Praying When Words Fail by Mark D. Roberts

Psalm 5:1-12

O LORD, hear me as I pray;      pay attention to my groaning.

Psalm 5:1

What is prayer? The most basic answer says that prayer is talking to God. Sometimes we talk to God through singing. Sometimes we talk silently with words that are not actually expressed. But, for most of us, most of the time, prayer is talking to God.

Yet, there are times when our words fail us. These may be times of ecstasy when we cannot find words to communicate our joy (for example 1 Peter 1:8). More commonly, we run out of words in times of turmoil and struggle, times when we feel discouraged and hopeless. Can we pray in times like these, without words?

Yes, says David in Psalm 5. This psalm begins, “O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.” The noun translated here as “groaning” appears one other time in Scripture. In Psalm 39:3 it is rendered, “The more I thought about it.” The dictionary defines this word as “murmuring, whisper, musing.” Given the dire situation of David in Psalm 5, groaning just may be the best option. Yet, all of the possible uses of the word suggest a non-verbal sort of communication, whether in pain (groaning) or quiet reflection (musing).

So, prayer is more than saying words to God. It is opening our inner life to God. It is pouring out our heart to God because he is our refuge (Psalm 62:8). In times of agony, our prayers may sound like groaning. In times of exultation, they might sound like cheers in a football game. Yet, no matter the sounds we make, or even when we make no sounds at all, God not only “listens” to our prayers, but also helps us to pray “with groaning that cannot be expressed in words” (Romans 8:26).

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Can you think of times in your life when you prayed deeply and truly, but without words? Have there been times when your prayers were like groaning? How have you experienced the help of the Holy Spirit as you pray?

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank you for the gift of language, for the opportunity to speak to people and even to you. How amazing to think that I can talk to you and you actually listen to me!

Yet, I also thank you for listening when I cannot find the words to say, when my grief is unutterable or when my joy is unspeakable. Thank you for hearing my groanings, and even for helping me to groan when I cannot find words to offer to you. Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/praying-when-words-fail

God’s Plan: To Bring Unity to All Things Under Christ by Mark D. Roberts

Ephesians 1:8-10

With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Ephesians 1:8-10

In Ephesians 1:10, we finally learn the content of God‘s “mystery,” his big plan for the cosmos: “to bring to unity all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (NIV). Other translations speak of God “bringing everything together” (NLT) or working “to unite all things” (ESV) or “to gather up all things” (NRSV).

The Greek verb that is translated in these various ways is a rare one (anakephalaioo). In the New Testament, this verb appears only here and in Romans 13:9: The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up [anakephalaioutai] in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This usage in Romans reflects the ordinary sense of the verb: “to sum up, to recapitulate.” It can be used for the process of adding up numbers or summarizing an argument. This verb is based on the word kephalion, which means a sum or a summary. It is related, though not directly, to the Greek word kephale, which means “head.”

So then, what does it mean that God is summing up all things under Christ? English translations rightly convey the unifying sense of this verse. In Christ, God is tying together all of history. Moreover, through Christ, God is bringing together all things, uniting them according to his eternal purpose. Implicitly, apart from Christ, all things are disunited and dysfunctional. Through Christ, all things will be brought back into the unity God intended for them from the beginning.

Though the theology in this verse can stretch or even boggle our minds, we all have experienced the disconnection and brokenness that is assumed here. We know what it’s like to live in a divided world, one that is filled with violence and injustice. We experience such disunity in our own families, workplaces, communities, and churches…and even in our own souls. Something in us yearns for healing, for connection, for unity. We fervently desire the unity of all things that God is forging through Christ.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: I’ll have more to say about this unity tomorrow. For now, you might reflect on the following questions. In ways do you experience the brokenness and fragmentation assumed by verse 10? When you think of Christ bringing unity to all things, what do you envision? How might the truth of this verse actually make a difference in your daily life? In your family? In your workplace?

PRAYER: Gracious God, as I reflect on Ephesians 1:10, I realize that I can grasp only the tiniest part of your “mystery” revealed here. Still, I am astounded by the fact that you are bringing unity to all things through Christ. This is a mystery, indeed, a wonder to behold!

Lord, I sense brokenness and disunity in my own life. I know how much my heart is divided by sin. I think of relationships that are not what they might be. I remember tensions in my community and among my colleagues. And I think of the headlines that daily proclaim the brokenness of this world. How much we need the unity you offer! How much I need it! Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/gods-plan-bring-unity-all-things-under-christ

Give Your Bodies to God by Mark D. Roberts

Romans 12:1-2

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Romans 12:1

My last two reflections have focused on Romans 12:1. I want to stay with this verse for a couple more days because it overflows with truth we need if we’re to experience the “high calling” of the Christian life.

We might be surprised by the exhortation of Romans 12:1 to give our bodies to God as “a living and holy sacrifice.” Often we tend to think that what really matters in life is the “spiritual,” which we conceive of as interior and nonphysical. But Romans 12:1, echoing the rest of the Bible, calls us to give, not just our inner selves, but our whole selves to God, including our bodies.

How do we offer our bodies to God as a sacrifice? The word “living” makes it clear that we are not talking about human sacrifice here, at least not in the ordinary sense. To be sure, part of giving our bodies to God includes not doing that which dishonors our bodies (see 1 Cor. 6, for example). But giving our bodies to God entails much more than abstaining from the sins of the flesh. We are to offer our bodies by living each day for God. Everything we do, including our work, broadly defined, is part of our sacrifice to God. What we find in Romans 12:1 could well be labeled “the high calling of our daily lives.” After all, it is through our bodies that we speak, write, listen, type, dig, plant, paint, embrace, and kiss. Our bodies are the means through which we make a difference in this world, a difference for God and his kingdom.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you think of your body as an instrument for glorifying God? How do you, in fact, offer your body to God as a living sacrifice? How might this verse change the way you think and live?

 

PRAYER: Gracious God, today I thank you for my body. I must confess that I take for granted the ways you have blessed me in my body, focusing instead on its limitations, pains, and failures. Yet my body is a gift of inestimable value. So I give you thanks for this physical center of my life.

O Lord, may I recognize that my body finds its true and whole purpose when it is given to you. May I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice, devoting my whole self to you and your purposes. As I do, may I abstain from all that dishonors, weakens, or distresses my body. May I care for my flesh so that it might be fit for your service. And then, may I give my body to you each day, serving you with all that I am in every situation. Use me, Lord, for your kingdom’s purpose. Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/give-your-bodies-god-0?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheHighCallingDailyReflections+%28Daily+Reflection+%26+Prayer%29

Should Spirituality Always Trump Practicality? by Mark D. Roberts

Ezekiel 46:1-24

When the people of the land come into the LORD’s presence for the festivals, those who enter through the North Gate to worship should go out through the south, and those who come in through the South Gate should go out through the North Gate. They shouldn’t turn around and go out the same way they came in. Instead, they should go out the opposite gate.

Ezekiel 46:9

I’ve been in plenty of church meetings that seem to pit the “spiritual” people against the “practical.” The “spiritual” people want to raise the mission budget in the next year; the “practical” people wonder how we’re going to pay for it. The “spiritual” people want to let the Spirit be free in worship services; the “practical” people wonder when the services will be over so the Sunday School teachers can plan adequately. Sometimes, the “spiritual” folk get exasperated. They think that they can play their “spiritual” trump card, which means that the “practical” folk should back down. Is this right?

In fact, Scripture often balances the “spiritual” and the “practical.” It might be better to say that Scripture doesn’t recognize such a distinction. The God who created the heavens and the earth to be orderly seems to understand that the “spiritual” always takes shape in the “practical.”

Consider the case of Ezekiel 46, for example. This chapter explains in detail the practical matters associated with sacrifices in the temple. Verse 9 describes how the people are to flow in and out of the temple: “When the people of the land come into the LORD’s presence for the festivals, those who enter through the North Gate to worship should go out through the south, and those who come in through the South Gate should go out through the North Gate. They shouldn’t turn around and go out the same way they came in. Instead, they should go out the opposite gate” (46:9). Talk about practical! This verse is about crowd control. (I checked several commentaries to see if I had missed some sort of symbolic significance here. But scholars are agreed that this verse is simply trying to make sure the people pass in and out of the gates in an orderly fashion.)

So, if you happen to be someone with “practical” talents, if you’re an engineer or a planner, if you’re an accountant or an attorney, don’t feel as if you have to always play second fiddle to the visionaries and mystics. All of us have gifts to contribute to the body of Christ, and God has formed the body so that all of us matter. Deep spirituality is not incompatible with realistic practicality. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Everything should be done [that is, all spiritual gifts should be exercised] with dignity and in proper order” (1 Cor. 14:40).

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: How do spirituality and practicality come together in your experience of Christian community? What are some of the talents and gifts that God has given you for the upbuilding of the body? Are you using these talents and gifts in your church?

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank you for the example of Ezekiel 46:9. As one who tends to worry about the practical side of things, I’m encouraged by this part of your revelation to Ezekiel. I’m glad to know that you care about things like crowd control.

Help us, dear Lord, not to get stuck in unedifying debates between the “spiritual” and the “practical.” May we see how these two dimensions of life are thoroughly overlapping and interconnected. In our churches, may we learn to value the differing perspectives of others. Let us be glad for the visionaries who see what more we could become by your power. And let us be equally glad for those who tend to the details.

Help me, Lord, to use well all the talents and gifts you have given me for your purposes and glory. Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/should-spirituality-always-trump-practicality

Is It Right to Display Art in Places of Worship? A Personal Story, Part 2 by Mark D. Roberts

Ezekiel 41:1-26

Above the entrance, from the interior to the exterior of the temple, and on every interior and exterior wall, there were carved winged creatures and palm trees. The palm trees were positioned between the winged creatures, and each winged creature had two faces.

Ezekiel 41:17-18

In yesterday’s reflection, I began sharing a personal story related to the use of art in the sanctuary of Irvine Presbyterian Church, where I served as pastor for sixteen years. I explained how, when we built our sanctuary, we included few pieces of art. The sanctuary itself was a work of art, in our view. Moreover, we intentionally included large, clear windows in our design, so that worshipers could look out and our neighbors could look in. We chose to let the artistry of nature inspire our worship.

But, not long after the sanctuary was completed, a beloved, 90-year-old member of our church told us that she would donate a very substantial amount of money to add stained glass to all of our windows. Ida envisioned traditional glass art: dark colors, biblical scenes, etc. In the largest window of the sanctuary, she hoped for a traditional scene of Jesus and the children, with a fifteen-foot-high Jesus.

As you can imagine, this became a delicate conversation, since we wanted to affirm Ida’s generosity but not her design expectations. So we began a long conversation about our diverse visions for the sanctuary and how we believe artistic glass might function in this space. Ida was extraordinarily open-minded and joined our design team. In the end, we did add lots of artistic glass to our clear windows, but maintained their clarity so that we might look out while our neighbors looked in.

The artistic glass on our windows employed imagery from the book of Revelation: “Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, shining like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb through the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river is the tree of life, which produces twelve crops of fruit, bearing its fruit each month. The tree’s leaves are for the healing of the nations” (Rev. 22:1-2; we also used Rev. 4:7). We called the result “Windows to Heaven,” in an effort to show how, in worship, we experience the reality of heaven on earth.

We wrestled with Ida’s hope for a realistic, traditional, prominent image of Jesus, since the rest of our glass was intentionally impressionistic. In the end, we added a somewhat traditional image of Jesus in a prayer alcove, a private location in the sanctuary that was not visible to worshipers. This pleased Ida, who continues to serve in my mind as a model of graciousness and flexibility.

I’m sharing this story, not to suggest that what we did at Irvine Presbyterian is best for all churches. On the contrary, each worshiping community needs to discover how to apply biblical principles to their worship experience. My story serves as an illustration of how one community of believers tried to express in tangible form a biblical vision of worship and art, one in which God is glorified and God’s people are bound together in reverence and mutual love.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Given that artistic taste differs widely among people, how can art be used in a worship space so that it unifies rather than divides a congregation? In what ways does visual art help you to worship (or not)?

PRAYER: Gracious God, again, I thank you for creating this world as a place of beauty and for giving us the ability to perceive and enjoy beauty. Thank you as well for allowing us to imitate your creative work by making things of beauty. No matter how talented we are, may we use all of our gifts in service to you, not just in spaces set aside for worship, but everywhere.

Today, I give you thanks for Ida and people like her, who are exceedingly generous, humble, and open-minded. May I be more like her!

I also give you thanks for those endowed with special artistic gifts. May they use their gifts for your purposes in the world. Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/it-right-display-art-places-worship-personal-story-part-2

For the Sake of My Name? by Mark D. Roberts

Ezekiel 20:1-49

Then, house of Israel, you will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for the sake of my name and not according to your wicked ways and ruinous deeds. This is what the LORD God says.

Ezekiel 20:44

If I told you that I write these reflections “for the sake of my name,” you’d be rightly concerned. If I told you that everything I do in life, I do “for the sake of my name,” you’d recognize that I am consumed with pride, and badly in need of repentance. Most of us recognize that we should not be living solely for our own reputation. That’s how I was raised. If I happened to receive honor for doing something excellent or laudable, that was fine. But I was supposed to live to serve God and other people, not to serve the interests of my own fame.

Thus, I used to be uncomfortable when I read passages of Scripture like Ezekiel 20. Time and again in this chapter, God says that he does things (or refrains from doing things) “for the sake of my name.” God seems to care more about his glory than he does for the well-being of his people. At least that’s how it looks in this chapter. I fretted that God was pictured here as doing something wrong, as seeking that which I was taught should not be sought.

To be honest, I still find some of the language in this chapter to be unsettling. When God says, “I act for the sake of my name,” my first impulse is to tell the Lord, “Hey, that’s not right.” But I have come to understand that it is in fact quite right for God to care about his own name and to seek his own glory.

Why is this the case? For one thing, God deserves to be glorified. He deserves the honor and worship of every being throughout the cosmos. Thus, it is absolutely right for God to be honored. And it is absolutely right for God to help us honor him.

Moreover, when we glorify God, we are blessed. We are doing that for which we have been created. We are finding our rightful place in the universe. Glorifying God or acting for the sake of God’s name is not limited to the sort of thing we do in church. Yes, it includes singing and praying and receiving the sacraments and ministering to others. But we are called to glorify God through everything we do. Moreover, when we live in the world in a way that reflects God’s kingdom, then the nations will be drawn to honor his name.

Only God can rightly say, “I live for the sake of my name.” You and I are called and blessed to live for the sake of God’s name in all that we do.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: In what ways do you live for God’s glory? What might it mean for you to live for the sake of God’s name in your workplace? What is the ultimate purpose of your life, really?

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank you for saving your people for the sake of your name. Thank you for saving me for the sake of your name.

May your name be glorified in and through my life. Teach me how to live for you each and every moment. Help me to offer my whole self to you, so that your name might be honored because of me.

All praise be to you, glorious and holy God. Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/sake-my-name

The Compassionate Leader by Mark D. Roberts

Ezekiel 9:1-11

While they were attacking, I was left alone. I fell on my face, and I cried out, “Oh, LORD God! When you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem, will you destroy all that is left of Israel?”

Ezekiel 9:8

God raised up the prophet Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on the Israelites for their persistent injustice and idolatry. At times, God showed Ezekiel just how low the people and their leaders had fallen, as they reveled in their detestable practices.

I expect it must have been difficult for Ezekiel to be the bearer of such bad news. But, as his eyes were opened to the despicable sin of his people, his heart could easily have become hardened. He could have begun to despise his people and relish the chance to condemn them.

Ezekiel 9:8 shows that this did not happen to Ezekiel. As he heard of God’s judgment on the people of Jerusalem, he fell on his face and cried out: “Oh, LORD God! When you pour out your wrath on Jerusalem, will you destroy all that is left of Israel?” The prophet did not say, “Let ‘em have it!” Rather, he bore witness to his compassion for the people, in spite of their many sins.

As leaders, no matter the context, we will only be fully effective if we care deeply about the people whom we lead. This does not mean, of course, that we will always be “nice” to them. Sometimes leaders have to say and do things that are anything but “nice.” There are times when we must be respected rather than liked. But, even when we have to be tough, we must still seek, by God’s grace, to care for the human beings God has entrusted to us. We must ask the Lord to keep us from becoming hard-hearted, even as we continually ask him to bless those in our charge.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Have you ever had a leader who seemed not to care about you? How did you experience this person’s leadership? In places where you are a leader, do you care for those you are leading? How can a leader remain compassionate with someone who is unresponsive and maybe even subversive?

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank you for the example of Ezekiel. He encourages me to keep my heart open and tender in my leadership. Help me, Lord, to love people even when they don’t deserve it. Help me to care deeply about each person you have entrusted to me. Keep me from writing off people, even if their efforts fall below my expectations. May I never harden my heart against those you have called me to lead.

All praise be to you, compassionate and merciful God, King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/compassionate-leader