When I was 18, everything looked clear. Thought my vision (both literally and figuratively) was 20/20. And then something happened…

I went off to college. And when I arrived at college I learned that my vision (both literally and figuratively) wasn’t as good as I thought it was.

I remember sitting in the back of the classroom that whole first week. My only goal that week: don’t do something that will embarrass yourself and tag you as a social reject for your entire freshman year. And so I sat at the back of the class quietly…squinting because I couldn’t see the board. I couldn’t see. Everything looked kinda hazy. That’s the first time I realized that I needed glasses…literally. So I got some specs.

But as I continued my freshman year and as I met people from all across the country, as I had my worldview challenged, as I started making decisions about my own career and life path I remember thinking that figuratively my vision was still blurry. I couldn’t see where I was really heading. Essentially, I was “squinting” through life. And thankfully, I was lucky enough to meet John Shields.

John helped me a ton. He talked with me. He listened. He challenged me and my perspectives. He helped me think through the gravity of some of my choices. John helped me see a lot clearer during a critical part of my life. I look back and I’m thankful that John helped take a few good steps during that time. I’m grateful that John helped me see.

And that’s what a mentor does. A mentor removes some of the haze from the vision of our lives. They don’t fix everything, but they’re with us, they’re for us. They help make our next footstep a little more secure.

Mentoring is something that we’ve begun to offer after each cycle of Saturate Eight and I’m stoked about the growth that it’s producing in the lives of our 20somethings. Next Tuesday, March 6th, we begin a new round. So would you please pray for the 20somethings who will be connecting with a mentor this round. Pray that some of the haze will be removed…at least enough to take the next step.

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Often I do X (whatever X may be) so that I can get Z (Z is usually something I really, really want). Can you relate? It just makes sense right? I mean, every single other thing that I do is so that a particular outcome that I want can be achieved. But if I’m honest, when that formulaic way of thinking begins to infiltrate how and why I pray, I feel awful. I know that at best, my requests are fueled by a manipulative thought process that I typically use on everything (or everyone) else just so I can win.

And who doesn’t want to win?

But how do I win with prayer? Cause even the thought that I want to “win” seems messed up. But I think most followers of Jesus want to know how to pray and how to pray in a way that honors God.

I think one way that we mess up communication with God is by laboring over content rather that evaluating intent. Could I suggest to us that our intent is more important than any of the things we actually say or ask.

So some question I try to ask myself as I approach God…

- Am I just trying to use God?
- Have I first thanked God for who He is regardless of what I’m experiencing or want?
- Is how I’m praying consistent with how Jesus encouraged his followers to pray (for how Jesus encouraged his followers to pray check out Matthew 6:5-18)

How we approach God is so important. Do I recognize him as Creator of everything? Do I trust that he is able to do things that seem impossible to me? Do I really believe that I am loved by God and he wants to hear from me? Do I really understand that apart from Jesus, I’m incapable of no good thing? Even just reflecting on these questions for a brief few moments has a way of impacting me, of impacting my thought process, and straightening out my intent where it might be misled.

So, as you continue to pray and talk to God, don’t worry about saying everything just right or asking in a A+B=C fashion. Don’t just try to “win”. But put all your faith and trust in this person who listens, this person is able to accomplish anything, this person who wants greater things for us than we even want for ourselves and see how that guides your communication with God.

This week, as our thoughts revolve around the focus of Sexuality I can’t help but think or maybe just ask myself, “Where does our sexual activity start?” No one ever just has sex…regardless of what we think or what is portrayed. The sex always starts before the sex.

Sex starts at our core. It starts in the heart. There, in that place is where I first have sex.

I see someone, someone who is beautiful not only outwardly in appearance but beautiful in their nature. The way they think, how they respond, the way they carry themselves…it all makes up part of the beautiful person. They reflect an intricate design, they reflect a well-thought-out execution by none other than God himself…the one who gives them (really gives all of us) our beauty. But then my sight and observation give way to the movement of my mind, of my heart. And it’s in that place that I choose to give them the same value God does…or use them as part of my secret ploy to fulfill my own desires and longing.

You see if I’m not cautious, if I’m not disciplined, my heart begins the sex long before my body has the sex, long before marriage where God intends the sex.

So my encouragement for myself…really for all of us: make sure that even the sex before the sex follows God’s plan for giving value to others. It’s not easy and it takes discipline…but it gives honor to God and honor to others.

So this week, continue to pray that same prayer we’ve prayed through the first few weeks of this Saturate Eight cycle, the prayer of David from Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

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Tomorrow night as we launch into our next cycle of Saturate Eight, we’ll be talking a lot about the “heart.” As we approach each of our 8 focuses, we’ll take time to pray a prayer that David prayed in Psalms 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the paths of everlasting life.”

Search me, O God…and know my HEART.

What does that mean, know my heart? It’s important for us to be on the same page as we move forward over the next few weeks. Heart, as it’s referred to here, is talking about so much more here than a physical organ that pumps within our chest. It’s talking about an inner-man that exists within us all…the heart is the core of man, the middle part of us. It’s what everything else is tied to or rooted in. That’s the heart of something. Our thoughts, our emotions, our intents…they all stem from here. Just as a functioning physical human heart provides life for our bodies, the “heart” of a man is the source from which the rest of his thoughts, emotions, and actions flow. And since everything that we can see or is on the outside is tied to something within us, since it comes from our heart, we want to give God the opportunity to search our hearts. The heart is what’s important to God.

In the Bible there’s a story of Samuel picking the next king for Israel and in the story Samuel sizes up some candidates by their physical appearance thinking surely they must be great candidates. But God reminds Samuel that he evaluates things differently. He looks beyond the outer man. He looks at the inside, at the heart. And so, as a community that wants to grow, we want to have God examine our core, reveal to us where there is need for growth, and lead us in a way that would result in full life.

So, over the next few weeks, as we think and talk about the heart…that’s where we’re coming from and I hope you’ll join us whether at LCBC on Tuesday nights, or via our blog and podcasts. Let’s grow together!

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