Spiritual Health

“Prayer is something that happens to you, much more than anything you privately do.” — Richard Rohr

Prayer is the old workhorse of the human spirit as it struggles to experience God’s presence. There are thousands of books on prayer. Each year thousands of workshops and retreats are held to help us to grow our prayer life. Preachers exhort, both publically and privately, their flocks to pray and pray and pray some more. Now, I realize that prayer can be a difficult thing, but surely, after centuries of striving, we have got this prayer thing down. Don’t we?

Actually, down through the centuries we have spent so much time on learning the “how to” of prayer; we have lost sight of the “why.” Prayer is not some technique for winning at “hide and seek” with God. God is not hiding from us. Since God became incarnate in Jesus Christ, God has been in plain sight to all whose body and mind and soul are open to seeing, hearing and being with God. The why of prayer is simply to become open to God’s presence so that God can hold us close, revealing God’s own self to us. Prayer happens to us when we are open to it!

Prayer helps us see God’s presence in the glorious sunrise. Prayer enables us to hear God’s presence in a child’s laughter. Prayer makes it possible to feel God’s presence in the warm embrace of a close friend.

Prayer allows us to hear God’s voice speaking to us through the scriptures. Prayer opens our mind to new ways of seeing God at work around us. Prayer opens our hearts that we might properly discern God’s wisdom in the words of others.

Prayer shapes the soul so that we can feel God’s joy. Prayer allows the soul to withstand disappointment and despair by holding us close to God’s own heart. Prayer allows us to breathe in the Holy Presence.

Prayer takes practice, but do not settle for mere practice. Allow your body, mind and soul to be changed by a living encounter with the Living God. Allow God’s Spirit to shape you by a deep encounter of the closest kind, prayer!

Shalom,
Pastor Bob

“Serenity and inner beauty come when we wait upon God. ‘Waiting’ like that is not merely wasting time.” ~Eva Burrows

We live in a “git-r-dun” world. Patience, waiting, allowing God to work out the mystery of tomorrow just does not fit in our usual way of living, moving, and being. We come from hearty souls who crossed an ocean, either by choice or force, and hit the new world running. We needed to find land, build homes, plant fields, establish communities, etc. etc. etc. We have been doing this for 350 years. We have a need to take matters into our own hands and “git-r-dun.”

Unfortunately, in the process we have lost much of our soul. It is interesting that many of the first women to come to our shores were named Patience and Providence. Many of the ships that carried them carried similar names. Our New England ancestors placed their lives in the hand and heart of God, trusting that God would provide and reminding themselves that they must be patient with God’s time.

But as soon as their feet hit the shore, this serenity and inner beauty began to be corroded by the need to be “in charge” and “git-r-dun.” We started looking at “waiting time” as “wasted time” believing that we could do it on our own and didn’t need to worry about God’s time. It has become so prevalent in our society that we now have more people who are spending Sunday’s getting it done, than are in worship offering prayer and praise to God. And we are the poorer for it.

During Lent, we have the opportunity to become reconnected to God’s love for each of us. During these 40 days we have the opportunity to see once again that God does provide. We have the opportunity to walk with our God patiently waiting for the moment when God will declare God’s love for all humanity on the cross and in the empty tomb.

Lent is not wasted time, it is time to experience the inner beauty and serenity that comes to those who have the courage and faith to wait upon the Lord.

Shalom,
Pastor Bob

This week we finally had a nice break from our usual winter gloom along the Gulf Coast. I realize that we would not get much sympathy for our weather from other places in the world, except during Hurricane season. But the dreary, wet weeks that seem to linger throughout January and early February do become a bit of a burden for those of us who really like sunshine and blue skies. So, how do you handle the gloom of winter?

Some of us just stay inside, braving the weather only when we have no other choice. Others keep reminding themselves that it will only last a few weeks and anyone can handle the “gloomies” for that amount of time. Others simply ignore the weather and go on about their lives realizing that it is, at most, a minor inconvenience. Each of these ways of coping will get us through the winter. They will help us survive long enough to see the sun rise on the first day of spring. If all you want to do is survive, then pick one of these and wait out the winter gloom.

It seems to me the problem is not with the weather. It is what it is. The problem is with the expectation, or rather, the insistence that life is all about sunshine and blue skies. We somehow have come to believe that we can only enjoy life as long as the sun shines and the skies are clear and cloud-free. We convince ourselves that we can only be happy when our world is without storm or gloom. We have gotten the idea that we are here to be entertained by God every day of our lives.

I know that this is not from our Bibles. I am fairly certain that it is not in the teachings of any of the major religions of the world. Where did we get such a crazy idea? It comes from deep within that child who lives in all of us. We want to play. We do not want any responsibilities. We expect the world to take care of us while we go about enjoying ourselves.

Perhaps the “gloomies” are God’s way of helping us to understand that this world and our lives are what we make of them. If we just want to get by until we die, God allows us that choice. But if we want more, then there is a whole world of opportunity awaiting us. Some of these opportunities may only happen in the cold, dreary days of winter. Thanks be to God for the winter gloom and the special gifts it brings.

Couples who have been married for a decade or so develop a very special language. This language may include words or other sounds. It will certainly include facial expressions and gestures. It may include a certain shrug of the shoulders or the way we hold our bodies when we are standing around. Friends and family can understand some of this language, but there is really only one person who can hear what we are really saying. This is our soul mate, our life’s companion.

Our God has given us a very special language, our prayer language, through which we can build an intimate relationship with God. For some this may be sounds. For others it may come in words and ideas. For others, images and visual signs may speak more clearly. There are some for who touch, smell and taste helps them to know and experience the closeness of God’s presence. For most of us, we will share with God and experience God’s presence through a combination of two or more of these channels. But whatever the way, it is important that we respect the prayer language that God has offered us and find ways to better use it to share the very depths of our being with God.

Unfortunately, if we ignore this language and refuse to use it with our God, then we are not just missing out on God’s message; we are missing out on a relationship with God. Couples who refuse to listen carefully or speak meaningfully to one another never have the opportunity to develop that special language. In the same way, people who do not take the time to listen carefully or speak meaningfully to God never have the opportunity to grow into a deep, life-giving relationship with God.

What is your prayer language? How comfortable are you in sitting down and having a long talk with God? How do you best hear God’s voice speaking in your life? How do you feel most comfortable letting God know how you feel or what your think? I invite you to spend some time cultivating that special language that God has offered just to you so that God can become your soul mate, your companion for life.

Have you ever noticed the windswept oaks of Rockport-Fulton? The live oak trees along the shore have been shaped by decades of bay breezes and gulf gales. The branches are gently swept back, away from the shore line. They are living witnesses to the value of being bowed but not broken.

The true nature of life is not like the massive redwood that stands straight and tall against all odds. Rather, it is the windswept live oak that has found a way to live in a world where the winds constantly blow. It is certainly much more impressive to be a big, “stand tall” redwood, but then they are an endangered species whose very existence hinges on the outside protection of the US Forest Service. The lowly live oak is able to adapt to whatever situations survival requires. They are windswept residents of the Texas Gulf Coast and short, compact residents of the dry Texas Hill Country. They are able to survive hurricanes and droughts, attacks by beetles and fungus. And, through all of that, they do not simply survive, they thrive!

As we enter 2010, I pray that each of us can find ways to thrive in a world where the winds constantly blow. Let us begin by letting go of the myth of the redwood and accept that we are more like the lowly live oak. May we allow ourselves to bowed but not broken, finding our own special beauty in the windswept landscape of our lives. May we grow into spiritual live oaks who allow the hard times to teach and shape us. May we celebrate the gift of life with the beauty and grace of the windswept live oaks of Rockport – Fulton. Happy New Year!

An acquaintance of mine recently had to face the “Santa” question from her inquisitive son. He had started to put things together and came up with some answers he didn’t really like. How does Santa get down that little chimney? And just how does Santa make it all the way around the world in one night? When faced with uncomfortable questions of fact, faith in Santa begins to fail. He really wants to believe in Santa, but…

Now I know that there are a lot of adults who look at Santa as nonsense. They see him as either some plot by humanists to destroy the Christian faith or as a tool of the toy industry to sell more toys. Some simply pass him off as one of those childish things that we should lay aside when we grow up. All are certainly welcome to do with Santa as they please, but…

There is within the idea of Santa a wonderful message that has grown out of our Christian faith. It is all about the real gift of Christmas. The original Santa made sure that every single child in his community received a small gift. Every child, no matter who they were or where they lived were worthy of love. The small gift they received would likely pass from their memory within a few days, but the feeling that they were remembered and loved would linger with them for a lifetime. Santa is all about letting the child in each one of us know that God considers us worthy of God’s care and attention. We are lovable and loved.

And so, when a child begins to ask those uncomfortable questions, wanting to believe but being tempted by the world to turn away from their belief, I urge you to be very careful. Allow the child to hold on to the love that comes just because they are alive. Let them continue to receive the real gift of Christmas, a love that comes without strings or conditions. The gifts under the tree will soon pass, but that real gift with be with them for a lifetime. Merry Christmas!

I am looking forward to Christmas this year. Some years I almost dread December because of all the busyness that it brings. Some years there is too much to do and too little time. But this year, I don’t care. I am ready to hear some good news. I am already singing the songs of holly jolly elves, and infants so lowly. I am ready to face the crowds and find that special gift for everyone on my list. We have even found just enough time to get the tree up even though the rest of the decorations are still in their boxes waiting for a little free time in the holiday schedule.

Many others seem to share my eagerness. Neighborhoods all over town are taking on a Christmas glow as lights and displays appear in yards and windows. The stores are playing those old familiar songs. We even had a bit of snow just to remind us that Christmas is coming. It is starting to feel like Christmas. I suppose it’s time to start acting like it!

Christmas is all about giving. It is about giving more than is deserved or even expected. It is about giving the gift that heals broken relationships and restores lives. Christmas is about setting aside our usually selfish ways and thinking about the needs of those around us. It is a time to attend to others needs without counting the cost to ourselves. Christmas is about allowing our hearts to be moved by a starry night and a child’s quiet laughter. It is a time to gather in our churches and lift up our prayers for peace while living out those prayers wherever we go.

May the beauty of this joyous season fill every nook and cranny of our lives. May our voices carry the sounds of Christmas bells. May our faces be filled with the radiance of the star of Bethlehem. May our ears be tuned to the cries of a hungry child in all of us. May our arms hold close the manger child in us all. May our lips speak the prayers of love and joy, hope and peace.

The road stretches on forever. You know that you should have been there by now. But that last landmark never appeared. How could you miss a big orange sign declaring that you had arrived in Clayton County? The last turn was just past that sign but since you never saw it, you never made the turn. Where am I? How did I get here? I am going to be late. What will I do?

Perhaps you have never found yourself in a situation like this; but I have more often than I care to admit. I get into a panic as all kinds of questions swirl around me. Most of all I am confused and angry at the situation. The trip has not turned out the way I had planned. Even though I followed the best directions I could get, something has gone wrong, terribly wrong. Heads are “gonna roll!”

All of this anger and confusion is simply making a bad situation worse. It is raising the anxiety without helping us get to where we want to be. So, when we find ourselves heading away from where we want to be, step one is stop. Step two is turn around. This is the true meaning behind that word that was shouted from the lips of John the Baptizer, “Repent!” Literally the word means, “to change one’s mind.”

When we find ourselves in a bind, traveling along strange roads that we never intended to travel, we allow our anxiety to overwhelm us. Anxious people make bad decisions. In such moments we need to stop and quit moving away from where we want to be. Then we need to change our direction.

Each of us will miss our turn periodically. Sometimes we miss it because we blinked at the wrong time or were thinking about something else as we breezed on by. Sometimes landmarks change and we do not get the word until it is too late. Sometimes we are given the wrong directions. But the reasons are not as important as getting back on the right track.

When you feel that you are moving away from God stop and reverse course. Turn around and go back to familiar ground. Spend some time sitting with your God in prayer. Wait upon the Holy Presence to come and ease your anxiety. Wait upon God’s leading to show you the way back. Repent, for the reign of God is at hand!

At the risk of showing my age, I have to admit that one of the most exciting parts of my childhood was eagerly watching for the mail during November. My mother would stop by and pick it up at the Post Office on her way home. She would lay it on the dining table while she hung up her coat. I could not wait to get a look at the stack. I knew it was on the way. I just didn’t know when it would arrive. If you have been around for more than a couple of decades you know exactly what I was looking for, the “Wishbook.”

That catalogue from a well known department store held the highest hopes and dreams for a child’s Christmas. The pages were filled with all kinds of things that could excite my imagination and fill my heart with deep yearning. I knew that I would not get everything that I wanted. But, through the pages of the “Wishbook” I could hope and dream, and see visions of the way my world could be.

As we enter that wondrous time of Advent, preparing for the dawning of Christmas Day, I pray that each of you will feel the excitement of a young child. I hope that you will eagerly await the gift that will fulfill your highest hopes and dreams. I urge you to spend time each day, giving your imagination free reign through all the possibilities that the gift of Christ offers the world. Imagine a world where lions and lambs play together. Imagine a world where a child has no need to fear even the most deadly serpent. Imagine a world where the stars proclaim that a new day is about to dawn.

Now, I know that we will probably not get all of this on Christmas morning. I believe that by opening our hearts and minds to the real “Wishbook”, Jesus Christ, we will be changed. We will live in eager expectation, with eyes open to the wondrous gift that is coming to us in Christmas. We will see visions of the way the world could be if we would let God have God’s way. Keep on watching for it. The “Wishbook” is on the way!

When I was nine or ten years old, I stood in the terminal of the San Antonio Airport waiting for my brother’s plane to arrive from Germany. It made no sense to me as I watched these huge machines take off and land. Birds flapped their wings to fly but these planes just sped up and took off? What lifted them off the runway or held them in the air?

Since then, I have learned the basics of airplane wings. The air goes faster over the top and somehow that creates lift beneath the wing. That lift carries the whole airplane up. I still don’t really understand it. Since I don’t have to design airplanes I can be satisfied with what I know. I can get on a plane with the reasonable expectation that it will take-off and soar through the air.

In our own way, we are also lifted up by a mysterious power. People with life-threatening diseases find comfort and joy in their every day living. Grieving people who have suffered deep and painful soul-wounds find the strength to continue living each day with some measure of joy and hope. There is some mysterious “lift” at work in their lives. We can’t see it, but it’s there. We see hope and joy in their faces. We can hear them in their voices.

I have had the privilege of sharing these moments with many, many people. They have taught me a lot about this “lift.” It comes from their sense of gratitude, their ability to see that God is still at work in their lives. They realize that even though the times are tough, their God has not abandoned them. Many of these folks have some very hard questions for God. They may even be angry with God. However, they do not allow their doubts, confusion, or anger to get in the way of their seeing that God is with them.

Something in their spirit allows them to see God’s hand in the sunrise. They are able to recognize God’s voice when a friend offers to just sit and listen to them. These folks are able to feel God’s comforting hand on their shoulders when the anguish wells us from deep inside. For them, that sacred presence is enough to help them through their difficult days. Gratitude works! Lives are lifted up above painful circumstances and their spirits soar. Patient endurance comes to those who are grateful for even the smallest gift of God. May each of us have the eyes to see the gifts that God wraps up and delivers to us every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!