Unforced Errors

Tennis anyone?

I played when I was young, dating and flirting with my soon to be bride. I really never thought about playing tennis, but for her, I quickly changed my mind! That redhead surprised me with her backhand smash. She could whip that ball across the net knowing that I had little chance of making a decent return. Time after time I would race to the stripe and unwind what I thought would be a wicked volley, only to see that neon green fuzzball knocked down by the net.

"Unforced error" is the inability to return serve or volley. In other words, "No one made you hit such a sorry shot...you did that all on your own." That's my translation anyway. I just could not hit that ball back over the net. There was no excuse that I could muster. No one else that I could blame as a distraction. Usually what caused my 'unforced error' was that I became much too anxious to make the return. I did not set my feet correctly. I did not take the time to get into good striking position. I did not carefully monitor my form until it became habit. I just tried to get that ball over the net with power! I was so busy anticipating that I refused to wait for the ball to reach me before I was swinging madly, sometimes more than once! It was laughable.

"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift that my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about...in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." These are the words of Jesus to His disciples as He once again reiterated that they were to be patient and prayerful as they waited for the Father to unleash His power upon them and within them. "Wait".

And 'wait' they did. They gathered together in the city as instructed by Jesus. They devoted themselves to prayer as they anticipated the gift of the Father in the arrival of the Holy Spirit. They waited for the Spirit who would empower them to carry on the ministry of the Messiah throughout the known world as Jesus taught them to. When the power came...it really came! It was a God Movement in the city! It started with just a few who were willing to wait and resisted the temptation to commit 'unforced errors'.

We have become experts at marketing the church, (I even have a book in my library by that title!). We have mastered reading the needs of the culture with the intention of offering attractional events, seminars or programs hoping to lure people to Christ rather than compel them toward the faith. In process, we commit loads of 'unforced errors', trying new angles (we call this 'creativity' at times) to catch the attention of a generation that believes in matters spiritual but has no use for the brand of 'religion' that they see lived out as well as marketed. This is not to say that the Good News cannot be presented through meeting the felt needs of the culture, (Jesus did that when He fed the hungry), but it is to say that apart from investment in prayer, all else is nothing more than 'unforced errors'...things that we do out of a sense of anticipation for a God sized movement rather than the result of God's response to serious intentional petitioning to Him.

We commit the error of presumption...thinking that if we work hard for God that we can expect the power of God. Rather than quieting our souls to seek Him, patiently waiting for His perfect timing and obvious power, we tend to concoct means that can be mistaken as His presence by those unaware (at that time) of our 'unforced error'.

Is there something that you can do to experience the lavish presence and power of His activity in your life, your family and your church? Anything that is not the result of seeking and waiting is an error that need not be forced. Be patient in prayer. Guard yourself from the anxious pursuit of a counterfeit 'movement' of which He has no part. The Psalmist said it best, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord," (Psalm 27:14).

When He shows up...you will be rejoicing in His powerful demonstrations rather than regretting the puniness of self-effort.

Prayer, anyone?