Remembering and Forgetting

Today is my designated day of concentrated prayer. A day I set in place some time ago. Its a day that I enterceed for the needs of others, and open myself up to God in a way that is less about me, and more about God through me. Its a day I look forward to. Its also a day about remembering. Remembering God's work in my life and in the life of others.

I used to believe that one of the greatest affects of sin is forgetting. We tend to forget God's provisions. We take them for granted. We keep moving forward as soon as we have have been delievered. But forgetting can also release us to move forward. Forgetting is not such a bad thing. I know, I know. I am probabably contridicting myself in light of my previous posts, and there are some experieces that I will never forget. Do you think Abraham ever forgot about taking Isaac into the wilderness? No. Was it a defining moment? Yes. Did it shape every encounter from that point foward? To a degree, but probably not consciously.

I do believe God allows us to forget in the sense that if were to live in the constant state of remembering all things we as humans would have a hard time moving forward, and at the same time, the Lord has to remind his people of His past provisions to help them move forward in boldness. The Lord tells us that our sins He will remember no more and throw them as far as the East is from the West. That's pretty far. That's pretty good forgetting.

Now, if I could only remember where I left my cell phone.

Lord,
Bring to rememberance all that Christ has taught us,and help us to forget the sins we have committed, and the pain we have experienced or caused. Help us to walk forward with the knowledge of your redemptive love and leave behind the temptations that so easily entangle our feet.
Amen

Prayer

A friend of mine from another faith tradition questioned, not critically, the role of prayer in my life. Is it for intercession, praise, meditation? My answer was "Yes". All of thee above.

Most of what I have experienced and practiced is deal making with God, "If you get me out of this one I will be so good from now on." Then I read some Sadhu Sundar Sing. Read what he has to say about prayer.


When we see a crane standing motionless on the side of a tank or lake, we may suppose from his attitude that he is musing on the glory of God or the excellent quality of the water. But no such thing! He stand there motionless for hours, but the moment he catches sight of a frog or small fish he springs upon it and gulps it down. Just such is the attitude and method of many with regard to prayer and religious meditation. Seated by the shore of the boundless ocean of God, they give no thought to His majesty and love, or to His divine nature that cleanses from sin and satisfies the hungry soul, but are wrapped up in the thought of acquiring some specially desired object, by means of which they may more fully indulge in the delights of this fleeting world. Thus they turn away from the fountain of true peace, and, immersing themselves in the fading joys of this world, with them also die and pass away.

Equaly moving is CS Lewis's response to prayer in "Shadow Lands". When asked if prayer changes things, Lewis (played by Sr. Anthony Hopkins)replies " I don't know, but I know it changes me."

I have lived for so long without the kind of prayer that changes me. Without the kind of prayer that cleanses me from sin. I dare not live that kind of life any longer.

God used suffering to change me. Go figure! Suffering drove me to my knees. Actually it drove me straight to the ground, prostrate. It drove me to the top of a parking garage where I could be as vocal and I wanted to be. I remember the pain in the prayers. I remember the desparation. Most would want to forget that kind of pain, but I do not. Paul wanted to know Christ in the power of his resurrection and in the fellowship of his sufferings. It is within the pain we come to know God and God meets us. Not because that's the only place to meet us, but because its often the first or only place were we invite God to present.

Do I want the suffering to go away? Yes. Do I want the memory to leave? No. If so, I am afraid I will abandon the kind of prayer that truly changes me.

One day, after such prayer, I got up and heard the voice " So, will this last after things have calm down, or is this just for now?" I was cut to the quick. I can honestly say, its has continued, but not because I have made a deal with God, but because I can not go back now that I have tasted God's presence and power in such prayer.

Acclimation

My brothers and I grew up raising tropical fish. Actually, they did, I watched and over fed them till I got old enough to get my own tanks.

We kept all sorts of fish, but mostly fish known as African Cichlids, found in the rift lakes of Africa.

These fish are very colorful and hearty, but they do take some time to get acclimated to a new tank. They are very territorial and can be sensitive to the water chemistry. You can't simply dump them into the tank and hope it works out. Before adding a new fish, you should actually re-arrange the entire tank and do a partial water change before intorducing the new fish. This way the environment is new for everyone and the new fish has a chance to establish itself.

This process doesn't happen with people. When we move we're dumped into a new environment we have to figure out the culture and assimilate, to a certain degree. We have to get acclimated to the culture.

Fish disease and death is caused more by stress than anything else. What affect do you think stress has on humans? Something I think we completely underestimate and probably over medicate (I completely support medical intervention when appropriate, and at the same time I think we should be working towards alternatives such as reshaping our thinking as Paul encourages us in Romans).

Stress is an indicator that things are either not normal or different. Stress itself is not bad and can actually motivate us to greater levels of functioning. Too much stress can debilitate us and even cause death.

As I experience my families transition to a new town, each of us are experiencing stress in different ways. Each of us are getting acclimated at different rates. The key that I have found in being OK with the stress is to name it and recognize it, not deny it. In naming it I have found that it looses its power and allows me the grace to be OK with it.

Paul says if you're stressed, pray about it, and God will give you peace, not as the world gives, but only as God gives. I would encourage you memorize Philippians 4:4-7.

Our approach to stress and anxiety can be a witness to God's power in our life.

May the Lord grant us peace, and use our lives to bring hope and encouragement to all those who know us.