J.R. Briggs
Attempting to behold the miracle long enough without falling asleep
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Longing to be a Samaritan leper
I pray best with my pen and my feet, which is why I participate in prayerwalking and journaling my prayers. Last week, I filled up my Renew prayer journal (for those wondering, yes, it was a Moleskine notebook) and starting a new one. I decided to go back through and re-read my written prayers from the past several months. Some of the prayers were general and vague in nature. Many were very specific – specific meetings, specific individuals, specific dates, specific requests and specific “big asks” (see here and here regarding the invitation for the “big ask”).Marriages turned around.
Financial needs met.
People called to serve in specific areas within Renew.
Maturity evidenced.
House church shepherds provided for.
Sin confessed.
Wisdom granted.
Reconciliation attained.
As I read through the journal I was absolutely floored – shocked by the amount of prayers I prayed that God actually showed up and answered. Many (though certainly not all) of the prayers I prayed for months ago actually came to fruition. Many of them were answered; some were answered, but not in the way I expected them to be – but answered nonetheless. I was humbled – and thankful. God showed himself to be faithful. A big God who loves to listen to the needs of His kids.
Humbled and thankful. But mostly humbled. A wave of shame washed over me. Without my prayer journal, I never would have seen or been reminded of the ways he has worked in and through Renew the past few months. It reminded me of the story of the 10 lepers in Luke 17: 12-19:
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
How often do I ask God for something, he answers it and I’m so busy off doing the next thing that I fail to return to say thanks? Re-reading my prayer journal was an act of being reminded of God’s faithfulness and being reminded of my distracted and often ungrateful heart. I hope this inspires my faith and my gratitude in the future.
I want to be a Samaritan leper.
Stop and think for a moment: what areas of your life reveal that God has worked in the past several weeks/months? And how can you return to say thanks?