Praying Colossians 7
July 8, 2009
Today, we have before us to form a prayer from Colossians 1:15-16.
1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,
1:16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.
Prayer: Jesus, you are the image of our Father whom we have never seen and whom only in you do we see. How much like him you are! How much like you he is! How much love flows between you! You have experienced our Father’s suffering at the hand of his creation in the same way as earthly fathers suffer when their children go astray. Except, in your case, Jesus, you were always the apple of our Father’s eye. You have never fallen short of his glory. You have never been at enmity with Him. You have always done his will. We haven’t. What we mortals love so much about you is your obedience to death because of your deep love to our Father.
There are ways you are like the Father that we cannot imagine unless we live to imitate you. But you have revealed enough of our Father that we could see what we need to see. When our Father spun the world into existence, you designed it together. You put your beauty in it. You stamped it with your design. How wonderful it is. You colabored with our Father. You breathed life into dry ground, into dead bones, into shriveled lives. Grant that I may see all you have done and all that has your signature on it and marvel that you, creator of all, died for all. Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Confession 10
July 7, 2009
Do you have a time of confession daily? Do you think it is necessary?
Acknowledging our weaknesses before God is helpful and instructive. It helps us in the humbling of ourselves before the Lord our God. It situates us in the right place as creatures before our creator, as sinners before the Holy One.
Confession works when we understand ourselves as God understands us. Deeply flawed persons who are deeply loved and graced. But beyond understanding there is agreement. In confessing my sins to God (or to others I offend) I am turning or changing my mind about my innocence before God and others. Love and grace flow to me to cover me and heal my brokenness.
Because confession takes courage and strength of character two implications follow:
1. The Holy Spirit initiates the need for it in our lives. He gives needed courage to face our weaknesses.
2. It is developed in the process of kingdom of God living. Confession can become a discipline of our lives that shapes our character in the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Holy Spirit of God, enable to confess freely and without excuses. Teach us to know what to confess and by doing so make us followers of Jesus who value integrity. Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Praying Colossians 6
July 2, 2009
Praying Colossians 1:13-14
Affirming (what we know from Scripture) the identity we know God to be is a form of prayer. Repeating to a person (face-to-face) their qualities as as person is affirming, edifying, pleasing, and honoring. Although Paul speaks of the person of Christ in the third person, changing his compliments of Christ to a direct address to Christ makes it a prayer of adoration or praise. “O how I love him, how I adore him” becomes “you are the one I love, you are the one I adore…” Here are Paul’s words from the ESV.
1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus, your powerful light-life is able to overcome any darkness-life in me and your church. Our hope is in you for a daily exchange of kingdoms. We give you our darkness; we receive your light. Day by day, minute by minute, your presence is a light unto our feet, the sun of life unto our path. Thank you for this exchange, the best deal we have ever had. Jesus we also love what our Father did in you and what you did in him to bring us back to you from that kingdom of evil. We are not alone. We are billions strong. We couldn’t have made it back on our own, that’s for sure. You lived in that kingdom, you suffered in that kingdom, you remained devoted to God, our Father, then you died in that kingdom. Now my sins are forgiven, separated from me, beyond your sight, hidden deep in the cross of your death and life. How vast is that life of yours to absorb all sin! You deserve all the praise. Amen. Lord, have mercy.
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