Pastoral thoughts and musings
Senior Pastor, First Methodist • Downtown Jackson
Jackson, Tennessee USA
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
A One-Sided Conversation
I have rarely been this frustrated in my life. My email doesn’t work: I can receive email, but I can’t send it from my Comcast account. I can’t send it from my computer, I can’t send it from my administrative assistant's computer, or my iPhone. I don’t get an error message, it doesn’t say “Server Error” or “Undeliverable.” It says that it’s been sent… but no one gets it. I can’t even send an email to myself. Comcast can’t send email out from my account either. No one seems to know what the problem is.
I really didn’t know how dependent I had become on email as a way of communication. Here I am trying to communicate – but no one can hear.
If we define prayer as communication with God (and I think it is an accurate definition), I wonder how God feels when we do not respond to him? Do we put up a barrier - or, in computer terms, erect a “firewall?” Maybe we’re afraid of what God might move us to do!
My colleague Mike Ripski said this about prayer: “Because prayer centers us in God, it moves us away from other centers. It moves us against the grain. Prayer moves us to be hopeful, patient, and persevering because it enables us to see things from God’s vantage point. It permits our lives to be led in directions we’ve never gone before. Then we are willing to risk unpopularity and even our lives… Be attentive to God for very long, and the eyes and hands and feet will be as involved as the ears and mouth. Prayer will take you someplace.” (from Conversing with God, © 1992, pp. 91-92)
God certainly wants a conversation with us. Let’s be sure we’re allowing Him to get through.
Pax,
Sky+
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