{"id":1336,"date":"2019-05-09T22:01:50","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T21:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starbeckmethodistchurch.org.uk\/?p=1336"},"modified":"2019-05-09T22:03:21","modified_gmt":"2019-05-09T21:03:21","slug":"ministers-blog-june-august-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starbeckmethodistchurch.org.uk\/ministers-blog-june-august-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Minister’s Blog June – August 10"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cPraying is Living\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I recently took down a special picture from the lounge wall and used it in a church service to highlight a point in the sermon.\u00a0 It was very large and I took great care with it, wrapping it in a cloth and covering it in plastic to protect it.<\/p>\n

All went well until I took it back to the car.\u00a0 Armed with a bag, the picture, and my car keys\u2026. I dropped it.\u00a0 The wooden frame was damaged.\u00a0 The next day I bought some very strong wood glue and repaired it.\u00a0 I hung it in its place on the lounge wall, vowing not to move it again (until I move house).<\/p>\n

It made me think\u2026. when things go wrong for us, when life falls apart, what or who do we turn to when we need to be made whole again?<\/p>\n

We may need help and not know which way to turn and perhaps family or friends can help, or we may just want to be left alone.\u00a0 We may need professional assistance and so we search for the right person.<\/p>\n

The wonderful thing about God is that we don\u2019t need to search for God \u2013 God is already with us, surrounds us, and is within us.\u00a0 God understands what it is that we are going through and is with us in all our joys and our sorrows.\u00a0 Although we don\u2019t need to search for God, we do need to learn to be aware of his presence.\u00a0 One of the ways to do this is through prayer.<\/p>\n

On 2 June we are holding a Circuit Day of Prayer<\/strong>.\u00a0 All our services across the Circuit on that day will be themed on prayer.\u00a0 It will be an opportunity for us to focus on one aspect of prayer, to be creative in exploring new ways of worship, or to turn to traditional liturgies, and in all to reflect on why and how we pray, what we pray for, and when we pray.<\/p>\n

Because God is ever-present, he is working within us and through us.\u00a0 Prayer is about God at work within the world and within our lives, and how we respond to that.\u00a0 Prayer can change things.<\/p>\n

Henri J M Nouwen said, \u201cPraying is living.\u00a0 It is eating and drinking, action and rest, teaching and learning, playing and working. Praying pervades every aspect of our lives\u201d.\u00a0 \u2018With Open Hands\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Look at Psalm 139 – the Psalmist expresses knowledge of God, but also his experience of and relationship with God. The Psalmist draws close to God to seek help and finds that God\u2019s presence surrounds him.\u00a0 Despite his troubles he knows that God will always be with him and will guide him on the path of life.\u00a0 His prayer for help turns into one of worship and adoration.<\/p>\n

I like to read the prayers of David Adam, who writes on the subject of Celtic spirituality.\u00a0 He invites us to read through the Psalm and notice that God is with us in six directions. The seventh direction is God within us.\u00a0 He gives the following meditation:<\/p>\n

God you know me and my thoughts.\u00a0 v 1
\nGod, you know where I am. v 2-3
\nGod, you know all I say.\u00a0 v 4
\nGod, you encompass me.\u00a0 v 5
\nGod, you are before me.\u00a0 v 4-5
\nGod, you are behind me.\u00a0 v 4-5
\nGod, you are beyond my understanding. v5
\nGod, there is nowhere without you. v 6
\nGod, you are above me.\u00a0 v 7
\nGod, you are beneath me.\u00a0 v 7
\nGod, you are on my right.\u00a0 v 8-9
\nGod, you are on my left.\u00a0 v8-9
\nGod, you are with me even in my darkness.\u00a0 v 10-11<\/p>\n

Encompassing God, p 7<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The recent Spring Harvest event reminded us that \u201cOur God has an unlimited ear to hear an unlimited number of people.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere are unlimited reasons to pray.\u00a0 What are our expectations of prayer\u201d?\u00a0 \u201cThere is an unlimited opportunity to pray, wherever we are, whenever we choose\u201d.\u00a0 Unlimited, A Manual for Prayer.<\/em><\/p>\n

The next time you need \u2018sticking back together\u2019, come as you are before God, and let his love encompass you through prayer.\u00a0 \u201cPraying is Living\u201d.<\/p>\n

God bless,
\n<\/em>Ann<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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