We become mesmerized by the miracle accounts recorded in the gospels.  The things that Jesus did are not common, everyday events.  And yet there is a common thread that runs through a majority of the miracles.  We typically overlook the common events because we’ve come to expect a certain response in Jesus’ actions.  It’s not unusual to note that Jesus prays.  But we neglect to acknowledge his posture.  It wasn’t unusual for a person to stand before God and pray.  What we often miss is that “he looked up to heaven” and gave thanks.  Perhaps in looking up, he acknowledged that his God was above him — not in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense; in a moral sense; in an authoritarian sense.  He looked up as a child often looks up to his parent for support, provision, comfort, help, and deliverance.  He looked up, perhaps in full expectation of receiving by thanksgiving exactly what he was preparing to pray to his God to deliver.  The reasons he looked up aren’t stated anywhere in the performance of the miracle of the 2 little fish and 5 loaves of bread.  And maybe there’s no logical explanation.  It could be much ado about nothing.  But I invite us to consider what is a human response to our expectations.  We often look up when we want people to know the sincerity of our request.  We look up when we are hopeful and expectant that we will receive what we’re asking for.  We look up when we want someone to acknowledge us.

         Maybe all of these factors are important as we consider what it means for us to look up to God in prayer when we pray.  It does invite us to enter into a spirit of earnestness, expectation and hope.  It does invite us to consider that God will acknowledge us as much or maybe more than when we bow our heads.  And yes, bowing our heads is a physical act of humility.  But perhaps God is more concerned about how humble we are in spirit.  Maybe Jesus was relying on God’s word that said:

       “But this is the one to whom I will look:

           he who is humble and contrite in spirit

       and trembles at my word.

That’s something we could all aspire to — spiritual humility.  It then might inspire us all to look up to God.

• On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest level of spiritual humility, how do you rate your level of spiritual humility when you pray?
• When you pray, do you consider the state of your spirit, whether you bow, kneel, or stand?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Almighty God who answers prayer, fill me with the spiritual humility and reverence to look up to you in prayer. Receive my prayers knowing that I come before you in prayer as humbly as I know how.

         It’s often misunderstood what it means to live by grace.  There is the notion that because of grace, we are set free from obedience to the law.  But God’s offer of obedience is not an “either — or” proposition.  It’s a “both — and” responsibility.  We’re still obligated to be obedient to the law, but not out of a sense of fear and judgment, but because we are motivated and led by our faith — the same faith that allowed Abraham to become the father of many; the same faith that invited Saul into a faith he once persecuted, only later to proclaim it as his life’s purpose for living.  It’s the same faith we have, but the law that we now so genuinely hold to is the law of love — love of God and love of neighbor.  And it’s to this end that we bring forth both the old and the new.  We maintain the integrity of God’s law as it was given, knowing that the law is good, even if we’ve failed in our obedience to it. 

         Enter the law of Grace — life by faith in the life, death, and resurrection of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus, the Christ.  It is through him that we claim and maintain our faith — the same faith that was accounted to Abraham as righteousness.  This is how we are able to claim that — “ … by grace, we are saved through faith; not by works (of the law) so that no one may boast; it is a gift of God.”  That is the fullest extension of God’s love toward us — grace — and the example of forgiveness and mercy that we receive instead of condemnation and judgment.  It is only by the grace of God that we, who are not Jewish by birth, acknowledge the one faith — that the same as Abraham — is the faith that has enabled and given us the power to experience and realize the kingdom of heaven now, and live — by faith for the rewards of the kingdom of heaven alive within us at the final judgment.

• What comes to mind when you realize that it was God’s grace offered in Jesus Christ that opened the doors to the kingdom of heaven for us?
• Is it important enough that you would share your story with those who are searching for life in all of its fullness?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, I thank you for opening the door of grace that I might enter into the kingdom of heaven through faith in Jesus Christ. Strengthen me to grow in my faith that I may realize the kingdom of heaven as a reality at this life’s end.

         We’ve heard the stories about the Kingdom of God and the separation that will eventually occur.  It’s always at some time in the future, but never now.  And we’ve also heard about how the Kingdom of God currently exists.  Within it, there are some people deemed to be good and some people deemed to be bad.  This shouldn’t surprise us.  Jesus told stories about, wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15).  Perhaps the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” provides an image of the same.  What must be understood by those who walk by faith is that within the worldly kingdom of God, there are perpetrators and frauds pretending to be on the Lord’s side, but who are out to destroy those trying to live trusting in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and living according to their faith in him.  Yet, because the kingdom of heaven is hidden, it’s inappropriate for us to judge who has the kingdom living within them, and who doesn’t.  For human eyes, it’s difficult — if not impossible — for us to determine who is masquerading as a real wheat and those who are simply a resemblance of the real wheat that go into God’s barn.

         The coming judgment is going to be a painful reality for those who have not inherited the kingdom of heaven.  What is clear is that though the kingdom has already been ushered in, it has neither eliminated nor prevented the survival of those who are evil.  Nor has it removed from the landscape those who are merely pretending, keeping up a false front until their real nature is revealed.  All we can do is be true to who we are as children of God, doing everything in our power to ensure that our faith is authentic, and that the kingdom of heaven — though hidden — is alive and growing within us.

• Are there times in your life when you question the reality and integrity of your faith?
• What in your life gives you the assurance that you’re “doing the best you can” and you’re still growing in your faith?
• How would holding one another accountable ensure that we are remaining true to our faith?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, empower me to live my life with integrity and faithfulness to the life and Spirit of Your kingdom alive within me. Help me to grow in Spirit and in truth that others may see the power of Your kingdom of heaven working in and through me.