The Prayer of Agur - Week 2

Joke: There was a little old lady who was nearly blind, and see had three sons who each wanted to prove that they were the best one.

So, the first son we’ll call him Henry bought her a 15 room mansion, thinking this would surely be the best thing that any of them could offer.

Son number two let’s call him Sam decided to buy her a beautiful Mercedes with a chauffeur included to drive her around, thinking this will surely get her approval.

Then son number three let’s call him Jeff had to do something better, knowing how much she loved to read the Bible but not able to see as well as she used to bought her a parrot that he had been training for 15 years to memorize the entire Bible. You could just ask the parrot any verse in Scripture, and he would quote it word for word. What a gift.

Well, the old lady went to Henry and said, “son, the house is just gorgeous, but it’s really much to big for me. I only live in one room, and it’s too large to clean and take care of. I really don’t need the house but thank you anyway.”

She went to talk with Sam and said, “the car is beautiful. It has everything you could ever want in a car, but I don’t drive and the chauffeur is quite mean please come by and return the car for me.”

She then went to Jeff and said, “son, I want to thank you for the most thoughtful of gifts. The chicken was delicious.

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1 The Prayer of Agur - week 2

How many remember the name of the character we started looking at last week who wrote just one chapter in all of Scripture? Remember what chapter that was. . .Proverbs 30?

How many – since last week – went home and read all of Proverbs 30 including verse 7 – 9: The Prayer of Agur?

How many meant to read Proverbs 30, but it just slipped your mind?

Let me take a moment for a brief review:

Proverbs has 31 chapters. Solomon wrote one through 29. Chapter 31 was written by King Lemuel in which he describes a “wife of noble character.”

But Proverbs 30 is written by a guy that is mostly overlooked and really easy for us to do, because he has just one chapter in all of Scripture, his name is Agur. And, in that chapter you’ll find the only prayer in all of Proverbs. And for some reason that powerful, remarkable prayer is also often overlooked. Let’s once again look at that prayer. . .

Proverbs 30:7–9 (NIV): 7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

2 Last week as we began looking into Agur and his chapter we made several points that we can learn from him in this book of wisdom. Specifically, he reminds us to explore God’s Word, seek God’s purpose, and that even though we may not be famous we can still make a difference, we also learned that we need to realize God is bigger than us, and that His Word is true, and lastly He’s not caught off guard.

But I saved the best for this week. A buried treasure, if you will in Proverbs chapter 30 we find a three-verse prayer that delivers a shocking formula for trusting God, discovering his will for our life.

Proverbs 30:7 (NIV): “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die:

Agur’s prayer begins a sincere request. He writes, “Two things I ask of you, Lord.”

I love that Agur is ready to just lay out what he desires before he dies.

I love how John speaks to us about a similar thing. . .

1 John 5:14–15 (NIV): 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us— whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

What two things does Agur ask for? The two things he struggles with most: Discerning truth and owning stuff. Let’s spend some time with each of these.

3 Discerning truth. Agur prays, “Keep falsehoods and lies far from me.”

You can almost hear Agur’s thought process as if he’s saying, I know the world is filled with lies, and they trip me up way too often. Father in heaven, please protect my ears from hearing lies that might lead me down the wrong path. And keep my lips from lying so that I might not deceive others.

I think Agur is on to something. Truth matters. There is truth. We can know it, and when we know the truth it sets us free.

Satan, who Scripture calls the father of lies

John 8:44 (NIV): You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

And he has been obscuring truth since the Garden of Eden, and we know how that turned out.

Agur recognizes God is the source of virtue and integrity. He knows that having those things comes from hearing truth, discerning truth, and speaking truth.

I have said this before, but I think it bears repeating. The enemy will try and trip you up over and over again by lying to you about you, and lying to you about God. So when he comes to you with his lies it is important that you take those thoughts captive and replace them with the truth of God’s Word and what He says about you.

4 Once again the prayer of Agur. . .

I think this first part of Agur’s prayer we all desire. Most of us just want the truth.

I love that screen in the movie A few good men when Col. Jessup who is played by Jack Nicholson looks at Tom Cruise who plays Lt. Daniel Kaffee and tells him, “truth you can’t handle the truth.”

But truth is, most people even through they may ignore the truth, want to know it nonetheless.

Agur’s next request, however, is quite a shocking to many.

It’s also found in last half of verse 8

Proverbs 30:8 (NIV): . . .give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

He dares to pray for a life of contentment: “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”

Contentment? That’s not on anyone’s checklist. Especially in the twenty-first century. We are living in an age of extremes.

5 Bigger is better. More houses. More cars. More closet space. More shelves for more trophies. More activities. More responsibility so you can gain more and more and more.

Then there’s another extreme. There’s an entire subculture choosing to live as minimalists. Maybe you know someone who is one they are cutting up credit cards and clearing out the clutter. They don’t want the latest gadgets. Their entire wardrobe fits in one knapsack or a plastic tote. They live in micro apartments and tiny houses.

Some say minimalism is a response to the consumerism of Baby Boomers.

Let me pause for just a moment and give you a brief history lesson: The men and women who grew up in the Great Depression and fought in World War II came to be known as The Greatest Generation.

When they started their families, they were the first to buy TVs, second cars, and houses in the suburbs. Suddenly “faster” was better: interstate highways, commercial jet airlines, direct dial telephones, and fast food restaurants came into being. however, this greatest generation wasn’t motivated by greed. They were building a better life for their families. Their kids— the Boomers—they rebelled. . .for a while at least. But they would inherit that taste for bigger, faster, busier, and more expensive. Which turns out might not be a better life after all.

As a matter of fact it often leads to heartbreak and despair. Looking back at the world built by the Baby Boomers, it turns

6 out overspending, over consuming, and overindulging might not be the best idea and it makes, at least for some, the minimalist mindset look pretty attractive.

Still Agur is not endorsing minimalism. Nor is he saying wealth and influence define success. He endorses neither fast or slow, big or small, fancy or simple.

Agur has identified contentment: The perfect mixture of getting what you need and needing what you get. He sums it up nicely: “only my daily bread.”

When Agur wrote this chapter, his peers would have instantly connected his prayer to the daily manna God had provided their ancestors during their 40 years in the desert.

Remember Exodus? For the Israelites, manna appeared once a day provided by God in just the right amount at just the right time. If they gathered more manna than they needed, it would spoil.

Isn’t that true of so many things today. Not too much, not too little. Otherwise whatever you’re doing goes off the rails. It spoils.

I also think it’s interesting that after 40 years their shoes never wore out.

Learning to be content is so important. Your daily bread. No more, no less. Your finances when does enough become enough? Activities how much time is spent away from family and friends, and other obligations. When is busy too busy?

7 Agur’s prayer for only his daily bread was written down almost a thousand years before Christ. In this New Covenant that we live in we recognize that phrase from The Lord’s Prayer delivered by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. “Give us this day our daily bread.”

The words are comfortable and we nod our heads. Yes, Lord, please meet our daily needs.

The thing is, that’s not what Agur prayed. He added the word only. That introduces an entire deeper level of trust in the one who provides. It takes a bit of courage to pray, “Give me only my daily bread.”

Why, by the way, would anyone even pray that way? The next final few lines of Agur’s prayer give two good reasons.

Proverbs 30:9 (NIV): 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Is it possible that Agur identified and understood his weakness? Could it be that he struggled with materialism. With having stuff. Maybe he knew that if he had too much, he would take the credit himself and think “I don’t need God after all.”

If he had too little, he would steal and dishonor God. Agur was asking for his cash flow to be . . . just right.

To be clear, money itself was not the problem, it never is. The Bible doesn’t say “money is the root of evil.” It says,

8 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV): For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

I think Agur not wanting anything to come between him and his relationship with God was content just having to trust in God to meet his daily needs, that was sufficient enough for him.

I love that. He is praying, in essence, “Lord, keep me dependent on you. Having complete trust in you is the way in which I want to live. I can’t do life without you.”

Having more than we need. Having less than we need. Both extremes can be difficult. But this thing known as contentment.

The theme of contentment pops up more than just with Agur in the Bible.

Paul tells the church in Philippi. . .

Philippians 4:11–13 (NIV): 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Paul says he has uncovered the secret to being content he’s saying “I have found the launch pad for doing great things!

9 The source of strength is humbly trusting God for my daily provision.”

I think Paul and Agur may be on the same page.

Here’s why that works. Settling into God’s will gives you the confidence to put yourself out there to take risks for the Kingdom. You’re trusting him. You’re finally understanding that God will provide your every need. He cares for you and loves you just the way you are. The pressure is off. You have nothing to prove. You can dream dreams and explore life without panicking about success or failures. He loves you when your cup is empty and when it overflows.

Continuing with what Paul said. . .

Philippians 4:19 (NIV): And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

God isn’t impressed with your Rolex watch, washboard abs, corner office, or even your collection of rare garden gnomes. God isn’t even impressed with all you gave to the church last year!

He loves you. He’s inviting you into his sweet spot because that’s where you can find rest, peace, and purpose.

And by the way. From God’s perspective, it’s really okay if your lawn has a few dandelions, your car has some rust spots, or your kid doesn't get into Harvard. He wants you to be okay with it, too.

Let me be clear: God’s will is not boring! It’s empowering. Drawing near to God. Resting in Him. Trusting Him is the

10 one place from which you can launch a career, a marriage, or plan for your new business, your education, or your family.

Bouncing off the guard rails of life—living in the extremes— that you will never help you find your future.

But by choosing to depend on God alone for your daily needs, you become more like him. Your understanding of right from wrong sharpens. The extremes become less attractive. As you walk the straight path, you’ll enjoy the journey and have a clear vision of the path ahead. The sun comes out. Those aggravating obstacles seem to disappear, or at least seem to be less difficult to get over.

Trusting God leads to a clear vision of your purpose and the strength to achieve it. Too many people miss this point. They think that listening to God and following his plan is bewildering, as if God wants us to be confused. They think working for God is tedious, unfulfilling, and backbreaking, as if God wants us to be miserable. But I love this listen. . . Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV): 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV): For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

11 God created you for a purpose, He has plans for you which are good. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV): For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. And here’s some good news. God is not asking you to dash back and forth down a dark unfamiliar highway without GPS, headlights, or brakes. God simply wants you to use your gifts to glorify Him. If you can dance, dance. If you can write, write. If you can build, build. If you can plant, plant. If you can hug, hug. Colossians 3:17 (NIV): 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. I think many miss the will of God for their life because it seems that every interaction they’ve had with God or church has been boring or painful. For others they were taught to live in fear of a God who delivers only judgment and wrath. Maybe no one ever challenged them to chase their dreams. But here’s the thing God gave you those dreams. That passion. So, heres a challenge for you. Don't wait any longer for the stars to align before you follow your dreams. Consider the possibility that you can live in God’s will today. You are God’s workmanship. Recognize and believe that what you enjoy—your natural giftedness—is a gift you can give back to God.

12 If you can dance, commit to being the best dancer you can be. If you can write, commit every word to God’s glory. If you can build, commit to building things that last. If you can plant, plant enough to share with others. If you can hug, hug more, hug tighter, and seek out hurting people who need to feel the love you have to give. I hope this makes sense. Consider for a moment anyone you know—a friend or a hero—who excels at what they do. From the outside looking in, it seems like everything they do is effortless. How do they do that? Well, maybe ... it’s because they are doing what comes easy to them. They’re simply embracing their gifts. Open your eyes, heart, mind, and soul to what you already know. Be who you are. Claim your title as the one person in the world uniquely designed to be you. 2 Timothy 2:20–21 (NIV): In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Romans 9:21 (NIV): Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? Do what you do best. Do it with excellence. And get ready to give God the glory. And God will bless you coming in and going out. PRAYER