A NOTE FROM ANDY PULLEN

A couple weeks ago, my wife and our six year-old came home from Trader Joe’s with a chocolate babka, as one does. You can't beat a babka. The next day, our three kids came home from school and after getting settled, my daughter asked me if we could eat the rest of the babka. Being uninterested in the elevated levels of chaos that comes with a sugary treat, I said that it wasn't a good time. And then mere minutes later, one of my boys came along and politely asked if we could finish off the babka. I held my ground and offered a different snack, but that’s when our third kid caught on and put in his request for the babka.

Unlike other rabbis who employed prayer to control God or to display their piety, Jesus prayed to relate to His Father.

After all three of my kids asked for some afternoon babka, I gave in. This whole situation was so similar to a parable that Jesus tells his disciples about prayer. In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus taught his disciples about prayer first by modeling how to pray, and then by teaching about it. Through both, he showed us a new way to relate with God through prayer, and it was revolutionary. In the book What If Jesus Was Serious About Prayer, Skye Jethani points out that "unlike other rabbis who employed prayer to control God or to display their piety, Jesus prayed to relate to His Father." While prayer isn’t some magical way to access a divine vending machine, Jesus shows us that God is waiting to be with us, and as a community of people who follow Jesus together, we can be "shamelessly audacious" by praying for each other. While God isn’t a pushover like I am, he is our Father and He loves to give us good gifts.

A wild thought about our diverse local church is that we are made up of teachers, students, public servants, business owners, sales people, engineers, parents, grandparents, friends, and so much beyond all that. And in each of those realms, we are all called to serve God by caring well for those around us. And because we’re in a church family together, we get to pray for each other.

What are some ways our church can be praying for you in your jobs, or in your situations and relationships as you strive to love and follow Jesus by using what He has gifted you with? Let us know on our website how we can pray with you. Our staff, elders, and prayer team pray for each request we get. Or if you’re in a home community, or men’s or women’s community, let others in your circle know how we can join you in prayer. And taking it a step further, who is in your circle that you can join with in prayer? If someone comes to mind, take the time to ask them how you can be praying alongside them.

Andy Pullen
Director of Digital Strategy

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