Saturday, March 04, 2006
From AscensionNYC
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Psalm 42, 43
Ezekiel 39:21-29
Philippians 4:10-20
John 17:20-26
I have just finished saying my daily prayers. My prayer life is generally the same day to day, with lots of "please" and "help me" mixed in with the prayers for those who are close to me as well as prayers of praise and love for God and Jesus. After reading today's Gospel lesson, I realize that what I pray for seems selfish compared to Jesus' prayer. My prayers typically start with praise and thanksgiving and roll into prayers for my safety and security and the safety and security of those close to me. I believe it is appropriate to pray this way but realize how limited and limiting my prayers are when I don't consider the bigger picture. Am I still praying for the tsunami and hurricane victims who lost everything? Am I praying for the children living and dying from cancer at the nearby Children's Foundling Hospital? Am I praying for the members of our Armed Forces serving this country across the globe and predominantly in Iraq? Am I praying for an end to war, poverty, discrimination? Am I praying for unity in the world, as Jesus did in His final testament?
In his intercessory prayer, Jesus prayed not only for himself, his disciples and those who followed him during his ministry, but for all people of ALL ages! This includes us! This last petition from Jesus tells His desire for us; that we all may be one through God our Father. God sent his love to the world through His Son Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus believe in God and are children of God. As God is our Father, we are therefore all sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters through God. All who believe in Jesus have the privilege and grace of becoming brothers and sisters of God through Jesus.
Jesus' desire for us is for us to live in unity. He is asking that we all may be one through him, beholding his glory, knowing we are loved by our Father through our love of Him. In order to accept Jesus' prayer and live it, we must walk in unity, as brothers and sisters of God through Jesus. We must walk in the faith that God sent His Son to unite us together in his love. We must walk in the love of God, sent through Jesus.
My daily prayers are rote and self giving. If I follow Jesus' example and pray for unity and do my best to live in it, not only will I enrich my daily prayer life, but my life in the world.
Ezekiel 39:21-29
Philippians 4:10-20
John 17:20-26
I have just finished saying my daily prayers. My prayer life is generally the same day to day, with lots of "please" and "help me" mixed in with the prayers for those who are close to me as well as prayers of praise and love for God and Jesus. After reading today's Gospel lesson, I realize that what I pray for seems selfish compared to Jesus' prayer. My prayers typically start with praise and thanksgiving and roll into prayers for my safety and security and the safety and security of those close to me. I believe it is appropriate to pray this way but realize how limited and limiting my prayers are when I don't consider the bigger picture. Am I still praying for the tsunami and hurricane victims who lost everything? Am I praying for the children living and dying from cancer at the nearby Children's Foundling Hospital? Am I praying for the members of our Armed Forces serving this country across the globe and predominantly in Iraq? Am I praying for an end to war, poverty, discrimination? Am I praying for unity in the world, as Jesus did in His final testament?
In his intercessory prayer, Jesus prayed not only for himself, his disciples and those who followed him during his ministry, but for all people of ALL ages! This includes us! This last petition from Jesus tells His desire for us; that we all may be one through God our Father. God sent his love to the world through His Son Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus believe in God and are children of God. As God is our Father, we are therefore all sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters through God. All who believe in Jesus have the privilege and grace of becoming brothers and sisters of God through Jesus.
Jesus' desire for us is for us to live in unity. He is asking that we all may be one through him, beholding his glory, knowing we are loved by our Father through our love of Him. In order to accept Jesus' prayer and live it, we must walk in unity, as brothers and sisters of God through Jesus. We must walk in the faith that God sent His Son to unite us together in his love. We must walk in the love of God, sent through Jesus.
My daily prayers are rote and self giving. If I follow Jesus' example and pray for unity and do my best to live in it, not only will I enrich my daily prayer life, but my life in the world.
Ned Fitch
