Word of Encouragement (1/6/2021)
Yesterday, we talked about the culture of the city of man and its pursuit of autonomy and independence from God. Naturally, the city of man opposes prayer, which symbolizes man’s need for God, both for communion and provision. As we enjoy the safety and provision offered by the city of man, we feel less urgency to pray. How can we not be conformed to the city of man and its godless ways? There is a practical consideration as well as a more theoretical one. Let me address the practical one first.
I hope it’s not so hard to see the deficiencies of the city of man, especially in its promise of security and provision. 2020 is a perfect example, isn’t it? 2020 looked so promising when it started. But COVID-19 came out of nowhere. It afflicted us with so many problems in all areas of our life in the city of man, laying bare its vulnerability. It also exposed the dark side of human nature. Many agree that COVID-19 has brought out the worst of people—how people can be so inconsiderate of others; how we all can be so judgmental toward those who don’t agree with our assessment of the problem and methods of dealing with it. The city of man has a veneer of security. Thanks to its technology, we are generally safe from the darkness and coldness of the night, the rain and the snow, many diseases and ailments, starvation and nakedness, etc. But even as I list these things, you can see how we still have so much to go. Still, so many people suffer and die from incurable illnesses, many lose everything by natural disasters and die, not to mention all the social and political injustices and conflicts, economic hardships, institutional corruptions, etc.
Think also about the fragility of our life in the city of man. Things may be going well but we should be under no illusion that it will always be that way. At any given moment, we are only one accident or one phone call away from the doctor’s office from bidding farewell to life as we know it. There are hundreds of things we take for granted in life, the loss of any of one of which (our family member, for example) can throw off the fragile balance that keeps our life together and change it forever. It is foolish to rely on the promises of the city of man. We have all kinds of insurance to give us a sense of security. But we forget that, while they can lessen the damage done to us, they cannot shield us from sicknesses, accidents, death, and other troubles of life.
Prayer is our declaration that our confidence is not in the promises of the city of man but the Lord Himself: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Ps. 20:7). As we pray, we acknowledge that God is the “Fount of every blessing” and it is by His grace that we have and enjoy whatever we have. This perspective gives us the boldness not to fear the city of man and those in authority there because we know that God is the One who holds our future in His hands, not they. Through prayer, we grow in thankfulness and learn not to take anything for granted. We bring our petitions to Him because we know that He is able. Let us consider it a great blessing to rely on God through prayer!
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD…! The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all perish together.... Like birds hovering, so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it” (Isa. 31:1, 3, 5).
Have a blessed day as you seek His help and rescue through prayer!