Devotion 220310

Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning. Thank God for another wonderful day to grow in Him. He is the author and grower of our faith. We are His workmanship on earth. He designs our lives to reflect His wonderful glory. We live and grow in Him, so that the name of our Creator God is being lifted up on high. We enjoy the communion with our loving Father, who allows different experiences coming our way each day. For from him and through him and to him are all things, and to him be the glory forever! Amen (Rom 11:36).

We learn to pray by being led in prayer. We commonly think of prayer as what we do out of our own needs and on our own initiative. We experience a deep longing for God, and so we pray. We feel an artesian flood of gratitude to God, and so we pray. We are crushed with a truckload of guilt before God, and so we pray. But in a liturgy we do not take the initiative; it is not our experience that precipitates prayer. Someone stands in front of us and says, “Let us pray.” We don’t start it; someone else starts it and we fall into step behind or alongside. Our egos are no longer front and center.

This is so important, for prayer by its very nature is answering speech. The consensus of the entire Christian community upholds the primacy of Gods word in everything: in creation, in salvation, in judgment, in blessing, in mercy, and in grace.

When we take our place in a worshiping congregation we are not in charge. Someone else has built the place of prayer; someone else has established the time for prayer; someone else tells us to begin to pray. All of this takes place in a context in which the word of God is primary: God’s word audible in scripture and sermon, God’s word visible in baptism and communion. This is the center in which we learn to pray.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:11-12).

Creation by nature is recipients of God’s plan and action. We are created according to His purpose and His word. Light came about when God said, “Let there be light” (Gen 1:3) Human being came about when God said, “Let us made man according to our own image and likeness…” (Gen 1:26). Genesis is not about science, but a revelation about the origin of the whole universe and mankind. We don’t exist out of our own will or plan. We exist out of the Will and Plan of God. Thus, we are the recipients of God’s initiation. If this is the case, everything we do is a response to His plan and action on earth. Prayer as an interaction or dialogue with God is definitely a response to His calling and word. God creates us for communion with Him. Communication is definitely a high priority for our existence. God calls us to have dialogue with Him, or else we become empty or meaningless, because we miss the core of our existence.

Busyness kills relationship. It kills intimate communication not only with God but with our loved one as well. Yes, the first thing to sacrifice in our busy lifestyle is our communion with God, and followed family. The institution of marriage and family are in endanger list of extinction. Number one killer of marriage is communication. Number one killer of family is communication. Have mercy on us O Lord! Help us to pause and talk, first with you and then with our loved ones. Let us enjoy the sweet hour of prayer with you today!

Love you by the power of His prayer,
Lawrence