Night Prayer

Lord, it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.
The night is dark;
Let our fears of the darkness of the world

and our own lives rest in you.
 
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
 all dear to us, and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys, new possibilities.
In your name we pray. Amen.  

Leaving a Corner

"So may you come to see that grace isn’t fair.

Redemption isn’t fair.

Liberation isn’t fair.

And may you extend this unfairness to others,

finding out that your overflow

is somebody else’s necessity.

May you find somebody who

needs what you have,

only to discover that they

had what you needed all along.”

~ Rob Bell

Nooma - "Corner"

Heeding the Prophets' Warnings

During this Second Week of Advent, we are reminded of the ministry of God's prophets, both ancient and modern. Since the earliest days of God's covenant with Israel, God has raised up men and women who have served as the mouthpiece of the Lord. These prophetic witnesses have been the source of inspiration and hope for God's people in the midst of famine, national disunity, and exile. The prophets have also been the voice of exhortation and admonition, calling God's people to account for their actions (or inaction as the case may be).

In the collect for the Second Sunday of Advent we recognize the importance of this prophetic ministry and pray for "grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins." What does it mean to heed the prophets' warnings? Throughout the history of God's people, the temptation to idolatry has been ever present. In the garden of Eden, the serpent taunted Eve with the promise of divinity; it was the idol of human pride that ultimately led to the "fall" of the human race. The prophets have consistently proclaimed a message of repentance and grace. The strong language of judgment and wrath found in the prophetic writings serves primarily to highlight the gravity of our sin and our need for repentance. To heed the warnings of the prophets is to acknowledge that apart from God we are nothing, to recognize our need for redemption and healing. To heed the warnings of the prophets is to see clearly the consequences of our sin, to have the eyes of our hearts opened to the reality of the human condition and God's promise of salvation.

Time and again, God's people have not heeded the warnings of the prophets; they have relied on human wisdom and, consequently, followed to much the devices and desires of their own hearts. As we prepare to hear once more the message of the Angels in Bethlehem, let us first hear once more the message of the Prophets, both ancient and modern, who call us to repentance and ammendment of life. Let us hear once more the call to seek the Lord, for in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confience shall be our strength.

Where is God calling you to a deeper place of repentance? Have you grown distant in your relationship with Christ? How will you draw near to his presence this Advent?

Prophets of Israel

The following illustration shows where the various prophets of Israel conducted their public ministries:

Map of Kingdoms

* This is a flash movie and cannot be viewed on Apple devices.

The Promise of Salvation

As the secular world turns its gaze almost exlusively toward Christmas, the church begins the season of Advent, a time to prepare ourselves to hear once more the message of the angels, to go to Bethlehem and see the Son of God lying in a manger.

This Advent, we will be exploring the story of salvation beginning with the promises made to our spiritual ancestors. The story of salvation has its roots in the creation story, but the covenant that God establishes with Abraham marks the beginning of a historical narrative that leads ultimately to the birth of Jesus. God promises that Abraham will be the father of many nations and that through Abraham God will bless all the peoples of the earth. Specifically, it is through the offspring  of Abraham that God's promise will ultimately be fulfilled. This promise was the foundation for the history of the people of Israel. In the New Testament, we find Paul reflecting on this promise made to Abraham. For Paul, the offspring of Abraham is none other that Jesus himself (Galatians 3:16).

The promise made to Abraham and ultimately fulfilled in Christ was the source of great hope for God's people. A promise has the power to produce hope only when it is trustworthy and true. God's promises produce hope in the hearts of his people precisely because God is faithful, trustworthy, and true to his Word. In the New Testament, Jesus is called "our Hope" because he is the fulfillment of God's promise.

Finally, a promise implies waiting; a promise brings about encouragement and hope in the present as well as expectations for the future. God's people learned much about themselves and the nature of God through seasons of expectant waiting. Many of the well known biblical characters experienced the tension of spiritual waiting - the tension between promise and fulfillment. During seasons of spiritual waiting, God's people have, at times, rebelled and sought to "fulfill" the promise according to their own plans, but God, according to his faithfulness, continues to offer grace and forgiveness to his people. God never breaks his promise!

As we enter the season of Advent, may it be a time of reflection as we look back at the story of our salvation, as we contemplate the neverfailing promises of God. May this Advent also be a time of hope as we expectantly await the coming of our Savior.

Solomon's Temple

Click on image to enlarge

National Day of Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer, enacted by congress in 1952. I ran across the following ten reasons why we should pray, which were submitted by the Rev. Bill Schuler to Fox News. At the conclusion of this list, I have included the Prayer for our Country found in the Book of Common Prayer. Please join me in praying for our country and the world.

                                                    ~

1. Prayer reminds us that we are not the solution to the challenges that grip our world but we have access to the one who transcends those challenges.

2. A prayerless nation has no hope beyond the headlines.

3. Prayer aligns us with God’s heart, purposes and blessings.

4. Prayer is an act of humility that precedes honor.

5. Prayer enlarges the heart beyond selfish motive.

6. Prayer provokes the heart to consider not only what is but what can be with God’s help.

7. Prayer is best prioritized when one asks God to change one’s own heart first.

8. No matters of eternal value will be accomplished outside of prayer.

9. Prayer is properly prioritized vigilance in a spiritually passive world.

10. Prayer at its best is an offering of one’s self to be used by God as a part of the answer.

Prayer for our Country

Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly ask that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought together out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those whom in your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among all the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Seeking Peace

Here is the quote attrubuted to Martin Luther King, Jr. Even though it has since been discovered that this attribution was an error, the sentiment of these words is still very appropriate as we reflect the death of Osama bin Laden.

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

From Darkness to Light: Reflections on Holy Week

The busiest week of the church year is behind us. However, each year as I reflect on Holy Week I ask myself this question: Have I truly experienced the profound mystery of Holy Week or have I simply gone through a series of liturgical motions? The answer to this question varies from year to year with some years being extremely uplifting and enlightening, while others are rather dry and uninspiring.

As I ponder the events of the past week, I am struck by the symbolism of darkness and light. On Wednesday evening, during the Office of Tenebrae, the church became gradually darker and darker until only a single candle, representing the eternal light of Christ, remained. The darkness of that Tenebrae service remained present throughout the liturgies of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as we contemplated Christ's acts of humble service and ultimate sacrifice. The darkness of these three services was tangible. I could feel the heaviness of God's heart as he watch his only Son endure the pain of rejection, betrayal, humilitation, and death. I could sense of powers of darkness that foolishly believed they had won the victory on that ominous Friday afternoon at Golgotha. I caught a glimpse of the blackness of sin and despair that was placed upon the shoulders of Jesus as he hung on the cross. I could see the darkness of our broken world longing to be healed, redeemed, and restored. However, I also came to realize that darkness is not a reality unto itself, but is rather the absence of light. Darkness has no true power. Darkness has no authority, because it has no substance.

On Saturday evening, we gathered outside the church to light the Easter fire, symbolizing the light of Christ breaking through our darkness. We then processed into the church, which remained shrouded in darkness. The Paschal light burned brightly in the midst of the darkness. After hearing the story of God's salvation, the resurrection was announced and the church was flooded with light. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! I am continually struck by the fact that these declarations are made in the present tense. We are not announcing an event that occured 2,000 years ago, we are announcing the present reality of God's resurrection power in our lives, the power of life over death and light over darkness. We are no longer abiding in the absence of light, but we now dwell in the fullness of light, the very presence of the Risen Christ.

So, for me, this Holy Week has been a movement from darkness to light. We were once a people who dwelled in darkness, but we have seen a great light. Let us therefore walk in the light as He is in the light!