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“Greet one another” – Romans 16:16a

It began one evening early this summer as my family sat outside after eating dinner together on our deck.  Somehow, the conversation turned to both Canyon and Cody complaining that they were waving from their cars at pedestrians in our neighborhood, but the neighbors were not responding or were merely giving a lift of their hand.  I have encouraged the boys to notice, to be careful of, and to wave at neighborhood pedestrians because as a neighborhood pedestrian myself, I appreciate these considerations.  This conversation made me giggle, but also challenged me.  I determined to up my greeting game.

Normally, I consider my time jogging to be a time of solitude for reflection, prayer, listening to worship music, and enjoying nature.  I am thankful for the example of my daddy, who diligently set out to jog many mornings as I was growing up.  A great morning was when I saw no cars and lots of wildlife.  Thanks to COVID, there were more people out in the neighborhood, so I began waving enthusiastically at cars passing me.  Neighbors that I know well get a two-handed wave.  Neighbors in their yards get a wave and a greeting, as do people jogging or riding their bikes.

For neighbors walking, I frequently stop to visit with them.  Hearing their comments and questions has been fascinating!  Did you see the deer, bear, mountain lion, ambulance, wildfire smoke, moving van, painted rocks with messages, golf balls over my fence?  Next added to the challenge were prayers for these neighbors as I passed them or their houses.  I have prayed for cancer treatments, hospital stays, trips to help family, dementia wanderings, moves to new cities or states, wayward children, babies on the way, and for many to come to faith in Jesus and feel God’s presence in their lives.

Thankfully, the new leaders of the Shield Ministry are my neighbors.  Seeing their house is my prompting to pray for them, the ministry, and the First Responders at our church.  I love praying for each First Responder by name with personalized specific prayers.

During the hottest part of the summer, it seemed that everyone wanted to be out in the coolest part of the morning.  I began to routinely greet or visit with 12 or more neighbors each morning I was out!  This prompted me to count the number of neighbors that I knew by name, and I counted over 50!  This revelation brought me great joy and made me thankful for my mother, who knew everyone in our neighborhood growing up.  I also felt an additional challenge to introduce myself to more neighbors so that I could learn their names and greet them by name.  I wanted these neighbors to know that they are seen, that someone is interested in them, and that I am glad to be their neighbor and care about them.

One older neighbor is taking shorter walks these days, but he challenges me more.  “What are you reading in your Bible?” “What did you learn in the sermon at your church on Sunday?” “What happened at your VBS meeting?”  “I prayed for your son, how have you seen God working?”

I also was blessed to hear from God that He wanted me to sew a baby blanket for the very pregnant neighbor that I saw walking.  I now know her name, her baby’s name, and many things about her.  While the blanket may be nice for them, I am the recipient of the blessing of hearing the voice of God and responding in obedience.

COVID has closed many doors for me, but God had one standing open for me to step through.  What I needed was right there within what I already had!  This greeting and praying process has transformed my thoughts away from myself and stewing about my own problems toward the beloved creations of God that He has ordained to live near me.  He has loved them as He has loved me by sending His Son to be a sacrifice for my sins.  He has forgiven us and provided the hope of eternal life for us.  Will you pray for me to be bolder to include my faith and my Savior in my future conversations?

The biggest realization for me was that the simple and mundane practice of greeting has been a great source of joy in my life.  This joy is not of my own creation but is the result of being open to God’s love flowing through me to others.  My jogging pace may not be as fast as it once was, but I hope and pray that I can bring some joy to my neighbors.  These days, as I step out the door, I wonder what God has in store for me!

With Thanksgiving approaching, I am filled with gratitude for the examples of my parents, the beautiful place God has allowed my family to live, the ability and opportunity to be out in my neighborhood, the time to pray and worship outside, the privilege of hearing God’s voice and obeying, and the blessing of a variety of amazing neighbors.  My heart is feeling more ready for the holiday season now!

“God asks us to give thanks in everything--- because this is the way you live through anything.” -Ann Voskamp

When life feels overwhelming or we have a tough day, it is so easy to focus solely on what is going badly for us and in the world around us. We tend to focus on the negative and to “give complaints in all circumstances” rather than giving thanks.  This steals our joy and causes us to lose sight of the many blessings in our lives.  Practicing gratitude requires us to move past our circumstances and to fully embrace and trust in God’s unfailing love for us. Gratitude can literally transform us if we make it a way of life. It can be difficult in times like this, times of uncertainty and great anxiety to choose gratitude.  The word “gratitude” comes from the Latin word gratitudinem, which means “thankfulness.” As we approach Thanksgiving, it seems like the perfect time to brush up on our gratitude skills.

So, what does God’s Word say about gratitude?

“Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.”  Psalm 95:1-3

“Always be joyful.  Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

How do you practice gratitude? Here are some ways I have been practicing lately:

1. Praying God’s Word- specifically focusing on Psalms
2. Making an extra effort to verbally express gratitude to my close friends and family
3. Writing down a list of at least 5 things I am grateful for on a daily basis
4. Playing worship music as I go about my daily chores
5. Gratitude meditation

Can anyone not recognize the tension in our nation as we struggle with the results of the Virus that has upset everything that used to be? People have been isolated, lost friends and family members, lost means of income. Many have suffered from horrendous natural disasters. Our country is divided like never before in our lifetimes due to perceived injustices, causing anger and rage. And then there’s the looming question about what the impact of this election season will be on us! What do we do?

Is there more to all of this than what meets the eye? Some have suggested that our nation is under judgment from God for the evil that pervades our society, including the Church. Some are looking more intently for the Lord’s soon return. Some see that the Church is under the devil’s attack. Some say we must become more activist politically to fight evil. Some are praying more now than ever. I would suggest that all of the above are likely true to the disciple of Jesus Christ.

The big question I have for us as the church of Jesus Christ is where are we going to find peace in our souls during this time? Is the answer we are looking for in our government; in science, in putting blame for all of this on someone or something, or can we affirm together that God is the answer? He is the Rock we will stand upon.

God has some wonderful promises in the Old Testament, like Psalms 103: “…the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant, and remember His precepts to do them. The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; and His sovereignty rules over all…Bless the LORD, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion; bless the LORD, O my soul!”

In the New Testament, we can read some amazing things about the unseen realm where God reigns, like in the book of Ephesians: “Christ is seated at God’s right hand…far above all rule and authority and power and dominion…God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” And further we the church are to be making known to these rulers and authorities “the manifold wisdom of God…” But we also read at the latter part of the book that we are in a struggle against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. So, we put on God’s armor, and we pray in the Spirit.

There is a lot going on out there in the unseen realm, as we learn from another Old Testament promise in Jeremiah 29: “…plans to give you hope and a future.”

Hope because we have full confidence in God’s redemptive work in the world and in us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A future walking with Christ now and forevermore, seated with Christ in the unseen realm, engaged in God’s redemptive work in the world wherever he has placed us.

This confidence causes us to “call upon me (the Lord) and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me…”

Is there enough going on in the world to cause us to call upon the Lord, to come and pray to the Lord? How are we praying?

Can we pray for the Lord’s blessing on our nation, on the Church, on the children?     Can we become intercessors in the sense that Rees Howells described an intercessor in his biography? It was said of Mr. Howells that his definition of intercession included three laws: “identification, agony, and authority”. We see these lived out in the life of our Lord Jesus. God’s grace is open to us as we walk by faith, and intercede.

1. Jesus identified with man, becoming one of us, and “tasted death for every man”. Can we get outside of ourselves to understand what others are going through?
2. Jesus suffered the agony of the cross, and the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with “groanings which cannot be uttered”. Can we say we are being crucified with Christ, the self being released from itself, the Holy Spirit being in agony within us?
3. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. Can these weak vessels of ours be clothed with authority by the Holy Spirit to bring deliverance and redemption to those we meet in our circumstances?

The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace

Amen, Amen

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
Your family and your children
And their children, and their children

Amen, Amen         

(Elevation Worship)

God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

“... as a man of confidence in the Bible,

he found out what God had promised and rested on it. 

Faith, to [George] Muller, was finding out what God said or what he permitted,

and doggedly hanging on to the promises

even when circumstances were screaming otherwise.”

 ~ Jim Elliff

What a great reminder for us today!  George Muller’s legendary life of prayer and trust in God was born out of a secure confidence that the Lord was true, and that His promises are sure.

How do we “hang on to the promises, even when circumstances are screaming otherwise?”

In a word, prayer!

Prayer is where we lay hold of God’s nearness.  Prayer is where we pour out our needs, and soak in His truth, until our fears are assuaged, and our affections are stirred.  It’s where faith takes root, as God speaks to our soul in personal ways.  It’s where conviction is nourished, as we test all our motives in His presence.  Prayer is where God’s healing balm is applied for our comfort.  It’s where clouds and confusion are cleared away, and direction is received.  Prayer is where the truth of God comes to bear on our own experience.

If you feel far from the Lord, or discouraged; how is your time in prayer?

In this relationship with our Father through Christ, we will grow through many seasons.  Each of these may teach us new aspects of prayer.  There is not one, single way to pray; but let me offer you some suggestions to consider, if you’re ready for a new venture in your life of prayer with the Lord.  In the coming weeks, we’ll be hearing about prayer as it relates to different aspects of our life: work / school; witness; for our nation; and for believers all over the world.

This week, maybe you’d like to practice one of these disciplines, in some way.  Take a small step of trying something new, dedicate it to the Lord, and just ask Him to meet you:

• with fasting (for a meal, or more)
• pray on the hour (choose topics, make it a day with Christ!)
• start with you, pour out your heart, and then move in circles outward from there
• all-night prayer (Lk. 6:12), or wake up for a “prayer vigil” in the night
• Morning: praises & requests; Evening: thanksgiving & confession
• take a prayer walk (focus more on praying than on walking); invite a friend!

I’d love to hear what the Lord leads you to try, and how it goes!

May He be near, and may His presence be rich.

Frank