This resolution of Daily United Prayer is based on An Humble Attempt, originally put forward by Jonathan Edwards in 1748. Its design is to encourage God's people in the duty of united extraordinary prayer; setting aside some time every day to pray for the revival of His church and the advancement of Christ's kingdom in our homes, in our churches, in our nation, and in the world.
"And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?" 1 Samuel 17:29.
I've been meditating on the David & Goliath story recently and thinking about how Goliath was publicly uttering obscenities and blasphemies in defiance of God every day. I was thinking about how the armies of Israel were doing nothing about it as they sat huddled in their tents. I'm sure they didn't LIKE what was happening and no doubt there was a spirit of frustration and humiliation in many of them. But the fact of the matter is that they were sitting (hiding) in their tents fully armed with all the accoutrements of battle, but they were essentially leaderless, powerless, and paralyzed. Nobody knew what to do. Fear had overtaken any faith. It took a fresh-faced, fresh-faithed David to ask the question, "Is there not a cause?" Yes, it evoked the anger and annoyance of his older brother Eliab to snap at him unjustly. So, instead of turning what should be our united outrage at Goliath and the real enemies of God, we often turn on one another within the church and end up biting and devouring one another (Gal 5:15) as a kind of cover for our own failure and humiliation.
Friends, we need this kind of fresh faith today. We need a faith that will kick us out of our tents as we sit around with all the "equipment of faith" but none of its power and resulting action. We can become very good talkers, debaters, and criticizers as we huddle in our tents while the Goliath of this world is getting a pass—daily defying our God and His Christ. God give us faith that will move us to action. Amen.
DAILY UNITED PRAYER unitedprayer.net
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