Monday, March 05, 2007
Drawing Well Water
"To be a Christian
without prayer
is no more possible
than to be alive
without breathing".
This CWO quote is by Martin Luther. While reading it I thought of a hymn that so fits what it's about. Christy Nockels sings it on a Worship Together CD. The title is "Breathe". I'll paraphrase some here:
This is the air I breathe, The air I breathe,
Your holy Presence, Living in me.
And I'm desperate for You, I'm lost without You.
This is the air I breathe, The air I breathe,
Your Very Word Spoken to me, My Daily Bread.
When I don't know exactly what to say, or ask of God, I depend upon Psalms for words, so I turned to those powerful hymns and praises.
My Bible introduces them with: "Man needs to communicate with God in prayer and in song. He nees to come before Him and honestly present what is on his heart, whether it's distress or joy, confusion or confidence. Man needs to lift up his voice in worship, making melody with his heart to the Lord". One hundred and fifty Psalms. Enough for a lifetime of acknowledging God.
While the Old Testament prophesied about Jesus, the New Testament echoed His carrying out our salvation. The purpose of the book of Matthew is to show that He's the Son Of God.
In Luke He stands in a synagogue and reads old prophesy from Isaiah, that He would be the world's own Saviour. While the locals in His little home town weren't respectful, or hardly polite, Jesus declared "Today this Scripture is fulfilled." Throughout time since He calls again and again, welcoming whoever will hear it.
I doubt any of us forgot the first time we talked with Him. Church and prayer, and Bible reading came easy, until we let everyday living get in the way. I don't think we mean to, but good intentions by themselves don't count. The road to hell is paved with them.
I do remember how full my days became, especially when a new child arrived. Over time I spent less time staying in touch with Him. Sometimes we can make things too complicated. In younger days I approached prayer as if it were hardly connected to daily living. But aging sometimes brings more understanding. What relief He's interested in my ordinary times.
Talking with Him should be as natural as sweeping floors or brushing teeth.
Most of us brush our Ivories twice a day, or at least once. If you're having trouble making time for God, try this. Put your toothbrush on the opposite side of where you keep it, as a reminder to stop and tell Him "Hello". For a while you'll still reach for where it was, but in the process reach for Him.
He really understands Moms are rushed. The quality of your prayer is not measured by how long you talk. Chances are it's more important how we listen. The whole point is to form the habit of even little prayers.
I've been places and suddenly got important news, and as automatic as a knee jerk reaction exclaimed "Thank You Lord!" Only a few times did this seem to bother anybody. Others curse and talk less appropriately in public. I won't deliberately annoy anyone, but a grateful "thank you" to our Savior, how bad is that!
I've broken free of religious legalism. Am not concerned with proper praying attire. In my red plaid pajamas with Nebraska Huskers logo on them, I don't feel irreverent to my Lord. If anything should be examined it's my attitude, not clothes.
I used to think it was sacreligious to ask "little" things of God. But now whatever's going on, I tell Him. Psalms says to take the good things to Him too. I'm not real big on multi-tasking. But I've found a way that gets a day's good start. As I look out my window every morning. I Thank Him for the sun or for the rain. Saying That reminds me I am nearing His wellspring.
To point out other ideas about this week's quote, I must include a personal favorite, Paul's book to the Phillippians. From the Bible called THE MESSAGE, by Eugene H. Peterson, this writer says it's Paul's happiest letter, and goes on: "But happiness is not a word we understand by finding it in a dictionary". He continues, "Something more like apprenticeship is required. An apprentice learns by daily and intimate association with a "master"...... Paul doesn't tell us we can be, or how to be happy, He simply and unmistakably is!
"None of his circumstances contribute to his joy. He was writing from a jail cell. His work was under attack by competitors, and after twenty years of hard traveling in the service of Jesus, he was tired and would have welcomed relief. But circumstances are incidental compared to the life of the Messiah, that Paul experiences from the inside."
"For it is a life that not only happened at a certain point in time, but continues spilling out.
In this same THE MESSAGE Bible is: "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him! ......Don't fret or worry. instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your concerns into prayers.... You can be sure God will take care of them. His generosity exceeds yours in the glory that pours from Him. Bring your bucket back to the well.
without prayer
is no more possible
than to be alive
without breathing".
This CWO quote is by Martin Luther. While reading it I thought of a hymn that so fits what it's about. Christy Nockels sings it on a Worship Together CD. The title is "Breathe". I'll paraphrase some here:
This is the air I breathe, The air I breathe,
Your holy Presence, Living in me.
And I'm desperate for You, I'm lost without You.
This is the air I breathe, The air I breathe,
Your Very Word Spoken to me, My Daily Bread.
When I don't know exactly what to say, or ask of God, I depend upon Psalms for words, so I turned to those powerful hymns and praises.
My Bible introduces them with: "Man needs to communicate with God in prayer and in song. He nees to come before Him and honestly present what is on his heart, whether it's distress or joy, confusion or confidence. Man needs to lift up his voice in worship, making melody with his heart to the Lord". One hundred and fifty Psalms. Enough for a lifetime of acknowledging God.
While the Old Testament prophesied about Jesus, the New Testament echoed His carrying out our salvation. The purpose of the book of Matthew is to show that He's the Son Of God.
In Luke He stands in a synagogue and reads old prophesy from Isaiah, that He would be the world's own Saviour. While the locals in His little home town weren't respectful, or hardly polite, Jesus declared "Today this Scripture is fulfilled." Throughout time since He calls again and again, welcoming whoever will hear it.
I doubt any of us forgot the first time we talked with Him. Church and prayer, and Bible reading came easy, until we let everyday living get in the way. I don't think we mean to, but good intentions by themselves don't count. The road to hell is paved with them.
I do remember how full my days became, especially when a new child arrived. Over time I spent less time staying in touch with Him. Sometimes we can make things too complicated. In younger days I approached prayer as if it were hardly connected to daily living. But aging sometimes brings more understanding. What relief He's interested in my ordinary times.
Talking with Him should be as natural as sweeping floors or brushing teeth.
Most of us brush our Ivories twice a day, or at least once. If you're having trouble making time for God, try this. Put your toothbrush on the opposite side of where you keep it, as a reminder to stop and tell Him "Hello". For a while you'll still reach for where it was, but in the process reach for Him.
He really understands Moms are rushed. The quality of your prayer is not measured by how long you talk. Chances are it's more important how we listen. The whole point is to form the habit of even little prayers.
I've been places and suddenly got important news, and as automatic as a knee jerk reaction exclaimed "Thank You Lord!" Only a few times did this seem to bother anybody. Others curse and talk less appropriately in public. I won't deliberately annoy anyone, but a grateful "thank you" to our Savior, how bad is that!
I've broken free of religious legalism. Am not concerned with proper praying attire. In my red plaid pajamas with Nebraska Huskers logo on them, I don't feel irreverent to my Lord. If anything should be examined it's my attitude, not clothes.
I used to think it was sacreligious to ask "little" things of God. But now whatever's going on, I tell Him. Psalms says to take the good things to Him too. I'm not real big on multi-tasking. But I've found a way that gets a day's good start. As I look out my window every morning. I Thank Him for the sun or for the rain. Saying That reminds me I am nearing His wellspring.
To point out other ideas about this week's quote, I must include a personal favorite, Paul's book to the Phillippians. From the Bible called THE MESSAGE, by Eugene H. Peterson, this writer says it's Paul's happiest letter, and goes on: "But happiness is not a word we understand by finding it in a dictionary". He continues, "Something more like apprenticeship is required. An apprentice learns by daily and intimate association with a "master"...... Paul doesn't tell us we can be, or how to be happy, He simply and unmistakably is!
"None of his circumstances contribute to his joy. He was writing from a jail cell. His work was under attack by competitors, and after twenty years of hard traveling in the service of Jesus, he was tired and would have welcomed relief. But circumstances are incidental compared to the life of the Messiah, that Paul experiences from the inside."
"For it is a life that not only happened at a certain point in time, but continues spilling out.
In this same THE MESSAGE Bible is: "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him! ......Don't fret or worry. instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your concerns into prayers.... You can be sure God will take care of them. His generosity exceeds yours in the glory that pours from Him. Bring your bucket back to the well.
