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Slip Away and Pray
July 6, 2023
by Anitha Abraham

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16 (NIV)

After months of planning, my sister, Binu, and I finally had a chance to grab dinner with a particular group of friends. The Thai food was delicious plus, the conversation was fun and meaningful.  Before we could even start thinking about what sugary item we should end our evening with, Binu spoke up: “Hey, ladies, when we’re done, maybe we could all get in my van and pray!”

If you knew Binu, you wouldn't find this shocking. First of all, she loves her van. We have taken many a road trip in it. Secondly, she loves to pray. Her sons have often come home from school to find her praying in their room. She still does this even though they are in college and living away from home during the semester.  When I call her to “vent” about troubles in my life, she listens, advises and says, “Why don’t we pray?”

Then she goes straight to God’s throne room with me on the phone. For big and small things, I will often get a text from her asking for prayer. She believes in the power of prayer and lives it out.  So after dinner that night, instead of going somewhere for dessert, we all hopped in Binu’s van to pray. I’ll admit I was ready to go home and get in my pajamas, but I knew Binu had chosen the better thing time with the Lord.  We took turns sharing our needs along with the needs of people around us. One by one, we prayed over those requests. The atmosphere was ripe with God's power. The Holy Spirit was truly moving among us in that van.  Praying seems easy, but honestly, it can be hard for me. When I see how intentional Binu is about prayer, I am inspired. But even more so, did you know Jesus was intentional about prayer?

“… Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16, emphasis added).

“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray” (Matthew 14:23a, NIV).

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35, NIV).

Jesus the second Person of the Trinity, the one and only Son of God made time to pray.  I am thankful for the Apostle Paul’s charge later in Scripture to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV). This invites us into an all-day conversation with God, no matter what we are doing. But the examples of Jesus' prayers in the Gospels are very telling as well. While I have no doubt He was in constant dialogue with His Father, the fact that Jesus still slipped away to pray, often in solitude, sets an example for us.  If Jesus prayed in this manner, shouldn’t I?

I don’t want to miss out on time with God by not slipping away. I want what was said of my sister and my Savior to be said of me that I often withdraw to pray.

That's fine. Why only in exceptional circumstances? It seems very unusual for the user not to have control over one's account. Regardless, I would like my account deleted, please. I have suffered multiple cyberattacks in recent months from accounts that I no longer use or require. They use them as backdoors into your email or other accounts, and I'd rather not bait them.

We've got two birthday bods on the forum who are exactly the same age as each other!

Happy birthday wishes go to Ouroboros and also Deppratry!

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You Are Chosen
July 5, 2023
by Meghan Mellinger

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you.” John 15:16a-b (NLT)

Thirteen-year-old me wasn’t a fan of gym class for a few reasons: I was an artist, not an athlete, and I was always picked last for any team sport.  Fast-forward a few years, and I’d still rather draw a ball than kick one. But rejection and I have become close friends, and my disappointment résumé is full of line items:

    My crush asking another girl out on a date instead of me.
    Seeing my friends post on social media about an event I didn’t get invited to.
    Not winning sweepstakes for my own private island in the Caribbean.

It’s a lot easier to think of the times I haven’t been chosen than the times I have been.  We all desperately desire to be chosen because it means someone truly and fully sees us. The real, unfiltered versions of ourselves. On the good days when we’re well fed, rested and have adequate sunlight and on the not-so-good days during rush-hour traffic when we use words and hand gestures our grandmas wouldn’t approve of.  No matter how old we are, sometimes we’re still that awkward kid with braces who shouldn’t have cut her own bangs, waiting and wishing in that gymnasium for those magical words: “I choose you.”

We want to be the one selected, preferred and hand-picked for a reason.  I wonder how Jesus’ disciples felt when He said these powerful words to them in John 15:16a-b: “You didn’t choose me. I chose you.”

Our perfect Savior picked some of the most imperfect people to be a part of His team: a doubter (Thomas), a hothead (Peter), and a guy who had a full-time job profiting off of his own people (Matthew). Most came from lowly, insignificant lives. They weren’t the richest or most important. They were often overlooked. They were flawed, unrefined and unqualified.  I’m sure they didn’t feel like the best or most appropriate choice. Yet Jesus saw them fully and chose them anyway.  And together, with Him, they changed the world.mmAs a perfectionist, I feel like this seems too good to be true. But as a human being, I know it’s a sigh of relief.  God doesn't choose perfect people: He just wants us to come as we are.  Every imperfect inch and pound of us, every thought and action.  The real challenge is quieting the doubts and lies in our minds long enough to hear and receive those three affirming words: “I chose you” (John 15:16b).

Jesus is calling you to be a part of a greater team than the eighth-grade elite dodgeball squad.  You have not been overlooked; you are fully seen by our all-knowing God. Your brokenness, imperfections and failures have not disqualified you from His purpose for you.  Disappointments and rejection will be a part of earthly life, but your unconditional worth in Jesus will never change.  Today, you may feel undeserving and inadequate. You may feel you’re trying too hard or not trying hard enough. But today, you are fully seen and known. And today, just like yesterday, our God is in the habit of using imperfect people for His perfect plan. So come close and listen to His words:  “I choose you.”

Dourreleerync is celebrating today!