Being Thankful

Thanksgiving Day comes to us as national holiday. We are invited to give thanks for what we have and remember the many blessings that have come to our country during the year.

As we do our review of the year, it's easy to focus on what hasn't been going well. Unemployment remains at a high level. There has been a rash of home foreclosures. In regard to the weather, for us in the midwest it was a hot and humid summer. As airline travel picks up for the holidays, much comment is made in the media about the inconvenience of going through security.

In the midst of all of these things, can we still be a thankful people?

I believe it comes in looking at the other side of the coin. It's looking at what we do have. It's looking especially at what God has given us by our faith. We can be thankful for the following:

1. God loving us enough to send Jesus to be our Savior
2. God's mercies being new every morning (and that we can experience)
3. Enjoying the fellowship of other Christians
4. God providing another year of harvest for us in our country

Yes, count your blessings. I hope that you will include words of thankfulness as you pray this week. Remember that all that we have comes out of God's grace.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Praying at 6:00 a.m.

The other day I noticed the prayer time in our church bulletin that was dated almost 30 years ago. The prayer group was meeting on Thursday morning at 6:00 a.m.

I wonder how many people today would gather for prayer at 6:00 a.m.?

Maybe the question to ask is: What would drive someone to attend a meeting this early for this activity? I would believe that it all boils down to being convinced of the power of prayer.

Certainly, praying this early in the morning represents a commitment. It also might be a great way to start out the day. But something really motivates a person to be committed to this hour of the day. The words of Scripture (Psalm 50:15) of calling upon God and the promise of receiving an answer is good enough reason to get up extra early for prayer.

Have you ever made a special effort to be engaged in prayer outside your normal routine?

Praying 2 Hours a Day

Today is the anniversary of Martin Luther's birthday. He was born November 10, 1483.

He was a man of prayer. Luther was known to have prayed two hours a day. Imagine finding the time to pray that much when you think of all the other things he was seeking to do and for the responsibilities he had.

It's not just finding the time, which would be a challenge in our day with our busy schedules, but also having the desire to pray that much. It was said of Luther that the busier he was the more he needed to pray.

So, how many minutes do you pray each day? Would it be about five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes? Would you be able to concentrate for a long period of time to devote yourself to prayer?

This is not just prayer for prayer's sake. It is for being in communion with God and having that desire for God to work and God's will to be accomplished in the world. The time you spend might very well be related to the passion you feel for doing the work of God.

What about you? How would you assess your prayer life?

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

We celebrate All Saints Sunday on November 7. It's a day to remember the faith and contribution of saints throughout the ages. St. Francis of Assisi has given us a prayer that has been meaningful. It is short and full of meaning for those who strive to live by faith in our world today. You might want to use this prayer in your personal life.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Attitude toward Prayer

Do you think that God intended for us to pray on the run? Can prayer become a quick fix when we are in a jam?

I believe God intended more for us through the medium of prayer. After all, it is a privilege that we can even approach a holy God. Consider the words from the apostle Peter: "The end of all things is near;^* therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers." 1 Peter 4:7

If we realize how short our time is on this Earth, then we must make every minute count. We must realize that life is precious and that what we do here in this life will spill over into eternity.

The apostle is saying that praying becomes "prayer" when we are serious about it. We are willing to put ourselves into it and "discipline" ourselves. What might this look like?

1. We will bring our concerns - small and large - before God.
2. We will believe in the power of prayer.
3. We will expect to see God act and will patiently wait.
4. We will look for the will of God to be done through our praying.
5. We will pray with a sense of humility.

A quick prayer can be just words, where we have not really put ourselves into it. God wants our heart along with our words. Yes, it's all about the relationship.

Bothering God

Have you ever been afraid to approach God with a request? Maybe you felt unworthy to ask for something. Maybe you just felt that God could not possibly come through for you considering the circumstances.

I was reflecting on the Gospel reading for last Sunday, which is taken from Luke 18:1-8. It's a parable Jesus told of a widow who came before a judge and wanted justice for her situation. The judge was deliberating and then we read, "⁵For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” Lk 18:4-5

The widow would not give up. Now, here was a judge who had no faith in God and probably cared less about the woman's plight; nevertheless, because of her persistence, he granted her justice.

Certainly, God is more caring and loving than the judge in this parable. Ought we not be willing to bother God with something that we really want? How badly do you really want what you desire?

Prayer as Trust

There are times when we do call upon the Lord for help. We have a faith that knows that God is needed at a given time. We also trust that God will be able to help. We might have a modicum of knowledge when it comes to Scripture, knowing how God has delivered his people. We believe that this same God can also help me.

We have the words of the psalmist who penned his words of prayer: "My trust is in you, O LORD; you are my God. I am always in your care; save me from my enemies, from those who persecute me." Psalm 31:14-15

Our trust in prayer can only come from believing that God has the power to make a difference in our lives. I believe that too often we cut God short. God is no bigger than our largest problem. When we realize that God is infinitely capable of helping, then we can have the certainty and the trust that God will use a way to help us that goes beyond what our human minds can imagine.

Do you have a trust in God to pray for whatever your concerns might be? How big is God for you that would allow him to work in your life regardless of the circumstance?