Scripture
7The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:7-10
Observation
Peter makes it clear that the end of the world is near and there’s four specific spiritual disciplines that will help us to stay focused and fruitful with the time we’ve been given:
Prayer- Constant Conversation with our Creator. “Be earnest and disciplined in your prayer”
Care- Covering is not a Cover Up. “Continue to show deep love for each other”
Share- Compassion for the community. “Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay”
Aware- Clarity of Calling. “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”
Application
A year ago today it felt like the end of the world for me. My doctor had told me as much. I was in the hospital for Covid Double Pneumonia and was told I need to say goodbye to those I love while I could still talk because, at my age, with lungs as bad as mine looked, “I wasn’t making it out of the hospital alive” (actual words). In my dark night of the soul as I sunk deeper in despair while fighting for every breath and feeling so isolated and alone God’s voice broke through. He said, “You have more songs to sing. Pray for a five day miracle.” This is when the Body of Christ put these four spiritual disciplines into action on my behalf. Prayer: Cyndi put the word out about my condition on social media and the prayers came flooding in. Even as I cried out to the Lord I found out I had hundreds of other believers in Washington, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and even Japan interceding on my behalf. Even a year a later I’m still meeting people who I didn’t know at the time that told me they were praying for my healing. I literally felt buoyed by the prayers of the saints. Care: The care shown to my family and I during this time was indescribable. Though I was berated by my doctor for not having taken the vaccine, the community of faith cared for myself and my family freely and generously. Share: I wasn’t able to be at home, but folks from The Father’s House and many brothers and sisters from all over sent gift cards and meals so Cyndi wouldn’t have to think about meals during this time. The compassion shown by so many is something I will never forget. Messages and cards came flowing in and were such a strength to us. Aware: Intercessors were interceding. People with the prophetic gift were sharing words to cling to about the future. Those with the gift of leading worship and preaching were filling in at the church when I could not be there. Everyone had found their fit and the church was stronger for it. As a result of God’s faithfulness to His word and the focus of fellow believers, I walked out of that hospital on the fifth day with no oxygen tank and no residual effects. The doctors and nurses couldn’t explain the rapid turn around. I told them it was God and His people praying. They said, “well, whatever you’re doing, keep it up.” I think that’s good advice. Let’s keep it up. Whether it’s someone going through a health crisis, financial, relational, or emotional crisis, we’ve been given a survival guide through it all!
Prayer
I remember reading these promises from Isaiah 43 last year and clinging to every word like my life depended on it. Your Word is my survival guide and You are my guide through all that is going on around me:
“1But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. 2When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 3For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
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