Pray Like a Caged Bird!

Prayer has been a tough journey for me. I most often am weary in prayer, not fully understanding the point: if God is leading all things to their end, what is the need for prayer? But the "God" I refer to with that sentiment is a far off God who does not need prayer. However, the God of the Bible does use prayer. And desires prayer.

Prayer is our way to connect with God. And therein, perhaps, lies the real rub. Do I believe that I will hear from God, that in prayer, I will actually connect with the God of the universe. I am not the only one to ask this question:

Is the reason, we're not still to hear You, because we don't believe You will, in stillness and simplicity ~Michael Card.

Though, I am finding little solace in that right now. But some.

My trouble these days has been hearty belief. There is a nagging doubt in, well, all of it, that has kept me grounded. And that's probably a good thing. But, I pray that I wait upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31). I can hear Eugene Peterson also calling to Jeremiah 12:5. By His grace, I will run with horses, Brother Peterson!

Lord Jesus, You give us promises to rely on, to strengthen us when things look bleak. I have not heard from You in a way that I want, but can I learn to hear from You in the way that You want? In the way You are guiding me? Teach me to pray, Lord Jesus. Teach me to listen. Teach me how to be connected to You and the Father through the Spirit. I pray not for technical flourish, but for flight nonetheless. Do birds think about flight when they are flying, or do they think about what they're after? But should they be grounded, they no doubt anguish in their diminished capacity. Such as that grounded bird, is what it is to be a man. The Word, I read, tells me that You understand that full well.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Comments

A Dim Confidence

This morning CS Lewis conveyed to me in Mere Christianity many ideas I think I will have to go back and examine, but one key idea was the idea of why some people seem to get more of God than others. Lewis likened God's reality, His revealed self, to sunshine in a mirror (or something like that). If the mirror is mucky then it will not be very good at reflecting the radiance of the sun. In a similar way, if a man is mucky, if his heart is impure, his mind unclean, then he will not be able to absorb the light. The light will be distorted and hazy, obscured. I envy men who are able to jump out and take hold of God offers them. I envy men, if I'm being honest, who are able to jump out and take hold of much less than God. They have confidence, they know they will acquire what they are after. Where does it come from, this confidence? Is it real or imagined? In any case, I know that God would have us be confident, especially if our life is in Him. So, these are my prayers today...

From Goals to Roles

It's been quite a while since I've sat down to write down goals and map out plans to get there. I used to do this thing all the time when I was out of work living in Brooklyn. I would write down all of these details about the things I wanted to do (Bookbinding, Screen Printing, Music, etc). This was the era of David Allen and get things done. Much of that has stayed with me. As I look back, I became something of a productivity automaton. Not very crazy, as I have read about others being, but in my own haphazard way, I was one, too. Over the past several years there has not been quite the same reflective time, or maybe I have not thought that I needed it. But with my wife consistently telling me that I put too high a premium on work, that I'm not there to meet hers and the families needs, and with me thinking about friendships (or the lack of them) here in Memphis, my continued overweightness, and a few other messy features about myself, I consider that it is time to do...

Meditation as Rightly Concentrated Consideration | Contemplation as The Course of Right Action

Let us begin by saying that the basic difference between meditation and contemplation is that meditation is a human mode of prayer whereas contemplation is divinely infused prayer. This morning I consider, consideration. It's a term often used in the Bible, I believe in both the old and new testament. While you are going about your life, have you considered this... It's the entryway to the contemplative life. I use contemplation there, as a culminating thing, intentionally. Before I read a little bit, I might have considered using the word meditation instead, but that reveals my persuasion and error; also my inexperience. Meditation is man-initiated deep-thought. It's hope is to reach God. Contemplation, as exposed in the article below, is Spirit-breathed prayer inside of us, guiding us to right and holy actions. As I was searching consideration "vs" the other 2 terms, concentration came up. Presently, I see that as the course from consideration to meditation....

In the Morning When I Rise

Search This Blog