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 The Prayer of Agur - Ancient WisdomAncient Wisdom for Discovering Contentment in Your LifeINTRO/WELCOMERemember “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”? Do kids still know that story? It’s a classic, right? Let’s set aside the idea that Goldilocks was guilty of home invasion, burglary, and destruction of property. Plus, I’m not even sure what the moral of the story is. But the 19th Century fairy tale did give us a concept we all know and it’s a great place to start our conversation today. Goldilocks breaks into the house of the three bears and tries three bowls of porridge, one is too hot, one is too cold, and the third is . . . . (say it with me) “juuuuust right.” And she finishes it.Goldilocks tries three chairs. The third one is . . . . “juuuuust right.” She sits and smashes it.Exhausted from her larceny and vandalism, she finds one bed too hard, one bed too soft, and one is . . . “juuuuust right.” And falls asleep.The three bears come home and discover the damage. Much to my disappointment, the little felon escapes.But we are left with the two-word worthy goal of how to do life . . . “just right.” Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Food the right temperature. Furniture just comfortable enough. Getting life “just right” – not too much, not too little -- when it comes to the demands of work . . . financial security . . . our emotions and relationships. What if we enjoyed just the right amount of romance. Just the right amount of caution. Or were motivated by just the right amount of ambition. In other words: balance. Avoiding extremes. You might even call it “God’s sweet spot.” Doesn’t that sound like a nice way to live? What’s a sweet spot? Tennis players talk about a sweet spot on their racket where the ball jumps off with maximum velocity and precision, and no vibration.Career counselors describe your sweet spot as the job where you do what you love, do it well, and get paid for it.In the same way, there is a place God wants you to live. Where you’re living with purpose, not futility. Clarity, not chaos. Not running too fast or too slow. Not buying bigger and bigger houses, but not living in a cardboard box. In balance. In contentment. In God’s Sweet Spot.BACKGROUNDWhich brings us to The Prayer of Agur. Agur is the author of Proverbs 30. We’re covering that entire chapter this week and next. His prayer is found in verses 7-9, which we’ll read in a moment. But first let me say this:1. There’s a good chance – even if you are a regular Bible reader—that you’ve never paid much attention to Agur. Don’t be embarrassed, you're not alone. He wasn’t really on my radar until I happened to see the recent book, The Prayer of Agur by Jay Payleitner (PAY-light-ner). Much of what I’ll be sharing this week and next is drawn from this little book.2. I need to warn you that Agur’s writing – his delivery – is almost like a standup comedian who specializes in observational humor. In my head, his voice is – not sarcastic – but he does have a little attitude. I kinda like it.3. Also, Proverbs 30:7-9 is the only prayer in all of Proverbs. Considering all the topics covered and literary devices included in the book of Proverbs, that’s a bit surprising. That alone makes Agur’s prayer pretty special.So here is that short prayer—a formula for living in God’s sweet spot. A plan for living a life that’s . . . “just right.” TEXTTwo things I ask of you, Lord;do not refuse me before I die:Keep falsehood and lies far from me;give me neither poverty nor riches,but give me only my daily bread.Otherwise, I may have too much and disown youand say, “Who is the Lord?”Or I may become poor and steal,and so dishonor the name of my God. Proverbs 30:7–9 NIVCan you see the potential for living in God’s sweet spot? Agur prays, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” He’s saying, “Lord, help me find balance. Help me avoid extremes. Help me trust You.” That prayer is what first drew me to Agur. And we’re going to focus on those three verses . . . next week! Today, we’re going to uncover a half dozen takeaways from the rest of the chapter. Takeaways you can apply to your life so that we can really dig into Agur’s prayer next week.OPENING PRAYERLet’s pray. “Heavenly Father. We want to apply all of your Word to our lives. The verses we know by heart. And the ones you surprise us with. Open our ears to hear, our minds to think, and our hearts to love. Help us to cherish the journey and live in your sweet spot. Bless this time. In Jesus name. Amen.”CONTEXTProverbs has 31 chapters. Bible scholars agree Solomon personally wrote or compiled chapters one through 29. Chapter 31 was written by King Lemuel. You may recognize that chapter – especially if you’re involved in women’s ministry -- because much of it describes a “wife of noble character.” She’s worth far more than rubies. Her husband is respected at the city gate. Her children rise and call her blessed. The “Proverbs 31 Woman” is a popular theme at women’s conferences.Proverbs 30 is written by Agur. And, most people have never heard of him. The chapter, the prayer, and Agur himself come as a bit of surprise.TAKEAWAY #1If you’re paying attention, that was our first takeaway courtesy of our friend Agur. EXPLORE GOD’S WORD - There are all kinds of characters, stories, and rabbit trails that will surprise you!So, what do we know about Agur? Not much. The opening words of the chapter tell us he was the son of Jakeh and Bible scholars say he may have been from northern Arabia. That’s all the history we have. And that’s okay. His words made it into God’s Book! Which is a pretty good reminder that you don’t have to be famous to make a difference. There’s no way I can compare myself to Moses, Abraham, Paul, or the other spiritual giants of the Bible. But Agur... I can relate to him. He seems like a regular guy.You gotta love that idea. Actually, there are quite a few historical characters who show up for a single scene or have only a brief mention in the Bible, but still leave a memorable impression. Examples?Simeon, the old prophet barely shows up in Luke, chapter two. He meets Mary and Joseph at the Temple, holds the infant Jesus in his arms, and predicts Jesus will be a light to the world causing the fall and rise of many people. Do you know the name Jochebed? You could make the case that her actions launched biblical history. The mother of Aaron, Miriam, and Moses. She sent her three-month-old son floating down the Nile in a reed basket to rescue him from Egyptian death squads. Her name appears only twice in the entire Bible. Then think about the thief on the cross. We don’t even know his name, but he recognized Jesus, confessed his own brokenness, and Jesus promised him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). That passage suggests there is no lag time between our time on earth and our entrance into heaven. That’s good to know.I can identify with Simeon, Jochabed, the thief on the cross, and with Agur. They made a difference. They found their purpose. And so can I. So can you.TAKEAWAY #2Let’s call that the second takeaway . . . SEEK GOD’S PURPOSE - We may not be famous, but we can all make a difference. PROVERBS 30:2-3After brief introductions, Agur begins his chapter with something I love and respect so much. He admits his human limitations.I am weary, God, but I can prevail.Surely I am only a brute, not a man;I do not have human understanding.I have not learned wisdom,nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.Proverbs 30:2-3 NIVThat's the attitude we all need when we come to prayer or study of the Bible. Agur’s humility is so refreshing. He admits he is brutish and beastly. Until he meets God face to face, Agur is well aware he has not “attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.” He knows – and we should also know -- if the Creator of the Universe showed up in this room right now, it would blow our minds. We couldn’t handle it. TAKEAWAY #3APPRECIATE GOD’S UNDEFINABILITY - Never put God in a box. He’s beyond our imagination.PROVERBS 30:4Moving along then – in verse 4 -- suddenly Agur gains confidence and starts asking questions worth asking. Who has gone up to heaven and come down?Whose hands have gathered up the wind?Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?Who has established all the ends of the earth?What is his name, and what is the name of his son?Surely you know!Proverbs 30:4 NIVSix questions we should all be asking! “Who has visited heaven?”“Who gathers the wind?”“Who controls the seas?”“Who made the earth?”“What is his name?”“What is the name of his son?”Then Agur answers his own questions, saying, “Surely you know!”Don’t you love his confidence? It’s the same confidence expressed in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Agur is confirming that anyone who considers the wonder of nature—the wind, the seas, earth itself—must acknowledge the Creator. “Surely you know,” he says. Creation proves there is a Creator. If you don’t see that, you are probably a little too distracted with your own personal accomplishments to see God’s accomplishments.The first four questions describe the Creator and the next question asks. “What is his name?” That answer is easy. Keep in mind that Agur’s writings appear in the middle of the Old Testament. God had several names: Yahweh, El Shaddai, El Elyon, Adonai, and Jehovah Jireh. But the question, “What is the name of his son?” probably sent shock waves through the halls of Solomon’s temple. Hey everyone! Agur is proclaiming to the world that God will have a son!Keep in mind Agur was writing close to a thousand years before the birth of Christ. Prophecy about the Messiah was a major topic of discussion among God’s chosen people. Anticipating the Savior was the focus of the Hebrew people – and still is! But before Agur, there was barely a hint in any of the ancient writings that the Messiah would be the Son of God. Argur asked, “What is the name of God’s son?” Asking this kind of question at this point in history shows Agur was a true prophet. TAKEAWAY #4Sample over … continue reading with The Pray of Agur series on . ................
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