The PRAYERwerks: February 2010

Friday, February 12, 2010

Transcendence

Sunset Beach, NC

Your words, Lord Christ, to the first disciples…
The kingdom of God is near. (Mark 1:15)

St. Paul speaking to the Athenians…
…he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:27-28)

St. Paul writing to the Corinthians…
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2nd Corinthians 4:18)

Father, this is barely comprehensible to me.

Depending on the translation, your kingdom is near…at hand…it’s here! We’re living within the Kingdom…surrounded by God…enveloped by the Creator.

My encounters with the Kingdom are akin to a drive by. If I could only end this tug of war – my will vs. your will. I want to release the rope…take your hand…live within the Kingdom.

Lord, I pray for a palpable sense of the invisible…for a deeper spirituality. Levitate my spirit. Amen.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Candlemas

February 2nd was a Feast Day for much of the Christian community. Candles are significant to the observance. Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox Church and Anglicans celebrate Candlemas or the Meeting of the Lord.

Forty Days after Jesus’ birth his parents presented him at the Temple in Jerusalem. During the purification ritual Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:22-38) recognized the infant as the promised Messiah - long before his ministry began. Simeon proclaimed Jesus to be the “light for revelation.” There’s the candle connection and the name - Candlemas or Candle Mass. As Bible stories go, I believe this is a big one:

Simeon’s personal recognition of Jesus as our light, as our salvation, is fundamental. Anna’s enthusiasm for telling others is essential.

Praise God!
For Jesus,
Our Lord and Savior!

To borrow Simeon’s words: My eyes have seen your plan for salvation. We stand in the light of revelation.

Lord Christ, you are our illumination - our everlasting light.

We seek your presence and guidance - your enlightenment.

Like Simeon and Anna, may we find you - in Word, in worship, in service. May we recognize you in those we serve and those who serve us.

Prepare our hearts to faithfully reflect your light! Amen.

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I admire people who can pray spontaneously, but there’s something to be said for word craft, especially when the words are offered to the Lord.

The PRAYERwerks is my attempt to assemble the components of prayer: Praise. Gratitude. Confession. Repentance. Intercession. Humility. Authenticity. The result: A connection with the presence and power of God.

(There’s a significant omission from the list above: silence before the Lord and listening for his voice. I can’t really assist with that on the Internet other than to remind you of its importance!)

I'm publishing my prayers on the web because we can’t get enough…offer enough…speak enough…internalize enough PRAYER. As St. Paul advised the Thessalonians “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.” This is my modest contribution to the cause.

Here’s a disclaimer: I may "sample" ideas and language from my daily Bible study - Encounter with God - from Scripture Union USA, and the other resources listed below on the sidebar. Some might consider it plagiarism. I prefer to think of it as improvisation, and I attempt to give the authors and expositors credit.

Thanks for visiting The PRAYERwerks.

G.W. Habel
Durham NC, USA

I only pray when I'm in trouble. But I'm in trouble all the time, so I always pray.

Isaac Bashevis Singer

Nobel Laureate

Prayer is eternity in the midst of mortality, life among death, hope amidst despair, true promise surrounded by lies. So let us pray unceasingly.

Henri Nouwen

One way to make sure that your heart is in tune with God is to pray often. The more you talk to God, the more he will talk to you.

Family Christian Press

Prayer names how God becomes present to us and how we participate in that presence by praying for others.

Stanley Hauerwas
Duke University
From Hannah’s Child