This morning Colin welcomed us all and especially, Rowena who was taking the service in Helen's absence, with the wish that as result of our time together, we would all have come to a closer relationship with God.
Rowena then called us to worship, asking us as people of God, to attend to the more challenging aspects of discipleship, not just those that came more easily. Among other things we were alerted to be more than comforting, but to be confronting as well; to seek more than peace - to demand justice as well; to not stay silent but be a voice for God in the world and to not stop at just worshipping but follow through as a witness to what we believed.
Just in case anyone present had a particularly short memory Hymn 509 followed, Stand up, Stand up for Jesus.
This is not an invitation, this is a command. The hymn speaks of vanquishing foes and although it is not clear whether it is referring to foes within or without, we are promised the victor's song. At the same time a warning is given that we should not rely on ourselves but to rely on God's strength, which we can call on through prayer.
Prayer, and particularly, the Lord's Prayer, was to be the focus for today, with the Lord's Prayer being set before us as the pattern to follow.
Rowena pointed out that concern had been expressed that people have become too familiar with the prayer, ignoring its intent and that there was a need to discover its power.
There followed a Prayer of Confession, when the congregation was guided in expressing the very common things that bother many of us - they certainly bother me - about prayer and how we fall short of what God, and believers themselves, expect of a Christian.
Being confronted with our shortcomings, through the words of the prepared confession, was a wake up call to anyone listening with their heart and we responded accordingly.
We asked for forgiveness for not speaking up; for being apathetic; for being more than willing to receive but much less willing to give; for falling away in our faithfulness and for our weakness in action.
For any of us giving a sigh of relief that the pressure was off with the completion of the confession, the next prayer called us right back to attention.
We said the Lord's Prayer with all the plural pronouns replaced by singular "my", "me" "my" and "I". That made it a bit hard to pretend the prayer was really about someone else. Praising God's name and praying that His will be done on earth isn't all that difficult unless I have to mean it, because then I can only pray for my needs, no more: I have to pray for forgiveness which can be very humbling, even more so than admitting to having sinned. ( after all, to err is human). But worse, I have to be prepared for the second part - forgiving others. Sometimes I like dwelling on how I have been wronged; forgiving means letting that go. And what about "being saved in the time of trial and being delivered from evil" maybe I was enjoying those things and to pray sincerely and earnestly to be removed from them, that is a bit more serious than I thought.
Hymn 564 "Forgive us our sins as we forgive" continued the same theme and was followed by the scripture reading. Firstly Psalm 85 which echoed much of the Lord's Prayer and Luke 11: 1-13 from which the reflection was taken.
Rowena began by asking us to consider the possibility of our prayers being answered by voicemail with the usual features of that with which we would all be familiar but have never got used to. The self-selection options (which never cover our need); the all operators busy answer; the "choose who you wish to speak to" thing placing responsibility for the lack of service on the caller etc., etc.
The end of this allegory was for us to finish for ourselves - this doesn't happen with prayer- prayer is an instant connection to the CEO.
The reading from Luke was then used to show that when the disciples asked Jesus to show them how to pray it wasn't any special sort of occasion. It was an everyday event. That was how Jesus lived His life-prayerfully. It was an integral part of his life, an expression of His relationship with the Father. It was then pointed out that the prayer the disciples were taught had three facets to it:
Firstly, it was God centred and from that that centre, pointed us to our neighbour.
Secondly, like the man who asked for help in feeding his unexpected visitors, our prayers will heard and
Thirdly, God is like a good parent. Our prayers will be answered in a way that is of benefit to us. (which could be really, really annoying, so be prepared!)
The Lord's Prayer was then held up as a formula, sample, pattern, template.
Jesus presents it as a normal part of life. We were reminded that some people see prayer as difficult; they think God is asking more of them than they can manage but it's not so. God will deal with us wherever we are in life and with however we are. We don't have to put on our best mood or our best words to approach God. He knows all that as He invites us to come close. Remember, God is there with us in our anger, our loss, in our awe, in our sadness and in our prayer.
The Christian life doesn't need to be complicated. That short prayer, given to the disciples, is basic Christianity; it is the manifesto of all that Jesus is about.
Rowena then quoted statistics from the medical world that show that prayer changes people-prayer works and she pointed out that prayer is being rather than doing; it's sharing with God who we are.
Hymn 165 "What a friend we have in Jesus" was a confirmation of what had been said, summing up with " in His arms He'll take and shield you"; all we have to do is " Take it to the Lord in prayer". This was followed by the offering, another way of saying " Thy will be done"
Next came a time for putting the lesson to work as we offered prayers of intercession, imaginatively remembering people with all types of human problems, and returning to a responsive praying of the more conventional form of the Lord's Prayer again nailing down specific needs of each one of us.
Hymn 144 gave another command, "Ye servants of God, your master Proclaim" reminding us "then let us adore Him and give Him His right" acknowledging that our lives should be lived to God's glory.
Rowena then sent us out as "people in whom love and fidelity meet;/ And peace and justice embrace" and blessed us:
And may God give good gifts in answer to your prayers;
May Christ Jesus establish you in the faith;
And may the Holy Spirit pour out heaven's riches upon you.
We go now in peace and love and serve the world.
The congregation then sang Jude 1: 24 and 25 (look it up, it's more than worth the effort.)
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