Vision and the Possible...
I've been reading an excellent new book by W.P. Campbell (I'll post the review later for Zondervan and everyone else to see) about how to turn controversy into ministry and am struck with some thoughts on vision.
Nehemiah was a man with great vision. But the question we often skip is where that vision came from! Nehemiah was broken for the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, which led him to prayer, fasting, and mourning. He was GREATLY leading from a long-term prayer emphasis! But how often do we (as Christians and specifically those in leadership positions) neglect prayer and instead focus on the things we "need" or "ought" to do? I mean, I know I am often busy "doing" ministry (planning events, prepping the current series for junior and senior high, running the 4 days a week programming that exists our ministry, planning worship, making/sending mailers, doing stuff for the presbytery, doing miscellaneous stuff for the church, filling in for Bill, and everything else) but how much time do I spend bathing that ministry in prayer? Honestly, the answer hurts...
How many times do we launch into something great without the proper prep work? I know I wouldn't do an event, program, or worship without spending the time making sure it would work in terms of the content, flow, and staff needed but do I spend the same amount of time making sure that what we are doing is what the God of the universe wants me to do? Or do I assume that since I know my God and hang out with Him a little bit that it follows that I have His tacit approval for my ideas? Or do I listen intently to what God has to say while actually doing what He says?
The answers to those questions show me pretty clearly that I often put the cart in front of the horse! Instead of leading from prayer and time with God, I hope my time with God and great ideas can carry the day! But, Nehemiah's example (read Nehemiah 1 and then 2 verse 1) of covering something in prayer/fasting/mourning for almost a year before even approaching it should be something more influential!
I mean, how much do we spend in prayer per day? I know for me it might be an hour or two, if that. How can I expect God to work in/through me in that amount of time? He can do it, but why do I try to force Him to work in that timing instead of when He will? If the people perish without vision, does the vision perish without prayer? I'd say yes...
Nehemiah was a man with great vision. But the question we often skip is where that vision came from! Nehemiah was broken for the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, which led him to prayer, fasting, and mourning. He was GREATLY leading from a long-term prayer emphasis! But how often do we (as Christians and specifically those in leadership positions) neglect prayer and instead focus on the things we "need" or "ought" to do? I mean, I know I am often busy "doing" ministry (planning events, prepping the current series for junior and senior high, running the 4 days a week programming that exists our ministry, planning worship, making/sending mailers, doing stuff for the presbytery, doing miscellaneous stuff for the church, filling in for Bill, and everything else) but how much time do I spend bathing that ministry in prayer? Honestly, the answer hurts...
How many times do we launch into something great without the proper prep work? I know I wouldn't do an event, program, or worship without spending the time making sure it would work in terms of the content, flow, and staff needed but do I spend the same amount of time making sure that what we are doing is what the God of the universe wants me to do? Or do I assume that since I know my God and hang out with Him a little bit that it follows that I have His tacit approval for my ideas? Or do I listen intently to what God has to say while actually doing what He says?
The answers to those questions show me pretty clearly that I often put the cart in front of the horse! Instead of leading from prayer and time with God, I hope my time with God and great ideas can carry the day! But, Nehemiah's example (read Nehemiah 1 and then 2 verse 1) of covering something in prayer/fasting/mourning for almost a year before even approaching it should be something more influential!
I mean, how much do we spend in prayer per day? I know for me it might be an hour or two, if that. How can I expect God to work in/through me in that amount of time? He can do it, but why do I try to force Him to work in that timing instead of when He will? If the people perish without vision, does the vision perish without prayer? I'd say yes...
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