Tag Archives: Praying without Ceasing

Hope

Living in the Spirit
August 8, 2018

Scripture Reading: Psalm 130

 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning.

 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities. –Psalm 130:5-8

I once heard a speaker say that hope is the difference in being poor and living in poverty. He was discussion financial poverty, but I almost think this idea is just as true if not truer regarding the poverty of our souls. What does poverty of the soul look like? Fred Craddock preached a sermon I heard many years ago and taught me the French word ennui. According to Merriam-Webster’s the word means a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction:  languor or emptiness of spirit*.  Know how that feels? It is just not worth the effort to get out of bed and face the world that seems to be spinning out of control.  I sense a lot of followers of Christ are feeling a bit of ennui as we listen to the evening news. It is at times like these that we need to remember we serve a risen Savior whose in the world today** and therein lies our source of hope.

My father used to say that his mother embodied the idea of praying without ceasing that Paul puts forth in 1 Thessalonian 5:17. My parents prayed on their knees kneeling by the side of their beds each evening. As a child, I envisioned my grandmother in that constant state all the time. I now realize that was not what my Dad or Paul meant. I think of it now as being in constant communion with God. We often pray publically like I was taught to write letters in school. It was all very formal and started with a dear someone and ending with a proper closing. Prayer without ceasing, I think, is more like the thread on a recurring email. Me: Interested in lunch today. Friend: No, I have a late morning appointment. How about Friday. Me: Sounds good. Meet at the Deli? Friend: 11:30 am? Me: OK. This is a conversation between people who are well acquainted. Our goal is to become so well acquainted with our Savior such prayers are woven through our daily routines. For me, driving in a car is a great time to update my life with God.  Watching the news provides much material for communion with God. Reading scripture and quietly contemplating it each morning nurtures my soul. I spend some time doing restorative yoga and other exercises that also seems to get me ready for a full day. Find and practice your hope-building disciplines.

If these spiritual disciplines do not restore your hope, Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 13:13 now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. When hope seems gone and ennui begins to fill its space try loving someone else. Help a homeless person, visit a prisoner, tutor a child. Give someone else hope and I promise your hope and faith will be restored.

Prayer: God of Hope, restore our souls so we may bring hope to the whole world. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/ennui

** First line of the hymn I Serve a Risen Savior see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/503

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Run with Me Lord

Christ with usEastertide April 8, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 133

How very good and pleasant it is
   when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
   running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
   running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
   which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
   life for evermore.

Have you ever said, “I just wish everyone would get along.” There is nothing easy about relating to one another. It takes work. It takes forgiveness. It takes understanding. It takes fortitude to stand up for what you perceive to be right and flexibility to rethink and refocus when someone suggests perhaps a better way.

I do not know about you, but I work best with others when I am in synch with the Lord. Praying for and about someone with whom we seem to always clash is important. God can give us insight and understanding to which for whatever reason we may not be open. God can also give us patience when needed. It is a spiritual gift.

I was five when my paternal grandmother died. I do remember her as being loving and fun. I particularly remember sitting at her dressing table and having her powder my back with a big soft puff. My dad use to tell use that his mother prayed all the time. He would walk into the kitchen and hear her muttering what seemed to be to herself. He learned early on that she was praying. I think that is what praying without ceasing means. It is when the Lord is in every conversation we have giving us strength and guidance toward doing God’s will.

Prayer: Lord, help me include you in every conversation and when I seem to be running at full speed without you, remind me that I am not alone that you are running along beside me. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.