Lent Day 14: Sweet prayers

The grandeur of God's world

• webbing that ties us to the purposes of God
• those moments when creature and Creator open up fully to each other
• our exhalations of joy in God's presence
• the fragrance of conversation with the Beloved
• the ropes that anchor us in life's storms

Prayers allow us to:

• release our cares to the Father
• take up our responsibilities and obligations
• admit the beauty and the restraints of being human
• tap the unending power of a unbounded God
• put God in his place and us in ours
• tell pure truth, that God alone deserves honor and glory for his unchanging goodness

The details of God's world

What's your favorite prayer?

Mine is "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." It reminds me just where I stand - known, forgiven, and accepted by God. Amen.

Read more:
*The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:1-3 ESV

*By awesome deeds you answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation. Psalm 65:5 NASB

*Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. Jeremiah 7:3 ESV

*Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:36-37 ESV

*Jesus says, "If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." John 14:14 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Right here, right now, we seek your vibrant presence among us. Forgive us. Help us to turn out the sins of our hearts, so that you may have a fitting place to live. Right here. Right now. 

How sweet, O Lord, to hear your answer to our prayer. It is a resolved chord, a familiar voice in a strange crowd, birdsong at sunset. Your answer beckons us to secure places, and reminds us—we are yours. Amen.

Life under God

Our family is reading and discussing With, a book that reflects on our postures in relationship to God. Mostly, it deals with our attempts at manipulating God so we control our surroundings and ward off our fears. We often life:

• For God: "I'll serve him" (then he'll be nice to me)
• From God: "I want prosperity / health / wealth / happiness" (he should provide for me)
• Under God: "I need to appease him because he sets the rules" (don't make God mad)
• Over God: "Who cares about God?" (he may or may not have set the world into motion, but what does that have to do with me?)

The author suggests living WITH God in deep communion and trust. More on that in another post.

In my 1-year chronological Bible reading, I stumbled across Elihu again. He's Job's "Comforter" and "friend," a punk with all the answers. He admits to listening to his elders and then disses them with:

• I've heard you and you don't have anything wise to say
• I've considered deeply and don't have to be old to know what's going on
• You should listen to my wisdom. I've figured it out
• No matter what your protests, I'm right
• Do it my way and you'll succeed

Cheeky. Arrogant. Stupid.

It doesn't matter if parts (or even most) of what Elihu says is true. His attitude stinks. And his approach is totally "Under God" - if we follow the rules, God also has to follow the rules.

• The wicked get punished. (So hey, if you're suffering, you don't have enough faith, you've got sin in your life, you don't understand your own evil heart, etc.) 
• The good prosper. (If you're rich, healthy, and have a good reputation, you must be doing something right.)
• God is unmoved by our plight. (Stop asking him for help, confess your sins, be a better person,  and pull up your own boots to get to work.

What I find fascinating is that God doesn't respond to Elihu at all. If he's got it all figured out, why bother to interact?

On the other hand, God asks the other three "comforters" to bring sacrifices and have Job make them on their behalf. God is willing to restore relationship with them.

Oh Lord, for all of our youthful or immature "right answers," our arrogant suppositions, and our silliness in thinking we have you figured out, we're sorry! Lord have mercy! Christ have mercy! (Benedictine) and Lord have mercy! (Michael Smith and Amy Grant)

Read more:
*By the ordinances of the Lord is your servant warned. Psalm 19:11 (NIV)

*Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever. To him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1-5 NIV

*No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit. Luke 6:43

Moravian Prayer: King of kings and Lord of lords, our desire is to do your will. Come into our hearts, rescue us from darkness and sin so we may bear good fruit in your name. Amen.

The hazards of God's "Yes"

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you begged God for it? Kept asking, perhaps even trying to blackmail God into a response using the parable of the widow and the unrighteous judge (who gave in to her request because of her nagging)?

Be careful what you ask for.

Jesus promised that His followers that if they lived in truth, doing the work of the Father, that they could ask anything in His name and it would be given.

That's a lot different from things we really really want because they sound good to have, move us forward in ambitions, or seem to prove to us that God likes us. We don't want to be ill. We don't want to lose our jobs. We want a bigger house (or to keep the one we have). Don't we deserve a good life if we are Christ-followers?

The Israelites thought they knew what would help them stay on track. They asked Samuel to find them a king like the nations had around them. Samuel prayed about their request and listened to God's response:

So Samuel passed on the LORD's warning to the people who were asking him for a king. …

But the people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. 'Even so, we still want a king,' they said. 'We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.'

So Samuel repeated to the LORD what the people had said, and the LORD replied, 'Do as they say, and give them a king.' Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home." 1 Samuel 8:10, 19–22

Even though God warned the nation about what would happen if He gave permission, they recklessly persisted in their request. So God said, "Yes." Subsequently, Israel's kings turned the nation to idolatry and war. Within 3 generations, the tribes split into two countries. After a few centuries, both were dragged into captivity and the Promised Land lay in ruins.

He also allowed Lot to become the father of two enemy nations of Israel through his daughters: we're talking about Lot, the nephew of Abraham (who was promised great blessings.) Moabites and Ammonites were Lot's descendents. 

God also let Hagar become the mother of Abraham's son Ishmael. And what a mess that's made of Middle East peace!

God allowed Hosea's wife to be a prostitute. He let Judas betray Jesus. He let well-intentioned Pharisees kill Stephen. And let churches choose to be lukewarm and indifferent. 

He warned against all of these things but didn't' prevent people from making choices that had severe consequences. 

Are we insisting God give us something (or allow us to indulge in behavior) that may bring more harm than good? Let's be careful what we ask for this Christmas season!

Read more:

*Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. Psalm 25:8

*Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel! In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God's patience in that dry wasteland. So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it" Psalm 106:13–15

*“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 1:18-20 NIV

*Through Jesus forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38

Moravian Prayer: O God, we sin, we speak too quickly, we give in to anger, we hold hate in our hearts, but you stand calm. May we feel the calmness of sin forgiven and may we be made clean now, today. Amen. 

Eager expectation

Do you ever lie awake at night--trying to figure out the next move? Trying to read the future? Regretting the past? Ruminating on a plan? Unsure about your next step? Heartsick about the present?

To all who worry, here's God's reassurance: don't just ask for help. Expect it from Him!

David said, "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:1-3 NIV

Expect the Lord to act on your behalf today. 

Read more:

*The river of God is full of water. Psalm 65:9

*From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16 

*This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Hebrews 4:15–16

Moravian Prayer: Holy Jesus, you love us even though we have not earned it and can neverbe worthy of such a gift. For this grace, we give you thanks. Amen.

Lent Day 23: Thankful for pauses

Jesus took time to catch his breath. In his steady focus on doing his Father's work, he moved through countryside and towns. We read that he ate, drank, exercised (lots of walking!), had conversations, and times of prayer just like everyone else.

"Aren't there 12 hours in a day?" he asked a group of followers. That makes me shake my head at the imbalance we perpetuate, trying to do 16-18 hours of work before crashing into bed. No one rewards us for killing ourselves and it sets a bad example, as though God demands a killing pace and unending drugery. If Jesus could bring salvation to humanity in a 12-hour day, what makes us think we need more time?

I love Jesus' prayer pauses, the times for worship, and the simplicity of his meetings with others.

Music and speech need pauses to make sense. Life is no different. Having done all God asks, why can't we rest in his provisions?

In less than 24 hours, I defend my dissertation. I'm thinking of all that is undone and what I'd like to re-memorize. Soon I'll be listening to and speaking with my committee. God is able to bless this day and tomorrow and I'd appreciate your prayers.

Let's also pray that the beautiful pauses in Christ's life would be part of our daily rhythms. Let's invite short times of reflection as well as hours set aside for study and prayer. God is good and will help us find the balance that restores and renews.

Read more:
*I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:5-10 NIV

Lent Day 20: Thankful for milestones

Today's the halfway mark of Lent. I miss my night snacks, a bigger discipline than one might suppose. Writing a daily Lenten blog gets tiresome about now, too. I'm not suffering; the point of the exercises is to remind me of Christ's sacrifices, living among poor villagers, walking from town to town, sharing good news with those who refused to be saved. And then dying. That awful dying. Before the glorious resurrection that proved his mission and God's power to redeem us. The disciplines help me to remember.

It's blustery and pouring rain, a good excuse to stay inside and study today, instead of walking the dogs. In our hilltop neighborhood of firs and tall maples, branches crash to the ground so high wind walks are a dumb idea. The cedars whip across the property line outside my office window. Our baritone chimes ring on the back deck, shouting joy and strength instead of complaining to the whistling air. (Click on audio to listen.)

I need that melodic encouragement as one of the biggest milestones of the last five study years approaches. Next Tuesday, I'm scheduled to defend my dissertation before the seminary committee.

I'm afraid. Anxious. My body's on high alert, tummy packing on a little fat roll, back knotted, and feet bouncing in nervous rhythms. My inner conductor stays in full swing, songs tumbling through my head night and day.

By this time next week, I'm hoping to be writing revisions. As the milestone of the defense approaches, I'm praying for focused study, quickened thinking, and clear speaking. I'd appreciate your prayers, too.

What milestones lie on your horizon? Some of you have medical treatments, financial deadlines, and relational challenges. Post a comment and we'll pray along with you that the fire of the Spirit will illuminate your path and your flight.

Read more:

*The Lord will give strength to His people. Psalm 29:11 (NKJV)

*Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV 

*In Christ Jesus you have been enriched in every way - in all your speaking and in all your knowledge. 1 Corinthians 1:5 (NIV)

Moravian Prayer: Gracious Redeemer, we thank you for empowering us today to speak for you. May we listen closely so the words we speak are truly the words you would have us speak. In addition, may our actions state an unmistakable message from you. Amen.

Lent Day 12: Snow daze

White wonderland.

Really? It's March and snowing in Seattle. Like the weather, life is uncertain.

We hold our precious bundles of joy as our mothers held us,
bathe and feed them through toddlerhood,
teach them to run and play with others during elementary years,
counsel and comfort them through their teens,
and hope for the best as they walk down the aisle or apply for the new job.

Stepping back,
we pray them through tears of passage,
hold them through disappointments,
yelp with them at joyous surprises,
and wonder where the days have gone.

My grandma used to say, "Kleine Kinder, kleine Sorgen (sorrows); grosse Kinder, grosse Sorgen." In life's passages, she's proved to be right again.

Praying for challenges great and small, I wonder: if prayers were wishes, how would you appeal to our heavenly Father on this snowy day?

Read more:

*Exodus 12:21-51; Matthew 21:33-46

*May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him. Psalm 67:7

*Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3

*Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 NKJV

Moravian Prayer: Generous God, you have so generously blessed us in manifold ways. How can we be but grateful? Forgive us for taking that grace for granted and lead us into deeper thankfulness. Amen.