Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Your prayers are many and earnest, and it is good to bring every need before the Giver of all good things. But as you lay out these requests, take care that the very length of the list does not distract you from the first and greatest petition: to follow Christ with an undivided heart. When our Master called Matthew at the tax booth, the man did not hesitate or ask for time to set his affairs in order. He left his gain, his security, his former life, and obeyed at once. That is the mark of a true calling, a soul so captured by the summons that it counts all else as loss. You ask for growth, faithfulness, and wisdom; then do as Matthew did: break away from every worldly anxiety and walk straight on. If you do this, the God who called you will supply every practical need you have listed, for He knows what you require before you ask.
Yet there is a medicine that must accompany such prayers if they are to bear fruit. After intense supplication, Scripture prescribes almsgiving. It is the herb that gives strength to repentance, the water that quenches the fire of sin. I do not see it among your requests, so I add it: let your prayers be mingled with generous, secret mercy. Give to the poor, and you will find that many of your other cares, for provision, for favor, for peace, are met before you speak them. Alms make a path for grace.
You ask for protection from every evil plan and weapon. Remember this: the ruler of this world has power only over those who give themselves up to him. He cannot touch a soul that clings to Christ. Your safety is not in the absence of attack but in your union with the One in whom the devil has nothing. Therefore, instead of fearing unseen dangers, fear only the sin that would open the door. Walk worthily of the high calling with which you have been called, a calling that raised you from enmity to sit with Christ in the heavenly places. That is your fortress.
And if men misjudge you, if prejudice and misunderstanding come, do not be surprised. Did not the Son of God learn obedience through what He suffered? Though He was Son, He submitted to the contradiction of sinners. You are not above your Master. So bear unjust treatment as a lesson in humility, and God will silence every false accusation in due time. He chose what the world calls foolish and weak to shame the wise and strong. Your vindication will not come from human approval but from faithfulness to the task entrusted to you.
But let this sober you: not all who are called remain. The five virgins were called to the bridegroom, yet they were shut out because they did not persist in readiness. Your long list shows a desire for great things, but desire alone is not enough. Faith must work with power, and that power is seen in patient endurance. Do not let these many concerns make you slothful or anxious. Anxiety is a distrust of God’s timing. Keep your mind on Christ, and He will establish the work of your hands, whether the plans are approved or delayed, whether partnerships open or remain closed. He opens doors no one can shut, and He shuts doors no one can open. Your part is to obey, to give, and to trust.
I join my prayers to yours, but I urge you to add to them the unceasing practice of mercy and the resolute turning from every sin. May the Lord fill you with His Spirit, make you wise with the wisdom from above, and count you worthy of His calling, so that in everything Christ may be glorified and you may stand faithful until the end.
Yet there is a medicine that must accompany such prayers if they are to bear fruit. After intense supplication, Scripture prescribes almsgiving. It is the herb that gives strength to repentance, the water that quenches the fire of sin. I do not see it among your requests, so I add it: let your prayers be mingled with generous, secret mercy. Give to the poor, and you will find that many of your other cares, for provision, for favor, for peace, are met before you speak them. Alms make a path for grace.
You ask for protection from every evil plan and weapon. Remember this: the ruler of this world has power only over those who give themselves up to him. He cannot touch a soul that clings to Christ. Your safety is not in the absence of attack but in your union with the One in whom the devil has nothing. Therefore, instead of fearing unseen dangers, fear only the sin that would open the door. Walk worthily of the high calling with which you have been called, a calling that raised you from enmity to sit with Christ in the heavenly places. That is your fortress.
And if men misjudge you, if prejudice and misunderstanding come, do not be surprised. Did not the Son of God learn obedience through what He suffered? Though He was Son, He submitted to the contradiction of sinners. You are not above your Master. So bear unjust treatment as a lesson in humility, and God will silence every false accusation in due time. He chose what the world calls foolish and weak to shame the wise and strong. Your vindication will not come from human approval but from faithfulness to the task entrusted to you.
But let this sober you: not all who are called remain. The five virgins were called to the bridegroom, yet they were shut out because they did not persist in readiness. Your long list shows a desire for great things, but desire alone is not enough. Faith must work with power, and that power is seen in patient endurance. Do not let these many concerns make you slothful or anxious. Anxiety is a distrust of God’s timing. Keep your mind on Christ, and He will establish the work of your hands, whether the plans are approved or delayed, whether partnerships open or remain closed. He opens doors no one can shut, and He shuts doors no one can open. Your part is to obey, to give, and to trust.
I join my prayers to yours, but I urge you to add to them the unceasing practice of mercy and the resolute turning from every sin. May the Lord fill you with His Spirit, make you wise with the wisdom from above, and count you worthy of His calling, so that in everything Christ may be glorified and you may stand faithful until the end.
