August 9, 2019 -- Revelation 5:9-10 -- What to do when you don't want to pray

Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they shall reign on earth.

Revelation 5:9-10 English Standard Version

Yesterday it was my privilege to lead the chapel service. I have the opportunity to lead, each Thursday morning, chapel at the half-way house called, Harvest House Atlantic. I began to wonder who really is getting more out of it? For example, yesterday a group of about 25 gathered. It was a tough morning for many of them. Some are newly released from prison. Some are newly freed from drug addictions. Some are in the rehab program. Some in the basic life skills program. Some are homeless and needing shelter. The question I posed was: what do you do when you don’t feel like praying? The answer I?!: start naming reasons you are thankful to God. So I challenged them: “What reasons do you, gathered here today, have to be thankful? Name these reasons for being thankful to God.”

Let’s face it, that was a challenge for the group in front of me, but even more it was a challenge to me, to my middle-class comfortable world. It is tempting to be cynical and wonder “what reasons could this group have to be thankful?” I am surrounded by men and women who, in the eyes of the world have so little. I held my breath, wondering what would pour out of their mouths?! What reasons do they have for giving thanks?

There was only the briefest pause, long enough for me to hold my breath and think the thoughts I just related to you. I almost broke into the silence to offer reasons for thanksgiving—but at that moment, before I could say a thing, that small group broke forth with answers, humbling me before our Father.

One man exclaimed: “Thanks for the breathe in my lungs.”

Quietly a ball-cap-wearing tattooed brother added: “Another day sober.”

An older woman, trembling with emotion: “A mama on her knees praying for me and never letting up.”

Somewhere someone add: “the glory of a the sunrise.”

“The beauty of the sea splashing against the rocks in Cape Breton” sighed another poetically. He had just, for the first time, seen the powerful sea crashing against the shore on a three day vacation—for that city boy it was a place of wonder and awe.

“Accountability” nodded one with affected gangster slang, trying not to be too vulnerable, but wanting to show he is broken, grateful, amazed—he explained: “brothers here who won’t let me go.”

Then the truth of those words from Revelation 5 became so real to me—there will be people ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ from every tribe and every people and every language and socio-economic group. Yesterday morning these men and women were priests to me—reminding me of the goodness of God that reaches to the places of our deepest need and showing Himself to be faithful.

Today I have many additional reasons to be thankful to God.

What reasons do you have for thankfulness? Come on, name them. Make a list. Let this list of reasons for thanks move your heart to worship and pray to God. You will see He is worthy of all honour and praise.

Forgive me, oh King of great and vast mercies, for my small view of the work of Jesus Christ. Forgive me for imagining a kingdom populated with people just like myself, rather than looking to You and seeing all manner of people from every strata of society and every place who are touched by Your incredible goodness. Thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ that has ransomed sinners and brought us together into one family. Spirit of God, stir me to songs and prayers of praise and thanksgiving—for the glory of Jesus and the honouring of HIs Name. Amen