A Prayer of Lament Over False Prophets
By: Meg Bucher
“In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has been long hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” - 2 Peter 2:3 NIV
Peter wrote the above words to warn the church of false teachers. “They are subversive, immoral, avaricious, they commercialize Christianity, and dishonest,” the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible explains, “Their false teaching is destructive and will result in their own destruction.” There’s undoubtedly a place for righteous anger in regard to those who seek to oppress and deceive others, but it’s unlikely we’ll ever argue anyone to Jesus. There will continue to be false teachers, and as the Zondervan Bible Commentary explains, “not all will be unsuccessful.”
Only God can take the tiny shards of our shattered hearts and turn them into beautiful masterpieces that bring glory and honor to His name. When we make time to seek Jesus, we begin to see the world from His perspective.
There will always be pain, injustice, deceit and death in this world. But Christ assured us not to live in fear of it, for He has already overcome it. As we live our lives in such a way that brings glory and honor to His name, we will get to be a part of the miraculous story of healing and restoration our mighty God has promised is to come.
People are going to deceive …people will irritate us and cause anger to bubble and rise to such a rate we may find ourselves looking down at a shattered phone screen, thrown in anger and lament. But people will also show us the love of Christ when we need it the most.
Just as assuredly as we have enemies in this life, the Lord has placed people around us to be the arms of His embrace when we need it the most.
Father,
Today we pray a prayer of lament. How we long for the age of false prophets to be over, and for you to come back and make all things new! Lord, we are so weary of injustice and those who claim you but peddle lies. Lord, we long for you to make all the wrongs right.
Lord, we know that both false prophets and truth-tellers live with shattered, earthly hearts under the curse of sin. There’s no escaping the effects of sin on this earth it, but through You, you have given us a way to live free in forgiveness and salvation.
We pray for false prophets. Yes, as hard as it is, we pray for them. Father, open their eyes to Your truth. Soften their hearts towards Jesus, Your Son. You created every human life. You love all of us. Forgive us for our anger toward one another, and guide our righteous anger to bring glory and honor to You, God.
In a world that is easily offended, distracted, and swayed, root us solidly in Your Word and in Your Truth, God. Stir our hearts to see and respond with grace, with firm faith in You, alone.
Jesus, You hung on the cross for us, each a shattered mess only You could save. Thank You, for piecing us back together, and growing our hearts to know and love you more each day we follow You. We look forward to the day You repair all that has been lost, wronged, destroyed, and hurt. Defeater of death, we long for Your return.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen
Meg Bucher writes about everyday life within the love of Christ as an author, freelance writer and blogger at Sunny&80. Her first book, “Friends with Everyone,” is available on amazon.com. She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University, but stepped out of the business world to stay at home and raise her two daughters. Besides writing, she has led a Bible Study for Women and serves as a Youth Ministry leader in her community. She lives in Northern Ohio with her husband, Jim, and two daughters.
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Originally published Sunday, 28 February 2021.
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