Helping a Friend Sort and Pack

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Monday, June 27, 2016

Helping a Friend Sort and Pack

Moving is a challenge. Cross-country moving is even more of a challenge.

My spiritual director is preparing to leave town, move to the East Coast, and change positions in her place of employment. The most poignant part for me is that she is permanently relocating to her new city. She has been a steady and stable part of my life for the past ten years. (Actually, she has lived here in Chicago for decades. I have known her for quite a while. She has been my spiritual director for ten years.)

When I think of Jay, I think steady. Stable. Thoughtful. Even keel. Soft spoken. Communicating carefully selected wise words. Just what I need, so much of the time. However, I am afraid I was not the best or most responsive direct-ee. I am afraid I did not always pray for Jay the way she prayed for me. (Thanks for the many, many prayers, for me and my family.)(True confession: I am sad and sorry to say I still do not pray for Jay as often as I ought. However, God and I are still in the middle of an extended conversation about prayer, and how I pray, and how often. The conversation has been lasting for years.)

Two more friends were helping Jay sort and pack her office. A wonderful older couple, well-versed in the way of assisting friends and colleagues with packing, moving, and making transitions to a new and different place. New way of living and being. (I’ve known them for years, too.)

I will sincerely miss Jay. What’s more, she will be greatly missed by many, many people in the Chicago area. Such a bittersweet time for me, helping her get ready to move. To begin again, to begin in a different location, begin in a new position. New beginnings after decades in the same place. Exciting new possibilities! I am sad for myself, yet excited for her. Truly.

Good-bye, friend. God’s blessings, and all the best.

@chaplaineliza

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

Pray to Receive Forgiveness

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Saturday, February 6, 2016

Pray to Receive Forgiveness

That prolific author Anonymous penned tonight’s prayer. The prayer was powerful and moving, regardless. Somehow, I wish I knew who wrote such a masterful prayer. Although, it’s not necessary, since I was deeply moved by such a prayer.

This prayer from The Oxford Book of Prayer uses striking language, it is true. However, I was stunned by several phrases, including the first: “grant us grace and courage to give and to receive courage.” [1] Which is followed by the second: “the forgiveness which alone can heal today’s wounds.” [2]

Lord, what moving words. How can I even consider this when …

Dear God, help me to learn from the mistakes of the past. I rejoice that we have so many choices laid out before us. Lord, guide my steps as I walk with this intention. Guide my heart to love You, regardless of vaccilating preferences and so much to take my mind off You. Please, God, in Your mercy, hear all of our prayers.

 

@chaplaineliza

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[1] The Oxford Book of Prayer, edited by George Appleton. (New York: Oxford University Press, reissued 2009), 79.

[2] Ibid.

Salvation—How Much More Profound Can It Get?

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, July 23, 2015

Salvation—How Much More Profound Can It Get?

Got salvation? (cue the photo of young adult, smiling from ear to ear)

Salvation—don’t leave home without it.

God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s love. All different aspects of God, and all incredibly powerful. But, salvation brings them all together, and ties it up with a big bow.

The book Praying the New Testament as Psalms has some moving, thought-provoking verses on its pages, under Salvation. However, I was so struck by the adaptation of this verse from 1 Peter 1: “I rejoice with a joy indescribable and glorious/at the outcome of my faith/—the salvation of my soul.” [1]

Peter’s words are “joy indescribable.” Unspeakable. You can’t even express it in words. This joy is so deep, it has to be experienced. Such joy goes beyond anything that humans in this world can describe. I suspect we would need to be in heaven to be able to sufficiently describe the joy we feel.

Thank You, God, for this poor and limited word-picture of salvation. Peter’s striving attempt to describe the joy that only heaven can properly name makes me bow down in worship and praise. Thank You. Praise You. Your grace and mercy are indescribable, too. Thank You. Amen.

@chaplaineliza

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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] Praying the New Testament as Psalms, Desmond O’Donnell, OMI, and Maureen Mohen, RSM, (United States of America: ACTA Publications, 2002.), 173.

Day #39 – Forgiven, Cancelled. Can I Do the Same?

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Friday, April 3, 2015

Day #39 – Forgiven, Cancelled. Can I Do the Same?

Good Friday. As the blog post said today, what’s so good about it?

We remember the day that Jesus died on the cross. Died for our sins. He forgave those who put Him to death, saying, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”

Such a moving statement. And, just think about how difficult it was for Jesus to say that, on the cross. In such extreme circumstances. In agony, with limited breath and strength. Still, to say such a thing? The amount of forgiveness must be huge. Mind-blowingly astronomical.

I suggest to you that you—that I—that we all consider how wide and deep, and even endless Jesus’ forgiveness must be!

It is not easy to forgive! God knows, I have been wronged, I have had some awful things done to me. I’ve been wounded and in pain, and I bet you have, too! Others might mistreat us, even abuse us in a myriad of ways. Do you think it’s easy to put aside bitterness and resentment? Let me tell you. I know from experience. It is not easy.

As I wrote one day, a few weeks ago, I finally forgave someone who was really pulling my chain. I had a resentment stoked up inside for years. Yet, God helped me with that. God helped me come to some sort of peace within myself.

What about me? How much sin, how many sins has Jesus forgiven that I’ve committed? When Jesus said “It is finished” on the cross, another way it could be translated is “paid in full.” As in a debt. Jesus has forgiven all of my sins. Yes, and all of yours, too. He has paid our debt of sin and transgression to God in full.

That is how generous Jesus was, on the cross. Can I be any less generous? (That’s a rhetorical question.) Seriously, I need to consider how generous Jesus was—and is—to me. And go, and do likewise. Please, God, help me to be as generous, as forgiving.

@chaplaineliza

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(Check out #40acts; doing Lent generously at www.40acts.org.uk )

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And read #40acts sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er .