By Tyson Thorne

February 27, 2014
 
 

Selfish2 large

Now, I want to get back to these notes regarding what it is that, more than anything else, would make us truly happy. I am certain, that if we were to go through these notes, we would find some had written “a closer walk with the Lord,” or “a more consistent quiet time.” Still others, I imagine, would turn to their current hurts and pains, listing perhaps “a father who would stop drinking,” “a better job,” “a family member coming to Christ,” and so forth. And while these needs are real and deeply felt, by both the writer and God, they answered the question “What, more than anything else, would make you truly happy right now?” incorrectly. The only correct answer to such a question is forgiveness from God, sufficient to provide an eternal relationship with Him. However, often we think of our current problems and hurts as being of greater importance than the forgiveness of God. This tendency reveals our maddened understanding of the life God has given us. By pursuing the solution to pain and problems to sustain our Christian life, we continue in a self-centered approach to life.

If selfishness is the cause of our lack of fellowship with the Father, then what is the cure? Eugene Peterson (Earth and Altar, Inter-Varsity Press, 1985) once observed that “psychologists propose therapy, educators install new curriculum, economists plan legislation, sociologists imagine new models of community…. Some of them get tried. Nothing seems to work for very long.” As he continued Peterson suggests the cure is the work of prayer.

Listen, once more from Crabbs’ book, to this proper response to God:

“Lord, at every moment of my life, regardless of the hurt I experience, your law condemns me. Your standards are right, but I cannot meet them. I am not good enough to do what you require. I am worthy of judgment. Forgiveness is my deepest need right now and will continue to be my deepest need till I die. Because your atoning death meets that need, I can live in the freedom of forgiveness, neither obsessed with my sin nor indifferent to it.”

This is one of the most important prayers a Christian can pray, but it is still self-centered. There is another prayer that is equally important: intercessory prayer. After all, even the selfish pray, they just pray more often for themselves than for others. No, the cure is not more prayer, but more intercessory prayer. Prayer for others.

I met a woman who had the remarkable ability to consider others’ needs before her own. Her daughter, right in front of me, advised her to begin taking time for herself and to think of her own needs (translate needs as wants). I commented that it was a wonderful trait to be graciously giving and thoughtful.

May we be found to have the same “problem” as this lady did, to be men and women who consider the needs of others every time we bend our knee. For some it has been too long since that knee has been bent. For others, the knee has been bent in a mockery salute as they prayerfully consider only themselves. This morning, let’s take the time to pray intercessorilly. Let’s pray for the needs of others. For it is when we in our sin meet God in His grace that does the most to change us. In an ongoing encounter with God, in which we further probe the depths of his forgiveness, we continue the process of change. As we value God’s grace for others, we change from self-centered people who angrily yearn for relief from hurt, to other-centered people who celebrate his forgiveness by longing to know him better and to make him better known.

 
 
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