Advent means “come.” At Christmastime we celebrate the miracle birth of “Immanuel,” God come to be with us. Jesus Christ come to earth to show us God in human flesh is God’s greatest dream and humankind’s greatest longing.
Is there a special dream that God wants to birth through you? Are you waiting on God to come to you in a special way?
The fulfillment of the Christmas miracle came through the humble submission and trust of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She offered what you could say is the most important prayer in all of the Bible (repeated in similar words throughout the Scriptures): “Let it be to me according to your Word.” (Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-7, 19-20 tells the story.)
We don’t really accomplish anything of lasting significance apart from a prayer intention like Mary’s.
Cultivate the trust in God and submission to his kingdom purposes that Mary expressed so you too can give birth to your God-dream. Center yourself in prayer by slowly and gently repeating over and over to the Lord, “Let it be to me according to your Word… Let it be to me according to your Word…”
(You can do this Centering Prayer right now at your computer screen or you can print this page out and do it later in a quiet place.)
Breathe the Word of God in and out: “Let it be to me according to your Word…”
Let God’s Word descend from your mind down into your heart; let your thoughts go down into your intentions: “Let it be to me according to your Word…”
Name to the Lord the dream that he has given you for how you can serve him and bless others… Imagine yourself doing this… Repeat Mary’s prayer that received God’s Christmas miracle: “Let it be to me according to your Word…”
Who do you know who needs a “God with us” miracle? Name this person to God… Picture him or her… Pray: “Let it be to my friend according to your Word…”
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Monday, December 14, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Be Quiet to Welcome Christmas
Christmastime can be so noisy and busy! Perhaps God is inviting you to make time for quiet prayer?
Zechariah (John the Baptist’s father) waited in silence ten months for the first Christmas! We might do well to pray in quiet for ten minutes! Or an hour or two.
Be still to anticipate Christ’s coming and like Zechariah you too will burst forth with joyous Christmas praise! Set aside some time alone with God and quietly pray to prepare your heart to experience Christ’s birth anew this Christmas.
To help you to quiet your heart try a Centering Prayer on Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” Slowly and gently repeat God’s Word to yourself… Breathe the words in and out…
Then pray for someone else to slow down and appreciate the spirit of Christmas.
Luke 1:5-25, 67-80
Zechariah (John the Baptist’s father) waited in silence ten months for the first Christmas! We might do well to pray in quiet for ten minutes! Or an hour or two.
Be still to anticipate Christ’s coming and like Zechariah you too will burst forth with joyous Christmas praise! Set aside some time alone with God and quietly pray to prepare your heart to experience Christ’s birth anew this Christmas.
To help you to quiet your heart try a Centering Prayer on Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” Slowly and gently repeat God’s Word to yourself… Breathe the words in and out…
Then pray for someone else to slow down and appreciate the spirit of Christmas.
Luke 1:5-25, 67-80
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thirsty for Jesus!
I had too much to do today. But thank God I kept my Sabbath anyway to walk in the hills and go into quiet prayer.
I set aside ministry opportunities, but they came with me in my head! So I kept setting aside all these good thoughts for the best thoughts. I let the beauty of God’s creation and the prayers of the Psalmist draw me into Christ’s wonderful presence.
Eventually all that was left was Jesus. And in Jesus I found delight!
Later I prayed about ministry matters and then I did the work of ministry in Jesus’ easy yoke.
O Jesus! O that I would live with you in this way.
O Jesus!
(A prayer of paraphrases from Psalm 63 verses 1 and 3)
O Jesus!
My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;
My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;
My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;
My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;
My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.
O Jesus!
Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;
Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;
Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;
Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;
Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.
O Jesus!
My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;
Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;
My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;
Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;
My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;
Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;
My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;
Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;
My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.
Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.
I set aside ministry opportunities, but they came with me in my head! So I kept setting aside all these good thoughts for the best thoughts. I let the beauty of God’s creation and the prayers of the Psalmist draw me into Christ’s wonderful presence.
Eventually all that was left was Jesus. And in Jesus I found delight!
Later I prayed about ministry matters and then I did the work of ministry in Jesus’ easy yoke.
O Jesus! O that I would live with you in this way.
O Jesus!
(A prayer of paraphrases from Psalm 63 verses 1 and 3)
O Jesus!
My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;
My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;
My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;
My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;
My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.
O Jesus!
Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;
Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;
Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;
Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;
Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.
O Jesus!
My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;
Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;
My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;
Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;
My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;
Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;
My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;
Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;
My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.
Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Small Beginnings
What makes for a “good day”? For me it starts with prayer.
This morning I awoke early. My thoughts started down the path of planning all I had to do and I started to feel anxious… How easy it is for me at that point to get out of bed and go to work!
Instead, as CS Lewis described so aptly, I shoved back all those “wild animals” and began to pray! I laid in bed. I grabbed an ancient little prayer and held on for dear life!
“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!”
“Have mercy on me, O Lord” is how Psalm 51 begins, my Psalm for the morning. This is s a favorite Centering Prayer of mine.
As I laid in bed I slowly breathed in and out the words: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” I confessed my sins. I submitted each aspect of my day to God. I interceded for people I’ll be interacting with today.
And I’m shooting up little “arrow prayers” today: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!”
A simple prayer of the heart in the morning is a small doorway to a good day. It’s like the door to the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem that leads to the sacred site of the birth of Christ. I’ll never forget stooping down so low to get into this ancient church that shelters the holy ground where Jesus first touched the earth.
The same little prayer can “rebuild” a day that’s not going well. The prophet Zechariah teaches that small beginnings are crucial to great successes. It was his encouragement along these lines that helped the Israelites to complete the rebuilding of their temple after they returned from captivity in Babylon (Zechariah 4:10).
This morning I awoke early. My thoughts started down the path of planning all I had to do and I started to feel anxious… How easy it is for me at that point to get out of bed and go to work!
Instead, as CS Lewis described so aptly, I shoved back all those “wild animals” and began to pray! I laid in bed. I grabbed an ancient little prayer and held on for dear life!
“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!”
“Have mercy on me, O Lord” is how Psalm 51 begins, my Psalm for the morning. This is s a favorite Centering Prayer of mine.
As I laid in bed I slowly breathed in and out the words: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” I confessed my sins. I submitted each aspect of my day to God. I interceded for people I’ll be interacting with today.
And I’m shooting up little “arrow prayers” today: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!”
A simple prayer of the heart in the morning is a small doorway to a good day. It’s like the door to the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem that leads to the sacred site of the birth of Christ. I’ll never forget stooping down so low to get into this ancient church that shelters the holy ground where Jesus first touched the earth.
The same little prayer can “rebuild” a day that’s not going well. The prophet Zechariah teaches that small beginnings are crucial to great successes. It was his encouragement along these lines that helped the Israelites to complete the rebuilding of their temple after they returned from captivity in Babylon (Zechariah 4:10).
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Trying to get more done in less time?
I was talking with a friend who likes to drive in the fast lane. He thrives on trying to get more done in less time in order to be successful. He’s very productive… and stressed.
He doesn’t realize that he’s continually recruiting adrenaline to give him the boost of energy and confidence that he feels he needs to handle all of his responsibilities. His body’s production of adrenaline is like his own drug manufacturing plant! He has adrenaline dependence.
Other people get their adrenaline hits through extreme sports, risky behavior, or loud music.
Adrenaline is God’s gift to us. It’s meant to help us respond to emergencies and urgent needs. Used sparingly it’s a good thing. Used continually it wears down your body and diminishes your life. (Doctors have called this “hurry sickness.”) You get to the point where it’s hard to slow down and enjoy the little blessings in each day – birds singing, children playing, relaxing with a friend, prayer.
It’s difficult for people like my friend to get off of adrenaline. It feels so good! It helps them to get more done. And when they slow down (and aren’t stimulating themselves with adrenaline) they feel tired, empty, and depressed.
I myself have overcome adrenaline dependence. And I’ve helped pastors and other leaders get off the destructive habit of relying on the body’s “speed.”
Freedom comes with learning to set boundaries on work and “urgent” demands and slow down your pace of life. It can be helpful to practice slowing down your pace of life by driving in the slow lane on the road in order to enjoy music (that’s not too loud!) or to pray. Best of all is to learn the value of spending large blocks of time in silence and solitude in order to “be still” with Jesus. (Start with 30 minutes and build from there.)
Slowing down can’t be learned in a “self-help” program. You might have adrenaline withdrawals. You’ll probably feel bored, restless, or insignificant. You need to “process” your emotions with someone and to get coaching on learning new ways of coping with stress.
He doesn’t realize that he’s continually recruiting adrenaline to give him the boost of energy and confidence that he feels he needs to handle all of his responsibilities. His body’s production of adrenaline is like his own drug manufacturing plant! He has adrenaline dependence.
Other people get their adrenaline hits through extreme sports, risky behavior, or loud music.
Adrenaline is God’s gift to us. It’s meant to help us respond to emergencies and urgent needs. Used sparingly it’s a good thing. Used continually it wears down your body and diminishes your life. (Doctors have called this “hurry sickness.”) You get to the point where it’s hard to slow down and enjoy the little blessings in each day – birds singing, children playing, relaxing with a friend, prayer.
It’s difficult for people like my friend to get off of adrenaline. It feels so good! It helps them to get more done. And when they slow down (and aren’t stimulating themselves with adrenaline) they feel tired, empty, and depressed.
I myself have overcome adrenaline dependence. And I’ve helped pastors and other leaders get off the destructive habit of relying on the body’s “speed.”
Freedom comes with learning to set boundaries on work and “urgent” demands and slow down your pace of life. It can be helpful to practice slowing down your pace of life by driving in the slow lane on the road in order to enjoy music (that’s not too loud!) or to pray. Best of all is to learn the value of spending large blocks of time in silence and solitude in order to “be still” with Jesus. (Start with 30 minutes and build from there.)
Slowing down can’t be learned in a “self-help” program. You might have adrenaline withdrawals. You’ll probably feel bored, restless, or insignificant. You need to “process” your emotions with someone and to get coaching on learning new ways of coping with stress.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Rejoicing on a Mundane Monday
Much of our lives includes ordinary work and chores. We all have to do things that don't excite us at work or around the house or in running errands. It's easy to lapse into feeling bored, empty, or like we are trivial. Or to complain (in our thoughts if not out loud) about what we have to do.
This was my temptation beginning my Monday.
To keep from grumping along today I picked up a special prayer rock. It's piece of the outdoor stone theatre in Sephoris Israel. Jesus may have helped to build this marvelous theatre where the "play actors" (same word as "hypocrite" in the Bible) performed.
As I've held my rock today I've thought about Jesus working hour after hour as a carpenter or a stone cutter. I've thought about my "Blue Collar Savior" smiling as he serves hard to please customers and blesses them when they complain. I've imagined him meditating on Scripture and praying while he worked.
For most of his life on earth Jesus worked an ordinary job in an obscure village, loving God and people, praying and playing with his Father, day after day.
Today, Jesus is helping me to appreciate his presence in my midst. In the words of the Apostle John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"
Could there be any greater cause for rejoicing than that? Even on a mundane Monday!
This was my temptation beginning my Monday.
To keep from grumping along today I picked up a special prayer rock. It's piece of the outdoor stone theatre in Sephoris Israel. Jesus may have helped to build this marvelous theatre where the "play actors" (same word as "hypocrite" in the Bible) performed.
As I've held my rock today I've thought about Jesus working hour after hour as a carpenter or a stone cutter. I've thought about my "Blue Collar Savior" smiling as he serves hard to please customers and blesses them when they complain. I've imagined him meditating on Scripture and praying while he worked.
For most of his life on earth Jesus worked an ordinary job in an obscure village, loving God and people, praying and playing with his Father, day after day.
Today, Jesus is helping me to appreciate his presence in my midst. In the words of the Apostle John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"
Could there be any greater cause for rejoicing than that? Even on a mundane Monday!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Why did Paul rarely quote Jesus?
Recently I read an article that pointed out that the Apostle Paul only quoted Jesus three times (Acts 20:35, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, and 2 Corinthians 12:9).
How could this be? The man who was the most like Jesus and who wrote half of the New Testament only quoted Jesus three times?
Like Jesus, Paul spoke and wrote with the authority of the Holy Spirit. He didn't "proof text" his teachings with quotes. He simply oozed Jesus!
For Paul the life and teaching of his Lord and Savior was so interwoven in his character and in all that he said and did that you couldn't separate Paul from Jesus. When people saw Paul they saw Jesus. Even today, 2,000 years later, when we think of Paul we immediately think of his Master Jesus.
Paul was "in Christ." His identity - his every breath - was about Jesus Christ: loving him and encouraging other people to love him. What a great example of being a disciple of Jesus!
May you and I be like Paul, living confidently "in Christ" and oozing the Spirit of Christ out from our pores onto people all around us!
How could this be? The man who was the most like Jesus and who wrote half of the New Testament only quoted Jesus three times?
Like Jesus, Paul spoke and wrote with the authority of the Holy Spirit. He didn't "proof text" his teachings with quotes. He simply oozed Jesus!
For Paul the life and teaching of his Lord and Savior was so interwoven in his character and in all that he said and did that you couldn't separate Paul from Jesus. When people saw Paul they saw Jesus. Even today, 2,000 years later, when we think of Paul we immediately think of his Master Jesus.
Paul was "in Christ." His identity - his every breath - was about Jesus Christ: loving him and encouraging other people to love him. What a great example of being a disciple of Jesus!
May you and I be like Paul, living confidently "in Christ" and oozing the Spirit of Christ out from our pores onto people all around us!
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