Since passing my half century mark a while back, the idea of preparing for the Lord has taken on a very different vibe.
During my stint as a Pre-50-something, I lived as if, and believed that, I had all the time in the world. There was no thought ever to an exit strategy. Even though I am very aware, and that everyone in business knows, that you don’t start a venture without the end in mind! Exit Strategy. But for many of us in our young lives, this is not so. Retirement? Sickness? Age related Disability? End of life care and decisions? Not even on the radar. Quite cavalier you could say, and I’m guilty. Likely I am not alone, but in good company here. I’ve been invincible for most of my life!
So in thinking about preparation for meeting our maker begins for me, when God comes here again, or I go to Him, 2 ideals immediately come to mind.
They are works and forgiveness. These two may appear strange bedfellows to be sure, but are equally important to me as I face the face of God.
Preparing through works. “God has no hands but mine” is something that weighs heavily on my mind. So which part of the Paretto equation am I? Am I part of the 20 percent that gets 80% of Gods work done? Or have I slipped into the apathetic abyss of 80 percenters who are responsible for just 20% of the good works? Or is there another option? Black and white is easy, moderation is more difficult for me. God is full of surprises and options, that’s why He’s God. So, is the sum of the whole greater than the sum of the parts? Can I, by being a supporting member of a bigger body, the corporate body of Christ through communion, a member of Christianity, an Episcopalian, a St Paul’s parishioner, a simple member of the Choir, as incorporate with all of you my brothers and sisters, provide an acceptable level of service to God? Does my simply showing up on days help others? When I am needy, do my needs provide another with an opportunity to do God’s work? Can I do more? I always think I can do more, and I pray that I will.
Speaking of praying, when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we pray in the plural possessive’s of Our father, Our sins, Give US this day, Forgive US. I have been taught that in praying this way (instead of my father, my sins, forgive me) we are able to pray on behalf of those, help those, who cannot at this time do it on their own. Have you ever been in such a state that you just couldn’t, wouldn’t pray for yourself? I have. And I’m super glad to know that even when I couldn’t, the corporate body of Christ, you all, were praying the Lord’s prayer and it was also for me, the un-praying. You all were asking God to forgive me my sins even when I would not ask for myself. When I didn’t consider myself worthy of Grace, others did. Is this good works? If our hands are God’s hands, when we kneel down, Is this Gods hands, palm to palm, in prayer for those unable? Is this an “automagical” transfer of Grace? A connecting web of humanity, Christianity and faith, touching all, even those unaware? A wise rector once told me “You don’t need to believe to receive”. God’s grace is free, and the really cool part is that we help spill it out onto the earth when we worship as one body. The sum of the whole IS bigger than the sum of the parts.
During my stint as a Pre-50-something, I lived as if, and believed that, I had all the time in the world. There was no thought ever to an exit strategy. Even though I am very aware, and that everyone in business knows, that you don’t start a venture without the end in mind! Exit Strategy. But for many of us in our young lives, this is not so. Retirement? Sickness? Age related Disability? End of life care and decisions? Not even on the radar. Quite cavalier you could say, and I’m guilty. Likely I am not alone, but in good company here. I’ve been invincible for most of my life!
So in thinking about preparation for meeting our maker begins for me, when God comes here again, or I go to Him, 2 ideals immediately come to mind.
They are works and forgiveness. These two may appear strange bedfellows to be sure, but are equally important to me as I face the face of God.
Preparing through works. “God has no hands but mine” is something that weighs heavily on my mind. So which part of the Paretto equation am I? Am I part of the 20 percent that gets 80% of Gods work done? Or have I slipped into the apathetic abyss of 80 percenters who are responsible for just 20% of the good works? Or is there another option? Black and white is easy, moderation is more difficult for me. God is full of surprises and options, that’s why He’s God. So, is the sum of the whole greater than the sum of the parts? Can I, by being a supporting member of a bigger body, the corporate body of Christ through communion, a member of Christianity, an Episcopalian, a St Paul’s parishioner, a simple member of the Choir, as incorporate with all of you my brothers and sisters, provide an acceptable level of service to God? Does my simply showing up on days help others? When I am needy, do my needs provide another with an opportunity to do God’s work? Can I do more? I always think I can do more, and I pray that I will.
Speaking of praying, when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we pray in the plural possessive’s of Our father, Our sins, Give US this day, Forgive US. I have been taught that in praying this way (instead of my father, my sins, forgive me) we are able to pray on behalf of those, help those, who cannot at this time do it on their own. Have you ever been in such a state that you just couldn’t, wouldn’t pray for yourself? I have. And I’m super glad to know that even when I couldn’t, the corporate body of Christ, you all, were praying the Lord’s prayer and it was also for me, the un-praying. You all were asking God to forgive me my sins even when I would not ask for myself. When I didn’t consider myself worthy of Grace, others did. Is this good works? If our hands are God’s hands, when we kneel down, Is this Gods hands, palm to palm, in prayer for those unable? Is this an “automagical” transfer of Grace? A connecting web of humanity, Christianity and faith, touching all, even those unaware? A wise rector once told me “You don’t need to believe to receive”. God’s grace is free, and the really cool part is that we help spill it out onto the earth when we worship as one body. The sum of the whole IS bigger than the sum of the parts.
No one really knows how may days they have left to be God’s hands. And in that recognition of the unknown, can I just push myself a little harder, to do a little more to show people more often what it means to be Christian through my actions? They will know we are Christian by our love, by our love, and by our works. Prepare for God’s coming by working in his name? That will work out alright.
Secondly, but no less important to me is preparing through forgiveness. Gospel Scripture states rather clearly in Mark 11:25 “and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." You can’t bring an offering to God’s alter if you are holding on to hatred or anger. Your arms aren’t big enough and you can’t carry it all.
Hello God, its me , Gary. What? Well, Yes I am still really pissed at you know who for you know what. Why should I forgive this person for that very awful thing they did? It ruined a huge part of my life, you know this. And the event set me off on rocky course that took years, even decades to recover from. So why should I forgive? Because it’s better for me you say? Really?
Is it better for you, God, when you forgive me? It is? Because forgiving makes me more like you and Jesus? I am one of your forgiven, by the price of your Son, my savior, Jesus who died on a cross for the forgiveness of all sins. Alright then, if its good enough for you…how can I say no. I can forgive you know who.
When God forgives me, there is no quid pro quo. His forgiveness is Grace, and it’s free if I accept it, and sometimes even if I do not. The only other unconditional love that comes close is a mother’s love for her children. Even when they can be truly challenging, spiteful, mean spirited, and test test, test! But she’ll always love them no matter what. She wishes they’ll do right, but her love is not dependant on any actions of the child. All that God hopes for is that we learn to do likewise as best as we are each able in our own ability. Many of us can show the unreached in our world, through our loving actions what it really means to have a relationship with God, to be forgiven and then to re-gift that forgiveness to others.
In my mind, after all the sins I have been forgiven, after all the stupid things I’ve done, people I’ve hurt or let down, and all the times when really worse results SHOULD have been realized. After all of this unencumbered, undeserved, and sometimes unacknowledged Grace has been bestowed upon me, how on earth can I not try to be the best model of God that I can be? How can I deny God his request that before I come to him, I free myself from withholding forgiveness to others? I can’t deny Him. I will drop my grudges.
So as I sit and ponder preparations, I ask myself: AM I doing enough walking the Christian walk, can I do more to show I am Christian by my love and works, and am I honoring God by forgiving those who have hurt me in the past?
I pray that I will. I will pray that you will too. Amen.
Secondly, but no less important to me is preparing through forgiveness. Gospel Scripture states rather clearly in Mark 11:25 “and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." You can’t bring an offering to God’s alter if you are holding on to hatred or anger. Your arms aren’t big enough and you can’t carry it all.
Hello God, its me , Gary. What? Well, Yes I am still really pissed at you know who for you know what. Why should I forgive this person for that very awful thing they did? It ruined a huge part of my life, you know this. And the event set me off on rocky course that took years, even decades to recover from. So why should I forgive? Because it’s better for me you say? Really?
Is it better for you, God, when you forgive me? It is? Because forgiving makes me more like you and Jesus? I am one of your forgiven, by the price of your Son, my savior, Jesus who died on a cross for the forgiveness of all sins. Alright then, if its good enough for you…how can I say no. I can forgive you know who.
When God forgives me, there is no quid pro quo. His forgiveness is Grace, and it’s free if I accept it, and sometimes even if I do not. The only other unconditional love that comes close is a mother’s love for her children. Even when they can be truly challenging, spiteful, mean spirited, and test test, test! But she’ll always love them no matter what. She wishes they’ll do right, but her love is not dependant on any actions of the child. All that God hopes for is that we learn to do likewise as best as we are each able in our own ability. Many of us can show the unreached in our world, through our loving actions what it really means to have a relationship with God, to be forgiven and then to re-gift that forgiveness to others.
In my mind, after all the sins I have been forgiven, after all the stupid things I’ve done, people I’ve hurt or let down, and all the times when really worse results SHOULD have been realized. After all of this unencumbered, undeserved, and sometimes unacknowledged Grace has been bestowed upon me, how on earth can I not try to be the best model of God that I can be? How can I deny God his request that before I come to him, I free myself from withholding forgiveness to others? I can’t deny Him. I will drop my grudges.
So as I sit and ponder preparations, I ask myself: AM I doing enough walking the Christian walk, can I do more to show I am Christian by my love and works, and am I honoring God by forgiving those who have hurt me in the past?
I pray that I will. I will pray that you will too. Amen.