Finding Treasures that Shape our Thoughts and Actions

I'm sure I have mentioned many times how grateful and how blessed I am to be a part of the ministry team at Highland Oaks Church of Christ.  I know that I work for a church, but I also know that it is a rare thing for even church staffs to spend time on a regular basis in prayer and God's word together.  I am very blessed to be a part of such a group.  And even more blessed to be a part of a group who enjoys getting together and spending time with God and each other.

This week during out prayer time, Pat, our lead minister, gave us a prayer to read over and think about.  We often go through a process called Lectio Divina to help us focus on the words of the reading and what God is trying to tell us through it.  This week we read the following prayer by "Jacob Boehme".

Give me, dear Lord, a pure heart

and a wise mind, that I may

carry out my work according to your will.

Save me from all false desires, from pride,

greed, envy and anger, and let me 

accept joyfully every task you set before me.

Let me seek to serve the poor, the sad and those unable to work.

Help me to discern honestly 

my own gifts that I may do the things

of which I am capable, and happily 

and humbly leave the rest to others.

Above all, remind me constantly that

I have nothing except what you give me,

and can do nothing except

what you enable me to do.

As I read through that on Monday certain phrases stuck out for me.  Now, only 2 days later there are others that are staring me in the face. When we read the bible regularly, certain things we have read a million times can mean something totally different to us every time we read it.  It depends on what is going on in our life at that moment.  This prayer does the same thing for me. There are so many treasures in this prayer.  So many things to help slow our minds down and to help us focus on the things that matter.  Things that can direct us personally and things that can help us to see the world and those around us through the eyes of Jesus and not through the eyes of man.

I wonder what it would look like if we all prayed this prayer everyday.  If we prayed this prayer everyday anticipating and even expecting for God to meet us in this prayer.  I wonder what we would look like to the world and to those around us.  I wonder if our actions would change.  I wonder if we would begin to truly see what is going on all around us.  I wonder what our churches would begin to look like if all the members of churches were praying this prayer.  Would we look and smell different?  We would look and smell more like Jesus?  Would the things that break the heart of Jesus begin to break our hearts in ways we didn't even know were possible?  Would we begin to serve others and do things we never thought we would or even could do... things we didn't even think we were cable of doing?

I can't speak for other people, other churches, my own church, even my own family.  But I can speak for me.  I am challenging myself to pray this prayer daily.  To let the words sink in every day and to allow God to use the words to shape me and to mold me into who He wants me to be.  To train my eyes to see what He sees.  To train my heart to feel what He feels. He is God, and I am not.  But He can do things through me than I cannot even imagine and I want my heart to be open to receive whatever He wants to do with me.

Yet  you, Lord, are our Father.

We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

Blessings!