May 31....keep us from temptation

Matthew 6:13 “Subject us not to the trial, but deliver us from the Evil One.” (NAB)

“Keep us clear of temptation, save us from evil.” (Phillips)

“Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil.” (MSG)

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

The most familiar translation is “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This gives a sense of You somehow being responsible for our temptations….I’m not sure that is what it really means. You don’t lead us into temptation, so why do we pray “lead us not…”?

 Temptations are there, all around us. Our free will allows us to be tempted or not. I really like the Message translation: “Keep us safe from ourselves….” Temptation is all about giving into our own wants and desires, contrary to your will.

 Self is the root of all temptation. Adam and Eve gave into a temptation that was rooted in “self”….desire to go against your will and try something that they chose to do. Seeking to be “like You”. Everything the Evil One tempts us with is an effort to elevate ourselves to god-like stature, making our own will and choices supreme.

 Jesus was tempted by the Evil One to 3 “self” temptations….food provided by himself rather than YOU, security by demanding proof of God’s power to save him, and power…anything he wanted for worshiping Satan rather than God. All benefited him…or seemed to….all would break God’s will and substitute his own. Adam fell…Jesus didn’t. 

We pray to be kept safe from ourselves and the temptations that put self above your will. This is our gravest danger! Connected to this is “deliver us from the Evil One”….Satan is behind all temptation. Just as he tempted Adam and Eve and tempted Jesus, he tempts us daily. He never lets up! 

We pray for deliverance from Satan to be permanently saved from him. You gave us that deliverance in Jesus Christ. Even though Satan still tempts us, Jesus has delivered us, when we trust on his name, are washed with his blood for forgiveness, and accept his gift of grace. We will have the Holy Spirit’s power to help us overcome temptations and to focus us away from “self” and into your will, and he will protect us from the Evil One and deliver us into your holy presence as a child of God, a brother or sister in Christ Jesus! Thank you, amen.

May 30....forgive us our wrongs

Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who wrong us.” (NAB)

“Forgive us what we owe to you, as we have also forgiven those who owe anything to us.” (Phillips)

“Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others.” (CEV)

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

This petition comes with a qualifying statement. We ask your forgiveness, but we also acknowledge that we need to forgive others. What You do for us, we must do for others. It’s a package deal. Forgiving and being forgiven are joined in other teachings of the scriptures. 

Jesus came to forgive the enormous debt of sin that belongs to all of us and separates us from You. This is not a debt we can discharge on our own. This isn’t a debt we can get rid of without supernatural help. We are forever connected to the collective “sins of the world”. We are born in sin and live in sin. The sin of disobedience to your will is ongoing in every generation. We can only be rid of this sin through Jesus Christ. He died a sacrificial death on the cross as the spotless Lamb of atonement. 

We now have the assurance that when we pray “forgive us our debts”, or “forgive us what we owe to You” or “forgive the wrong we have done”….that we will receive the forgiveness we seek because Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of your throne and intercedes for all who trust in Him! My forgiveness is born in grace! Grace is the most beautiful word in the world! The weight of the sin I can’t lift or remove is borne up on the wings of grace and hidden forever from your sight. 

If I truly believe this, if I truly understand grace and the freedom and peace it brings, than how can I not forgive those who wrong me? The wrongs others do to me are small compared to the wrongs that I have done to You. As You lift my burdens , I must lift the burdens of others. Not only must I personally forgive, but I must share the Good News of grace in Jesus Christ. Everyone needs to know how to be free from their sins and brought home to their Father’s house.

 Forgive me Father God and teach me to forgive and to share the news of grace everywhere it is needed. Amen.

May 29.....daily bread

Matthew 6:11 “Give us today our daily bread.”

“Give us each day, the bread we need for the day.” (Phillips)

“Give us our food for today.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,
Here we petition You for our needs….not our wants, but our needs. We trust You to provide each day the food and other things we need for this day alone. Just as the Israelites wandering in the wilderness received just enough food for one day….the present…you also provide us with what we need, one day at a time. 

We spend too much time and energy worrying about our future. We work and slave to provide secure and comfortable homes, fat bank accounts to protect our future, and reliable cars, etc…….all for our future needs. There is a fine line between preparing for our future and worrying about it. We find it difficult to see the difference. We need to stop all the stressful scurrying about and thank you for what you have done for us today and in the past. 

Our acknowledgment of your past provision should assure us of your present intention to continue providing for us. If we ask simply and only that You “give us today our daily bread”, we indicate our trust in You as our Father. What you have done, you will do. We won’t starve. We won’t freeze or burn up. We will have a place to sleep. We will have clothes to wear. Our needs are met in You, when we seek only your daily blessing. 

Forgive me when I worry, when I show a lack of trust, when I’m impatient, when I strive to see the future, when I demand more than that You care for me “this day”. You are a good and merciful Father! I have never wanted! I trust in You to provide for me “this day” and always. I thank You for all that You have blessed me with! I thank You for being a loving Father even when I don’t deserve one….that is grace, that is why you are a God of provision each and every day! Amen.

May 28....Your will be done

Matthew 6:10 “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

“Do what’s best…..as above, so below.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,

We pray “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”, but often we don’t really mean it. We mean “your will be done, as long as it doesn’t clash with my will.” Or “your will be done by everyone else, but me.” It is hard to know your will, to follow and obey your will, or even to pray for your will.

 Why do we suspect that a loving Father would will something for us that isn’t good? Why do we fear that praying for your will to be done will make us unhappy? Why do we feel we must keep at least a little bit of control over what is to be done? You created the earth, You know what is best for it! You created us, and know what is best for us!

 You are “all wise”, “all seeing”, “all present”! Your ways are far above our ways, your thoughts are for above our thoughts! How can we presume to have any idea what is truly best for us? How can we think that maybe we have a better plan than yours? Increase our trust! Increase our faith! Increase our reliance on your perfect will and our obedience to your perfect plans.

 Help me seek to know your will in all things. Help me discern the things you wish me to do…this day and always. Jesus never hesitated to obey your will even when it was hard or he didn’t like it. “Your will” that caused him to “sweat blood” in the garden….accepting death for all mankind on the cross….was the hardest thing anyone could ever do, but Jesus chose to obey your will and was rewarded with resurrection and a seat at your right hand in heaven. In the process, the world was saved from sin. 

When your will seems too hard or we don’t understand it, we are not seeing the end result. We must trust that your will leads to resurrection and life! May your will be done throughout the earth as it is done in heaven. May your will be done in me….increase my trust. Amen.

May 27.....your kingdom come

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come.” (NAB)

“Set the world right.” (MSG)

“Come and set up your kingdom” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,

The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven…..Jesus came to establish your kingdom here on earth. Jesus taught a lot about the Kingdom of Heaven. He said it belongs to the “poor in Spirit” and “Those who are persecuted because of righteousness.”. To find your kingdom we must leave the world behind. The Kingdom of God is far different from the kingdom of the world. Your values are righteousness, obedience to your will, service, humility, love. 

We don’t find the “kingdom” by fighting physical battles, but by fighting spiritual battles. You are Spirit, and your kingdom is Spirit. We pray for your kingdom to come here to earth and within us. We long for your rule in all the earth! Our spirits are weary and heavy from fighting this world’s battles. We want all to be “right” and for You to be in charge here. 

You have entrusted us with the mission to help spread your kingdom here. We need to lead others to repentance and show them the Door to your kingdom….Jesus Christ. I like the Message translation….”set the world right!” We recognize the wrongness of all that we see here, and want you to set it all right again. 

We catch a glimpse of what your kingdom is meant to be in scripture and the Holy Spirit tugs at our hearts with desire to have it now. You abide in us and give us the sense of all that we are missing here….love, most of all….peace….righteousness…your presence. We want to step across the threshold of the Door and be where we belong with our Father!

 Grace is our welcoming gift as well as our key. Grace surrounds us in forgiveness, joy, love, hope. Bring your kingdom, O LORD! Come in all your glory! Take us all home! We long for You! Bring your kingdom into the hearts of those who seek and those who have not yet found You! amen.

May 26.....hallowed be thy name

Matthew 6:9 “Hallowed be your name” (NAB)

“May your name be honored.” (Phillips)

“Reveal who you are.” (MSG)

“Help us to honor your name.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,
“Hallowed be your name.”….a strange word that isn’t used any more except in this prayer said by millions. Hallowed, honored, holy. In my mind I sometimes substitute “holy” for “hallowed”.

 Names once represented a person. To hallow your name or honor it or make it holy is to respect and honor and worship the person behind the name. This petition tells us that You are not only “our Father”…Father of all children who believe in You….but that you are worthy of honor, praise, respect, love, worship. That speaking your name to call upon You is not a frivolous thing….not to be taken in vain or used casually. 

Holy….perfect, righteous, blessed, extraordinary, exalted, heavenly. Holy is a difficult word to grab hold of sometimes. We experience little in this world that might have holiness about it! Only if You are present, is there holiness. Many praise songs of the Church speak of your holiness. They help us draw closer in understanding of this word that describes You, and You alone. Here are a few I like:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, LORD God Almighty!.”
“Bless the LORD, O, my soul, and all that is in me, bless his holy name!”
“Glorify thy name in all the earth.”
“Almighty, most holy God, faithful through the ages.”
“I give glory to your name, O LORD, glory to your name; for your name is great and greatly to be praised.”
“All that is within me bless his holy name.”
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts. The whole world is full of his glory, holy is the LORD!
“Holy, holy, holy LORD, God of power and might!”
“Blessed be the name of the Lord, he is worthy to be praised and adored.”
“This is holy ground, for the LORD is present and where he is is holy!”
“To God be the glory for the things he has done!”

I praise You for your holy name and give You the honor and glory that are yours alone! Thank You! amen.

May 25.....Our Father in heaven

Matthew 6:9 “Our Father in heaven…” (NAB)

“Our Father, which art in heaven” (KJV)

 

“Our Heavenly Father “ (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,

Thank you that we are allowed to address You as Father! Thank you that we are your children. You are an awesome God…Creator, LORD Most High, Almighty, El Shaddai, Jehovah, I AM! All of that is a bit scary for humans who were created from dust. 

But a “Father” we understand. A Father is one who gives us life, rather then just creates us. A Father is one who raises us in love. A Father is one who is Master over us….in charge….but with a “softer” feel than when we say Omnipotent God or I AM! A Father is loving, forgiving, nurturing, merciful, compassionate. A Father also disciplines us, teaches us what is right, sets our feet on the right path, guides us. A Father is wise and has the answers to our questions. A Father protects us, stands between us and danger, is a Rock, a Fortress, a Deliverer for us to rely on . 

Seeing You as Father , doesn’t take away your greatness, it just brings us a little closer to your presence. We are lifted by your Son, Jesus Christ, and made brothers and sisters in our Father’s house. Jesus says, “our”…..it isn’t just about me, I’m part of a family who together come to “our Father”. Father of all mankind. Father of Jesus Christ, Father of me. 

You reside in “heaven”….above us in a place of holiness and righteousness. As our Father you welcome us to this heavenly home. Jesus has gone ahead to prepare our rooms. We will join him there with You and we will live together for eternity. “Our Father” has such a wonderful sound! Being part of your family, one of your children, is the most wonderful thing in the world! May all people one day say out loud, “Our Father in heaven!” and call upon You as one of your children! Thank you! amen.

May 24.....how good it is to be here

Luke 9:33 “Master, how good it is for us to be here.” (NAB)

“Master, it is wonderful for us to be here.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,

These words are spoken by Peter on the mountain where Jesus has just been transfigured. Peter wakes from a deep sleep to see Jesus aglow, shining with “glory”, and Moses and Elijah with him. What a sight that must have been to awaken to! There must have been a befuddled sense of, “am I dreaming?” about the situation. Peter speaks…of course….”Master, how good it is for us to be here!” Who knows what he meant…I doubt that he knew himself…and he stumbles on about wanting to erect tents for the 3 of them. 

But his words have meaning for us. He calls Jesus, Master. Jesus is our Lord, our Master, and recognition of this is always a good starting place. He is “the boss”….the one in charge, the one we follow and learn from, the one we seek to obey. As Peter says, it is “good” or “wonderful” to be here, in Jesus’ presence. We have the opportunity to see Jesus transfigured and robed in glory. We have the opportunity to see Moses and Elijah joined with Jesus. We have the opportunity to hear his Father’s voice speak from the clouds and to feel the awe of your presence, as You tell us, “This is my Son, my chosen! Listen to him!” 

When we come to You in prayer in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we too can see this glory. We can abide in the presence of Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and seek our Master’s voice. Jesus tells us, “when a man loves me, he follows my teaching. Then my Father will love him, and we will come to that man and make our home within him.” (John 14:20) We don’t need to seek You on mountaintops…You will come to us when we love and obey You. Jesus, the Master, our Savior, your Son, the Chosen One, makes this possible. “It is good for us to be here!” Jesus has blessed us with a Door into your presence forever! Amen.

May 23....to the place where you dwell

May 23, 2007
Luke 6:12 “Then he went out to the mountain to pray, spending the night in communion with God.” (NAB)

“…He climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,
Once again Jesus goes to the mountain to pray. Why always the mountain side? Just because it was a deserted place away from people? Or because the higher up the mountain he went, the closer he felt to You?

 Perhaps he remembered David’s Psalm 43:3…”send forth your light and your truth let them guide me, let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell!” You spoke to Moses on the mountaintops as well. Mountains seem high and lofty like You…closer to heaven. Mountains are as far away from the world as we can get. Mountains seem like a fitting “dwelling place” for the Most High God! 

Whatever the reason, Jesus seeks the solitude of your presence on the mountain sides. There he “spent the night in communion with God.” Most translations say simply “prayer”, but the word “communion” seems much deeper. Communion is seeking a oneness, an abiding relationship. Prayer is often turned by us into “asking”….begging, petitioning. To spend the night in communion with You was a time of listening, meditation, becoming one with your will. 

1Jesus was about to choose his 12 disciples from his many followers. This mountaintop time of communion was a time of listening to know your will and your guidance. Praying all night seems impossible to us. Like the disciples we would surely fall asleep! Jesus, however often prayed all night. His communion with You must have been very intense. 

We call the sacrament of bread and wine….”communion”. Our time of “remembering” and sharing Jesus’ blood and body. Jesus’ time on the mountaintop in prayer is communion as well…a sacrament of oneness with his Father, a time made sacred by your presence, a time of intimate sharing. 

Teach me to commune with You on the mountaintop, as Jesus did, to find an abiding relationship of all night prayer. Teach me to preface my decisions with communion in your presence. Thank you. amen.

May 22...absorbed in prayer

Mark 1:35 “Rising early the next morning he went off to a lonely place in the desert, there he was absorbed in prayer.” (NAB)

“While it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a deserted place and there he prayed.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,
“There he was absorbed in prayer.” This was the only translation I have that mentions Jesus’ absorption in prayer. Perhaps the others feel that mentioning that he arose early before dawn, and sought a lonely deserted spot to do his praying was enough to give the idea of absorption.

 Jesus was committed to this time of prayer. He was driven to and by it. He chose it willingly and eagerly. He lost himself in his quiet time of prayer. Absorbed….”soaked up” by the praying he was doing….becoming a part of it….abiding in his Father’s presence. Oneness. It always comes back to abiding and oneness. Separated from the world, joined with the Father. 

After this prayer time Jesus tells his disciples….with renewed vigor…that they will go to the neighboring towns to deliver his message because “that’s why I came.” His time absorbed in prayer, prepared him for his mission. He was “soaking up” your will and making it his. 

I see something more in the Phillips translation…”while it was still dark”…while the world was lost in darkness and sin under penalty of death. “Jesus got up”….Jesus made the choice to obey his Father’s will. “Left the house”….turned from the Jews and religious leaders who had hardened their hearts. “And went off to a solitary place (or deserted place)”….the hill of Calvary was a solitary place, a deserted place, and his mission was a lonely solitary mission. “And there he prayed”….on the cross his life became a prayer for all mankind. A prayer for forgiveness. A prayer of salvation and atonement. A prayer of sacrifice. A prayer we now call grace. 

The following verses even seem to fit this interpretation….Simon and the others search for him and find him and Jesus leads them out to the neighboring villages to “give my message there too…that is why I have come.” An early echo of the Great Commission. Wow! A pre-picture of Jesus’ work completed. Thank you, O LORD! Amen.

May 21....praying in anguish

Luke 22:44 “In his anguish he prayed with all the greater intensity.” (NAB)

“He prayed on all the harder. Sweat wrung from him like drops of blood, poured off his face.” (MSG)

“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

Jesus prayed in great anguish. This was his greatest struggle accepting Your will and the cross. When faced with his greatest struggle, Jesus prayed that much harder. His strength lay in his relationship with You. That relationship is built in prayer. Jesus was striving to be as close to You as possible. His human body was already a form of separation from You and now he faced accepting total separation when he died with all the sins of the world weighing him down. 

Jesus had the perfect abiding relationship with You. He prayed that we would find that same relationship of abiding: “that they may be one as we are one…I in them and you in me”. The relationship of “oneness” with You is the goal we seek…knowing and accepting your perfect will in all things. Jesus was our Door to this abiding oneness and the Holy Spirit indwells us to make it complete. 

In our times of anguish, we too, need to pray “with all the greater intensity”. Jesus prayed so hard he appeared to sweat blood! We have no real experience of that sort of intense prayer. Tears are perhaps the equivalent for us. When our prayer time results in tears, than we are intensely praying. When we reach a state of “anguish”….a state of hopelessness to the point of knowing we must pray, we must have an answer, we must rely on You for a solution because we have none of our own.

 “Thy will be done.” Submission to your will. Acceptance of your plan and your outcome…even if we don’t understand it. Jesus knew where the answers lay…in your perfect will. Jesus knew how to get there…in fervent prayer. Jesus knew the joy and peace of a perfect abiding relationship with his Father and sought it through prayer. Thank you for the teaching of Jesus Christ, our example as well as our Savior! Amen.

May 20.....prayer and rest

Luke 9:18 “One day when Jesus was praying in seclusion….” (NAB)

“While Jesus was praying by himself, having only the disciples with him.” (Phillips)

Mark 6:31 “Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little.”

“Now come along to some quiet place by yourselves, and rest for awhile” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,
Jesus praying by himself is often mentioned in the scriptures. The disciples are “nearby” and thus witness this to tell us about it. He was an example for them that they learned to follow. He lived what he wanted them to model later on when he was gone. 

In the Mark verse the disciples have just returned from being sent out to teach repentance, drive out evil spirits, heal…empowered by Jesus to do this. Now Jesus tells them they need rest, they need a “quiet place by themselves.” Just as Jesus used the quiet places alone to rest, refresh himself, and commune in prayer with his Father, so do his followers. 

The quiet times with You, Father, are learning times. Times when we are filled after being emptied. Time to regain our focus on You, our commitment to your work, our desires to seek your will and not rely on our own. Too often church people don’t find the quiet times alone. We don’t even seek them We are too busy 'doing' and too little praying.

 I find myself during the quiet times feeling guilty that I’m not “doing “ something for You! I never feel I’ve done enough. Quiet time feels like it is too much for me and too little for You! I enjoy quiet times like this morning journal time. I learn. I grow in wisdom. Teach me not to feel guilty about seeking quiet time with You! 

During Jesus’ quiet time in the Luke verse he asks his disciples who “they think he is and Peter gives his insightful answer….”You are God’s Christ!” Peter found that faith, that answer, during the quiet time. Time to think and meditate on what he had seen and heard Jesus say and do. Jesus’ quiet times were also his disciples quiet times. When their Master rested, so did they. We are to learn from Jesus. When Jesus prays, we must be “nearby” listening and learning. Father, keep me close enough to listen, to learn, to be filled for your work. Thank you! amen.

May 19....mountaintop prayer time

Mark 6:46 “When he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain top to pray.” (NAB)

“When he had sent them all on their way, he went off to the hillside to pray” (Phillips)
“After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,

Jesus dismisses everyone….sending the disciples off on the boat…and sending the well-fed crowd home for the night. I can almost hear him say….”alone, at last!”

 Jesus was constantly surrounded by people. Even though it was his mission to teach and heal and prepare people for the Good News of the kingdom of Heaven, it must have been a very physically and emotionally, tiring life. You can feel his need for prayer and solitude….for his quiet times alone with You on the mountainside in prayer. Away from the demanding crowds. Away from the threatening Pharisees who were always trying to trip him up. Away from the accusations of the religious leaders. Away from the disciples who didn’t really understand what it was all about. Away from the women who followed along faithfully. 

Just seeing all these people constantly around him must have been a heavy weight to bear. He knew what was coming. He know that every burden they bore, was about to be put on his shoulders. His mountainside times were his lifeline! He needed as many hours as possible alone with You. I can sense what it must have been like to just “get away”….kneeling on the lonely hillside, surrounded in silence except for the night sounds of nature, feeling the breeze refresh and relax him. 

But most of all quiet time to abide in your presence. At an early age Jesus stated his preference to “be in my Father’s house”. Jesus more than anyone knew how to shut out the world and draw close to You. His strength, his resolve, his willingness to obey, his sinless state, were all fed in those quiet moments on the mountaintops alone with You. 

We use the term “mountain top experiences” to refer to times we have felt closest to You and most in touch with your leading. Jesus knew the necessity of seeking those times. He was drawn to his Father’s love at all times. Jesus dismissed the world and led us to a mountaintop full of grace. Thank you! amen.

May 19, 2007
PRAYER

To the mountaintop with God, my Savior leads me home.
To the quiet of the Father’s love, where we can be alone.
To the place of rest and peace…..this mountaintop of grace,

The place my heart has longed for, where I’ll see God face to face. 

May 18....descended like a dove

Luke 3:21 “When all the people were baptized and Jesus was at prayer after likewise being baptized, the sky opened and the Holy spirit descended on him in a visible form like a dove.”

Heavenly Father,

Jesus prayed after his baptism. He had no sins to repent, but he was baptized because You willed it. He had no sin of his own, but took on all the sins of the world. Jesus’ prayer is always a prayer of obedience to your will. 

All he did conformed to what you planned. Why baptism? Baptism symbolizes washing away sin. Jesus became our baptism. We are washed in Him. Jesus’ acceptance of your will in baptism, begins his ministry of acceptance of your will in all things. You marked him at his baptism as: “your Son, who you love, with whom you are well pleased.”

 The Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. Jesus needed the Holy Spirit before going into the desert for 40 days of temptation by Satan. You empowered him for his mission when he obeyed your will. Satan wanted Jesus more than any other human being. This was the King’s Son….God’s Son…the Messiah! 40 days of temptation must have been horribly intense. Jesus’ prayers prepared him for temptation. Jesus’ prayer results in the Holy Spirit coming to support him. 

You bless those who obey and pray. You affirm our willingness to follow your will. I sense a “future” connotation to this event. “When all the people were baptized”…..when all come to Christ and acknowledge his work of grace, his son-ship, his role as Savior….that is when “the sky will open” and the Holy Spirit descend and acknowledge the work Christ completed. You acknowledge him as your Son, who you love, who you are well pleased with for his willingness to complete the work he came to do for all mankind.

 “The sky opened”…..grace! A visible blessing for the Son who saves us all. Jesus will come from the sky in the second coming. The skies will once more open in acknowledgment of the King of Kings, when all the people are baptized by the grace of Jesus Christ. Jesus continues to pray for that work through his church. Thank you! amen.


Luke 3:21 “…..the sky opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a visible form like a dove.”

DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE

The sky opened up and the Spirit came down,
Descending like a dove,
To land on the One….God’s only Son,
Who would bring us God’s perfect love.

The sky opened up and love floated down
To anoint the King of Kings,
The Father’s chosen….the perfect Lamb,
Love borne on those heavenly wings.

Jesus Christ filled with God’s love
Died on the cross for me,
Through his wounded side, God’s love poured out

Grace…..to set me free!

(5-18-2007)

May 17....deserted places

Luke 5:16 “He often retired to deserted places and prayed.” (NAB)

“He slipped quietly away to deserted places for prayer” (Phillips)

“As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.” (MSG)

“But Jesus would often go to someplace where he could be alone and pray.” (CEV)

“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,
This passage represents to me the picture of Jesus at prayer. One key word is “often”. Jesus made a habit of getting away from the world for prayer. No one can spend as much time as we should in prayer….not even Jesus….but we can try to make it an “often” experience. Something we long for, seek out, crave, the source of our strength, our satisfaction, our refreshment, our escape from the world. 

Jesus didn’t make a big thing of this “quiet time”….he just slipped away quietly from the crowds to find his “prayer closet” where he could be alone with You, the Father. Jesus was under great stress and physical strain…constantly moving about, pressed on all sides by those seeking his physical healing power rather than his spiritual healing powers, striving to preach the kingdom to people who didn’t understand, escaping the wrath of the Pharisees until the chosen time, teaching his disciples. A time alone must have been wonderful! 

Each of the translations accents this idea a little differently…”deserted places”….”out-of –the-way places”….”somewhere he could be alone”….”lonely places”. I get different vibes from each of these!

1. Deserted places makes me think of wastelands, deserts, places no one else wants to be, where no one survives easily….empty places, harsh places. Jesus’ entire ministry was aimed at “deserted places” and people, but it starts with his prayerful relationship to his Father, so it seems very appropriate. Jesus goes where “no man has gone before”…willingly.

2. Out-of-the-way places….off the beaten track, strange lands, unfamiliar territory, hideaways, back-waters, inconvenient places. Jesus wasn’t afraid of places no one else wanted to be. He went “out-of-the-way”….to pray about being “the Way” for all mankind.

3. Some place where he could be alone”…speaks of isolation, a choice to step away, putting the world aside. Jesus needed to distance himself from the world, to not be a part of it in the way it wanted him to be, to be an “extraordinary” person like no other….someplace alone. His work was a “one-of–a-kind” work that could only be done while praying “someplace where he could be alone.”….God’s presence was necessary to meet God’s will.

4. Finally we have “lonely places”…..Gethsemane, the cross were very lonely places and Jesus prayed at both. Jesus withdrew to the loneliest places on earth! His prayer time in lonely places prepared him for lonely work…being separated from his Father by our sin. The description of “lonely places” makes me very sad. I understand his desire to be alone because I’m an introvert and crave solitude and being alone at times. But alone and lonely are two different feelings. One is by choice, one comes upon you by circumstances. 

I don’t believe Jesus was ever really lonely except during that time of separation at his death. He was always in your presence while alive! Being alone with You was balm for his soul and body. Being alone in prayer with You was his lifeline. 

We too have to seek the prayer of aloneness….away from the crowds and the world, in deserted places, out-of-the-way places, somewhere we can be alone with You. The lonely places are our times of separation…the “dark times of the soul”. But wherever we are, You are there. Slipping quietly away is just as important to us, as it was to Jesus. You will be wherever we choose to meet you. 

Jesus is our example. We must abide in prayer with You often. Our lives depend on it! Thank you for your promises, your provision, your presence, your patience! Thank you for prayer! In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who teaches us the importance of slipping away to seek you. amen.

May 16....don't know what they are doing

Luke 23, 34 “Father forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.”

Heavenly Father,

These words from Jesus are one of the most remarkable prayers imaginable. While nails are being driven through his hands, Jesus prays to You, to forgive those who are doing this to him. He says very simply, “they don’t know what they are doing.” 

How much evil in this world is committed in ignorance? How often do we do something to someone else, not really knowing what we are doing, what the consequences are going to be? We feel like we know why we do it at the time, but often our motives are mixed and confused. We act out of anger, fear, stress, confusion, peer pressure. We develop a “crowd mentality” and go along with what others do or suggest. 

“Knowing” implies understanding. Those who crucified Jesus thought they had good reasons, thought they were supporting your will even. Jesus was a threat to their religion, their way of life. How often do people do evil in the name of religion? How do we allow the Evil One to confuse us so badly? How do we take bad and call it good, and take good and kill it?…..all in the name of our God! You are not a God of evil! You are not a God of killing and hurting innocent people! 

We seek your forgiveness, like the thief on the cross, when we recognize that we are out of control and the innocent are being harmed. Jesus’ whole life and death were about forgiveness. A forgiveness so deep, so big, so remarkable, so unusual, so all-encompassing that it recognized that we often commit evil in the name of good without “knowing”. But his love, his grace is so great that he asks for our sin to be forgiven and sees that we don’t really understand what we are doing. 

It isn’t about accepting responsibility for our actions. It’s about accepting grace……. because we “don’t know what we are doing”. Forgive me LORD….over and over. I don’t know what I’m doing! Thank you for your prayers for me! Amen.

May 15....thy will be done

Luke 22:41-42 “He went down on his knees and prayed in these words: ‘Father, if it is your will take this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done” (NAB)

“…But it is not my will, but yours, that must be done.” (Phillips)

“…Not what I want, what do you want?” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,

There is much that I want, show me the things that you want. “Thy will be done”….”not my will but yours”….”it is not my will but yours that must be done.” I have to learn to stop praying for what I want, and acknowledge that your will in all things is most important….it “must be done”. Teach me to listen better, so that my will and prayers will be in accordance to your will. 

For my prayers to have your power, they must be your will. Even when my wants and desires are for good things, they still must be for the things that you will and know are best. You won’t support my plans with power if they don’t conform to your will. 

I must learn to discern your will in all things! If I read it in scripture I may pray for it in confidence….unity of believers, more of the Holy Spirit, stronger faith, healing, protection from temptation, deliverance from the Evil One, grace, forgiveness, daily bread, workers for the harvest, fellow Christians, wisdom, my enemies, widows, orphans, prisoners, Jesus Christ….I’m sure there is much more that I can pray for with confidence.

 You tell us to come with all sorts of petitions, and we do…not always the right things, but the things that lay heavily on our hearts. Sharing our hurts, our fears, our deepest wants and desires is part of a Father-child relationship. We come knowing You are the font of all blessing, the source of all power and provision. We come knowing Jesus has paved the way of grace to your throne. We come with the Holy Spirit abiding in us and helping guide our petitions. We come….because he have “nowhere else to go, You have the words of life”. 

Help me bend my knees and ask for your will in all things. Strengthen me with your Holy Spirit, that like Christ I will then arise and move towards your will with confidence and hope and peace. Amen.

May 14.....that the world might believe

John 17:21 “That all may be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you; I pray that they may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” (NAB)

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the blessings that come to us through Jesus Christ and his prayers for us! Our unity is important to our witness. Jesus prays that his Church…the Body of Christ….will have unity among its members and unity in an abiding relationship with Father, Son, Holy Spirit. 

How do we do this? In some part of us, we do worship as members of the same Body of Christ, but we allow ourselves to be distracted by putting our faith into “pigeon holes” that we call denominations. We water down the effectiveness of our unity by clinging to buildings, to minor differences of scriptural interpretation, to rituals and traditions, to memories of past accomplishments. 

How do we break down these barriers and work together? We obviously need many buildings, many preachers, many teachers. How do we have these things so we can work where needed, but not let them turn into the most important thing? How do we keep our focus on unity in Christ?

 I want to be part of a church that is His church doing his work. I want to be in a church that works with other churches to serve him. If Jesus prayed for our unity than it is important. If Paul wrote chapters on unity than it is important. Prepare us for your work in unity. Teach us together in unity. Draw us into an abiding unity with Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Use groups like Tres Dias* and Kairos* and any ecumenical gathering of the Body to bring unity to your work. Witness through our unity. We all want for the world to believe that Jesus Christ in Lord! Break down our barriers and strengthen our unity. Make us one that we may witness to the world in the name of Jesus Christ! Amen.

*Tres Dias is an ecumenical spiritual 3 day weekend retreat designed to strengthen leadership. Kairos is an ecumenical 3 day prison ministry to lead offenders to Christ and change their lives.

May 13....one in heart and mind

John 17:20 “I pray also for those who believe in me through their word, that all may be one as you Father are in me and I in you, I pray that they may be one in us.”(NAB)

“I’m praying not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of them, and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind just as you Father, are in my and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,

“That all may be one, “ or “For all to become one heart and mind”. Jesus prays for our unity, our oneness with each other and with the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. What better time than on a Sunday(2007) to meditate on these words! Jesus never intended for us to be divided. I don’t believe he wants us to sit in separate half-empty buildings, clinging to traditions and rituals and past accomplishments. Jesus prays for us for a reason….a goal of oneness and the work we can accomplish together. 

With this prayer for us is an additional prayer….”for those who believe in me because of them and their witness about me.” Our work for Christ is the focus of this prayer. Every disciple of Christ who is working and witnessing for Christ merits his prayer. The world can’t hear without us. The world can’t know about Christ without our witness. Our ability to believe and act as one body is important to Christ’s work…..”to become one heart and one mind”. We are to achieve the oneness that is found in Father, Son, Holy Spirit….a oneness of will (mind), a oneness of life (heart), a oneness of spirit (your Holy Spirit) that we might witness to a fallen world of desperate souls who need to find you! How can the world see Christ and his body if we don’t achieve this oneness?

 Forgive our foolish time-wasting attitudes! Forgive our pride in our buildings and our numbers and our pasts! Forgive us our closed minded attitudes that prevent unity and oneness of the Body of Christ! Show us how to achieve unity! Show us how to work and worship together! Send us forth to witness, to pray, to teach, to preach, to show Jesus Christ to the world in oneness of heart and mind! Please always pray for us with the power of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit! We need your heavenly prayer! Amen.

May 12....for those you have given me

John 17:9 “For these I pray….not for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are really yours.” (NAB)

“I am praying to you for them: I am not praying for the world, but for the men whom you gave me, for they are yours.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,
We spend a lot of time praying for those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ, for those who need to be saved. But Jesus is praying for the believers. He is praying for his disciples, whom you have given him, who have believed that he came from you and that you sent him. He specifically says that he isn’t praying for the world (the non-believers) here.

 Jesus prays in support of those who believe in Him and follow Him…that includes us! Jesus is our “high priest” and he prays for our work, our protection from the Evil One, for our belief, for our abiding relationship of oneness with him and the Father. He prays for the Holy Spirit to come to us and dwell in us. He prays for our sanctification….that we be set apart and made holy through Him and your words. 

Knowing that Jesus prayed for me while on earth and continues to pray for me in heaven is too awesome to contemplate! Jesus is one with his followers and sends us to do the work he is no longer here in the flesh to do. We are to glorify you, the Father, just as Jesus did. We are to be in the world, but not of the world, just as he was. We are to teach and preach and heal, just as he did. We are his representatives left behind to build the Church and bring forth new generations of believers. 

AWe are the ones who tell who Jesus Christ is and what he has done and why he did it. We are the heralds of the Good News! Jesus lives on through his followers. Jesus is alive today in each of his disciples. He prays for us to have the power for this work. How can we not trust him? “If God is for us, who can be against us?”….this isn’t a rallying cry to use God in our personal or national battles, but a rallying cry that takes Jesus into the battles He has chosen to send us into. His battle, his power, the Father’s glory. Jesus prays for our ability to follow him. Jesus prays for me! Thank you! Amen.

May 11....I know you always hear me

John 11:41 “Father I thank you for having heard me. I know you always hear me.” (NAB, NIV, Phillips, KJV)

“Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always listen.” (MSG)

“Father, I thank you for answering my prayer. I know you always answer my prayers.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,

This is a prayer that Jesus prayed, that I too could pray every day! This is a prayer in thanks of prayer itself! I quote 3 translations here and sense an important difference in each one…yet each is right. The most common translation….found 3 times…is “thank you for hearing me (or that you have heard me). The Message says, “I’m grateful you have listened to me.” And the CEV says, “I thank you for answering my prayer.” 

I can’t imagine my life without prayer. Knowing that my Father in heaven “hears” me when I speak to him is a blessing without equal. No matter if I shout, or mumble, or cry, or sit in silence….You hear me. My thought and word prayers, my silent heart prayers, are heard by You. They bring me into your presence. They connect me to You. They open a line of communication, and lead to a relationship. 

Not only do You hear me, but you listen to me….and important distinction! I hear many things, but listening applies attention and understanding….a separating of thoughts out of “noise”. I don’t always listen, but You do. I know You will hear the noise I make, and separate it into words and petitions that have meaning, and You will listen to the heart that utters them. I have your attention when I pray. 

Finally, the CEV says, “I thank you for answering my prayer.” You hear, You listen, and You answer. My prayers get a reaction from You. I am not always aware of what that answer is, or what form it will take, but I know there will be an answer. Sometimes I’m not patient and sometimes I’m not pleased with the answer, but I trust your love and your wisdom. You teach me during prayer. I grow during prayer. 

Jesus affirms in each translation that he knows that You always hear, listen, answer. He has total trust and confidence in your presence, just as we should. Jesus’ words were for the benefit of those present to give witness to your presence when he prays. Jesus’ prayer connects to your will. Jesus thanks you for hearing him, and I also thank you for hearing me! Amen.

May 10....revealed to the merest children

Matthew 11:25 “On one occasion Jesus spoke thus: “Father, Lord of heaven and earth to you I offer praise; for what you have hidden from the learned and clever you have revealed to the merest children.” (NAB)

Heavenly Father,

While preaching to the unbelievers, the ones with closed ears and closed minds in several cities, Jesus berates them for their lack of faith, for refusing to recognize what he clearly shows and tells them. Then he stops abruptly and prays. He praises You, “Lord of the heavens and earth” for those who are simple…..who do listen to his message, who accept it, who see his miracles, who follow him in wonder, who seek to change their hearts. From frustration with the close-minded, to praise for the simple-hearted. 

I used to stumble a bit here……why would You “hide” things, that need to be known, from anyone? Why would You “conceal” your truths from the “learned and clever”? When we are “learned and clever” we trust our own minds and hearts and strength more than Yours. You tell us to “lean not on your own understanding.” Our knowledge, our wisdom must come directly from You, through Jesus Christ. 

We can’t “think” our way to heaven. We can't “earn” our place there. We have to come as little children…..eager and trusting our Father and our “Brother” to show us the Way. Our cleverness and learnedness has to be put aside. We have to give up our control of the situation…..even our understanding of the situation. 

Jesus, thank You, for our simple-hearted, simple-minded faith. Jesus, thank You that You made things simple and obvious to those who just believe and accept. Trust…..faith….listening….the power of changing grace. We don’t have to do or understand it all. Just listen. Just say “thank you” for inviting me in. Just follow Jesus and let Him bear the burden. We can be clever and wait for all the answers to make sense, or we can be a child and say “Let’s go!…..You lead the Way!” Jesus came to reveal the simple truth for those with simple minds and faith. Thank You, LORD! Amen.

May 9....God uses our offerings

John 6:11 “Jesus then took the loaves of bread, gave thanks and passed them around to those reclining there.”

“Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks for them and distributed them to the people sitting on the grass.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,

Jesus was surrounded by a huge crowd of people……5000 men and women and children. They were hungry and Jesus decides to feed them, even though I’m sure they didn’t expect to be fed. He asks Phillip how they could get enough bread….Phillips says impossible! Andrew, for some reason, mentions the meager offering of a small boy….5 loaves, 2 fish. You wonder why he bothers to mention them as a possibility. Did he have a glimmer of understanding, was he just naturally helpful, or was it helpless sarcasm?

 Jesus takes the offering…..he uses what is on hand and freely given. After taking the loaves, he gives thanks for them…..all offerings come from God, the Father, and deserve thanks. Then he passes them out or distributes them to the crowd. What must the people have thought as the basket came around with these 5 loaves and 2 fish? It says all were filled…..had as much as they wanted. Just in case we might assume that the people lost their appetites or humbly refused to take what was so sparingly offered, we are told there were more leftovers than what they started with!

 Jesus did 3 things: he took what was available and offered, he blessed it thanking his Father, and then he used it, gave it away. Jesus still operates in this manner. He takes what is available, blesses it, and uses it. He doesn’t refuse the smallest gift….but turns it into something bigger. The willingness of the giver is important. He blesses all of our gifts…..no matter what the size, all things come from God and are dedicated back to Him. Prayer covers all transactions between Jesus and believers. Jesus’ prayer of blessing on our offerings. All gifts that Jesus blesses are than used and returned a hundredfold and more. 

Our availability and willingness are multiplied by Jesus into work among the gathered crowds. If we give, Jesus will bless it and use it and have leftovers! It starts with our gift. Thank you, O LORD! Show me how to offer my gifts for your use. Amen.

May 8....Who do the crowds say I am?

Luke 9:18 “One day when Jesus was praying in seclusion and his disciples were with him, he put the question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’”

“….off praying by himself, the disciples nearby….” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,

Jesus must have seldom been truly alone, once he began his ministry. His disciples, the women, and countless others followed him everywhere he went. Finding time alone to pray to You must have been difficult. Just as we fight the distractions of the world that surround us and intrude on our “quiet time”. Even when there are no actual people around us, we allow the mental distractions, the worries, the stresses, the problems to nag at us and interfere with our prayers. 

During this prayer time, Jesus stops and asks his disciples the question we all must answer: “Who do the crowds say I am?” He begins with a general question about what others believe. The disciples rattle off a list of possibilities….John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets of long ago come back to life. What a strange list! John and Jesus were contemporaries, so how could he be John??? Elijah or any other prophet were “of long ago”…..400 years? I think they were grasping at straws. 

No one could figure out who Jesus was! He did things no one else did. He had healing powers, he spoke strange words that were prophetic in tone, he argued with the spiritual leaders and did things that seemed contrary to their laws, he hung out with a rag-tag group of followers made up of sinners, women, fishermen, tax collectors, healed peopled, sick people. He wandered the countryside preaching and healing.

 The crowds didn’t know who Jesus was, but they had hope that he would tell them, that he would be the leader they sought to save them. Little did they know what sort of salvation he would truly provide for them! 

In the middle of our prayer time, Jesus will ask us, “Who do you say I am?” Prayer time is a good time to seek the answer to that question. “You are the Christ!”…..we proclaim with Peter. Prayer time strengthens that statement of affirmation and commitment. Thank you! Amen.

May 7....garden prayer

Matthew 26:37-38 “He took along Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, and began to experience sorrow and distress.”

“He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled….my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” (NIV)

“….began to be in terrible pain and agony of mind, my heart is breaking with a death-like grief” (Phillips)

“…..agonizing sorrow. This sorrow is crushing my life out.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,
Jesus’ agony as He prays to You is almost more unbearable than seeing His later pain and suffering. He prays 3 times for You to find another way….”Take this cup from me”….but he also affirms 3 times that “not as I will, but as You will.” His very human side knows what agony is coming….pain, separation, humiliation, desertion by his friends, death, the weight of the world’s sins. 

He brings his 3 closest friends to pray with Him, to share this burden. He tells them before He begins to pray what stress He is under…..”overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death”….”my heart is breaking with a death-like grief”…..”this sorrow is crushing my life out”. He shares his deepest sorrow and they fall asleep while he prays! This always sort of boggles my mind…… that these 3 always fall asleep when Jesus prays! Jesus wanted their presence and their prayers. They sleep. 

How often have I failed my closest friends when they needed my presence and prayers? How often have I “fallen asleep” at a crucial time? Sharing a friend’s deepest sorrow and pain, being “awake” to pray with them, is harder than it seems. Our love sometimes just isn’t enough. Our presence isn’t enough. Our prayers aren’t enough. We feel like we are “asleep” and of no comfort, no help, absent in mind and spirit. While our presence may be called upon, the only presence that really matters is Yours. 

When friends “agonize in the garden” it all comes down to their relationship with You, their willingness to commit to Your will. We may be there praying, listening, trying to share their burden, but basically we are “sleeping friends”, of no real help. We still need to be there…..our presence is wanted…..but the agony can only be dealt with by You, O LORD…..the “life crushing sorrow”, the “death-like grief”, can only be truly shared with our Father. Our solace comes in our acceptance of your will. Amen.

May 6.....mountain prayer

Luke 9:28 “He took Peter, John and James, and went up onto a mountain to pray.”

Heavenly Father,

Once again Jesus takes his 3 favorite disciples, his friends with him to the mountaintop to pray. Often we are told that Jesus went alone to the mountaintop to pray. 

Why does he include the 3 here? This was a time to talk with You about his coming journey to Jerusalem and his trial and death. Did he take them along to help them understand what was happening and warn them about what was coming? Did he take them to see how deep their faith and understanding were? Did he take them as part of his “training” of them to take over the earthly ministry?

 Peter had recently confessed his belief….”You are the Christ!” Jesus apparently shared a deeper bond with these 3 men than any others. His human side needed human support. We tend to only see his God side and forget he was going through human things and human emotions. He gathered his friends for their love and support. 

Jesus’ mountain prayer times must have gone on for hours at a time. The 3 disciples fall asleep during this prayer time and almost miss seeing “the glory” that transfigures Jesus as he accepts and prepares for his final journey. Moses and Elijah show up and can be recognized by the 3 (who certainly have never seen them before). 

I can’t imagine waking from a deep sleep and seeing a “glowing” Christ and the greatest leader and greatest prophet known to men! No wonder Peter stumbles around trying to figure out what they are supposed to do! God comes to them all on this mountain and speaks clearly to them identifying Jesus as His Son and affirming his mission. 

Wow! The glory of Christ, prophets and leaders long dead, and your voice coming from the cloud! This must have been a “prayer time” like no other! Jesus brought the 3 to “your holy mountain”….to your presence…..just as He will bring us if we ask, to come along to pray with Him. “Send forth your Light and your Truth, Let them guide me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.” (Psalm 43:3) amen.

May 5....small group prayer

Luke 8:51 “Once he had arrived, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter, John, James, and the child’s parents.”

Matthew 18:20 “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.”

Heavenly Father,

I would never have connected this verse with Jesus “praying”. He has come to the house of Jarius to bring his daughter back to life. He doesn’t want an audience. He chooses only the 3 special disciples, Peter, John, James, plus the child’s parents to witness this miracle. Jesus often chose Peter, John, and James to be with him at special times…..here, and at the transfiguration, and in Gethsemane. These were 3 times when Jesus was very much in his Father’s presence and drawing on your holy power. These 3 friends saw things no others ever did. 

When tied together with the second scripture telling us that “where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst,” we see the power of small groups of believers gathering together in Your presence. When we gather, You come. Our joining of faith in prayer, brings You into our prayer circle. Jesus, too had a “prayer circle” of close friends that he called on to be with him. We see his example to follow. 

Tres Dias* taught me the power of small groups of believers gathering together. We strengthen each other. We pray in shared prayer for shared causes. We feel Your presence when we share in faith and prayer. The oneness that should be present in the Church is evident and You promise to be there.

 This is another way of abiding in Your presence. Praying by ourselves is often personal prayer to strengthen our own personal walk with You and to listen and learn in silence. When 2 or 3 gather we look outward from ourselves for a joint reason and we draw towards the center of our prayer circle where You are present as our High Priest and intercessor. 

Jesus is there to guide and provide the needed power through his Holy Spirit. The fact of gathering “in my name” indicates that we have invited Jesus and look for him to be there. We circle around Him. Thank you for your presence when we pray together. For always turning 2 or 3, into 3 or 4 by your presence. Amen

*Tres Dias is an ecumenical spiritual 3 day weekend retreat experience designed to strength believers as leaders.

May 4....do this in remembrance of me

Luke 22:19 “Do this as a remembrance of me”

Heavenly Father,


I hear these words every time I take communion, but what do they mean as prayer? I pray during communion….particularly for the forgiveness of my sins, but don’t generally think of the act of communion or the “remembering” as being prayer.

 We are commanded to “do this”, and the Church holds communion as a sacrament or sacred act that draws us closer to Jesus, to our Father, the Holy Spirit, and to each other. Sharing Christ’s body and blood, partaking of his sacrifice on the cross, being reborn through Him, accepting Your grace and abiding in it, dedicating ourselves to your Church, obeying your command, seeking forgiveness……all of this is present when we “do this in remembrance.”

 Our prayer is a prayer of acted faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. By remembering in this way we pray from our deep inner selves in a oneness with all believers. A shared prayer for faith and commitment. “One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing…”. Sharing this sacrament of remembering strengthens the oneness of the Church. We are no longer at this time of any denomination, but instead are One with Christ, One with the Father, One with the Holy Spirit, One with each other. Abiding through Christ’s body and blood in the Holy presence of our God!

 I always feel closer to You, O Lord, during communion than at other times. The word “communion” sounds like “communication” and there is a connection formed during this very personal link to Christ, his body and blood, forgiveness and grace. Remembering is good! Remembering is living our faith. Remembering is taking your past faithfulness and seeing it in our present circumstances, and making it our hope for the future. We remember in Jesus’ name. We remember Jesus’ act of sacrifice. We remember our Father’s love and your abiding presence. Amen.

(This is a poem that I once wrote during communion. I actually added to it on 2 other occasions.)

COMMUNION HYMN OF GRACE

I hold in my hands your grace...

The blood that you shed for me.

The body they broke and hung on a cross,

On the Hill called Calvary.

---

I traded my sins for this grace.

You died to remove them from me,

I eat and drink in remembrance and joy,

For your grace has set me free!

(July 1-2007)

-----

(added later)

Part II

I hold in my hands your grace

Your blood washes clean my soul

Heart, mind, spirit, strength....

Your love has made me whole!

-----

Part III

I hold in my heart your grace!

No one can take it from me!

My sin is no more! My joy complete!

My heart is now singing, "I'm free! I'm free!"

My heart is now singing, "I'm free!"

May 3....in my Father's house

Luke 2:49 “Did you not know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (NAB)

“Didn’t you know that I had to be here dealing with the things of my Father?” (MSG)

vs. 46 “….among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions.”

Heavenly Father,
At the age of 12 Jesus made it clear to his parents where his heart was…..in the house of his true Father. He “had to be” there. His focus, his love were concentrated on Your will and obeying You at all times. For a Jewish boy age 12 is nearly a man. He was old enough to know what he was doing. 

He speaks of “my Father’s house” and identifies it as where he belongs and wants to be. He was occupied with listening and learning in his Father’s house. We too must seek to be in our Father’s house. To belong to your household we come through Jesus Christ. He is our “big brother” who assures our adoption as a child of God. Now that we are your children we need to come to listen and learn. We need to reach a place where we say, “I had to be in my Father’s house.” 

Seeking your presence at all times, drawing into your temple of holiness whenever possible. I love the Psalm 43:3 prayer, “Send forth your Light and your Truth, let them guide me, let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell.” The Light of the World, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit of Truth bring me, carry me, draw me toward Your presence. To sit and listen and learn. 

I feel selfish sometimes when I want to lay aside other things and just listen and learn, but I know it’s where I need to be. I hope my contemplative “Mary” side is growing, and my hurried “Martha” side is learning to quiet down. Both are necessary, both are loved by You, but my true abiding place……where I have to be…..is in my Father’s house. Anywhere I can listen and learn is your house. Anywhere I can strengthen my faith is your house. Anywhere I can feel your abiding presence is the holy mountain where You dwell. I long for my heavenly home and being in your presence forever! Jesus, my Savior, Holy Spirit bring me to that holy place. Amen

May 2....praying as worship together

Luke 4:16 “Entering the Synagogue on the Sabbath as he was in the habit of doing.”

Heavenly Father,

Jesus always kept the command to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”. He joined with other believers in worship and prayer. His “habit”….what he did faithfully….was gathering at the synagogue. 

Many Christians balk at regular weekly church worship. Part of that is the Church’s fault….we don’t make the church service meaningful. We fill it with rituals and traditions, and we badger the members to do trivial work and badger them to commit their money. On the surface none of those things is wrong…..but our application of them drives out any sense of true worship or any sense of true meaning. We end up with something we don’t “connect with” or find any reason for. 

We don’t gather to pray…..to spend time with you in silent meditation. We don’t gather to worship…..but just to sing songs we like and go through rituals we are familiar with. We do gather for fellowship with other believers and to share communion. Jesus attended synagogue and partook of the rituals connected to it. Prayer would be one. He taught in the synagogue when he attended…..leading others into contemplation of your words. 

Communal worship is important and it is a “must” for all Christians. We are meant to gather and pray together. We are meant to gather and learn together. We are meant to gather and worship as one body……Jesus’ body, the Church. We must learn to “enter the synagogue” and pray together despite the roadblocks that our churches create with their organization. 

We must have a habit of weekly communal worship to support each other and prepare for Your work. It should be a time to find strength in Your presence and the presence of other believers. The Holy Spirit fell on the early believers during communal worship. Entering the synagogue leads to your holy presence and your holy power. Prayer is communal as well as personal. Together we are the Church, the body of Jesus Christ. Thank you. Amen.

May 1.....teach us to pray

May Theme: Jesus Prayed

Luke 11:1 “One day he was praying in a certain place, when he had finished one of his disciples asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Heavenly Father,
I recently asked our pastor this same question: “How should we pray?…..are there right ways and wrong ways?…..how can I make my prayer time more effective?” This month is focusing on Jesus and how and when he prayed. Help me to learn from your Son’s example.

 I think most Christians at some time wonder if they are praying “right”. We are used to getting immediate responses and we are used to seeing those we talk to. Prayer takes faith. Prayer is directed to the One we know is there, but can’t see or hear. Prayer is sent heavenward like smoke and we sometimes wonder if it reaches its destination. 

The Evil One likes to plant doubt. We dream up ways to “cover the bases” when we aren’t sure of our prayers. We tell ourselves that You always answer, but it might be “yes”, or “no”, or “not now”. We blame ourselves for lack of patience and persistence. Our greatest “cop out” is sometimes the phrase, “thy will be done”. If it doesn’t happen, it isn’t because of our prayers, but your will…..we don’t expect to receive.

 Surely this is not what prayer is meant to be??? Endless asking for things….short hurried phrases tossed like paperwads….lists of requests…..duty at meal times and bedtime. No wonder we ask….”Teach us to pray!” We sense we are doing it wrong! It seems too crazy and often has little meaning. 

My devotional describes prayer as “mutual giving.” He says “we give ourselves to God….our time….our preoccupations”. In return God gives us an awareness of his presence, an experience of his love.” I think he is on the right track! Prayer isn’t about requests, its about knowing You, talking to You, spending time with You, honoring You, learning from You, sharing with You. You know my needs. You know my thoughts and worries. You know my requests. I honor You by talking to You about them. But I must also listen…..and that requires time. Teach me how Jesus prayed. Allow me to learn at the Savior’s feet with the disciples. Thank you! Amen.