HOW LOUD IS LOUD?

"God wants you loud, Lois," said Marlene and proceeded to lecture me on how the Lord would do great and mighty things through my life if I would only be loud. He would bless me abundantly and use me mightily, but I'd have to get loud! My somewhat uncharitable (and unspoken) thought was, "Sister, who made you God to tell me what I should do?" Never did Marlene quote Scripture to back up her questionable theory. She couldn't, of course, because nowhere does the Word uphold her philosophy.

Again I'm talking about prayer. I was accustomed in earlier years to church services where everybody prayed at the top of their lungs at the same time until one could hardly hear the person who was called upon to lead in prayer. I always thought that a leader was someone whom we should follow. But how can we follow someone when we can't hear them? When surrounded by a myriad of voices, which one do you follow? The noise in these services was so deafening it almost bordered on confusion, and we know that I Cor. 14:33 says that "God is not the author of confusion."

By the same token I was in a prayer meeting not too long ago where the people were taking turns praying rather than praying in unison. I have no problem with that. But they had their heads buried in their arms and were praying so softly they couldn't be heard. I was afraid to take my turn praying lest I began praying before the others were finished! That, too, is another of my Pet Peeves!

The Bible talks about people agreeing in prayer. But how can you agree if you can't hear -- whether because of being too loud or too soft? I thought that in corporate prayer one should lift up his brother or sister by following their prayer, praying the same thing, and thereby agreeing with them.

Maybe you think I'm nitpicking. Maybe you think I'm holding a grudge. No, I forgave Marlene years ago for trying to play God. I simply can't swallow the idea that God wants me loud!!!

Maybe this is one of those areas we mentioned before where God wants His children to be well-rounded Christians -- well-rounded in all things, even in prayer.

Preacher's Kid