Meeting God in Silence and Solitude

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,

This week, I wonder how comfortable you are with silence, stillness, and solitude.

I personally enjoy quiet. But I’m the first to admit that once I actually sit still, it can take quite a while to actually get “quiet” in my mind, heart, body, and soul. 

If you follow this blog, you’ve seen how wordy my prayers can be! But God also calls us to “Be still, and know that I am [He is] God.” (Ps 46:10)

If sitting like a monk for hours on end in total silence sounds unbearable or logistically impossible for you, you can still pray and be with God in silence.

Two years ago, author Pete Scazzero challenged my silence-averse spiritual life to start small. 

    1) I find five minutes each day where I get away from people, noise, calendar, etc. I set a five minute timer. And I just sit. When the timer goes off, I might linger a little longer; or I say something simple like “Thank you, God” and go on with my day.

    2) When my mind begins to wander - as it always does - I “bring myself back to attention” by reciting a short verse silently in my mind. As soon as I wander again, I recite the verse again. Eventually I’ve built the habit of being able to get quiet more easily. Verses that help re-center include:

        “The Lord is my shepherd...” (Ps 23:1a)
        “The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him.” (Hab. 2:20)
        “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10)

Scazzero says this:

“The goal of spending time in silence is not necessarily to hear from God but to be with God. When I spend time in silence, I am not looking for guidance, though it often comes. However, I do find that God says a lot when I am quiet!…Silence and stillness with God are a foundational practice by which we actually position ourselves for God to do His transformative work in us.” (Quoted here: https://battlefieldministries.org/be-still-and-know/) 

When’s the last time you truly had five minutes of quiet, not just on your own, but intentionally with God? It took me months to get comfortable with this habit, but now it’s an essential part of my life in Christ. Start small and join me. I’d love to hear from you if you try it - what you find; what’s good, what’s hard, other ideas for silence and solitude, etc.

Humbly in Christ,
Pastor Matt

Prayer for Humility

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,

This week, I offer a prayer for humility to help us start the season of Lent well together.
Humbly in Christ,
Pastor Matt


Almighty God, try as we might to be your humble disciples, everything in culture and in our own hearts tugs at us to be self-assured and boastful.

God, as we begin the season of Lent approaching the remembrance of Jesus’ final days before His crucifixion and resurrection, we need to be humbled again. Whether we like admitting it or not, Ash Wednesday reminds us that you created us from the dust of the earth, and to the dust we will one day return. Although you offered us your Son Jesus to promise so much more beyond the grave, God, we are still humbled to remember that we are simply and totally human.

God, in the Lenten season of preparation for Easter, remind us of what true Christ-centered humility is. As others have said better than us, God, humility is certainly not thinking more of ourselves. But neither is it thinking less of ourselves. Rightly practiced, God, humility is us thinking of ourselves less. (C.S. Lewis; Tim Keller)

God, we pray for those among us who naturally tend toward self-loathing and despair. God, for those who need that broken, debilitating spin on humility restored in them, restore them with the loving, saving, healing words of Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28-30)  I see a self-pitying downward spiral in myself at times, God, and I pray for those who need your Holy Spirit to fill them with a more grace-filled humility.

God, we pray for those among us who naturally tend toward self-assurance, even cockiness and arrogance. Years’ worth of certain skills, experiences, wisdom, and more fill us with a desire to say, “Look at me, God!” “Look at me, everyone!” We may not shout it from the rooftops, God. But you, God, hear our inner voice all too clear, and you want to firmly but lovingly humble us. Whatever it is that tempts each of us to boast in ourselves, God, yank us back down to the foot of the cross of Christ, so that we boast in nothing but Him and Him crucified. 

God, our cultural and societal conversations encourage us to form a half-informed opinion and stand strong no matter what. Father, we give thanks that in Christ you renew our source of all wisdom and knowledge, and belief in Jesus Christ can indeed fill us with strong convictions about good ethics, justice, and more. But God, no matter our convictions and opinions, keep us humble in how we speak, post on social media, and more. God, you see my tendencies when I read a news story that causes indignation at the injustice, sin, or criminal behavior of others. God, you know I need even my “righteous” thoughts tempered with the righteous humility of Jesus, who though He is God, did not consider equality with God something to be considered. Fill me - fill all of us - with the humility of Christ, who became obedient to death, even death on a cross. (Phil. 2)  Likewise, God, when I get overly consumed with the sins of others, shine your rebuking but healing light on my unconfessed sin. Kindle in me, in us, godly repentance because we know the everlasting mercy of Christ stands ready to meet us.

As we walk each day toward your betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection, Jesus, show us how to treat ourselves and to treat others with that kind of Christ-like humility. (Col. 3:12-13) Clothe us with it everyday. Wrap us so fully in Christ’s humility that even our firm or corrective words to a child, a family member, a co-worker, or a friend are noticeably covered in Christ. Make us more ready to repent and seek forgiveness wherever it is needed. Make us more ready to offer forgiveness to those who’ve wronged us in small ways or in severe ways.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, make us more humble every single day - not only from Ash Wednesday to Easter, but every day until the day of Christ’s return. 

Amen.

Prayer for Sharing the Light of Jesus

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres,

This week’s prayer is inspired by my daily experience of watching cars drive by the Pax Pres building on Route 4. Join me in prayer:

Gracious God, across this planet, in your providence you have established “outposts” of your kingdom here on earth: local churches like our beloved PaxPres. You call all who are disciples of Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations. Here at PaxPres, God, even the address of our church building is in your hands. You’ve put us in the state, county, and region you have because you have a mission for us to grow and make disciples of Jesus in Southern Maryland and across the world.

I give you special thanks, God, for the history of the people of PaxPres, who have literally moved addresses in our history as a church. From the years on Town Creek Drive to the couple years in a Wildewood storefront to our current location on Kingston Creek Road, God, you put us where we are for a reason. We give thanks for those who have gone before us who have sought to love neighbors and make disciples from one location to the next. 

We pray today for every person who drives by the building you’ve provided to the people of Pax Pres. I see car after car speed along Route 4 and know that each person in each car has needs that only you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, can meet. Though our building is by no means “who we are,” it represents us to our neighbors. Therefore we pray for all who cross paths with PaxPres. Through the power of Jesus and your Spirit, bring works of healing, salvation, and new life to all who drive by, that we might have the joy of joining them in bringing praise to Your name.

God, we give thanks for all who come through the doors of our PaxPres facilities. Even during the pandemic lockdown, many people still make use of the space you have gifted to us. Help us to be kind and compassionate in our welcome to children, teens, and adults alike who for any reason find their way into our building. Bring works of healing, salvation, and new life to each of them in the name of Jesus and through our efforts to minister to them and bless them.

God, though you put our building at this specific address, the fact is that “your church,” “PaxPres,” is dispersed six and a half days a week all across Southern Maryland and beyond. We pray for your church sent out on daily mission. Every one of us who calls PaxPres “home” will interact with someone, if not many people, today. We pray that each of us can be the light of Jesus for someone to see today: a neighbor, a co-worker, a store clerk, someone six feet behind us in line at the store or the doctor’s office, and more. Make us aware of how we can point them to Jesus somehow today through our words and our actions.

God, we pray for dear friends and fellow saints in Christ who have not set foot in the PaxPres building for so long now because of the pandemic. Wherever they each find themselves today, you have put them there for a reason. Spirit, meet them in their sense of isolation; show them how they can abide in you, Jesus, and be a blessing to others even while they are away from the church building they hold dear.

God, sometimes we admit we get antsy. Especially on pandemic lockdown, we get tired of “where we are.” Yet you have put us - individually and as a church - exactly where we are today because you have a mission for us. Wake us up to that mission; stir us out of complacency. Empower us to be disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus, right at the address where you’ve put us. We pray all this in His name and for His glory. Amen.

"End of Day" Prayer ... and more

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,

Do you ever get to the end of your day and need to get the day “off your chest”? Sometimes the words of another person’s prayer say something to God much better than we can. This week, I want to share an “end of day” prayer that has meant a lot to me. It is written by Barbara and R. Kent Hughes in “Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome.” It has helped me bring closure to many of my days.

PRAYER AT END OF WORKDAY:
“Lord, I release this day to you with all of its events. Thank you for the opportunity to minister to (fill in names of people you interacted with throughout day). His/her answer is not found in me but in you. I must decrease, and you must increase. May your spirit continue to pray through me, even beyond my consciousness. Enable me to rest in the fact that Christ is praying for the situation and the ultimate answer for this situation is Christ's healing love. May Christ's grace place closure on this day and cleanse away any residue that would leave an ugly stain on my mind and body. I enter into rest with the knowledge that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”  - R. Kent and Barbara Hughes

Dr. Tim Keller has also written a series of prayers for other times of the day. Click here. 
They include prayers: 

1) for waking up

2) before workday

3) for midday

4) end of workday

5) before sleep

Perhaps some of these will help you abide in Christ in the chaos and routine of your day, and even see your day in a different light.

In Christ,
Pastor Matt

Praying Scripture Over Someone

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,

I’ve been writing and posting weekly prayers. This week, instead of a written prayer, I want to suggest a way of praying that has been meaningful to me. If you’re already familiar with it, it might stretch your life in prayer, too.

A few years ago, I considered each member of my immediate family - my wife, myself, and my four children. Between just thumbing through the Bible and some online Bible searching, I sought out a Bible verse or two that seemed to “fit” each of my family members: their personalities, their particular needs in that season of life, etc.  I found 2-3 verses for each family member and wrote them in a little journal. Since then, I pray those verses over them by name at some point throughout my day. I’m not perfect at doing it everyday - but multiple times a week, I pray specific verses over my entire family.

For example, my daughter Nayla is very artistic. Exodus 31 describes Bezalel, a man appointed by God to design the ark of the covenant. Exodus 31:3-5 says:

“and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,

in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.”

So I pray this:
“God, fill Nayla with your Spirit, with ability, intelligence, knowledge, craftsmanship, and artistic design to work in every material and craft as a witness to your glory.”

With other verses over each family member, I work my way through my whole family. You could do this for any significant people in your life. Sometimes we’re at a loss for words what to pray for someone; finding the words of Scripture itself can be a great guide.

Humbly in Christ,
Rev. Matt Pooley

Prayer for All Impacted by Covid-19

Photo credit: Alex Brandon/AP

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,

So many people and aspects of our daily lives need prayer. I hope to write a prayer once per week on a whole variety of matters - like today, we’ll pray for those grieving the loss of loved ones in 2020, particularly deaths related to Covid-19.

Yesterday (Tuesday, January 19th), a national call was issued for churches in the United States to ring their church bells at 5:30 p.m. EST as a collective remembrance of the 400,000 American lives lost to Covid-19. PaxPres doesn’t have external church bells, so we put a marquee on our electronic sign by the road, and this prayer accompanies that occasion.

Please join me in prayer…

Humbly in Christ,

Pastor Matt

Almighty God, your psalmist declared our days are numbered before we are even born. Your Son, Jesus, declared that even the hairs on our heads are numbered by You. God, our lives are in your hands. As your image-bearers, each and every human life is precious. God, today in particular we grieve, we lament, and we cry out for your mercy as the global death toll of Covid-19 passes two million and the death toll in the United States passes 400,000. Every one of those people was known to you before they were even born. God, we don’t understand. But we ask your Spirit to fill us with a trust and faith in you in the face of death.

God, we pray for every person who has been struck with grief because of Covid-19. We pray for family members, friends, neighbors, and all who are reeling from the death of someone they cared for. We pray that the hope of the resurrection offered in Christ would be a source of strength to all who are mourning. We pray that the comfort of your Holy Spirit would hold us in our tears, grief, and memories.

God, we think too of health care workers who have been on the front lines of this pandemic - many of whom have not only walked alongside someone dying of Covid-19, but who themselves have lost loved ones to Covid-19. They too need your hope, your strength, your comfort, and your perspective to keep them going. Grant them the rest that Christ alone offers to sustain them through the many months still ahead of this terrible pandemic.

God, we who call upon the name of Jesus Christ are first and always citizens of your kingdom. But in your providence, each of us has an earthly nation we call home. So for those of us American disciples of Jesus, we join together with all people in our land in asking for your comfort and mercy. As millions of others join in a collective act of remembrance over the death toll of Covid-19, show us - your disciples - how we can join in lament with others. Direct us to specific neighbors, co-workers, and family members to whom we can offer a word of the hope of Jesus, an act of the grace of Jesus, and a comforting presence. Empower us to be your presence to someone who needs it today.

All this we pray in the name of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.

Prayers for All Involved with Education

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,

Last week, January 6th prompted a written prayer from me related to everything that led up to and happened during the electoral confirmation on Capitol Hill. So many people and aspects of our daily lives need prayer at this time in our current national and global moment. I hope to write a prayer once per week on a whole variety of matters - like today, we’ll pray for teachers and everyone involved in education and schoolwork especially during the pandemic. In future weeks, we’ll pray for other matters and groups of people. On a related note, a church member made me aware of this Global Day of Prayer and Fasting for mothers, tomorrow, Wednesday January 13th if you wish to participate.

Humbly in Christ,

Pastor Matt

Almighty God, you created each and every one of us in your image. Though we take that truth for granted sometimes, it was a radical way of viewing humanity in the ancient world: that everyone - young, old, healthy, ill, rich, poor, male, female - has an inherent dignity in the sight of God and of people. God, thank you that we are each knit together in our mothers’ wombs, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by you.

As your image-bearers, God, one way you call us to steward our lives is through education of people of all ages: teaching children and adults alike. God, teaching has always been a joyful yet arduous calling. But you yourself, O Lord, have watched from heaven and you have seen just how devastating a toll the global pandemic has taken on all teachers, educators, and education administrators. Lord, be merciful to each and every one of them.

God, we give you thanks for teachers of all types: preschool, elementary, middle, high school, college, graduate level, and more. Public, private, charter, home, and all other types of school. They need your sustaining grace to keep them going through this pandemic and even long after it’s over. Through Jesus, you call all who are weary and burdened to come to you and find true rest and an easy yoke for their souls. God, through your Spirit grant all teachers a rest and renewal they desperately need.

God, in addition to the ways teachers invest in the lives of others’ children and peers, they too have families of their own. We pray, God, for all teachers whose own loved ones have died or been impacted by Covid-19. We remember teachers themselves who have lost their lives to Covid-19 or any other cause in 2020. We lift to you their grieving families and friends. May your Holy Spirit be their one true comfort and may the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ be their one true hope.

God, we give thanks and pray too for administrators of all types who make the work of educators possible. Together with teachers, administrators have had to make one unprecedented decision after another in the pandemic. God of wisdom, grant them peace in the decisions they have made in the last year; and grant them your wisdom and discernment in dozens of decisions that are still yet to be made this year. God, for all of us who don’t make the decisions but live with them, grant us grace and patience with our teachers and administrators. We confess, God, that every one of us - myself included - has had our moments of complaining about education decisions made in the last year. Teach us to work together, not against each other, in supporting our educators and administrators in making more pandemic-related school decisions that are in the best interests of all: students, parents, guardians, and school teachers and staff. Only you, God, can work that kind of unifying Spirit between people of differing opinions. So Holy Spirit, come and unify us.

God, we also pray especially for students and families who’ve been disproportionately affected by Covid-19’s toll on education. Some of us and our kids, God, are affected by Covid-19, but by your grace, we will bounce back relatively easily. But we pray for those who, before Covid-19, already had certain cards stacked against them: for those whose zip code is stacked against them. For those whose finances are stacked against them. For those whose broken home situations are stacked against them. For those whose ethnicity or skin color is unjustly stacked against them. We lift to you all who have experienced an unimaginably higher toll on their ability to learn and grow in 2020. In their lives, God, write your story of redemption, restoration, and abundant resilience and growth through the power of Jesus. May many children and adults in school have stories to tell of your grace in years to come. God, show each of us how we can be better champions for those who were already set back before the pandemic.

God, in Jesus you are our teacher, our rabbi, our shepherd. Bless all people who have been given the humbling responsibility of teaching and shepherding lives young and old. Through this ongoing crisis, graciously make more and more people aware of their need for the salvation of Jesus. All this we pray in His loving and powerful name. Amen.

A Prayer from Rev. Matt Pooley

Greetings Sisters and Brothers in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,

Though I’m still just starting at Pax and hope to say more words of welcome to you soon, in the meantime the national events of yesterday deserve attention.

Our God calls us to pray every day for many things. But occasionally events like those yesterday in Washington, D.C. merit a special response of concerted prayer, like the prayer I offer below. I take great comfort knowing that Scripture promises that before we even pray a word of our own, our resurrected King Jesus and the Holy Spirit are already interceding for us with groans too deep for words. (Rom. 8:26-27; Heb. 7:25)

I offer this prayer on behalf of all of Pax Pres to God. I also offer it if it helps guide your own prayers in any way. You may find it long, but in such nuanced and difficult times as ours, I cannot help but pray for as many aspects of what is going on as possible.

Humbly in Christ,

Pastor Matt

Almighty God, you are King of Kings and Lord over every nation. Though your kingdom does not depend on the rise and fall of a democracy, we give you thanks that most of us have only ever known your blessing of a democratic, consistent peaceful transfer of powers. Though we struggle to understand it, God, we give thanks that the events leading up to yesterday and the events of yesterday, January 6, 2021, do not surprise you, O holy God.

Nevertheless, God, you made us in your image, and you designed us to live in good wholeness - “shalom” as the prophets so beautifully called it. We pray for your protection over the police and all authorities in Washington, D.C. who are attempting to maintain safety in D.C. in the days and weeks ahead. We pray your same protection over police and authorities in any other cities where similar protests might escalate.

God, we pray for your divine wisdom and discernment to guide politicians of every party and spokespersons of every ideology, whose words and actions have the power to escalate and de-escalate situations like what we saw yesterday.

God, we pray for regular citizens of every gender, class, and creed who call D.C. “home” and are just trying to finish their days and their week safely amidst the chaos on Capitol Hill. We especially pray for citizens affected by or trying to help address the Covid-19 pandemic, whose already-exhausting circumstances are only exacerbated more by the stress of yesterday’s events. Be their peace, healer, and sustainer.

God, we pray for those who are not just angry but are flat-out inciting violence and disrespecting the people you have placed in office - whether we personally voted for them or not. We pray for those disrespecting the physical halls and institutions that Scripture says get their authority from you (Rom. 13). For those not just protesting but inciting violence against the halls of power, Spirit of peace, intervene and reign in their hearts.

God, we pray for those who are furious at the mob of protestors, and we pray for those who are furious alongside the mob of protestors. Our own families and friendships have been tested and tried by the divisiveness brewing for so many years now in our country. Bring us together to the foot of the cross of Jesus, who absorbed all our sin to free us from the penalty and power of sin… so that, if we abide in Christ, we don’t have to resolve our differences like this! God, let reconciliation at the foot of the cross begin with some of us and our own family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Give us courage to have those hard, humbling, forgiveness-drenched conversations with someone with whom we’ve experienced division in recent years.

God, we pray that you would temper our own reactions to the news, especially our reactions in front of our children and grandchildren. Show us how to respond well to the news in such a way that perhaps our children will grow up to mimic more of Christ and less of the spitefulness, anxiety, and anger they see in us. 

God, we pray for anyone who does not identify with the protestors, or the insurrectionists among that larger crowd, to still try to listen to the heart of their anger and concerns; not to be intimidated by their concerns, but to understand and, by your grace only, seek common ground.

God, though our system of government is built upon our individual involvement, for the majority of us, today’s events in D.C. feel removed from our daily lives. Yet in our 24-hour news cycle, we are still bystanders and very invested in what we see unfolding on our TVs, radios, and social media feeds. I think of the anxiety just seeing all this provokes in me. So, Lord, for those of us watching the news, help us find our peace and security not just in the hope of de-escalation - though we very much pray for that! Whatever thoughts and emotions the news elicits in each of us, God, help us find our peace and security in Christ and Christ alone, our one solid rock.

God, we pray your Spirit would bring in us and across our country a wave of repentance for all. God, may you inspire every American, myself included, to search our hearts for the part we play in the current power crisis. God, you came to us in the flesh of Jesus of Nazareth in first-century Palestine, at a place and time of history that was overflowing with diverse groups brokering for power in the Roman Empire. Yet we praise you because your message of repentance, forgiveness, and love cut across all the idols of the heart that were driving every political and cultural group of that time. We plead for your mercy to intervene in a similar way in our country and in our time.

God, we confess that we shouldn’t be surprised at this kind of collective crisis, because all of our souls are sick without you. Forgive us for the ways we have not worshipped and obeyed you and you alone. Create in each of us clean hearts and renew a right spirit within us.

God, we pray for all churches and Christians together to seek your divine insight about what we can do to promote reconciliation between even the most hostile of groups, and to promote the common good. We pray for all Christians, but among them we pray for fellow members of our National Capital Presbytery (NCP). Grant wisdom and strength to all NCP pastors, elders, deacons, and local mission organization leaders who you’ve called to minister in the heart of D.C.

Almighty God, you only hear our prayer because Christ’s atonement on the cross tore down the curtain and bridged the chasm that stood between us and you. Though nations -  including the one we love so dearly - rise and fall, your kingdom has no end. Therefore we truly pray all of this in Christ’s name and for his eternal renown over all the earth. 

Amen.

Day 292: “Turn! Turn! Turn!” To Everything There is a Season

DAY 292

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

pastorrobert@paxpres.org

Week Forty-two    Thursday 31 December 2020

“Turn! Turn! Turn!”

To Everything There is a Season

I was leaving a hospital parking lot and turned on the car radio picking up a secular station to hear God’s Words in the words of a very popular ‘secular’ song written by Pete Seeger. “To everything there is a season,” he sang, quoting verbatim from Ecclesiastes chapter 3, “and a time for every purpose under heaven.” I had just left a loved one in a critical health crisis that had rendered me emotionally exhausted. To this day I can still hear the words and The Byrds singing them as though just for me. God was telling me one on one that there is a season for everything and that what we were experiencing was just that, a season, and that like all seasons it would come to an end – turn, turn, turn.   

Today marks the end of a season in my life as interim pastor of Patuxent Presbyterian Church in California, Maryland. It was a surprisingly short season – fifteen months, ten of which were spent in lockdown due to the pandemic. The weekend everything was cancelled in the church I began this devotional which stands as of today at 292 entries. I intend to continue it for the duration of the pandemic and beyond. You can access it at the following sites:

Online at: bayleydailydevotional.blogspot.com  

Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BayleyDailyDevotional

Reflective questions: And what about you? We are all in the enveloping season of a global pandemic, but within it are individual seasons, chapters. Are there some that you can choose, need to choose, to bring to a close as of this last day of the year so that you can start in a new place in some way in your life? A season by definition not only has a beginning but an ending.

Will you ask the Holy Spirit to show you all seasons within and how you are to relate to them this last day of the season called 2020? Will you be humble and obey what he shows you to do?

Reflective Scripture: Numbers 6:24-26 – (The Aaronic Blessing) - “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

+ In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflective hymn:

“I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” – Ira Stanphil (1914-1993)

I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live for day to day,

I don’t borrow from the sunshine for its skies may turn to gray;

I don’t worry o’er the future, for I know what Jesus said,

And today I’ll walk beside Him for He knows what lies ahead.

Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand,

But I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.

Day 291: Country Focus Zimbabwe

DAY 291

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

pastorrobert@paxpres.org

Week Forty-two    Wednesday 30 December 2020

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, the former British colony known as Rhodesia, sits landlocked in the middle of  Africa with a population of 16 million and 22 language groups. There is freedom of religion with Christians constituting 80% of the population, the largest number in Pentecostal and charismatic denominations. “The church has grown in numbers and in passion amidst great trials, even as the country disintegrates all around. The state failed the population, and while many find refuge in spirituality and faith, churches also work hard to meet the many desperate physical and social needs they encounter.” Violence, disease and inflation are rampant.     

Prayer Focus

+ Pray for those suffering from a high rate of AIDS and children orphaned by it.

+ Pray that politicians will repent and turn to God or be replaced by Godly leadership.

+ Pray for strength and wisdom for the churches seeking to address massive social needs.

+ Pray that church leaders will take a firm stand against syncretism in the church, witchcraft

   and sorcery and folk religious superstitions.

+ Pray that God will bring together all Christians divided by splits within their churches and 

   denominations and divisions between denominations – they desperately need each other.

+ Pray for the unemployed, now at 90% of the work force, and the demoralizing effects.

+ Pray for growth in the Foxfire ministry that reaches youth in hundreds of churches.

+ Pray for churches that stand against the corrupt government as they are then persecuted.

+ Pray a country in which life expectancy has dropped from 60 to 40 in a health care crisis.

+ Pray that Zimbabweans will experience the prayer they pray in their national anthem.

Jesus’ Prayer Request each Wednesday:

“’The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest,

therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus – Matthew 9:37-38.

For additional information on praying for Zimbabwe go to: operationworld.org.

Reflective question: What one prayer request stands out for you to pray each day this week?

Reflective Scripture: Psalm 67:2 – ‘…that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.”

Reflective hymn:

“Lift High Our Flag” – verse 3 - Solomon Mutswairo (1924-2005)

Oh God, we beseech Thee to bless our native land;

The land of our fathers bestowed upon us all;

From Zambezi to Limpopo may our leaders be exemplary;

And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.

Day 290: Like in Narnia This Curse Will End

DAY 290

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

pastorrobert@paxpres.org

Week Forty-two    Tuesday 29 December 2020

Like in Narnia

This Curse Will End

“As COVID-19 cases in my city climb to record levels and county officials warn the vulnerable among us to shelter in place, I feel as if I’m living in the cursed kingdom of Narnia in C.S. Lewis’ Children’s fantasy ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.’ In Narnia, it’s ‘always winter and never Christmas.’…The Narnia allegory sprang from Lewis’ own childhood struggles with loneliness and despair. Lewis credited his faith with restoring his hope. Aslan the lion is the Christ figure in the chronicles. While we’re waiting for vaccine to reach us and end the Covid curse cast in our land, I’ll take shelter from the cold winter by writing daily in the gratitude journal I started in March during the first lockdown. And I’ll hold onto the hope my own faith provides that even though there was no Christmas this year, there will be an end to this long winter.” - From a current newspaper article by the same title

C.S. Lewis, 1898-1963, was particularly adept at presenting truths at times too familiar in an allegorical context stimulating our thinking and refreshing our beliefs. “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” the first in a series of seven books making up “The Chronicles of Narnia” remains the most familiar due to its contemporary depiction in a full length movie by the same name.  

It is at its core the ancient classic depiction of the struggle between good and evil with, as the writer of our article above reminds us, Christ portrayed as the lion Aslan. Lewis did not have to reach far for this image: “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5. The reference here is of course to Jesus Christ.

Living in Alaska twice over the years I know what long seemingly interminable winters can be like. No matter how long and how dark, we knew they would end. So will this one. Why not watch “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” and do so through the eyes of this COVID winter.

Reflective question: Will you reach out today to someone for whom this ‘COVID winter’ is particularly difficult?

Reflective Scripture: Song of Songs 2:11 – “The winter is past…flowers appear on the earth;…”

Reflective hymn:

“’Tis Winter Now” – Samuel Longfellow (1819-1902) brother of the poet.

‘Tis winter now; the fallen snow has left the heavens all coldly clear;

Through leafless boughs the sharp winds blow, and all the earth lies dead and drear.

O God, you give the winter’s cold, as well as summer’s joyous rays,

You warmly in your love enfold, and keep us through life’s wintry days.