A Journey of Prayer

The (Original) Serenity Prayer

2012-02-22T08:18:00.001-06:00

"God, give us grace to accept with serenity

 the things that cannot be changed, 

Courage to change the things 

which should be changed, 

and the Wisdom to distinguish

 the one from the other.  

Living one day at a time, 

Enjoying one moment at a time, 

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, 

Taking, as Jesus did, 

This sinful world as it is, 

Not as I would have it,  

Trusting that You will make all things right,

 If I surrender to Your will,  

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, 

And supremely happy with You forever in the next. 

Amen." (Reinhold Neibuhr, 1940ish).

For the Beauty of the Earth

2011-11-12T20:39:00.001-06:00

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind's delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thy Church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the martyrs' crown of light,
For Thy prophets' eagle eye,
For Thy bold confessors' might,
For the lips of infancy.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thy virgins' robes of snow,
For Thy maiden mother mild,
For Thyself, with hearts aglow,
Jesu, Victim undefiled.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven.

     Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
     This our hymn of grateful praise.

Devotion

2011-10-24T21:49:00.000-05:00

It is read by over 800 million people
75% of whom are outside of the United States.

It is available in over 70 languages

thanks to the translation work of over 300,000 people.

One might think these references are to the Bible,

except for the fact that
over half of the 800 million people actually read it every day.

What is it?

Facebook, of course.

Lizzie took her first steps!

                 Congratulations!
                 Aww…so cute
                 Looks just like her mama. Lol

Brandon and four others “like” The Family Guy.

OMG. The Chiefs won another game!

                 Clearly proof that miracles still happen.
                 Hey, that’s my team you’re talking about!
                 Come on…it’s not like they’re the Wildcats or anything.

Every day, more than 400 million people, including myself, spend time posting, liking and commenting on posts, uploading photos and playing games with friends. Certainly, Facebook can be a vehicle for outreach and ministry. But how might our world be different if such devotion was focused on our Lord rather than on a piece of software?

Lord, we desire to focus our lives on You. In the midst of day-to-day activity, however, it is easy to allow the mundane to overshadow the eternal. We pray that You will bring this truth to our minds in the moments of choice and encourage us to turn off, unplug, and log off in exchange for precious encounters with You. Amen.

Prayer for Autumn Days

2011-09-20T14:37:00.000-05:00

God of the seasons,
there is a time for everything;
there is a time for dying and a time for rising.
We need courage to enter into
the transformation process.

God of autumn,
the trees are saying goodbye to their green,
letting go of what has been.
We, too, have our moments of surrender,
with all their insecurity and risk.
Help us to let go when we need to do so.

God of fallen leaves
lying in colored patterns on the ground,
our lives have their own patterns.
As we see the patterns of our own growth,
may we learn from them.

God of misty days and harvest moon nights,
there is always the dimension of mystery
and wonder in our lives.
We always need to recognize your power-filled presence.
May we gain strength from this.

God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain,
many gifts of growth lie within the season of our surrender.
We must wait for harvest in faith and hope.
Grant us patience when we do not see the blessings.

God of geese going south
for another season, your wisdom enables us
to know what needs to be left behind
and what needs to be carried into the future.
We yearn for insight and vision.

God of flowers
touched with frost and windows wearing white designs,
may your love keep our hearts
from growing cold in the empty seasons.

God of life,
you believe in us, you enrich us,
you entrust us with the freedom to choose life.
For all this, we are grateful.

Amen.

Autumn is a time for Prayer.

by: Sr. Joyce Rupp OSM

A Day of Remembrance

2011-09-11T22:22:00.001-05:00

Almighty God:

September 11 is a day of remembrance. A day when we reflect on the tragedy experienced by our nation ten years ago. On that day, we lost many of our fellow citizens, our first responder heroes, and our illusions of domestic safety. It was a day of great sorrow and confusion, as we questioned the realities of our world.

From this tragedy has come, among other things, stories of courage, perseverance and triumph over adversity. Unfortunately, stories have also arisen of prejudice, bias, and hate. The events of that day rekindled in many the unspoken, but long held belief, that enemies of our country are also enemies of You, and therefore need not be treated with the same love, compassion and respect as those we consider “our own.”

Lord God, we ask for the courage to live our lives in ways that honor You. We live in a global world. I pray that we would each commit ourselves to being deliberate in building neighborhoods, states, and countries that foster understanding, respect, and reconciliation. Peace does not happen because nations declare it. Peace happens because individuals choose it.

May we choose to live as instruments of Your peace. Amen.

Out of the Same Mouth

2011-09-07T22:18:00.001-05:00

In this world there is great chaos.

Lord, how your heart must weep

     As you witness
     Time and time and time again
     The ability of Your created ones
     To hurt each other.

We are all created in Your image.

     In Your likeness
     Designed for the worship and honor
     Of You.

Yet we neither worship nor honor You.

We choose to worship another.

     Ourselves.
     Our desires. Our opinions.
     Our world views. Our prejudices.

And from our self-worship springs

     Selfishness.
     Disdain.
     Cruelty.
     War.

We limit Your influence

To the parts of life we choose.

Worshipping You when convenient

Judging others as we please.

We live as lord of our life

And refuse You this rightful place

Forgive us, Father,

      For we have
      We have

      I have

      sinned.

With the tongue, we praise our Lord and Father. And with it, we curse human beings who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be! Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives or a grape vine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:9-12

Postures of Confession

2011-08-28T13:34:00.000-05:00

Did you know that your posture changes the way you think?

It’s true that your body shows the rest of us what’s really going through your head at any given moment, but the reverse is true as well: the way that you carry your body will change the way you think, the way you feel. A quick example: on a day you’re not feeling so great, take a pencil and hold it in your mouth, forcing the corners upwards in an approximation of a smile. See how long it takes before you start feeling better.

The simple fact is that we behave because of what we believe, but we also believe because of how we behave. The two are a cycle, influencing one another in our lives, egging the other onward. This is the reason why actors often become uncomfortably close to a character they work on particularly closely; Heath Ledger became chronically depressed after he spent so much time on his character the Joker, and the world is now lesser because his exceptional talent is gone, lost to a drug reaction.

We think and feel how we behave. We behave how we think and feel.

Think about this the next time you’re in church. I was leading one of our services a few weeks ago and, as I sang “Jesus Paid it All,” I couldn’t help but notice several people standing with scowls on their faces and their arms crossed. I didn’t know any of these people and so I can’t speak to their hearts, but I really wanted them to grab a pencil. Such a posture speaks very loudly, to me as a worship leader, to those around them, and to their inner dialogue – their posture tells THEM something too. What I saw were people not engaged, people unhappy with something, people closed off to the movement of the Spirit in their lives. But In the same service, with the same song, I saw people smiling, their hands open and heads bowed; engaged, singing, worshipping, people who were also speaking to themselves, and people around them, and to me on stage.

In our contemporary service.

In our traditional service.

In every church I’ve ever been in, both kinds of people are there.

Side by side.

What all of this tells me is that we can, if we want, intentionally change things. If we are closed off to God, perhaps changing our physical posture towards Him will help us change our mental and emotional postures. I have to wonder if the difference between those two groups of people was their posture, if making an intentional change could have helped them engage with God and those around them. They could have worshipped if they had purposefully changed the way they stood, held their hands, arms, and heads. It’s a question of attitude; why am I here at church?

It’s about choice.

I find that on those very rough days when I travel all the way to church tired, worn-out, discouraged, it simply takes picking up my guitar and playing to remind me who I am, why I’m here, and put me back into my place. Not in a bad way, in a good way. They say that to confess is to agree with God about who we are; as I play, yes, I agree with God that I am a sinner, but THEN, then I agree with God that I am His child.

Forgiven. Given grace.

Deeply Loved.

The next time you’re in church – traditional, contemporary, emerging, wherever – try changing your body language; open your hands instead of holding the pew or chair in front of you, or maybe raise them over your head. Sing. Move. Dance. Worship.

Confess.

By Chris Logan, Worship Pastor at Community Covenant Church in Lenexa, KS. Originally posted on blogs.covchurch.org on Friday, August 26th.

May I Reflect Your Inward Light

2011-08-13T20:30:00.000-05:00

As a chalice cast of gold,
Burnished, bright and brimmed with wine,
Make me, Lord, as fit to hold
Grace & truth & love divine.
Let my praise & worship start
With the cleansing of my heart.

Save me from the soothing sin
Of the empty cultic deed
And the pious, babbling din
Of the claimed but unlived creed.
Let my actions, Lord, express
What my tongue & lips profess.

When I bend upon my knees,
Clasp my hands or bow my head,
Let my spoken, public pleas
Be direct, simply said,
Free of tangled words that mask
What my soul would plainly ask.

When I dance or chant your praise,
When I sing a psalm or hymn,
When I preach your loving ways,
Let my heart add its Amen.
Let each cherished, outward rite
Thus reflect your inward light.

by Tom Troeger

Memories of VBS

2011-07-25T19:32:00.001-05:00

When I was a child I had no opportunity to attend VBS, read books with stories about Jesus growing up in Nazareth, or sing Jesus Loves Me. My family attended church weekly, every Sat. night. We were Catholic and although I do not remember a time when God was not present in my life I was not afforded these age appropriate experiences.

My first encounter with VBS was with my own children. I loved it! What an incredible experience. I remember when I taught 1st grade and did not think the kids got anything I was saying, especially this one very busy boy. But, when question time came he knew every answer. It was a wonderful, yet exhausting week when nap time was needed and new babies wondered where their mommies went. We always looked back and had fond memories and junky crafts.

This year I have had the privilege of being Mary during VBS. I have been given far too much honor and too many accolades. If they knew what I was really like. I mean last night I made a boy cry! I love hearing all of their comments as I share the stories of Jesus. One night I asked if they were going to come back and Will Nelson said, “After my nap and swimming I will.” Grace Hendry gave me a look, “I don’t know about that…” But after everyone else said they were she decided maybe it was a good idea.

What I really love is how Jesus touches their little hearts. The kids have been so concerned about Eunice who does not believe that Jesus is God’s son. They have had lots of comments about Jesus, his boyhood, and him being the son of God as well as Mary’s son. The one that really tripped me up was Jaedon Roberts who asked, “Is Jesus his own son?” If you answer that one right you get to be the storyteller for VBS next year!

Patty Thompson

Joy, Joy, Joy

2011-07-21T21:07:00.000-05:00

Joy, Joy, Joy

The lyrics of this song from my VBS days of old remind me of an eternal truth that God has shared with us. That is that He is the creator of JOY and the sustainer of it even today.

I've got the joy, joy, joy down in my heart,
Where?
Down in my heart.
Where?
Down in my heart.
I've got the joy, joy, joy down in my heart
Where?
Down in my heart to stay.
And I'm so happy, so very happy, I have the love of Jesus in my heart.

Even though the words of the songs have changed, VBS is the same. This week VBS at The Journey has shown kids that joy comes from a relationship with the very Jesus that grew up in Hometown Nazareth.

The words to the song that they will remember will be something like:

Great things happen when we come together, great things happen when we praise our Savior.

I think that the message is the same: Great things happen when we are in relationship with Jesus, the source of Joy.

Contributed by Kim Snare

Teach Me

2011-07-19T12:11:00.000-05:00

"Teach me, O Spirit,

to love Thee

as whole-heartedly as the miser loves his money.

Make me

as attached to Thee

as the drunkard is addicted to wine.

Teach me

to cling to Thee

as erring ones do to their bad habits.

Teach me

to be as attentive to Thee

as a mother is to her child.

Teach me

to perform my duties diligently,

with my attention fully riveted on Thee.

Teach me

to love Thee

as the worldly man loves his possession.

With the first love of true lovers,

teach me to love Thee."

Yogananda (Whispers of Eternity, pp 82-83.)--

True Freedom - Through Christ

2011-07-03T23:06:00.000-05:00

The great hymn writer Charles Wesley recognized the eternal value of true freedom he wrote the stanzas to the hymn below.

May this be the declaration of independence for those who call him Lord.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Early Memories of Church

2011-06-24T20:12:00.000-05:00

Sitting between my father and mother and in front of my grandparents.

I am so blessed to have a heritage of walking with the Lord. My father and I often did not get a long and we still have our moments. But it was in church, where he sang with a beautiful voice, and worshipped the Lord, that I understood he had a soft compassionate side. That he was trying.

Being in church with my family is something I miss now that I have grown up and something I cherish when it happens.

Hang in there parents…your children are being impacted! Blessings!

Submitted by: Adena McCowan

The Mission

2011-05-20T16:16:00.001-05:00

They are on a mission.
   Focused.
   The end goal clearly in mind.

Confronted by obstacles
   and roads that lead to nowhere,
   they are undeterred.

Patiently they wait;
   Confident in the knowledge
   That their objective is worth the sacrifice.

They are accompanied on their journey
   By those who share the vision.
   While others watch in disbelief
   And mock the depth of their loyalty.

Nearly out of hope,
   they are suddenly startled into action.
   A breakthrough! Joy surges through their bodies.

At long last, their path is made clear
   and progress is possible.
   In faith, they move forward.
   They have arrived.

At Starbucks.

(Written by one who daily watches cars maneuver through convoluted construction zones during rush hour, holding up masses of other cars while waiting for the opening to make the long-sought-after left turn into Starbucks.

I wonder…if the destination was an appointment with Jesus, would we fight as hard to arrive?)

Prayer for Our Enemies

2011-05-04T21:53:00.000-05:00

We pray to you, O God,
the lover of all,
for those whom we have named our enemies.

Deliver us from the hardness of heart
that keeps us locked in confrontation.
Deliver us from the hatred
that binds us in old ways.

Grant unto all people the blessing of your love.
And grant unto us
such transformation of our lives
that we may make peace with our enemies,
and that together we might make this world
a safer place for all.

Amen.

www.beliefnet.com/prayers

A Prayer for Spring

2011-03-21T12:26:00.000-05:00

In the lengthening of days
Snowdrops emerging
from winter's frozen ground
we see the Creator's hand

In the sight of a tiny lamb
joyfully bounding
across hillside farm
we see the Creator's hand

Creator God, forgive our moments of ingratitude,
the spiritual blindness that prevents us
from appreciating the wonder that is this world,
the endless cycle of nature,
of life and death and rebirth.
Forgive us for taking without giving
reaping without sowing.

Open our eyes to see
our lips to praise
our hands to share
and may our feet tread lightly on the road.

http://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Spring.htm

Thou Art Rest

2011-03-09T22:18:00.000-06:00

Thou art rest and gentle peace,
Thou art longing, and that which stills it.
I consecrate to thee, with my joys and griefs,
as thy dwelling-place, my eyes and heart.

Enter into me and close thou
The gates softly behind thee:
Drive other griefs from this breast,
Let this heart be filled with thy joys.

My world of sight thy radiance
Alone can illuminate. O, fill it to the full!

By F. Rückert

The Hymns that Keep on Going

2011-03-07T12:32:00.000-06:00

For centuries, musicians and lyricists have been putting pen to paper in order to express ideas of faith and doctrine through music. Thousands of compositions have come and gone, enjoyed (or not) in the moment but ultimately fading away. At the same time, other musical offerings have remained part of the church vocabulary through many generations.

Why do some compositions fade away while others remain strong? The Journey's very own Bob Coote spent months exploring that question. His research was published in the March, 2011, edition of Christianity Today. A link to the article is below. Thank you, Bob, for your exploration of this question.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/march/hymnsthatkeepgoing.html

Calm in the Uproar

2011-02-23T22:23:00.001-06:00

Revolutions. Earthquakes. Illness. Layoffs. From one corner to another, the world seems especially chaotic this week. Fortunately, our God is still on His throne and in Him is our peace and hope for the future. Whether out of confidence or fear, hope or desperation, let us pray together with the author of Psalm 46:

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Amen

A Prayer for Egypt

2011-02-11T12:28:00.000-06:00

Today, the country of Egypt has experienced a transfer of power. This massive change has occurred in primarily a peaceful manner, which is at the very least unusual, and at the most could be called miraculous. Significant change and uncertainty now face the citizens of Egypt, including the estimated 10% of the population that is Christian. Let us join together to pray for the future of the nation, using the Prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is dispair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we are born
to eternal life.

May this time of transition be a time also for the growth of the gospel in Eypt.

We Will Not Keep Silent

2011-02-05T21:26:00.001-06:00

We are people who must sing you,
     for the sake of our very lives.
You are a God who must be sung by us,
     for the sake of your majesty and honor.
And so we thank you,
     for lyrics that push us past our reasons,
     for melodies that break open our givens,
     for cadences that locate us home,
          beyond all our safe places,
     for tones and tunes that open our lives beyond control
               and our futures beyond despair.
We thank you for the long parade of mothers and fathers
     who have sung you deep and true;
We thank you for the good company
     of artists, poets, musicians, cantors, and instruments
     that sing for us and with us, toward you.
We are witnesses to your mercy and splendor;
   We will not keep silent...ever again. Amen.

Brueggemann, Walter. 2003. Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth; Prayers of Walter Brueggemann. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. p. 133

Be Still and Know

2011-01-26T22:07:00.000-06:00

A shocking splash and then muffled echoes mute my scream. My ears fill with harshly cold water that enfolds my body as rapidly as alarm fills my mind. What happened? How did I get here? Just a minute ago I was standing on the dock; warmed by the sun and oblivious to the icy depths lurking just inches below me.

In my panic, I thrash my arms and legs and repeatedly gasp for breath as I lift my head into the cold air just to sink again. The coat that had once kept me warm is now a heavy burden weighing me down and keeping me below the water’s surface. I frantically struggle to kick but my shoes make it nearly impossible. My arms reach, hands groping in the darkness, for anything I can cling to. There is nothing. I can do nothing to help myself. How can this be happening to me?

As I realize my weakness, a memory from long ago slips into my mind. Images of my dad teaching me to float, flood into my frozen mind along with wise words. “Lean back in the water and relax. Stay calm and keep looking up. Know that I won’t let go of you.” Slowly, I will my body to stop its frenzied movement. As my efforts refocus, I imitate the stillness I learned long ago. I gradually recline in the water and look up; breathing deeply of the oxygen I yearned for a few seconds before.

Mind clearing, I rest on Invisible Arms in spite of the ice water lapping at my face. Peace replaces panic and trust replaces fear as I recall the words I will cling to until I am again on dry land. “Be still…”

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Written by: Shari Edwards
A metaphor on life being turned suddenly upside down upon the receipt of devasting news.

A Prayer for the New Year

2010-12-28T14:20:00.000-06:00

Almighty Father:

As we reflect on the year that has passed, we recognize that there were times of both joy and of sorrow. We rejoice in the new lives that came into the world and grieve those that came to an end; the jobs that were found and those that were lost; those individuals who commited their lives to You and those for whom we continue to pray. We acknowledge that while we often failed to understand, You were present in all of these circumstances.

As we turn our sights to the new year, we pray for hearts willing to put Your will before our own; for eyes to see those who hurt; for hands and feet eager to take the good news into the world; and for the faith to put everything about which we care into Your hands. Amen.

"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. Then you will call on me and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13

Christmas Eve Prayer

2010-12-23T21:43:00.000-06:00

Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Halfway through Advent: Have I missed it?

2010-12-12T18:50:00.000-06:00

Dear Jesus,

It's halfway through Advent and I'm not sure what happened. I really wanted to make this a reflective and calm season, preparing for your birth and pondering how you came into this world in such a stunningly humble way. But it's so busy and I'm distracted and sometimes even short-tempered with those I love the most. Where are you in THAT?

I am discouraged and wish I could start over. But as I sit here in the rare moment of silence, I contemplate your birth. In a bed of straw, with the smell of manure everywhere. It's a mess in that stable ... and come to think of it, my life is a little messy, too. I suddenly see that it is not just into the mess of the stable but into my mess that you enter the world. You came into a humble place and that humility is often where I live my life - feeling guilty or distracted and wishing I were a better person. But if I stop thinking of myself and focus on you, I realize that there you are, waiting to love me, even though I have so many unfulfilled good intentions about prayer, so many desires of how to change this fleeting Advent season.

I can begin Advent today and make this season deeper by making room in my heart for you. I can take just a moment before I get out of bed in the morning and feel the empty place in my life I so often fill with my busy-ness. It is there I need you the most. Come, Lord Jesus. Come into that dark and lonely spot in my heart. You know what my needs are more than I do. Let me feel your love. If I only carry that thought with me each day, it will prepare me for Christmas.

Thank you, Jesus. It's not too late. You are waiting to enter my life today, where ever I let you in. Help me to open my heart in these remaining days.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/advent-prayers.html#Halfway

A Prayer of Confession for the Season of Advent

2010-12-07T22:33:00.000-06:00

O promised Christ:

We are a world at war.
Our peace depends on your coming.

We are a sinful people.
Our pardon depends on your coming.

We are full of good intentions, but weak at keeping promises;

Our only hope of doing God's will
is that You should come and help us do it.

Lord Christ, Word made flesh
our world waits
for Your peace
for Your pardon
and for Your grace.

Even so: Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

http://www.sojournmusic.com/

Love is Here

2010-12-01T22:31:00.003-06:00

God did not send His Light into the world in order to condemn it, but so that the world could be saved through it. This Light is True Love; unchangeable, unwavering Love. A Love offered freely by He who is worthy to everyone who is not. Those who accept this Love no longer hunger or thirst; are no longer alone or in despair. For from that moment on, nothing can separate them from that Love.

Love is Here

Come to the waters, you who thirst and you'll thirst no more.
Come to the Father, you who work and you'll work no more.
And all you who labor in vain and to the broken and shamed:

Love is here.
Love is now.
Love is pouring from His hands, from His brows.
Love is near, it satisfies.
Streams of mercy flowing from His side.

Come to the treasure, you who search and you'll search no more.
Come to the lover you who want and you'll want no more, no.
And all you who labor in vain to the broken and shamed,
Love is here.
Love is now.
Love is pouring from His hands, from His brows.
Love is near, it satisfies.
Streams of mercy flowing from His side.

And to the bruised and fallen.
Captives, bound, and broken hearted.
He is the Lord,
He is the Lord.
By His stripes He's paid our ransom
From His wounds we drink salvation.
He is the Lord,
He is the Lord.

Love is here.
Love is now.
Love is pouring from
His hands, from His brows.
Love is near, it satisfies.
Streams of mercy flowing from His side.

Songwriters: Donehey, Michael; Ingram, Jason David; Jamison, Jason; Larue, Phillip; Middleton, Drew

Prayer for the Persecuted Church: Kenya

2010-11-12T15:18:00.001-06:00

Although there is full freedom of religion and much of the population professes to be Christian, the church faces severe persecution from Muslims on the north eastern border with Somalia. In some areas, an increase in persecution is the result of aggressive evangelism by the church. There is great pressure on Christian leaders in the Muslim-dominated communities and some have been won over by Muslim leaders.

Pray

For strength and faithfulness for Christian leaders working in Muslim-dominated areas
For greater unity among the churches in the north eastern and coastal regions of the country
For churches and Christian organizations working with Somali refugees.
Pray that many would be transformed by God's love.

Dear Lord:

We thank you for the freedom of religion and the many individuals in Kenya who have already accepted your love and grace. Remind them of the truth of your word as those of other faiths seek to turn them from You. We pray that you would encourage and strengthen those in areas of turmoil. May your protection be upon those who seek who assist the many refugees seeking safety in Kenya. Amen.

The Persecuted Church: Uzbekistan

2010-11-07T20:30:00.001-06:00

Government control of the Uzbek church through the SNB (former KGB) is very strong. All religious communities have to be registered, but it is a long, tiresome and almost impossible process for the Protestant church. Often registration is refused or even withdrawn after it has been granted. There is no Uzbek indigenous church with registration.

Local community leaders put pressure on Christians by cutting off water supplies and/or electricity to force them out of the village or to make them renounce their faith. Almost in every town Mahalla (district) committees ask families to come in for “a conversation’. They threaten Christian families, who then move from one Mahalla to another.

Local and national television stations regularly broadcast programs about Protestant congregations, shedding a very negative light on Christianity. As a result several individuals suffer severe physical and psychological pressure and many people who are interested in Christianity feel intimidated.

Pray:

Pray for the small church their to grow in this hostile environment and for Christians to remain steadfast in faith.
Pray for church leaders as they seek to obtain registration to worship legally.

(Courtesy of OpenDoorsUSA.com)

Dear Lord:

Today we stand in the gap for our brothers and sisters in Uzbekistan. We cannot possibly comprehend the difficulty of following You in such circumstances. We ask for Your presence to be very real and alive to the believers who struggle in this place and that their recognition of the Truth will encourage them in the face of despair and strengthen them when they want to give up. I pray that the church would find favor with the government in order to allow them to worship freely and without fear of reprisal. Amen.

They are Us

2010-10-25T21:54:00.001-05:00

A major news story in the religious community over the last week has been the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. The church, which sits on a 40-acre campus and once employed approximately 450 people, has been a mega-church icon for more than 50 years. Once wildly successful by any human measurement, the church is now more than $46 million in debt, including an outstanding mortgage of $36 million.

At least one article documenting the bankruptcy filing included a link to a story about the rise and fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. The author obviously perceived a common thread between the stories and was quick to point it out.
One common thread that no doubt exists is the bashing, from both inside and outside the global church, of the Bakker and Schulyer families.

Fortunately, the rest of us are made from holier cloth.

Or not.

Non-Christians and Christians alike are swift to assign blame and make self-aggrandizing statements when larger than life figures fall from grace. While some such statements may contain elements of truth, often the only real difference between "them" and "us" is that our ups and downs are not considered newsworthy. Thank you, God! Rather than join the chorus of nay-sayers and mockers, may we remember that there but for God's grace, go we.

Romans 15:1- 7 (The Message)

^1-2 Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"

^3-6That's exactly what Jesus did. He didn't make it easy for himself by avoiding people's troubles, but waded right in and helped out. "I took on the troubles of the troubled," is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it's written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we'll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!

⁷So reach out and welcome one another to God's glory. Jesus did it; now you do it!

We are Takers

2010-10-17T20:17:00.000-05:00

You are the giver of all good things.
   All good things are sent from heaven above,
      rain and sun,
day and night,
      justice and righteousness,
bread to the eater and
      seed to the sower,
peace to the old,
      energy to the young,
joy to the babes.
We are takers, who take from you,
   day by day, daily bread,
   taking all we need as you supply,
   taking in gratitude and wonder and joy.
And then taking more,
   taking more than we need,
   taking more than you give us,
   taking from our sisters and brothers,
   taking from the poor and the weak,
taking because we are frightened, and so greedy,
      taking because we are anxious, and so fearful,
taking because we are driven, and so uncaring.
Give us peace beyond our fear, and so end our greed.
Give us well-being beyond our anxiety, and so end our fear.
Give us abundance beyond our drivenness,
and so end our uncaring.
Turn our taking into giving...since we are in your giving image:
   Make us giving like you,
         giving gladly and not taking,
         giving in abundance, not taking,
         giving in joy, not taking,
         giving as he gave himself up for us all,
         giving, never taking. Amen.

Brueggemann, Walter. (2003.) Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress. P. 33.

Lightening and Rainbows

2010-10-10T20:23:00.001-05:00

The fall rains have begun and today was a day of consistent drizzle with the occasional thunderstorm and downpour added in. Early this evening, I stepped outside to come face to face with an incredible double rainbow. The inside rainbow shone with brilliant and deep colors while the outside rainbow echoed in pastels. As I stood and took it all in, a stunning crack of lightening, streaking in many different directions, broke into the scene.

This shared image of lightening and rainbows immediately brought to my mind certain realities of our faith. Everyone experiences storms of life, with flashes of stress and fear and worry streaking through their being. While the storm rages, its power seems insurmountable. Into this chaos, however, God sends the rainbow, his reminder that he stands firm in his promises, never wavering in his awareness and protection of his creation. The storm may continue on its course, but through it, God remains eternally faithful.

May the words of Isaiah 43: 1-4 (The Message) provide comfort and reassurance to you as the storms arise:

But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
   the One who got you started, Israel:
"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
   I've called your name. You're mine.
When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
   When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place,
   it won't be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
   The Holy of Israel, your Savior.

Great Door of Love

2010-10-03T18:03:00.000-05:00

Great Door of Love,
assure me of your protective presence
as I wander about the landscape of my life.
When I become lost, clear a path of hope.
May every seeking footstep of mine
take me through the doorway of your love.
Be my passageway today. O, be my passageway.
I open the door of my heart to you.
I open the door.

Opener of Hearts,
you are the true guide of my life
helping me unlock every door that leads to you.
As I move amid the mystery of myself,
I seek to know your desires for my growth.
Keep showing me the way to you
as I turn to you with trust and with faith.
I open the door of my heart to you.
I open the door.

Rupp, Joyce. (2008.) Open the door: The Journey to the True Self. Notre Dame, Indiana: Sorin Books. P. 24, 27.

Prayer for the Muslim World - Closing

2010-09-12T17:49:00.000-05:00

9. Be Loving toward All

The world’s Muslims are our neighbors, as Jesus used the term (Luke 10:29-37). The command of God to his people stands for all time: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev 19:18; Luke 10:27b). Both peacemakers and those who love their enemies are described as "sons [or daughters] of God" (Matt 5:9, 44; Luke 6:35). They are called children of God because they are acting like their Father: the God of Peace (Phil 4:9; 1 Thess 5:23). Responding to enemies with self-giving, sacrificial love demonstrates the gospel (Rom 5:10; cf. Col 1:21).

The Conclusion of the Grace and Truth Affirmation

We have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18, 19). The commission to "make disciples of all nations" has not been rescinded. Neither have the commands to demonstrate sacrificial love and to work toward peace. There is no separate gospel for wartime and peacetime. The message of God’s love in Christ is for all times, places and peoples. We affirm the nine biblical guidelines presented here for all followers of Christ, that we may remain faithful to him and become more fruitful in our relationships with Muslims.

We have prayed through the nine points. May God continue to help us to develop good attitudes toward Muslims.

Prayer for the Muslim World - Part 8

2010-09-10T22:08:00.001-05:00

The term "ignorant" is frequently used in a derogatory manner; as a synonym for stupid, or incapable of learning. In reality, ignorant simply means having a lack of knowledge, information, or education.

It is probably safe to say that most Christians are ignorant about Islam. But that does not mean that we are incapable of learning. A powerful means of showing respect to other people involves learning about them, seeking to understand more fully what the world looks like from their vantage point. While a lecture, newspaper articles or a good internet search (of reliable sources) can be of assistance, nothing replaces first hand interaction with those about whom we want to learn. Face to face conversation. A healthy exploration and exchange of ideas. Let us pray for such opportunities to learn.

8. Be Peaceable and ... Uncompromising in our Dialogue

Dialogue between Muslims and Christians provides us with opportunities to understand Muslims, build relationships, engage in peacemaking and share our faith. We seek to share the gospel respectfully and boldly, without compromise – as Paul "reasoned with" people (dialegomai - Acts 17:2, 17).

Prayer for the Muslim World - Part 7

2010-09-09T21:30:00.019-05:00

Word of the day: re·spect (ri spekt′)

transitive verb

1. to feel or show honor or esteem for; hold in high regard

2. to consider or treat with deference or dutiful regard

3. to show consideration for; avoid intruding upon or interfering with:
to respect others' privacy

noun

     1. esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person,
         a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a
         manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect
         for her judgment.

2. deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or

something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper

   acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment: respect for a suspect's
         right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the
         elderly.

7. Be Persistent in our Call for Religious Freedom

We affirm the right of religious freedom for every person and community. We defend the right of Muslims to express their faith respectfully among Christians and of Christians to express their faith respectfully among Muslims. Moreover, we affirm the right of Muslims and Christians alike to change religious beliefs, practices and/or affiliations according to their conscience (2 Cor 4:2). Thus we stand against all forms of religious persecution toward Muslims, Christians, or anyone else.

Prayer for Muslim World - Part 6

2010-09-09T09:10:00.003-05:00

Today's guideline is particularly relevant because of the news story this week about the church in Florida that is planning to burn the Quran on September 11th. The plans of one tiny church in one corner of the planet are now reverberating around the world. In the facebook and twitter world we now inhabit, our words and conduct as Christians are particularly critical.

As I drove into work today, the words of a song on the radio caught my attention. They were:

I will live to carry your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be your hands and feet
And I will give with the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion to see the world be changed
By the power of Your Name

May it be by our compassion that we are known to a world that so desperately needs the hope and love of God.

6. Be Prudent in our Google-ized World
In the past, when leaders in a religious community spoke, it was only heard by their own community. But today our words ricochet around the world. When we try to explain who we are, what we believe, what we do, and why we do it, our words may reach beyond our primary audience. After saying something controversial, an outspoken leader may try to clarify his statement. But the damage is already done. Prudence is required. (Prov 17:27).

Prayer for the Muslim World - Part 5

2010-09-06T20:42:00.003-05:00

As we continue to pray for the Muslim world, below is the fifth recommendation for Christians.

5. Be Respectful and Bold in our Witness

In the spirit of the Prince of Peace, respectful witness focuses on giving a positive presentation of the gospel. It does not attack the other or avoid presenting truth. (1 Peter 3:15). Numerous biblical examples (i.e. Acts 4:31; 9:27-28; 13:46; 14:3; 17:30-31; 19:8) invite us to emulate the boldness of early believers in sharing the good news. In obedience to the Scripture, we seek to be both respectful and bold in our witness.

Prayer for the Muslim World - Part 4

2010-09-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

As we continue to pray for the Muslim world, below is the fourth recommendation for Christians.

4. Be Wise in our Words and Witness

God’s Word calls us to share our faith wisely. “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity” (Col 4:5, James 3:17-18). We need to embrace that which is impartial and sincere, neither glossing over vital truths nor telling only one side of a story.

Pray these things for your self, your congregation and the body of Christ concerning our relationships with Muslims.

Prayer for the Muslim World - Part 3

2010-09-04T22:00:00.000-05:00

As we continue to pray for the Muslim world, below is the third recommendation for Christians.

3. Be Truthful and Gracious in our Words and Witness

We seek to be accurate when we speak about Muslims and their faith. Overstatement, exaggeration and words taken out of context should not be found among followers of Jesus (Matt 12:36, Ex 20:16, Matt 7:12, Matt 22:39). We affirm that proclaiming the Good News is a higher priority than defending our culture.

Pray these things for your self, your congregation and the body of Christ concerning our relationships with Muslims.

Prayer for the Muslim World - Part 2

2010-09-03T17:35:00.000-05:00

As we continue to pray for those of the Muslim faith, below is the second recommendation for Christians:

2. Be Jesus-Centered in our Interaction

Our focus is Jesus because he is the essence of the gospel. (1 Cor 2:2). We affirm a Jesus-centered approach to Muslims because it highlights the treasure of the gospel. It does not confuse the good news with Christendom, patriotism or our civilization. Jesus is our model, and we seek to embody his life in all we say and do.

Pray these things for your self, your congregation and the body of Christ concerning our relationships with Muslims.

Prayer for the Muslim World

2010-09-02T22:42:00.000-05:00

Around the world, Muslim men and women are in the midst of the annual observance of Ramadan, a month-long celebration of purification and restraint. Observances of Ramadan include a community fast and abstinence from human pleasures such as food, drink, smoking and sex between sunrise and sunset. After sunset, the fast is broken over a meal called Iftar. Throughout the celebration of Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to read the Quran, to give to those in need, and to develop their relationship with God through prayer. The goals of Ramadan are to experience and incorporate into normal life such virtues as humility, patience, sacrifice, forgiveness, and self-restraint.

Interesting.

Ignore for the moment the (highly significant) differences in Diety, and some of the more specific requirements of Ramadan, and the above might almost read like a description of Lent. But, before we wander too far down that path, here's the point: Millions upon millions of Muslims throughout the world are simply people, just like you and I, who are doing the only things they know to do to draw nearer to God.

So, we have a choice. We can demonize them based on the actions of some and the stereotypes of many. Or, we can recognize them as other human beings, struggling just as we are to make sense of a sin-filled world, and pray that they might find the same eternal Source of hope we have.

As Ramadan comes to a close over the next week, I invite you to join in me praying specifically for the Muslim world. The 30-Day Prayer Network, an annual global effort to pray for Muslims throughout the celebration of Ramadan, has published nine guidelines to use when praying for Muslims. I will be sharing one guideline per day and encourage you to join me in prayer. As we are reminded in James 5:16, the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.

1. Be Faithful to God’s Truth – the Whole Truth

We seek to relate to Muslims on the basis of the core convictions of Christian faith, not by hiding or diminishing them. Relating to Muslims with respect, understanding and love includes bearing faithful witness to essential truths of the gospel. Jesus is Lord. Forgiveness, salvation and eternal life are free gifts of God’s grace available to any person through repentance and faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We seek to obey the whole will of God, with its implications for every part of our lives in this world (Matt 22:37, 39; 28:20; Micah 6:8).

Pray these things for your self, your congregation and the body of Christ concerning our relationships with Muslims.

I want for......nothing!

2010-08-22T20:30:00.001-05:00

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

2010-08-12T21:11:00.001-05:00

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

2010-08-08T22:30:00.000-05:00

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.

Genuine Concern for Others

2010-07-25T22:35:00.002-05:00

In Philippians 2:20-22, Timothy is singled out as being unique. Paul states "I have no one else like him, who will show a genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests. Not those of Jesus Christ." Of all the people surrounding Paul throughout his ministry, he recognizes genuine concern as a rare trait possessed only by Timothy.

Interesting. Wouldn't most of us say that concern for the welfare of others is sort of "entry-level Christianity?"

Unfortunately, nothing has changed today. Whether at a business function, a family gathering, or a church social event, the truth is that most of us remain primarily focused on our own needs or agendas. We interact with others and show appropriate amusement, dismay or concern, while thinking about the next comment we will add or story we will tell. We check out what is happening around us while half-listening, rather than focusing completely on what the other person is saying. We promise to get together again in the future, and then we go on about our lives.

How rare a gift is the conversation with another who demonstrates complete focus on what we have to say. No rush to tell a similar story, or to say, "Oh, that's nothing. Let me tell you what happened to me!" Rather, a conversation that remains focused on you; where more details are sought, genuine interest is demonstrated and you are encouraged to talk at length.

Is it any wonder, then, that we struggle to embrace the image of God loving us enough to stop and say "I have nothing else to do, nowhere I'd rather be, I'm fully devoted to being with you?" If we can't even hold the interest of other humans, how is it possible that God would have any desire to spend time with us? Particularly the God who knows the whole, ugly truth about who we are? Why on earth would he pay attention to anything we have to say, let alone turn to us in joyful anticipation of spending time together?

Do you want to be a missionary of God to those around you? Slow down and show complete focus and interest on what others desire to tell you. Ask questions, encourage them to elaborate and ask for updates as time passes. As Paul noted, such genuine concern, while seemingly normal, is actually quite rare.

Focused attention will surprise people. It will make them wonder. And ask questions. And provide you with an opening to talk about the Source of genuine concern.

As others realize the value you place on these conversations and the relationship you're building with them, they may begin to believe that they might just possibly be valued by God as well. And that is a very big deal.

Love Pays Attention

2010-07-21T21:43:00.000-05:00

One of the great miracles of life is that God pays attention to us. This is partly why the writers of Scripture speak so often of God's face. This is the hope of the great priestly blessing that God himself taught the people of Israel:

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you

and be gracious to you

the LORD turn his face toward you

and give you peace.

To turn your face toward someone is to give that person your whole-hearted, undivided attention. It is not the casual listening of a preoccupied mind. It is a statement: "I have nothing else to do, nowhere I'd rather be, I'm fully devoted to being with you." This is the kind of attention God lavishes on us.

It gets better. This blessing says God will not only turn his face toward us, he will make it "shine" on us. The shining face is an image of delight. It is the face of a proud parent beaming while a child plays in her first piano recital. It is the radiant face of a bride as she walks the aisle to her groom. We can turn our face toward (pay attention to) anyone, with little effort. But our faces shine and beam and grow radiant only in the presence of those we love most deeply. And this, says the prayer, is how God loves us.

John Ortberg. (1998). Love Beyond Reason. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. p 31.

There's only one problem. We don't really believe that it's true. For most of us, the idea that God has nothing better to do than to hang with us, or that his face lights with joy when he turns toward us, is completely far-fetched.

Why is that? I invite you to ponder that thought in your own devotions or to leave a comment with your thoughts below. But most of all, I invite you to stay tuned while we explore this question together.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

2010-07-16T22:30:00.000-05:00

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

Rev. William W. Walford, a blind English minister, is the author of this hymn which was probably written about the year 1842. It was recited to Rev. Thomas Salmon, Congregational pastor at Coleshill, England, who took it down and brought it to New York, where it was published in the New York Observer. Little is known of Mr. Walford save that in his blindness, besides preaching occasionally, he employed his mechanical skill in making useful articles of bone and ivory. The tune was composed by W. B. Bradbury in 1859, and first appeard in 'Cottage Melodies'.

Love

2010-07-13T21:35:00.001-05:00

My child, don't turn away
or become bitter
   when the Lord corrects you.
The Lord corrects
   everyone he loves,
just as parents correct
   their favorite child.
   Proverbs 3:11-12

The mother who never punishes her child is not more loving. The father who never sets limits may seem like his son's friend, but actually does more harm than good. Children need boundaries. They need correction when they have done wrong. It is the loving parent who puts her child back on the right track when he has misstepped.

Similarly, when we deviate from the path of holiness, our Father lovingly corrects us and sets us back in the right direction. At times, this correction is uncomfortable and unwelcomed, but although it may be difficult, know that it is God showing you that He loves you.

   Your Promise to God . . .

   Like a parent who knows what is best for her child,
   You, Lord, know what's best for me.
   I will walk the path You lay before me
   even when it seems like a rocky road.

Promises from God to Parents, (c) 2006 by T.D. Jakes, pg. 14-15

All the Theology Needed by Man

2010-07-06T20:18:00.008-05:00

As a freshman in college, I was required to memorize and write down all four verses to the hymn "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" as the answer to an essay question. (The question being, "What are words to the hymn...") My professor believed that the verses laid out the essence of the Gospel and contained all of the theology needed by man (or woman.) I invite you to meditate on these words and see if you agree...

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

1. A mighty fortress is our God, 
 a bulwark never failing; 
 our helper he amid the flood 
 of mortal ills prevaling.  
 For still our ancient foe 
 doth seek to work us woe; 
 his craft and power are great, 
 and armed with cruel hate, 
 on earth is not his equal.

2. Did we in our own strength confide, 
 our striving would be losing, 
 were not the right man on our side, 
 the man of God's own choosing.
 Dost ask who that may be?  
 Christ Jesus, it is he; 
 Lord Sabaoth, his name, 
 from age to age the same, 
 and he must win the battle.

3. And though this world, with devils filled, 
 should threaten to undo us, 
 we will not fear, for God hath willed 
 his truth to triumph through us.  
 The Prince of Darkness grim, 
 we tremble not for him; 
 his rage we can endure, 
 for lo, his doom is sure; 
 one little word shall fell him.

4. That word above all earthly powers, 
 no thanks to them, abideth; 
 the Spirit and the gifts are ours, 
 thru him who with us sideth.  
 Let goods and kindred go, 
 this mortal life also; 
 the body they may kill; 
 God's truth abideth still; 
 his kingdom is forever!

Freedom

2010-07-03T21:42:00.003-05:00

As you celebrate the Fourth of July, remember that as great as the freedom is that we enjoy as citizens of the United States, our true citizenship is in heaven, which provides a far greater freedom.

Philippians 3:20

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 8:31-36
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Luke 4:18-19
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
       because he has anointed me
       to proclaim good news to the poor.
       He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
       and recovery of sight for the blind,
       to set the oppressed free,
       to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Romans 8:1-4
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in human flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Celebrate your freedom in Christ!

Psalm 51

2010-06-29T22:00:00.001-05:00

Generous in love—God, give grace!
   Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
   Scrub away my guilt,
      soak out my sins in your laundry.
   I know how bad I've been;
      my sins are staring me down.

You're the One I've violated, and you've seen
      it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
   You have all the facts before you;
      whatever you decide about me is fair.
   I've been out of step with you for a long time,
      in the wrong since before I was born.
   What you're after is truth from the inside out.
      Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,
      scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.
   Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
      set these once-broken bones to dancing.
   Don't look too close for blemishes,
      give me a clean bill of health.
   God, make a fresh start in me,
      shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.

   Don't throw me out with the trash,
      or fail to breathe holiness in me.
   Bring me back from gray exile,
      put a fresh wind in my sails!
   Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
      so the lost can find their way home.
   Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
      and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
   Unbutton my lips, dear God;
      I'll let loose with your praise.

Going through the motions doesn't please you,
      a flawless performance is nothing to you.
   I learned God-worship
      when my pride was shattered.
   Heart-shattered lives ready for love
      don't for a moment escape God's notice.

Psalm 51: 1-17 The Message

God is Not Prozac

2010-06-23T21:33:00.007-05:00

Really. It's true. It must be. The current edition of Ladies Home Journal told me so.

The article, entitled Let Us Pray (by Katharine Whittemore), examines the benefits of prayer. The overall question examined in the article is this:

Even when people come from different cultures and different faiths, they can generally agree on this one thing: Prayer helps. But why?

Good question.

Certainly the answer is not that praying guarantees a positive outcome to our requests. Nor is it because the disappointments and stresses of life magically disappear. The helpfulness of prayer is not even necessarily related to having experienced answered prayer in the past.

The magazine article explores a number of possible reasons as to why prayer is helpful. As you would expect, they range from the physical (those who pray tend to have lower blood pressure) to the psychological (lower rates of depression) to the neurological (changing activity in different cortexes of the brain.) The article also notes that these positive outcomes are common to all faiths and even to no faith, but rather a focus on meditation.

So all prayer (or meditation) is equal?

Perhaps.

If, and only if, your criteria of effectiveness is confined to the physical, psychological, and neurological.

Which, of course, ours is not.

The magazine article quotes a rabbi as saying, "If you think about it, prayer connects you to hope."

That is very true.

But also incomplete.

For prayer connects you to far more than just hope.

It connects you to

God.

Not the God we would have chosen

2010-06-13T20:40:00.000-05:00

We would as soon you were stable and reliable.
We would as soon you were predictable
     and always the same toward us.
We would like to take the hammer of doctrine
     and take the nails of piety
   and nail your feet to the floor
     and have you stay in one place.
And then we find you moving,
     always surprising us,
   always coming at us from new directions.
Always planting us
and uprooting us
          and tearing all things down
and making all things new.
You are not the God we would have chosen
   had we done the choosing,
     but we are your people
   and you have chosen us in freedom.
We pray for the great gift of freedom
   that we may be free towrd you
     as you are in your world.
Give us that gift of freedom
     that we may move in new places
   in obedience and in gratitude.
Thank you for Jesus
   who embodied your freedom for all of us. Amen.

Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann, (c) 2003, pg 87.

Psalm 139ish

2010-06-10T22:37:00.004-05:00

Lord, You know everything about me.

You know when I am at work and when I go home.
You are aware of all of the thoughts that pass through my mind.

You know when I labor in the yard or am relaxing in bed.
You know everything about me.

Before I realize that I am about to speak, you already know what I will say.

I cannot take a step in any direction without Your being there,
Your hand is on my shoulder to guide me.

I believe these truths without any understanding of how they are possible. They are too difficult for me to grasp.

Is there anywhere I could go and not find you?
Any place I could discover where you are not already present?

If I climbed to the top of Mount Everest, you would be there.
If I dove to the deepest part of the oceans, you would be there.
If I flew through the sky like an eagle,
If I traveled to the remotest part of the earth,
Even there I would not be lost from you
You would continue to guide my steps.

If I think I can run and hide
in a place where you cannot find me
I should remember that no such place exists
You are aware of it all
Nothing is hidden from you.

For you created every part of me.
From nothing, you brought me into being.
I am amazed at the complexities of human life
And rejoice that I am made in your image.

Nothing was hidden from you
when the life that is me began.
While I developed within my mother's womb
You watched over me with love.

You knew from before the beginning what my life would entail
The details of what would transpire.

Your thoughts are a precious gift to me.
One that will never end.
They are far beyond my ability to count.

I am never separated from you.

Why do you not destroy those who are opposed to you, God?
I will have nothing to do with them!
They intentionally work against you
And speak of you with disdain.
I feel nothing but disgust for them.
They are beneath contempt.

Examine me, Lord, and reveal the truth about me.
Challenge me and bring to light all my anxieties.
Discover whether evil still resides within me
And guide me toward your eternal truth.

Pro Sports Oddity

2010-06-04T20:33:00.005-05:00

A funny thing happened at the ball park this week.

The scene was tense and the players supremely focused and competitive. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, expectant, and waiting to roar. It was the ninth inning. Two outs. So far, a perfect game had been pitched. No walks. No hits. One batter to go. Only one more out needed to make history.

The pitcher pitches, the batter bats, the ball is fielded and thrown to first. The batter appears to be out and for a split second there is celebration. The joy quickly turns to disbelief, however, as the umpire calls the runner safe. The pitcher's teammates protest loudly, some very loudly, on his behalf. But the call stands.

No perfect game.

Were the story to stop there, it would be newsworthy enough. However, the most remarkable parts had yet to occur.

The umpire publicly admitted that he made a mistake
The umpire apologized to the pitcher.
The pitcher's teammate who protested too loudly apologized to the umpire.
The umpire had the courage to work the game the very next night.
The crowd treated the umpire with a reasonable amount of respect.
The pitcher accepted the umpire's apology.
The pitcher shook the umpire's hand.
The umpire cried.

Such public humility is remarkably refreshing. For a change, the news contained a story that displayed positive human qualities. The only part of the story that is somewhat sad is the fact that the story of people acting so maturely strikes us all as remarkable.

Thankfully, the everyday interactions of most of us are not reported on the evening news or written about in opinion columns and blogs around the world. But what if they were? Would we show up as the self-focused, over-paid athlete with an entitlement mentality that we are so used to hearing about? Or would we be the apologetic umpire with tears in his eyes who is hurting over the costs of his error?

May we seek to live a life of humility not because someone might be watching, but because it was the model employed by Jesus Christ.

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T18:40:00.008-05:00

Memorial Day is set apart on the calendar as a time to remember those who have passed away. Whether members of the military or just of our family, the day is designed to honor the memory of those who were important to us while they lived.

It is natural that we experience grief as we remember these individuals. However, as we recall those who put their faith in Christ, we find that our grief is intertwined with joy. Although sad that they are gone from our presence, we have confidence that they have, in fact, arrived home.

Home with the Lord.
   Home to a new life.
   An eternal life.
   With no sickness, pain, or sorrow.
And so, though we cry, we rejoice.

This sentiment is expressed in the following song by MercyMe. If you are grieving a loss of a loved one this Memorial Day, may this song bring you comfort.

Finally Home by MercyMe
I'm gonna wrap my arms around my daddy's neck
and tell him that I've missed him.
Tell him all about the man that I've become and hope that it pleased him.
There's so much I want to say, there's so much I want you to know.

When I finally make it home.
When I finally make it home.

Then I'll gaze upon the throne of the King, frozen in my steps.
And all the questions that I swore I would ask - words just won't come.
So amazed at what I've seen, so much more than this old mind can hold.

When I finally make it home.

When I finally make it home.

And the sweetest sound my ears have yet to hear is the voices of the angels.

When I finally make it home.

Psalm 103 (The Message)

2010-05-29T18:19:00.000-05:00

A David Psalm

O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
don't forget a single blessing!

He forgives your sins—every one.
He heals your diseases—every one.
He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
He renews your youth—you're always young in his presence.

God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he's rich in love.
He doesn't endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.

He knows us inside and out,
keeps in mind that we're made of mud.
Men and women don't live very long;
like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God's love, though, is ever and always,
eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
as they follow his Covenant ways
and remember to do whatever he said.

God has set his throne in heaven;
he rules over us all. He's the King!
So bless God, you angels,
ready and able to fly at his bidding,
quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God!

A Prayer for Pentecost

2010-05-22T12:34:00.004-05:00

Christ Jesus,
before ascending into heaven,
You promised to send the Holy Spirit
to Your apostles and disciples.

Grant that the same Spirit
may perfect in our lives the work of Your grace and love.

Grant us the Spirit of Fear Of The Lord
that we may be filled with a loving reverence toward You.

The Spirit of Piety
that we may find peace and fulfillment
in the service of God while serving others;

The Spirit of Fortitude
that we may bear our cross with You
and, with courage, overcome the obstacles
that interfere with our salvation;

The Spirit of Knowledge
that we may know You and know ourselves
and grow in holiness;

The Spirit of Understanding
to enlighten our minds
with the light of Your truth;

The Spirit of Counsel
that we may choose the surest way of doing Your will,
seeking first the Kingdom;

Grant us the Spirit of Wisdom
that we may aspire to the things that last forever;

Teach us to be Your faithful disciples
and animate us in every way with Your Spirit. Amen.

http://www.churchyear.net/pentprayers.htm

God is Love

2010-05-17T20:59:00.008-05:00

Dear friends, all we who are beloved and redeemed by God,
   let us love one another.

Loving each other sounds both very simple
   and nearly impossible.

But love for others IS possible for love comes from God.
As we draw near to God, we begin to experience a love like no other.
   A pure love.
   An unrelenting love.

If we are willing,
   cooperative,
   obedient,
   we become able to reflect the same love to others.

How is this possible?

Because everyone who loves has been born of God
   and knows God.

If possible, why is true love so rare?
   Because where there is no God, there is no love.

Whoever does not love the Lord
   with all his heart,
   with all his soul,
   with all his mind,
   and does not love his neighbor as much as he does himself
does not know God,
because God is love.

How is the love of God for humanity possible?
   IS IT even possible?
   Can we be certain?
   What proof exists?

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.

We know this truth. We have heard it before.
   Ten times.
   One hundred times.
   More times than we could ever count.
   Yet our minds cannot grasp its significance.

This amazing,
   incomprehensible,
   un-repayable gift
   is love:

Not that we have ever earned
   or will ever deserve the gift.

Love is offered not because we loved God,
   although to the limits of our willingness and understanding, we do.
But that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us,
   knowing how utterly pathetic
   miserable,
   inadequate,
   and undeserving we are,
is it not absolutely clear that we also
ought to love one another?

   1 John 4:7-11

The God who yearns and waits for us

2010-05-15T20:36:00.010-05:00

We are strange conundrums of faithfulness and fickleness.
We cleave to you in all the ways that we are able.
We count on you and intend our lives to be lived for you,
   and then we find ourselves among your people
   who are always seeking elsewhere and otherwise.

So we give thanks that you are the God
  who yearns and waits for us,
   and that our connection to you is always from your side,
   and that it is because of your goodness
   that neither life nor death
   not angels nor principalities
   nor heights nor depths
   nor anything in creation
   can separate us from you.

We give you thanks for your faithfulness,
  so much more durable than ours. Amen.

   Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth (c) 2003
   Prayers of Walter Brueggemann, p. 135.

Be Still My Soul

2010-05-10T12:47:00.001-05:00

Be still, my soul--
The Lord is on thy side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide.
In ev'ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul--
Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul! thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul! the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul! when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Katharina Schlegel (1697-c.1768)

Chaos at 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00

2010-05-04T18:59:00.012-05:00

If you ever want to be challenged in your faith, all you have to do is turn on the news. The Early Show, the Today Show, the Eyewitness News at Noon, and all three evening newscasts (four if you count the 9:00 news on Fox) deliver death, destruction and chaos to your doorstep throughout the day. Add in some CNN, Anderson Cooper, Nancy Grace and the FOX News Network (to say nothing of a little thing called the internet) and you're sure to need a large bottle of antacid, a therapist, or both. If it's not volcanoes, tsunamis, and earthquakes, it's war and famine and disease. Everywhere we turn, our world has the appearance of being out of control and racing toward destruction.

While we prefer to think of our time in history as unique and special, the reality is that there is truly nothing new under the sun. Whether of natural or human origin, trouble has followed mankind since the fall. As such, one of the most significant sources of comfort in trying times is revealed in the writings of those who preceded us, and found rest in the Lord through it all.

Dear Lord, when we look at the chaos in our world, we often wonder why nations and people groups continue to plot against each other. Why is hate so easy? Why is war undertaken so quickly? Will we endlessly villainize those who are different from us, never learning the lessons from history that so clearly demonstrate the futility of these vain efforts? Leaders around the world attempt to act as god in Your place. Surely You must laugh at their attempts, even as You grieve. Remind us, Lord, to pray for our leaders and those in authority over us that we may lead peaceful lives in godliness and holiness.

On a personal level, Lord, our lives are often filled with similar degrees of chaos. Blindness, ignorance, and disobedience on our part mix with tragedy, disappointments and the work of the evil one to drive us to despair. Remind us daily, Lord, that you have called each of us by name. In our troubles, we are not abandoned. As we walk, crawl, or stumble through life, You go with us. We go through no hardships or trials outside of Your knowledge or presence.

Thank You for the assurance that despite the suffering of the day and the apparent hopelessness of current situations, You work all things together for our good. You have created, forgiven, and redeemed us. As we seek a proper response in hard times, remind us of an undeniable truth...You, our God and our Savior, All-Mighty and All-Powerful, stand beside us in the battle. When we remember this, only one question remains..."What chance then, does anyone or any force have to stand against us?"

(Based upon select verses from Psalm 2, 1 Timothy 2, Isaiah 43, and Romans 8.)

A Franciscan Benediction

2010-05-01T18:00:00.001-05:00

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen.

Love Wichita?

2010-04-25T17:00:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, April 24th, thousands of volunteers from churches throughout Wichita joined together to demonstrate the love of God by performing acts of service throughout the city. When one considers the magnitude of the effort needed to transform a city, country, or the world, it is very easy to become overwhelmed. In no way can one person or group of people meet the needs. As a result, it becomes easy to believe that any effort to help is pointless, because the needs are so much greater than our ability to meet them.

The vision of Love Wichita, however, is: To seek the peace and prosperity of Wichita, believing that our city will be forever changed, one life at a time. Rather than allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed and immobilized by the need, it is important to realize that we are fully capable of impacting the lives of other individuals, families and groups. And by the process of affecting individuals, we impact our city, our country, and our world.

Remember the story of the starfish:

One day an old man was walking along the beach. It was low tide, and the sand was littered with thousands of stranded starfish that the water had carried in and then left behind. The man began walking very carefully so as not to step on any of the beautiful creatures. Since the animals still seemed to be alive, he considered picking some of them up and putting them back in the water, where they could resume their lives.

The man knew the starfish would die if left on the beach's dry sand but he reasoned that he could not possibly help them all, so he chose to do nothing and continued walking.

Soon afterward, the man came upon a small child on the beach who was frantically throwing one starfish after another back into the sea. The old man stopped and asked the child, "What are you doing?"

"I'm saving the starfish," the child replied.

"Why waste your time?... There are so many you can't save them all so what does is matter?" argued the man.

Without hesitation, the child picked up another starfish and tossed the starfish back into the water... "It matters to this one," the child explained.

As you go through the coming week, ask the Lord to show you his starfish in need of help.

Rejoicing Comes in the Morning

2010-04-17T19:59:00.020-05:00

Hear the word of the Lord from Psalm 30:

I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. Sing to the LORD you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken." O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
_________

The message contained in these words provides great comfort for those who are hurting or experiencing dark days of the soul. From beginning to end, there is a promise of deliverance. Whether from the depths, grave, or pit, from crying or from wailing, the Lord provides rescue. And the result is healing, favor, joy, and dancing. So, then, we are promised that if we call out to God, we can expect to be delivered from our problems and be happy for the rest of our lives.

Huh?

Dictionary.com defines joy as "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something especially good or satisfying." Despite our tendency to think differently, it is possible that this definition speaks to more than health, wealth, and success. The hard truth is that the "something especially good" may not be the curing of a fatal illness, but the reunification of the family facing the situation. The "something...satisfying" may not be the return of the wayward child, but the deepening of faith experienced by the parents. The job, the relationship, the health, and the finances may never really improve. Regardless, joy and a witness of praise can still come in the morning, if they are rooted not in the world's definitions but in that which comes through Christ.

Into our several hells

2010-04-14T22:10:00.014-05:00

There is evidence that our society is going to hell in a handbasket;
The hell holes are easy to spot in the news;
And we, even in our privilege, know the signs and degrees of hell.
But we confess that you are the God
   who has descended into our several hells,
   submitted,
   suffered,
   been present . . .
   and then raised in power to new life.

We care not so much about your ascent into heaven
   as we do about your restoration of the earth.

You are the God who raised others even as you ascend in new power.
   So raise us this day from all our negativities;
   So raise our city this day from its cruel failures;
   So raise our world this day from its several hells
   of brutality and uncaring.
   So raise us to new praise and glad obedience.

You who descend and who are raised in splendor. Hallelujah! Amen.

On reading 2 Samuel 12
Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Bruggemann (c) 2003

Post Easter Thought

2010-04-10T16:26:00.003-05:00

Author Anon Translated by Francis Pott

The strife is o’er, the battle done;

The victory of life is won;

the song of triumph has begun. Alleluia!

The pow’rs of death have done their worst,

But Christ their legions hath dispersed;

Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!

The three sad days have quickly sped;

He rises glorious from the dead:

All glory to our risen Head! Alleluia!

Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee,

From death’s dread sting Thy servants free,

That we may live and sing to Thee. Alleluia! Amen.

He is Risen, Halleluiah!

2010-04-03T19:35:00.001-05:00

New Birth!

2010-04-03T12:48:00.002-05:00

Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In His great mercy
He has given us a new birth
to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead
and to an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
It is reserved in heaven for you,
who because of your faith in God
are being protected by His power
until the salvation
that is ready to be revealed at the end of time

1 Peter 1:3-5

Prayer for Palm Sunday Week

2010-03-27T16:25:00.001-05:00

O Lord Jesus Christ, who as on this day didst enter the rebellious city where thou wast to die, enter into our hearts, we beseech thee, and subdue them wholly to thyself.

And as thy faithful disciples blessed thy coming, and spread their garments in the way, covering it with palm-branches, may we be ready to cast ourselves and all that we are in joyful obeisance before thee, and to bless thee, O thou who comest in the name of the Lord.

And grant that after having worshiped and confessed thee on the earth, we may be among the number of those who shall hail thine eternal triumphs, and bear in their hands the palms of victory, when every knee shall bow before thee, and every tongue confess that thou art Lord, King of Kings, Glory of Heaven, for whom abideth dominion, power and honor, now and forever. Amen.

James Martineau (Ferguson and Wallis, 415, p. 141)

This prayer contains some words and phrased that we do not use any longer in our modern English. As I ponder the beauty of this prayer and the words used I have to wonder what kind of English will be used in the next twenty years with the acceptance of text message language.

And the answers are:

2010-03-24T21:24:00.001-05:00

Prayer #1 (By Benjamin Franklin): O powerful goodness! Bountiful Father! Merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolution to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favours to me.

Prayer #2 (By Elvis Presley): Send me some light - I need it.

Prayer #3 (by Eleanor Roosevelt): Our Father, who has set a restlessness in our hearts and made us all seekers after that which we can never fully find, forbid us to be satisfied with what we make of life. Draw us from base content and set our eyes on far off goals. Keep us at tasks too hard for us that we may be driven to Thee for strength. Deliver us from the fretfulness and self-pitying; make us sure of the good we cannot see and of the hidden good in the world. Open our eyes to simple beauty all around us and our hearts to the loveliness men hide from us because we do not try to understand them. Save us from ourselves and show us a vision of the world made new.

Prayer #4 (By Billy Graham): Our Father and God, we praise You for Your goodness to our nation, giving us blessings far beyond what we deserve. Yet we know all is not right with America. We deeply need a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the many problems we face. Convict us of sin. Help us to turn to You in repentance and faith. Set our feet on the path of Your righteousness and peace. We pray today for our nation's leaders. Give them the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do it. You have said, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." May this be a new era for America, as we humble ourselves and acknowledge You alone as our Savior and Lord. This we pray in Your holy name, Amen

And for today...a prayer quiz

2010-03-20T16:59:00.001-05:00

Your task for today is to match the prayer below to its famous author. The authors include: Eleanor Roosevelt, Billy Graham, Benjamin Franklin, and Elvis Presley. (Answers will be provided in the next post.)

Prayer #1: O powerful goodness! Bountiful Father! Merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolution to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favours to me.

Prayer #2: Send me some light - I need it.

Prayer #3: Our Father, who has set a restlessness in our hearts and made us all seekers after that which we can never fully find, forbid us to be satisfied with what we make of life. Draw us from base content and set our eyes on far off goals. Keep us at tasks too hard for us that we may be driven to Thee for strength. Deliver us from the fretfulness and self-pitying; make us sure of the good we cannot see and of the hidden good in the world. Open our eyes to simple beauty all around us and our hearts to the loveliness men hide from us because we do not try to understand them. Save us from ourselves and show us a vision of the world made new.

Prayer #4: Our Father and God, we praise You for Your goodness to our nation, giving us blessings far beyond what we deserve. Yet we know all is not right with America. We deeply need a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the many problems we face. Convict us of sin. Help us to turn to You in repentance and faith. Set our feet on the path of Your righteousness and peace. We pray today for our nation's leaders. Give them the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do it. You have said, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." May this be a new era for America, as we humble ourselves and acknowledge You alone as our Savior and Lord. This we pray in Your holy name, Amen

And then you

2010-03-18T21:43:00.003-05:00

We arrange our lives as best we can,
   to keep your holiness at bay,
   with our pieties,
   our doctrines,
   our liturgies,
   our moralities,
   our secret ideologies,
Safe, virtuous, settled.

And then you --
   you and your dreams,
   you and your visions,
   you and your purposes,
   you and your commands,
   you and our neighbors.

We find your holiness not at bay,
   but probing, pervading,
   insisting, demanding.

And we yield, sometimes gladly,
   sometimes resentfully,
   sometimes late . . . or soon.

We yield because you, beyond us, are our God.
   we are your creatures met by your holiness,
   by your holiness made our true selves.

   And we yield. Amen.

Walter Brueggemann, Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth (c) 2003, pg 3.

Psalm 63: 1-8

2010-03-10T22:27:00.002-06:00

A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Judah.

¹ You, God, are my God,
       earnestly I seek you;
       I thirst for you,
       my whole being longs for you,
       in a dry and parched land
       where there is no water.

    ² I have seen you in the sanctuary
       and beheld your power and your glory.

     ³ Because your love is better than life,
       my lips will glorify you.

     ⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
       and in your name I will lift up my hands.

     ⁵ I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of
   foods; with singing lips my mouth will
   praise you.

     ⁶ On my bed I remember you;
       I think of you through the watches of the night.

     ⁷ Because you are my help,
       I sing in the shadow of your wings.

     ⁸ I cling to you;
       your right hand upholds me.

May it be so, Lord God. Amen.

The Undercover Boss and The Oscars

2010-03-07T23:25:00.017-06:00

Among the TV offerings tonight were two programs which highlighted individuals on extreme opposite ends of life's spectrum.

The Undercover Boss followed the CEO of 7-11 as he worked incognito at various positions within the company. Working alongside employees making deliveries, cleaning the stores and waiting on customers, he saw firsthand the challenges of the labor and the people working largely in low-pay, completely unglamorous positions. And he was amazed by the quality of the people, completely apart from their work performance, who worked for the company.

The Oscars, by contrast, portrayed Hollywood glamour at its best. While the awards are clearly a primary focus, the red carpet runs a close second in importance. The public and the media crowd into their places hours in advance, hoping for a chance to glimpse beautiful and famous people in beautiful clothing made by famous designers.

In comparing the first series of lifestyles to the second, the correct "Christian" answer is obvious. Clearly, it is more righteous to do your honest labor well, no matter how mundane, rather than to live the shallow, albeit glamorous, life of a Hollywood actor. Any kindergarten student in Sunday school could come up with that answer.

Why then, deep inside, do we so often secretly want the glamorous life? Whether on a Hollywood scale or not, we very frequently crave the attention and admiration of those around us. Despite all of our claims to the opposite, we want to be pulled out of the crowd and noticed.

During this season of Lent, let us be reminded that there is only one voice of approval with eternal value. The voice of the one who loved us before we were born, continues to love us now despite our many flaws, and will love us for all time.

Psalm 139

¹ O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

² You know when I sit and when I rise;
       you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
       you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
       you know it completely, O LORD.

⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon me.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
       too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
       Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
       if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
       if I settle on the far side of the sea,

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
       your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹ If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
       and the light become night around me,"

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
       the night will shine like the day,
       for darkness is as light to you.

Streams and Pathways

2010-03-04T22:31:00.004-06:00

If asked, we all would likely report a preference for experiencing spiritual growth through times of great health, peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, this is not the typical model. When all is going well and success is found in every endeavor, the perceived need for God lessens or disappears. Or, perhaps even more dangerously, our theology is remolded into a faith that assumes a positive correlation between the maturity of our faith and the earthly blessings we experience.

In his book, Shattered Dreams, Larry Crabb writes that "shattered dreams open the door to better dreams, dreams that we do not properly value until the dreams that we improperly value are destroyed. Shattered dreams destroy false expectation, such as the "victorious" Christian life with no real struggle or failure. They help us discover true hope. We need the help of shattered dreams to put us in touch with what we most long for, to create a felt appetite for better dreams. And living for the better dreams generates a new, unfamiliar feeling that we eventually recognize as joy." (p. 35)

But how do we survive the experience of having our dreams shattered?

In Isaiah 43: 19 God says, “I am about to do a brand new thing! Streams of living water in the wasteland and pathways through the wilderness.”

On March 26 - 27, 2010, The Journey will host a two day retreat called Streams and Pathways.

The focus of “Streams and Pathways” is to allow God to shape these “streams of living water and pathways through the wilderness” in our lives. “Streams and Pathways” is designed to allow us time to listen, to notice the movements of God in our lives. We will be working through a variety of spiritual practices in order to allow us time to hear God’s still, small voice. As we experience these practices we will have an opportunity to draft a rule of life - a pattern of spiritual practices that provides structure and direction for growth in holiness. The rule of life offers unique and regular rhythms that free and open each person to the will and presence of Christ. The journey allows us a way to partner with the Holy Spirit for personal transformation. We invite you to journey with us.

Take Courage...and Wait

2010-02-26T20:21:00.009-06:00

Psalm 27
Of David

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation
   whom shall I fear?
   The Lord is the stronghold of my life
   of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked advance against me
   to devour me,
   it is my enemies and my foes
   who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,
   my hear will not fear
   though war break out against me
   even then I will be confident.

...

14 Wait for the LORD;
   be strong and take heart
   and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27 is one of the lectionary readings for Sunday. From beginning to end, it speaks of our ability to have confidence in the Lord despite our current circumstances. No false promises of immediate rescue or the destruction of enemies are made. Rather, it appears to assume the opposite - that days of trouble will come, war will break out and family will desert us.

Yet in spite of this, the Psalmist displays confidence in the goodness of the Lord. How is this confidence possible? Perhaps it is due to the realizations contained in the very first verse, which are echoed in Romans 8:31b-32 -

"If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare His own Son, but
gave Hi up for us all - how will He not also,
along with Him, graciously give us all things?"

Father, too often we allow the worries and stresses of our lives to crowd out Your voice and block our view of You. Remind us that You know everything that is happening to us and have promised Your presence, Your love, and Your deliverance. Nothing can separate us from You. During this season of Lent, encourage us to release to Your care those things that are weighing us down and drawing our energy and attention from You. Restore to us the joy of our salvation. Amen

Loving God, call us back...

2010-02-22T21:33:00.001-06:00

From Psalm 19:

⁷The law of the LORD is perfect,
       reviving the soul.
       The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
       making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right,
       giving joy to the heart.
       The commands of the LORD are radiant,
       giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the LORD is pure,
       enduring forever.
       The ordinances of the LORD are sure
       and altogether righteous.
¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
       than much pure gold;
       they are sweeter than honey,
       than honey from the comb.
¹¹ By them is your servant warned;
       in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² Who can discern his errors?
       Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
       may they not rule over me.
       Then will I be blameless,
       innocent of great transgression.
¹⁴ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
       be pleasing in your sight,
       O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Loving God, you call us back to you with all of our hearts. I feel your call for me deep in my heart and I know you want me back as much as I want to return. Please, Lord, give me the wisdom to know how to return. Make my journey back to you this Lent one of grace, forgiveness and gentle love.

   ~~~ http://onlineministries.creighton.edu ~~~

Ash Wednesday Reflections

2010-02-17T15:19:00.009-06:00

Lent is observed as a season of reflection, repentance and appreciation for the work of Christ in our lives. As such, I offer a few reflections:

I give thanks to God that I have a house in which to live.
I praise God that this house is ours (or the bank's and ours) to steward.
I am frequently grateful that this house possesses running water, even when said water runneth over.
I exalt the Lord that I am employed, and that my employer allows me to leave without question in the event that #3 occurs and I must leave to meet the plumber.
I am extremely grateful that the plumber has come and gone and I need not mortgage the house to pay for the repairs.
I am eternally grateful that my concerns of the day are limited to brown ceilings and carpet that squishes, and not the health of my child, the devastation of my city, or whether I will be able to find food for my family.

Take, Lord, and Receive

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory,
my understanding, and my entire will.
All I have and call my own.
Whatever I have or hold, you have given me.
I return it all to you and surrender it wholly
to be governed by your will.
Give me only your love and your grace
and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more.

St. Ignatius, from the end of the Spiritual Exercises

Ash Wednesday - 2010

2010-02-16T21:00:00.009-06:00

As we enter the season of Lent, let us join together and seek the Lord:

Father, as we turn to you with particular focus over the next forty days, we pray that you would provide the vision and courage we will need to search our hearts for your leading and to respond.

May this season of self-examination restore to us the joy of our salvation, remind us of the freedom from our sin that is provided by grace, provide us with a renewed desire to align our will with yours, andfill us with a passion to share this good news with those who desperately need to hear.

Joel 2: 12 - 18

"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments.

Return to the Lord, your God for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love,and He relents from sending calamity.

Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing - grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion declare a holy fast,call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly;gather the children, those nuring at the breast.

Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.

Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare Your people, O Lord.

Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,a byword among the nations.

Why should they say among the peoples,'Where is their God?'

I am never alone...

2010-02-14T22:15:00.007-06:00

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139: 7-12

Questions as Prayer

2010-02-11T22:23:00.005-06:00

Do you ever question God? Is it ok to question God? Is questioning God a form of prayer?

While questioning God may seem like the ultimate example of reckless and ill-advised behavior, scripture provides plenty of examples individuals who did just that. Some well-known examples are below:

"Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (Moses)

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (David and Jesus)

"Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed?" (Jeremiah)

"Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?" (Habakkuk)

"Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" (Disciples)

"What must I do to be saved?" (Philippian Jailer)

Curious, annoyed, desperate and angry, these questions contain emotions that are not typically associated with prayer. However, prayer can be any communication that expresses being in relationship with God. And as with any relationship, questions and emotions abound. Refusing to acknowledge this reality doesn't make it any less true.

Wherever you're at, whatever's on your mind, God welcomes your questions.

And in case you're still wondering, yes, asking questions is prayer.

How to think about solitude...

2010-02-05T21:15:00.003-06:00

Some people ask, "What do I do when I practice solitude? What should I bring with me?" The primary answer, of course, is—nothing.

At its heart, solitude is primarily about not doing something. Just as fasting means to refrain from eating, so solitude means to refrain from society. When I go into solitude, I withdraw from conversation, from others, from noise, from media, from the constant barrage of stimulation.

"In solitude," Henri Nouwen wrote, "I get rid of my scaffolding." Scaffolding is all the stuff I use to keep myself propped up, to convince myself I'm important or okay. In solitude I have no friends to talk with, no phone calls or meetings, no TV to entertain, no music or books or newspapers to occupy and distract my mind. I am, in the words of the old hymn, "Just as I Am"—just me and my sinfulness, and God.

One of the great obstacles you will likely face is that extended solitude will feel like a waste of time. We're so conditioned to feel our existence is justified only when we are accomplishing something. But also, for me, this feeling comes because my mind wanders so much. I used to think if I devoted a large chunk of time to praying, I should be able to engage in solid, uninterrupted, focused prayer. But I can't.

What I have come to realize, slowly, is that bits of focused prayer interspersed with these wanderings is all my mind is capable of right now. One day I hope to do better. But for now, I have to accept that a large chunk of prayer time will be lost to wandering. Brother Lawrence said it like this: "For many years I was bothered by the thought that I was a failure at prayer. Then one day I realized I would always be a failure at prayer, and I've gotten along much better ever since."

Exerpts from "How to Think about Solitude" by John Ortberg. For the full article, go to:

http://blog.buildingchurchleaders.com/2010/02/how_to_think_about_solitude.html

Te Deum Laudamus: We Praise Thee, O God

2010-01-31T22:21:00.000-06:00

This prayer is an early chant of the Western Church. In the legend of the Church, this prayer is ascribed to an “ecstatic outburst” of St. Ambrose when he baptized St. Augustine. The prayer is now widely attributed to Bishop Nicetas of Dacia (c. 335-414). The prayer is part of the classic devotional guide, The Book of Common Prayer.

The Wondrous Cross TUMI Annual 2009-2010 Church Addition

Te Deum Laudamus

You are God: we praise you; You are the Lord; we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing endless praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you; Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worth of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.

Two Walks

2010-01-28T18:25:00.002-06:00

I went for two walks this week.

The first one was at the gym. My regular work out routine happens in group settings--yoga classes, early morning boot camp sessions. I missed my yoga class on Tuesday, so I went to the gym after work and walked on the track. As I walked, I started praying. I often pray when I walk, since I don't exercise with an iPod. Praying is a good way to focus my thoughts and to get my mind off the fact that I'm exercising.

I asked God to help me with things I was worrying about. I prayed for members of The Journey who came to mind. I decided what I was going to cook for dinner. (That last one wasn't a prayer of supplication, but I figure I was just chatting with God and dinner was on my mind, so it counts.)

I walked for about half an hour, then stopped. I don't even remember if I said amen.

The second walk I went on was from the front door of my office building to my car in the parking lot. It was Wednesday of this week, a warmish, sunny day. The bright sun hit my face, and I closed my eyes for a minute to feel the warmth. I remembered how beautiful nature is and thanked God for making it and hoped that it soon would be warm so I could spend more time outside.

Then I opened my eyes and kept on walking.

~~~ Submitted by Amy Delamaide ~~~

2010-01-25T19:53:00.002-06:00

Psalm 8

For the director of music. According to gittith.

A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

2010-01-23T20:48:00.001-06:00

Sometimes Christians are called to turn the world upside down. To bring the exact opposite of what we find in our world. St. Francis' prayer is a bold one, asking for strength to give of ourselves to meet the needs of others. He recognises that it "is in giving that we receive", that as we give of ourselves, we receive the peace and blessing of our risen Lord Jesus. We cannot earn eternal life, but that we are pardoned from the sins that block our claim on it. Think about the situations that you are involved in that require peace, consolation, hope, light and joy. Then, if you're bold enough, pray the prayer! (http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/stfrancis.htm)

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

2010-01-22T21:54:00.005-06:00

"...then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Wow! What a great formula for success! If (people = humble + pray + seek + turn), then (God = hear + forgive + heal.) Great! Now we know how to pray!

Or not. Despite the existence of significant theological differences regarding a myriad of Biblical topics, one point of agreement among most Christians is that prayer does not work like a mathematical formula. If not that, then, perhaps prayer works on a volume basis...the more people who pray in agreement, the more likely God is to respond? Or maybe like a vending machine, a bank account, or a scorecard? If none of these, how DOES prayer work? Or does it work? If we're not sure how it works, is there a point to even doing it?

What is the point of prayer if not to express our heart’s desire, especially when it matches what we know to be God’s will on earth? Who knows what will happen when we pray what we know God desires?

I once envisioned intercession as bringing requests to God that God may not have thought of, then talking God into granting them. Now I see intercession as an increase in my awareness. When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that God already directs toward that person. (Philip Yancey, Prayer, p. 268, 303)

Thoughts?

2010-01-16T20:37:00.001-06:00

"...will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways..." Hmmmm..... Is it any wonder that we so often feel as if God is far off and either uninvolved or unconcerned about our lives? In this short phrase are contained four conditions that the average person is not likely to want to jump at. We are commanded to 1) humble ourselves 2) actually pray 3) seek the Lord and 4) turn from our wicked ways. Far easier is it to whine, question, cry, assume and blame. How very human to want to reward without putting in the effort. Yet how much the time and effort is worth it!

BE ENCOURAGED! Along with the commandments come promises..

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-12

17 I love those who love me,

and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

2009-12-27T23:14:00.002-06:00

The second phrase of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is "...who are called by my name..." At first glance this phrase appears quite redundant. What is the difference between these words and the "my people" which began this verse? Would it not be obvious that "my people" would be "called by my name?" And if so, what is the point of these words?

One possibility that occurs to me is the idea that the two phrases consist of identifiers which, while having the same general meaning, would have been used very differently. In the first phrase, the speaker is clearly God. Verse 12 in this chapter confirms this (...the Lord appeared to him at night, and said...".) God uses "my people" in order to identify the nation of Israel as His.

The second phrase, however, would seem likely to have been used by outside third parties. When people are called by the name of someone else, they are identified as followers or family members of that person. A strong association exists between the two; so strong, in fact, that it become difficult to distinguish between them. Throughout the scriptures, we see individuals referred to as "son of", "of the family of," or "of the people of." Jesus himself is referred to as "the son of David" as a way of acknowledging his lineage and association with King David.

So why does this matter? Something for each of us to prayerfully consider is to ask ourselves whose name we are known by. Am I "of the family of Wildcat Fans?" Perhaps I am "of the people of those who never have enough time to talk." Or "of the house and lineage of having lots of stuff." If I believe I am known as "of the family of Christ" is it in the cultural sense, such as the Israelites being decendants of Jacob/Israel? Or is it because I am known as a follower of the man, Jesus Christ? Be assured, outside third parties have labeled each of us as called by the name of something. What name have they given you?

2009-12-10T13:49:00.000-06:00

2 Chronicles 7:14 begins with the phrase, "If my people..." This phrase is one that might easily be ignored or passed over quickly in an effort to get to the rest of the sentence. Yet when taking the time to consider the three simple words, one can very quickly become both amazed and overwhelmed. The God of All Creation, Yahweh, THE God, looks down at a bunch of disobedient people on a little planet in one corner of the universe, and calls them "...my people..." Wow. Were we to meditate on that for a lifetime, we still would not grasp the full meaning of those words.

What an incredible honor to be called "mine" by God. A recent song by the group MercyMe includes the image of God saying, "this one's mine." As I've heard that song, I have often pictured myself standing in a crowd of people with Jesus standing up in front. He looks out across the crowd and to my surprise points directly at me, looks me in the eyes, and says those words...this one's mine. What an amazing moment that would be. God willing to identify me as one of his people despite all of my flaws. Yet that is what he has done. He has chosen to love me and to listen to my clueless, self-centered prayers. And equally amazing is that he would love nothing more than to hear more of them.

I am His. Wow.

2009-12-10T13:28:00.000-06:00

Many people, over the course of many centuries, have attempted to describe and define prayer. Entire libraries full of books on prayer have been written by both the scholar and the unschooled. This blog does not attempt to define the undefinable or provide answers that are known only to God. Rather, the intent is to provide a forum for the exchange of thought, experience and revelation regarding prayer in order that we may all be enlightened, challenged and encouraged to continue the walk toward God, as made manifest in his son, Jesus Christ, through the workings of the Holy Spirit.