Vol. 8-35 – 08-27-2023 – Prayer Fight; Reveillé or Taps
Prayer Fight
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. –Colossians 4:2
We stood looking up at the Greyhound Bus. His head was just barely visible through the window. Our oldest son was headed to St. Paul MN—1210 miles from home. I was forward-thinking enough that I had ordered flowers for Donna to be on her desk when I dropped her back at work.
We had prayed for our young son prior to his being born. Through his early years, through his high-school years, and through the process of his applications for college. We would not stop. Today he is approaching mid-life. We still pray for him.
He lives way up north, in Alaska. He went to visit a roommate he had in college. Was going to stay six months. He has lived way up north for nearly 35 years. Here is a passage similar to how we have prayed:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him; bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. –Colossians 1:9-12a
It is a prayer summary that any of you who are reading this can pray for those you love.
Another part of this chapter reads: Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. –Colossians 4:2
We also pray that God will surround him with people who love the Lord; are not intimidated in sharing what they have learned from His Word, and to befriend our son.
So, what do we see here?
- Devote yourselves to prayer. To devote yourself, the Hebrew means to commit. We learn, from Psalm 37:5, that commit means to roll it over (and then trust, Psalm 37:5b). That includes times when things go well and when they seem to fall apart. When outcomes are good, and when they are not. We devote ourselves to prayer because our Lord expects us to.
- Be careful and thankful. Praying is not flinging wants toward heaven; flinging the instructions. God expects us to give watch care; to expect His answers. So, we should expect some lessons in patience.
- We need to be persistent in prayer. But not on the basis of God not answering the way we like. Being persistent does not include us being God’s instructor. We should intercede. God paints His will in His Word. It is thoroughly there. We need to be persistent in praying according to His Word. The disciples struggled in attempting to draw a demon from a person. Jesus told them that the work could only happen through prayer (Mark 9:28-29).
- Keep your head and heart in the Word. God’s Word will direct your prayers. I have had people say to me that they do not know how to pray. What they most often reveal with that response is that they are not very consistent in the Word.
Our schedules and activities make for interruptions to that which is important. Regardless of how busy we are, we will always find time to do what we want. How much do we want to pray?
Reveille or Taps
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this, we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. –1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
There is a lot in those verses.
We have a favorite breakfast/brunch place: Reveillé. We go every Wednesday and have breakfast with our favorite people. At times we go on other days with a different purpose, to build relationships with someone who does not know Christ.
For most weeks of the year, the café sets a small table close to the entrance. It honors those who have given their lives in service to our country. A picture. A place setting. A prayer-card. Sometimes military gloves. Sometimes a card with the lyrics of Taps. It is a fitting tribute amongst the busy activities of people.
I did not get the privilege of serving our country in the military; I could not do so because of physical reasons. But I am familiar with Reveillé from my scouting days. It is very early in the morning. It was played into a microphone. There was no place in the scout camp where it could not be heard. In the evening, the flag would be lowered, and Taps would be sounded. One of our scouts played Taps on his bugle during a funeral for a dear friend of mine.
Trump/bugle calls are not unique to the U.S. We read in Scripture that ram’s horns were used to summon. On holy days. For troop gatherings. For directing. Always at the forefront of the people. While you are reading this, the sounds of Reveillé and Taps are probably going through your mind.
It is difficult not to be reminded of this passage, at least every Wednesday at Reveille. Paul also addresses this in an earlier letter. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. –1 Corinthians 15:51-52
I do not read where Taps will be played at the conclusion of Christ’s calling His home. Perhaps it should be played as a sound of dread in the end times.
Life Application
Yes, we will always find time to do what we want. So, if we are going to have steadiness in our prayer life, we must make time. And we will if we want to pray. Prayer impacts people for eternity. I spent years in business. The focus of the company was the return on investment. I cannot think of a greater return on investment than prayer provides.
Be aware of the promises that God makes in His Word regarding our praying.
There is coming a time for the trumpet. It will be sooner than expected. A trumpet call to end all trumpet calls. Christ will return to take His own home in heaven. The passages call for your readiness. Will your loved ones be ready? Your neighbors? Your friends? Your co-workers?
Does the promise of Christ’s return fill you with joy or dread?
