"You Have Our Attention"

The first response to any crisis is prayer; urgent and honest prayer. Before we turn to money managers and governments, let’s turn to the
Maker of the Universe.


You Have Our Attention, Lord
A prayer by Max Lucado - October 2008

Our friends lost their house
The co-worker lost her job
The couple next door lost their retirement
It seems that everyone is losing their footing

This scares us. This bailout with billions.
These rumblings of depression.
These headlines: ominous, thunderous -
“Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!” “What's Next?”

What is next?

We’re listening. And we’re admitting: You were right.

You told us this would happen.
You shot straight about loving stuff and worshipping money.
Greed will break your heart, You warned.
Money will love you and leave you.
Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain.

You were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.

We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have.
Wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor.
Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t. You gave it. And now, tell us Father, are You taking it?

We’re listening. And we’re praying.
Could you make something good out of this mess?

Of course You can. You always have.
You led slaves out of slavery,
Built temples out of ruins,
Turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine.
This disorder awaits your order. So do we.

Through Christ,
Amen

God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them. (Luke 18:7 NCV)

Just Like Jesus

Just Like Jesus
By Max Lucado (Word Publishing, 1990)

Max Lucado has long been one of my favorite authors. Why I missed JLJ until I hauled it out of the church library last week, I can’t explain. But I’m glad I found it.

Max’s thesis is simple: “God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be… just like Jesus.”

Max shows us how with his signature homespun homilies, gentle humor and personal anecdotes. But he does more. In chapters such as A Heart Like His, A Changed Face and a Set of Wings, Nothing but the Truth, Finding Gold in Garbage, When Heaven Celebrates, Hearing God’s Music and Finishing Strong, Max not only shows us how but why God transforms us to become more and more like His son.

In typical Max tympany, Lucado tunes up our heart strings and urges closer attention to the Conductor while directing his unique harmony of wholesome humor (defining “Stuckitis” from chapter two, Loving People You Are Stuck With, for example), quick wit and artful arias of insight and inspiration. The result is a wonderul, articulate symphony of Biblical exegesis and practical application.

Just Like Jesus is just another great Max book. Includes a chapter-by-chapter study guide. Great small group study.