Tag: prayer

Living with Purpose (Exodus 19:1-9a)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Moses, by Marc Chagall, 1956

On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” (New International Version)

If I were to list every job I’ve ever had in my life, it would be a long list. I’m sure, at this point in my life, that I wouldn’t immediately recall some of them. Some workplaces were run well. Others, especially in the factories I worked, were characterized by inattention to working conditions and expected employees to be more like extensions of their machines than like people. And I typically never knew why we were doing what we were doing.

I’ve also been in many churches and pastored a wide array of congregations. Some of the churches were run well and were attentive to their mission and service to the world. Others left a lot to be desired. Without trying to be simplistic, today’s Old Testament lesson gives the clue to what makes the difference: a clear sense of purpose. 

God made it clear that Israel was given the mandate “to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

Although there was always a remnant of Israelites who held to this original purpose, we know the end of the story. Israel largely failed to fulfill their God-given reason for existence and did not follow through with their missionary goal. They ended up in exile, mostly because of straying from their intended purpose, which then also led to a lack of holiness.

When Christians, Churches, and faith communities of all kinds lose sight of why they exist, they degenerate into a bunch of finicky cats who want ever richer food and a lusher bed to sleep on. 

So, let’s be clear about the reason for our existence as an institutional Body of believers: We exist not to be catered to, but to be people who do the priestly work of interceding for others so that the nations might come to know the God of all the earth. 

“Intercessory prayer might be defined as loving our neighbor on our knees.”

Charles Bent

We exist for holiness, set apart to be the conduit between heaven and earth so that others might come to embrace the life that is truly life. 

Christianity recognizes that it was Christ who fulfilled the great promises of God as the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King. Through his holy life, Christ became the priest who made the once for all sacrifice to end all sacrifices. He reigns over a moral kingdom which is a light to the nations. And the Church, as Christ’s Body, is to continue this purpose of kingdom ethics by letting the light of Jesus shine into the shadowy dark places of this world.

Wherever you find complaining, backbiting, gossip, and slander, there you will find a profound lack of purpose. Because without a “why,” people fill the vacuum with endless squabbling about petty affairs which amount to nothing, in the scope of eternity.

And wherever there is only talk of how others can meet personal needs and satisfy pet desires, in that place there is a lost mandate to be a priest bringing others to God. 

The gracious and priestly work of intercession is the purpose many are lacking. Believers everywhere must return to this holy and sacred vocation.

Jesus modeled for us the work of intercession when he prayed:

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:24-26, NIV)

The Lord has said what the divine purpose is. It is our task, therefore, to do everything God has spoken.

O sovereign and majestic God, you are holy. So, I choose to be holy in all I do. I intercede for those around me who either cannot or will not come to you on their own. Draw them to yourself so that they might experience the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A Prayer of Blessing (1 Kings 8:54-65)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Solomon, by Marc Chagall (1887-1985)

As soon as Solomon finished praying and making these requests to the Lord, he got up from before the Lord’s altar, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out to heaven. He stood up and blessed the whole Israelite assembly in a loud voice: 

“May the Lord be blessed! He has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. He hasn’t neglected any part of the good promise he made through his servant Moses. 

May the Lord our God be with us, just as he was with our ancestors.

May he never leave us or abandon us. 

May he draw our hearts to him to walk in all his ways and observe his commands, his laws, and his judgments that he gave our ancestors. 

And may these words of mine that I have cried out before the Lord remain near to the Lord our God day and night so that he may do right by his servant and his people Israel for each day’s need, and so that all the earth’s peoples may know that the Lord is God.

There is no other God! Now may you be committed to the Lord our God with all your heart by following his laws and observing his commands, just as you are doing right now.”

Then the king and all Israel with him sacrificed to the Lord. Solomon offered well-being sacrifices to the Lord: twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep when the king and all Israel dedicated the Lord’s temple. 

On that day the king made holy the middle of the courtyard in front of the Lord’s temple. He had to offer the entirely burned offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of well-being sacrifices there, because the bronze altar that was in the Lord’s presence was too small to contain the entirely burned offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the well-being sacrifices. 

At that time Solomon, together with all Israel, held a celebration. It was a large assembly from Lebo-hamath to the border of Egypt. They celebrated for seven days and then for another seven days in the presence of the Lord our God: fourteen days in all. (Common English Bible)

Prayer is arguably one of the most significant works a spiritual person could ever do.

Why do I say that?

Because we, as people (especially Americans!) tend to be focused on solutions, fixes, and getting things done. We work hard; and if it doesn’t work out, then we pray.

Yet prayer is a needed activity from the get-go. Prayer is to be infused from the beginning to the end. Prayer is to be our very breath.

Relying solely on our strength, smarts, and stamina – on self – may yield some results; but the human touch cannot provide like the divine touch. Trusting in all else, besides God, shall eventually fail.

Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
    but we rise up and stand firm. (Psalm 20:6-8, NIV)

King Solomon prayed. He prayed before building a temple to the Lord. He prayed during construction. He offered prayers after its erection and provided prayers of dedication to it.

And, in today’s Old Testament lesson, Solomon was faithful to pray and bless the people who participated in the building, as well as all the people who would worship at the temple.

Biblical prayers are solid theological models for us in our own prayers. They give us some needed form and function, directing us in how to pray and what the content of those prayers ought to be.

So, I offer this prayer of blessing for you, based in Solomon’s to the people:

Blessed be the Lord our God, who has given peace to people, just as he said he’d do. Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not a one of all those good and wonderful promises that God spoke has failed.

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our very own God, continue to be with us just as he was with all of our spiritual ancestors.

May God never give up and walk out on us.

May God keep us Christo-centric, revolving our entire lives around him, devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, being attentive to the words and ways of Jesus, walking at the pace and the rhythms he laid down for us to follow and observe.

May these words that I pray in the presence of God be always before the divine throne, day and night, so that the Lord will do what is right, just, and fair for us and for all people everywhere.

May mercy and justice reign day after day after day. Then all the people on earth will know God is the true God; there is no other God.

And may your lives be totally obedient to God, following the path of righteousness the Lord has cleared, alert and attentive to avoid the path of temptation, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

How Jesus Prayed (John 17:1-11)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
David Ewart, http://www.holytextures.com

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 

“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” (New International Version)

Prayer can be described in many ways. Yet, at it’s heart, prayer is simply talking to God. Jesus had taught his disciples early in his ministry about how to pray (The Lord’s Prayer). Now he demonstrates the way to pray, also revealing the heart of God in the process. Our prayers reflect our values and what is truly in our hearts. As Jesus offers his petitions to the Father, let’s notice what they are, and so, align our own hearts with the heart of God.

First Petition: Glorify God

Jesus prayed that he himself would be glorified, so that then he might turn right around and glorify the Father in heaven. This is a great lesson for all who pray – that we seek to receive in order to give.

All of life is dependent upon rhythms of receiving and giving. We breathe in and breathe out in a consistent flow. If that doesn’t happen, we have major health issues. Jesus promised that he would send the Spirit of God to help us breathe spiritually.

And so, it’s important that we routinely inhale the Holy Spirit so that we may exhale the virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control for the benefit of the church and the blessing of the world.

Please never forget that we are stewards of the grace given to us by God. That means our purpose is not for avarice (to hoard the spiritual resources so generously given to us) but to receive, so that we can give. And God’s grace is inexhaustible; we shall never run out of offering peace and reconciliation to the world. That, my friends, is how we glorify God and show God’s Name as holy. (Matthew 6:9)

Two Groups and Three Givings

            Jesus mentions two groups: The Father and Son; and the World and Church. And he prays that the Father will give in three distinct ways:

  1. The Father gave the Son authority over all humanity. Jesus truly has the whole world in his hands. And when the Son has a hold of people, there’s no snatching them out. Jesus is not a hired hand; he is the hand of God. Since Jesus is in charge, we can be fully confident that every single member of the human race will be treated with respect in this life and with fairness on Judgment Day.
  2. The Father has given Jesus a second group of people out of the whole of humanity: the Church. Both the World and the Church are in Christ’s hands. Jesus has other sheep who are not yet in the fold. He is presently, by means of the Holy Spirit, gathering them into his divine sheep pen. There are two groups and three givings; but there is only One Shepherd and one Flock. And this one Flock of Christ is to be a kingdom of priests to serve the interests of the entire world. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
  3. The Church has been given the gift of Jesus by the Father. The Flock has received life – abundant and everlasting life. This by no means implies that we are in some sort of holding pattern until Christ returns to take us to be with him. Rather, now we are to be busy giving the world the gift of grace we ourselves have received. Life – real life, true life – is to know the Father and the Son.

God is glorified when we take up the mission given to us by Jesus:

  • We are called by God for a reason: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8)
  • We are given a purpose of bearing witness to what God has done for us in Christ Jesus (Acts 1:8)
  • We are commissioned to make disciples from all nations, all ethnicities, and every sort of people (Matthew 28:19)
  • We are commanded to do it all through love of God and neighbor (Mark 12:28-31)

Second Petition: Protect the Church

Why does Jesus pray for our protection? So that we might be one as the Father and Son are one – and will not fragment and be scattered without any relation to each other.

Here are a couple of simple observations: this prayer of Jesus is not yet answered; and if Jesus can have unanswered prayer for two thousand years, maybe we ought to cut ourselves (and others!) a bit of slack on not getting our own prayers answered.

When we consider the Church throughout the world, we see that various Christian traditions just plain don’t like each other, and even accuse one another of not being Christians at all! And, what’s more, a chunk of the Church seems to be abusive.

Whether it’s Roman Catholicism and the sad story of the priest sexual abuse, or the steady stream of stories about Protestant Evangelical pastors who do the same and use their authority for personal and selfish advantage, there is plenty of awful crud out there.

And what the world sees, far too often, is a profound lack of grace – which brings us back to what we need to be doing to begin with: receiving grace so that we can give it to others. If this is not at the heart of our prayers (and apparently isn’t for many Christians) then we ought not be surprised whenever the world wants nothing to do with Christianity.

Unity is important to Jesus; it ought to be important to us. We need to work at it and work toward it. As God is One, so are God’s people to be one.

Unity does not mean:

  • one cultural expression (i.e. American)
  • the same personality (i.e. extroverted)
  • Christendom (i.e. the Church holding political power)

Unity does involve:

  1. being one in our basic mindset (humble, merciful, holy, peaceful)
  2. being one in purpose (glorifying God)

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:1-5, NIV)

The Church, the people of God, are to be protected and kept safe from fragmenting into mere special interest groups who only care about their particular pet convictions or projects. Instead, we are to take a step back and see the big forest of Christianity and appreciate all the various trees within it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is preserved and secured whenever we keep this unity of Christ in the middle of everything, and let go of everything else as being a test of Christian unity (e.g. personal convictions, church dogma and confessional statements).

Conclusion

So, what does this all mean for us? Pray. Talk to God. And talk to God about the same things that Jesus prayed about while he was here on this earth. We might discover that many of the issues we care about will resolve themselves if we simply pray as Jesus has modeled for us.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace to set aside and let go of all dissension and division in Christ’s Church. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and everything that hinders us from unity and harmony.

As there is but one Body, and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all; so may all your people be of one heart, and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, and of faith and love, with one mind and one mouth glorifying you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ascension of the Lord (Acts 1:1-11)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
The Ascension of Christ, by Pacino di Bonaguida, c.1340

Theophilus, the first scroll I wrote concerned everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, right up to the day when he was taken up into heaven. Before he was taken up, working in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus instructed the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed them that he was alive with many convincing proofs. He appeared to them over a period of forty days, speaking to them about God’s kingdom. While they were eating together, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. He said, “This is what you heard from me: John baptized with water, but in only a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?”

Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

After Jesus said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going away and as they were staring toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood next to them. They said, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.” (Common English Bible)

It’s been two-millennia since Jesus Christ ascended to heaven. Since then, a lot has changed.

Yet, on the other hand, we’re still in the same situation as the early church: Jesus is still up there; and we are still down here. That means, because we are still awaiting Christ’s return, the original call and practice of the church is still in effect.

As far as experiences go, it’s hard to top being one of the original disciples and seeing Jesus ascend into the clouds to heaven. Now what? How do you go about your life after that?

In the spiritual life, we move back and forth between moments of genuine inspiration and the sheer routine of our daily mundane lives. The uplifting mountain-top experience and the hard slog of walking through the valley are both important. The trick is to channel the energy from one into the other. For that to happen, we need to work out rhythms of grace that connect expectant prayer with the action of being witnesses.

Prayer and witness – both are necessary for the church; and they are closely tied to the risen and ascended Christ. The ascension of the Lord Jesus means Christ is exalted above everything; he’s in charge. By his authority he has made us prayerful witnesses and given us the means of carrying out that job.

Jesus and the disciples, even after forty days together, post-resurrection, were not on the same page. The disciples were anticipating a restoration of David’s kingdom. Their vision for the future was a great apocalypse in which Jesus, as the ultimate mixed martial arts champion, would beat up all their enemies. Then, set up a political kingdom just like King David of old. 

But Jesus had a different agenda. Instead of creating an immediate utopia, where the disciples would be in charge and in control, Jesus bluntly told them that knowing God’s timetable is not in their pay grade. Instead, the disciples were commissioned for a job, which didn’t include gawking at the sky and trying to figure out when the end of the world was happening.

Christ’s Ascension, by Scott Rayl

Although we (understandably and deservedly) want peace and justice now, Jesus avoided handing out prophecy charts detailing when that would happen. He essentially said to quit thinking about that stuff because it’s really none of our business.

Rather, our business is being witnesses of Jesus. The angels came along immediately after Jesus ascended and said to the disciples to stop standing there slack jawed. Jesus is coming back and, meanwhile, there is a job to do – to be witnesses of Christ’s redemptive events. And, the strength of that witness will come from the Holy Spirit. So, hang tight in prayer.

So, what does it mean to be a “witness?” A few years back, I was called to the bedside of an actively dying patient. The patient’s spouse and parents were present. In the space of two hours I watched them in the throes of grief. And I provided all the spiritual support I could. 

The situation had similarities to many emergencies I have attended, with one exception: I noticed that I was different. I did not “do” or “say” a lot. Mostly, I was present. I remember, at times during my encounter, feeling helpless. In some ways I was. I certainly couldn’t fix a thing. Yet, this time, I saw my role in a new way. 

I distinctly remember the sense of bearing witness to this sacred event. There was an entire world outside the patient room that knew nothing of this family’s intense grief. But I knew. I watched the whole thing. I was present for all the struggles of the medical team, the tears of the husband, the grief of a Dad, the angry questions of a mother toward a God that she didn’t know how to approach – who seemed aloof and capricious.  I was there for it all. Even now, I still carry those folks and their story in my heart.

And it was enough. 

Yes, it was enough. This was the first time I ever said that after such a situation. I had a settled sense that the role of witnessing the events in front of me was a blessed and sacred responsibility. Billions of people on planet earth didn’t know the grief of these people. I did. Because I was there. 

There is something both mystical and necessary about this understanding of being a witness with active prayerful observation.

I wonder if that’s how the disciples felt after Christ’s ascension. Perhaps my experience is what Jesus meant when he said, “You shall be my witnesses.” Maybe a witness is one who has the special role of observing the suffering of Christ, his resurrection of the dead, and the ongoing work of the Spirit. 

God is, I believe, the ultimate witness. When no one else sees, God sees. Where there is grief, God is present. Wherever pain, hurt, and brokenness exists, God is there bearing witness to it all. 

And, once in a while, the Lord is gracious to invite me into the scene to witness it along with him. Jesus is our Immanuel – God with us. And that is enough for me. 

In the book of Acts, praying and witnessing was a consistent pattern that the early church practiced. They prayed about whom to choose as leaders and bore witness to the Spirit setting individuals apart for the work of gospel proclamation and service to the church. They prayed for the Holy Spirit to come on people and bore witness to miraculous signs of the Spirit’s work. They prayed for the courage to preach and heal and bore witness to the saving work of God.

As the book of Acts unfolds, we see Peter imprisoned for being a witness. So, the church went to prayer. Peter was released, and when he showed up at the prayer meeting, the believers at first did not believe it was him.  Even with their little faith they were able to witness God answer their prayers. (Acts 12:1-18)

It was at a prayer meeting where Paul and Barnabas were set apart by the Spirit to bear witness in other locations. (Acts 13:1-3)

While traveling from city to city, Paul constantly devoted himself to prayer and listened to the Spirit. (Acts 16:1-35)

People came to Christ because of prayerfully listening to the Spirit and the obedient action that followed by Peter, Paul, and the other believers giving witness to how the risen Christ saved their lives. This was possible because of the risen and ascended Christ.

There is not one square inch of this earth that Jesus is not Lord. This means we can be alive with devotion to prayer and to being witnesses in this world for Jesus. Just as a cup of coffee needs a warm-up, so our prayers need to be refreshed so that God’s purposes will be accomplished. And his purposes are that all of creation comes, in a real and practical way, under Christ’s lordship.

What does the ascension of Jesus Christ mean for us today? That we belong to God and have the wondrous privilege of prayer and witness in a world that so desperately needs to connect with the transcendent and divine.