John 20
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
In this passage, after His Crucifixion, His burial and His resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples. And he breaths the Holy Ghost on those pious souls. Not for their salvation, they are already saved, but for holy strength, as they begin God's work of spreading the Gospel.
Prayer
Jesus. Today, I have one simple request. Please breath on me and my family, that we may know God's work, His will and His way....
Oh yes. And, somehow, for some reason, God spared us from Hurricane Irene....
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Waiting For Irene
Psalm 47
47 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
And so I sat there on the train this morning waiting for Hurricane Irene. I live in the path of the storm. And I was trying to decide whether to ask God to spare my house and the oak trees behind my house. So many thoughts of the past....
Dr. Bosley was our pastor when I was growing up. He had been Dean of the Duke University School of Divinity. He may have not enjoyed that position and, so, he came to be the pastor of our church. He was one of those men, blessed by God, who could help his sinning flock to understand God's world and man's world and to understand God's will in this world. His was, evidently, a serious, polished message for mature Christians. I remember the profound spiritual peace my father found in his weekly sermons, and our weekly family discussions about them. I found Dr. Bosley intimidating, extremely intimidating. And he made me nervous.
And when I was 12 years old, I attended Dr. Bosley's confirmation class - it was a Methodist church. The classes took place on Saturdays. I cannot remember how many classes there were, but I remember being intimidated, very nervous and really not wanting to be there. I do have some very specific memories of these classes. I remember he mentioned the word Grace many times. And I remember not even beginning to understand what he meant by grace. And I remember him asking me a question about grace. I mumbled some no doubt unintelligible answer, and I remember one of my class mates explaining to him what I meant.
But the most important thing I do remember was his guidance on how to pray. His guidance was that we should not pray for good things to happen to us. And we should not pray for bad things not to happen to us. His guidance was that we only pray for the strength to endure what happens to us. That's what I remember, and I'm not even sure this is sound Bible guidance. But, I have lived by this guidance for 50 years. And, it is advice that has served me well.
More From Psalm 47
44 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
I finally decided not to pray for God to spare my oak trees or to spare my house. I decided to ask God's blessing on each and everyone in my family who lives in the storms path. I have family in Eastern North Carolina. And I was at peace.
Prayer
Dear Lord, give me the strength to endure my trials and tribulations, such as they are, insignificant though they may be....
47 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
And so I sat there on the train this morning waiting for Hurricane Irene. I live in the path of the storm. And I was trying to decide whether to ask God to spare my house and the oak trees behind my house. So many thoughts of the past....
Dr. Bosley was our pastor when I was growing up. He had been Dean of the Duke University School of Divinity. He may have not enjoyed that position and, so, he came to be the pastor of our church. He was one of those men, blessed by God, who could help his sinning flock to understand God's world and man's world and to understand God's will in this world. His was, evidently, a serious, polished message for mature Christians. I remember the profound spiritual peace my father found in his weekly sermons, and our weekly family discussions about them. I found Dr. Bosley intimidating, extremely intimidating. And he made me nervous.
And when I was 12 years old, I attended Dr. Bosley's confirmation class - it was a Methodist church. The classes took place on Saturdays. I cannot remember how many classes there were, but I remember being intimidated, very nervous and really not wanting to be there. I do have some very specific memories of these classes. I remember he mentioned the word Grace many times. And I remember not even beginning to understand what he meant by grace. And I remember him asking me a question about grace. I mumbled some no doubt unintelligible answer, and I remember one of my class mates explaining to him what I meant.
But the most important thing I do remember was his guidance on how to pray. His guidance was that we should not pray for good things to happen to us. And we should not pray for bad things not to happen to us. His guidance was that we only pray for the strength to endure what happens to us. That's what I remember, and I'm not even sure this is sound Bible guidance. But, I have lived by this guidance for 50 years. And, it is advice that has served me well.
More From Psalm 47
44 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
I finally decided not to pray for God to spare my oak trees or to spare my house. I decided to ask God's blessing on each and everyone in my family who lives in the storms path. I have family in Eastern North Carolina. And I was at peace.
Prayer
Dear Lord, give me the strength to endure my trials and tribulations, such as they are, insignificant though they may be....
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