Prayer

I am reading a new book by Tish Harrison Warren entitled Prayer in the Night. She wrote this book after a season of loss she experienced with a move half-way across the country, the passing of her father, and two miscarriages. She recounts how she found great solace in praying. She took up the practice of praying compline, a traditional evening prayer practiced by many Christians, especially within the Anglican communion across the world. In the Prologue she writes, "Most often, we take up prayer not out of triumphant victory or unimpeachable trust but because prayer shapes us; it works back on us to change who we are and what we believe" (9). 

In my own experiences with prayer, I have witnessed how my prayer life is less shaped by me and more about the process of being shaped by the Holy Spirit as I surrender myself to the Lord's authority in my life. Prayer opens me to the possibility of what the Lord is teaching me, sharing with me, and shaping me to become. Prayer opens my heart to those around me experiencing loss or grief. Prayer makes me sensitive to the needs of people I encounter in the coffee shop, at the store, and in my own home. When I pray, my defenses are lowered and I see others the way I see myself, a fragile human in need of God's mercy, grace, and love to make it through each day. 

This week, I have found my prayers opening to me the mystery of our journey towards the cross. It's been a challenging week in our house as we all had to quarantine, but it's been a week in which the Lord opened to me the needs of others in ways that are too often overlooked. 

Isolation

We are approaching one year of the Covid-19 era. In many ways it is hard to believe it's been only a year. Then it strikes me, one year is short. One year is over in a heartbeat. One year is a quarter of high school. One year is a quarter of college, at least for most folks. One year is less time than it takes for the newly conceived baby to be welcomed by the loving arms of parents. This weekend, we have had to quarantine. The isolation has been hard for our family. Hard to navigate simply actions like hugs, kisses, meals together. The mental toll of isolation is also difficult. When we think about the way that God has wired us for community and relationship, we quickly see that isolation is not part of God's design, at least not prolonged isolation. As a family, we have learned the sacredness of togetherness. As believers, we were reminded of the beauty of belonging to a church family who prays for us, loves us, calls, texts, and emails us, and who offers to do anything they can for us. In spite, of isolation, the Lord has blessed us, for this we are thankful. 

Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual warfare is a topic that in the western church we often dismiss as fanciful occurrences in segments of charismatic Christianity. Still greater is the temptation to assume that spiritual warfare only takes place in third world countries where witch doctors and voodoo reign in terms of religious practice. Christians in America should take to heart the words of the Apostle Paul, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12). What does Paul mean in this verse? He is reminding us that there are other forces at work in the world trying to subvert the gospel of Jesus Christ. We certainly wage war with very real, tangible temptations to sin and walk away from the faith. Paul isn't denying this struggle with the flesh that he describes in Galatians 5, but he is trying to open our eyes to the reality that there are other factors, forces, and beings at work in the world seeking to cause destruction to the church and the work of God's kingdom. 

Calvin Miller's book Disarming the Darkness, is a brief book in which he offers the two-fold counter attack to spiritual warfare, prayer and Bible reading. At the very least, the Christian ought to devote his/herself to prayer and saturation with the word of God. We know that this is in fact what we should do however, getting in the word and spending time in meaningful prayer is a struggle for most of us. These vital components of the Christian life are part of the armor of God that Paul tells us we need if we will be able to do spiritual warfare. If you are not currently engaged in a Bible reading plan, let me encourage you to spend some time over the next few weeks reading through the Gospel of Mark. It's the shortest of the New Testament Gospel's so it is quite manageable. Mark also writes with a great deal of action, so you will not get bored easily. Maybe spend time reading and reflecting on one chapter a day. Before you read each day, ask the Lord to give you understanding and insight into what you read. After you read the chapter for that day, spend time praying to the Lord by sharing what concerns you for your day ahead. He longs to hear the concerns of his children. The more we practice prayer and scripture reading the more ready we will be to do spiritual warfare with Satan and the forces of evil.

The Beauty of Liturgy

 One of the things I discovered in college and seminary is the beauty of liturgy in Christian worship services. If like me, you count yourself among the Baptist family of faith, you may say, we don't have liturgy. That's the stuff those high church people like Episcopalians and Methodists do. Liturgy in one sense means the work of God's people in worship. In this sense, all churches, even free church traditions like Baptists and non-denominational churches have a set liturgy, even if they don't always recognize this fact. Having an order, an expectation of what comes next in worship is helpful for God's people to tune their hearts to sing His praise. Two days ago, Christians observed Ash Wednesday. In our congregation, we held a simple service with singing, prayers, scripture reading, and the imposition of ashes as a way to prepare our hearts for the season of Lent. There is something refreshing for the people of God, when worship is simple yet intentional to direct our hearts to the Lord and to musicians, people, or preachers. Whatever your church's liturgy, may you find space in the next few weeks to be attentive to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, calling you to repentance and renewal through the atoning death of Jesus. 

Lent 2021

Today is February 17, 2021. This is Ash Wednesday. A day that marks the beginning of the season of the Christian calendar as Lent. Lent has been observed by Christians of many different traditions throughout the centuries. Lent is a way of allowing the believer to spend time reflecting on the biblical idea of repentance. Repentance involves a turning from our sin and towards God. In our repentance we identify our sin and rebellion towards God through confession, in order that we might more earnestly seek Him. Lent reminds me of my humanity. It reminds me of my brokenness. Lent reminds me that I cannot live the Christian life apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. As much as I think I am aware of my sinfulness before a holy God, I have only just begun to scratch the surface. Lent beckons me back to the grace of Christ Jesus offered in the cross. I invite you to join me in this journey to the cross, with the anticipation of what is beyond the cross...the resurrection. 

From Generation to Generation

 

Psalm 79:13 "Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim your praise." 

Yesterday, Cyd set up my office Christmas tree. This year though we used ornaments from a memory tree that Nancy made and used a few years after Dad passed away. The tree is a reminder that in the difficult journey of grief, believers have the opportunity to pass along the faith to the next generation. The last 20 years or so of my Dad's life he proclaimed the praise of the Lord loudly to anyone who would listen. I'm grateful that his faith challenged and encouraged me to lean into Jesus. 

We all have things in life that remind us of loved ones who have now joined the throng of saints proclaiming the praise that God alone deserves. Those artifacts could be books, clothing, or ornaments that remind you of a small part of their life and personality. Treasure those memories. Thank God for those memories. Then proclaim his praise to the next generation. 

A Weary World Rejoices

The line, "The thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices" in O, Holy Night always catches my attention. Perhaps this year more than ever I, as well as most people on the planet can identify with the sentiment. We know deep in our b
ones just how weary the world is. We realize how broken and hopeless life can seem to be, yet...hope, the thrill of hope. 

Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved (Psalm 80:3). 

The theme of the Psalm is about God's restoration. This phrase is repeated three times. Restoration brings hope. Restoration brings salvation. One might say that salvation and hope are interchangeable. The hope of Israel was that Messiah would come. He did. He came to restore. He came to save. In his grand restoration and salvation endeavors, he brings hope. 

My prayer this Advent season is that the thrill of hope would fill our hearts in the midst of this weary world.