Today’s text
1 John 3:23-24
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming and is already in the world.”
Prayer
Three words most please me, Dearest Friend: “in the flesh.” I read them and smile. They move consolation in my soul and mist my eyes. You … in the flesh.
You, my God, are deep, loving and hidden mystery. You dwell in an obscurity I can neither penetrate nor fathom. I cannot take the wings of the morning breeze and be carried into the place of your abode. I cannot think my way through the blinding light that surrounds your constant nearness.
I am flesh and blood. My skin interfaces the world, and through it I experience and know that I am real and alive. Only when you stand in the gentle light of day can I truly know you. And you do.
You wear our human flesh, revealing the inscrutable face of eternity. You do not remain an idea or concept, a transcendent magnetic power pulling us on to we know not what. You appear in ways that skin can know.
In you, my brother, Jesus, we see the beauty, the wonder, the loving joy, the fulfillment we never knew that we always wanted. Seeing you in the flesh, Loving Mystery, our eyes drink in the longing we could never quite name.
We confess you, my brother, as the gracious flesh of God, the mortal face of the Eternal Wonder. Thank you, Holy Mystery, that you show your life in ways that skin can know, for I would know you not just as transcendent wonder but as gracious friend, who desires my nearness as I desire you. Amen.
Pr. David L. Miller
http://prayingthemystery.blogspot.com/
Posts
All Comments
Friday, April 20, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Today’s text
1 John 3:23-24
“And this is the commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.”
Prayer
You didn’t make us to think or suppose, Blessed Assurance, but to be certain, clear and firm. Your love is more certain than the fresh light of morning. Your presence is dependable as the air that moves in and from my lungs, surrounding and filling me with joy at being alive and here and now.
The marks of your abiding are unmistakable too.
You awaken our senses to the love we have for your gracious face, a love you birth in our souls and extravert into our lives by loving us. You turn our heads to what trust we have in your eternally-constant loving that we may be certain, clear and firm.
Despite the uncertainties of our souls, we see love and faith stirring in us, signs of your gracious presence, and we know: You abide, Holy One, here in us. We are not forsaken, bereft or abandoned. We are not those who think you are near and suppose that you are gracious and forgiving.
We know. The love that bubbles from depth of soul, and our faith, however faltering, make it clear: You are here, and the signs of you holy labor are written in the flesh of our hearts.
Move us to abide in your abiding that we may keep your life-giving commands. Lift our hearts beyond the suppositions of our wavering hearts that we live in the certainty only you can give. Amen.
Pr. David L. Miller
1 John 3:23-24
“And this is the commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.”
Prayer
You didn’t make us to think or suppose, Blessed Assurance, but to be certain, clear and firm. Your love is more certain than the fresh light of morning. Your presence is dependable as the air that moves in and from my lungs, surrounding and filling me with joy at being alive and here and now.
The marks of your abiding are unmistakable too.
You awaken our senses to the love we have for your gracious face, a love you birth in our souls and extravert into our lives by loving us. You turn our heads to what trust we have in your eternally-constant loving that we may be certain, clear and firm.
Despite the uncertainties of our souls, we see love and faith stirring in us, signs of your gracious presence, and we know: You abide, Holy One, here in us. We are not forsaken, bereft or abandoned. We are not those who think you are near and suppose that you are gracious and forgiving.
We know. The love that bubbles from depth of soul, and our faith, however faltering, make it clear: You are here, and the signs of you holy labor are written in the flesh of our hearts.
Move us to abide in your abiding that we may keep your life-giving commands. Lift our hearts beyond the suppositions of our wavering hearts that we live in the certainty only you can give. Amen.
Pr. David L. Miller
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Today’s text
1 John 3:21-22
“Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.”
Prayer
Holy Risen Joy, you do not intend us for condemnation but for the bliss of boldness. You invite us to live in confident expectation of your constant blessing. Our hearts are weak, troubled easily, distracted and disturbed by sorrows and disappointments, by the weight of our labors and the stirrings of our stress. Confident joy eludes our grasp, sinking our souls and weakening our arms and efforts.
Fill our hearts with … you. Fill us with your risen life that we may arise in joy to the challenges we face, throwing our minds and full being into the tasks you have given us as we grow into your service. Do not allow us to languish, but lift us to the joy of knowing the indwelling of your love.
Then our hearts will not be downcast but ready and willing spirits will arise from our depths, and we will fear nothing, not our weaknesses or sins, not threats from without or within.
No, we will live. We will live filled with the boldness of your risen and deathless life. Joy will overflow our hearts, and we will be that portrait of your salvation that you intend.
And you will hear our prayers, for they will arise from Spirit to Spirit, from your life within us to your life ever beyond us, a holy circle of loving in which you catch and fill us with the boldness of everlasting joy.
So capture and fill us, I pray, that we may know no condemnation but only the joy of the Eternal Loving you are. You alone are life, and we who dwell in grayness hunger to live in the full light of day. Amen.
Pr. David L. Miller
1 John 3:21-22
“Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.”
Prayer
Holy Risen Joy, you do not intend us for condemnation but for the bliss of boldness. You invite us to live in confident expectation of your constant blessing. Our hearts are weak, troubled easily, distracted and disturbed by sorrows and disappointments, by the weight of our labors and the stirrings of our stress. Confident joy eludes our grasp, sinking our souls and weakening our arms and efforts.
Fill our hearts with … you. Fill us with your risen life that we may arise in joy to the challenges we face, throwing our minds and full being into the tasks you have given us as we grow into your service. Do not allow us to languish, but lift us to the joy of knowing the indwelling of your love.
Then our hearts will not be downcast but ready and willing spirits will arise from our depths, and we will fear nothing, not our weaknesses or sins, not threats from without or within.
No, we will live. We will live filled with the boldness of your risen and deathless life. Joy will overflow our hearts, and we will be that portrait of your salvation that you intend.
And you will hear our prayers, for they will arise from Spirit to Spirit, from your life within us to your life ever beyond us, a holy circle of loving in which you catch and fill us with the boldness of everlasting joy.
So capture and fill us, I pray, that we may know no condemnation but only the joy of the Eternal Loving you are. You alone are life, and we who dwell in grayness hunger to live in the full light of day. Amen.
Pr. David L. Miller
Monday, April 16, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Today’s text
1 John 3:18-20
“Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”
Prayer
The love we know and act is yours, All Searching One. You search deep into the crevices and unknown corners of souls to find places to fix fast and remain, there to work transformation of holy surprise.
We are the surprised, and the surprise is you. In blessed moments, we discover a compassion bubbling from source unseen, moving us to see and care beyond our normal vision and capacity. Our desire to be love and do compassion even among those who may care little for us surprises, so, too, our hunger to give and be given to that which transcends.
Our hearts spontaneously go out from us at the sight of particular need or beauty of soul, moving us beyond the narrow confines of self, blessing and surprising, revealing again that despite ourselves we bear a mystery deep in our flesh--You.
And you are our reassurance. For there are many times are hearts accuse for sin and failure, ancient and new. Old deeds may lie forgotten by those we injured yet castigate our consciences, sucking our strength, preoccupying waking hours and waking us from sleep with wrongs done and opportunities missed.
We have no defense but you, your love and truth that abides in the crevices and far corners of our souls, bubbling there, revealing that you are pleased to dwell even in us. Bearing your life, I order the accusing voices with your voice: “Sin be gone. My failure is forgiven. I bear a love larger than the wounds and weakness of my heart, more powerful than you, accusing voices. That Greater One abides here in me to close your mouth and drive you out.”
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Pr. David L. Miller
1 John 3:18-20
“Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”
Prayer
The love we know and act is yours, All Searching One. You search deep into the crevices and unknown corners of souls to find places to fix fast and remain, there to work transformation of holy surprise.
We are the surprised, and the surprise is you. In blessed moments, we discover a compassion bubbling from source unseen, moving us to see and care beyond our normal vision and capacity. Our desire to be love and do compassion even among those who may care little for us surprises, so, too, our hunger to give and be given to that which transcends.
Our hearts spontaneously go out from us at the sight of particular need or beauty of soul, moving us beyond the narrow confines of self, blessing and surprising, revealing again that despite ourselves we bear a mystery deep in our flesh--You.
And you are our reassurance. For there are many times are hearts accuse for sin and failure, ancient and new. Old deeds may lie forgotten by those we injured yet castigate our consciences, sucking our strength, preoccupying waking hours and waking us from sleep with wrongs done and opportunities missed.
We have no defense but you, your love and truth that abides in the crevices and far corners of our souls, bubbling there, revealing that you are pleased to dwell even in us. Bearing your life, I order the accusing voices with your voice: “Sin be gone. My failure is forgiven. I bear a love larger than the wounds and weakness of my heart, more powerful than you, accusing voices. That Greater One abides here in me to close your mouth and drive you out.”
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Pr. David L. Miller
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)