Five Seconds Well Spent
Friday, October 30, 2015
“If prayer seems to you a diversion from productivity, remember God does more in five seconds than we can in five hours.” This tweet from John Piper recently caught my eye primarily because I struggle with exactly that – I have an idol of productivity and efficiency that prayer often doesn’t seem to feed. One of the reminders I need for my own heart to help my prayer life is that prayer is, as the Bible teaches us, effective. There is no more productive five seconds I could invest in my small group than to pray for them. Busy? You can pray.
This is why famed Bible commentator Matthew Henry once wrote, “The greatest remembrance of our friends is to remember them before the throne of grace.” True, isn’t it? There are many situations in the lives of those in our groups that we simply can’t fix. There are many times we don’t know how to comfort, encourage, or help. But God does – and that’s not merely a spiritual platitude. We can bring those we love before the one most capable of helping them – what a great privilege!
That’s what makes this blog or Piper’s tweet not a guilt trip about prayer. It’s actually an encouraging reminder about the character of our God and how much he cares for us! I hope your small group gets to pray when you’re together; that’s so vital for building each other up and knitting the group together. But if you’re wondering what you as a leader can do each day to care for your members and strengthen your group, you can pray … it may be the best five seconds you’ve ever spent!
Leave a Comment
Recommended Reading
You'll find most of my recommended books available in the Guest Center at Southwood.
-
How do we mortify sin? How do we address the sin in our lives that reignite like a trick birthday candle we thought we had already blown out of our lives? This is a careful and thoroughly theological book that is hopeful without avoiding honesty. It is practical without being legalistic. It gets to the root of the sinful areas of our lives without offering a prescriptive regimen to hide behind avoiding the grace that has the only true power to teach “us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14
-
Small groups would be easy if weren’t for the people in the group! This book will help equip you to see your own sin first and provide the courage and humility to address it in others.
-
This is a collection of letters written by Jack Miller to people experiencing real-life concerns and struggles. Through these gracious and honest letters you will learn how to humbly offer to others (and yourself!) hope, repentance, and courage that flows from the truth of the gospel of grace. Though this isn’t a “how to” book full of nifty steps to Your Best Gospel Life Now. It’s a glimpse into the heart of a person who has found food at the Cross, and you watch (and learn) as he humbly points others to the feast.
-
This 31 day devotional will bring you to the foot of the cross to remember and celebrate the truth of the gospel of grace, and develop skills that will help “inform, free, gladden, and enliven your soul every day.” Becoming proficient in applying the Gospel of grace to our own hearts is a key skill that is well worth our effort to develop.
Recommended Listening
- Christ PCA - Nashville
Scott Sauls and CPC StaffListen to sermons from Senior Pastor Scott Sauls and other CPC pastors at a sister church.
- Lookout Mountain PCA
Joe Novenson and LMPC StaffCheck out sermons by Senior Pastor Joe Novenson and other LMPC pastors at a sister church.
- Steve Brown Etc.
Steve BrownSteve Brown’s unique blend of orthodoxy and controversy, humor and profundity, and a refusal to play religious games will give you permission you have needed to stop being so uptight. And even if it’s for 30 minutes, you just might experience radical freedom, infectious joy and maybe even a bit of surprising faithfulness.
Recommended Links
- Tim Chester: reformed spirituality and missional church
Tim ChesterTim has an incredible way of applying the Gospel of grace that is both practical and honest with a consistent skillful affinity to point us to Jesus. He is director of The Porterbrook Institute; a church planter with The Crowded House in Sheffield, UK; and the author of over a dozen books including Total Church and You Can Change.
- Of First Importance
Living Each Day in the Good of The GospelHere you will find a growing collection of gospel-centered quotes to help reorient your thoughts toward the splendor and grandeur of the person and work of Jesus.
Comments