We will explore the following Scripture passage in the Sunday Sermon at City Reformed Church. As we continue to look at what it means for us to pray in the midst of life's hardships, we will consider the difficult topic of disappointment in prayer. We will look at a passage where the Apostle Paul remembers how God refused to grant his request for the removal of a difficulty ("thorn in the flesh") and instead granted "sufficient grace" for Paul to continue in faithfulness.
Sunday's Livestream link is here: 2024/03/03 CRPC Communion Worship Service Livestream - YouTube Sermon: 2 Cor. 12:7-10 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
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This is our second post from Daniel's series on historic forms of prayer. While most of our program will focus on prayers which are highly personal and often spontaneous, we wanted to give some consideration to expressions of prayer which come from historic practices. For centuries, large parts of the Christian world thought of prayers through the lens of liturgical cycles or monastic routines. As Daniel notes in his opening comments, modern people are always tempted to swing back-and-forth between extremes in our approach to worship and prayer. Historical reference helps us to learn from the wisdom of our ancestors and keep our own moment in perspective. (MK)
Day #20: "Prayer in Liturgical Patterns" (Daniel Snoke) In recent years, some reformed Christians view historical liturgical* patterns like the savior of postmodern worship, while others see evangelical freedom as the only cure for dead liturgies. There are endless books, rules, and traditions when it comes to "liturgical" forms of worship and prayer, and depending on what side of the spectrum you land, you may love or hate various aspects of the neo-liturgical worship in reformed circles. The most helpful way to view many historical patterns of liturgy are as long-form prayer. No matter what form of prayer you use, there is a pattern. Many protestants have adopted the famous ACTS pattern (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication), and there are many other "short form" patterns that are used in daily worship. However, there are two patterns of prayer that help us participate with God's grace over longer periods of time. Each have many variations, but as you seek to engage in prayer, consider how you might adopt longer patterns of prayer that add focus and rhythm to your entire life. Two you can consider are: 1) Praying the Hours The early monastic movement began to set patterns for communal worship and life, and over the centuries we have received what many traditions call the daily office, or praying the hours. They are: middle of the night (Vigils), morning prayer (Lauds), midmorning prayer (Terce), midday prayer (Sext), midafternoon prayer (None), evening prayer (Vespers), and night prayer (Compline). Some traditions provide lectionaries to guide you through reading the Bible, but many variations can be found. The purpose is not to make a new law for yourself(!), but to view the natural circadian rhythms of the day as part of your constant return to God's grace. Many of our prayers in the modern world suffer because we forget that we are but creatures, created by God from dust. Praying the hours helps you remember that you are finite and completely reliant on God for every good thing. During my sabbatical in 2019, my wife Bethany, our 6 month old child, and I went to stay for a few nights with the Cistercian monks at the Abbey of the Genesee. These monks make bread for work and do not leave the monastery. During their daily office, they pray all 150 Psalms each week and pray for the church and the world. Our time there was beautiful, not in the least because God's Word was richly present through regular prayer. The Psalms spoke clearly in their regular pattern and many of my own songs and prayers were formed through their voice. Bethany and I struggled at times though, as protestants who are used to viewing our faith through the lens of utility. "Why spend so much time praying if you don't go and interact with the world around you?" It was not until our drive home when Bethany insightfully reflected, "You know, there is something comforting, knowing that there are people constantly praying for revival in the church and the world." We realized that the monks' prayers could easily be seen as a waste of time if our understanding of prayer was only one of utility. I now see that the Psalms gave these monks better insight into the human condition and better words of supplication for deliverance. The Psalms fuel their prayer, not as wasted words, but as words of life. Here is the pattern of Psalms from the Abbey of the Genesee, but there are many others you can find too. 2) Liturgical Calendar Much like praying the hours, the liturgical calendar seeks to use the natural rhythm of the calendar year to help us remember and participate in the story of God. Many of the famous liturgical seasons (like Lent and Advent) began as ways to catechise new believers before becoming members and getting baptized. Church leaders synchronized these seasons with significant moments in the earthly ministry of Christ as a way of showing their community that discipleship was not just an affiliation, but a walking-with and participation in the life of Christ. In the protestant world, we no longer use these seasons for catechesis, but the underlying goal of walking in union with Christ, through prayer and devotion are still applicable to us today. In this way, we can pray and celebrate our union with Christ with our yearly patterns, not just our daily devotions. There are many ways to engage the church calendar, but you can find a very brief overview from Covenant Seminary HERE. * Editor's Note: The word "liturgy" is frequently used to describe the order of a worship service. Churches that have a worship service that is described as "liturgical" would have a more structured worship service. Practically speaking, City Reformed has a style of worship that is moderately liturgical. Our service has some prayers that are written out and which people say together. We have responsive readings which people say together. And we have a standard order to the service, which consists of particular elements which do not change each week. All of those things would cause many people to think of our service as being somewhat liturgical, at least in comparison to a contemporary worship service in which very few items are written down or structured. On the other hand, more highly liturgical churches follow a liturgical calendar. Daniel mentions this in his post. Many churches that have this approach will orient every part of their worship service around the yearly calendar, even the sermon text and all of the Scripture readings. While large parts of contemporary worship have shifted away from liturgy, others have pushed the pendulum back the other direction. The term "imprecatory prayer" refers to a prayer that asks God to bring judgment on an enemy. These types of prayers are more common in the Bible than we often realize and can be challenging to interpret. (MK)
Day #19: The Power and Purpose of Imprecatory Prayers - Psalm 69 (Luke Kephart) Psalm 69 To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. Of David.
When was the last time frustration led you to fervently invoke God's judgment upon your adversaries? Chances are, not recently or frequently. After all, as believers, we are admonished to pray for our enemies. Imprecatory prayers, like those found in Psalm 69, may perplex us due to their stark language and apparent desire for retribution. Yet, beyond the surface, these prayers are not pleas for personal vengeance but rather calls for God's justice in a world marked by brokenness. Let's delve into Psalm 69 for a deeper understanding and guidance on how we should approach such prayers: The Person Praying: -Almost all the imprecatory Psalms are attributed to David. This is particularly important since David is more than just an individual. He is God’s anointed and represents God’s actions on behalf of his people.
The Enemies – While the enemies that the psalm talks about are David’s enemies, the primary view is that these are enemies of God. After all, twice in 1 Samuel we see that David could kill Saul but does not because he recognizes any action against Saul is in God’s hands, not his. This is not a call for personal vengeance, but for God’s justice, as He determines, and in His time.* It does, however, ask for God to fulfill all that justice demands as justice roots out all evil. (vs 13-25) God’s response – David trusted God for the outcome, and the reality is clear that God’s justice will prevail, and the enemies of God will finally be dealt with. Through the lens of the New Testament, we have insight that David didn’t have. Jesus quoted this psalm in relation to himself in John 2:17 (vs 9) and John 15:25 (vs 4), and when Jesus is on the cross, they give him sour wine as in verse 21. Paul also states in Romans 11: 7-9 that the people who crucified Jesus were in view in Psalm 69:22,23. You see that in Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, the prayers of David were fulfilled. Christ is victorious over the enemies of God. For the elect, Jesus flips the script and God’s justice is fulfilled in the death of Jesus and we are saved through his conquering of death and the grave. Yet there are those still who will reject God’s grace and be condemned. The New Testament calls us to pray for our enemies that they might become converted enemies just as we are. Psalm 69 ends praising God because “the Lord hears the needy” and “God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it. In this light we can approach God through the imprecatory psalms, expressing our helplessness and need in the face of the reality of persecution for God's people, specifically for what they represent as His children. and the godlessness in the world. We ask for God in His love and mercy on us to move on the promise of His salvation. This has already happened through Jesus, as His salvation redeems the chosen, but also condemns those who reject Him. Yet its final and total fulfillment is yet to come. It also lets us recognize our own need for salvation from our own sin, but also from those who would see God diminished by our sin, and to ask God to act for us in defense of His Holiness. Here is some guidance on how to pray:
* [Editor's note on the NT connections.] In Romans 12, Paul calls believers to forego personal vengeance. This command is grounded in the certainty of God's complete vengeance. Far from justifying our own violence, the promise of God's vengeance leads us to respond to evil with love. Romans 12:19-21 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Day #18: "Prayers of Supplication*" - Psalm 86: 14-17 (Joseph Bianco)
O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. Christianity can at times be an intellectual pursuit. There is a lot to think about and ponder throughout the Bible and the doctrines of the Christian Faith. As Presbyterians we tend to value the intellectual aspects of the Bible. We love to hear God’s truths and to cling to them. We enjoy how knowing who God is and how he created us has vast implication for our lives now. We delight in understanding, both who God is and how he made us. These are good things, but if our faith is only an intellectual pursuit we would be missing something important. If all Christianity is to you is an intellectual pursuit, then you have missed a central point of the Bible. God is not simply an idea or a philosophy, but is a real and present help even at this very moment. God is not able to be controlled or manipulated and even C.S. Lewis called him “dangerous.” God won’t always do what you want him to do or act in the ways you think he should act. God is who he is and will do what he will do, but even though he is powerfully awe-inspiringly dangerous, he is also a Father who loves to help his children. In Psalm 86, David had a real tangible trouble. A group of insolent men - bandits - were seeking David’s life. David needed God’s help to be saved from these men and so he cried out to God for deliverance. God loves to answer the prayers of his children. He is an ever-present help in times of trouble. Climbing at the gym the other day, I was talking with an unbeliever. He had some need and I made mention of praying for that need. He said he didn’t ask God for things, as if things were below God’s help. I told him that we can come to God with even the smallest things. It’s not like he has limited time or power! We can believe this lie, that God won’t give us what we ask for so we don’t ask. Our first instinct is to run to fix the problem ourselves, rather than getting on our knees to pray. David knew he could go to God because he knew God’s character, that God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. This a phrase often repeated about God in the Old Testament. It’s repeated because we can be tempted to believe that God is not merciful and gracious… but he is. Do you believe that God wants to help you in your affliction? Do you believe that he is present to help you now? Do you believe that God will provide in real tangible and meaningful ways as to help you escape the “insolent men”? Take some time and go to God now with your needs. Accept with thankfulness whatever he offers you. One last nugget is found in verse 17, “you Lord have helped me and comforted me.” God goes beyond our physical problems and comforts our anxious souls. Here is my prayer for you: Gracious Father, I pray that those reading this blog entry would experience your loving comfort now. Whatever hardship they are experiencing, may they feel your comfort in the midst of the conflict. I pray that they may feel your arms of assurance around their shoulders, and sense your loving embrace. I pray that they would be able to rest in you, and entrust themselves to you as their good Father. I pray you would provide for all their needs. Amen. *"Supplication" means a prayer that asks for something, in contrast to some of the other psalms we look at this week, which featured praise or confession. In the Lord's Prayer, the fourth petition, "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread" is a clear example of a supplication. Day #17: "Prayers of Thanksgiving" - Psalm 138:1-3 (Joseph Bianco)
Palms 138: 1-3 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;* I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.** On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. In the Bible there are many examples of prayer-filled-thankfulness, but Psalm 138 is a quintessential psalm of thanksgiving. It’s a psalm that begins with thankfulness and ends with a call for the Lord to fulfill his promises to his people. It’s an interesting psalm because the people are thankful for what God has done for them in the past, but there is also an acknowledgment that in some ways they are still lacking. They are still waiting on God to act. The first lesson to learn then, is that thankfulness must happen constantly. We must constantly go to God with thankfulness whether it’s a been a day of gain or a day of loss. There is always something we can be thankful for and we must count our blessings lest we forget all that God has done for us. Being constantly thankful, also allows us to trust God in what he has not yet given to us. The time of waiting is the hardest part. For example, if your old aunt Margie dies and you are promised her inheritance, are you thankful even though you do not yet have the inheritance? Of course you are! You are very thankful because you know you have a million buckaroos coming your way. It’s hasn’t arrived yet, but your thanking God because you know it’s coming. Well, we have an inheritance far greater than a million dollars, but we can become disillusioned because it hasn’t happened yet. The reality of God’s eternal promises can feel less real for us than that of future earthly inheritance. The truth is that God’s eternal promises are not actually less real at all. We just haven’t experienced them all yet. The psalmist gives thanks primarily for who God is and secondarily for what God has done for him. All of this thanksgiving is wrapped up in the last line of the psalm, “Do not forsake the work of your hands.” God knows it’s hard for us to wait; but thanksgiving is the antidote. I’ll tell you a secret. I used to pray before bed recounting the day’s events. The problem I was experiencing is that it wasn’t bringing me peace, rather it was reminding me of all the problems I’d have to deal with tomorrow. I began to change my bedtime prayer to be simply a prayer of thanks. I would confess sin and pray for others earlier in the day, but at nighttime I started to just say "thank you" to my Father. After I started to pray and thank him for all he has done for me, it is easier to go to bed trusting in God’s goodness to me, and I can let what comes tomorrow... come tomorrow. For now, I close my eyes in thankfulness of all God has blessed me with and all that he is. Take time now to thank God for his character, for his faithfulness and for his promises. *Notes: “gods” in v. 1 is taken in various ways. Some see it as angels and others as human rulers. I personally take the views that “gods” means “gods” in the sense that David is not going to the lesser “gods” but to the true God. **For v. 2 there is an ESV footnote of an alternate rendering. While these footnotes can be helpful, please understand that if the translators include it, it does not mean that it can be equally traded out for the verse in the scripture. They are simply indicating another less likely possibility, but a possibility nonetheless. Day #16: "Prayers of Confession" - Psalm 51: 15-17 (Joseph Bianco)
Psalm 51 is described as a Psalm of David which correlates to a prayer he said after being caught in grievous sin. It is a helpful place to look as we seek to learn about prayers of confession. Psalm 51:15-17 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. We live in an interesting age for many reasons, but especially because the general attitudes of our society change so quickly. I remember as a child the big idea was something like, “you be you and I’ll be me and we’ll get along fine.” It was an attitude of tolerance for differences but lacked the Biblical grounding of absolute truth. "Postmodernism" they called it. Today it’s changed again and one of the main changes I’ve observed is that the tolerance of the "twenty-aughts" has morphed into a judgmentalism. Any leader that makes a public mistake is publicly disgraced, and quickly. There is some goodness in this because we want our leaders to be above reproach, but there is also some evil in this because society has lost all understanding of repentance and forgiveness. I find it strange that King David, perhaps the greatest leader in the Bible (outside Jesus of course), committed such horrible sins and yet remained the king of Israel. Today he’d be crucified, publicly disgraced and brought down. Why did God choose to reinstate a man who not only committed adultery with another man’s wife, but went on to murder the man in order to cover up his own sin? Doesn’t God want our leaders to be perfect? Actually, I do think our leaders should be above reproach and God forbid there be a scandal like this in the church. I don’t think God is showing us that it’s okay for our leaders to have great moral failings; that’s not the point. However, what God is showing us is that redemption is possible from even the deepest and darkest sins. The teaching is that if confession of sin is full, if repentance is deep and if there is a real turning away from that sin and towards God, then forgiveness and restoration is possible. Overall, I think we are too quick today to confess our sins and think that’s good enough. Here is a way to know if you have really repented over a sin… You don’t keep doing that sin. Yes, all of life is repentance, but the Bible is clear in saying that if anyone makes a practice of sinning then he is not a believer (1 John 3). At the same time, 1 John also says that anyone who says he has no sin makes him a liar (1 John 1). Christians must be deadly serious in repenting of our sins, while at the same time relying entirely on the grace of Christ for salvation. In this way, the broken and contrite spirit that David is talking about in Psalm 51 is like the marker or sign of a changed life. Turning from sin then, is confirmation that your heart was broken and contrite. As someone who works with men struggling with sexual addiction, I’m highly aware of what I’m saying. Addiction does not excuse our actions. It may make breaking the cycle harder, but it’s a cycle that must be broken nonetheless. Now, for those sensitive souls out there who struggle with shame, let me remind you that our theme this week is from Romans 8 and Romans 8 begins with one of the most shame removing verses in the Bible. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. Let the broken and contrite heart go only so deep to where it slams into the Holy Spirt, who reminds us that we are God’s children forever. Questions for reflection: Are you overly judgmental of others who are disgraced? What is this saying about your own heart? Does shame actually keep you from proper repentance? What would repentance look like if you were not struggling with shame? Is there some sin in your life for which you are not truly repentant? If so, what steps do you need to take to fully walk away from that sin and toward Jesus? Why did God allow a king of Israel who did such wicked things to be our teacher on confession and repentance? How does the Christian view of confession and repentance give you a proper tolerance/discernment when dealing with the world? Each of the posts this week will cover a different type of prayer, using a different type of psalm. We have seveal guest contributors lined up and I am delighted to read along with you all. (MK)
Day #15 - “Praise” (David Bacon) One of my recent joys has been playing Spider-Man 2, the video game, while my boys watch me play it. When they watch, some of them get VERY into it. I’ll sit on the couch with the controller in my hands, focus my eyes on the screen, think about the sequence of button presses and stick movements I need to make, and they will JUMP OFF THE COUCH AND BOUNCE UP AND DOWN LIKE MANIACS! They immerse themselves in the action on the screen to the point that they work up a sweat while timing their moves to react with what is happening on screen. Spider-Man will make a great hit and they’ll jump. Venom will take a nasty swing at Spider-Man and they’ll jump again. I’ve even seen one of my sons crouch down getting ready for a big move and then make a super big jump at the right moment; as if the harder he jumps, the better Spider-Man will jump on the screen. These boys get VERY engaged and involved in something that not only is just happening on a screen, but it isn’t even being directed by their actions; I am the one with the controller. This image reminds me of how we ought to engage in praising God. For a concise guide on praising God, I’ve chosen the popular Psalm 100. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. When we are called to praise God, we should remember why WE are praising GOD. First let’s look at the things about God that make him praiseworthy. There are numerous reasons to praise God. He has saved us from our sin. He has sent his Spirit to counsel us. He has ordained everything that comes to pass. He created physical laws that we are discovering more and more of all the time (well maybe you don’t find that fascinating, but Debbie and I do). In Psalm 100, the psalmist brings our focal point of praise back to the very beginning. “It is he who made us, and we are his.” We praise God because he has done amazing things, and the first amazing thing we have recorded is that he made us. He made the universe. He made humans. He set physical laws in place to govern the way planets, and moons, and stars, and atoms, and molecules move. The second thing he has done is called us to be his. We are His people. He is leading us as sheep. He has not left us alone. He has initiated a personal relationship with us. Now why should WE praise God? We certainly see commands throughout scripture for us to praise Him. But I want to bring us back to the description of my bouncing sons. They are not in the least responsible for the action on the screens, but they participate nonetheless. They jump and bounce and shout with excitement. Does it help Spider-Man perform better on the screen? No, but they are connecting with the visuals of the game in a deeper way than anyone else in the room. This is similar to our praising God. Praising him doesn’t change what he does. God has a perfect will and he will carry it out. But praising Him gets us involved in recognizing his work. It helps us connect to Him, relationally. We notice the things he has done, and we respond in recognizing that he is good! "Hey God, that time that you saved Noah and his family from the flood - that was amazing!" "When you created the whole earth OUT OF NOTHING - that was awe inspiring!" "The way that you stooped down to earth to save us broken sinners through your own son - that was an incredibly sacrificial way of showing us your love!" My family usually reads these daily devotions at the dinner table. Maybe you are also reading this together as a family. If so, take a moment, get up from your chairs, pick a song of praise, and sing it to the Lord. This can be your prayer this evening. There are certainly prayers of petition that we should make known to God, but what is our chief end? To Glorify God! So let’s glorify him, let’s get involved in worshiping God for his wonderful and amazing deeds! If you need a song suggestion, I suggest Wendell Kimbrough’s “Give Thanks to the Lord.” It references the last verse of Psalm 100. Oh Give Thanks (Psalm 107) (youtube.com) We will explore the following Scripture passage in the Sunday Sermon at City Reformed Church. We will look at the context in which we prayer. On one hand, Paul directs us to see that this present world is often difficult. On the other hand, God is with us, helping us in prayer and guiding us to a glorious redemption.
Sunday's Livestream link is here: 2024/03/03 CRPC Communion Worship Service Livestream - YouTube Sermon: Romans 8:12-30 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. This is our first in a series of Saturday posts by Daniel Snoke in which he shares some historic forms of prayer that have been used by the church down through the centuries. (MK)
Lectio Divina | Scripture as an act of worship (Daniel Snoke) Lectio Divina simply means "divine reading". It is an ancient practice that can be traced back to the early church and it aims to engage the heart while reading Scripture. As Christians, we can often fall into the trap of viewing Scripture as proof-text for theology. It's easy to use God's Word both in worship and in our daily lives as intellectual source material for interesting sermons or better living. God's Word is much more than that. The reformed tradition views God's Word as a "means of grace" whereby we receive God himself - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is the "word made flesh", and the Father promises that the Spirit is active wherever his Word is. We do not only speak and hear human words when we read Scripture; God is present with us and his grace is made effective in our lives. Lectio Divina seeks to pay more attention to this divine nature of the Holy Scriptures and slow our hearts down to receive what God has for us in his Word. Scripture is not just the inspiration of our prayer, it is the substance, means, and mechanism of our worship. Lectio Divina can enable us to populate our prayers with God's own words and aligns us with his grace. Traditionally, there are four parts to this practice; Reading, Meditating, Praying, and Contemplating. Some may find the difference between meditating and contemplating confusing or challenging, but according to Robert Webber, "Our contemplation, like that of Mary (Luke 1:38;2:19), is not a mere intellectual assent to God's story but a 'free penetrating and fixed gaze,' 'a loving look at God.' It differs from meditation, which is the search for God. It is instead "delight in the found truth." It is a real, genuine, internal delight in the story of God's rescue of creatures and creation. The delight in God expresses itself in the worship of God translated as a love for the story, a love for life, a love for this world." Therefore, our aim is not to stop at intellectual pursuit, but to delight and rejoice in God's word. More specifically we; READ Read aloud and slowly. Pause when you need to or when it feels natural. Do not be afraid of "distractions", rather, focus on receiving God's Word as the means of his grace and presence with you. Take note of things that your heart connects with or ideas that you struggle to receive. MEDITATE Read again, but this time, focus on the meaning of the text. In particular, ask God what it means for your own life and context. Do not strive to "solve" every interpretive puzzle, rather, focus on main ideas and celebrate whatever understanding God gives you. PRAY Now pray, in your own words, reflecting what God has spoken to you from the text. Do not try to sound eloquent and do not push away distractions. Pray from wherever your heart feels inclined to lead you. Give God whatever comes to your mind. CONTEMPLATE Continue to let your heart and mind respond to God, but now remain silent and enjoy the ways God is still present with you through his Word and in your prayers. Focus on the ways God has been revealed and open your heart with thankfulness to him. If you journal, you may feel inspired to write a few reflections down. Day #12: “When Prayer is Not Enough” (MK)
James 2:14-15 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? The title of this post was intended to provoke your thoughts. When is it that prayer is “not enough”? The answer is simple. When prayer is used as a replacement for obedience, our prayers are “not enough.” In the selected scripture reading for today, James describes a scenario when someone uses their blessing as a substitute for offering real help. The phrase, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled” sounds like a blessing. It seems to be a sort of prayer. In it, the Christian is asking for God to bless someone with warmth and fulness. Now, this would normally be a good thing to do. And it would be a really good thing to do if it accompanied faithful action. But in this case, it becomes a substitute for doing the right thing. In this form, prayer runs the risk of being blasphemous. There are other ways that we can do this also. Certainly, it is wise to pray for God’s guidance and for God to illuminate his will to us. God has clearly revealed himself in Scripture. If we find ourselves praying for guidance, while avoiding the plain instruction given in the Scriptures, we could be using the appearance of prayer to mask our inward rebellion. I can remember times when I have heard people say that they were “praying about God’s will for an immoral situation that they were involved in.” On the surface, an important topic of prayer. But, often it can be a set up for further rebellion. As in, “Well I prayed about it, and I don’t feel bad about it, so clearly God doesn’t want me to change anything.” Using prayer for guidance, disconnected from God’s revealed will in Scripture, turns prayer into a spiritual mask for rebellion. That is not good. This is important to think about because we have seen this sort of complaint enter into our national discussions. When there is a national tragedy and politicians respond by offering their “thoughts and prayers” it has begun to elicit pushback. To an extent this pushback can be legitimate. If a person uses the promise of “thoughts and prayers” to excuse their inaction on an important topic then that is a misuse of prayer. But most of us do not have particular responsibilities when responding to a national tragedy. There may be some things we can do, but they are often quite limited. For most of us, praying for people in the aftermath of a tragedy is not only the extent of our response, but it is also a very helpful thing to do. While I will continue to search out what actions a particular situation might demand from us, I will not apologize for “thinking and praying” for those impacted by a tragedy. In summary, it is always good to pray. But prayer is not meant to be a substitute for other activities that God wants from us. We don’t pray for God to feed our pets, and leave the pet food on the shelf. We don’t pray for God to make himself known and leave the Bible on the shelf. We don’t pray for God to help us love our neighbor and leave our bike pump on the shelf while they struggle with a flat tire. Prayer is meant to accompany faithful actions, not replace them. And yet, we are limited humans. There are a lot of life situations in which prayer is not only the important first step, but it is the only step we can take due to our human limitations. Fortunately, God's power is not limited! |
AuthorThe primary author and coordinator of the blog is Pastor Matt Koerber. ArchivesCategories |