Not Captives of Fear

Dear Lord; Happy Thursday Father!

They consume me sometimes Father;

Worry…

Fear…

Anxiety…

Painful reminders of the persistent earthly chains that fight to wrest me from Your side.

And yet Lord, against these restraints You reach for me…

Drawing me to You, and anchoring my heart to Your Heavenly foundation.

For in our very design, You fashioned us to resist that pull;

To live our lives as children of faith, not captives of fear.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)

I cast my cares at Your feet Lord;

Torn from my breast and washed in Your blood that my heart may pursue You unencumbered…

Embraced by Your love Lord, and emboldened through that union.

For it’s in Your Holy name that I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Into the Heart of the Potter

Dear Lord; Happy Thursday, and Happy New Year Father!

To begin the New Year on the right foot Father, yesterday morning I began a new Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion.com called “The Essential Jesus”.  It’s a 100 day reading schedule, focused specifically on the prophecy, teachings, ministry and life of Your Son as written in Scripture.

The first reading covered the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 18; and while the entire passage gave me pause for prayer and reflection more than once, one verse in particular really spoke to me…

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.” – John 1:10 (NLT)

Ouch.

How many times Lord…

How many times have I rejoiced at something wonderful that’s happened in my life, but neglected to give You the glory…  Or marveled at the beauty of the sun boiling away as it sets behind the trees, yet failed to remember that those colors are fresh from Your divine palette…

If I’m honest with myself Father, I allow the world to captivate my view far more than I recognize the Hand that shaped it.

Therefore Lord, my prayer today is a simple one:

Open my eyes Father; let every image I see and every sound I hear rush You to my heart.  Help me see past the beauty of the pottery, and gaze instead into the heart of the potter.

Lift that earthly veil Lord; help me realize Your presence in every part of my life, and through that divine acknowledgement to love in Your name with abandon…

So that when others observe my life Father, they recognize You in it.

Inhabit me Lord… Come into the world through me…

That in my words and actions Lord, Your presence shines for all to see.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

To Bring Us Peace

Dear Lord; Happy Friday Father!

It seems Father, that each Christmas season becomes more hectic and hurried than the last;

Decorating to do…

Gatherings to attend…

Presents to buy…

And cookies to bake.

And although all of these things may, in their own way, help to bring the spirit of this Holy season more alive for us, if we allow them to they can also lead us astray from the pilgrimage our hearts are drawn to make this time of year…

To kneel at the side of the manger; to bathe in the peace that only the arrival of our Savior can bring.

Peace… To gain a stillness of heart and mind so that we may experience the rest our spirits long for…

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” – Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

You came to free us Lord; to refresh us and release us from those worldly burdens and sins that attempt to pull us from You.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” John 3:16a (ESV)

To give us that peace… To give us rest…

So Father, as Christmas draws ever nearer and “last minute” preparations vie for our attention, help us find that stillness; to come along side that humble manger and embrace Your love for us…

To rest in Your presence Lord…

And truly find peace.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Christmas is Messy

Dear Lord; Happy Thursday Father!

“Christmas is messy… Humanity is messy… Family life is messy…  And we get in trouble when we work so hard to make it all perfect.”

As I listened to a recording of Father Jim Clifton delivering a message on Advent yesterday evening, these simple statements found a nerve…

And I realized what a powerful, misunderstood truth it really is Lord.

In this season of Advent we try to focus on hopeful waiting; anxiously preparing to celebrate that moment of perfection so many years ago.  And in that effort, quite often we attempt to put aside, or push down those portions of our lives that remind us of our “messiness”.  “But it’s Christmas…” we tell ourselves… “We need to approach that stable with thankfulness and joy, not with turmoil and pain in our hearts.”

And yet Lord, our need and our brokenness is why You came to us that night…

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NLT)

You came because you love us Lord;

In our brokenness,

In the midst of our hurt,

And in our frailty.

So Father, as I approach Christmas this year; as I make my intentional journey to kneel at the side of that Holy manger, I bring all of myself to You:

My turmoil,

My struggles,

And my pain…

As well as

My gratefulness,

My wonder,

And my joy.

Help me to embrace the fullness of this season Lord; to make my pilgrimage with an open heart, knowing that You’ve come to receive me…

In all of my messiness.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

A Matter of Trust

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

People frustrate me Father… Or should I say, I allow people to frustrate me.

And yet, in truth it’s not other people that are the cause of my angst Lord, it’s the unmet expectations I regularly place on them; thrusting undue responsibility on earthly shoulders to fulfill my perception of need.

But that’s not really fair, now is it Father…

To begin with, more often than not what I feel my needs are isn’t based on seeking Your direction for me, but instead on my reacting to a situation I’m in the middle of.  And while I feel my journey to You has brought me ever closer to discerning Your will in my day-to-day life, I’m fully aware I still have a long way to travel.

So, right out of the gate Father, I readily concede that my perception of need is quite often, flawed.

Then to compound that Lord, quite often I drag those around me along for the ride; shackling others to my sense of fulfillment, and finding myself feeling empty when those artificial requirements aren’t met.

In the end Father, I know it’s all a matter of trust;

Trust that You know my needs Lord, far better than I or anyone else does…

Trust that You love me; completely and with a purity that no one on this earth can match…

Trust that Your ways are best Father, whether they’re what I think I want or not…

And finally Lord, trust that You can and will move Heaven and earth to do what’s truly best, whether I know what that is or not…

Complete faith… Complete trust in You Father…

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

It’s a tall order for my flawed, easily distracted heart Lord, but it’s a goal I strive to realize with every passing day.

Infuse me with Your spirit Father; make Your will my heartbeat, and the sound of Your voice define my every waking thought…

Relinquishing the worldly tethers I cling to,

And placing all faith in Your Holy hands…

I trust You Lord.

Amen.

~Phather Phil