Dr. Rodney Plunket

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.  I thirst for God, the living God.”  The first verse of this psalm that we have both read and sung expresses a deep desire/a passion for God.  The writer is an ancient Israelite who longs to be in God’s presence at the temple in Jerusalem.

A psalm that expresses this same desire is Psalm 84.  In verse 2 of that psalm we read, “My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.”

Psalm 63 begins similarly.  Verse one of that psalm declares, “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  In Psalm 143:6 we read, “I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.”

All of these psalms also reveal the poets’ circumstances when these psalms were written, and all of these psalms were written when the writers were facing difficult circumstances which kept them away from the temple in Jerusalem.  Such circumstances were what caused the psalm writers to feel so distant from the presence of God.  They longed for the distance to be overcome.  They longed to be in God’s presence at the temple.  Their feelings of separation created a powerful hunger, a passion to be in the presence of God.

I hope that all of us have experienced times of incredible closeness to God.  I hope that many of us have experienced such times right here in worship, but what matters much more is that we have lives characterized by and shaped by an incredible closeness to God.  I hope our sense of closeness to God does not depend on location at all.  I hope we are rarely without that sense of closeness no matter where we happen to be.

And I hope, if we ever do feel distant from God, that we respond to that sense of distance as did these ancient psalm writers.  I hope we feel as they felt.  I hope we are as thirsty for, as hungry for, and as passionate for the presence of God as they were; and I hope we give voice to our feelings in prayer as they did.

But most of all, I hope that every Broadway member is committed to a life­style that generates, feeds, and enhances our relationship with God––a relationship with God that is intimate, ongoing, and life-transforming!

For decades, members of churches of Christ were known for their study and knowledge of Scripture.  I am quite certain that this attribute is fading.  Sisters and brothers, a people who have a passion for God are a people of the Book.  They drink of it, and they allow the radical message that it contains to open them up to an ever-deepening relationship with God, a relationship that profoundly impacts the whole of their lives.  The Broadway church is committed to providing Bible classes that are characterized by “In-depth Bible Study.”  In fact, that phrase, “In-depth Bible Study,” is one of Broadway’s stated values.  But we know that class times on Sundays and Wednesdays are insufficient.  Please, brothers and sisters, be passionate for God; hunger and thirst for a deep, life-transforming relationship with the living God.  Please spend time in the Book on your own and with others often during every week.

Believers who cherish their ever-deepening relationship with God love to be around people who also cherish and feed their own relationship with God.  We are to promote that purpose, that goal, that hunger, that passion in one another.  May all of our gatherings with fellow believers focus on our faith.  May they be characterized by a sharing of what we are experiencing in Bible study, in our daily walks with the Lord, and in our prayer lives.  Let’s bring a hunger for spiritual growth to every Bible class, every Growth Group meeting, every worship assembly, and every prayer group in which we participate.

Now let me try to put together all of what I have said so far and to place it within God’s overall work among us.  The gospel calls us to God.  The gospel announces that Jesus is the way to God.  As Paul makes clear in Romans 5:6-10, we were once powerless and ungodly sinners; we were once the enemies of God.  But through the death of Jesus, God has brought about our reconciliation to God.  As Paul also reveals in 2 Corinthians 6:18, the saved are God’s “sons and daughters.”  We are members of God’s family.  Hey, that is great news.  There is none better.  God loves us!  God loves us like sons and daughters because “that is what we are” (1 John 3:1).

That reality should be the defining reality of our lives, and our relationship with God should be our most precious, our most prized possession.  We should want the reality of it to go with us everywhere we go.  We should want the experience of it to go with us everywhere we go.  We should want it to wrap us ‘round every moment of everyday.

Such a desire leads to Bible study and to deep fellowship with one another.  God sets a lavish table for God’s sons and daughters.  Everything God serves is nutritious.  Nothing contains cholesterol, fat, or carbs.  It is unbelievably delicious and healthy.  We are to eat to the full.  Six times the New Testament refers to a joy that is “complete” (John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13; Phil 2:2; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 1:12).  I want to tell you that the meal that God serves causes us to have a joy that is complete.

Why would anyone want to pick at his or her food at the table of God?  Why would anyone want a small serving?  Why would anyone skip dessert?  We should want every single bite.  It makes no sense to diet at the table of God.  Let’s devote ourselves to the study of Scripture and to a deep fellowship with one another because these are two of the main courses at the table of God.

But there is another absolutely vital course in this meal served by God.  It is prayer, and I am not talking about the quick, perfunctory prayers prayed out of habit or tradition.  I am referring to prayers that connect us to God, that feed our relationship with God, prayers through which we experience the power, majesty, grace, love, and presence of God.  Prayers prayed out of a passion for the living God.

I want to focus some more upon prayer; but, before I do that, John is going to come and lead us in two songs that feed this desire to have a deep and life-transforming relationship with the living God.

As I said before these last two songs, I want to focus some more upon prayer.  I especially want to focus upon prayer which feeds a relationship with God that is intimate, ongoing, and life transforming.

Let me begin by reminding you that the New Testament (NT) is full of assurances regarding the power of prayer.  My favorite story conveying the power of prayer is found in the Book of Acts.  Please look with me at Acts 4:23-35:

After they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.  When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant:

          ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,

                    and the peoples imagine vain things?

          The kings of the earth took their stand,

                    and the rulers have gathered together

                              against the Lord and against his Messiah.’

For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.  And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.  With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.  There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold.  They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Surely no reader can miss this story’s portrayal of prayer’s power.  Surely no believer can read it and not have his or her passion for God fed.  And notice that this powerful prayer was a group prayer.

Another reference to the power of group prayer is found in Matthew 18:19-20.  There Jesus says,

Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Please look with me now at James 5:16:

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.  The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

Prayer is powerful; the NT makes that very clear.  The NT also seems to indicate that when believers come together and pray together in agreement about something the power of prayer is increased.

Two Broadway members are experiencing a contemporary example of the power of prayer when believers pray in agreement.  Let me read a report of that example written by Carol Box.

As I returned home from attending worship services at Broadway on August 3, 2003, I played the messages that were flashing on my answering machine.  Little did I think that one of those messages I would hear would have such impact on, not only my life and my faith, but also the faith of many others as well.  The terrible message that I listened to was that Nancy Delong, sister of Bennie Raney and myself had been severely burned in a kitchen fire that morning as she prepared a wonderful meal for her five children and their families.  At that time, we only knew that she had been taken from her home in North Richland Hills to the Parkland Burn Unit in Dallas by aero care.  The message had stated that although her burns were severe, they were not considered to be life threatening.  The Raneys and I rushed to get ourselves down to Dallas as soon as possible that afternoon, not expecting the dire news that we received when we arrived.  As we learned more of the details of her condition, we were told that her doctors had said that because of the extent of her burns (2^nd and 3^rd degree over almost 50% of her body), and her age factor being considered, there was no way that she would survive this accident.  Using the “Parkland formula” in which they add these two factors together to derive her mortality rate as a result of her burns, we found they gave no hope at all for her to recover.  This mortality figure would be approximately 120%.  She would not live.

Prayers for Nancy’s recovery began almost immediately following her accident.  The helicopter that was sent to take her to Parkland landed at Richland Hills Church of Christ, which is located only three or four blocks from her home.  As the commotion in the parking lot was making way for the helicopter and the EMS ambulance, Rick Atchley interrupted his sermons that morning to have a special prayers for her.  As announcements of this accident were made, streams of concerned friends and members of her family rushed from RHCC to Parkland to be there as she arrived.  Nancy, a person who would not normally believe that she would have any type of supernatural experience, recalls that “someone,” who she thought was a fireman, sat down beside her while they were in the helicopter.  She recalls that he asked her if she wanted him to take her on to Heaven, or did she want to stay here on earth for a while.  She said that it was a very difficult decision, but she told him that she wanted to stay here for a while longer.  I don’t pretend to know about this experience, but it is one that Nancy says that she had.  At any rate, it seems as though she was already experiencing the feeling that God was near.

Thus began a period of the next two months in which members of Nancy’s family were literally lavished with cards, food, money, calls, and, most important of all, with prayers for her recovery.  I have never been so impressed with Christian acts as I have been during this time.  Although there was only a small visiting area at Parkland for members of families, scores of people came to tell us that they were praying for Nancy.  There were large circles of friends who congregated in halls to pray for her during this time.  Prayers on her behalf came from believers over many parts of the world.  To name just a few: a minister’s prayer chain in Europe; a prayer chain at First Baptist Church here in Lubbock; prayers from almost every church in Brownfield; a prayer chain at a Bible Church in Abilene; a missionary’s prayer chain in England; and, also, those prayers that were made for her here at Broadway.  Bennie, Scott, and I appreciated so very much the elders here at Broadway having a special prayer service for her as they laid their hands on each of the three of us.

As her condition worsened during the next 2-3 weeks, our prayers changed from wanting Nancy to recover, to that of God doing whatever was best for her.  We prayed that He would send down angels to protect her during this time, so that she would not have to endure the horrible pain that is caused by severe burns.  Surprisingly, the first night that she was there, her beautiful nurse came out of the ICU to ask her family a question.  She said, “I would like to know if Nancy is a Christian.”  We assured her that she definitely was.  She said, “ Oh, good.  I just wanted you to know that I am also and that I have been praying for her constantly since she arrived to be under my care.”  Even though, the events of those days and weeks were horrible in so many ways, we felt that we were in a special place, at a special time, in a protected realm, and most of all, that God was very near to each of us.  As Nancy hovered between life and death, her doctors and nurses could not believe the peace and contentment that she had.  Strange as it may be, she did not experience much pain during this entire ordeal, nor did she have any infections in her wounds.  Even as recently as today (Thursday the 2^nd), I heard that those world-renown doctors and nurses who took care of her in Parkland said they feel as though they have been a part of a miracle because of her recovery.  As we prayed almost constantly during these times, we prayed that Nancy’s life not be saved just so that she could enjoy this life here on earth for a little while longer, but that if God chose to extend her life, that we would never forget what He had done, and that we would use these events to share God’s love, His power, and His abiding presence with everyone with whom we would come in contact for as long as we would live.

As family members of other burn patients at Parkland saw the out­pouring of love and concern that were extended by Christians, they were amazed.  Even though Nancy’s children were so concerned over their mother, they became a tower of strength for other family members who were there at Parkland.  These family members began to ask if they too could be a part of our prayer circles.  The custodian on the 6^th floor of Parkland, who had been befriended by one of Nancy’s children, brought a note that he too had been praying for Nancy.  The company where one of Nancy’s daughters works brought a big basket of food to the waiting room on that first day.  One of the young women who delivered that basket told about a week later that she had not been to church in many years, but because of the love that she had seen from Christians on that day she came to the hospital, she was returning to her church.  She stated that she and her family went to worship services that very next Sunday after this happened.  Several other similar events happened as people shared that this event had caused a change in their purpose of life. 

The current news concerning Nancy could not be better.  Her wounds, her skin grafts, her lungs, all are doing great.  She has been moved from Parkland to a rehab hospital where she will spend the next few weeks.  Following her rehabilitation, the doctors expect that she will have a full recovery.  She asked me to please relate to all of you how very much she appreciates all that you have done here for her and her family. 

Even though these have been very difficult times for all of us, they have also been a time of when our faith has been strengthened, our love for our Lord has been deepened, and our commitment to Him has been made stronger.  I hope that we will never forget how great God is, how He does answer prayers, that He is alive, that He is powerful, and that He loves us and wants us to depend on Him.  “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever.  Amen.”

What an amazing and inspiring testimony.  Thank you, Carol Box, for sharing it with us.

Sisters and brothers, prayer is powerful; and prayer together in groups has a special power.  Many Broadway members are already praying together in small prayer groups, but we want to help everyone have that opportunity.  Please pull out the tan cards that were inserted in your worship handouts.  If you would like to participate in a weekly small prayer group please write your name and phone number on that form and your email address would be helpful as well.  If you would be willing to host a small prayer group at your home or at your workplace please write “yes” after that question.  Then please list at least three days and times that would be convenient for you to be involved in a small prayer group (e.g., Mondays at Noon, Tuesdays at 6:00 am, Saturdays at 8:00 am).  If there are Broadway members that you would especially like to pray with, write their names on the blanks at the bottom of the card.  You can turn your card in when the other cards are picked up at the close of the service.  You can turn it in to the elders when you exit the auditorium.  You can also put it in the top slot of one of the oak boxes that are found at many of our exits.  We will check those boxes on Monday morning.

Our service has been focused on nearness to God and prayer.  I suspect that there are persons here this morning who need Christian support in drawing nearer to God, so I want to do something we have not done before.  I would like for all of us to bow and pray silently for about thirty seconds.  I would like for us to pray that God will give courage or whatever is needed to help those persons come and allow us to support them in their desire to draw nearer to God.  Let’s pray.

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