Category: First Steps

One of the questions I get asked often is “Is there a right or wrong way to pray?”  The short answer is “No.”  Though words are important for they convey meaning, give expression, and provide communication, when it comes to prayer, they are only part of the story.  For instance, we pray more unspoken prayers than we realize.  There are also times our words don’t match our heart’s desire.  In those cases, what is more important:  the words or our heart’s desire?  The Apostle Paul even said when words fail us, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27).

Countless times when I have received horrible news about a friend, a church member, or an acquaintance, and my first thought was, “God, how can I help this person?”  Not knowing what to pray, my thoughts were only for their strength to endure.  As quick as I said, “Lord, I don’t know where to begin,” I perceived God to say, “I already know.”

Words are important but don’t get hung up on them. Eventually the words will come. Focus on your own heart—just express it to God and that will be enough.

This week’s reading:

Prayer Requests:
All those affected by the mass shooting in Las Vegas.
Hurricane relief efforts to continue
Our Country and Our Leaders
Phase I of our Building Campaign

Fred Craddock tells a story of a young female student at Emory who came into his office mystified.  She explained that she was not a Christian and had not attended church. Unfortunately, there came a time when she had reached a low point in her life and in fact had intended to commit suicide.  She had gone to a high bridge and was going to jump into the river below.  What stopped her was that suddenly as she was about to jump a verse of Scripture popped into her mind:  “My life is not my own.  I have been bought with a price.”

The young woman came and asked Dr. Craddock, the great New Testament scholar, for help and explanation to what happened to her.  Craddock asked a number of questions. “Are you sure you never attended church or read the Bible?”  She responded, “Yes, very sure.”  She then said, “Wait, there was a time, when I was a little girl, that my grandmother took me to Vacation Bible School at her church.”  Craddock asked, “Do you remember anything from that experience?”  “Only that we were asked to write out these little sentences on strips of paper and memorize them.  I guess they were Bible verses.” Craddock smiled and said, “You see, God stored that gospel word in your heart, so that one day it would save you and indeed it had.”

I don’t think any of us will ever fully know how many times God reveals himself to us.  I’m convinced we only notice a fraction; and even then, they are filtered through our experiences.  The good news is it only takes that small fraction, one simple ray of grace, that can save a life.  For that, all honor and glory belongs to God.  This week, look for the fragments of grace.  Try to see the whole canopy of love God gives to you.

 

This week’s reading:

 
Prayer Requests:
 
Those affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria
Mexico City and those affected by recent earthquake
Our Country and Our Leaders

E. Stanley Jones, an American missionary to India once said, “There are two groups of people in this world. There is a very big group of people in this world who are miserable. They live for themselves. There’s another group who have given their lives away to others. Their lives are filled with a wild joy.”

This week, find a way to live for another.  Notice the people around you.  Invite them into your life.  Speak words of love and grace to them.  In doing so, we can find joy in serving The One who makes us whole.

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Monday – John 16

Tuesday – John 17
Wednesday – John 18
Thursday – John 19
Friday – John 20

Please pray for:
* The St. Paul UMC Capital Building Campaign.
* The United Methodist Church.
* Our Nation and Leaders.
* Teachers and Students as they return to school.

How do you deal with heavy burdens?  Henri Nouwen, a Christian mystic, shared this experience of a time when he was carrying multiple burdens.  In his book, A Spirituality of Homecoming, he wrote about a time where he was depressed about everything and while lecturing in Arizona, visited the Grand Canyon.  There, he said, “I saw this multimillion-year-old canyon and its place in an even older creation and thought that if that whole time period were represented by one hour, then I probably was born in a tiny fraction of the last second.  Looking at the Grand Canyon, this enormous abyss of beauty, I thought, ‘My dear, why are you overcome by these problems?’  My depression fell away.  In the face of all this, what are you worried about, as if you were carrying the burden of the world?  Something has gone on before you and something will go on after you, so why don’t you enjoy the brief time you’ve been given?”

For Nouwen, seeing the Grand Canyon was like seeing a wound in the earth.  For him, just seeing the enormity of the Grand Canyon and walking around it was like entering the vastness of God’s divine love.  He realized he could acknowledge his burdens and not be paralyzed by them.

I don’t know if you are carrying heavy burdens or if you have ever visited the Grand Canyon.  The real remedy for our burdens is the love God.  When I find myself in the same place as Nouwen, I think on two verses:

Cast your cares on him, he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
Come all who are weary and heavy burden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

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Monday – John 11

Tuesday – John 12
Wednesday – John 13
Thursday – John 14
Friday – John 15

Please pray for:
* The St. Paul UMC Capital Building Campaign.
* The United Methodist Church.
* Our Nation and Leaders.
* Teachers and Students as they return to school.

David Muskens, in his book Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God, says, “As I am fully present to God, I become the kind of person who is wholly present to others. I can give no greater gift. When I am present I am considerate, giving undivided attention to the pern’s words and feelings at the moment. People deeply need this gift of being appreciated and attended, especially in times of distress. The first task of ministry is to be present to people in their need.”

To be loving and present to another, first means I need to be present to God. When I’m present to God, I find myself in the right frame of mind and disposition of the heart to want to be present to another. What we do vertically (with God) influences what we do horizontally (with others). Therefore, cultivate the vertical so that you can help the horizontal. This week, look for ways to be fully present to God and watch what happens to the people around you.

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Monday – John 6

Tuesday – John 7
Wednesday – John 8
Thursday – John 9
Friday – John 10

Please pray for:
* The St. Paul UMC Capital Building Campaign.
* The United Methodist Church.
* Our Nation and Leaders.
* St. Paul Youth who are participating in Global Missions.
* Teachers and Students as they prepare to return to school.