12/25/09

God is there!




This picture was given the title "Spooky" and in one sense I understand it. Graveyards are places that should make us uncomfortable; they are the home of the physical remains of human beings who were once filled with the blessing of life. Now, all that remains is a mere shell of those we may or may not have known. Yet, somehow, this picture is wrongly titled because there IS a chapel there. A place where those of reflection can commune with God. After some reflection of my own, this passage came to mind....


Matthew 6:9-13 WEB (R)
(9) Pray like this: 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
(10) Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
(11) Give us today our daily bread.
(12) Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
(13) Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.'


Commonly called the "Lord's prayer", this too is mislabeled. Consider, rather that it is the "disciples prayer". Jesus instructs his disciples to pray; it is not the prayer that he makes for himself, for he is apart from sin and wrongdoing!!! His fellowship with the father is different from ours; consider John 17 and Mary at the tomb for just a couple of examples. Even if we are in a graveyard, he is nearby, ready to help and comfort. Jesus was and is pure and even though we live in a world with countless graveyards, a prayer like this one has and always will be fulfilled in Jesus. So, pray something like this prayer and remember that it HAS POWER because Jesus has fulfilled the will of God for us and we live through HIM. When we reflect on the picture again, it can not even remotely be considered "spooky" because no matter where we are, God is there!