There are just so many things in life that are competing for our attention these days...and perhaps maybe not just "these days", but that there have always been a myriad of voices crying out but only those with enough time on their hands have been able to hear them.
It is interesting to note that in third world nations where life is the toughest the suicide rates are very low. People struggling just to survive haven't the time to consider whether or not their quality of life is worthy of "continuing the battle". They're happy just to survive and despite their struggles they find moments of great joy, reasons to celebrate, reasons to encourage one another, while those of affluence are willing to surrender themselves to the grave if that GPA fails to get them into the right school, or the perceived "soul mate" just doesn't feel the same way about "Neverending Love".
It's really all a matter of expectations. And the voices that speak expectation to us are relentless in their quest to motivate us towards glut and indulgence (having only the best things all the time).
Art, fashion, sport...entertainment in general, good stuff to be sure, but we have elevated these things to a place that would allow us to exploit people and cultures, nations and children, building up and breaking down all to the sound of the currency flow...no one is safe from the monster this has all become.
It really is a beast.
And the noise has only gotten louder with the growth of our interconnectedness. Our ability to see into the world of everyone, often without enough filters I'm afraid, is actually breaking down the cohesiveness of societies because everything becomes about the individual.
We have developed the craft of playing on expectations and emotion so well that we are able to tap into some of humanity's most basic longings and needs and manipulate the vulnerable indiscriminately, generally with very little consideration of the cost.
In places with a limited dating pool and uncertain resources people tend to get over the whole "soul mate" thing rather quickly. And while its wonderful to have choices the problem here is the notion that amidst all those choices resides lasting solutions for what are ultimately periphery issues actually blocking the path to fulfilling what the really needs are, love, peace, joy, hope...
Those deeper inner needs all stem from a situation that we are unable to purchase, engineer or argue our way past. A condition that we all suffer from universally; that we were created as the objects of God's affection, to love and be loved by and through Him, and to demonstrate this love in our honest and sincere affection for one another.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
And then the light...
Suddenly it occurs to me that I do have something to say...in fact I have quite a lot to say. The problem is more that I have been feeling "self-aware" and have been wanting to be very careful about whatever I say. And this is never good.
Each and every morning when I get up I compose an entry for my "prayer journal" (it's called that because it's actually more prayer than journal) and this is the thing that centers me.
I begin using the template that Y'shua left us, often referred to as "the Lord's Prayer" ..."Our Father, who art in heaven..." You know the one...a template because in same discussion He speaks of not doing the "praying just to be heard" thing and He also cautions against doing the "vain repetition" thing, so clearly He wasn't telling us to, "Sing along and say the magic words!".
In fact Y'shua was real down on magic words and kina stressed that we only speak the truth from our hearts. And the Bible in general is not real hip on magic anyway.
The idea here is not that we are to echo verbatim what Y'shua said, but rather that effective prayer looks something like this; begin by recognizing who we are talking to...and this is tough, because our natural inclination is to begin spewing selfish stuff, "I need", "I want", "If You could do something about them...".
But a clearer understanding of what we really ought to be requesting comes out of a clearer understanding of who we are really talking to.
By starting with, "Father God, my Creator, my Father, my Lord..." I establish our relationship, He is my Father, and I can trust Him.
Who He is not, is a cosmic toddler who has created the human race as His divine "play thing". His level of sophistication is so far beyond my own that the more I explore this idea and give Him the praise due as the One who has not only created all things, but demonstrated purity of His love, the more confident I am in bringing my whole heart before Him.
And as I'm bringing my whole heart, things are being revealed, because rather than playing that game where I bring what I have assessed to be the answer to my problem, I am more inclined to bring Him the "root cause" of my anxiety for Him to evaluate my situation and deliver an answer that addresses the "real problem".
Why do godly people have confidence in the midst of overwhelming odds?
Why do godly people seem to have a trust that goes well beyond reason?
When I recognize who God really is I don't hold back. I come to the realization that He is able to see what's really in my heart anyway...and despite this He still loves me! So the "cloaked" requests that are SOP when dealing with one another, indeed even dealing with ourselves, are exposed for what they really are and I become freed up to trust God with my deepest needs.
And because I trust Him, I am not afraid anymore.
Whether or not things turn out the way I would have hope they would, they will turn out in the way that it ultimately best for me, for He loves me and His mercy, grace and loving kindness are ever directed towards me.
Much of the problem is that we live in this fallen world and that in this world we will have tribulation because part of love is giving the beloved space and freedom to do what may not be good for them, and as a whole we haven't done a bang up job here with the earth.
In fact, just the injustice that we subject ourselves to is enough to make one despair...but, when the Kingdom finally reigns in all facets of life, and everyone is willing to surrender themselves to God's will (the rule of love) it will be a different place.
Thus, "...Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..."
And as "someone" once stated so eloquently, "I'm starting with the man in the mirror..." that's a big part of my prayers. "Oh Lord, help me to get over myself, to humble myself, to become that man You desire me to become..." because this the Kingdom come.
When those of us who have received His Spirit choose to yield our lives to His direction the world changes and there are countless testimonies of this.
You see what I'm getting at don't you?
Take this prayer that He left with us and apply that template to your morning prayers.
And if you don't have a "morning prayer", consider making this a part of your life.
The reason that I do a "journal" is because I find it difficult to focus when I'm still groggy first thing in the morning. The exercise of writing it out, whether with a pen or typing, or whatever, causes me to turn all my attention to what I'm doing and I'm able to express myself more fully without loosing my train of thought.
I pray that what I have shared with you has been useful.
Each and every morning when I get up I compose an entry for my "prayer journal" (it's called that because it's actually more prayer than journal) and this is the thing that centers me.
I begin using the template that Y'shua left us, often referred to as "the Lord's Prayer" ..."Our Father, who art in heaven..." You know the one...a template because in same discussion He speaks of not doing the "praying just to be heard" thing and He also cautions against doing the "vain repetition" thing, so clearly He wasn't telling us to, "Sing along and say the magic words!".
In fact Y'shua was real down on magic words and kina stressed that we only speak the truth from our hearts. And the Bible in general is not real hip on magic anyway.
The idea here is not that we are to echo verbatim what Y'shua said, but rather that effective prayer looks something like this; begin by recognizing who we are talking to...and this is tough, because our natural inclination is to begin spewing selfish stuff, "I need", "I want", "If You could do something about them...".
But a clearer understanding of what we really ought to be requesting comes out of a clearer understanding of who we are really talking to.
By starting with, "Father God, my Creator, my Father, my Lord..." I establish our relationship, He is my Father, and I can trust Him.
Who He is not, is a cosmic toddler who has created the human race as His divine "play thing". His level of sophistication is so far beyond my own that the more I explore this idea and give Him the praise due as the One who has not only created all things, but demonstrated purity of His love, the more confident I am in bringing my whole heart before Him.
And as I'm bringing my whole heart, things are being revealed, because rather than playing that game where I bring what I have assessed to be the answer to my problem, I am more inclined to bring Him the "root cause" of my anxiety for Him to evaluate my situation and deliver an answer that addresses the "real problem".
Why do godly people have confidence in the midst of overwhelming odds?
Why do godly people seem to have a trust that goes well beyond reason?
When I recognize who God really is I don't hold back. I come to the realization that He is able to see what's really in my heart anyway...and despite this He still loves me! So the "cloaked" requests that are SOP when dealing with one another, indeed even dealing with ourselves, are exposed for what they really are and I become freed up to trust God with my deepest needs.
And because I trust Him, I am not afraid anymore.
Whether or not things turn out the way I would have hope they would, they will turn out in the way that it ultimately best for me, for He loves me and His mercy, grace and loving kindness are ever directed towards me.
Much of the problem is that we live in this fallen world and that in this world we will have tribulation because part of love is giving the beloved space and freedom to do what may not be good for them, and as a whole we haven't done a bang up job here with the earth.
In fact, just the injustice that we subject ourselves to is enough to make one despair...but, when the Kingdom finally reigns in all facets of life, and everyone is willing to surrender themselves to God's will (the rule of love) it will be a different place.
Thus, "...Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..."
And as "someone" once stated so eloquently, "I'm starting with the man in the mirror..." that's a big part of my prayers. "Oh Lord, help me to get over myself, to humble myself, to become that man You desire me to become..." because this the Kingdom come.
When those of us who have received His Spirit choose to yield our lives to His direction the world changes and there are countless testimonies of this.
You see what I'm getting at don't you?
Take this prayer that He left with us and apply that template to your morning prayers.
And if you don't have a "morning prayer", consider making this a part of your life.
The reason that I do a "journal" is because I find it difficult to focus when I'm still groggy first thing in the morning. The exercise of writing it out, whether with a pen or typing, or whatever, causes me to turn all my attention to what I'm doing and I'm able to express myself more fully without loosing my train of thought.
I pray that what I have shared with you has been useful.
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