As I have been preparing
to go and participate in a National Day of Prayer event in Courtland, MS, I have
begun to reflect on what exactly I need to be prayerful over. The truth is that there are so many things I
know need prayer… our government, our schools, our leadership (national and
local), the men and women of our armed forces, the souls in Texas who are
reeling from a devastating disaster, the people of Boston who are dealing with
the aftermath of terror in their midst, victims of earthquakes and other
natural disasters… the list just goes on and on. I have trouble deciding where to begin. It is daunting and a little on the
overwhelming side.
I am also aware that in
the midst of my prayers for these things I, and so many others, can begin these
prayers as if we are decreeing before God what is wrong with creation like God
is unaware; and we are asking for God’s judgment in all of these situations
when we are directly involved to one degree or another in the advancement of
the trouble in this world. It is more than a
little disconcerting to realize that I, a pastor and spiritual leader, a self-declared
follower of the Christ, may have any part of the mess that we look around and
see. But I have to begin with the admission
that I am as guilty of sin as anyone else in creation.
But in pondering the idea of my decrees before God, I was reminded by a passage in Walter Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination of the narrative beginning in Luke’s 2nd chapter. And I gained some insight that I believe will help those of us engaged in becoming disciples to be encouraged, and possibly find a beginning point as we pray into all of the afore mentioned areas in need of our prayer.
But in pondering the idea of my decrees before God, I was reminded by a passage in Walter Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination of the narrative beginning in Luke’s 2nd chapter. And I gained some insight that I believe will help those of us engaged in becoming disciples to be encouraged, and possibly find a beginning point as we pray into all of the afore mentioned areas in need of our prayer.
In the account of Jesus’
birth shared through the Lucan accounts, we find that Caesar decreed that there
should be a census. In the midst of this
human decree, God breaks in to share some good news with a group of shepherds
in a field. But rather than a decree,
God’s angels begin with a song. Humans “decree”
in their attempts to hold on to control (or the illusion of control)… God “sings”
songs of newness, and intentionally finds new ways to reach the people whom God
created and liberates those same people.
Human decrees of power over another because of “rightness” are met with
a heavenly refrain reminding the world of God’s righteousness and sovereignty
and a desire for Godly love to be the new world order. Now that’s a song worth singing… a prayer
worth praying… a hope worth having in the face of all that may indeed be wrong
with humans in this world.
Today many in this
nation will be praying, and we certainly need prayer. I am hopeful however that the prayers offered
will give way to a heavenly song that both proclaims and inspires a new way of
relating to one another and the God of the universe. After all, we can pray against all that is wrong, or we can
sing for the restoration of creation
with the hope of children who have been shown the truth of God’s love in
Christ.
Once again, my faithful friend and leader, you nailed down a powerful and effective message in a compact package. Thank you for sharing a new way to pray. I will be singing a song as I pray into these situations, and in my internal focus. Your message, with all the stated needs for prayer reminded me of a devotion I shared with Margo Sunday. It was the 2 Kings 4 account of Elisha curing the poisoned pot, and the lesson for us that even our ignorant mistakes can become blessings when God redeems them for good. Margo said it reminded her of quote shared shared by a classmate: "Life is like a photograph -- we develop from the negatives." There are many mistakes and negatives in this world as you shared it, and if we react in an appropriate way we can develop from them when God redeems them for good.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the many ways you glorify our awesome God, and your unique way of sharing His word.
Janet Wray