The Ultimate Relationship . . . between an individual and God. Last week we talked about Relating in Relationships. This week we are focusing on the Ultimate Relationship, between God and me . . . or God and you . . . expressed primarily through God's completed Word, the Bible, on His part and through prayer on our part.
Since prayer is so crucial in developing this relationship, how do we go about doing it? Again, this is a huge topic and unsure of how to even make a dent in the topical surface (especially since I am no expert and fall far short of my desires to excel in this area!), I am going to visit the Ultimate Relationship Room for thoughts to consider and to pass on to you. The door is nothing fancy . . . obviously not intended to intimidate . . . God wants all of His children to approach Him on a continual basis. He tells those of us who have accepted Jesus' sacrificial death and ressurrection in our behalf to "pray without ceasing." We read in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."
Once inside the door, I find myself surrounded by the most glorious stained glass windows. Overhead, I catch just the glimpse of the four enormous legs protruding from underneath a mass of heavy clouds. Somehow, I know in my spirit that they are the foundation of a Great Throne. Splendid wisps of fabulous colors wave and dance around the legs, constantly moving, leaving hazy trails that last for seconds, then disappear and are immediately replaced by more tremulous, glowing forms.
Turning my attention to the beautiful stained glass work, I ponder their significance, and am immediately confronted with the similarities to those windows and to the concept of prayer. Prayer is composed of words . . . my heart, mind and soul pouring out fears and feelings and gratitude to my heavenly Father. But prayer is so much more than words. I visualize prayers as a stained glass window . . . each separate piece a work of art in itself, yet connected to make up the whole image.
Images . . . that's it!
Here are some images I have experienced in my life, expressing what it means to pray:
Every evening, especially in winter when the darkness arrives early, I have a ritual of going to different rooms in my house, drawing the drapes in the living room (unless my husband beats me to it!), and pulling down the shades in all the bedrooms, closing the blinds in our bathroom. Having practiced this ritual for many years, to me it symbolizes the closing out of the world's business and influence on the life of my family, as we wind down our day, settling in, enjoying the security of just being a family together . . . or these days of the empty nest, just a couple. That is how I want to come to prayer, closing out all other influences . . . just resting alone with God, relishing the security of His presence.
Of course, at other times, I pray "on the run," as I do my housework and errands. So many practical prayers through the years: "God, please don't let K throw up when he gives his first speech today in school." "Put the kids to bed earlier than usual tonight at the slumber party since J needs his rest." "Please make this dessert turn out good, because I don't have the time and energy to make another one." In all our daily problems, God hears and cares and answers.
In the face of hardship and suffering . . . kneeling down at the bedside with my husband, holding hands while he leads us in prayer for a loved one, or direction we desperately need.
Saying the same words over and over to God for 25 years before I even see the beginning of an answer.
Lying in my bed, too sick to think clearly, closing my hand and imagining that Jesus is sitting by my bedside and clutching my weak hand in His strong one.
Forming portraits in my mind of specific people I want to lift up in prayer when I am too weak to form words.
Inadequately groping to form the right words for my request and then remembering the the Holy Spirit prays for me with "groanings too deep for words. . ." Romans 8:26
Trusting God when I can not only not see the end of the tunnel, but not even its entrance!
Letting the dust settle and the dishes wait until I have spent time with my Lord.
Shedding tears of confession when once again I have failed God or taken it upon myself to worry . . . again.
From God's point of view . . . sometimes when I am worshipping God with others who love Him, I wonder if maybe when God looks down on this world He created . . . now overcast with sin . . . maybe He sees our prayers and praises rise up as tiny lights penetrating the dark shroud that envelopes our world . . . to give Him joy in return for all that He has given us.
Even little children can appreciate prayer, long before they understand what it is all about. I was playing piano and singing with little c (my youngest grandson) one day last week, and in between every "Jesus song," he wanted to stop and pray. He closed his eyes, bowed his little head and folded his hands until I finished saying a short prayer. Many times, he wanted more than one prayer before we could resume singing! Yes, there is much about prayer he doesn't understand, but he realizes how special it is . . . thanks to the way his mommy and daddy are raising him!
Have you ever considered that when you are praying for another person and if that person is praying for you at exactly the same time, it is as if your spirits are joined "in hand" around the throne of God? What an awesome thought! Will you join me at God's throne soon? I need your prayers and ask God to help me be faithful to pray for you!
As we close today, I'm sure you can recall many images of your own stained glass prayer window to add to my list. We are told in Rev. 8:3-4 of "the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand." Our prayers are continually rising before God's throne. He values our prayers that much! How much do I value the invitation He extends for me to pray?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
KEY #A16: RELATING IN RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships . . . a huge topic! So huge that I don't know what to say in a short time that could be meaningful, so I dug out my old Webster again, and looked up "relate." Once again, I was surprised! (I'm really enjoying these word studies, which expand my own understanding of the English language.)
The first definition listed is "to bring back" (taken from the word "relatus"pp. of "referre"). Interesting . . . but as I think about it, don't relationships often require the "bringing back" of persons to each other who have drifted apart because of sins common to the human race or simple misunderstandings? Consider the concept of establishing a relationship between us and our heavenly Father. Didn't Jesus' death on the cross and subsequent resurrection provide for the possibility of re-establishing, or "bringing back" the relationship between God and mankind? The original relationship God had with Adam and Eve that has been disrupted by our sin?
Then we move on in the definition to "have connection, show sympathetic understanding and awareness." Traveling with my new four guests in my little lilac vehicle this past week in the Land of Abundant Life has been a study and an exercise in relationships! Our close quarters during driving time have tested and stretched each one of us, but I have also been encouraged to see increasing efforts to communicate ("connect and sympathize"), therefore producing greater understanding and listening skills.
We arrived together today at the RELATING DOOR, and I approached it with my key, prepared to lead the way inside. To my surprise, a man stood outside the door, presumably guarding the entrance. He was dressed all in white and his face glowed with peace and joy. Assuming he was an angel, my hands began to shake as I clasped the precious key tightly and glanced around to see the others hanging way back. Wish I could have hung back too, but I was the key holder!
"Please leave your possessions outside the door," the guard addressed me kindly.
I thought I had left everything in the car and glanced down to my hands, where he was staring. "Oh, I just need my lunch bag and my lap top . . . and my cell phone . . . and my purse . . . "
"You don't need to take any possessions inside this door."
"But . . . " I hesitated. Not knowing if there were thieves in this Land, I had been careful up to this point to protect my possessions.
He seemed to read my mind. "I'll keep your belongings safely for you."
Still I hesitated, admitting to myself that those simple possessions did mean something to me. The lap top could be replaced, but its case had been a gift from a friend and is engraved with a favorite Bible verse. My lunch bag, of course, isn't important, but I chose it because it is designed with artwork that suits my personality. How important was this RELATING ROOM anyway? Maybe I should just skip it altogether.
"There is something you can bring with you, my friend," he spoke with encouragement. "You can bring people."
I looked at my new friends waiting patiently behind me. Then I faced the decision that I evidently was intended to face: which was more important . . . my stuff . . . or my friends? Should I be selfish and deny these people the enriching experience that no doubt waited us behind these doors?
Quietly, I set my stuff down besides the angel, turned and beckoned for my companions.
Once inside, I realized the foolishness of my hesitation. I saw only people . . . in a gorgeous setting of nature, of course. No televisions, games, stores, or any kind of material pleasures. Not even chairs or tables. Some sat on rocks or grassy hillsides, others on the ground. Children explored objects of nature and played games of imagination. Plenty of people were quite obviously finding simple pleasure in each other's company. And I did too! The time flew by. I found my load lighter, and my self free of accumulations, able to focus my complete attention on another person and share with them, heart to heart. (Even as I write this, my husband is trying to talk with me and I am hurriedly writing these words down so as not to lose my train of thought. Honey, do you want to take a break with me in an hour or so and have tea and relate? I make a mental note to invite him. :) )
Once again, I have taken up more space here than I intended! One more thought to leave us with today . . . the importance of communicating properly with each other, which is vital to the process of relating. I personally think that the most important tool for good communication with another person, especially one whom we love, is to speak words that he/she will understand the same way we intend for them to hear. And this takes practice, on both the speaker's and the listener's part! As an example, I recall an incident where my oldest son, K, was in kindergarten. His class had just finished a session of informing students what to do if they or their house caught fire. He got the "Stop, Drop and Roll" part, which was fortunate. But then he explained to me that if our house caught on fire he was supposed to take his shoes off and run outside! Further questioning revealed that the teacher had actually told him that if the house was on fire, he was supposed to run outside immediately, not even stopping to remove his shoes. Which of course, made far more sense to me, and eventually to him, too, once he gave it some thought. I don't know what words the teachers used (most likely at least part of the miscommunication involved poor listening on his part (!) But this example does show the importance of expressing ourselves in ways that will reach the other person with the appropriate understanding, and also the importance of checking to make sure the other individual did get the concept you were initially trying to get across!
Let's return for a moment to the first definition: "bring back." That sounds like the process of reconciliation to me. As Christians, let's make it a point to be conscious to speak and relate in ways that will help others to reconcile to Christ, which is truly all that matters in this world! "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation," 2 Corinthians 5:18
Thanks again for each of you who have told me that you read my blogs! I hope they are a source of pleasure and encouragement to you. Keep in mind, that if you want the convenience, please feel free to sign up in the box at the right and my weekly blogs will be delivered to your email address!
The first definition listed is "to bring back" (taken from the word "relatus"pp. of "referre"). Interesting . . . but as I think about it, don't relationships often require the "bringing back" of persons to each other who have drifted apart because of sins common to the human race or simple misunderstandings? Consider the concept of establishing a relationship between us and our heavenly Father. Didn't Jesus' death on the cross and subsequent resurrection provide for the possibility of re-establishing, or "bringing back" the relationship between God and mankind? The original relationship God had with Adam and Eve that has been disrupted by our sin?
Then we move on in the definition to "have connection, show sympathetic understanding and awareness." Traveling with my new four guests in my little lilac vehicle this past week in the Land of Abundant Life has been a study and an exercise in relationships! Our close quarters during driving time have tested and stretched each one of us, but I have also been encouraged to see increasing efforts to communicate ("connect and sympathize"), therefore producing greater understanding and listening skills.
We arrived together today at the RELATING DOOR, and I approached it with my key, prepared to lead the way inside. To my surprise, a man stood outside the door, presumably guarding the entrance. He was dressed all in white and his face glowed with peace and joy. Assuming he was an angel, my hands began to shake as I clasped the precious key tightly and glanced around to see the others hanging way back. Wish I could have hung back too, but I was the key holder!
"Please leave your possessions outside the door," the guard addressed me kindly.
I thought I had left everything in the car and glanced down to my hands, where he was staring. "Oh, I just need my lunch bag and my lap top . . . and my cell phone . . . and my purse . . . "
"You don't need to take any possessions inside this door."
"But . . . " I hesitated. Not knowing if there were thieves in this Land, I had been careful up to this point to protect my possessions.
He seemed to read my mind. "I'll keep your belongings safely for you."
Still I hesitated, admitting to myself that those simple possessions did mean something to me. The lap top could be replaced, but its case had been a gift from a friend and is engraved with a favorite Bible verse. My lunch bag, of course, isn't important, but I chose it because it is designed with artwork that suits my personality. How important was this RELATING ROOM anyway? Maybe I should just skip it altogether.
"There is something you can bring with you, my friend," he spoke with encouragement. "You can bring people."
I looked at my new friends waiting patiently behind me. Then I faced the decision that I evidently was intended to face: which was more important . . . my stuff . . . or my friends? Should I be selfish and deny these people the enriching experience that no doubt waited us behind these doors?
Quietly, I set my stuff down besides the angel, turned and beckoned for my companions.
Once inside, I realized the foolishness of my hesitation. I saw only people . . . in a gorgeous setting of nature, of course. No televisions, games, stores, or any kind of material pleasures. Not even chairs or tables. Some sat on rocks or grassy hillsides, others on the ground. Children explored objects of nature and played games of imagination. Plenty of people were quite obviously finding simple pleasure in each other's company. And I did too! The time flew by. I found my load lighter, and my self free of accumulations, able to focus my complete attention on another person and share with them, heart to heart. (Even as I write this, my husband is trying to talk with me and I am hurriedly writing these words down so as not to lose my train of thought. Honey, do you want to take a break with me in an hour or so and have tea and relate? I make a mental note to invite him. :) )
Once again, I have taken up more space here than I intended! One more thought to leave us with today . . . the importance of communicating properly with each other, which is vital to the process of relating. I personally think that the most important tool for good communication with another person, especially one whom we love, is to speak words that he/she will understand the same way we intend for them to hear. And this takes practice, on both the speaker's and the listener's part! As an example, I recall an incident where my oldest son, K, was in kindergarten. His class had just finished a session of informing students what to do if they or their house caught fire. He got the "Stop, Drop and Roll" part, which was fortunate. But then he explained to me that if our house caught on fire he was supposed to take his shoes off and run outside! Further questioning revealed that the teacher had actually told him that if the house was on fire, he was supposed to run outside immediately, not even stopping to remove his shoes. Which of course, made far more sense to me, and eventually to him, too, once he gave it some thought. I don't know what words the teachers used (most likely at least part of the miscommunication involved poor listening on his part (!) But this example does show the importance of expressing ourselves in ways that will reach the other person with the appropriate understanding, and also the importance of checking to make sure the other individual did get the concept you were initially trying to get across!
Let's return for a moment to the first definition: "bring back." That sounds like the process of reconciliation to me. As Christians, let's make it a point to be conscious to speak and relate in ways that will help others to reconcile to Christ, which is truly all that matters in this world! "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation," 2 Corinthians 5:18
Thanks again for each of you who have told me that you read my blogs! I hope they are a source of pleasure and encouragement to you. Keep in mind, that if you want the convenience, please feel free to sign up in the box at the right and my weekly blogs will be delivered to your email address!
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