Skip to main content

Just

Have you ever been praying and use the word "just"?  For example, I will say "God I just want to pray for so and so…" or "Heavenly father I pray that you just bring peace for so and so." I know I do quite a bit.


Just is a word that I receive as a “less than” word.  It is like I am minimizing something or sharing that I have less. “I just have 95 cents” or in other words, “I only have 95 cents.” “I just made it” or in other words, “I barely made it”.  For this reason, I try to remove the word “just” from my prayers


Just can be defined as exactly, barely, or only. How can one word have these different meanings?  The definitions of barely and exactly feel like opposites to me. However using the definition of exactly changes everything for my prayers.  Exactly makes my prayers specific and clearer. 


“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:24


“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open” Matthew 7:7


“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16


There is a specificity required in prayer.  If we receive what we ask for, then we better be asking for the right things!  If we are to pray for each other, we better pray specific prayers because our prayers impact others.  


Just… Maybe it is exactly the word we should be using. Precisely, completely, totally, entirely all synonyms for exactly.  With this understanding my prayers become dangerously specific. For example, “Heavenly Father I pray that you just heal so and so…” or “Heavenly Father, I pray that you completely heal so and so”. How much healing am I asking God to provide?  A



ll of it.  Leave nothing unsealed.  


Be specific in your prayers, God is listening.  Ask in His name and you will receive.


Be blessed and be a blessing


Matt

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Glow Differently

I saw this quote recently, “You glow differently when your confidence is fueled by belief in yourself instead of validation from others.” I found myself wrestling with it. I completely agree with the concept that the validation of my worth is not established by the thoughts of others. While I think a positive self image is important, I do not think that it is what really makes me “glow differently.” I hope I glow differently because of whom I believe in, rather than what I believe of myself.  The author of Titus says, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) . Love and kindness entered the world in the form of a m...

Right In Front of Me

There is one character in the story of the night of Jesus' arrest that sticks out. He seems insignificant to what is happening. He’s almost an interruption in the story. He is only mentioned by name in one of the four gospels, even though the description of what occurred is in all four gospels.  Malchus is his name. He works for the people who want Jesus dead. His job, with his compadres, is to seize Jesus and bring him back to the high priest. There he would be subject to questioning, a trial of sorts.  As Malchus and his posse are approaching, Peter takes action to protect Jesus. “With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear” (Matthew 26:51). Jesus immediately tells Peter and the rest of his disciples to stop with the violence.  I wonder what Malchus thought at this point. I imagine his was in shock, I would guess he was surprised. He had just been attacked and surely is bleeding ...

Identify

 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 1 Peter 2: 13-14 This is one of those selections of scripture that we like to gloss over while reading the Bible. This letter is written by the apostle Peter to the churches of another part of the Roman Empire. The people were located in what is now Turkey and were facing persecution for being Christians.  Christians were the new kids on the block when it came to religions. I'm sure it felt uncomfortable to the people of the time. I'd think they'd have felt similar as we would about a new cult popping up in our neighborhood.   Peter tells the church, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us" (1 Peter 2:12). He basically says be...