Lunch: I Don't Want to Live...

...like I don't care
 
James 1:19-25

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (emphasis added). Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

"The problem is that the more we keep the Word out of our will, the more theoretical, abstract, and distant God becomes. Then terrible things begin to happen to us: our hearts begin to harden (because unlived truth always brutalizes us), coldness sets in, and eventually bitterness overwrites our souls."
from Growing Slowly Wise, by David Roper

Let's take this one step at a time. Today, spend more time with God. Spending time in prayer is part of doing what the Word instructs us to do (this evening we will take a look at verses with specific instructions for healing prayer). Spending time in prayer will soften your heart and help keep bitterness out. 

With bitterness out, we can more easily focus on the needs that are all around us, rather than sitting around, throwing ourselves pity parties. 

    But I refuse
    'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
    I don't want to say another empty prayer
    Oh, I refuse

    To sit around and wait for someone else
    To do what God has called me to do myself
    Oh, I could choose
    Not to move but I refuse

    I can hear the least of these
    Crying out so desperately
    And I know we are the hands and feet
    Of You, oh God
    ~I Refuse, Josh Wilson



Some specifics to include in your lunchtime prayer:

• Pray that God will heal Adam's retrograde amnesia (loss of memory of events prior to his accident).
• Ask God to rid Adam of anterograde amnesia (inability to create new memories since his accident). 

And, rather than simply asking for restoration of Adam's memory, let's all focus (during lunchtime prayers) on one period of his life—high school. Let's ask God to restore Adam's memory of high school. There are many years missing from Adam's memory, so lets lift up smaller blocks of time to God and ask Him to give memories of those four years back to Adam. Adam was in high school from 1996-2000. He graduated from Wilsonville High School in Wilsonville, Oregon. Pray for memories of those four years to be restored to Adam's memory.

Pour your hearts into your prayers. Plead with God to begin restoration of those four years in Adam's memory.

We don't want to say anymore empty prayers.

See you at dinner time.