After my sermon teaser last week, perhaps I should write how I have found an answer to the question I posed? In that post, I asked what you would answer, if Jesus stood before you, and asked: “What do you want me for to do for you?”
I am sure there are lots of answers, each probably unique to the person that Jesus is asking the question. For me, I found the answer in an ancient poem, originally written by a King of an ancient nation, but later probably used as part of their liturgy. The King, initially declares his confidence and trust in the Lord: He is light (to dispel darkness), salvation (or deliverance) and refuge (or stronghold). In this poem, we then see immediately the context that required such confidence: evil men were advancing; enemies were attacking him; armies besieging him; war was breaking out.
If I was in that situation, I would be praying for victory, that Lord would smite my enemies, that I would be delivered! But this ancient King didn’t pray that all – he prayed:
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
This King seemed to be saying that, in the midst of these advancing armies, the most important thing he could pray, was to dwell in the presence of the Lord – to live permanently in God’s presence. You can read the rest of the poem in Psalm 27.
We (mostly) don’t have literal enemies who are intent on killing us. But we are surrounded by things that sap life, real life from us. Jesus offers us life, that is found as we become less angry and reconciled with others, when we respect others, remain faithful to our spouse and friends even through difficulties, when we learn to love people even when they hate us, as we forgive and trust and don’t judge etc. This is not the way of our culture, and there enough voices to listen to, that would seek to rob us of this life that Jesus offers.
And so on Sunday, I invited our congregation to a radical concept: daily prayer. Daily dwelling in the presence in the presence of the Lord.
This isn’t some quick fix, or instant life-changing concept. But it will change us over time, as we learn to be still, to stop, to listen, to receive, and be transformed in the presence of Jesus. As I have practiced this ancient discipline over the summer, I have found gradually and slowly, that Jesus is transforming my heart, and somehow the surrounding enemies that seek to steal the heaven-on-earth life don’t have quite the same power they once seemed to have.
So when Jesus stands before me, what do I ask him? That daily I might come into his presence and be transformed. That is real life…
If you want to listen to the sermon, you can listen here.
Ah! the former CU prayer sec comes full circle!
Yes – but in a slightly different (mature?) form!