Leroy Barber's September Newsletter - President of Mission Year & my dear friend

09/28/09 | Lifestyle of Prayer

Dear Friends,

There is a God in heaven whose standards and power are far beyond my limited understanding and although he gives me freedom, he should be thanked and praised.

God, who exists outside of time, has a place of peace where He dwells and that place is what He would like each of us to experience. Some long for it to come and for His way and rule to take over our present conditions in the world.

We acknowledge our dependence on you, God, and request our daily sustenance. Recognizing that we depend on you for every moment, we ask that you supply our needs for the day.

Our hearts are constantly compromised as we live each day. We know that we disappoint you, God, on many occasions with our attitudes and deeds. As the giver and sustainer of all life, we ask your forgiveness and since we boldly ask for your forgiveness we are obligated to forgive others who offend us just as boldly and swiftly as we have received your forgiveness.

Lord, there are temptations around us every day as we walk the streets of our neighborhoods, as we head off to work, and as we relax and play. Please help us to avoid the evil that is around us and to live a life that brings hope and life to all and keeps our souls from being damaged.

God, it all comes back to you. This is your created world. You have all power and we will praise you every chance we get and pray it lasts forever, completely confident that it will last. Amen.

A lifestyle of prayer means moving prayer from the impersonal, obligatory routine to an intimate, voluntary and practiced way of life. Making our Lord’s prayer alive in our Mission Year neighborhoods is one of the ways we transition God from being an abstract idea to a highly personal, present God that meets us every day.

Leroy Barber does a great job of breaking down of the Lord's prayer, expounding as a mini-sermon
which leaves me with more understanding of exactly what Jesus really means to Mr. Barber and, surprisingly, myself.
I, so often, want to keep my obligatory routine of prayer intact that I lose touch with Jesus' powerful
ideas of dependence, compromise and true forgiveness.
In turn, I become just like the Pharisees in claiming autonomy from God by figuratively beating around
the burning bush (the holy fire just might hurt me if I get too close).

If I don't maintain control of my own well-being then I'll be screwed...right?
Got to eat. Got to have a warm bed in winter. Got to...get the latest laptop???
If I don't keep a bit of padding in my bank account, then what happens?
So, tell me again why I can't collect an extra portion of manna for the days ahead?

Some days, I wonder why God doesn't just take all "my" stuff to teach me humility...
...and on other days, like today, my perspective is shifted to realize my place in His world.
With the means to help others with time and money, I am to use these wisely, selflessly: Lesson #490.
It's definitely a learning process that is both mysterious and adventurous.
Oh, how I do love an adventure!

"What if I stumble/ What if I fall...?" -DC Talk

Joel,

I love that you quoted DC Talk

Erin