A Reckoning at Year’s End

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, December 31, 2015

A Reckoning at Year’s End

Romans 8:28. Yes, I’ve heard it quoted from time to time. I have purposely not taught it in bible study, or preached on this verse. And, from time to time, I have had serious problems with this verse of Paul’s. Not so much the context, but this specific verse.

Except—Dietrich Bonhoeffer gives me a different way of looking at it.

Many times before, all I could see in Romans 8:28 was either bright, shiny pie-in-the-sky proof text, or dogged, blind belief in a mysterious God who never could be understood. I don’t know quite why, but Bonhoeffer may have given me a way in to the understanding of this verse. He mentions, “I believe that God will give us all the strength we need to help us to resist [greatest evil] in all times of distress. But He never gives it in advance, lest we should rely on ourselves and not on Him alone.” [1]

I appreciate that. I appreciate that kind of God, who respects me as a person, who doesn’t baby or coddle me. And yet, God expects me to use my oar and do my part as part of a team. Sort of like in a yoke of oxen, where one ox cannot do it all.

Bonhoeffer wrote this at the end of 1942. It was more than just a reckoning of the past year, as he sent this letter to several of his closest friends at Christmas. Yet, the snippet I’ve quoted from this moving and powerful letter serves well to close out this year of prayer. This year of journeying through different modes and ways of prayer.

I come to the end of my daily prayer blog for 2015, #matterofprayer. I pray that the various kinds of prayer and meditation I’ve done during each of the past twelve months may have strengthened and encouraged not only my heart, but the hearts of my readers, as well. God bless us all in 2016.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, trans. O.C. Dean, Jr., compiled and edited, Jana Riess (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2010), 79.

Looking at the Past—Prayerfully

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Saturday, May 9, 2015

plowing – with an Egyptian farmer

Looking at the Past—Prayerfully

I’m taking another chance with this passage from 1 Kings 19: Elisha plowing with oxen, and Elijah telling the younger man that he has a special calling from God.

I am not going to think about this particular passage in a negative light (since I had difficulty focusing on this as a ‘failure.’ Instead, it’s a new night, and a new beginning. And, look at the source material! As I examine what Margaret Silf suggests [1], I can compare myself to someone plowing. In a field, which is the world.

Aren’t we all plowing—doing our own thing in the world? Walking the wide field, the bright blue sky above, rich earth beneath my feet, and the oxen making noises, grunts. That’s where many of us are, I suspect. But as I look around this wide field/world, I can tell I am not alone. Not totally, anyway.

Silf encourages her readers to think of the various people who helped guide them in learning and using their particular plows. I remember several good friends who have stayed by my side over the years. Yes. I remember a therapist, a spiritual director, certain professors in seminary. All helped me to keep my furrow straight.

Has anyone mentioned you and your progress through life? Possibilities are (or, have been) presented that come out of the painful places in the past, as well as those happy, productive times, too? Yeah. Me, too. Thank God that I am in a place where I know I am loved by God, and where I feel loved, encouraged and supported. (By a few people, at least!)

Let’s pray. Dear Lord, gracious God, thank You for bringing special people into each of our lives. Thank You for those things they have taught us. I pray for each dear one. Give each one the support they need, right now. Lord, in Your mercy, hear all of our prayers.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er .

[1] Silf, Margaret, Inner Compass: Introduction to Ignatian Spirituality (Chicago: Loyola Press, 1999), 13.

A Look Back at 2014, in matterofprayer

A Year of Being Kind blog – Wednesday, December 31, 2014

A Look Back at 2014, in matterofprayer

Thanks to all my dear readers! I appreciate you and your faithfulness.

I know that it helps to check the numbers from time to time. I’ve been following the daily readership on this blog, but it also helps to look at the big picture—the macro view. Just to let all my dear readers know, here are several facts and figures on matterofprayer.

In 2014, this blog was viewed about 1,700 times. That’s a lot of views! My viewing audience per day—on the average—ranged from between the low teens to the mid twenties. The busiest day of the year turned out to be November 29th, with 37 views.

Two representative posts with a high number of views were Think About—Talk About—Preach About Prayer, posted July 2, 2014, and Prayer—and Walking the Labyrinth, posted September 29, 2014.

How did people find my blog? People came from a large number of different website, but the top referring sites were Facebook, Twitter, and dailyoffice.org. (Thanks for including matterofprayer in the blogroll, Josh!)

The sands of the hourglass are running out. 2014 is quickly slipping away. But before it completely disappears, I do have a few things to say. I have learned so much through blogging regularly this year. I was fairly quick to come up with writing or an article before 2014 started, but now? Even more so.

I am not sure whether you are familiar with my sister blog, A Year of Being Kind. I started this second blog at the beginning of January 2014. Yes, I succeeded in writing every day. Quite an accomplishment. I have been even more encouraged by the response to my service, my being helpful and kind. So, I am going to continue, except in a slightly different vein.

I posted to matterofprayer about once a week to every ten days throughout 2014, Starting tomorrow, January 1st, I will shift the main focus back to matterofprayer. I’m making an addition to the name, too: matterofprayer: a year of everyday prayers.

So, this will be my primary blog! God willing, I will see what God has in store for me in 2015, as far as prayer is concerned. I wish my dear readers the very best. And, a happy, healthy and blessed new year.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.