We are still singing our Thumbkin song… well I am anyway… not sure how many of you are still here with me 😉
Yesterday we looked at how Mr Pointer can remind us to pray that God would give our children ears and hearts that listen to His Word. We also saw how important it is that we teach them how to learn to listen to God and to show them by doing so ourselves.
We ended our post yesterday with asking “Where is Tall Man?”
Now in our day and age, Mr Tall Man has been given a bad rap. I made printouts to give to the ladies that attended the Mother Child Tea and I wanted to add a little cartoon like picture to each prayer page… and well let’s say finding an appropriate picture for Tall Man was difficult to say the least. I had to just go with a full hand print.
Take a look at your hand. Tall Man gets his name from the fact that he stands taller than all the other fingers on your hand. He stands taller than the other fingers but not in the sense that he looks down on the rest of them, but just tall enough to be distinct in his identity.
As you take notice of your tall man… pray that your children will stand tall in this present day. Pray that they would stand tall enough to be noticed… but not so tall that they are looking down on others… but tall enough that they are seen as distinct in their identity in Christ… just like salt and light.
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16
Oh how we need salt and light in this day!
I am currently reading a book on revival that will be released next month. In this book as the author discusses revival leaders he takes notice of an emotion expressed by God in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 59:15-16 we read…
Yes, truth is lacking;
And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.
Now the Lord saw,
And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.
And He saw that there was no man,
And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;
Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.
The word for astonished in the Hebrew is shamem and it means to be appalled, make amazed, to stun… This is the only time in Scripture that we have recorded that God expresses Himself as being appalled, amazed, stunned. You know this emotion I am sure… this is that emotion that usually has your mouth gapped open and your brows furrowed in that shocked and angered all at the time kind of way. And what causes God to express this emotion?
NO. TALL. MAN.
No one to stand up for truth and pray. No one to intercede for others. No one standing tall and firm and above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Philippians 2:15). Instead truth had stumbled in the streets (Isaiah 59:14) and is laying down in all the spit out gum, run over opossums, thrown out McD’s trash bags, broken asphalt, oil splatters, and mud holes.
Tall Man should never be afraid of getting dirty, but he can’t enjoy wollaring in it.
Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy.
Though I fall I will rise;
Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me.
Micah 7:8
Oh Momma pray!
Pray that your children will stand tall. Pray that they will remember whose they are and for what they have been called. Pray that they are not negligent. Pray that they will be chosen (John 15:16) and pray that will remember always that they have been chosen to stand and to minister to the Lord and for the Lord.
My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.
2 Chronicles 29:11
Pray that they will stand faithfully and continuously.
Then the lookout called, “O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post.”
Isaiah 21:8
Pray that they will be men and women of high esteem and integrity regardless of what authority is over them. Pray that no matter what turn the governing authorities take they will remember that their first allegiance is always to their God.
He said to me, “O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.
Daniel 10:11
Pray that no matter what temptations face them in this life, whether they be at work, in the church, or in the comfort and privacy of their own homes that they would remain alert and not be deceived. Pray that they would remain strong in the face of difficulties and distractions… and that they would maintain their distinction of different.
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Pray Mom (and Dad) that God would teach you how to raise children that are “Tall Man” out in the real world… not just youth group super stars… not just, as Swindoll says, Sunday-go-to-meetin’ silver saints,
It’s easy to kid ourselves. So easy. The Christian must guard against self-deception. We can begin to consider ourselves martyrs because we are in church twice on Sunday—really sacrificing by investing a few hours on the “day of rest.”
Listen, my friend, being among the saints is no sacrifice… it’s a brief, choice privilege.
The cost factor occurs on Monday or Tuesday… and during the rest of the week. That’s when we’re “melted down and put into circulation.” That’s when they go for the jugular. And it is remarkable how that monotonous workweek test discolors many a silver saint.
“Sunday religion” may seem sufficient, but that’s far from the truth.
It’s the acid grind that takes the toll. Maybe that explains why words of the venerable prophet touch a nerve:
If you have raced with men on foot
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in safe country,
how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?
(Jeremiah 12:5 NIV)
Doing battle in the steaming jungle calls for shock troops in super shape. No rhinestone cowboys can cut it among the swamps and insects of the gross world system. Sunday-go-to-meetin’ silver saints in shining armor are simply out of circulation if that’s the limit to their faith. Waging wilderness warfare calls for sweat… energy… keen strategy… determination… a good supply of ammunition… willingness to fight… refusal to surrender, even with the elephants tromping on your air hose.
And that is why we must be melted! It’s all part of being “in circulation.” Those who successfully wage war with silent heroism under relentless secular pressure—ah, they are the saints who know what it means to be melted.
(Also check out Act 5:20, Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Peter 5:12 for Scriptures to pray over your children as you pray for them to stand tall, not just today, for all their lives)
Hmmmm….. now where are we?
Ahhhh….
Where is Ring Man? Where is Ring Man?