July 21 - Righteous Prayer

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 18,19; 2 Chronicles 32; James 5

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Human will factors not only into salvation
but also into “working out” that salvation.

Back to the divine tensions we talked about three days ago. We are saved by God’s grace, not our own works. It has nothing to do with our righteousness and everything to do with His. And the Calvinists would say “Amen!” But what we are reading in James creates the counterbalance: we prove our faith in God’s grace by our works, and the fact of Christ’s imputed righteousness by our own right living (2:14-26). Can I get an “Amen” from the Arminians?

In our reading today it becomes clear that the power of human will factors not only into salvation but also into “working out” that salvation (Phil. 2:12). Some would say that once you are saved you are always saved, but then why so many warnings about possible apostasy. If we cannot fall away, why would James urge us to turn around a straying brother (one who was saved) and in doing so, save him from death (5:19,20)?

And if our righteousness (right living) is a non-issue, why does it affect the effectiveness of our prayers? The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (5:16b). Our OT readings beautifully illustrate how our own right living is a huge factor in answered prayer. Hezekiah was facing overwhelming odds, the same army who had just defeated and enslaved the ten northern tribes of Israel. But his prayers were heard and answered like no other’s. They didn’t even have to lift a finger, or a spear, to fight back. God sent their enemies running for home by deploying just one of His angels (32:20,21). Hezekiah’s success was clearly linked to his own right living (18:5-7).

“Lord, I know that I did not earn or even deserve Your salvation, but I also know that You expect me to work out that salvation with fear and trembling. Thank You for filling me with Your Spirit so He can help me make those right choices and pray righteous prayers!”