Weekly Update – 29th March

Up, In and Out.

Mike Breen makes it clear that we need to balance all three aspects of our relationship with Christ. If our relationship as a church is too inward focused, we become a club. If it’s too outward focused, as a church we become social services. I’ve been trying to work out what too much upward focus does to us as a church. When I find an answer, I shall let you know.

Recently, the verse of the day was Psalms 105.1 “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done”.

It was one of those light bulb moments that hit me out of the blue. I had to repent.

In this short verse, God calls us to do three things.

1) Give God praise

2) Proclaim His name in place of prayer

3) Make known His deeds to all people.

We must remember to give God thanks for all that he does for us, that we don’t deserve. Instead of focusing on our lack, we should focus on what we do have, on what God has already given us.

Prayer is the most important love relationship in our lives as Christians. Proclaiming God’s name in prayer, enables us to seek God’s face not His hand. How often do we come simply with our prayer lists? I’m guilty.

 

Next, call upon His name. This is our love relationship with Christ, to see His face not His hand. When you fall in love, we don’t look at a person’s pocket, wealth before we look at their face, we look at their face first and foremost. If we only kept our relationship with Christ, focused on His hand we would miss His face. Pause, rejoice and adore the LORD.

 

The LORD’s prayer starts with the words,

“Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

 

It was a reminder to me that’s where we should start and perhaps linger there for a little longer than usual.

In the process, I went back to my default way of praying. It starts by listening to YouTube. This time my You Tube history remembered a different set of songs.

“A little longer”, by Jenn Johnson, where one of the lines says,

“You don’t have to do a thing, please stay here with me, and love on me a little longer.”

Wow. Is that all that the LORD requires from me? To love on Him a little longer? To really take the time to hallow his name?

When I reflected, I decided to take time to re-orientate my prayer routine that week. Sometimes it’s good to change things up 😊.

YouTube (other service providers are available).  Starting with “A little longer,” led me to over 30 minutes for praising the LORD. I felt so much lighter and had nothing to ask God for. Just being able to sing to Him was enough. This has led me to erupt in singing wherever I am. So, if you’re in a supermarket and hear someone singing aloud to the LORD, yep, it maybe me, but it could be someone else you know, seeking God’s face and not His hands. You never know we might bump into each other singing in the isles of the supermarket.

Rev Claude