Scripture
Indeed, I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child with its mother; I am content like a young child.
~Psalm 131:2, NET
Quote
Every human being is created with unfulfilled needs.
~Clifton J. Allen
The greater part of my blog readers are mature adults and growing disciples. I don’t know of any children or youth who read it but I do have a couple of ‘haters’ who read it on a regular basis just to find fault with what I say. I started to entitle this blog, TITTY-BABY FAITH. Psalm 131 is a testimony of a believer who has matured beyond the titty-baby stage. He is a mature child who can be content just to be near his/her mother. A titty-baby is a whiner, a beggar who is discontent and always pulling at his/her mothers breast. Of all scriptures in the Bible, you would think I could read this one without being convicted but I was convicted deeply. The TLB version of verse two is… “I am quiet now before the LORD, just like a child weaned from the breast. Yes, my begging has been stilled.”
Due to my vain nature, I have disciplined myself to write one page of praise and adoration before I asks for anything but from page two and on, it is a series of request and some of it sounds a lot like begging. After reading and meditating on Psalm 131, I decided to pray without asking for anything. Try it for yourself, it is harder than you think. Practically everything I ask for on a daily basis has a selfish motive. In other words, I am praying for things that will benefit me. I pray for REVIVAL in America but that would benefit me. I pray for opts to help others but I benefit from those also. I asks myself, “How can I be totally unselfish like Jesus?” The only answer that came to mind was “pray for suffering, sorrow and affliction, for these are the things that purge a man’s soul.” Immediately, my heart cried out, “no, no, I do not want to suffer. I do not want to have a Job experience.”
Of course I have suffered some, not that much but some. I can see clearly how God used the little I have suffered to refine my impure motives. Yet, I never prayed for suffering: God, in His marvelous grace, just sent it because He knew I needed it. In Mark 4:35, Jesus commands His disciples to get in a boat and go to the other side of the lake which eventually they did but before they reached the other side, they encountered a storm that put their faith to the test. The same Jesus who commanded them to get into the boat sent the storm to test them. None of the twelve prayed: “LORD, send us into a storm so that our faith might be tested.” We are not Jesus the omnipotent One, we are the disciples. We lack the courage and wisdom to pray for storms but He knows our need and He sends them as He sees fit.
In closing, let me share with you just a few things the storms will do for you. [1] They will put your faith to the test, causing the roots of your faith to grow deeper. [2] They will intensify your prayers. [3] They will heightened your desire to be delivered {saved from this world}. [4] They will make you more grateful for your salvation.
I wrote this blog more than a week back, probably three and I thought I had published it but the computer said no; I hope the computer is right. I have some good news to share but can’t share it right now. If you are like me, you are anxious and thrilled to hear good news because these days there is more bad news than good. Today is Friday so have a good day and a good weekend. Thank you for reading the blog.