Things I Think…
1. Forgive my recent absence…been under the weather for a bit.
2. I do want to address you tonight if, like me, you are often overwhelmed in anger and sadness as we watch the destruction of our country by the most venal and godless administration in American history.
I write to you as a brother would speak to kin… not for the sake of political argument, but one in concern for our souls as we deal with mind bending offenses to our nation, our faith, and our futures.
3. How can we respond to what is happening and preserve the integrity of our walk with Jesus?
For me, time spent in the Book of Common Prayer is both informative and essential.
The first thing I read this morning…before reading of the latest carnage wrought…was this.
“O send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill, and to your dwelling.” Psalm 43:3
So my day basically begins with a prayer for discernment and a focus on the kingdom I truly belong to.
I can’t think of anything more important in this age of deception and lies.
4. Next is a prayer of confession. Listen to me…we can’t expect the Lord to deal with the gross sins of Trump & Co. unless we’re willing to address our own sins and keep short accounts with Jesus. Invariably every morning I’m confronted in prayer with “things I’ve done and things I’ve left undone”. Jesus wants our confession and repentance as much as we want to see others do likewise. You ignore this to your own spiritual peril…
5. Next come the Preces
All stand.
Officiant
O Lord, open our lips;
People
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Officiant
O God, make speed to save us;
People
O God, make speed to save us;.
Officiant
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
People
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Officiant
Praise the Lord.
People
The Lord’s Name be praised.
There are few prayers more powerful than “O God, make speed to save us; O God, make speed to save us”… but that prayer comes after we’ve first done business with God.
6. After this come the readings from the Psalms and scripture which reorient our thinking and always seem to be pertinent to the day. We pray the Lords Prayer and recite the Apostles Creed…reminding ourselves what we believe and who we believe in. We finish not with lament,but with thanksgiving…affirming to ourselves the goodness of God.
7. If you have issues with liturgical prayers, I would still commend some form of daily prayer that takes into account all that I’ve noted above. Speaking for myself, neglect of these begins to transform me into the very image of what I despise…instead of being transformed into His image…
8.It’s only through this discipline that I can learn to obey the commandment to love my enemy…because my flesh hates them…
9. On to other things…some folks were appalled when I said I didn’t believe in biblical inerrancy…prepare to be appalled again…I don’t think “sola fide” is scriptural either….
10. No matter what is going on around us, Jesus is Lord. Take heart…
Michael,
Thank you for sharing your morning spiritual start. I alternate between readings in Spanish/English in OT, NT, and Psalms. (I think I’ve mentioned that I’m not very liturgical). I like to pray Scripture back to God, making application to my own life. Then, I spend some time on the text for the Spanish Bible study I have the privilege of reading, and then do some intercessory prayer. I often pray about the situation on our country and my own attitude after I’ve taken a cursory glance at the headlines. I like to be specific when I pray.
God is replacing my anger with specific, focused prayers regarding certain situations and how they are affecting the people I love. When I can take a specific action, I do that, too.
Linn,
Sounds like you’ve found your way…and that’s all I’m really advocating.
My concern is with those who think this unnecessary … prayer is our only weapon in this fight…
Michael,
You are so right! I learned in Colombia where the “public order” situation was so erratic . I really had to know what was going on and if it was safe to visit certain places, praying for the safety of churches and believers in sensitive areas, and just good old common sense!
Also, feel better soon!
Michael….always good to see you back…with Things I Think. Your dose of spiritual food is well received. I do miss your cat stories that link to our heavenly life. I have one quick “Things I Think”. Cats. Feral. Thousands. This park in this so called “communist country” is littered with them. A huge park that takes 1 hour to circle via walking. A storm passed, no one was out. I ventured forth. Over the hill were a grouping of 50+ feral cats waiting for someone, food, or just out after a Typhoon rushed thru. In the center was this large mangy dog I have never seen…..standing proud among the cats. They encircled him. He was majestic. Dirty. But the cats were not scared. They just moved among themselves all while this large dog stood erect. Never moving. The cats were not scared. They were not concerned about whether this dog would harm them….the opposite. This dog was there to do more than protect them. He was there to reassure them that a new day was coming. The storm had passed. I think our Lord is like that….we are these cats that have endured a storm. We might not have the daily dose of food. We may not have the daily dose of safety. But I think we all have that protector that is always there to both protect us and reassure us. Prayers. You are so right….
Well said! I literally just finished the Daily Office when I opened this…I completely concur, the only thing that will keep us grounded, sane and dare I say flourishing in times like these is a fresh, intense focus on the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirt with a desire to be transformed into his image.
@ Nr. 7 up-top:
Why would anyone have issues with liturgical prayers?