New Wineskins: Part 2
June 15, 2010
Are you CRAZY attempting to "try, try again"? Or . . . Should you persevere and avoid looking for something "new and improved"?
Mark 2:21-22 (Jesus said) "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." During the past few months God has been encouraging me (poking/prodding me) towards longer and more focused times of prayer and personal Bible study. Like most of you, my devotional life can cycle between times that are extensive/exciting and at other times both brief and boring. As I have looked at and prayed through the above passage, I think two things are true in my life:
First, in my experience, there are times perseverance has finally produced the needed result. If I can force myself to continue in the same, tried and true patterns of prayer and study – then God rewards these efforts by leading me to exciting times of answered prayers and extensive digging through and enjoying times of study and reflection. So – sometimes I simply need to "try, try again".
Secondly, there are times that perseverance simply leads to less and less devotion and more and more boredom. It’s at these times that I really need to try something new. One definition of insanity is to "do the same thing over and over again, but expect different results". There are times I need to try something new – in effect, pour new wine into new wineskins!
How can we know which is best? Should we continue to pray and study using our personal tried and true methods -even through the dry, desert times? OR, should we stop doing the same old/same old and try something new?
For me, the answer is "yes". I need to do both. Persevere in my efforts to pray and meditate on the Word. Sometimes using a new pattern, a new time, a new method, a new style – but always persevering in my efforts to become a man who "prays without ceasing" and who studies/meditates on the Word "both day and night".
Would you like to see God grow your times of prayer and study? Then pray that God will give you wisdom in this – He always answers that prayer for His children! God teaches us to try, try again, but He will also direct us towards new wine and new wineskins sometimes. Try both, and see how He blesses you!
Also – Please keep praying for the Transition Team as they seek wisdom in reviewing and evaluating the ongoing ministries and programs of Olivet.
