Saturday Morning Men’s Prayer Report – SM²PR

^“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” – John 15:12

“The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” – Psalm 92:12

Dan shared this exchange that took place a couple of Saturday’s ago  between him and a brother (we’ll call DB) at the Saturday Morning Men’s Prayer meeting:

DB broke from worship and addressed Dan saying, “I’m hearing God telling me that you, Dan, are a post!”

Hmmm, Dan wondered. Doesn’t sound very exciting. What does that mean?

DB continued, “It’s not like your basic 4X4 wooden post but something much thicker.”

Dan’s eyes widen. What he was hearing began to take on meaning.

“It’s thicker, stronger, more like an 8X8 post.” DB hesitated and then added. “Yes, God has made you into a strong 8X8 post!” He mused, “Why? For the benefit of others.”

Dan chuckled and whispered, “Very cool.”

“God has made you this way – for the benefit of others so they can lean on you as a sturdy foundation.” DB concluded. “God has made you this way and for this purpose. So, let this foundational beam carry other’s weight.”

Dan wondered, Did I say anything about what I did yesterday? He shook his head, Nope!

What DB didn’t know was that Dan on this morning was sore and tired with hands rough and worn from over-exerting himself the day before. Dan is renovating a house as a family project and the property has a steep incline from the driveway up to the front door. Dan’s idea was to create some terrace steps that would gradually lead up to the house.

They would be large platform foundation steps. But, how was he going to make it work? What could he use as the foundation and form for the structure? He had decided to use railroad ties – big, thick, heavy 8X8 pieces of lumber!

Dan had spent the whole day before shifting these heavy wooden beams around – moving the big pieces of lumber to lay out and organize the basic shapes, the size and location of the steps. All the time he was struggling physically and mentally trying to figure out how he was going to make it work.

Now, DB, without having any idea what Dan had been doing, was relating a message that spoke directly to Dan’s experience. How else would DB know other than a wild guess or that God told him?

What did it mean for Dan? In general terms, it meant that the Lord was confirming and reminding Dan that He is there by Dan’s side. God doesn’t miss a thing. Reminding Dan with what some might call DB’s “word of knowledge” of how real and trustworthy God’s voice is, causing Dan’s ears to perk up and be attentive. To listen and strive to understand what God wants to say to him.

The specific meaning? I don’t know. DB was the messenger but the words are for Dan to engage with God on. Perhaps, Dan was tired and maybe a little frustrated or discouraged with the work ahead? Perhaps, Jesus was saying, “I can give you the strength not only of the Cedars of Lebanon but to be the strong Cedar Post – to be that strong foundation that others can further build upon.” Of all the gifts God has given Dan, perhaps he doesn’t see himself in this way and God is opening him up to a new vision of his plan for Dan’s life. Or, reinforcing something Dan already knows. It’s now for Dan to grow in relationship with Jesus by seeking Him.

If I could add anything I’d say; Dan’s joy and passion for the reality of God in his life is a strong, stable, foundational cedar post to his church. With that, just as with the stair pathway he is building at his house, he is making a sturdy pathway to higher spiritual ground at his church.

And, if Dan is intimidated (as I might be) by the thought of being the foundational post carrying other’s weight – if the idea of being the strong post or pillar for those around you is overwhelming, he can rest knowing that his Savior is carrying the weight of his post.

The above exchange is an example of what we are seeing more and more of in this seasoned prayer gathering – men listening for God’s voice for themselves and more often for others. When something enters into their mind/spirit, they might struggle to grasp what it means. It requires faith to then share it without fully understanding it. A matter of being willing to be an ambassador to convey a message not meant for us, not understood by us but intended for the ears of another. To know that God is active, alive and engaging with us as a church body.

Now God is Speaking to me – Taking it a little Further

As I contemplated the exchange that Dan recounted to me, I was drawn to Psalm 29:4-5 –“The voice of Jehovah [is] with power, The voice of Jehovah [is] with majesty, The voice of Jehovah [is] shivering cedars, Yea, Jehovah shivers the cedars of Lebanon.”– (Young’s Literal Translation – YLT)

The Hebrew word Shabar, translated uniquely in the YLT as “shiver” is actually almost always translated as breaks. It is a verb that conveys an extreme result. Something is being broken violently and shattered into pieces, crippled, wrecked, crushed. Or, it conveys the imagery of a powerful wind that causes even the thickest of trees to shiver.

God’s voice emitting great power that shatters and destroys things? Certainly, He has the power to do so. But, Jesus says in John’s Gospel that He did not come to destroy but to give abundant life. How do we reconcile these two concepts?

Looking closer at the definition of Shabar, it also means – to cause to break out, bring forth to the birth. As an example we find in Isaiah 66:9 – “Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.” For most mothers, the birth experience is a painful, traumatic, violent experience, but one that leads to the great joy of new life.

If we insert the translation of Birth into Psalm 29:5 you would get –“The voice of Jehovah brings forth to birth cedars, Yea, Jehovah brings forth to birth the cedars of Lebanon.” (Tucker’s Unauthorized Translation-TUT)

In other words; God is saying, “You see that tremendous, sturdy Cedar of Lebanon over there? That giant, beautiful, evergreen tree that can attain a height of over 100 feet with a trunk reaching more than 6 feet in diameter? That prized mighty tree, used to build palaces, fortresses, temples and ships and from which so many essential products are produced? My power and majesty birthed it, created it. I am the essence of all its power and strength and value.”

I’m not sure what God, through DB was telling Dan specifically, but God is now reminding me of the power and majesty of His voice – even if only through a whisper. Power to give life by Shabar – 1. Shattering the strongholds, 2. Shaking any false foundations and 3. Birthing that which is new and good and true for my life.

His voice is powerful and true. Stop and give a listen. His voice may rock our world but if it does, God does it for our good – to bring forth and birth a more abundant life!