8/1/12- Praying Abba, Father

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name, (Mt. 6:9)

¹⁶ Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:15)

³⁶ “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. (Mark 14:36)

(Jesus in Garden of Gethsemane praying- Warner Sallman 1942)

SCQ. 100 What does the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father in heaven", teaches us to come near to God with full, holy, reverence and confidence, as children come to a father who is able and ready to help us.  It also teaches us to pray with and for others. 

Thoughts: God is not just a father- he is "abba father."  When Jesus was facing his torture and death he still called out "abba, father."  In some ways having faith in God is being able to trust in Him as our father calling him "abba" (an endearing term for a father- similar to "daddy").  Paul says that we do not need to scared of God we are God's adopted children who can call him "abba father."  We can pray with confidence because we know God loves us, cares for us, provides for us, sustains us, watches over us. 

7/31/12- God our Father

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name, (Mt. 6:9)

SCQ. 100 What does the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father in heaven", teaches us to come near to God with full, holy, reverence and confidence, as children come to a father who is able and ready to help us.  It also teaches us to pray with and for others. 

(Michelangelo- Sistine Chapel- Vatican)

Thoughts: Any language of God will be limited, and in this case, no father can fully represent the fatherhood and love of God.  Yet, the idea of a perfect father is not to be given up easily.  Jesus' point in not only allowing but encouraging us to call God "Father" is so that we may know of the personal care of God, and that we should trust in God as a child trusts in their father.  God is not so far removed from us that He cannot help or care.  Yet in calling God "Father" versus the pagan "mother" of almost all the surrounding cultures and religions, Jesus is pointing to the subtle separation in creation.  Creation is not God- we are not linked to God simply by our being- forming from His womb.  There is no umbilical cord to cut. Pantheism and panentheism are denied, but so is deism and atheism.  God cares for us though we are separate from Him.  While God is like or similar to a mother (Isa. 66:12), scripture never calls God mother or feminine, and to portray God in that way goes against how God is portrayed in scripture.  God is separate from us- in heaven.  He is the good father- where earthly fathers fail.  He is the father in a different place and so deserves our reverence.  But since He is our Father- we can approach the holy one with confidence.

Prayer: Father, help me to trust and call on you- finding you my provider, sustainer, and help.

[Modern Translation: Q. 100. What does the beginning of the Lord’s prayer teach us?
A. The beginning of the Lord’s prayer (Our Father in heaven) teaches us to draw near to God with
completely holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father who is able and ready to help us. It also teaches that we should pray with and for others.]

7/29/12- Teach Us to Pray

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

² He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

³ Give us each day our daily bread. ⁴ Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  And lead us not into temptation.

Thoughts: If you could ask God how we should pray, wouldn't that be helpful?  God in the flesh gave us a prayer that acts as a living, breathing model.  It is not static, but applies to each person each day (for example everyone needs the daily bread- daily forgiveness, daily seeking God's will).
The Lord's Prayer was a prayer meant to be memorized.  In Luke 11:1 we see that it was common practice for teachers (rabbis) to sum up their teaching in a prayer- so Jesus sums his up here. There are two parts to the prayer (with an introduction and doxology surrounding the whole).  One part focuses on God, and the other on us.  There are three petitions- or talking points to each part (6 petitions in all).  This prayer teaches us about God and ourselves.  It is clear from both Matthew 6 (the other rendition of this prayer) and Luke 11 that Jesus simply wishes us to talk to God and do so from the heart.  

Prayer: Lord, do not just teach me to pray- help me to pray- with groans and longings from your Spirit.  Draw me ever closer by the mystery of prayer into the mystery of your love and presence. 

7/27/12- God's World

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt. 28:16-20)

Thoughts: Watching the Olympics, I can't help but think of these verses.  For it tells us that Jesus is in charge of all the world.  I have a hard time knowing where each of these countries are.  But God not only knows where each country is, but knows each athlete, each person by name.  If a computer can know it, and that is just a human creation, why can we not grasp that God not only knows about each area, but as maker also shapes each area. God also cares that the whole world know about Jesus Christ.  Our task is to spread the good news to all the world.  Not just teaching for information- but also teaching to listen and heed what God says.  His promise is not only to be there to the ends of the earth- but also to the end of the age. The olympic rings symbolize unity among diverse peoples, but the best unity is found in the Creator who makes us all diverse.
   As I watch the Olympics tonight I think of my church friends flying even now to Peru as ambassadors for Christ. 


Prayer: Lord, give me a heart for the world because that is your heart. Give me grace to be a good ambassador for you wherever I go. 


(Jerusalem- unofficial hymn of United Kingdom)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKaJ4b0XYmI

7/27/12- Opportunity to Share Faith

Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should.  Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.  (Col. 4:4-6)

Thoughts: Paul was always looking for an opportunity to share his greatest love- his Lord.  He asked for prayer to get the word out and encouraged them to make the most of every opportunity.  Paul asked that their conversation be full of grace and seasoned with salt.  That is it was to be kind, listening, but not afraid to speak up for God.  The world needs to know of the love of God- that they are not alone, and may have hope and a purpose.  When we speak with grace and salt trying to honor God- the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom so we may answer everyone who has questions.   Paul asks for prayer because it is God who helps us speak, using the most of the mission opportunities before us.


Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to the mission opportunities before me this day.  Let my words be sweet and salty- and honoring toward you.

7/26/12- Specific Prayers

Ad don't forget to pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ for which I am in chains.

Thoughts: Paul's request for prayer is not just for listening and for vague generalities.  Christian prayer is not simply meditation or for comfort.  We have a God who acts and is King of the universe.  So the Lord is the one who opens doors of opportunity for us.  We do not simply ask God for strength that we may open the door, or cope when the door is closed.  Our secular culture has seeped into our churches, because we seem to have lost faith that God can do anything.  Some falsely try to protect God by thinking they cannot ask God to do anything.  God had blessed us so much, but we seemed to have lost faith in His ability to bless (much less curse or withhold blessing) or open doors that are shut.  God is not so far removed, so deaf, with an arm that is so short that He cannot act in His creation.  We do not serve a God who simply created the universe like a clock maker winds a clock and then leaves- maybe until it is broken.  But we serve the God who opens doors when they are shut- who does impossibly more than all we ask or imagine- who raises Christ when He is dead.  So live like that today, and pray like that too!

Prayer: God, there are doors shut in your way- that are blocking your glory.  Open those doors- and use me to go through them, and take the opportunity to honor you today- for Christ's sake- for your honor- in Jesus' name- Amen.

7/24/12 Devote Yourself to Prayer

"Devote yourself to prayer" (Col. 4:2)

Thoughts: Prayer and devotion go together like ham and eggs in the spiritual realm.  In fact prayer is often defined as devotion and vice versa,  It takes a whole lot of prayer to stay devoted to God.  It takes devotion to God to be motivated to pray. 
But how much do we have to pray in order to fulfill this command?  The answer is not quantifiable.  We should not expect to find a line in the sand on which this side lies devotion and the other is not enough devotion.  The Spirit leads us, promts us, and helps us pray.  Perhaps our task is to listen and respond in prayer when we are motivated to do so, but that is not quite the point of this command.  We should have some order or plan to our prayerfulness.  The discipline ofprayer comes out of this desire to be devoted to prayer.  Monks and nuns pray at certain set times.  Calvin invited all to pray five times a day: when we awake, eating 3 times, and when we sleep.  The point is to have purpose In your time.
Perhaps too we should seek purpose in our content.  If you have a list to pray about, it might help to be devoted.  Perhaps this list could be family members, officials, pastors or leaders in the church, members of your church/Clas/group,  a list of those who need faith, missionaries.  Perhaps even a set prayer to pray (like the prayer of Jabez).  Some suggest praying for different groups on different days.  God is less concerned with the how or pattern as much as that we do it.  It takes effort to talk to God properly, and yet it is the easiest thing to do.  It is easy to pray impromptu.  It is work to be devoted in prayer.

Prayer: In my prayer , Lord, may I grow in devotion, but more importantly, grow closer to you.