The Front of the Line

 

Is it legal to ask God to favor someone, to skip over others and bring them to the forefront? To pray for others in line for a job, a rental, a home, that God would pull their applications to the top of the pile, the “front of the line”? I’d prayed that way before, but was it legal?

I discovered the answer to my question this morning in Psalm 47:4: “He marked our inheritance ahead of time, putting us in the front of the line, honoring Jacob, the one he loves.”

If God does it, then it must be ok for me to ask him to do it for the ones I love and encounter along the way, right? So I left for work armed with this new truth, and a prayer: Jesus, let me be close to you today, hearing your every whisper, your direction, your instructions, your encouragement.

Well into my day, a client came to the office to sign some paperwork. He was having some legal problems and our office had prepared a Motion to file with the Court to hopefully get him some relief. In addition to his legal problems, he also had his foot in a walking cast.

“What happened to your foot?” I asked.

“Oh, it’s multiple stress factors from being on my feet all day long at my job,” he responded.

Stress in his legal issues. Stress in his body. And now the waiting begins for the overloaded Court to get around to hearing his Motion? Sounded to me like someone needed to be moved to the front of the line.

So I told him about the verse I had read in the Psalms that morning, about how God moves people he cares about to the front of the line, so it must be ok for his kids (me) to ask him to do that for others. And I prayed aloud for God to do just that, to bring his case to the front of the Court’s calendar, and to heal every fracture in his foot. It seemed to me as he left the office that day with a smile on his face, that he was walking a little lighter knowing that God cares about him, his legal issues, his fractured foot, and that it was okay to ask God to move him to the front of the line.

And the promise is for me, too!

So I declare today that You marked out my inheritance ahead of time, before the foundation of the world you knew me, putting Taffy at the front of the line, honoring your Taffy as the one you love. Like John, your “beloved” disciple, I am the one laying across your chest, leaning close, listening to your every word with the cadence of your heartbeat as my anchor.

I don’t know about you, but I would have fainted unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of God - with skin on, before my eyes - in the land of the living.

Oh, God let your people in Afghanistan and Haiti see your goodness today, while they are still alive.

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait – entwine yourself in the Lord, yes, keep on waiting – for he will never disappoint you! Psalm 27:13-14,

But God, I do get disappointed!

But you promise that you won’t disappoint me. There is a difference.

The Shema

 

Last night I was cranky.  Maybe that’s why my family left me alone for the evening and went about their business.  I realized that I needed to spend some time with Jesus.  So I turned on The Chosen and binge watched the first 3 episodes of season one, because whenever I watch The Chosen, I feel like I’ve just been with Jesus.  Jesus with skin on.  I see him more clearly, feel his nearness as I watch his story unfold on the screen.

So, episode 3 was about Jesus interacting with a group of children.  At one point in the episode Jesus asks the kids to recite the Shema, and he sits there listening as the little ones proudly speak out the familiar words taught to every Hebrew child:

“Hear, O Israel!  The Lord our God is One.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your strength..”

I kept watching Jesus’ face as he listened and gazed at the faces of the children.  He was all filled up!  So proud of them.  Yet I also saw sorrow in his eyes.

Why?

He knew what lay ahead for the children, and for himself.  Yet he was all filled up, listening to them worship, trying so hard to please him.

After that, we turned the TV to the ongoing worship and prayer service at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City – Jim had joined me by then.  And a group of kids, actually young adults, was singing love songs to Jesus.  And I saw his face again, all filled up as he gazed over each boy or girl singing about his goodness, his glory, the people in the room  dancing, singing, some laying on the floor worshiping.

And you, Jesus were all filled up, overcome with love for each one, but maybe some sadness, too?  Sadness for the hardships your kids will face.  Your kids in Afghanistan, many of whom may be with you before the week ends.  Who love you with all their heart, souls and strength – to the very end.

And I am all filled up, seeing you all filled up.  Knowing that you see, and you care.  Nothing misses your gaze.  No one falls to the ground without your notice, not even a sparrow.

May I always be counted among your kids, Jesus, loving you, pleasing you, serving you, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach.  Who for the joy set before you – your kids – endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, where you ever live to make intercession for us.