At The Bridge Church, we recently held a week of 24/7 Prayer. One unbroken chain of prayer passed from one person to the next. We’ve done weeks like this a number of times since the pandemic began, and I love them more and more. It seems to me that our church is growing in its commitment to prayer. We seem to be more convinced of its necessity in accomplishing our vision to know Jesus and to make him known. Only good things can come out of that!
Here’s something 24/7 prayer weeks remind me of: that I spend far too many of my other weeks in far less prayer than I should. This has especially been the case over the last two years since the onset of this pandemic. If you’re like me, your mind has been consumed with news reports and opinions and understanding differing perspectives about viral diseases, social justice, politics, and so on. All of those are clearly important and relevant things. But without a prayerful life, without continually turning my eyes to the Lord, my mind easily devolves into despair or frustration.
But there’s something else. It’s not just about having proper perspective on the issues of the day. Believe it or not, it’s that there’s actually something more important than the issues of the day.
Richard Baxter, a 17th century Puritan whose classic book The Reformed Pastor I just finished, has this to say:
“I could willingly exchange all the other knowledge I have, for one glimpse more of the knowledge of God and of the life to come. Oh that I had never known a word in logic or metaphysics, nor known whatever schoolmen said, so I had but one spark more of that light which would show me the things that I must shortly see.”
Richard Baxter
Actually, the full quote starts with “methinks”, in case you needed further evidence that this is a 17th century quote. But the point is the same today as it was then. It’s the same as it was in the 1st century when Paul said “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:1-2)
Who is the most important person to know? What is the important subject to grow in our knowledge and experience of? I am going to say, with full confidence, that the answer to that is the Lord. And it’s not even close. So why are we so much more aware of what this or that journalist said about some issue than about what the Scriptures teach? What here is lasting and permanent?
“All people are like grass…the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Isaiah 40:6, 8
Let us say with Baxter that we would willingly exchange all the other knowledge we have for even one more glimpse of the knowledge of God and the life to come. That’s how good and great and central He is.
