Life Journal 04-26-2010

The Prayer Before I Preach
(S) Scripture

This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. ¹⁴In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
¹⁵For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'¹⁶But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

(O) Observation

Jesus comments on why he teaches in parables. The religious who profess to see do not and the repentant are given eyes to see and ears to hear so they can understand what Jesus is teaching.

(A) Application
It was in a DMin class with John Guest that I was touched by this scripture and the impact it could have in my preaching ministry. John suggested that in a prayer before we speak, we invite people to focus on seeing and hearing with their spiritual eyes and ears. It made sense to me and so before nearly every message I lead the congregation in this prayer. "Lord, open our spiritual eyes to see and hear what you have for for us today. Open our hearts to understand and then give us courage to obey you."

It is a simple prayer but packed with power if we are honest and faithful when we pray it. The power of this prayer is that it invites God to transform us and to make us more like His Son. It allows us to live life as god intended it to be lived. Sadly too many in church have their eyes, ears and hearts closed so they do not see, hear or understand anything that God has for them. Today I want to have my eyes, ears, and heart open to whatever the Lord has for me. I ask for the courage to live out whatever I understand God to be saying to me.

(P) Prayer

Lord, open my eyes and ears so that I can see and hear what you have for me today. Open my heart to understand your will and give me the courage to obey you. Amen