pray without ceasing

In Thessalonians 5.17, the Apostle Paul encourages us to "pray continually," or in some translations, "pray without ceasing."  How are we to do this?  Does Paul simply mean that we are to always pray everyday?  Or does he mean that we are to live our lives, engaging in prayer literally, without ceasing?  Both are good and important, but I believe that Paul is asking for a way of life that is lived in communion with God moment by moment, second by second, each day.  This is the way his words have most often been interpreted down through the centuries, as well.

Frank Laubach, missionary to the Philippines, believed so, too.  In the early 20th century he began an experiment in which he attempted to keep his mind and heart aware of God every minute of the day, in constant conversation, regardless of what he was doing.  He even went so far as to record in his journal a percentage of the time he felt he had been able to be consciously in communion with God each day!  It was one way to very literally obey Paul's instruction to pray continually.

On Sunday, at the end of the sermon, I had all of the congregation join me in a prayer exercise in which I encouraged what is known as breath prayer - prayer said as we breathe in and breathe out.  This form of prayer might seem similar to some Eastern religious practices, but it has also long been a type of prayer engaged in by the monastic community, particularly of the Eastern Orthodox tradition.  At issue, of course, is who or what is the focus of those prayers?  Clearly, in the Christian faith, Christ is the focus.  We sit in silence, slow down our lives and bodies, so that we may commune and converse with Christ.

Likewise, fasting is another devotional practice engaged in by Christians throughout history, but it is also a practice engaged in by other religions, Islam for example.  Once again, the practices are similar, but the purpose and the One for whom we fast as followers of Jesus, are very different.

Having said all of that, what is most important is that we pray.  However God might lead you to pray - written prayers, praying the hours, breath prayers, in silence and solitude, shouting at the top of your lungs, early in the morning or late in the evening - my prayer for each of you is that you will commune with God without ceasing, day in and day out.  To God be the glory!

- Pastor Stacey

becoming something better

Perhaps you've heard the old saying, "God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you too much to leave you that way."  Sounds trite, I'm sure.  But there is profound truth in that little saying.  And that truth is at the root of what we talked about on Sunday - the two different kinds of people represented in the judgment story we call, "The Sheep and the Goats."

After the division on Judgment Day, those who had cared for the poor and the needy were welcomed into eternal life.  Those who failed to care for them were sent away to eternal punishment (Mt 25.46).  Both were loved by God, but only one group had entered into a relationship with him to the extent that they allowed his grace to transform them into something more and something better.

As we care for "the least of these" Jesus mentions, their lives will be changed.  As we sponsor children through Covenant Kids Congo or reach out to those in need next door, I believe that lives, households and entire societies can be changed.  In addition, however, I believe it is equally true that we too will be changed.  Becoming the kind of people that care for the least of these as a way of life is as good for us as it is for those to whom we minister.

Our hard work and generosity towards the needs of others are not prerequisites for salvation or for God's love at work in our lives.  Not at all.  But they do play a part in helping us become the kind of people God wants us to become.  The disciplines of generosity and service toward others are ways in which we cooperate with God's Spirit and Grace, not only to create a more just and loving world, but to become more just, loving and godly people.

I pray this week you make the time to cooperate with God's grace and Spirit, that you will become more of the person longs to see you become.  Amen.

when WWJD? won't do

A few weeks ago I borrowed from Dallas Willard's definition of the Kingdom of God as being that place and time where what God wants done is done.  It begs the question, of course, of what exactly it is that God wants done.  This is the same question brought up by those WWJD? bracelets of a few years ago (are they still around?).  The book in which those bracelets had their genesis was entitled, In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? and it was written by Charles Sheldon and published in 1897.  It was a novel about people who sought to live their lives asking and answering the question in the title, thus transforming their town.

The estimates are all over the place, but anywhere from 15 to 52 million bracelets have been sold to date.  The book, to date, has sold 30 million copies.  One of the reasons the book has sold so well (it's the 9th best selling book of all time according to Wikipedia.com) is because the original publisher failed to properly register the copyright, thus giving rise to other editions from other publishers.  These publishers were able to sell the book rather cheaply and pay no royalties to its author.  I don't know about you but I'm pretty sure Jesus wouldn't do that!

This just goes to show that you can sell a lot of bracelets and books (you and millions of others can read the book and wear the bracelets), but this is no guarantee that those reading or wearing them understand the truth contained therein.  It may be a great "witness" and Christian "fashion statement" but it's rather difficult to know what Jesus would do (what God wants done) if we do not know God.

If we are to seek the kingdom of God, we will have to get to know the king of that kingdom better.  And how do we do this?  We do this through the gifts of God's word (Scripture), God's Holy Spirit dwelling with in us (via prayer and a truly Spirit-led life) and by authentic community with other brothers and sisters in Christ who hold us accountable, pray for us and support us.  If we are to truly make the treasure or pearl of the kingdom our own, let us seek to know God, his people and his word better and better.  Amen.