I want for......nothing!

Lord,

You are my guide; my protector
   the very One who provides for my every need
   for my every true need.

Your presence enables me to fully exhale.
   To rest.
      To truly relax...and find relief.

      You provide for my peace of mind
         and body 
      in the midst of life's chaos.
   You renew my faith and my hope.

You provide direction in the midst of distraction, 
   that You ultimately may be glorified.

This kingdom of the earth in which we currently reside is full 
   of stress 
      of danger
      of despair, and 
      of temptation 
yet I am not afraid.

You are with me and your protection is assured.
   It is certain.
   Without question.
   Indisputable.      

You acknowledge my place with You 
before everyone who might challenge me.  
You honor me and provide me with blessing upon blessing!

There is no question but that Your presence 
   and Your love 
      are now 
      and will be
   my constant companion.  

Both today and for all time.  

                            Based upon Psalm 23

Ours is a Seduced World

God of all truth, we give thanks for your faithful utterance of reality.
   In your truthfulness, you have called the world "very good."
   In your truthfulness, you have promised,
      "I have loved you with an everlasting love."
   In your truthfulness, you have assured,
      "This is my beloved Son."
   In your truthfulness, you have voiced, "Fear not, I am with you."
   In your truthfulness, you have guaranteed that
      "Nothing shall separate us from your love
         in Jesus Christ."
It is by your truthfulness that we love.
And yet, we live in a world phony down deep
   in which we participate at a slant.
Ours in a seduced world,
   where we call evil good and good evil,
   where we put darkness for light and light for darkness,
   where we call bitter sweet and sweet bitter (Isa. 5:20),
   where we call war peace and peace war,
so that we rarely see the truth of the matter.
Give us courage to depart the pretend world of euphemism,
      to call things by their right name,
      to use things for their right use,
      to love our neighbor as you love us.
Overwhelm our fearful need to distort,
   that we may fall back into your truth-telling about us,
   that we may be tellers of truth and practitioners of truth.
We pray in the name of the One whom you have filled
      with "grace and truth." Amen


Bruuggemann, Walter.  (2003.) Awed to heaven, Rooted to Earth: The Prayers of Walter Brueggemann.  Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.  P. 129.  On reading Jeremiah 23

Love is Here

Romans 8:1 says "...there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." 

Well, ok. That's simple enough. 

     Every Sunday School student knows that. 

          Christ died, 

          Our sins are forgiven, and

          We who believe in Him get to go to Heaven when we die.  

That's nice.

But wait...

     What did that verse say?

     "...there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus?"

Amazing!  Not simple at all...

     Incredible

     Unbelievable

     Life changing.

No condemnation?  Really?  

     Impossible!

     And yet...     

          True. 

How?

     Love.

     God's love.

The same chapter of Romans that began with the assurance of no condemnation ends with the assurance of His love.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Imagine...  

     Seriously.  I mean it.

     Take time to really think about it...really imagine. 

No condemnation.

Unable to be separated from Love.

     Gazed upon by God with love.

Astounding.