A Church with a Heart for our Community

November 12th Tuesday

Greetings to you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What a beautiful November morning in the Kingdom -thank you, Lord! I suggested to my neighbour this morning that our ‘winter-exercise program’ had begun — snow-shovelling, ice scraping, and car cleaning-off. I trust that you had a blessed weekend and Monday with many ‘divine highlights’ = blessings.  This morning I will be praying for you, asking Father to respond to your heart’s cry…whatever that may be for you and that He would let you experience His wrap-around presence.

Yesterday was our weekly prayer gathering for our city and surrounding communities…there was a real sense of God’s presence and an awareness that Holy Spirit is exerting His influence and that prayers have been – are being answered in ways that remind us that God works in unexpected ways…sovereignly, secretly, and mysteriously. 

We are just starting anew devotional book as we commence our journey to Christmas and there is a spiritual exercise highlighted that sounds rather interesting. It involves taking passages of Scripture – particularly those surrounding Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph – then applying the P.R.A.Y. methodology. “P..R.A.Y.” means: Pause-remove all distractions,be still and make room to connect with God ; Rejoice and Reflect-give thanks, before engaging with a short passage of Scripture; Ask-bring any questions and thought to God; Yield-surrender to God’s will as it affects your life.

So this morning I chose to read Luke 1:5-25 and Zechariah’s interaction with an angel. I was struck by the angel’s words to Zechariah – the prayers of you and your wife are going to be answered. Then came Zechariah’s response – well, we kind of stopped praying that prayer some time ago, haven’t even mentioned it for years, so how do expect me to believe what you are saying…it is too late!

As I spent time with the passage I became aware of how often we give up on our prayers thinking it’s too late and it’s not going to be answered – we lose our sense of expectation and spiritual depression sets in. We end up simply going through the motions and it gets a little comfortable, until one day God begins to answer and then it gets uncomfortable.

There is a price to pay for not believing in God, and for Zechariah it was losing the ability to talk and express himself. Imagine not being able to share what God had done, was doing, and was going to do – he lost his testimony and credibility and joy. I decide to leave the story there and ponder the outcome to share another day.

Perhaps you will join me and begin a “P.R.A.Y” journey to Christmas of your own…you never know hat God wants to talk to you about and what new insgights await — Be blessed!