A few days ago I was meditating on the Isaiah 2 text for the first Sunday of Advent. The challenge from the Spirit when I woke up that morning was this: pray differently.

One of the texts for next Sunday is Isaiah 11:1-10. It seems I am still being stirred by the Spirit to pray differently. It is to pray the impossible prayers. It is to see the impossible and realize that God just may make it possible.

In our world where powerful people, greed, big bucks, etc., rule the day, the Lord invites us to look to the One who will not be swayed by big buck contributions. When the temptation is to turn our gaze on the wealthy and the beautiful and the fabulously talented… the Lord asks us to see what he sees: the needy. The poor.

In this world when the Middle East broods over civil war within Islamic tribes, and then seethes over conflict between Israel and the rest of the Middle East… when China and North Korea posture themselves in violent ways, choosing to ignore the rest of the world… when it simply seems that there is no way people with opposite views can get get together…

The Lord invites us to pray differently. For the day when the lion lays down with the lamb. When the leopard and goat get along. A time of peace. 

Again, as Pentecostals and evangelicals, we have theologies that tempt us to say, “This is for the sweet by and by.” But I think we need to hear a greater invitation. An invitation to get our eyes on the One who can speak and peace comes upon the waters.

And today… again… pray differently.