Minister’s Forum
I don’t envy Moses. He had a big job, but he also served a big God!
This became clear to me when I read the Old Testament book of Numbers.
The Israelites are camped in the wilderness of Sinai, where they have been since Moses led them out of Egypt. God has already provided manna, but the people aren’t satisfied. They want meat. They begin to complain, and Moses begins to feel the burden of leadership.
But Moses said, "The people I am with number 600,000 on foot; and you say, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.' Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them? Are there enough fish in the sea to catch for them?”
Then comes the most significant scripture in this book:
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s power limited?’ Now you shall see whether my word will come true or not.” (Numbers 11:21-23)
“Is the Lord’s power limited?”
“How big is your God?”
Our answers to these questions determine the size of our prayers. I have been reading a book a friend of mine gave to me called, “Be a Circle Maker,” by Mark Batterson. Here is an excerpt from his book:
“It is absolutely imperative at the outset that you come to terms with this simple yet life-changing truth: God is for you. If you don’t believe that, then you’ll pray small timid prayers; if you do believe it, then you’ll pray big audacious prayers. And one way or another, your small timid prayers or big audacious prayers will change the trajectory of your life and turn you into two totally different people. Prayers are prophecies. They are the best predictors of your spiritual future. Who you become is determined by how you pray. Ultimately, the transcript of your prayers becomes the script of your life.”
The last sentence is worth the time and price invested in reading the book: “Who you become is best determined by how you pray. Ultimately, the transcript of your prayers becomes the script of your life.”
The bigger the prayers you and I pray, the larger the circle we draw, and greater the impact upon our lives, our families, churches, communities and even nations! Unfortunately, many people – including many Christians and churches – have limited God’s power and tied God’s hand because of their small timid prayers.
It is plain to see that we are living in difficult times; we need Christians who are willing to pray big, bold prayers, because they believe in a big, bold God!
Since the first of the year, the Vandalia Ministerial Alliance has begun to meet an hour before our regularly scheduled monthly meeting just to pray. We are praying bold, audacious prayers for the Vandalia community. I challenge each of you to get up an hour early once a week and begin to draw the circle wide by believing God for big answers to what concerns you and our community.
Be a circle maker, and wait and watch for God to move!
Rev. Roger Grimmett • First United Methodist Church
