God is growing us up!
In prayer, as in other aspects of the life of faith, we get to learn to live by faith in the tension of paradox - neither falling off on the side of simplistic resignation nor on the side of self made resolution!
John 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made….14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Three questions we need to deal with in order to mature in prayer while growing in the tension of paradox!
(1) He is Big, Close and Loving! Therefore I am not alone!
Psalm 95
For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Colossians 1 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the begin-ning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
(2) I am Small, Loved, Heir, Friend, Ally and Partner!
Romans 8 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to son-ship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ
1 John 3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
(3) Our Situation We find ourselves in a great and terrible war in a now and not yet Kingdom!
Ephesians 6 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Revelation 12 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
Monday: Colossians 1:15-20 Tuesday: Romans 8:14-17 Wednesday: 1 John 3:1 Thursday: Revelation 12:7-11, 17 Friday: 1 Peter 5:8-9 Saturday: Psalm 95:1-7
