We are involved in spiritual warfare on every side. The responses reviewed in the previous article indicate that many of us feel the battle acutely and are aware of the struggle.
Our Father, ever providing for our needs, has given us access to a formidable armoury wherewith to face our foe. Our weapons, however, are not carnal.
Our shield is to be one of faith, and faith, fed and fanned into flame by the Word of God, will enable us to fend off the fiery darts of wickedness.
Feet shod with the gospel of peace should have us walking with purpose and meaning through our period of probation, enabling us to nimbly avoid the pitfalls which hinder our walk; and in our hand at all times is to be the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, sharp and effective in skilful, well trained hands1.
Added to those weapons of spiritual warfare is the immensely powerful gift of prayer. Our heavenly Father hears and responds to the prayers of His saints. Given this, why would we not be found regularly laying our position before Him and drawing strength from prayer for the daily strife?
The survey asked questions in relation to Bible reading and prayer.
Do you manage to read the Bible each day?
Yes 23%
Most days 35%
Sporadically 31%
No 11%
If ‘no’ or ‘sporadically’, what are the main reasons?
My life isn’t organised enough 46%
Don’t feel motivated 36%
Not enough time in the day 14%
Don’t think it’s necessary 4%
Once again it is clear from these responses how significant the effective use of time is. Of those who do the readings every day, or most days, 63% of them follow the daily Bible reading plan.
To further analyse our usage of time in relation to this issue, the question was asked: When are the Bible readings done?
What time of the day do you do them?
In the evening 33%
Just before bed 18%
No set time 15%
No response 15%
Morning 0%
Evenly spread throughout the day 8%
Lunchtime 1%
Where do you do them?
In bed 33%
Wherever— no set place 28%
In the lounge room 21%
At a desk 9%
Dining room table 6%
On public transport 3%
Who do you read with?
Silently by yourself 43%
With another member of the family 34%
No response 13%
With friends 5%
Aloud to yourself 5%
We would certainly expect in a large diverse community to find a variety of daily routines and therefore responses to these questions.
There are indications in these results that some families are still doing the readings together in the evening. However there is also the clear indication that many are leaving the reading of God’s Word till the last activity of the day; indeed many are reading in bed, and silently on their own. There is no doubt that for some this would be a very effective and meaningful part of the day, and yet it’s quite likely, too, that for others it probably represents an effort to assuage a conscience which knows such an important activity should not have been left till last.
Regular Personal Bible Study
As a community often described in our history as ‘people of the Book’, how often do we make a habit of deliberate, regular Bible study?
Personal Bible Study: Do you make time for it?
Sometimes 58%
Never 22%
Yes 19%
No response 1%
In Australia there are indications that those who are younger are less likely to be making time for personal Bible study.
Personal Bible Study: Do you make time for it?
Australia-centric results)
17–20 year olds 7% said yes
21–30 year olds 14% said yes
31–50 year olds 19% said yes
51–60 year olds 39% said yes
This would indicate that few young brothers and sisters set aside time to look specifically at a section of Scripture.
If our community lacks individuals who spend their personal time seeking to understand the Word this will be detrimental to all. Knowing and understanding the Word of our God is what provides knowledge of right and wrong, and the ability to discern His will. If we have not that ability, where will we as individuals and as a community end up?
Making Time for Prayer
On the subject of prayer, the question was asked: Do you make time for it?
Prayer: Do you make time for it?
Always 53%
Sometimes 35%
Rarely 7%
No Response 3%
Never 2%
Is it fervent and consistent was the next question, and possibly more to the point of whether or not making time for it is significant.
Prayer: Is it fervent and consistent?
Yes 46%
No 45%
No response 9%
Prayer: Do you feel it is effectual?
Yes 52%
I don’t really know 39%
No 5%
No response 4%
Could it really be that only 53% make time for prayer? Is it true that only half again do so fervently and consistently? Do 39% of us wonder whether our prayers are effectual? If we are not sure that our prayers are even effective, might not this affect the fervency and consistency of our prayers?
There are many issues that arise out of a consideration of the above results, and quite possibly many of these issues need to be addressed in our ecclesias. Clearly there is a need for discussion of some aspects of our daily walk. It seems we need concerted reiteration of some issues like the importance of daily reading, how to study the Bible and why it is important.
It seems we would benefit from realistic, open discussion about how best to manage our time effectively and balance the demands of ecclesial family life. Perhaps more discussion identifying temptations and combating them is also needed.
Could it also be that we need to seriously discuss ways of simplifying our lives and the very real sacrifices needed to be able to do this?
There is no ‘one size fits all’ response to some of these dilemmas about daily routine and usage of our time, but there are wonderful examples of faithful lives which demonstrate the principles for us to consider and act upon.
The Abrahamic Way
In Genesis 22 we are faced with a scene of great pathos and emotion. To comprehend the feelings of Abraham at this moment of his life is almost beyond us and certainly outside the realm of our personal experience.
We imagine jangling nerves, sweat on the brow, the exhaustion of three sleepless nights and the mounting pressure…
We expect as we read the narrative to find insights into Abraham’s mind and faith, and we do… but who would expect that a little word in verse 9 would open such a window to this man’s relationship with God?
When alerted to the word, it positively leaps off the page, taking our breath away with its staggering implications.
“And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood IN ORDER, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood” (Genesis 22:9).
We are invited here to note a facet of Abraham’s character and worship that is staggering given the circumstances.
We are encouraged to imagine a man who is about to sacrifice his son, carefully ensuring that the wood is neatly arranged in order.
Despite the enormous emotional strain and pressure within, Abraham was not going to perform even this task in a slipshod haphazard manner.
We could almost imagine another man hastily throwing the sticks on ‘any old how’ and ‘getting it over with’—but not Abraham. Everything about this man’s relationship with God was orderly and careful. He revered Him, he honoured Him. He worshipped God decently and in order.2
If our daily life is the altar of sacrifice to God3, are we careful to lay the “wood” on in order?
In one frank discussion I had with a friend we agreed that quite often the following words characterize our daily life: ‘last minute’, ‘rushed’, ‘haphazard’.
This is not the Abrahamic way.
One might protest: “our life is hardly the life of a man living in a tent with 318 servants and all the time in the world at his disposal.”
It may not be, but it is “in the steps of that faith” that we are to walk4.
A Man Greatly Beloved
“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; and over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first… ” (Daniel 6:1–2).
We can only imagine the magnitude of Daniel’s responsibilities in the realm of Darius.
It might be suggested that being as powerful as he was, Daniel was able to delegate most of his responsibilities, leaving him with considerable time to pursue his own desires.
It is quite clear when we study Daniel 6 however, that he was not in the habit of shirking his daily responsibilities.
If he was, it would surely have been something his enemies would have picked up with glee. However, upon scrutinising him for some time they found no flaw.
The net renders verse 4: “… the supervisors and satraps were trying to find some pretext against Daniel in connection with administrative matters. But they were unable to find any such damaging evidence, because he was trustworthy and guilty of no negligence or corruption…”
We know eventually that the only case that was made against Daniel arose out of his consistent prayer life.
At a young age Daniel had been cast into very different, hostile circumstances. He had dealt with the confusion and disorder that his life had been plunged into, and now in his old age he is still living life purposefully and deliberately.
He had established for himself set routines that nothing had changed nor would change. Daniel was praying, fervently, consistently and with full belief that his prayer was being heard. This is not all he was doing. We find that Daniel was particular about something else: “In the first year of his reign I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books…” (Daniel 9:2)
Bible study was a habit for Daniel. Within the challenges of his immensely busy schedule, he also set time aside for the reading and study of God’s Word.
Daniel lived life deliberately. In the midst of a spiritually hostile environment which threatened to envelop him, Daniel continued to conduct his life decently and in order.
Despite enormous pressure such as we could scarcely comprehend, Abraham maintained order and purpose in his worship.
Our daily life often seems to be taking its cue from the commotion and confusion of this present world, and as individuals and as a community we need to fight back. In order to do so effectively we need to embrace “the weapons of our warfare” with which we have been provided.[1]
[1] 2 Did Paul have Abraham in mind in 1 Corinthians 14:40?