What does it look like to embrace our limitations? How do we turn bitter wounds into sacred scars? What does it look like to maximize something “within the box” rather than atrophy from the fear of thinking outside the box? How do we find light when darkness arrives? Artist Phil Hansen shares his artistic journey and allows us to experience the results that came about because some one suggested he “Embrace the Shake.” Check out the video it’s worth the watch!
I have many different collections of prayers. From modern writers to prayers from the early church fathers. One of my favorite collections of prayers hails from the Puritan tribe and is called “Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
The Puritan movement was a wave of influence in the sixteenth and seventeenth century right up to the time of Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) who might be regarded as the last of the great Puritan preachers.
The heartbeat of Puritan spirituality was a deep devotion to the practice of prayer. The prayers in the book, “The Valley of Vision” are taken from many of the greats like Spurgeon, William Law, Richard Baxter, Augustus Toplady, John Bunyan ands Isaac Watts to name a few. This prayer is the opening prayer to the book…Take a moment, remove your distractions, ask the Holy Spirit to speak and reflectively read the prayer.
Enjoy!
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LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter the stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.
Sometimes it seems that people spend more time and energy trying to justify why they won’t or shouldn’t demonstrate compassion and love instead of simply engaging. Jesus didn’t provide us with any “opt-out” clauses…In fact, His take was more along these lines:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” ~Jesus Matt. 5:43-45
Somehow, a follower of Jesus moves beyond judgement in order to love. I have found that it is very hard to love and grace others when my mind is locked into a judgmental, black and white set of propositions. I might be right, and I might be wielding some truth, but if I employ it without love, I have missed the transformative crux of the Gospel, or as St. Paul would say:
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” ~Paul, 1 Cor. 13:2
But, on the other hand, I have also learned that I move towards people from the motivation of love without judgment, I am invited to share what I believe to be true and generally, it is received well.
The mindset of our culture/world is eye for an eye, you get what you deserve, look out for #1 first…but the command of Christ is to love and forgive those who are against you, you receive grace instead of what you deserve, and look out for everyone regardless of whether you like them or agree with them.
Christianity takes courage, strength, and integrity. The call to follow the Rabbi require a new way of thinking, feeling and acting…it takes a new heart as well. The good news is that God promises all of that and more as we choose follow Christ allowing His life to be lived through our own.
So, the next time we encounter an opportunity to be Jesus with skin on, let’s not look for an excuse, but rather express love in the face of brokeness.
Monty
Are you ready for VISION 2012…start praying for this weekend and this year, it’s time to get connected-get involved-and get going…God is on the move 🙂
See you at SVA 9 & 11 www.svaonline.org
