Age of Wisdom

DAY 80: Long ago I came up with this brilliant life strategy. All my friends had to be older than me so that by comparison, I would seem young.  This worked great for about 20 years. You can imagine that as I have gotten older the pool of likely candidates has gotten smaller.  At 49 there are now two generations of people I can't associate with if I want to feel better about myself.  Thankfully, I found out about a group that was just perfect for me.  It is a prayer group that meets every week specifically focused on praying for missions and praying for the other members of the group - who all happen to be 65 and older.  I LOVE THEM!!!

My friend Susan and I are the babies of the group... in our forties. We are most often referred to as "the girls" and "you young ones."  DELIGHTFUL!   The bonus is that we also are being mentored by these women of God who have forgotten more about walking faithfully with God than we may ever know. From them we experience genuine hospitality, kindness,  love in action, and perseverance.  Each one has experienced her own painful trials, yet without a hint of guile or bitterness. They have tutored us in things only those who have a history in the valley can teach.

Our group's matriarch, at 93 years young, has taught me more about the the art and passion of prayer than 100 books ever could.  Mostly, though, she has taught me the need and the urgency of prayer.  Prayer is not what you do when all else fails; it is what you do without fail.  She has taught us the power of praying God's own truths, claiming them at His very throne and believing with expectation.  Because of her, and the others in this gang of greys, I understand the significance of little verses tucked into the telling of Jesus life that otherwise I might pass right by.  Verses like the one in Luke 5 that a few years ago I might have overlooked entirely as I focused on the more spectacular words.

Jesus was moving from village to village teaching and healing with great power.  In these passages He met a man with severe leprosy who fell at His feet and begged to be healed.  Jesus reached out and touched Him (that alone in stunning) and of course the leper was instantly healed.  He moved on to another town and healed a paralyzed man and also declared him forgiven, leaving everyone "gripped with great wonder and awe."  These spectacular happenings are far more exciting than a little verse sandwiched in between the two miracles.

Luke 5:16    "But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer."

One sentence.  No explanation. No commentary.  "Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer." Before I might have thought it was a nice way for Him to rest; perhaps a good use of His down time. Now though, having spent time in prayer with these women who know prayer, I know longer think of prayer as "restful."  Real prayer, effective prayer, powerful prayer, is strenuous.  It is wrestling with God to know His will. It is digging deep into your own soul to connect to the Spirit and praying in sync with Him.  Effective prayer is exhausting.  It is also empowering.

To know this, brings a deeper understanding of the times "Jesus often withdrew" to pray.  He prayed because He needed to pray. He couldn't do without praying. His ministry needed the power that comes in prayer. His soul needed the communion that comes in prayer.  He was God but in these times on earth He was also man.  Man needs intimate relationship with God- in prayer. If He felt the need for prayer, so much so that He would withdraw from the urgent needs of people, how much more do I need it?

More than I need a vacation, more than I need a nap, more than I need a coffee break, more than I need a retreat... I need to "often withdraw to the wilderness for prayer." Following Him faithfully in the rest of my life depends on it. 

So I'll keep going to my Gray Ladies prayer group, learning from these amazing prayer warriors, and taking their lessons into the wilderness with me.  I might even try to recruit a few others to grow along with us... of course no one under 65 need apply :)

Day 80 of 365
Numbers 33:40-56
Numbers 34
Numbers 35
Luke 5:12-28
Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23