Plain and Personal

Last month we took Jesus at his word, praying with him for our Father’s kingdom to come and will done in our city as it is in heaven. This month we’ll continue the theme of taking God at this word, praying for the manifestation of what He said is a good life, for us and for our neighbors.

This week, we’re going to familiarize ourselves with His word, praying Micah 6:6-8 three times through. When you’ve finished, give yourself a minute or two to sit in the silence, breathing in the truth of the plain and personal expectations God has for you in life with Him.

Father, how can we stand before YOU

and show proper respect to our GOD of gods?

Do You desire us to bring an armload of offerings

topped off with our finest possessions?

Would You, Father, be impressed with if we emptied our bank accounts,

poured out to You buckets and barrels of all that we can produce?

Father, would You be moved if we sacrificed our firstborn, the precious fruit of our body for the sin of our soul?

No?! That’s not what You require. You’ve already made it plain how to live, what to do,

what You, Father, are looking for in humanity, in us.

It’s quite simple, and personal You say:

Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,

be compassionate and loyal in your love,

And don’t take yourselves too seriously—

take You and You with us, seriously.

That’s it! And if we know what is good for us, we’ll listen.

Galvanize Our Days

This week we conclude our exercise in particularizing Jesus’ instruction to pray for our Father’s kingdom to come and will to be done in our time and place as it is in heaven.

Adapting Ernest Campbell’s “A City-Dweller’s Prayer” we’ll focus our attention on the final stanza (embolden below). When you get to this part of the prayer, slow down. Let the words sink into your heart, and let the Spirit lead you to express the specifics on which they light: the maze of opportunities, of could be’s and what if’s which suffocate hope, and the heart of Jesus which grants us power and clarity to live the Way as people new. Confess and express these things, for yourself and as a part of our social collective, in the presence of the One for whom nothing is hidden. Then conclude within a shared “Amen”.

Come back to these words and insights throughout the week ahead, allowing the heart and life of Jesus to galvanize our way forward together.

Pray with your faith family…

Father, our God of every time and place,

prevail among us too;

within the city that we live

among the people whose streets we share

and whose souls we learn to love,

your promise to renew.

Our people move with downcast eyes,

tight, sullen, and afraid;

Surprise us with your joy divine,

for we would be remade.

O Father whose will we can resist,

but cannot overcome,

Forgive our harsh and strident ways,

the harm that we have done.

Like Babel’s builders long ago

we raise our lofty towers,

And like them, too, our words divide,

and pride lays waste our powers.

Behind the masks that we maintain

to shut our sadness in,

There lurks the hope, however dim,

to live once more as your design.

Let wrong embolden us to fight,

and need excite our care;

If not us, who? If not now, when?

If not here, Father, then where?

Our forebears stayed their minds on you

in village, farm, and plain;

Help us, their crowded, harried kin,

no less your peace to claim.

Give us to know that you do love

each soul that you have made;

That size does not diminish grace,

nor concrete hide your gaze.

Grant us, Father, those who labor here

within this throbbing maze,

A forward-looking, saving hope

to galvanize our days.

Let Jesus, who loved Jerusalem,

and wept its sin to mourn,

Make just our laws and pure our hearts;

so shall we be reborn!

In, Through, and To Jesus we pray, Amen.

To Live Once More

We’ll continue to make particular Jesus’ instruction to pray for our Father’s kingdom to come and will to be done in our time and place as it is in heaven.

Adapting Ernest Campbell’s “A City-Dweller’s Prayer” we’ll focus our attention this week on the third stanza (embolden below). When you get to this part of the prayer, slow down. Let the words sink into your heart, and let the Spirit lead you to express the specifics on which they light: the masks we and neighbors wear as protection, the longings and pursuits to be who we are truly created to be (and all the false selfs sold and bought in our society), the timidity that keeps us from “issues” and the courage to know our place in salvation's story here and now. Confess and express these things, for yourself and as a part of our social collective, in the presence of the One for whom nothing is hidden. Then finish the prayer.

Come back to these words and insights throughout the week ahead, seeing through what divides to what and who unites, and trusting that He is working in and through you for those around you even now.

Pray with your faith family…

Father, our God of every time and place,

prevail among us too;

within the city that we live

among the people whose streets we share

and whose souls we learn to love,

your promise to renew.

Our people move with downcast eyes,

tight, sullen, and afraid;

Surprise us with your joy divine,

for we would be remade.

O Father whose will we can resist,

but cannot overcome,

Forgive our harsh and strident ways,

the harm that we have done.

Like Babel’s builders long ago

we raise our lofty towers,

And like them, too, our words divide,

and pride lays waste our powers.

Behind the masks that we maintain

to shut our sadness in,

There lurks the hope, however dim,

to live once more as your design.

Let wrong embolden us to fight,

and need excite our care;

If not us, who? If not now, when?

If not here, Father, then where?

Our forebears stayed their minds on you

in village, farm, and plain;

Help us, their crowded, harried kin,

no less your peace to claim.

Give us to know that you do love

each soul that you have made;

That size does not diminish grace,

nor concrete hide your gaze.

Grant us, Father, those who labor here

within this throbbing maze,

A forward-looking, saving hope

to galvanize our days.

Let Jesus, who loved Jerusalem,

and wept its sin to mourn,

Make just our laws and pure our hearts;

so shall we be reborn!

We Can Resist...But Cannot Overcome

Last week we began praying a prayer as a particularized expression of the way Jesus taught us to pray:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

We’ll continue the adaptation of Ernest Campbell’s “A City-Dweller’s Prayer” this week, focussing our attention on the second stanza (embolden below). When you get to this part of the prayer, slow down. Let the words sink into your heart, and let the Spirit lead you to express the specifics on which they light: your and our ways of resisting, that are harsh, divisive, and prideful. Confess them, for yourself and as a part of our social collective, and then finish the prayer.

Come back to these words and insights throughout the week ahead, confessing, repenting, and receiving the grace of the One through whom you are reborn, whose will cannot be overcome.

Pray with your faith family…

Father, our God of every time and place,

prevail among us too;

within the city that we live

among the people whose streets we share

and whose souls we learn to love,

your promise to renew.

Our people move with downcast eyes,

tight, sullen, and afraid;

Surprise us with your joy divine,

for we would be remade.

O Father whose will we can resist,

but cannot overcome,

Forgive our harsh and strident ways,

the harm that we have done.

Like Babel’s builders long ago

we raise our lofty towers,

And like them, too, our words divide,

and pride lays waste our powers.

Behind the masks that we maintain

to shut our sadness in,

There lurks the hope, however dim,

to live once more as your design.

Let wrong embolden us to fight,

and need excite our care;

If not us, who? If not now, when?

If not here, Father, then where?

Our forebears stayed their minds on you

in village, farm, and plain;

Help us, their crowded, harried kin,

no less your peace to claim.

Give us to know that you do love

each soul that you have made;

That size does not diminish grace,

nor concrete hide your gaze.

Grant us, Father, those who labor here

within this throbbing maze,

A forward-looking, saving hope

to galvanize our days.

Let Jesus, who loved Jerusalem,

and wept its sin to mourn,

Make just our laws and pure our hearts;

so shall we be reborn!

God of Every Time and Place

When asked by his apprentices how to pray, Jesus gave them a rather straightforward model to get them started. “The Lord’s Prayer” as we call it, begins with the declarative invocation “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” All at once, Jesus proclaims the majestic truth of intimacy and breadth of God‘s rule and humbly summons that authority over the details of daily life.

This month, we are going to pray a prayer together that is learned from Jesus’ prayer. A prayer for our Father’s kingdom to come and his will to be done in our time and place in His-story. In each of the following weeks, we’ll draw out a particular part of this prayer to give us focus. This week though, let’s simply familiarize with the prayer, letting the Spirit lead us to invite the “God of every time and place,” to be the Father whose care and wisdom takes active shape in us, through us, and for our neighbors.

Let us pray together an adaption of Ernest Campbell’s “A City-Dweller’s Prayer.”

Father, our God of every time and place,

prevail among us too;

within the city that we live

among the people whose streets we share

and whose souls we learn to love,

your promise to renew.

Our people move with downcast eyes,

tight, sullen, and afraid;

Surprise us with your joy divine,

for we would be remade.

O Father whose will we can resist,

but cannot overcome,

Forgive our harsh and strident ways,

the harm that we have done.

Like Babel’s builders long ago

we raise our lofty towers,

And like them, too, our words divide,

and pride lays waste our powers.

Behind the masks that we maintain

to shut our sadness in,

There lurks the hope, however dim,

to live once more as your design.

Let wrong embolden us to fight,

and need excite our care;

If not us, who? If not now, when?

If not here, Father, then where?

Our forebears stayed their minds on you

in village, farm, and plain;

Help us, their crowded, harried kin,

no less your peace to claim.

Give us to know that you do love

each soul that you have made;

That size does not diminish grace,

nor concrete hide your gaze.

Grant us, Father, those who labor here

within this throbbing maze,

A forward-looking, saving hope

to galvanize our days.

Let Jesus, who loved Jerusalem,

and wept its sin to mourn,

Make just our laws and pure our hearts;

so shall we be reborn!

December 23rd | O Emmanuel

One last time, in yearning and in hope, let us prayerfully sing together the final of the O Antiphons.

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Savior:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.

December 22nd | O King

Let our prayed songs come together in the sixth O Antiphon.

O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.

December 21st | O Dayspring

Let us pray and sing the fifth O Antiphon together.

O Dayspring,
splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousness;
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the
shadow of death.

December 20th | O Key

Sing with us the prayer of the fourth O Antiphons.

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

December 19th | O Root

Join in praying our third of the seven O Antiphons.

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

December 18th | O Adoni

Today we prayerfully sing together the second of our seven O Antiphons.

O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fir of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

December 17th | O Wisdom

This is the first of our seven O Antiphons. Prayers that have been sung by our faith family for centuries. Sung so that the quickening pace of Christmas is not just all the things on our calendars but the longing in our hearts.

In case you are interested, the tune which I sing them is from (appropriately!) O Come O Come Emmanuel. Let us rejoice in praying together:

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other mightily,
and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Eastern Advent Prayers Two

Let us again join with our Orthodox family of faith in asking for a “stirring up” of the Spirit in and amongst us this Advent season.

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to joy.
Lift up our heads from the dust
and adorn us with your righteousness,
that we may rejoice
and testify that our Lord has come;
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Stir up your power, O Lord Jesus, and come.
Help us by your great might,
that whatever is hindered by our sins
may be speedily accomplished for your glory;
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Eastern Advent Prayers One

In the Orthodox tradition, the “stir up prayers” are spoken one each Sunday of Advent. Let us join with our sisters and brothers around the globe and pray these prayers for our faith family today, and in the week to come. Let us stir up one another by seeking the Spirit’s movement…

Stir up your power, O Lord Jesus, and come.
Rescue and protect us
from the threatening perils of our sins by your might;
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Stir up our hearts, O Lord,
to make ready the way of your only Son,
so that by his coming we may worship you with pure minds;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

May Everything Remind You of Our Lord

For the last couple of weeks we’ve been praying to and from the final image Peter gave us in his second letter. A picture to settle our minds and hearts upon which was nothing less than heaven and earth meet once more and yet anew.

This week, in the LIGHT of our Father’s new creation, a light of life given for our growth and delight, we continue our prayers for and with one another. Praying from the still place that our lives might reflect where we are.

Our prayer comes from yet another adaptation of a Malcolm Guite poem. This poem “Exaudiat te Dominus” is based on Psalm 20. May the mystery of God with us and for us draw us on to seeing His kingdom come, his will done on earth as it is in heaven.

Let’s pray together.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world”

the True light

All given for our growth, and our delight

All flowering for us from his sanctuary.

Even before we enter in, his light

Is blessing us. Now may his mystery

Still draw us on, arouse our hearts’ desire,

And may each glimpse of Jesus become an epiphany

of life live well.

May evne the briefest sparks blaze into a holy fire

within and through our lives

As light and warmth illuminate our minds.

And may some scent and sense of heav’n inspire

Our thoughts and words. May everything remind

Us of our Lord, that we may put our trust

Entirely in his name, not in the blind

Dependence of this world, whose weapons rust

Into the soul and kill it from within.

But may we find in Jesus Christ, riches and rest.

For from him and through him and to him

are all things.

To him be the glory forever.

Amen.

In The Still Place

Peter’s final charge to his faith family is to be found like Jesus, whole and holy—without spot or blemish—and at peace. Peace, in the midst of daily existing that often feels more fluid than solid seems like a pipe dream of sorts—at least at times. But Peter concludes his second letter with a cascading picture of God’s action in the world from its founding and into its awaiting future. This final image to settle our minds and hearts upon is nothing less than heaven and earth meeting once more and yet anew.

Last week, we prayed a prayer for the still place which Jesus leads. This week is another adaptation of a Malcolm Guite poem “Caeli enarrant” which is based on Psalm 19. It is a prayer from the still place, to see in the Son anew, the true light given for our growth and delight.

Let’s pray…

Father, here in the still place where earth and heaven meet

Under mysterious starlight of old becoming new, help us to raise our heads

And gaze up at their glory: ‘the complete

Consort dancing’ as one poet said

Of his own words. But the You-made-new are all God’s words:

A shining poem, waiting to be read

Afresh in every heart. Let us now look towards

The bright’ning east, and see the splendid sun

Rise and rejoice, the icon of his Lord’s

True light. May we be joyful with him, watch him run

His course, receive the treasure of his light

Pouring like honeyed gold till day is done,

As sweet and strong as All God’s laws, as right

As all his judgments and as clean and pure—without spot or blemish,

All given for our growth, and our delight!

May the Son shine upon us, and may we delight in the grace of his light.

Amen.

To The Still Place

Peter’s final charge to his faith family is to be found like Jesus, pure of heart and at peace. Peace, in the midst of daily existing that often feels more fluid than solid seems like a pipe dream of sorts—at least at times. But Peter concludes his second letter with a cascading picture of God’s action in the world from its founding and into its awaiting future. This final image to settle our minds and hearts upon is nothing less than heaven and earth meeting once more and yet anew. A visual which Peter encourages us to grasp as we remember what God has done, and see what he is doing even today.

Our prayer this week is an adaptation of Malcolm Guite’s poem “Dilgigam te, Domine” which is based on Psalm 18. It is a prayer in-line with Peter, for and from the still place which Jesus leads us.

Father, let us behold you, and be satisfied,

Our strength, our rock, our buckler, and our shield!

You came to rescue us, we have seen you ride

The wind's swift wings at our cry,

reducing us and your children generation after generation after generation.

We have seen the water yield

To you, as you reached down to lift us out

Out of the whelming panic, where we reeled

And flailed in fear of daily death.

You heard our shout,

Our anguished cry for help, and carried us

And held us safe and put our fears to rout.

Now, Father, give us back our liberty,

through the memory of your Son.

Strengthen our weak hands and set our feet

To dancing lightly as a deer, O let us be (!)

as free

As any in the forest, and as fleet.

Come quickly, Jesus!

And with your call, draw us in your love

To that still place where earth and heaven meet.

In Jesus, amen.

From the Quieted Space II

The psalmist declares, “I have calmed and quieted my soul” (Ps. 131:2). One translation says it this way, “I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.” From this quieted space springs forth a free and content life, says the psalmist. A life we all long for and a life that is borne from an earthy view of our heavenly Father. It is awe and wonder of our Father’s love and care demonstrated in his movement of history which has the psalmist in a quiet space.

This week, let us pray together for a life birthed from this quieted space of soul and heart in the presence of our good and glorious God. We’ll do so with these words adapted from John Ballie. Words that we’ve prayed before and that we will come back to again and again as we follow Jesus through life together.

Eternal Father of our souls, let our first thought of each day this coming week be of you, let our first impulse each day be to worship you, let our first word each day be your Name, let our first action each day be to kneel before you in professed thanksgiving and freeing awe.

For your perfect wisdom and perfect goodness;

For the love you have for all people;

For the love you have for me and us;

For the great mysterious opportunity of our lives in your salvation story;

For your Spirit, who dwells in our hearts;

For the gifts of your Spirit which Jesus has for us;

We praise and worship you, O Father.

Yet when this day’s prayer is finished, do not let us think that our worship is ended and spend the rest of the day and week forgetting you. Rather, from these quiet moments and quieted spaces, let light and joy and power pour out and remain with us through every hour of this week.

May that light and joy and power:

Keep our thoughts pure;

Keep us gentle and truthful in all we say;

Keep us faithful and diligent in our work;

Keep us humble in our opinion of ourselves;

Keep us honorable and generous in our dealings with others;

Keep us loyal to every cherished memory of the past;

Keep us mindful of our eternal destiny as your children.

O, Father, you have been the refuge of your people through many generations; be our refuge in every moment and every need we face this week. Be our guide through all uncertainty and darkness. Be our guard against all that threatens our physical and spiritual well-being. Be our strength in times of trials and security in time of testing. Cheer our hearts with your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior, King, and Friend. Amen.

Two Prayers In One

This week, we will be praying two prayers together. These prayers are meant to be prayed in sequence, one with the other for one another. My encouragement is to pause only momentarily between the two, taking a deep breath and remembering that what you are speaking to God on behalf of others, is also being spoken for you.

Let us pray two prayers in one, these words adapted from Ernest T. Campbell.

PRAYER I

Father, with desires that we cannot fully identify, much less describe; with fears too personal to voice; harboring hostilities of which we are ashamed; and weighted with a sense of guilt for having done so little with so much; we make bold now to pray for ourselves:

teach us what it means to live in you,

to rest in you,

to hope in you;

let your presence fill those homes where death has come and sickness is near;

let your wisdom fall like a gentle rain on the parched souls of

all who are confused and searching;

let your warming, healing light kindle trust in those who are

anxious or in any way afflicted;

let your joy overcome the dolefulness of those who have

forgotten how to laugh.

Shape your grace around our inmost needs, O Father. Do not give us over to ourselves. Strive with us yet a little longer, for we love you and desire to serve you fully.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER II

We thank you, Father, that praise is therapy, and gratitude the medicine of the soul. At least for the time it takes to pray, we set our minds on your mercies and give up feeling sorry for ourselves. You have blessed us with the gift of life:

surrounded us with friends;

trusted us with responsibility;

endowed us with conscience;

provided us with all things needful for life and godliness;

and set your love upon us.

Here within this quiet moment, we remember those whose sacrifices have and are securing the good that we enjoy:

parents, teachers, and health care workers

artists, inventors, and those in all kinds of service industries

scholars, city workers, and prophets old and new.

Chiefly we remember Jesus Christ:

his selfless life;

his voluntary death;

his victorious resurrection;

and his continuing power to save.

Our praises rise to you, form whom our blessings come.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open to The Invitation Finale

In Isaiah, the Suffering Servant extends a most generous invitation. An invitation into the abundance of God’s welcome. An invitation that requires nothing of the recipient except an openness to acceptance. Unfortunately, as history has proven, rather than openness, the invitation is often met with reluctance.

Sometimes the reluctance stems from not feeling worthy of such an invitation, but more often, if honest, the closure comes from preference or pride. Preference for something else, whatever that else might be. Pride in wanting to pay our own way, not willing to admit that we are in need of the generosity of another.

So, this month, rather than praying a different prayer each week we have prayed the same prayer over and over again. We’ve prayed it for ourselves and for a named neighbor and for those in our Gospel Communities. This week, let’s pray it one last over our city. Beseeching the One who gave his life so that even those who think they have no need of him might receive God’s welcome.

As you’re praying, if a particular person’s name, a people group, or even another faith family comes to mind, pray them specifically into Isaiah 55:1-2. May our city hunger for, thirst after, and find satisfaction in Jesus.

Come, Dallas, a city who thirsts (Father, make us thirrsty), come to the waters;

and Dallas who has so much money, see that they need no money, to come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price, Dallas.

Why Dallas do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to us and eat what is good (Father, give us, your Church, opportunity and courage to speak your invitation to our city, and open hearts to recieve it),

and delight Dallas, in rich food—the body and blood of Jesus.

In his name we pray, amen.