Good Friday: Bloody-minded Faith

PAUSE

As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breathe slowly, to recenter my scattered senses upon the presence of God.

(pause)

I pray Psalm 19:14, repeating the words slowly, several times:

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

REFLECT

Bible: When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were commanded to worship an idol on pain of death, they replied:

“King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Dan. 3:16–18)

Book passage: The paradox of faith is encapsulated in this rousing speech. [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego] believe unequivocally that God can save them, and that He will save them. But then they add “even if he does not . . . we will not serve your gods” These men have complete faith for a miracle but they also have a sort of bloody-minded defiance should the miracle not happen.

ASK

Ask myself: If I could look into the future and see that my most desperate prayers are not going to be answered, how might it affect the choices I am making now?

Ask the Lord: Mostly, I do believe that You are able to save me, Lord. I do have faith. But give me faithfulness too, to keep trusting and worshipping defiantly even if my prayers go unanswered.

YIELD

A prayer of surrender by Richard Foster:

Today, O Lord, I yield myself to You. May Your will be my delight today. May You have perfect sway in me. May your love be the pattern of my living. I surrender to You my hopes, my dreams, my ambitions. Do with them what You will, when You will, as You will. I place into Your loving care my family, my friends, my future. Care for them with a care that I can never give. I release into Your hands my need to control, my craving for status, my fear of obscurity. Eradicate the evil, purify the good, and establish Your kingdom on earth. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.