Relationship and prayer

The wonderful thing about books, especially Christian ones, is getting to see the different perspectives that people have. I just finished teaching about the Sermon on the Mount and never saw the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 in the perspective that Donald Miller has in To Own a Dragon.

“Jesus was talking, at the time, to a mixed group of religious people. Among them were the Jews, who believed a person interacted with God by obeying a system of laws. Others were gentiles; these guys were interacting with God as though He were a kind of good luck charm. Jesus said their prayers went on as a endless rambling. It struck me that what Jesus was doing when He gave this speech was not so much teaching people to pray as He was reminding them of what they has forgotten in Scriptures, that we can relate to God in a personal way….

I’m wondering if I wasn’t limiting Jesus’ teaching by thinking it was just about behavior and not about perspective. Jesus was saying they should stop jumping through legalistic hoops, or rambling on trying to manipulate God. Instead they should relate to God as He always related to them…as a Father.” Pg. 73-74

God is not just up in the sky somewhere just letting the world go through its motions; he is a caring Father watching over His children, longing to have an intimate relationship with them. Even in the simplest of words, the Lord’s Prayer reminds us that God is taking care of us, providing for us, disciplining us, forgiving us, and protecting us - as any good Father does for the children He loves.

Our Father who is in Heaven, Holy be your name.
Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever

Amen

Matthew 6:9-13

God Bless,

Joshua Birney
Westview House Parent

The goldfish pond

Today, another parable to balance the story told yesterday.

A father and his young son built a garden in their backyard; not a vegetable garden, but a miniature paradise with periwinkles, zinnias, and gladiolus. They laid flagstones from the back door to a bench under the shade of an old and beautiful tree. The rocks they dug up were used to build a waterfall so that the sound of water could be heard trickling down into a cool pool of rippling glass near the bench. To complete the effect, the son persuaded his father to get some fish to put into the pond. After some discussion about what kind of fish, goldfish were bought and the pond was stocked.

All was well for several weeks until one day the boy noticed that one of the larger fish was nipping at the tail of the one fish that was his favorite. This worried him so much that he talked his mother out of a large glass bowl into which to put the fish. When his father came home, he told his son that he didn’t think that this was wise and explained why he thought so. The boy was troubled by this, but still thought that the fish had much better chances of surviving in his room than in the pond.

Before very long, winter came, and although the boy worried very little about the fish in the pond, he took very good care of his favorite in the bowl. From time to time, when the son wasn’t looking, the father would come in, take a look at the fish, and leave the room gently shaking his head. On cold days, the boy would go look at the ice on top of the pool and leave slowly shaking his head. But the boy was happy with his pet fish, and winter quickly passed.

One spring morning, the boy went out into the yard to see how the other fish were doing. What he saw amazed him. The fish in the pond were 10 times the size of his pet fish! The boy ran to get his father, who came with him to look at the fish. The father wasn’t surprised at all, and explained to his son what had happened.

“It’s impossible to love too much son, but it is possible to love in the wrong way. Whenever you do something that makes you feel better, but isn’t for the best of the one that you love, that thing isn’t done out of love for the other, but out of love for self. To grow, creatures need room - room to explore, room to be with their equals, room to make mistakes and suffer the consequences of those mistakes. It is a hard thing to stand back and watch someone that you love paying the price for the things that they have done, but sometimes you just have to do it. It’s especially hard, too, when the bad things that happen aren’t necessarily fair, but a part of things that happen in life. That’s why I asked you not to take your favorite fish out of the pool - so he’d have a chance and some space to grow.”

“But why didn’t you make me leave the fish in the pool, Dad?” the boy asked.

“Because I loved you more than the fish,” said Dad.

Grace and peace,

Ron

We will not keep silent . . .

Nearly 20 years ago, Ann and I drove up from our home in Richardson, Texas, to visit my folks. On Sunday morning, we went to visit the church at which I had grown up. It was good to see those whom we had known for so long, and those with whom we had shared so much.

All was well until we started to sing. From behind me to my left, I could hear the voice of one with whom I had grown up; the kind of friend who always has been, and always will be, a sister to both of us. From behind me to my right, I could hear the voice of a woman who is like my second mother, and who is like another mother to Ann. The words and the music and the singers marched us in step right back Home. Ann and I had not ever been so “at home” and “homesick” at the same time in our entire lives.

Our hearts were overflowing;
We were compelled by joy to sing;
We could not keep silent.

We Will Not Keep Silent

We are people who must sing you,
for the sake of our very lives.
You are a God who must be sung by us,
for the sake of your majesty and honor.
And so we thank you,
for lyrics that push us past our reasons,
for melodies that break open our givens,
for cadences that locate us home,
beyond all our safe places,
for tones and tunes that open our lives beyond control,
and our futures beyond despair.

We thank you for long parade of mothers and fathers
who have sung you deep and true;
We thank you for the good company
of artists, poets, musicians, [and] cantors . . .
that sing for us and with us, toward you.
We are witnesses to your mercy and splendor;
We will not keep silent . . . ever again.
Amen
- Walter Brueggemann

Who are the mothers and fathers, the parade of people who have sung God deep and true? Who are those with whom we sing when we sing God’s praises, when we will not keep silent?

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
"I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my might,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father's God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.”

And Miriam sang to them:
"Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea."
- Ex 15

Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying:
"When locks are long in Israel,
when the people offer themselves willingly — bless the Lord!
Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing,
I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.
- Jdg 5

David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing praises to your name.
He is a tower of salvation for his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
- 2 Sa 22

Then on that day David first appointed the singing of praises to the Lord by Asaph and his kindred . . .
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, "The Lord is king!"
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever.
- 1 Ch 16

May you find the joy,
May you feel the peace,
May you know the love,
That helps you feel at Home.
That makes your heart overflow with song.

Grace and peace,

Ron