Lord Give Us Men
Most men who attend church take church casually. Casual means occurring occasionally, superficially, without serious intent. The job of the church is to challenge men to be all they can be according to the power of the Holy Spirit. The mission of church is to inspire them to live the great commission. Most churches ask men to attend regularly, serve diligently and to give generously. Other than these three things, they don’t ask much.
Casual is similar to average. Average is the norm, according to the standard of mediocrity. The church at Laodicea was average and lukewarm. Lukewarm is tepid, ordinary and customary. Ordinary lacks refinement. God said, because you are lukewarm, I will spew you out of my mouth.
The course of this world is course, ordinary, and lacking in superior value. Unexceptional is the norm according to the world’s standard. However, extraordinary rises above the standards of the world. We’re extraordinary because of God’s remarkable grace. By his grace we’ve been separated from the darkness of this world to the higher standard of His Word.
The world calls good evil and evil good. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high. God has called men who know whom they have believed and are persuaded that he is able to keep that which he’s committed to them against that day of righteous judgement.
The politicians of Jesus’ time wanted him to be their earthly king. However Jesus said, my kingdom is not of this world. The Pharisees asked him, What’s your plan?” Jesus pointed to a few lowly Galilean fishermen and a tax collector and said, those men over there, they’re the plan. He didn’t see them as they were…he saw them as they would become. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and the base and the despised things of this world to nullify the things the things that are not, so that he who boasts should boast only in the Lord.
Jesus’ message was a message of paradox. He said that to be lifted up you need to become lowly. To be rich you must become poor. To be filled with the Holy Spirit you must empty yourself of self.
Pastors today are insecure, isolated, lonely. A Korean Pastor said, you for got to add fearful. If that’s what Christian pastors are like, then what are the churchmen like? What’s The profile of the average church goer? He’s under challenged spiritually and needs to consider carefully to find something to which he can dedicate his life. He seems trapped in insignificance. He struggles with guilt and shame. He doesn’t understand the meaning of grace. He’s a cultural Christian instead of a biblical Christian. The world has indoctrinated him so that he can’t say, “I was wrong, I’m sorry, or I love you.”
He has a father-wound that has never healed. His father never mentored him, disciplined him, or taught him the love of God. He feels estranged from God, himself, and other men. He’s angry but can’t quite put his finger on the cause of his anger. He never prays with his wife and doesnt’ feel that he can let his guard down and still be loved. He feels threatened by her questioning his love, dedication, and motives. He doesn’t initiate communication with his wife other than at an informational level. He knows he doesn’t pray enough, read his bible enough, study enough or love enough. He thinks that he’s the only one who struggles with his sin, guilt, and shame. He’s ashamed when someone calls him “Man of God.” He’s terrified someone will find out who he really is. He avoids situations where he might be asked to pray or quote scripture. He’s afraid that someone will find out the kind of man he really is.
As an early Christian Pete was asked to lead a men’s group. He agreed even though felt unworthy in the presence of the spiritual leaders of his church. This was when the Green Bay Packers were winning national championships. He remembered that at the beginning of each season their coach Vince Lombardi held up a football and said, “this is a football.” An elder in his church said, never apologize about reminding me about the fundamentals of our faith.
The average Christian guy is afraid to be known by other Christian men. He has no time to cultivate a best friend so he’s careful not to get close to other men. He finds his identity in his job, in his bank account, or in his independence and self sufficiency. He’s confused about his role as a man of God, a Christian husband and a Christian father.
As Pete reflected about men in our culture, he. was inspired to pen this prayer about men of God:
Lord Give Us Men…
…Men with stout hearts and fire in their eyes. Men who fear nothing but you, and who owe nothing to anyone but acts of love.
Lord give us men.
Men who are willing to live and die for you, who name the name of Christ and live for His glory.
Lord give us men.
Men who know your voice and whose greatest delight is to do your will. Who are slow to anger, quick to listen, and eager to forgive.
Lord give us men,
Men who love their wives and honor you in their homes; Who are living epistles of salt and light to all they know and meet. Men whose sacrifice, service, and love are renown and who are known to have spent time with you.
Lord give us men!
These kinds of men! For the world is desperate for them.
Lord give us men,
Men of faith and action, who have eternity in their hearts and only you as their focus, passion and reason for living. Men of whom the world is not worthy.
Lord, these men are few, but they know that you use ordinary men to do extraordinary things through your power. That you use foolish men to shame the wise; weak men who because you become strong.
Men who are known more for their availability than for their ability. Men who choose to decrease so that you may increase.
Lord to me this seems like an impossible request, but these are the kind of men you make when they give their lives in total abandonment and absolute trust to you.
Lord let me be a man like this among men like this.
Lord let me be that man. —Pete McKenzie 2006
May this be our prayer O Lord,
That we may ever live to the praise of the glory of your grace,
In Christ,
Michael