Tuesday Yr B Sunday betw Jul 24-30

Tuesday Yr B Sunday between Jul 24-30

2 Samuel 11:22-27; Romans 15:22-33; Psalm 37:13-22

Psalm 37: 22 those the lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.

Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Praying through the Struggles

Sally, Robert, Tobias and Pat ate lunch, spent recesses together and studied after school sharing notes and answers. They had been the four musketeers since kindergarten. Tobias ate his lunch over an open book with his notebook on his lap.

“What are you doing, Tobe?” Sally slid onto the bench seat next to him and tagged his shoulder with hers.

“Oh, I am trying to solve the math assignment. I just can’t get it.”

“Ooooh, I’m not so good, but Rob is. Why don’t you ask him?”

“He’s working on the class Art project over lunch and doesn’t have time.” Tobias shrugged his shoulders. “Pat should be here in a minute.”

Pat strolled up to the lunch table; his tray clattered as he set it down. “Yo, guys. What’s up?”

“Hi Patman,” Tobias said. “Nothing, just studying.”

“There isn’t a test.”

“No, it’s not for a test. it’s last night’s assignment. I am having problems. I don’t understand how to do the math.”

“Rob is better at it. You should ask him.” Pat munched on his French fries.

“Rob isn’t here.”

“Well, I finished mine last night. You shouldh’ve called me.” Pat walked around and looked over Tobias’ shoulder. “Oh, yeah, those were the tough ones. Let me see if I can explain it.”

After a few attempts, Pat sat back down. All three were discouraged that Tobias was unable to understand it and none of them knew how to explain it.

“We should pray.” Sally sat up abruptly.

“Pray?” The boys chorused.

“Yeah. Today, we read about St. Paul asking for prayer from the Roman church for him and his struggles in Palestine.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Tobias asked

“It went like this. Romans 15:30 says, ‘I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.’ You have a struggle, Tobe.  We should pray.”

“He means struggles with unbelievers and stuff, not my kind of problems.” Tobias protested.

“You’re right. But the apostle Paul says to pray about everything. That includes this. Since this is your struggle. I think it applies.”

“Okay, I’m in.”

“Me, too.” Chimed in Pat.

“Sally, you pray. You’re better at this.” Tobe begged.

“No one is better at prayer. Prayer is just talking with God honestly. But I don’t mind starting. “God, please help Tobe with his math homework. We’re not able to help him and we need you to provide some help, so he can get it done. Thanks, God for being so great and listening and stuff. Catcha later. Amen.”

“I hope it helps, but I’m not too sure.” Tobe ventured. “I need help now and I haven’t seen many prayers answered right away. I’ve heard other people talk about it, but I haven’t seen it.”

“Maybe that’s why we couldn’t help you with your math. God wants to show you that your prayers get answered right away.” Sally suggested.

“Yo, guys!” the familiar voice of their fourth, Robert, called across the lunch room.

“Robert!” the three friends screamed.

“You wouldn’t believe it, we were just getting started with the art project and Mr. Carlisle was called away.” A little out of breath, Rob dropped his gear and sank on to a seat. “I raced to get here before you left.”

“You’re just in time to help Tobe.” Sally winked at Pat and Tobe. “He needs help with Math.”
“What’s up, Tobe?” Robert turned to look at the math books spread around his friend.

“It’s these problems.” Tobe pointed to several troublesome equations.

“You’re in luck. I discovered a great mnemonic to remember how to do these.” He proceeded to explain.

Tobias’ face lit up as he worked the problems quickly. A smile stretched ear to ear when he finished the last of them. “Thanks, Rob. I was really struggling. You were an answer to prayer.”

“An answer to prayer? A little over the top, eh?”

“No, seriously. We had just prayed that God would help me do them.” Robert eyed Tobias, then Pat, and Sally, seeing them all nodding agreement.

“We did.” Sally added.

“It’s the first time, ever, that I had a prayer answered that fast.” Tobias grinned. “And, I can turn my completed homework assignment in today’s class. I was worried he’d make me stay after school.”

“It’s cool that I got to be an answer to prayer. Never happened to me before either.”

“I guess we can trust praying to God whenever anyone struggles.” Sally stated, grinning and high fiving each of her friends. “I’m not going to wait so long, next time, to pray.”

Her three closest friends agreed and they made a pact among themselves to help each other remember to pray for struggles.

Daily prayer: God, we ask your forgiveness for things we have left undone and things we shouldn’t have done. We lift our struggles to you, knowing that you can help us in your time to solve our problems. Please teach us to do right. In Jesus name, Amen.

Memorize: Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Apply: Do you have struggles? Do you pray about them? Do you believe God will answer them? How did the four youth learn that prayer helps? What can you do the next time you have a struggle?