Praying

Acts 1:12-17, 21-26

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

The book of Acts is set after the death of Jesus when the tight-knit community of Jesus followers were trying to figure out what happened. From the joyous entry into Jerusalem on “Palm Sunday” to Jesus’ betrayal at the hand of a close friend, to a trial, death sentence, and crucifixion, his friends weren’t anticipating such a dismal end to the whole Jesus project.

What I find so moving, is that in the midst of what may be a mixture of grief, disbelief, anger, questioning, discouragement, etc., they were "constantly devoting themselves to prayer."

What kind of prayer? Perhaps they were in individual agony.

If prayer was constant perhaps they found a rhthym that brought insight and peace.

Did they prayer in groups separated by gender?

Or, did they gather in communal prayer as people in the town of Ramzan did?

As someone who has prayed for years in so many different manifestations, I have less to say about prayer, and a greater sense of mystery. Prayer can be spoken, silent, walked, run, soft, raging, traditional, progressive, contemplative, justice seeking, listening, communal, individual, sung, shouted, seen, felt, tasted, . . . 

Recently, I have joined prayer and art in a process that is unfolding. I enjoy finding others who have traveled along a creative prayer road such as Hali Karla, a nurse, artist, and earth-centered palliative care companion.

In a sacred painting process she took prayers of 40 women and painted/prayed those prayers to create:

To see Hali at work on this painting go HERE

Our Advent Exploration questions for today are: What is prayer for you? What new prayer practice do you want to explore?

God has a change of heart?

Genesis 9:8-11

Then God said to Noah and his family, “I hereby establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you—birds, cattle, and the earth’s wildlife—everything that came out of the ark, everything that lives on the earth. I hereby establish my covenant with you: All flesh will never again be swept away by the waters of the flood; never again will a flood to destroy the earth.”

When I see a rainbow I’m reminded of this Noah’s Ark story.

How do we hear this story? Is this a literal story of a time when God tried to drown creation? Or is it a nostalgic story from childhood? And really, does this story have much to say to us today?

What if I use my approach of reading a story backwards? For instance, this story is written as if God had the power to wipe people off the face of the earth then later decided not to do that ever again. Many people believe that God behaves that way by sending floods or typhoons or diseases to punish particular groups.

However, what if the story isn’t about God but about people’s changing view of God? People began to realize that when there is a flood, it isn’t the action of God trying to drown people. Instead, God wants to form a positive relationship with all peoples and all creation and has never sent floods or typhoons or diseases to punish people. The story is a simple way to express people’s realization that God desires relationship with all creation. Rainbow imagery simply sealed the deal.

One way God has changed for me is a realization that God’s activity can be seen and experienced through all creation and through just actions. I try to make that real when buying Christmas presents. I support the Because I Am a Girl program. Family members have goats and chickens bought on their behalf,

Because I am a Girl is a campaign that aims to transform the lives of the world’s poorest girls. Every year from 2007 to 2015 Plan will be producing a report that looks at the different ways girls around the world are affected by discrimination. Plan believes that girls access to education and legal rights can break the cycle of poverty and discrimination that girls face around the world. Check out their site: HERE

The Because I am a Girl song highlights the challenges girls face across Africa, where millions of teenage girls are forced out of school because of early marriage, gender-based violence and discrimination.

Produced by some of the leading African musicians, South Africa's Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Oliver Mtukudzi of Zimbabwe and Suzanna Owiyo from Kenya, the song was released to celebrate and promote the global launch of Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign marking the first UN International day of the Girl, on 11 October 2012: HERE

Our Advent Exploration question for today is: How has your understanding of God changed?

You might have a story to share about how your understanding of God has changed over time. Feel free to add a comment, a doodle, photo, poem, or a thought.

Here is my illustration of a multifaceted God:

God is Near

Matthew 24:32-35

And Jesus said, “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that God is near, at the very gates.”

Fresh figs are so delicious. Add a drizzle of honey and a dollop of thick yoghurt for an even lovelier taste. Or, dried figs are yummy on their own or in fig newtons. And I read that ½ cup of figs has the same calcium as ½ cup or milk.

Fig trees are symbols of abundance, fertility, and sweetness. Perhaps Jesus was considering this symbolism. Certainly, tradition has Buddha sitting under a Bodhi tree, a large and old sacred fig tree when he achieved enlightenment. Angelica Mae Ryder, an Australian artist painted this sumptuous image of a fig ripening. 

But is this text just about figs? Actually, it’s about seeing signs of God being near, as near as our gate, or in our more contemporary context, our front door.

As I think more about God being as near as my front door, I wonder whether God is outside waiting to be let in.

Or, is God inside waiting for me to share with others and the world.

I wonder how I lock the door to hold back possibilities of rejoicing in the nearness of God.

Joseph Campbell, mythologist and writer, said, “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.” That sense of a door opening to the universe is beautifully depicted by Rollin Kocsis.

And so I wonder, what gifts is God or the universe willing to offer when I’m willing to be open to the nearness of God and God’s Spirit?

Our Advent Exploration question for today is: How do you experience the nearness of God?