Welcome to Week 15 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
April 8
We have noted before that the relational titles for God often come with counterpart titles. That is to say, as soon as we call the Lord our Shepherd, then we are calling ourselves His sheep. As soon as we call Him our Father, then we are identifying ourselves as His children.
So it is that when we call the Lord "Judge," there are two possible counterpart titles for us. We may stand before Him as plaintiffs or we may stand before Him as defendants.
Talk to the Lord your Judge just now about those two roles. When have you come before Him as a plaintiff? When have you come before Him as a defendant? What is your sense of your role before Him right now?
Talk to Him about your experiences, your feelings, your roles, and His.
So it is that when we call the Lord "Judge," there are two possible counterpart titles for us. We may stand before Him as plaintiffs or we may stand before Him as defendants.
Talk to the Lord your Judge just now about those two roles. When have you come before Him as a plaintiff? When have you come before Him as a defendant? What is your sense of your role before Him right now?
Talk to Him about your experiences, your feelings, your roles, and His.
April 9
We want to give more thought today to our experience of standing before the Lord our Judge as a plaintiff.
A plaintiff is one who has been wronged; one who has a complaint; one who has suffered unjustly; and therefore one who is looking for justice.
Talk to the Lord just now about the ways in which you are a plaintiff.
Meanwhile, we considered last week the attributes of a good and righteous judge, which is what Scripture assures us that God is. What can a plaintiff reasonably expect from such a judge?
Bring your case before Him now in prayer, and do so with the confidence that is appropriate to the sort of Judge He is.
A plaintiff is one who has been wronged; one who has a complaint; one who has suffered unjustly; and therefore one who is looking for justice.
Talk to the Lord just now about the ways in which you are a plaintiff.
Meanwhile, we considered last week the attributes of a good and righteous judge, which is what Scripture assures us that God is. What can a plaintiff reasonably expect from such a judge?
Bring your case before Him now in prayer, and do so with the confidence that is appropriate to the sort of Judge He is.
April 10
Peter writes to a group of people who were suffering. He reasoned with them about our experiences of suffering. "What credit is there," he asks, "if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?" Such suffering is deserved, you see.
On the other hand, "If when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God." (1 Peter 2:20 NASB)
This sort of undeserved suffering, Peter reasons, gives us solidarity with Christ, inasmuch as He is the embodiment of unjust suffering. And so Peter points to Jesus Himself as our role model in this. "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously." (1 Peter 2:21-23 NASB)
Having presented your case to the Judge yesterday, now meditate before Him about Christ's innocence, Christ's experience of suffering, and Christ's conduct in the midst of it all.
What did He do while suffering unjustly?
What did He not do while suffering unjustly?
Talk to the Lord about what it means for you to follow Jesus' example in your situation.
On the other hand, "If when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God." (1 Peter 2:20 NASB)
This sort of undeserved suffering, Peter reasons, gives us solidarity with Christ, inasmuch as He is the embodiment of unjust suffering. And so Peter points to Jesus Himself as our role model in this. "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously." (1 Peter 2:21-23 NASB)
Having presented your case to the Judge yesterday, now meditate before Him about Christ's innocence, Christ's experience of suffering, and Christ's conduct in the midst of it all.
What did He do while suffering unjustly?
What did He not do while suffering unjustly?
Talk to the Lord about what it means for you to follow Jesus' example in your situation.
April 11
When Peter recalls how Jesus suffered, the emphasis does not seem to be on endurance but on trust. Jesus' example to us was not in some extraordinary ability to tolerate pain, but rather in His choice to keep "entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously." (1 Peter 2:23 NASB)
In your prayer time now, recall the case -- the complaint -- that you brought before the Judge two days ago. Then recall from yesterday your reflections on how Jesus handled unjust suffering and how you do.
Now talk to the Lord about what it looks like for you to trust yourself "to Him who judges righteously."
In your prayer time now, recall the case -- the complaint -- that you brought before the Judge two days ago. Then recall from yesterday your reflections on how Jesus handled unjust suffering and how you do.
Now talk to the Lord about what it looks like for you to trust yourself "to Him who judges righteously."
April 12
The prophet Isaiah spoke to people who were living in uncertain and troubled times. Along the way, he preached this word: "For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" (Isaiah 30:18 NIV)
Talk to the Lord about what it means to affirm that He is "a God of justice." What does it mean for you in your life right now? What does it mean for the world?
Then talk to Him about any connection you see between what Peter says about "entrusting" oneself to God and what Isaiah says about "blessed are all who wait for Him." What is the relationship between trusting and waiting? When in the past have you experienced that relationship? What does it mean for you today?
Talk to the Lord about what it means to affirm that He is "a God of justice." What does it mean for you in your life right now? What does it mean for the world?
Then talk to Him about any connection you see between what Peter says about "entrusting" oneself to God and what Isaiah says about "blessed are all who wait for Him." What is the relationship between trusting and waiting? When in the past have you experienced that relationship? What does it mean for you today?
April 13
One of the terms that is familiar to our system of jurisprudence is "appeal." A plaintiff can appeal the decision of a certain court or judge. Indeed, we even refer to a layer of courts and judges as "appellate."
In the United States, we understand that the highest court in the land is the Supreme Court. That is the place of final appeal. That is the court with the last word on any case.
As Christians, meanwhile, we live with an understanding of a different flowchart. There is a more supreme court. There is a higher Judge. And we may always take our case to Him.
Talk to the Lord about the pain and frustration of the experience of having other people 'rule against you' in some way or another.
Ask Him about what it means for you to appeal to Him.
Ask Him what peace and resolution should come from His verdict.
In the United States, we understand that the highest court in the land is the Supreme Court. That is the place of final appeal. That is the court with the last word on any case.
As Christians, meanwhile, we live with an understanding of a different flowchart. There is a more supreme court. There is a higher Judge. And we may always take our case to Him.
Talk to the Lord about the pain and frustration of the experience of having other people 'rule against you' in some way or another.
Ask Him about what it means for you to appeal to Him.
Ask Him what peace and resolution should come from His verdict.
April 14
As we conclude Week 15, we want to pray our way through a word of counsel from the Apostle Paul. It does not explicitly use the title "judge," but is clearly rooted in an understanding that He is the righteous and ultimate Judge.
"Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:17-19 NASB)
Pray through the elements of what Paul wrote. Talk through the following questions with the Lord:
1) When in the past have I paid back evil for evil?
2) Do I harbor a desire or plan in the present to pay back evil for evil?
3) With whom am I not at peace?
4) To the extent that it depends on me, what should I do to make peace with that person or those people?
5) What do I need to understand about Your wrath?
6) How should Your vengeance impact my life, my faith, and my behavior today?
"Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:17-19 NASB)
Pray through the elements of what Paul wrote. Talk through the following questions with the Lord:
1) When in the past have I paid back evil for evil?
2) Do I harbor a desire or plan in the present to pay back evil for evil?
3) With whom am I not at peace?
4) To the extent that it depends on me, what should I do to make peace with that person or those people?
5) What do I need to understand about Your wrath?
6) How should Your vengeance impact my life, my faith, and my behavior today?