Suffering from Spiritual Second Night Syndrome

Suggested Reading: 1 Kings 18:36-19:10

I did a lot of theater in high school. I did everything from lead roles to being an understudy to working backstage helping with sets and props. Most of the plays that we did would run for three nights, typically a Thursday through Saturday. On the second night, we would always warn each other beforehand not to take it easy, especially if we did well on opening night. See, there was this thing we called "Second-Night-Syndrome" where, if we did really well the first night, we would let our guard down and then do horribly the second night. If opening night was bad, we typically didn't have to worry about Second-Night-Syndrome because we were already focused on not screwing up again.

A similar dynamic exists in our Christian walks. When things have been going really well, when we have been growing, and especially when we have had some major victory in our lives, those moments contain the greatest potential for disaster because we let our guard down or because we have experienced such a spiritual high that anything less than such stellar victory leads us into depression. There are two prominent examples of this in scripture.

We find the first example in 1 Kings 19. The prophet Elijah has just had a severe spiritual high.  Elijah had defeated the prophets of Baal in a duel by calling fire down from the heavens to consume a sacrifice and the people had turned back to the Lord. Then Elijah succeeded in praying a multiple-year drought to its end. Even the evil king Ahab seemed to give Elijah a break for once. But when Queen Jezebel found out what Elijah had done she threatened Elijah and he literally ran for the hills and found himself in a depression so deep that he prayed for God to end his life, saying, "I've had enough, Lord. Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors" (1 Kings 19:4, HCSB).

The second example stands out as the single biggest mistake of King David's career. David had finally ascended to the throne, becoming king over the entire nation of Israel. David had succeeded in bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, subduing his enemies, and receiving a promise from God that David's dynasty would last forever. Finally, a time arrives when David feels that he can let his guard down and rest for a while. So, "In the spring, at that time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army" (2 Samuel 11:1, HCSB). Instead of leading his men in battle, like he should, David decided he deserved to loosen up and let his guard down. As soon as David let his guard down, he saw Bathsheba and got caught up in an affair that would bring trouble to his family for years to come.

Very often, the most dangerous times for us are not those times when things are going badly and we have to work for everything we get. The most dangerous times are when we have had great success in our lives and we let our guard down. The secret to righteous living is not to seek out the great victories, but to walk consistently day by day, whether in victory or in hardship. If you have had a great victory in your life, be careful not to let your guard down or to begin to believe that you have finally gotten everything together. The moment you do, you will find yourself falling very hard and very fast. Instead, whatever victory you have achieved in your life, thank God for his grace in granting you that victory and then seek to be consistent in your walk.

The greatest opportunities for us to fall lie in the shadow of our greatest victories. Seek God's grace in victory as much as in the battles of everyday life.

Scared to Pray in Front of New Neighbors

Suggested Reading: James 5:13-18

One summer during college, I came home to discover that new neighbors had moved in two doors down from my childhood home. The new neighbors were a Vietnamese family and the head of the household, a very old man, had been brought home to die. He had recently had a surgery which had removed a large portion of his brain and his family wanted him to be able to die at home. When  I heard they had moved in and heard the condition of the family patriarch, I felt compelled to go visit the family. I walked up to the door that first time, completely unaware of what I was supposed to do or say. When the family matriarch answered the door, knowing only four words of English, I simply asked if I could come inside and pray. She recognized the word "pray" and took me right into the room where the older gentleman lay sleeping.

For the next two weeks, I went to pray at his bedside every day and, each day, every family member who was home would crowd into the room and listen as I read scripture and prayed for this man and for his family. One day as I was sitting there praying, the idea of praying for his healing occurred to me. Up to that point, I had been praying that he wouldn't suffer and that God would be with his family during this time. But the idea of praying that this man would be healed scared me to death. What would I look like if I stood up and placed my hands on his head and asked God to heal him and nothing happened? What would the God I was sharing with these people look like if I did that? I thought about the passage in James 5 which says the sick should call for the elders of the church to come in and anoint the person with oil and pray for them, and I considered calling in some elders. But the thought of doing what Peter and John did, just praying boldly, out loud for God's miraculous healing, scared me to death.

I was reminded of that summer recently, when I was reading that same passage in James again. I thought of how scared I was at the idea of praying that prayer where everybody could hear and then I kept reading: Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops (James 5:17-18, NLT). Reading this word, I was even more ashamed at my fear. I don't know if God ever wanted me to stand up and pray for that man's healing. But I am absolutely certain that God would have wanted me to have the courage to pray for his healing, knowing that God could answer any prayer He calls me to pray.

How many times do we refuse to pray because we are scared? Scared that God might not answer? Scared that we will look like fools? Scared that we will make God look bad if He does't answer? How often do we want to stand up and pray a bold prayer but just don't have the guts to do it? How much courage did it take for Elijah to stand up and publicly pray (or announce that he had prayed) that God would stop sending rain? What would Elijah have looked like if God didn't answer? What would Peter and John look like if they pulled up the lame man in Acts chapter 3 and his legs fell out from underneath him? Or Jesus if he shouted in that loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" and nothing happened? They would have been embarrassed and humiliated. But God did answer their prayers and acts of faith!

Are you willing to pray bold prayers? Do you have the courage in front of other people to ask God to do the miraculous when you know its the right thing to do? Yes, you risk being embarrassed and looking bad. But is that risk worth missing out on seeing God perform something incredible?

Becoming Superheros for Jesus

Suggested Reading: Matthew 17:1-13

Over the ten years of Smallville's run on television, a particular plot idea popped up several times: what kind of person would Clark Kent be without all of Superman's powers? A couple of times his powers were transferred to someone else and Clark had to save the day without his powers and while fighting someone who did have his powers. Once, his consciousness traded bodies with Lex Luthor's father and he had to save the day, powerless and from behind bars. Another time, he disobeyed the spirit of his father living in the Fortress of Solitude and was stripped of his powers as a punishment but he still stepped in front of a bullet to save someone. Repeatedly, the show tried to demonstrate that the powers didn't make a superhero. Clark's character made him a superhero.

In Matthew 17, Jesus was having a conversation with his disciples in the wake of the Transfiguration, when Elijah and Moses appeared on the mountaintop with Jesus. According to Jewish tradition, Elijah was supposed to come before the Messiah came. But, clearly, the Messiah was here in the person of Jesus and they hadn't spotted Elijah yet. So the disciples asked Jesus why the scribes taught that Elijah would come first. Jesus answered, "But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer." Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:12-13, NLT). See, when the Jews watched for Elijah they were watching for a man of powerful miracles instead of a truth-telling prophet who confronted kings with their sin. They were looking for the powers of Elijah when they should have been looking for the character of Elijah.

We often make this same mistake ourselves, desiring the flashy, spectacular power of a godly disciple rather than the character of a godly disciple. Sometimes, we yearn to heal the sick or raise the dead or speak in an unknown tongue like the apostles when we should be imitating their character: a willingness to change course when realizing they were in the wrong, an attentiveness to the Spirit, an unyielding integrity, and a boldness to share the Gospel with anyone able to receive it.

The ability to perform miracles was incidental to who the apostles were, not their defining characteristic. God may or may not use us to perform miracles someday. But right now God is trying to refine our character, conforming us to the image of His Son. Our character is what counts. It's what sets us apart and identifies us as powerful disciples of Jesus.

Don't evaluate your worth the to Kingdom of God based on whether or not you perform miracles or incredible accomplishments. Your character is much more important than either of those things. If your character improves, the chances of accomplishing something amazing for Christ increase dramatically. 

When Elijah Entered the Matrix

Suggested Reading: John 1:19-23, Matthew 11:7-15

In the movie, The Matrix, there is an extraordinary scene where Neo, the prophesied "One" who will save humanity from the machines but who doesn't believe that he is the One, latches onto a rope from a falling helicopter, plants his feet firmly on the roof of a skyscraper, and holds on, saving Trinity, a woman caught in the helicopter that's about to go down. The copter crashes into the building and the glass ripples out from the impact. Morpheus, the man who recruited Neo and believes in him, appears, and when Neo expresses doubts about being the One, Morpheus tells him, "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."

Just as Neo was conflicted about being the One, John the Baptist seemed to have some confusion about his own role. Jewish prophecy understood that Elijah would return before the messiah came. In John 1:21, John was asked by the religious leaders if he was Elijah and John flatly denied it. But Jesus, in Matthew 11:14, said this about John: And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come (NLT). John didn't seem to think he was Elijah, but Jesus confirmed that he was (and we would assume that Jesus was right). John may not have understood exactly the role he was supposed to play but that didn't seem to keep John from playing it. "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."

Maybe today you are confused about what God has planned for you. Maybe you are uncertain where God wants you to go or what role God wants you to play. If so, just remember that you are not required to understand your role in order to fulfill your role. Trust God. Seek God's face on a daily basis. Obey God when you hear His voice. Do the best you can, when you can, living your life totally surrendered to God and yielded to the Spirit. And even if you don't know the path you are supposed to travel, you'll end up walking it.

When Jesus Saved the Dread Pirate Roberts

Suggested Reading: Luke 9:23-36

There's a scene in the movie The Princess Bride that I've always found funny. Princess Buttercup is engaged to Prince Humperdink because she thinks that her true love Westley has been murdered by the Dread Pirate Roberts. After the engagement, she is kidnapped by a band of rogues and finds herself in need of rescuing. This rescue comes in the form of the Dread Pirate Roberts, whom she believes has murdered Westley. When she confronts him about the murder, she manages to push him down a ravine. As he tumbles, he yells, "As you wish!" to let her know that he is Westley (if you didn't know that already, where have you been for the last 35 years?) At this revelation, Buttercup exclaims, "Oh my sweet Westley! What have I done?" and throws herself down the ravine as well, so that she tumbles and rolls and falls right next to Westley. From the very first time I saw that scene as a kid, I always wondered why Buttercup didn't find a less painful way to get to him. But she had missed him so much for so long she wasn't willing to wait and find a less painful route. She wanted to be with him at that very moment, so she purposefully threw herself down the ravine.

In Luke 9, just after Jesus begins teaching his disciples that he must suffer and die, Peter, James, and John get the chance to see Jesus transfigured on a mountain top and witness him conversing with Moses and Elijah. Verse 31 tells us that Moses and Elijah "appeared in glory and were speaking of His death, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem" (HCSB). I've probably read that passage four dozen times without catching the last part: his death which he was about to accomplish.

You see, Jesus' crucifixion was not an accident but something He set out to accomplish. Jesus looked down at us in the ravine of our sin and brokenness which separated us from Him, and He loved us so much that he threw himself down the ravine, enduring the pain and agony of the cross to close the distance between us. Just like Buttercup, who couldn't stand to be separated from her beloved anymore, Jesus launched himself into a world of heartache and despair so that we would never have to be apart again.

Maybe you've been wondering whether God really cares about you. Maybe you've forgotten. Or maybe God's love has simply become academic to you. Whatever your situation, stop for a moment and consider how much you would have to adore someone, how much you would have to long for them, to intentionally launch yourself into the kind of torture Jesus endured so that you could be with Him. Maybe, you'll finally begin to see how much you are worth to Him. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find yourself willing to launch yourself into danger for someone else.

Getting Ready to Swing

Suggested Reading: Matthew 14:21-21

Something I used to do on occasion that I really haven't had much time for recently is go to a batting cage. As much as I enjoy baseball, most of the time I have to settle for listening to games while I am attempting to accomplish something else rather than actually getting to play. But the thing about a batting cage is, when you put your money or token or code into the machine, you better be ready to swing the bat. If you ask for the ball, you get the ball. You don't have a lot of time to stretch and take practice swings. Once you give the machine your money, you had better be ready to start swinging. You had better be ready to get what you're asking for.

In Matthew 14, we find the familiar story of Jesus feeding 5,000 men plus their families with just five loaves of bread a couple fish. A detail that often gets overlooked is found in verse 19. The disciples report that they only have a small amount of food. Jesus tells them to bring the food to him and then "He commanded the crowds to sit down on the grass" (HCSB). At that point, I'm sure the disciples must have thought that he was crazy. All he had was a few loaves and fishes and he commanded five thousand men with their families to sit down and get ready to eat! What in the world was Jesus doing? Jesus was getting ready to swing before he put his money in the batting cage.

Jesus knew what he was going to do. He knew the miracle he was asking for and which would surely come, and he prepared for it. He acted as if he already had the food on hand and was simply distributing it. Many times throughout scripture we see this same M.O.. Ten lepers came to Jesus to be healed and he instructed them to go show themselves to the priests (who could verify their healing) but they weren't healed until they actually headed on their way to the priests (Luke 17:11-19). Elijah asked a woman who had just enough to feed herself and her son to first make a meal for him and that God would provide for her, but it wasn't until she actually made Elijah's meal that she could watch God keep her containers from emptying out. (1 Kings 17:8-16)

Quite often we ask God to provide, we ask God to do big things in our lives, but then we go on living as if nothing has changed. Instead, when we ask God to provide, to meet a need, to do something big in our lives, we should demonstrate the faith to live like God has already provided, we should prepare to receive what God is going to send our way. If we are praying that God will send us someone to share our lives with, we should be preparing ourselves to be the most stable, mature and godly persons possible so we are ready for their appearance. If we are asking God to send young families to our churches, we should prepare our facilities and our classes for them so that we are ready to welcome them and send the right messages when they come. If we are praying that God will bless us financially, we should be making sure that our financial house is in order so that we are ready to handle that blessing well.

Part of having faith is preparing to receive the things that we are praying for. If we don't, it's like trying to stretch after putting your money in the batting cage--we may miss it entirely or, worse, get hit in the head.