Can You Remember an Occasion when God Answered your Prayer?

What did you do in response?

This Sunday we will listen to three stories of trouble, answered prayers and giving thanks.  What do the characters in these stories do in response to their answered prayers?

Luke 15: 1-24 (ESV)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.  And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.  Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.  And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.  And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’  And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Each story ends with community celebrations. The people don’t just whisper "Thank you, God."  They stop, gather their friends and neighbours and really treasure the answered prayers. 

I wonder, do we take time for that?  I wonder what would happen if we shared our answered prayers with our friends and neighbours?  Could this be one of the ways of focussing on the good to make us stronger and more optimistic in times of turmoil?

We are so happy to have Rev. Paul Beckingham with us this week to reflect on these three parables.  I hope you will come and join us for Worship in the chapel.

What Might Trees Teach Us About Giving Thanks in Times of Turmoil?

Living in a rainforest, we have ample opportunity to admire trees.  Whenever I pause long enough to gaze at them, they seem to reach to the heavens, and to shout their exuberance in colour, blossom and fruit.  In return for life they seem to give thanks.

What else is going on?  

In order for the branches to reach the sky there needs to be solid, well watered roots.  As well as bringing water and nutrients to the tree, the roots help the tree to sustain stormy weather by anchoring it into the ground. The tree branches are supple; they bend in the wind.  If drought happens and the soil dries out, the tree may come down in a windstorm.

A well rooted and watered tree has a long and fruitful life. How do we enjoy a long and fruitful life? A life filled with things that will make us want to reach up to God in thanks?  What do we need to be rooted in?

Perhaps we can find the answer in Psalm 1:

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

When a seed is planted and watered, a root emerges, followed by a shoot that contains the leaves and stem. The root comes first, just as Psalm 1 tells us that we must be well rooted in God's Word to grow, flourish and to sustain the storms of life.

We welcome back Flo Kim to CVC Worship this Sunday, and we are moving from the wisdom of the Proverbs to the wisdom of the Psalms.  I do hope that you can join us in the chapel - I’m looking forward to seeing you, to worshipping with you and to learning with you.

Do You Wish That You Could Hear God’s Voice When You Need Wisdom?

Maybe you are trying to make a career decision, for example.  Or maybe you are in the midst of job or family strife and need to figure out what to do next.

Where do we get the wisdom needed in these difficult moments?  As Christians we turn to God in prayer.  But how do we hear God’s voice?  His wisdom?

Prayer can be defined as a conversation with God.  And spending time with God, best begins with thanks - remember Psalm 100 MSG?  Enter with the password: “Thank you!”  

When beauty takes our breath away, when we are shown love, or when we are given grace, we can thank God.  Giving thanks routinely (like in our daily prayers), teaches us to pay attention to God moving in our lives.  Noticing God's movement in our lives can help you hear God’s voice when you need to.  This is the basis of what the Ignations call Spiritual Discernment.  You can read more about this here.

This week, we welcome back Flo Kim to CVC to speak about wisdom, specifically as it appears in Proverbs 1:20-33:  

Lady Wisdom goes out in the street and shouts.
    At the town center she makes her speech.
In the middle of the traffic she takes her stand.
    At the busiest corner she calls out:

“Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance?
    Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism?
Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn?
    About face! I can revise your life.
Look, I’m ready to pour out my spirit on you;
    I’m ready to tell you all I know.
As it is, I’ve called, but you’ve turned a deaf ear;
    I’ve reached out to you, but you’ve ignored me.

“Since you laugh at my counsel
    and make a joke of my advice,
How can I take you seriously?
    I’ll turn the tables and joke about your troubles!
What if the roof falls in,
    and your whole life goes to pieces?
What if catastrophe strikes and there’s nothing
    to show for your life but rubble and ashes?
You’ll need me then. You’ll call for me, but don’t expect an answer.
    No matter how hard you look, you won’t find me.

“Because you hated Knowledge
    and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God,
Because you wouldn’t take my advice
    and brushed aside all my offers to train you,
Well, you’ve made your bed—now lie in it;
    you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it?
Don’t you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots?
    Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.
First pay attention to me, and then relax.
    Now you can take it easy—you’re in good hands.”

I hope you can join us.  

Can You Remember a Time When Your Efforts Were Rejected?

Perhaps things didn’t work out at your job, or your school essay got a lower grade than you expected.  Maybe your friend or spouse didn’t eat much of the meal you made for them.  We’ve all been there, right?  How did you feel?  How did you react?

This was the position that Jesus found himself in in Matthew 11.  He was preaching, teaching, and performing healing miracles in Galilee, but despite this, people were not repenting.

Our scripture reading this week is Matthew 11:25-30:

Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

What do you notice in this passage?

I noticed the word “Abruptly”.  When finding himself  in this situation, Jesus abruptly turned to God in prayer.  And how did Jesus pray?  What did he say to God?

  

He didn’t complain or ask for a different result than he was getting, but he thanked and praised his Father.

Jesus would have learned about prayer by praying the Psalms.  His thanking God reminds me of Psalm 100:4:  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, or in the MSG translation, Enter with the password: “Thank you!”  

Saying “Thank you” is not a command of what attitude we should pray with, it is actually a phrase that gives us entrance to the kingdom!  And I have found that if I enter this way, usually my spirits lift and I'm ready to give life another try.

There are many more things to think and pray about in Matthew 11:25-30.  I invite you to read it again, in whatever translation(s) you prefer, before Sunday.

This week we welcome Conor Wilkerson to Cambie Village Church.  Conor is a graduate of Regent College, and will share his reflection on this passage with us.  

Image of dejected man by jcomp on Freepik

Overlooking the Sea of Galilee, my photo 2014