The second thought I have had about this “approach to God” has to do with coming to God “as we are.”

Self-Awareness

Pray as you can and do not try to pray as you can’t. Dom Chapman

That parable that Jesus tells of a tax collector and a Pharisee is one that comes to mind when I think of the quote above (Lk 18.10-13). The Pharisee prays from a very righteous place, while the tax collector acknowledges his more realistic place before God. Jesus’ point is that we are to come to God in prayer - not as we desire or long or wearing a mask to find God’s approval - but coming to our Mighty God with an awareness that we are not worthy of a relationship, save the mercy found in Jesus. To approach God with self-awareness is to fight the temptation of employing pious language and acting more accepting of God’s will than reflects our personal reality.

When we only bring that “holy” part of ourselves before God, what are we sacrificing? When we fail to approach God in all our honesty, fully self-aware, it seems we fail to bring our whole selves, those parts which need to come bare and honest before God. We fail to bring our real need. We fail to trust God’s acceptance, mercy, power and love to deal with our imperfections and sin.

May we come to God and pray as we can - not using words or language that puffs us up or covers us up.

“Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.”

I have been thinking as I have fumbled about my small farmette quite a bit about the topic of how I approach God. This is a shift in the way I have thought about prayer and worship. For many years I was glad to think about prayer methods and pray forms, as well as, God’s role in prayer - but lately…

I am thinking that our approach to prayer and more importantly our approach to the Person of our prayers is worthy of my consideration. As I have thought about this, I began to think it would be a worthy topic for this blog. So I will be posting some short (or maybe shorter) thoughts on this idea. I am not a golfer - but I know the “approach shot” is critical to beating or making par. I am not a pilot - but the approach to the runway… well it goes without saying. I am a husband and a father - and the way I approach my daughter or my wife makes a difference between tears and a cold shoulder or a smile and hug. So, I think it is with our Creator and Redeemer. So - On the Approach - first take:

Our Approach is Communal:

“He who has not the Church as there Mother, has not God as there Father.” Cyprian

As I approach God I have been thinking that it is important to know that I don’t come alone. Although I may be alone (as Jesus put it - “shut in my closet”) yet, I have been taught to pray, “Our Father,” “Give us” and “Forgive us.” All plural phrases (Mt. 6.6-ff)… I also keep in mind that reference from the author of Hebrews who reminds us that there is a “cloud of witnesses” about us as we pursue our faith (He 12.1,2).

So as I approach God communally it reminds me:
1. It is not about me. There is little room for independence (my way; my wants; my demands or my ‘best interest’) - but acres of area for interdependence.
2. God’s story and mission involves and is big enough to embrace me - but it is not merely for me or featuring me.
3. Prayer involves interceding on behalf of others.
4. Prayer places me in community and incorporates me into God and the Body of Christ. As I approach God communally I find my identity and my purposes in the midst of the Trinity and God’s body - the Church.
5. I don’t come before God alone; I am joined by Saints living and asleep and with Jesus and the Spirit of God on my behalf.

Some recent thoughts on our approach… we approach God in a communal manner and there find communion.

Whenever I stumble through life and walk away from a person who I consider a “real saint” (ie. a person who seems to regularly encounter the living God and our world is profoundly better because of it) it always messes with my head. At first glance these “saints” don’t have haloes or angelic choruses “ahhing” every time they enter a room, they seem to face many of the same frustrations that we all face (filling out tax forms, insurance papers, headaches, and dead car batteries), and I have a sneaking impression that they cuss under their breath when they miss the nail and hit their thumb. So in fact, I wonder how many “real saints” I walk by every day. It seems a rarity that I have the experience of hanging out with a Saint - but it may be due to my not getting past “first glances” (but that is not the topic of this post!).

Anyway first glances can be deceiving. For what I don’t see on first glance, and what really has me shaking my head and wondering, “Are they an Angel?” is bumping first person into the richness of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 6) in flesh and blood. When we spend time with such a saint we enjoy the luxury of spending time with a person who has turned theology into biography, who lives out, in most moments, the fullness of life to the glory of God, and who unselfishly loves their neighbor. When I am fortunate to encounter such holy ones I often wonder, what are the differences - between me and thee? (Verily, verily King James just seems right in such “holy” musings).

I think much of the difference stems from our disconnect between theology and spirituality. Put another way - we focus on self and our experience over God and His great work. Too often when I approach God and (especially the Bible) I am focused on what can I learn and what can I “glean” from this reading to put into practice (to win over the blessing of God/or impress my neighbor?!). Is that a bad thing (not all bad I guess), but there is a different approach that I think the “more saintly” among us take. For them God is not an object to study (and master) nor an Other to appease or “win over;” for those saints among us, God is at work among us and worthy of our contemplation (or being with and join with). While the result of such an approach is counter-intuitive Herbert McCabe explains it this way, “not like an increase in knowledge, but if anything, an increase in ignorance. We become more acutely aware of our inadequacy before the mystery as we are brought closer to it. So it is God’s initiative that is needed. Not that we should speak more about him, but that he should speak to us.” (from God Matters, p. 29) Saints are humble enough to let God be God… to yield to the voice, heart, will and way of the One who has made us. From this place these “holy ones” begin to bring forth the Fruit that can only spring from the Spirit of God.

Truth comes to us - not from our interrogation, but by that which interrogates us. “The greatness of the Christian saint lies in their readiness to be questioned, judged, stripped naked and left speechless by that which lies at the center of their faith.” (Rowan Williams, The Wound of Knowledge, p. 17) The saints among us are those who come to us in the same manner that they approach Almighty God - open, honest, transparent and with humility. That reminds me of something Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… for they shall be filled”

It is a prayer of depth, reach, gratitude and mission - now that is a prayer. I pray it sometimes without thinking about it - which is tragic (and which Jesus warned us about). Ahhh, but those times I pray it from the heart it transforms my whole way… and day. I think of this prayer often in the Spring. When I seen the newly planted spring flowers and plants develop each day, I think of this prayer. When I see the sun shining down and the plants reaching up, I think of this prayer. As the young plants reaching for the sun begin to stand tall and open wide their petals, I think of this prayer. It is an amazing time of year (and thus, an amazing time to pray this missional prayer?). Unfortunately too often I walk by the spring flowers and growth without noticing, but those times I do, it causes no small amount of wonder and I become again mindful of this prayer.

It is a prayer that causes me to tremble in fear and in gratitude (and maybe it will bring an equal response from you). I hope you will join me in praying this lovely closing prayer from Morning Prayer found in the Book of Common Prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
(BCP p. 101)

I hate clocks and watches - they become a prison for me that I can’t escape. I become obsessed with, “what time is it” and “being on time” and meeting “dead” lines. For me living by the clock or watch makes me “times” prisoner rather than a means to “keep” time. In fact clocks and watches often prevent me from entering fully the precious moment I am in– as I am always trying to grasp the next moment to come (playing “beat the clock”). Many years ago (about 10) I gave up the “wrist manacle” and began to live free from a time keeper.

In light of that… I have stopped watching watches and offer the following little bits and piece I have picked up over the years on the mechanical ticking that can tie us up.

“Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.” ~William Faulkner

“…being attentive to the times of the day: when the birds began to sing, and the deer came out of the morning fog, and the sun came up. The reason why we don’t take time is a feeling that we have to keep moving. This is a real sickness. We live in the fullness of time. Every moment is God’s own good time, His kairos (gk. for opportune time). The whole thing boils down to giving ourselves in prayer a chance to realize that we have what we seek. We don’t have to rush after it. It was there all the time and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us.” ~Thomas Merton

“One act is required - and that is all: for this one act pulls everything together and keeps everything in order… This one act is to stand with attention in your heart.” ~Theophan the Recluse

“Nevertheless I am alway with you: for you hold me by my right hand.” (Psalm 73.23)

That last verse from The Book of Psalms is one that I like to keep in mind - when I “instinctual” want to look at the clocks time - to remind me - no watch on my right hand, but God is with me! So enter into the NOW - for “there” is where time is full and God is present.

Writing is tough! I think the greatest thing a person can do in helping them become a better verbal communicator is to work harder and more intentionally at writing. It doesn’t stop there, that is if you want to become a better writer - to become a better writer one must become a more diligent reader (reading good books, journals, and articles).

So, if you want to speak well, write well; if you desire to write well, read well.

In view of that…

A writer is someone for whom writing is harder than it is for other people… Len Sweet

As the old saying goes: Writing is easy. You just stare at a blank page until drops of blood form on your forehead. – Marshall Shelley

Peace.

There is nothing like a great story. It doesn’t happen often enough, but when it does; well, it is magical. Gathering around a crackling fire on a cool, clear night and then the magic, “Tell us a story!” Ahh… the pressure is on! It’s a great pressure, though - to weave a tale that excites, holds the attention, keeps ‘em guessing and then comes together at the end with surprise or relief or, at the least, a “fairly” logical resolution. Some of the finer moments in my time with family, friends and youth ministry all took place around a fire sharing a “good story.”

Nothing can capture us like that - our imagination, our attention, our emotions and maybe even shaping our vocation and our character. Lately I have been experiencing that as I have been walking around and in my daily chores living with a couple particular stories from the New Testament - and I have been noticing: they don’t seem to have a bottom, you can go so deep; and they don’t seem to have an end, they just keep unraveling; and they don’t seem to stop revealing and teaching, they illumine more and more.

Then yesterday I stumbled across this quote from Parker Palmer,

“The marvelous thing about learning from a story is that the story never ends, so our learning from it need not end either.” (from The Active Life. Harper & Row. 1990. p.98)

Yes!!

Don’t ever stop listening to or sharing a great story, there is nothing like it.

Most mornings I head to the barn to feed and turn out the horses (from mid-Fall through early Spring). It was a cold morning this past winter when I was heading through my routine - I walked the 250 feet from my back door to the barn past the front pasture; I fed the horses their grain; I broke the ice off the watering trough; I put out flakes of hay for the horses to graze on in the front pasture and I was turning my wife’s swedish warmblood out into the front pasture when I heard my wife’s voice (over my iPod) and saw her frantically waving (that by the way was not part of our morning ritual). My wife was trying to get my attention - because apparently as I went through my morning routine I failed to notice the 30 foot tree that had fallen through the fence in our front pasture (25 feet of it, at least, was IN the pasture on the ground).

What, was I blind?

How could I have missed it - once I saw it - I couldn’t see anything else?! I had walked past the fallen tree, I had been in the pasture filling the trough and putting out hay - yet I had never opened my eyes beyond my own footsteps to see what had transpired in the night. Going through the motions with little to no engagement. Unaware and distant from the moment - can you say, “not present.” I wasn’t blind; I was just lacking any awareness and attentiveness to my surroundings (or is that the very definition of being, “blind”).

After that incident, (after coming to terms with, “How didn’t I see that!”) I began to reflect on, how often am I “going through the motions” and how much do I miss?

I am working on living in a more alert fashion. I am trying to slow and to live with a greater appreciation for the present. It is a slow process. It is sort of ironic that next month I am leading a spiritual retreat for folks on this very topic. I think I am learning that God often leads me to such opportunities - not because of what I can offer - but because it is how he can teach me.

I hope to hear and obey the words of Benedict in the Prologue to his Rule:

“However late, then, it may seem, let us rouse ourselves from lethargy. That is what scripture urges on us when it says, the time has come for us to rouse ourselves from sleep. Let us open our eyes to the light that shows us the way to God. Let our ears be alert to the stirring call of his voice crying to us every day: today if you should hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” [St. Benedict’s Rule, A New Translation for Today, Ampleforth Abbey Press, 1997. p. 11]

I love this prayer from Phyllis Tickle’s The Divine Hours for the second week of Lent:

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

I find the power in that prayer behind the fact that Jesus who was tested by temptation to go another way - instead chose willingly and obediently the walk to the Cross. I find hope that the one who chose the cross is mighty enough to empower and assist me in facing my temptations. I find great love underneath the phrase - as you know us.

A wonderful prayer to accompany us this second week of lent.

Wisdom from the ascetics in the desert from Thomas Merton’s The Wisdom of the Desert.

Some powerful truth(s) about our view of others from hermits!

“One of the elders said: A monk ought not to inquire how this one acts, or how that one lives. Questions like this take us away from prayer and draw us on to backbiting and chatter. There is nothing better than to keep silent.” (p. 74)

“Abbot Moses said: A man ought to be like a dead man with his companion, for to die to one’s friend is to cease to judge him in anything.” (p. 75)

“Once two brethren came to a certain elder whose custom it was not to eat every day. But when he saw the brethren he invited them with joy to dine with him, saying: Fasting has its reward, but he who eats out of charity fulfills two commandments, for he sets aside his own will and he refreshes his hungry brethren.” (p. 77)