When you pray, say.......

When you pray say "Father".


It gets personal from the first word.  No mistaking it.  When you pray, don't send your words flying off into space to be gathered in by some mysterious anonymous being.  When you pray, say "Father".

"Hallowed be your name". Hallowed - holy.

This endeavor in spiritual practice takes place in holy space, with the holy one.  Nothing casual happening here.  Which leads me to believe that the words about to be spoken (even if not aloud but only in your heart or head) are holy words.  Your words are uttered into holy space, attempting to reach out to the holy one.  Perhaps it is a good idea to pay attention to what you say.

Whatever this thing called prayer is......it is holy. One might also call it a gift: an invitation to step into holy space. 

Perhaps that is why folks gather such strength from the practice of prayer, for in the midst of all that is not holy in our lives, we are invited into this one space to be surrounded by the holy.  Perhaps that is why in the midst of deepest darkness, on the worst day of your life, when even breathing becomes an act of will, when no words will form on your lips or in your heart, the holy One is listening for the message the Spirit gathers for our sake. There we can know just a modicum of rest.

Perhaps.  For me it is trusting that whatever is mine, is not mine alone.  The Holy One is there.  The Holy One is there.  The Holy One is there.

"I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they many all be one.  As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."  John 17.20-21

Prayer. Unity. Invitation. Obedience. Glory. Death. Resurrection. These are the thoughts that flutter around as I consider these  final moments of wisdom imparted from Jesus to those who sit at table for their last meal together.

Jesus' time with the disciples is coming to a close.  The meal is soon over; the long discourse and overheard prayer complete.  Unlike that meal of bread, fish, wine and herbs, this final overheard prayer is rich and dense.  Just before Jesus steps out into the great abyss that awaits, he allows us a glimpse of his inner conversation with the Divine Father, giving us words to hold before our lives as we stumble forward in the coming gift of resurrection life.

Pray my beloved friends.  Pray that you may be one. Why? Because you need each other: each other's strength, each other's gifts, each other's doubts, each other's need for healing, each other's hunger. Pray that every one finds their seat at the table where our Lord is both the host and the meal that gives sustenance.  Left on your own, too many will be excluded; too many seats will go empty; we are not whole when even one is missing, so, pray my friends.

Pray that the Divine Will be manifest in this place, among these people, at this very moment, wherever you are. Daily bread. Justice. Peace. Healing. Forgiveness. Shalom. Nothing less will suffice because anything less is not the Kingdom of God. Pray, because the path to the kingdom requires some dying.

Pray that the life revealed on Easter morn becomes your life blood, and that of your community, and that of your nation, and then of God's whole creation. When Empire crushes you and disease breaks you and evil rears its ugly head, pray.

Remember that this night, most especially this night, just before it all happened, Jesus prayed that all would become one. Just before Jesus broke through the final barrier, he handed us this parting gift, this parting command. Pray.

It's a radical thing, this praying, because we are talking to the one who in the beginning created all beginnings and in the end, holds all things in Divine care.  In obedience to our Lord's command, for the sake of the whole world, and to be made whole in yourself, pray.

What is prayer?

It is often silent.  It is a conversation often held completely inside your head.  It is chewing on preferred outcomes, wants and desires, hope and dreams, fears and expectations, disappointments and sorrows.

Sometimes, when you are able to tamp down the ego, it is an honest discussion about yourself and it isn't particularly pretty but it is totally truth filled.  Messy,  embarrassing .painful truth. Beautiful truth.

It has a direction although not necessarily a resolution. It is unlike ear worms, those repeating loops that tell you over and over again about your failures, shortcomings and missed opportunities.  It is not one of those mental loops that exhaust you and beat you up and beat you down and wear you out.  They do not enlighten the mind, enrich the soul or lift the burden.  They bring no relief; they are not prayers.  They are demons, for they never bring life to anyone.

Prayer is a conversation which brings you somewhere; not necessarily where you wanted to go, but no longer where you were. Deep within these (largely unspoken) words are truths. Some are buried deep and require a daily scraping away of layers of protective covering. Some lay right near the surface, waiting for you to stumble over them.  Whichever they are, they are precious because they are the pearls of your true self.

Notice I didn't say your perfect self, because your true self is not perfect; at least no in the eyes of this world. But it is you.  When you get there, you unearth the hidden gem that is you and you experience peace. Notice I didn't say joy (although sometimes there is that too) I said peace.  Because, having dug this far and this persistently, having approached from all angles and laid out all the arguments, because having piled all the lies and falsehoods on the rubbish heap, you arrive at the reality of what it means to be you, a singular human being. Even if it isn't what you imagined or wanted or coveted in your imagination, it is truly you and at last you can stop chasing after that which is not real and has no value.

What makes this any different from the incoherent musings of a mad woman? Or the ramblings poured out to the soft spoken, non-directive therapist?? What makes this different from the tear soaked or sigh driven wondering offered up over a cup of tea or a cold beer?  Often, nothing.  They are much the same; a cry for help; a confession of weakness; a striving after wisdom; a search for truth; a hunger for authentic connection.

No matter to whom it is spoken, it is all a search for love and a longing for peace.

Then whispers the Divine Creator "You are beloved. You are not perfect, but you are mine and I will not let you go."

Then you know: this is the answer you've been longing to hear; it is the only answer that gives life and it can only come from God.

Into the silence..........

For God alone my soul waits in silence,

for my hope is from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my deliverance and my honor;

my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him

God is a refuge for us. 

   Ps62.5-8

My private prayer life (in contrast to my professional prayer life which requires a more public articulation of our approach to God) has reached a place where I rarely speak words aloud.  Most times I am forming words in my mind.....although rarely complete sentences......just images, phrases, single words.  

I have experienced a time when silence was the most I could manage.  I had no words.  There were no images.  Sentences had been lost days and weeks and months before.  I did not seek this time of silence; it wasn't a meditation practice.  It was a time when time stood still, breath was elusive, the future was no more than a blank void.

I was beyond participating in my future: time had simply stopped and I knew the futility of my feeble attempts to shape tomorrow.  I stood absolutely still, frozen in the cross hairs of life and at most I prayed that the Spirit was praying for me.  Remember the story of Elijah in the cave waiting for God who came not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire but in the sheer sound of silence (occasionally translated 'a still small voice').  I waited in the silence for an encounter with God.

This psalm brought me back to those times when I learned a little bit more about waiting on God and trusting in the Creator to hold me close.  For me the psalmist has captured the intersection of the cross......where this world and God's eternity are bound together, a moment when we stand in the silence and await our God.

It was a terrible time when God came close and called me deeper into a life of trust.  I would never choose it voluntarily; I would not be who I am without it.  

Fragile faith

A prayer to start your day from Ted Loder


O God, I am so fragile;
     my dreams get broken,
     my relationships get broken,
     my heart gets broken,
     my body gets broken.

What can I believe,
     except that you will not despise a broken heart,
     that old and broken people shall yet
           dream dreams,
     and that the lame shall leap for joy,
        the blind see,
           the deaf hear.

What can I believe,
     except what Jesus taught;
     that only what is first broken, like bread,
        can be shared;
     that only what is broken
        is open to your entry;
     that old wineskins must be ripped open and replaced
        if the wine of new life is to expand.

an excerpt from the prayer What can I Believe ,  Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle, Loder.

Reformation Monday: a prayer for a new son

"Gracious Lord, I wish to impose on Your Grace once more.

 A son was just born to me, and I am a father again.  Please help the poor fellow get where he belongs.  He was born the first hour during the night of January 28 in the year 1533, and he was named Paul.

 I've had him named Paul because St. Paul furnished me with many a good passage and argument, and so I wish to honor him by naming a son after him.  God grant my son grace.!"

We see Luther at home, with his family, praying for a new son.  Haven't we all prayed earnestly for a new child that has come into our family?  [although I doubt many of us have chosen the name based on theological and biblical conundrums!]

Martin Luther, recorded in Table Talk, Vol 54 Luther Works p. 184

Reformation Monday: Luther's morning prayer

In the morning, as soon as you get out of bed, you are to make the sign of the holy cross and say "God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen."

Many of us know the Small Catechism of Martin Luther from years gone by in confirmation class.  For most of us, it was about the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer and the Apostle's Creed and their explanations.

The Small Catechism was written by Luther for use in the home, where the head of the household would instruct his/her children and servants in the faith.  It is written in a question and answer format so the student would first recite, for example, the First Commandment and then the household head would ask  "What does this mean?"  Remember that?

Also included in the Small Catechism was an outline for morning and evening devotions, many of which were held as a family around the family table.  At the very least, Luther wanted all to begin their day reminded of their baptism and renewing their relationship with God through prayer.  Here is Luther's morning prayer:

"I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have protected me through the night from all harm and danger.  I ask that you would also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please you.  Into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine.  Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me.  Amen"  ELW p1166

Starting your day with prayer is always a good idea, and the advantage to having memorized a prayer is that it will fall easily from your lips.  There are many within our 60+ age group who know this morning prayer from memory.

From my time at seminary, where we as a community worshipped daily and the order of Matins was the form every Tuesday and Thursday, I learned the morning prayer from the matins service.  It is my 'go-to' prayer in the morning and so I share it here with you

"Almighty and everlasting God, you  have brought us in safety to this new day.  Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor be overcome in adversity.  In all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen  ELW p304

Prayer is not a reformation thing.  Prayer is a transformation thing.  It is a lifeline between the Divine and its Creation.  It is a conversation between the Lover and the Beloved.  If only for a few seconds each morning, it centers our day on God before the crush of the world's demands.

Perhaps memorizing one of these prayers will prove especially transformational for you.

More than just confetti

I have a good friend who would always open his prayers when leading a group by saying, "Let's talk to God."

Prayer is a conversation with God, like conversation with that kind of old friend, that even if you haven't seen or spoken for years, you can pick up exactly where you left off.  That's prayer.  You know about each other and at some time you have made some kind of commitment to each other.

Prayer is about relationship.  We turn to another expecting that they will listen, care about what we are saying, and, even if unable to make anything change, stand with us.  We expect that of our friends.  We can expect it even more of God.

Not just at special times of the day, or special times in our lives.  No, we can pray as we drive or try to remain patient with children or bosses.  We can pray when we are frightened or joyous or lonely or thankful.  We can use ancient words that we have memorized or we can simply breathe out a thought.  We can doodle a design while we engage with God, or use beads on a bracelet or sit in absolute quiet.

Most of us start out with simple, egocentric prayers:  Please help me with this math test.  Lord, keep me out of the ditch (a good prayer for snowy roads).  Help me find a job.

But over time we find a deeper power to prayer: the power to ease our anxiety, change our attitudes and open new perspectives.  We find the power of praying for others; focusing on their needs and hurts and joys....sometimes even folks we don't know.

One thing prayer is not is confetti; just thrown into the air with hopes that someone gets pleasure from it.  It is a powerful tool to strengthen our faith, and a comfort in times of doubt or sorrow.  Pretty soon you are talking to God quite regularly and it won't seem strange at all.

Faith formation tool number two.

Spirituality and Exercise....no, really

OK I expect your doctor is a bit like my doctor.  She never ceases to remind me that exercise (in any form) is good for my health.  Walking, dancing, yoga, zumba even mowing your lawn will benefit you .....in the long run.  Of course all that moving around benefits you today - but the benefits are subtle and easily missed.

But over time, you will have strengthened your heart, your lungs, maintained muscle tone and helped to sustain a positive mood.  When you are 60  (well, now she has to say something like 75) you will be stronger, able to enjoy a more active lifestyle, and more able to heal from inevitable ills.

She's right.  All the medical research supports her position.  I am even willing to acknowledge she is right.
It rarely makes me get off the couch on a lazy Sunday afternoon when my body just wants to nap and not think about anything. But I have tried, off and on, to be more intentional about it all.

Our spiritual life is much the same.  We could list all the things which would probably be good for our spiritual health:  a little more time getting to know the scriptures, some time spent in prayer, an occasional reaching out through a service project, even some charity towards our neighbors, known and unknown.  Knowing about God and the beloved son Jesus is vastly different from knowing the Triune God from regular contact and conversation. .

What kinds of things do you talk to God about?  What is God saying in return?  Where is God leading you?  How is God encouraging you to grow ever more Christ-like?  A frightened prayer sent heavenward while skidding on an icy road is most certainly a valid prayer - but it doesn't constitute a relationship.  It's no more than a 911 call to a local tow truck - once you've been pulled out of the ditch you have nothing more to say to one another.

The hard times are coming for each of us because life is like that.  We prepare to face these times as a person of faith by exercising our faith during all those 'good' times.  Sure Sunday morning looks like a grand time to sleep in and read the Sunday paper (do people still do that?).  Of course a round of golf looks a bit more enticing than serving dinner at the Samaritan center.  Praying for others, giving generously to the needy, all these things ask you to devote time and resources to God's work - with little immediate reward.  But by developing a lifestyle of spirituality you also strengthen the faith that will sustain you in the dark times ahead.

'Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen' according to Hebrews 11.  The more we practice the habits of the faithful, the stronger our connection to the Divine.  It will serve us well.  Once you've really gotten to know Jesus you are more confident of trusting him even when life is muddled.

I'm heading to the gym (tomorrow morning) to work on the exercise bit.  What shall we do today to strengthen our spiritual life?

Prayer: the sound of silence

Silence.

Sometimes expectant.

Sometimes hostile.

Very rare in 21st century America.

Often the most powerful moments of corporate worship are the all too short and infrequent silences.  Devoid of speaking or singing or moving, these times allow the Word of God to sink in, to find its way beyond our exterior into the places where we make decisions and form hopes.

Here is the classic story of the great silence:

The prophet Elijah had been a great champion for YHWH against the priests of Baal, a cult which competed with YHWH for the loyalty of the people.  Elijah had danced around the 450 prophets of Baal, taunting and criticizing.  In the end, YHWH demonstrated the power that resides with the Creator of the Universe and Elijah was vindicated.  All 450 prophets of Baal were put to death.  Then he had to run for his life. (1 Kings 18.20 - 19.18 This is such a grand story you might want to read it for yourself).

On Mount Horeb, when Elijah and God are about to meet, a great wind passed Elijah by, but God was not in the wind.  Then there was a great earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire, but God was not in either of those.

Then there was the sound of sheer silence.  That was where Elijah met God. 

 It is often where we meet God as well.  

Add silence to your spiritual life.  Seek that place of silence so profound that only God can fill it.  You will be blessed.

Prayer: first thing, every morning

OK, the first thing after you hit the alarm clock to stop its ringing.

Let's start with a confession.  Routine is not my strong suit.  The discipline of following a regular pattern is not mine - I'm usually good for 3 weeks at best.  So keep that in mind as we talk about praying first thing in the morning.

I tried it after a particularly transparent presentation on the struggles, disappointments and joys of being a priest and bishop by a retired Catholic bishop.  He was so genuine; I could see the man wrestling with his faith, his pride, his wants and needs.  He spoke as an 'insider' having served the Church for 45 years and much of what he said fed me.

He ended his time with us by asking us to pray for him.  Not because he was sick, or because he had a particular challenge ahead.  No, just, pray for me because I know I am strengthened by the prayers of others.  So I did.

I began praying for him every morning, and once I had mentioned him I included several other folks I knew could use prayer or whose names just popped into my head.  Nothing special needed to be said, although I often used a prayer I learned in seminary.  It changed the tone and tempo of my day.  The prayer pushed away the 'to do' list until I at least got my feet on the floor, and it framed my day in God.  It was a good practice.

It lasted about 4 months (which for me is quite long).  Then I fell out of the practice.  Today I am trying to fall back into it.  All the benefits are there - for you, for your family, for those who you include.   And there are so many who need our prayerful support.

So try it.  Maybe something as simple as "Lord remember Robert and Judy and Matthew today.  Be present to them.  Thank you for this day and all that it will bring."  Or you can use the one I often use which comes from Morning Prayer ELW p304.

"Almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us in safety to this new day.  Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor be overcome in adversity.  In all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  AMEN"

I know you will be blessed.  God be with you all.

Prayer: when only dancing will do.

King David couldn't help himself.  Micah, his wife, couldn't forgive him for it.  David danced in the sight of the whole nation wearing just a linen ephod and from Micah's point of view, looking like a fool.

It all starts with the Ark of the Covenant, a gilded 'box' in which rested the original tablets of the Ten Commandments.*  More than just Israel's most precious artifact, the Ark had a particular relationship with the LORD.  On its top was the Mercy Seat, where it was believed the LORD dwelt.  It was so holy that touching it could prove fatal.

The Ark had a long history, but at this moment, David was bringing it into the city of Jerusalem to give it a proper home.  It was a joyous time.  Thirty thousand people lined the streets to watch as the ark was carefully carried to its new home.

And David just couldn't help himself.  He stripped down to his linen ephod and with 'all the house of Israel' danced before the LORD with all his might, with songs, lyres, harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.   He offered up burnt offerings along the way until he finally enters the city with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.  2 Samuel 6.5,14-16.

It's not completely clear if Micah was more disturbed by David's virtual nakedness or his wild behavior.  However, David gives the rest of us leave to dance and sing and perhaps in what looks like great foolishness express our thanks to God, our awe at being counted among God's children, or our sheer delight at being asked to be God's servant.

Take your pick.  They are all good reasons to break out in song, to pray with voice and body and movement.  Although if you choose the naked part of the story, please do this in the confines of your own home.

*Raiders of the Lost Ark is a fictionalized movie about this very box.

Prayer when words fail us

There are specific names for different kinds of prayers.  I knew them all once but not anymore.
It doesn't really matter because we can figure out the different kinds of prayers ourselves, and give them our own labels if we want to.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words."  Romans8.26

This is the kind of prayer that begins and ends in the heart because we cannot give shape or name or voice to our experience.  We moan with deep sorrow, overwhelming joy, unutterable fear or love that fills our very being.  These are the prayers of the extremes; they go beyond our feeble vocabulary or require an energy we no longer possess.  Sometimes the situation is so dire, so impossible, we have no idea what could or should be asked of our Lord.  So the Spirit prays for us.

Soon after my husband's death, when the stress and grief were overwhelming, I took a walk along the tree lined roads of the Gettysburg battlefield.  I walked there often but on this day I made it clear to God that I simply could not go on, it was all too much for me, I couldn't even pray.  God said to me (yes, I know how odd that sentence is, but the message was a clear as a voice speaking aloud) "Fear not.  Even the trees are praying for you."  And they must have been for I was comforted and strengthened.

"And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."  Romans 8.27

There is powerful comfort in those words.

#3 God works in mysterious ways................

God is in control....has a plan.....works in mysterious ways.
Come on, when you don't know the answer, be honest.  Say, "I don't know."

When your life has taken a nose dive, this is the last thing you want to hear.  Even though you probably believe this is true, what good does it do when you say it?  It only proves what the listener suspected in the first place, you haven't got a clue.  So admit it.

The problem is not that we have described God inaccurately.  God does work in mysterious ways.

Take the story of Lazarus, a friend of Jesus and brother to Mary and Martha.  Lazarus is very sick.  Jesus is informed and dawdles so much that Lazarus is dead 4 days when Jesus arrives.  Lazarus is already in the tomb (a cave not a grave).  Jesus, with the grieving Mary and Martha trailing along, goes to the tomb and Jesus weeps. (John11.35)  Then in just 11 verses, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

How mysterious is that?  Jesus weeps even knowing that in a few moments he will give Lazarus back his life.  [Why Jesus weeps has been the source of much rich conversation over the ages.]

It doesn't do any good to tell folks God has a plan.  Right now, this moment, they are grieving, afraid, lost, angry, betrayed.....and a thousand other things.  People are drawn to the Jesus who touches the lepers and heals the demon possessed and sits down with the outcast woman at the well.  Be Jesus to them.  Sit, listen.

We are not required to answer for God.  Say you don't know why .....only that Jesus was there with lots of folks who were on the receiving end of some rotten stuff.  Then do what you can do: be with them,  pray with them and for them, regularly.

Bow your head, close your eyes....and shut out the world?

It is how we pray.

But I wonder if it is also a way to shut out the world; to create our own world in our own mind.  I wonder if we bow our heads and close our eyes in order to blot out the reality of the world we live in.

If so, we are not following Jesus - the one who stepped into the muddy water of the Jordan River and then walked out into his world to heal the sick, include the outcast, love the unlovable, free those who were held captive and seek justice for others.

Not just food and shelter and clothes and justice and freedom and a living wage for his own family.  No, Jesus counted every other person as family - and then he worked for the weakest of them.  We are called to do the same.

Learning to pray

"Lord, teach us to pray."

Jesus' answer to this request was The Lord's Prayer.  Memorizing its lines has been a rite of passage for Christians for a couple centuries at least.  Even though different denominations use slightly different wordings, it is one part of any service where you are able to participate.

But don't allow that to be the end of your prayer life.  God doesn't need such formal or stylized talk; God is ready to listen to those ill-formed mutterings and half uttered cries.  God watches as we struggle with our own covetousness or lust or greed, and would love to talk with you about it - to help you find a way past these temptations and to move to the light.

The apostle Paul writes in Romans that all creation cries out to God and the Holy Spirit prays for us with moanings too deep for words.  So when we are tongue tied, God's is at work, for our sake out of love.  Talk to God.  Talk about your day, it's highs and it's lows.  Talk about your dreams and disappointments.  Talk about your joy

If I only knew how to pray....

I hope you are not looking for some magic formula - just the right words or tone of voice, the most appropriate quoting of scripture or maybe some fancy phrases like the pastor uses.  I pray that you are not seeking some precise balance of piety and boldness so that God will do what you want God to do.

Because if you are, I don't have it.  Never have; never will.  I do know that you can meditate in silence or sing your praises to God.  You can gather with the whole community or carve out a few moments during your morning commute.  You can include religious words or simply cry out with moaning and groaning too deep for words. 

You can stand up, lie down, sit in your pew, kneel at the altar, walk in the woods, drive in your car,  raise your hands while you're at it.  Many prayers have ascended during football games, before Math tests, on icy roads and after crushing medical diagnoses.  You can use English, Greek, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish and even gibberish.  God's ear is turned towards and tuned into creation's cries.

But if your heart is wandering in the land of lust or greed or anger or just plain selfishness you're going to have a hard time of it all because it is the heart that speaks most clearly to our God.  This you know:  the God who graciously gives us all, wants us to grow into just such gracious giving people.  Because God is gracious, we are free to ask, seek and knock any time we want and with a whole lot of silliness in the mix. 

This I do know.  The more you pray, the deeper, stronger, and richer your life in Christ grows.  Use up your iphone minutes in conversation with God and before you know it, your eyes and your heart will be opened.  So we ask, just as the disciples did long ago,"Lord teach us to pray."

In the face of great sorrow

In the face of great sorrow, people of faith
          grieve
          cry out
          are uncertain of the future, its path and its obstacles
          doubt their own strength and ability to carry on.

They also
           lean into Jesus' promise to be present
           cling to the hope of God's future
           reach out to others who also sorrow
           rely on the fellowship of believers to carry them for a little while
           trust in God's ultimate love.

People of faith commend our loved ones into the hands of God thus:

 Into your hands merciful Savior we commend our brother Mark....

a sheep of your own fold,

a lamb of your own flock,

 a sinner of your own redeeming......

Remember in your prayers today those who face great sorrow.  If you can't think of anyone in particular than consider the victims of sexual assault, the parents of suffering children, the spouses of those killed in military service, those who love someone with debilitating mental illness. 

If today you are not facing great sorrow, then your task is to pray for them and hold them up. As people of faith we are not only claimed by our Lord and called into his living body, we are called to act as the body for the sake of others.  So, just like a sore toe will cause you to carry more weight on the other foot, we as members of the body bear the weight of others who, in this moment, are weaker.  Some of us make casseroles; some of us offer rides or do some babysitting; some of us run errands.  All of us are called to pray.

We pray not that our desires will win out but rather that our desires might intersect with God's will, and in the act of praying we learn to walk with God, trusting that whatever the outcome, God's great love is at work.

This is how you will learn to face great sorrow yourself. 

Thanks to all for your constant prayers for Mark.  He now rests with God.  Remember his family.

Pray for your enemies

Even at a distance we can appreciate the carnage that someone thought was necessary to their cause.  I wonder about folks who walk in such darkness, who have lost all sense of shared humanity and real hope.  Whatever their 'reason' these are broken people, chained by their own anger, clinging to some real or imagined wounds.....we are called to pray for them.  Not just as a command to be obeyed, but because, as people of faith, we know that prayer is powerful and God reigns.

Pour out your Holy Spirit O Lord upon this place of ravaged lives where the seeds of a new hatred can too easily be sown.  Call all your people into prayer.  Not because we know the answer and not because we believe we can turn this around, but because we trust in you and your love for a world we cannot understand.  AMEN

Lament

   Lament: to express deep grief or regret....so deep it comes from the soul and has the potential to undo us.  The kind of grief God knows and is willing to help us bear.  We cry out, "Lord, how long?" and Jesus replies, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Peace to those who lament this day.