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Prayer — Who’s It For Anyway?

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Prayer, like everything in the Christian life, is for God's glory and for our benefit, in that order. RC Sproul

Prayer —

It’s something we often take for granted.  It’s also something we can think of too little.  Something that’s often our last resort.  This quote from RC Sproul reminds us to glorify God in our prayers, even before we seek to benefit ourselves.

In our home, I’ve often reminded my family to shake things up in our prayers.  Especially at our mealtime prayers.  It’s so easy to just say the prayers, give thanks and ask for what we want.  But what if we really pause to reflect on who God is and what He’s done for us.  To really thank Him and acknowledge His place in our lives.  And then to ask to be the kind of people who reflect Christ to the world.

“Our Father”…..

It seems so very basic, but The Lord’s Prayer is just that kind of prayer.  One which reminds us to put things in order as we pray.  To truly remember just Who we are addressing and what we’re asking of Him.

Jesus begins His prayer by addressing the one true God.  “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Only after acknowledging the power and position God holds, does Jesus ask His Father for things done on earth — “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Amen.”

In all seasons and in all prayers, let’s give God the glory and praise, then ask for His blessings and care.   Possibly as we do this, we’ll recognize our great need for humility and help in this life on earth.  We’ll not just spend our prayer time asking for an easy life, but for the ability to be strong and live out our faith in a world that desperately needs to see what faith really looks like in action!

Our Father, you sent your Son from heaven above, and you above all are the Giver of all things good.  Let your will and your way be done on this earth to all your creation.  Thank you for all the blessings you send our way.  Forgive us for the wrongs we have done and remind us to forgive others for their insults in the same way.  Please send us only the things we need and keep us from those that would harm us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings and prayers to you all at the start of this New Year!

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I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.  Psalm 17:6
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What’s This About Christmas and Tiny Tim?

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Well, we’ve entered into this holiday season full swing! In our home, the decorations are slowly put up so we can savor each activity, the gifts gathered with each special person in mind, and the Christmas movies enjoyed as we take time to relax after a long day.  One of our favorite stories this time of year is A Christmas Carol.  Charles Dickens said it best as he reminded us what’s important at Christmas.

My heart’s desire is that we take time to remember why we celebrate this day — why it’s our favorite season!

  • First, it’s not all about the lights or the decorations or our favorite Christmas melodies (although they add so much to this time of year).
  • It’s not all about the cookie recipes our family has passed down for generations.
  • Nor is it the gifts piled under the tree (and in our home, they will be piled — we’ll have 27 extra family members celebrating with us for much of the week!).
  • It’s not even winter’s glistening frost lit by the sun which casts long shadows across the yard.  It does make it feel, oh so, Christmas-y!

So what is it all about?

  • It’s ALL about the Son – the Son Who cast His shadow across history and all of creation so many years ago in a manger!
  • It’s all about the Baby who made shepherds pause in wonder and angels sing praise and glory.
  • The Child who made wise men travel and seek for years.
  • And as Tiny Tim said in our favorite Dicken’s story, that Baby-turned-Man “who made the blind to see and the lame to walk”!

‘And how did Tiny Tim behave?’, asked Mrs. Cratchit …….‘As good as gold.’ said Bob, ‘and better.  Somehow he gets thoughtful sitting by himself so much and thinks the strangest things you ever heard.  He told me coming home that he hoped the people saw him in the church because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember on Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.’                                                                                                                    A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

Oh, that is my absolute favorite line in all of Charles Dicken’s novels!  May we truly see the Truth of declaring the Gospel in his simple words.

Blessings to you as you prepare for this beautiful season of remembering God’s Son!

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And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.  Luke 2:18-20
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This Is Definitely What Christmas Is All About, Charlie Brown!

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Linus’s age-old adage rings as true now as it did 50 years ago!  We remember with much nostalgia when he recites Luke 2, then concludes with the refrain, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!”

Christmas is all about Jesus.  It’s about celebrating God’s greatest gift to us — Jesus — our salvation through nothing else but faith in God’s Son.  

Getting Sidetracked This Christmas?

It’s too easy to get sidetracked thinking it’s about decorations and gifts.  Now, we love a decorated house this time of year!  But it can get overwhelming.  And you know about those hundred gifts on your list.  “What?” you say.  “I don’t have a hundred gifts on my list!”  Umm, count again.  Include teachers, bosses, neighbors, friends, greeting cards with pictures, stocking stuffers, cookies for the neighbors….yep, you’re getting close to a hundred!  See what I mean about sidetracked?

Now don’t think I don’t understand.  I’m right here with you….like forgetting about our Jesse tree and instead, getting started on my shopping trips.  Reading the real Christmas story only because my daughters had a party for my ‘grandboys’!  ‘Tis true…but get this — when I read to those wondering eyes, when I saw the intent on their faces, I remembered again.  

This truly is the reason for the season.  It is our job, our duty, to make sure we’re not quiet about what we believe and in Whom we believe!

Won’t you join me in relishing in the tinsel and holly and glitter, but not forgetting that simple, cold manger so many years ago?  The sheer beauty of God’s gift of everlasting life, brought to us in the tiny frame of a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Keep Christ’s Love In Christmas

A bit of encouragement and some ideas to renew your sense of purpose this season:

– Our friend owns a thrift store in town, but it’s not just any thrift shop!  This one uses the store’s proceeds to feed the hungry in our community.  Check out your local ministries to discover how you can help the needy this year.  People are cold, hungry, lonely, sick.  What can we do to be Jesus’s hands of mercy to them?

– Tiny Tim is a name most people know.  Learn how to share God’s love from his simple pronouncement to those around him.

–  Here’s a great way to bless those in need this year!  It’s so easy to pass by those in need along the road.  What if we were prepared for those meetings by having a care bag of goodies to hand the homeless?   We will never have an excuse to look the other way.  (We have a homeless woman on the edge of town.  We pass her most days and wonder how she does it with the cold weather approaching.  Reading this post again has me excited to bring her a care package this week!)

– Some people ask the question, Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?  It’s easy to see that it’s gotten out of hand with Santa, “Happy Holidays,” and compulsory gift-giving.  Some proclaim Christmas is for pagans and just a copycat of idol worship.  My post declares why it’s a good thing to celebrate.  Choose for yourselves….but as for me and my house, we will celebrate the Lord!

– Visit a Fire or Police Station and bring goodies for these first responders!  With a son-in-law who has this difficult job, we see first-hand how much we take our safety for granted.  Give the gift of appreciation this year!

There are so many ways we can remember what Christmas is all about.  Let’s share our ideas — with friends and family — and here. Leave a comment with ways your family celebrates or shares God’s love this time of year!

Happy Holy Day & Merry Christ-mas one and all!

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So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.     Luke 2:16-20
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Planning For God’s Glory—Or Your Own?

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You know—God is amazing!  He works in the little things, but usually, we only notice Him in the big things.  Sad.  Because it’s in the little things where we can be truly faithful and follow His course. 

After getting jazzed about planning this year (and I’m still over-the-top jazzed!) God woke me up last weekend to realize this.   Everything I do—everything you do—is for His glory and in His plan for our lives!

So then, of course, planning would rank pretty high on our lists!  Why?  Because, if you can commit to using all the hours, days, weeks, and years for doing our best for Him (not to get into heaven; I’m not talking about that kind of work!) you’ll know you’re doing the best with the limited time you have.  Exciting isn’t it?!

My tips for you this week:

  • Meditate—take a break here and there from the busy rush of life.
  • Think about what God brings to your mind.
  • Pray.  Pray for wisdom to discern both what you need to do and what you need to stop doing.
  • Then get that planner out and start crossing things off and adding things into each week and day!  It’s the only way you can really know you’re using each moment to do the best you can with what you’ve been given!

So there!  Won’t you join me in using this life for the best God intended it to be?!

He knows just what you need.  Trust.

Blessings this week!

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Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  Colossians 3:17
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