DAY 127
Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic
A series of daily reflections for people of faith
by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor
Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland
Week Nineteen – Sunday 19 July 2020
God Knows Before We Ask
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. - The Book of Common Prayer: For the Sunday closest to July 20th
I was scrambling to put together a meeting between some folks from our church and missionaries the church supports who were in town for just a couple of days, and was hard pressed to put it together – since it was to take place that evening, and I was unable to attend! I called one of our elders for outreach and missions and asked her what she thought, knowing she was out of town but might think of someone. “Well,” she said, “I had an idea that came into my mind in my quiet time this morning.” She then proceeded to tell me what that was and there was our answer. It fell into place marked by peace and went well, a blessing to all involved. God knew before we asked and told someone who was willing and available to listen.
Like all the prayers in the 471-year-old Book of Common Prayer used in Episcopal churches in this country and the Church of England where it originated, our prayer today consists primarily of paraphrased Scripture. That God knows before we ask is taken from the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, His preface to the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:8: “…your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” In ways we are unable to encompass with our minds, the God who created everything also knows everything: our past, our present and our future.
His knowledge of all that pertains to us is not intended to intimidate us – rather its purpose is to provide us with a truly safe place wherein we can be ourselves and know we are accepted in His sight. When we tell Him what He already knows He can then respond, but only if we are truly candid – remember, He already knows.
Reflective question: Will you engage in a conversation today with your heavenly Father who, while already knowing what you most need to talk with Him about, wants to hear it from you?
Reflective Scripture: Matthew 6:9 – “This is how you should pray: ‘Our Father …’”
Reflective hymn:
“Children of the Heavenly Father” – Carolina Berg (1832-1903)
Children of the heavenly Father safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven such a refuge e’er was given.
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