The Wading Pool

(Wader’s note:  I can’t believe it’s been two months since I blogged.  Seriously considering shutting this thing down, because I just am not taking the time to update, so what’s the point?  Life is at a fever pitch right now, which is awesome, and this thing takes a very distant back-seat to everything else on the Newt’s plate right now…we’ll see what happens.)

Got a text from a brother at church tonight, just a note that he was praying for me and my family, which is cool enough on it’s own.  But the text didn’t stop there…he told me to read Philippians 1:3-11.  I wasn’t where I could read it yet, having just gotten home from Saturday night service and trying to get the Lil’ Newts to bed.  After heating up a scrumptious dinner of pizza rolls (I know I shouldn’t…but I haven’t had them in ages!), I sat down and opened up the Word:

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you with all joy.”  (v. 3-4)

Wow.  I stopped in my tracks.  Why?  Because I know this brother meant it.  I know he was doing exactly what this text said.  He was praying for me.  He has been praying for me.  He will continue on praying for me.  As my pastor said a few weeks ago, this brother isn’t just saying it.  He’s doing it.

I can’t tell you how much that text meant to me.  It would be enough if he just said he was praying, because I know it’s true.  But when a friend shares Scripture with you that they’re praying FOR you…well, that takes it to a whole ‘nother level, you know?

It convicted me, too, because I realized just how little I do that very thing…encourage with the Word.  Oh, I pray for people and let them know I’m praying for them, but that’s just my words…not God’s Word (the LOGOS, as my pastor taught tonight from John 1).  God’s Word has power…God’s Word breathes life into dry bones!  God’s Word created the heavens and the earth!  God’s Word created ME!

And this passage in God’s Word goes on to say this:

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense until the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”  (v. 9-11)

I tell you what, this blew me away tonight.  I’ve read this passage numerous times, but I can’t ever remember someone telling me they were praying it for me.  You know what?  That last line, “to be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of  God?”  That’s what I want my life to be about.  That’s WHO I want to be.

And I have a brother praying that for me.  Wow.

This was the epitome to me of that verse in Proverbs 27:17:

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”  

My friend certainly did that for me tonight.  I pray that I do that for someone, too.  How about you?