Lean in, unload on Jesus

things that stress…

for me, our national politics and government,

the cruelty, hypocrisy, corruption 

[add your stressor here]

“give it to God”

not the bearded, fatherly omnipresence

“give it to Jesus”

our God who was betrayed, abandoned,

tortured and murdered

lean in

on the One who knows 

unimaginable pain

the One who hung on a cross

unload 

on the the One who rose from the dead

the One who brings victory

Jesus will hold your worry

your fears and ache

the Spirit will replace

anguish with hope

amen

warranty against defects

beautiful world

blessed life

there are

imperfections

of course

these are 

especially

discouraging days

JOY+WONDER+LOVE

are obscured

yet

we are

equipped

for these times

by JESUS

with the SPIRIT

we gripe

we whine

we fear

but 

we have the

ANTIDOTE

we have a

SHIELD

bound up 

in the POWER

of CHRIST’S

RESURRECTION

it requires 

BELIEF

then 

TRUST

these 

confounding

imperfections  

will not rule

JESUS

lift my 

withered spirit for

JOY+WONDER+LOVE

amen

epic folly #2

Patient, merciful God,

Straining to be generous

I believe 

our Secretary of War 

prays to You.

Maybe he’s stuck 

in the Old Testament?

With military discipline

he seems to avoid

the Gospels

and your teaching

Lord Christ.

Fruits of the Spirit

are absent

or dismissed.

The celebration 

of violence

and his certitude 

are confounding.

Yes, he prays

but where is

the still small voice

in response?

Amen

epic folly

Lord! Lord!

our war with Iran 

rather, our war upon Iran

impatient, impetuous

now veers toward 

not a just war

but a war crime

committed by

The United States of America 

our broken President 

is breaking the world order 

of eight decades

is breaking the moral order

ignoring Christ

ignoring Christ at Easter

Lord! Lord! 

i implore

an intervention

in our leaders’ hearts

in my (lazy) heart

(i want others to stand up

while I remain seated)

Lord! Lord!

guide me 

push me

as I pray

amen

For Transformation in the New Year

Lord Christ, 

Transform my terrors to trust, 

my fears to faith, 

my worries to worship. 

Let anguish melt into adoration.

Resolve my hang-ups with hope. 

Holy Spirit,

Help me to cultivate and share...

Inner peace,

The comfort of quiet and solitude,

A sense of well being,

Contentment,

The joy of living. 

Amen.

This is an aspirational mash-up of today’s Scripture Union* and Henri Nouwen reading - my spiritual goals for a new year. Fight the fear. Build up my hope muscle. Strive for a greater sense of gratitude and contentment. These attributes don’t spontaneously happen at baptism or when one “gets saved.” This is the stuff you work on - with God - every day of your life. That’s my definition of sanctification: the incremental, ongoing development of Christlike qualities. Per John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Click on Labels at the bottom of this post for more prayers on this theme.

* Ronald Blue, quoted on Habbakuk, Bible Knowledge Commentary. Scripture Union, Encounter with God, Q4 2024, page 104.

National Life & the Social Order

Is the language and sentiment outdated? I find great solace in the “national life” and “social order” prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, my go-to prayers for the 2024 election cycle. 

O Lord our Governor,

Send down upon those who hold office the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice; that with steadfast purpose they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people. *

Lord! Lord!  I’m flailing in the quicksand of MAGA, the politics of grievance and Christian nationalism. Polls, headlines and social media pull me under.

You have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect. **

Lord, Lord!  I reach for the “the shining city on the hill,” for the guardrails, for the rule of law, for a United States.

Bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth. ***

Lord! Lord!  Correct and bless America. Save us from ourselves. And save us for your purposes. Amen.

~ ~ ~

1st John 5:4 reminds me about the only “election” that really matters:

 

...because everyone who is born from God defeats the world. And this is the victory that has defeated the world: our faith. (CEB)

———

BCP,  for local government, page 822  *

BCP,  in times of conflict, page 824  **

BCP,  for sound government, page 821  ***

The Infancy of Faith

This is my theology of the Incarnation. You might call it infantile?!? As a grandfather, I am all about babies and little kids. I’ve been to three Christmas pageants this month. In this mad, mad world, the children’s retelling of the Christmas story stokes my hope.

Our “Big Bang” Creator God,

Who hung the stars and planets,

Who speaks in the volcano and typhoon,

Comes stealthily to us at Christmas - as a baby!

To know our lives from the very beginning,

To identify with all that is vulnerable, small and dependent,*

To remind us of hope and promise - something we sense acutely with our own babies.

The Christ Child is our connection with the Creator, and vice versa. We are known, sustained and hope-filled. Amen.

Browse my Advent and Christmas prayers.

*Henri Nouwen   

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