Scripture: Luke 6:12-16
During that time, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night long. At daybreak, he called together his disciples. He chose twelve of them whom he called apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter; his brother Andrew; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called a zealot; Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Thought for the Day: What do you do when you’ve got a big decision? There are a lot of books and articles on the subject, and I believe there is some excellent advice to be found out there. Before choosing his apostles from among his disciples (apostles will be the group of 12 that are closest to Jesus, while disciples are a much larger group of followers and students), Jesus went to a mountain where he prayed all night. Seeking advice is always a good thing, and seeking advice from God is a really good starting place. Though to confess, I have stayed up all night in prayer on more than one occasion, and I can’t say I’ve always felt convinced of much the next morning…maybe convinced that I should have slept. Though an important difference is that I’m not Jesus. This is where I invite others to be in prayer with me. In a sense, I am inviting the Body of Christ to pray. And maybe collectively, we will pray for 12 or even 24 hours. What I often take away from those experiences is insight that comes from what I often call a multitude of ears. Rarely does anyone say, “I know exactly what God wants you to do…” More often, I am challenged by thoughtful questions or maybe a passage of scripture or possibly an article to read. Does this always produce the right answer? Probably not, but it has provided peace throughout my life…and a little more sleep as there is comfort in the knowledge that I am not the only one trying to discern what is best.
Prayer: Though I may not hear an audible voice, I trust that you are at work nudging me and others toward your kingdom values. O Lord, let me be aware of your nudging. Amen.
