Lord, help me. Lord, thank you for your love, the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. Help me to know your unknowable love and turn to it always. Fill me, God, with your fullness that I may have no need to seek fulfillment any other place. Be close to me, Oh Christ, for I cannot understand the pain I cause in disobedience, acting outside of your love.
Forgive me and make me new, Lord.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Robo Resurrection?
Sitting in a Palm Sunday service this year, I watched a video clip that left me very unsettled. It was about 45 seconds long and was filled with the kinds of sounds in commercials for high definition stereo systems. In a jagged font, words like “crucified, beaten, forgiveness, savior” spurted on and off the screen. The point was to encourage viewers to invite non-believers to the Easter Sunday service, where their lives—swish—could be changed—shwoo—forever—CLANK.
The other goal, as far as I could tell, was to make me feel like I had just watched a chase scene from one of the Matrix movies. Lacking only the signature action-movie-preview-guy voice, this clip was altogether inappropriate because of its underlying message. The following paragraphs explain.
Ministry events, contrary to what this video subtly communicated, are not the focus of a believer’s life in Christ. While participating in the local body of believers is important, God’s movement in a person’s life is not limited to church-related activities. This seems obvious, and no one would say differently. But our readiness to pour energy and resources into Sunday services, youth group meetings, retreats, facilities, and so forth, often contradicts our words.
Church leaders, who are examples to the flock and therefore teach always through their words and deeds, must make sure that rituals occupy an appropriate role in the lives of believers. Because the world ultimately desires to see Christ present in his people, the things that take place outside of events are the most important. The point of gathering as the church is to nurture people for those times. Christ, the Head, who dwells in each member of the body, strengthens his people when they fellowship so that they may walk in his love without wavering when they are on their own. As this occurs they bear witness to the world in word and deed. Few pastors would disagree that this is a vital role, if not the very purpose, of the church’s corporate gatherings.
Yet when leaders by example encourage others to invest huge amounts of resources and energy into events that are allegedly not the focus of the Christian’s life in Christ, they send an inconsistent message. The pastors, elders, deacons, and teachers want people to be equipped for godly living day-to-day through the ministry of the local church. But when they set before me a Sunday morning video clip that uses visual stimulants and sound effects to get my heart pumping fast about next week’s life-changing service, I suspect that what they are mostly thinking about is next week’s life-changing service, not the way I live between now and then as a fellow member of Christ’s body.
If we are not careful, leadership and lay people together are transformed under the glow of the video screen. Instead of spiritual family in Christ, commanded to love one another in the Father’s example, bear with one another in patience, and speak truth to one another through Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, we turn into mere audience members who reconvene weekly, hopefully meeting the minimum expectation of bringing a non-believing friend to a service. This may be enough to satisfy a Palm Sunday video gimmick, but Christ himself demands much more of his followers.
The other goal, as far as I could tell, was to make me feel like I had just watched a chase scene from one of the Matrix movies. Lacking only the signature action-movie-preview-guy voice, this clip was altogether inappropriate because of its underlying message. The following paragraphs explain.
Ministry events, contrary to what this video subtly communicated, are not the focus of a believer’s life in Christ. While participating in the local body of believers is important, God’s movement in a person’s life is not limited to church-related activities. This seems obvious, and no one would say differently. But our readiness to pour energy and resources into Sunday services, youth group meetings, retreats, facilities, and so forth, often contradicts our words.
Church leaders, who are examples to the flock and therefore teach always through their words and deeds, must make sure that rituals occupy an appropriate role in the lives of believers. Because the world ultimately desires to see Christ present in his people, the things that take place outside of events are the most important. The point of gathering as the church is to nurture people for those times. Christ, the Head, who dwells in each member of the body, strengthens his people when they fellowship so that they may walk in his love without wavering when they are on their own. As this occurs they bear witness to the world in word and deed. Few pastors would disagree that this is a vital role, if not the very purpose, of the church’s corporate gatherings.
Yet when leaders by example encourage others to invest huge amounts of resources and energy into events that are allegedly not the focus of the Christian’s life in Christ, they send an inconsistent message. The pastors, elders, deacons, and teachers want people to be equipped for godly living day-to-day through the ministry of the local church. But when they set before me a Sunday morning video clip that uses visual stimulants and sound effects to get my heart pumping fast about next week’s life-changing service, I suspect that what they are mostly thinking about is next week’s life-changing service, not the way I live between now and then as a fellow member of Christ’s body.
If we are not careful, leadership and lay people together are transformed under the glow of the video screen. Instead of spiritual family in Christ, commanded to love one another in the Father’s example, bear with one another in patience, and speak truth to one another through Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, we turn into mere audience members who reconvene weekly, hopefully meeting the minimum expectation of bringing a non-believing friend to a service. This may be enough to satisfy a Palm Sunday video gimmick, but Christ himself demands much more of his followers.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Government and Ministry
All of the discussion about the recent health care bill reminds me that Christian ministry and government often operate the same way: leaders plan things to fix problems.
For both entities, this top-down system works to varying degrees. Sometimes people are actually helped through the resulting programs, and sometimes expanding, bureaucratic operations exacerbate the very problems they aim to fix. Here are a few examples of how church ministry follows this pattern:
Problem: People feel unnoticed because their church congregation is so large.
Solution: We will put greeters at the door to say hello to people when they enter the building.
Resulting Problem: The responsibility to show kindness shifts from all believers to a designated person with an assigned task.
Problem: Many Christians feel lonely or depressed.
Solution: We will offer professional counseling services through our staff.
Resulting Problem: The Christian’s responsibility to help bear the burdens of his brothers and sisters moves to a professional with an assigned task.
Problem: Children are not being nurtured in the gospel by their parents and families.
Solution: We will build a solid children’s ministry where kids receive the nurturing care and instruction in the faith that they do not receive at home.
Resulting problem: Family life is further segmented by adding to the schedule another night away from home. Christian parents have the opportunity to easily pass their responsibility of modeling Christ-like faith off to children’s ministers.
Problem: Christian singles feel lonely and misplaced.
Solution: We will start a singles ministry with a singles pastor who can take concern for their spiritual well-being and plan activities for them.
Resulting Problem: Singles are further misplaced and turned into their own group because the believing community is not encouraged to show love by inviting them into their own families.
Problem: There are poor people in our community.
Solution: We will start a benevolence ministry.
Resulting Problem: Many people donate to the ministry and feel justified, but the responsibility of actually helping and being with needy people shifts to a few volunteers or staff. Furthermore, recipients of this ministry will most likely feel that they have been given sympathy, not love.
In all these ways, people in Christian ministry, just like people in government, plan things to fix problems. As the “answers” are being carried out, we centralize character qualities that all Christians should embody, and we formalize responsibilities that all Christians should share. The end result is a church of Christians (or a nation of citizens) who are convinced that something better is needed but don’t seem capable of living their own lives according to the principles that would bring that change about.
In the end, people do not look to a plan or program for help, encouragement, and love; they look to other people. It is the duty of the whole church, therefore, to ensure that before there are programs, there are people in whom Christ and his truth dwell richly. The work starts small, as a saint lays down his life for one son or daughter of God at a time. And the foundation of this work must be Christ-like love, not a desire to fix problems.
For both entities, this top-down system works to varying degrees. Sometimes people are actually helped through the resulting programs, and sometimes expanding, bureaucratic operations exacerbate the very problems they aim to fix. Here are a few examples of how church ministry follows this pattern:
Problem: People feel unnoticed because their church congregation is so large.
Solution: We will put greeters at the door to say hello to people when they enter the building.
Resulting Problem: The responsibility to show kindness shifts from all believers to a designated person with an assigned task.
Problem: Many Christians feel lonely or depressed.
Solution: We will offer professional counseling services through our staff.
Resulting Problem: The Christian’s responsibility to help bear the burdens of his brothers and sisters moves to a professional with an assigned task.
Problem: Children are not being nurtured in the gospel by their parents and families.
Solution: We will build a solid children’s ministry where kids receive the nurturing care and instruction in the faith that they do not receive at home.
Resulting problem: Family life is further segmented by adding to the schedule another night away from home. Christian parents have the opportunity to easily pass their responsibility of modeling Christ-like faith off to children’s ministers.
Problem: Christian singles feel lonely and misplaced.
Solution: We will start a singles ministry with a singles pastor who can take concern for their spiritual well-being and plan activities for them.
Resulting Problem: Singles are further misplaced and turned into their own group because the believing community is not encouraged to show love by inviting them into their own families.
Problem: There are poor people in our community.
Solution: We will start a benevolence ministry.
Resulting Problem: Many people donate to the ministry and feel justified, but the responsibility of actually helping and being with needy people shifts to a few volunteers or staff. Furthermore, recipients of this ministry will most likely feel that they have been given sympathy, not love.
In all these ways, people in Christian ministry, just like people in government, plan things to fix problems. As the “answers” are being carried out, we centralize character qualities that all Christians should embody, and we formalize responsibilities that all Christians should share. The end result is a church of Christians (or a nation of citizens) who are convinced that something better is needed but don’t seem capable of living their own lives according to the principles that would bring that change about.
In the end, people do not look to a plan or program for help, encouragement, and love; they look to other people. It is the duty of the whole church, therefore, to ensure that before there are programs, there are people in whom Christ and his truth dwell richly. The work starts small, as a saint lays down his life for one son or daughter of God at a time. And the foundation of this work must be Christ-like love, not a desire to fix problems.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Follow Me as I Follow Christ
How can the body of Christ better produce people of Christ-like substance? Of all the perennial questions the church asks itself, this one has received a lot of attention lately. There is no shortage of recent books outlining people's disillusion with their church experience, especially young people. Some of those criticisms are valid and some are not. Yet no one can deny the ongoing longing, from inside and outside the church, for followers of Jesus whose lives line up to the example of their Master.
In the book Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony, Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon provide insight into this question. In short, their answer is discipleship. While they write with the public ethic of the church in mind, we must apply their reasoning to daily, interpersonal conduct as well. The next couple of paragraphs give their basic line of thought.
People of all ages and cultures operate on assumed values they do not even realize they have. One of the values built in to many modern democracies is traced back to Kant's notion that there is no need to imitate moral people in order to become moral. Rather, Kant argued, all anybody needs to do to achieve morality is to think clearly for him or herself.
Of course, this assumption directly contradicts Christian discipleship, which calls us to learn appropriate belief and conduct by following the teaching and example of another. Part of pastoral ministry, the authors say, is to therefore counteract this ingrained mode of thinking by recognizing mature Christians and challenging others to imitate them. “In sermons, in teaching, in pastoral care and administration, pastors practice ethics by lifting up specific historical examples, saints, for the rest of us to emulate”(109).
I agree with this point and take it a step further. All Christians must aspire to be like the apostle Paul, who without hesitation calls others to imitate himself as he imitates Christ (I Cor. 11:1). Peter encourages elders in a similar manner in I Peter chapter five: “Shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but eagerly, not for shameful gain, but willingly, as God would have you, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
Instead of taking truth from the architects of worldly systems, disciples learn the truth of Christ in the Scriptures and speak it to one another each day. Instead of settling for human patterns of interaction, they recognize that they need one another because in Christ they are members of one another. Disciples seek not only to follow mature believers , but also to be examples by allowing others into their lives. They live in humility through mutual confession of sins. As sons and daughters of God the Father, they walk in divine love and invite others to walk with them. This is discipleship, and it is vital for producing the kind of people for which the world hungers.
In the book Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony, Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon provide insight into this question. In short, their answer is discipleship. While they write with the public ethic of the church in mind, we must apply their reasoning to daily, interpersonal conduct as well. The next couple of paragraphs give their basic line of thought.
People of all ages and cultures operate on assumed values they do not even realize they have. One of the values built in to many modern democracies is traced back to Kant's notion that there is no need to imitate moral people in order to become moral. Rather, Kant argued, all anybody needs to do to achieve morality is to think clearly for him or herself.
Of course, this assumption directly contradicts Christian discipleship, which calls us to learn appropriate belief and conduct by following the teaching and example of another. Part of pastoral ministry, the authors say, is to therefore counteract this ingrained mode of thinking by recognizing mature Christians and challenging others to imitate them. “In sermons, in teaching, in pastoral care and administration, pastors practice ethics by lifting up specific historical examples, saints, for the rest of us to emulate”(109).
I agree with this point and take it a step further. All Christians must aspire to be like the apostle Paul, who without hesitation calls others to imitate himself as he imitates Christ (I Cor. 11:1). Peter encourages elders in a similar manner in I Peter chapter five: “Shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but eagerly, not for shameful gain, but willingly, as God would have you, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
Instead of taking truth from the architects of worldly systems, disciples learn the truth of Christ in the Scriptures and speak it to one another each day. Instead of settling for human patterns of interaction, they recognize that they need one another because in Christ they are members of one another. Disciples seek not only to follow mature believers , but also to be examples by allowing others into their lives. They live in humility through mutual confession of sins. As sons and daughters of God the Father, they walk in divine love and invite others to walk with them. This is discipleship, and it is vital for producing the kind of people for which the world hungers.
Monday, January 18, 2010
To Those Who Reside As Aliens...
Through the resurrection of the Christ,
comes rebirth into the Father's
mysterious salvation. We are now
a people whose living hope lies ahead—
resurrection and unending fellowship
with our Father.
Fixed on this awaiting grace,
we order our lives accordingly.
We continue not in the futile way
of life handed down. Called out
of darkness, we turn from evil
in all its forms. Called into light,
we do good and seek peace.
Like Christ upon the cross, we endure
injustice for the sake of others.
We leave behind carnal habits that
bind us to a world not ours—
malice, deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, slander, lust.
To the world, we seem peculiar.
They see separation from evil
and ponder us. They wonder
of our kinship and our
fervent, patient love.
A people so assured,
so fearless, so humble,
so eager to do good. I have
never known such folk.
We answer, “Come. Hear of our Hope.
He died in weakness and calls us
to suffer. He endured scorn
without reply. He threatened not
his sinful killers. He was wounded
in innocence and so healed us.
By him we live in peace, unafraid
of divine judgment, for now
we are sons and daughters.”
“Yes, on the tree he made us family.
So together we wait for him to rise
again-this time from the Father's
right hand, to descend and
make our call complete.”
comes rebirth into the Father's
mysterious salvation. We are now
a people whose living hope lies ahead—
resurrection and unending fellowship
with our Father.
Fixed on this awaiting grace,
we order our lives accordingly.
We continue not in the futile way
of life handed down. Called out
of darkness, we turn from evil
in all its forms. Called into light,
we do good and seek peace.
Like Christ upon the cross, we endure
injustice for the sake of others.
We leave behind carnal habits that
bind us to a world not ours—
malice, deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, slander, lust.
To the world, we seem peculiar.
They see separation from evil
and ponder us. They wonder
of our kinship and our
fervent, patient love.
A people so assured,
so fearless, so humble,
so eager to do good. I have
never known such folk.
We answer, “Come. Hear of our Hope.
He died in weakness and calls us
to suffer. He endured scorn
without reply. He threatened not
his sinful killers. He was wounded
in innocence and so healed us.
By him we live in peace, unafraid
of divine judgment, for now
we are sons and daughters.”
“Yes, on the tree he made us family.
So together we wait for him to rise
again-this time from the Father's
right hand, to descend and
make our call complete.”
Monday, December 21, 2009
A Working Philosphy of Life and Ministry
In a fast-paced culture where individuals and organizations seek power and success, I want to…
- Structure my life and ministry in a way that identifies with and therefore lifts up those who are lowly in the eyes of the world or in the eyes of the Christian community. This principle will guide such factors as where I live and with whom I spend time.
-Make a conscious effort to be with people whose lives are slowed down by grief and pain. It is important to meet people at the painful places in their lives and show empathy by being there with them and lifting them to the Lord in prayer. Also, filtering ministry through the lens of suffering grounds a leader in reality and constantly calls him or her to connect theology with day-to-day happenings, a task always challenging those who carry regular preaching or teaching responsibilities.
-Live with a posture of humble, prayerful awareness to where and how the Spirit is moving in the greater community where I live and serve, and shape my ministry accordingly. This is not a fast-moving philosophy. It does not offer immediate yields and requires a flexible and available schedule. It also reaches beyond the scope of official ministry carried out as a paid Christian worker to encompass one's entire lifestyle.
-Understand ministry as a process rather than a product and live accordingly. This particularly relates to spiritual formation for the individual. Though a person embraces the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection, repents of his sin, and is thus reconciled to God, it will likely take a lifetime for him to understand how God’s salvation story bears significance to the fear, shame, and insecurity in his own life. Walking with others through this process takes work, prayer, and time.
In a culture of relational shallowness and individualism, I want to …
-Invest in the spiritual formation of others by structuring my life and ministry in a way that always prioritizes relationships above money, projects, programs, security, comfort, and convenience. This approach necessarily leads to a simple lifestyle and long-term focus on a small number of people at a time (a.k.a. discipleship). It also erases the line dividing private and professional life, and it calls for spending more face-time with people than in meetings or in the office planning lessons or sermons. As Bonhoeffer aptly states, “One who cannot listen long and patiently will presently be talking beside the point and be never really speaking to others, albeit he be not conscious of it.”
-Do as much ministry as possible from the home. Hospitality speaks volumes to people. It is an avenue to express Christ-like self-sacrifice and love, and it can break down barriers between lay Christians and leaders. Furthermore, in order to live as an example to the flock (I Peter 5:3), a leader must invite people to be close and see his or her day-to-day behavior.
-Bear witness to unbelievers through the day-to-day conduct of a small Christian community. As the nation of Israel was to be a light to surrounding peoples, the church today is called to speak and to live the message of the Gospel. As the redeemed community of the church age, Christians are called to live as an alien people whose entire lifestyle is markedly different than the world’s way, thus beckoning those around them toward repentance and salvation in Jesus.
In a Christian culture marked by division and factionalism, I want to…
-Live out the fruits of the Spirit, showing humility and love to both parties of any doctrinal or relational dispute while maintaining the integrity of the gospel message.
-Live out the spiritual reality that, in Christ, other believers—regardless of their local church membership status or church attendance—are my family. Thus they require the same kind of patience, devotion, sacrifice, and prayer as my earthly family.
-Embody a lifestyle that encourages others by modeling the two great commandments: loving God and loving others. These two simple commands transcend many areas of life, including time management, vocation, participation in social structures, interpersonal relationships, self-understanding, spiritual disciplines, and more.
-Stay informed about important cultural trends, movements within American religious life, and global issues. The goal is to structure my life and ministry in a way that is biblical and also based on a wide perspective encompassing much more than the happenings of my particular place of ministry.
In a culture of pluralism and tolerance, I want to...
-Share and defend the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection according to the witness of the Old and New Testaments (I Cor.15:1-4). This task requires sufficient time to study and meditate on the Scriptures.
-Actively face the challenge of living an inclusive lifestyle while holding to an exclusive message. As Jesus welcomed and befriended sinners on their own turf, I also should go where unbelievers are. I should offer friendship and offer myself, not merely an invitation to a local church event. In addition, I must be aware of the temptations that accompany close proximity to sinful lifestyles and maintain accountability with other Christians. Approaching evangelism this way also serves as an example to other believers in the flock.
In a Christian culture of racial division, I want to…
-Live in a way that challenges me and others to overcome prejudice and understand structural factors relating to race and poverty.
In a culture of imbalance and instant gratification, I want to…
-Embody regular spiritual disciplines in my life and ministry. A monthly day of prayer and weekly Sabbath is a good starting place. As Bonhoeffer says, the most direct way to others is always through prayer to Christ. Intercessory prayer for the flock is thus foundational, for it is only God who forms and moves his people. Ministry is a formational process for a leader as well as those to whom he or she is ministering; therefore, sufficient time to live out spiritual disciplines, including rest, is paramount. It is not a mark of selfishness or laziness.
- Structure my life and ministry in a way that identifies with and therefore lifts up those who are lowly in the eyes of the world or in the eyes of the Christian community. This principle will guide such factors as where I live and with whom I spend time.
-Make a conscious effort to be with people whose lives are slowed down by grief and pain. It is important to meet people at the painful places in their lives and show empathy by being there with them and lifting them to the Lord in prayer. Also, filtering ministry through the lens of suffering grounds a leader in reality and constantly calls him or her to connect theology with day-to-day happenings, a task always challenging those who carry regular preaching or teaching responsibilities.
-Live with a posture of humble, prayerful awareness to where and how the Spirit is moving in the greater community where I live and serve, and shape my ministry accordingly. This is not a fast-moving philosophy. It does not offer immediate yields and requires a flexible and available schedule. It also reaches beyond the scope of official ministry carried out as a paid Christian worker to encompass one's entire lifestyle.
-Understand ministry as a process rather than a product and live accordingly. This particularly relates to spiritual formation for the individual. Though a person embraces the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection, repents of his sin, and is thus reconciled to God, it will likely take a lifetime for him to understand how God’s salvation story bears significance to the fear, shame, and insecurity in his own life. Walking with others through this process takes work, prayer, and time.
In a culture of relational shallowness and individualism, I want to …
-Invest in the spiritual formation of others by structuring my life and ministry in a way that always prioritizes relationships above money, projects, programs, security, comfort, and convenience. This approach necessarily leads to a simple lifestyle and long-term focus on a small number of people at a time (a.k.a. discipleship). It also erases the line dividing private and professional life, and it calls for spending more face-time with people than in meetings or in the office planning lessons or sermons. As Bonhoeffer aptly states, “One who cannot listen long and patiently will presently be talking beside the point and be never really speaking to others, albeit he be not conscious of it.”
-Do as much ministry as possible from the home. Hospitality speaks volumes to people. It is an avenue to express Christ-like self-sacrifice and love, and it can break down barriers between lay Christians and leaders. Furthermore, in order to live as an example to the flock (I Peter 5:3), a leader must invite people to be close and see his or her day-to-day behavior.
-Bear witness to unbelievers through the day-to-day conduct of a small Christian community. As the nation of Israel was to be a light to surrounding peoples, the church today is called to speak and to live the message of the Gospel. As the redeemed community of the church age, Christians are called to live as an alien people whose entire lifestyle is markedly different than the world’s way, thus beckoning those around them toward repentance and salvation in Jesus.
In a Christian culture marked by division and factionalism, I want to…
-Live out the fruits of the Spirit, showing humility and love to both parties of any doctrinal or relational dispute while maintaining the integrity of the gospel message.
-Live out the spiritual reality that, in Christ, other believers—regardless of their local church membership status or church attendance—are my family. Thus they require the same kind of patience, devotion, sacrifice, and prayer as my earthly family.
-Embody a lifestyle that encourages others by modeling the two great commandments: loving God and loving others. These two simple commands transcend many areas of life, including time management, vocation, participation in social structures, interpersonal relationships, self-understanding, spiritual disciplines, and more.
-Stay informed about important cultural trends, movements within American religious life, and global issues. The goal is to structure my life and ministry in a way that is biblical and also based on a wide perspective encompassing much more than the happenings of my particular place of ministry.
In a culture of pluralism and tolerance, I want to...
-Share and defend the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection according to the witness of the Old and New Testaments (I Cor.15:1-4). This task requires sufficient time to study and meditate on the Scriptures.
-Actively face the challenge of living an inclusive lifestyle while holding to an exclusive message. As Jesus welcomed and befriended sinners on their own turf, I also should go where unbelievers are. I should offer friendship and offer myself, not merely an invitation to a local church event. In addition, I must be aware of the temptations that accompany close proximity to sinful lifestyles and maintain accountability with other Christians. Approaching evangelism this way also serves as an example to other believers in the flock.
In a Christian culture of racial division, I want to…
-Live in a way that challenges me and others to overcome prejudice and understand structural factors relating to race and poverty.
In a culture of imbalance and instant gratification, I want to…
-Embody regular spiritual disciplines in my life and ministry. A monthly day of prayer and weekly Sabbath is a good starting place. As Bonhoeffer says, the most direct way to others is always through prayer to Christ. Intercessory prayer for the flock is thus foundational, for it is only God who forms and moves his people. Ministry is a formational process for a leader as well as those to whom he or she is ministering; therefore, sufficient time to live out spiritual disciplines, including rest, is paramount. It is not a mark of selfishness or laziness.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Late Night Prayer
God, what's the point of my life? Help me to be patient but also to take action when I sense your movement. Oh Spirit, please take away my fear, that I may serve you without its restricting force! Please give me energy, initiative, and assurance where I lack it. Please fill the dark ambiguity in my life with the light of your truth! Please lead me to places of sweet fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters. Please instruct me how to give myself away to others.
Lord, be close to me in moments of stress and difficulty! Help me in those weak times to see and know and trust your promises. Grant me peace of mind, oh God, and refine my vision to see your blessings.Remind me that I am but withering grass; comfort me with the truth that my life is a mist. Enable me to live my fleeting moments well, oh Creator God! May I not waste them in fear, hopelessness, indecision, or self-obsession. When I am alone, fill me with yourself. When I am still, may my ear hear your voice. When I am among others, may your words be on my lips. Every hour, Lord, lead me on the path of righteousness in your grace and deliver me from evil.
I long to hear the story of your salvation again and again, and I hunger for you, my Sustainer! You open your hand and satisfy every living thing. You alone know what is good. Oh my Father, fill me and be my help!
Lord, be close to me in moments of stress and difficulty! Help me in those weak times to see and know and trust your promises. Grant me peace of mind, oh God, and refine my vision to see your blessings.Remind me that I am but withering grass; comfort me with the truth that my life is a mist. Enable me to live my fleeting moments well, oh Creator God! May I not waste them in fear, hopelessness, indecision, or self-obsession. When I am alone, fill me with yourself. When I am still, may my ear hear your voice. When I am among others, may your words be on my lips. Every hour, Lord, lead me on the path of righteousness in your grace and deliver me from evil.
I long to hear the story of your salvation again and again, and I hunger for you, my Sustainer! You open your hand and satisfy every living thing. You alone know what is good. Oh my Father, fill me and be my help!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)