABOUT THE NEED FOR PRAYER. WE COULD EVEN BE AN EXPERT ABOUT…TEACH ABOUT…SOUND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT…LEAD A BIBLE STUDY ABOUT…CONVINCE OUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER…AND FAIL MISERABLY TO, PRAY.  OUR BIGGEST FAILURE CAN BE NOT TO PRAY CONSISTENTLY, PASSIONATELY, CONTINUALLY, GUT-WRENCHINGLY, SACRIFICIALLY, HEART AND SOUL, ALL THAT IS WITHIN US, AS IF WE REALLY DO CARE. (OUCH) AS THE SAYING GOES, TALK IS CHEAP. REALLY CHEAP.

I SAMUEL 12:23 SUMS THIS UP PRETTY SUCCINCTLY. “AS FOR ME, FAR BE IT FROM ME TO SIN AGAINST THE LORD BY FAILING TO PRAY FOR YOU.” THERE IS NOT MUCH WIGGLE ROOM IN THAT, IS THERE?