I'm a Loser Baby
So why don't you PRAY for me!
By Pastor Adam Fox
If I would make a short list of artist and bands who I have loved and still do, it would include the OC Supertones, DC Talk and of course the Beach Boys. But I would be lying if I did not have Al Yankovic on that list.
“Weird” Al is a parody musician that writes funny songs about so many famous songs or artists. He has covered Michael Jackson, ACDC, Queen, Lady Gaga and the Beastie Boys. In Al's album Bad Hair Day, he song Alternative Polka and started off by singing a song by Beck, Loser.
While it is a catchy song, the thought and persona of being a loser is something that a lot of us struggle with, myself included. The desire to not be a dud or a failure is one of the larger fears for us as Americans. The pressure of succeeding is a real thing and it can come from all areas of life: Cultural expectations, gender expectations, personal goals, business standards, family needs and so forth. The fight to not be a loser, to be successful is one that can take all of you some days, Frankly, it can be quite overwhelming.
Being overwhelmed by the need to prove yourself that you are not a waste or that you can do things can run you ragged. What sometimes happens, in a fit to show to ourselves or others that we are not a loser, we end up doing silly things and we try to measure ourselves by sinful or broken standards. By how much money we have, the largeness of our house, the importance of our job or cars or other classic status symbols like talent and so forth.
Overwhelmed.
Trying to measure up to the standard that Satan sets for the World will leave us pretty darn small and feeling like an overwhelmed dude. But this is not just a byproduct of our selfishly sinful religious country - even the Apostle Paul felt this way.
A little bit ago, my Sunday Morning Small Group (every Sunday morning at 930 before Worship!) was studying 2 Corinthians 1 and I was struck by the honesty in this letter to the church in Corinth.
8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10
The phrases "burdened beyond measure" and "despaired" jumps out at me. Could it be that the Apostle Paul, the Levite of Levite, the man, the world’s best missionary was not always whelmed?
Yes, Paul was dealing with some kind of trouble, what we do not know. Was he tormented by the onset of a stubborn and life-threatening ailment, menaced by particularly dangerous persecution, struck down by an accident of some kind, or stricken with some psychological distress? He does not say. He only explains that the depth of the great danger he faced in Asia. The encouraging part for us, is the fact that Paul gives his struggles voice by acknowledging that he does have them - just like us.
"Rather than gloss over his feeling of despair and helplessness in this situation Paul underscored it forcefully to illustrate how powerless both he and the Corinthians were apart from God and to stress how important is prayer as a means of effecting God’s gracious intervention and aid" David K. Lowery The Bible Knowledge Commentary on 2 Corinthians
Getting overwhelmed in life is normal and a part of life but it does not make you lesser of a person. We may feel that way at times but it does not make you a lesser person, especially to God.
The point of view of us is important for us to understand. We can be seen the way God sees us or the way the World sees us and friends, they are two totally different points of view. One sees you as a failure or loser if you are not at the top and perfect in all ways and the other loves you no matter what. Look at what Scripture says about Gods love for us.
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:28-31
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9
I could go on, because that is just a drop in a bucket of the compassion and love that God has for us, His most special of all of creation. If then God does care for us this much, then why are we looking to our standard by the World and the brokenness that is in this sinful world? We are better than that.
Since we know that god cares for us so greatly that He sent Jesus Christ, God the Son, to Earth to take the punishment for us so that we can live forever with Him. We are chosen and forgiven, how then shall we defeat these Satanic attacks of feeling less than or being overwhelmed and the like? Prayer!
11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. 2 Corinthians 1:11
Paul finishes this over honest section in his 2nd letter to Corinth about what is going on in his heart and life by asking for prayer. After the issues that he has experienced and dealt with, Paul is honest enough to come before the thrown of God in prayer and to top it off, Paul is not praying alone - he is asking for intercessory prayers of the Saints.
Prayer is one of those things where the Bible encourages us to pray, often in fact, about everything.
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 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 the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 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 the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Prayer works, so we should not be ashamed to come and lay our concerns and problems before God - he in fact encourages us to do so. These moments of our lives that are filled with overwhelming problems or suffering or even the feeling of being a loser. That is when we each need to armor up (spiritual style) individually and as a church go before the Lord.
See what I said, take these concerns as a church and go before God. There is no shame in asking another Christian, a spiritual sibling and one who loves you, to pray with you about things that concern you, Paul does. Prayer and being in and knowing the Word of God are the two best weapons we have against Satan and his like.
While I am not a smart man, and my grades this semester show that, but what I do know is that God is faithful and will keep His promises to us. All we need to do is ask our Father for them and have the strength to let others - who are willing - to pray with us.
9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11: 9-13
Let me end with this, pray early and often and corporately. But do not let the world and the stupidity of this sinfulness make you believe for one moment that you are a loser. The Lord Jesus did not come to Earth from Heaven, become sin and die in our place for a "loser". He did it for you and I, the ones he has loved greater than we will ever realize.
So take that Weird Al!
Cheers and Excelsior!
Pastor Adam