My mom, Donna, just recently started attending a women’s Bible study group at her church. At first, she was hesitant to pray out loud. But, as she began to saturate herself in the Word, coming before the Lord daily to seek His face, her boldness to proclaim His excellencies outwardly grew. She’s asked the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) to be her comfort, especially in situations that stretch her.
I’ve often talked with my mom about how performance pressures can be prevalent even in Christian circles. We tend to form hierarchies on the “holier than thou list.” Jesus confronted this in the church. In Matthew 6 Jesus says, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.”
What’s our motive behind prayer? Is it to impress others or to meet with God? Freedom, joy, and great delight come with the latter. Jesus, also in referencing the religious leaders said, “they loved praise from men more than praise from God.”
Pause & Pray: “Holy Spirit purify my heart. Help me to crucify the desire to people please and deliver me from the fear of man, in Jesus' name, amen.”
In Exodus, Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words (eloquent, fluent), neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth?
Paul wrote this to the church of Corinth: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the ]testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
Two men, with tremendous impact, who put their trust in the power of God, not the ability to speak with eloquence. Nowadays anyone can stand up on a stage, platform, or social media page and “woo” people with words. But, the Word needs no wooing. The Word is life itself.
The blood of Jesus is still speaking on our behalf. (Hebrews 12:24) Because of His sacrifice, the Lamb who was slain, we can boldly enter into the Holy of Holies as a royal priesthood ministering to the Great High Priest.
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