'prayer' Tagged Posts (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.” vs. 3 Psalm 138 Sometimes we wonder what good it does to pray. We’re told to offer prayers regularly, for victims of mass shootings, for people threatened by massive forest fires, for the people of Ukraine, for those afflicted with dread disease–the list goes on and on. And so we do, some of us faithfully day after day, but often there are questions, especially when nothing…
Daily Devotions
Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’” vs. 32 Genesis 18:23-32 The men around the fires must have chuckled at the sheer effrontery of Abraham as the old story was told, retold, and then remembered. He had dared to bargain with God to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah–and he had been…
Daily Devotions
For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” vs. 5 Psalm 30:1-5 The psalmist has had a near death experience and wants everyone to know his triumphant story. We don’t know what had happened, perhaps it was a serious illness, but he had prayed to the Lord for deliverance–and his prayers had been heard. And now his praise is effusive. He wants…
Daily Devotions
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.” Psalm 27:1-8 The psalmist was no stranger to war and its devastating consequences. The city of Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed regularly and its residents were accustomed to seeing foreign armies camped on the surrounding hills and refugees flooding into the city. In recent weeks we’ve seen this same ugly scene unfold in our time as the people…
Daily Devotions
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” vs. 6 Philippians 4:6-7 One of the side-effects of living a joyous life is the absence of anxiety and worry. Some might question whether this is even a possibility given the current state of tension and uncertainty, but for Paul it’s a natural consequence of basking in the grace of God. In such a state, totally trusting in…
Daily Devotions
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you…” vss. 3-4 Philippians 1:3-6 Perhaps Paul is exaggerating here. Could it be that he constantly prayed in every one of his prayers for all of the Philippians? Based on our own prayer lives we’re likely to say “no, he couldn’t have possibly done that.” But then again it’s very likely that Paul devoted considerable time to prayer–there…
Daily Devotions
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.” vs. 13 James 5:13-15 James imagines that the community to which he is writing has close connections, not only to other members of the community, but to God, the Divine Presence and Source of all Being. This means, he believes, that in every situation of life the people will turn to God, not only with prayers for healing when there is suffering, but…
Daily Devotions
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” vs. 26 Romans 8:26-27 Praying isn’t always an easy thing, even for believers. Oh, we can do a pretty good job of moving through our daily prayer lists. We know what we would like for the people we love; peace, healing, joy, wisdom–and it’s not hard to just pass our…
Spiritual Practice: Praying the Labyrinth
Sue Palmer, spiritual practices specialist, traces the history of the labyrinth, and demonstrates several ways a labyrinth can be used to facilitate prayer and meditation as a spiritual practice today.
Daily Devotions
When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent.” vs. 4 Psalm 4:1-4 The psalmist is here advising his enemies to think twice about the harm they might intend to do to him. Rather than simply acting on their feelings and saying something they will regret, he says they should take to their beds, consider options and then be silent. This is timeless wisdom! Many of us are plagued by runaway tongues and end…
Daily Devotions
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” vs. 14 Psalm 19 The psalmist had been led to create a prayer for the use of his congregation, and he used the opportunity to pour out the meditations of his heart with as much grace and beauty as he could muster. He was a keen observer of nature and saw the fingerprints of God in every…
Daily Devotions
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” vs. 35 Mark 1:32-39 The Sea of Galilee is a harp-shaped lake about eleven miles long and is surrounded by large hills. Along its banks in the time of Jesus were a number of small towns and villages. Capernaum is at the northern edge, right about where the Jordan River enters the lake. When Jesus got up…