As we begin the new year, Converge churches and missionaries from around the globe will embark on 21 Days of Prayer. Join us on this prayer journey by reading the daily entries on Converge’s blog, or by downloading your free 21 Days of Prayer: Praying God’s Agenda prayer guide. In addition, you can share daily posts from our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds. Thank you for joining us as we open 2020 in prayer together.
Obey the One who said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Luke 11:27-28
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed.” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Notice
What a fascinating statement this “woman in the crowd” makes. She certainly recognized something unique and remarkable about Jesus and so honors his mother with a blessing. However, Jesus turns the situation around. Rather than “blessing” his mother, he points the woman (and the surrounding crowd) to the “blessing” of those who hear the commands of God and obey them. Perhaps this statement of King Jesus inspired James to write in his epistle, “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Who are blessed by God? Those who hear God’s commands and align their lives with that teaching by being “doers” of the word — those who walk in obedience of faith.
Think about it
If this is the blessed life, to obey God’s commands, then it makes sense to hear the commands of King Jesus and pray them back to him. That’s exactly what we are doing these 21 Days of Focused Prayer. We are responding to the commands of our Master by talking to the Father about them. Included in prayer is our willingness to submit ourselves to what he instructs, to align our lives to those commands. Anything less is hypocrisy and disobedience: I hear what you’re saying, Lord, but don’t expect me to do anything in response. Jesus here calls us to the blessed life, the happy life, of kingdom living — aligning our lives with the King’s Agenda.
A prayer offering our obedience to our King
“Father in heaven, today I hear the voice of Jesus telling me to walk in obedience of faith. Help me, God. I want to be an obedient servant. I want to live my life in alignment with King Jesus. Help me be a doer of the word and not just a hearer. Please help me reject hypocrisy and embrace obedience. Guide me today by your Holy Spirit. May every decision I make today be in healthy alignment with your instructions in Scripture. Help me to walk in love today, the greatest and second commands. I love you, Father, and ask you to enable me to love my neighbors. In fact, help me love my enemies as well.
What I pray for myself I pray also for my family and church
Father, grant us today the grace to walk faithfully in obedience to the King’s Agenda. I submit myself to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
To read more of God’s word
Psalm 119, James 1
