Easter 3
3rd S of Easter John 21 :1-14
Silence means rest, rest of body and mind in which we become available for him whose heart is greater than ours. That is very threatening; it is like giving up control over our actions and thoughts, allowing something creative to happen not by us but to us. Is it so amazing that we are so often tired and exhausted, trying to be masters of ourselves, wanting to grasp the ultimate meaning of our existence, struggling with our identity? Silence is that moment in which we not only stop the discussion with others but also the inner discussions with ourselves, in which we can breathe in freely and accept our identity as a gift. “Not I live, but He lives in me.” It is in this silence that the Spirit of God can pray in us and continue his creative work in us. . . . Without silence the Spirit will die in us and the creative energy of our life will float away and leave us alone, cold, and tired. Without silence we will lose our center and become the victim of the many who constantly demand our attention. Henri Nouwen
Deep silence leads us to realize that prayer is, above all, acceptance. When we pray, we are standing with our hands open to the world. We know that God will become known to us in the nature around us, in people we meet, and in situations we run into. We trust that the world holds God’s secret within and we expect that secret to be shown to us. Prayer creates that openness in which God is given to us. Indeed, God wants to be admitted into the human heart, received with open hands, and loved with the same love with which we have been created. Nouwen again
Apparently these two devotionals brought up some questions as I sent them around as I do that from time to time.....The question was," does that mean to pray and then leave it in God’s hands ....waiting. ? don’t keep reminding Him ??"
There is a time for everything as it says in Ecclessiastes that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. If we believe God is our Father , He is in charge and gives us all we need. But, we need to ask Him what we desire and what is His will. Those things have to go together.
Jesus came a third time to show His disciples that fishing was good but not what He now was calling them to now any longer. He was calling them and Peter as the leader to feed the sheep. " Follow Thou me" He tells Peter . vs 19
Jesus brought them breakfast so to speak after He allowed them to catch 153 fish ( 1 of each variety in the sea there) ---fish and bread. In other words He was manifesting to everyone that He was a physical new body that could eat and dine, not just a spirit. He was truly risen from the dead!
God came to them that early morning with a big breakfast . " It is the Lord", John says refering to himself as the speaker, " that disciple whom Jesus loved." Peter went right into the sea after he got his full coat on. God does answer our prayers but let us say on His time, not ours. " If we ask anything according to His will , He hears us." I John 5:14
God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.
SERENITY PRAYER
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. (Although known most widely in its abbreviated form above, the entire prayer reads as follows...)Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen."
Not everything we ask for is what we need right then. We may need it later or God may have another plan for us which we do not know at this time.
In answer to the second part, we should ask and keep on asking but note in Luke 18, the unjust judge , even He finally answers the woman. But God is not unjust. He will keep His children in His hand and not forget their request according to His will He will answer. Our problem is that we lose our grip so to speak, not our eternal life, but our vision of what He wants that we think is His will at least and we lose patience. But it says He will avenge His elect.
I go fishing . Fine but along with our fishing God is there and He is calling us always to something greater than just catch fish...of course we can glorify God in any task in our lives but.... we should be following Him in His will and to let others know by our life and words and actions that there is more than nominal Christianity which is not believing. We have to get to where John was, " It is the Lord!"
Silence means rest, rest of body and mind in which we become available for him whose heart is greater than ours. That is very threatening; it is like giving up control over our actions and thoughts, allowing something creative to happen not by us but to us. Is it so amazing that we are so often tired and exhausted, trying to be masters of ourselves, wanting to grasp the ultimate meaning of our existence, struggling with our identity? Silence is that moment in which we not only stop the discussion with others but also the inner discussions with ourselves, in which we can breathe in freely and accept our identity as a gift. “Not I live, but He lives in me.” It is in this silence that the Spirit of God can pray in us and continue his creative work in us. . . . Without silence the Spirit will die in us and the creative energy of our life will float away and leave us alone, cold, and tired. Without silence we will lose our center and become the victim of the many who constantly demand our attention. Henri Nouwen
Deep silence leads us to realize that prayer is, above all, acceptance. When we pray, we are standing with our hands open to the world. We know that God will become known to us in the nature around us, in people we meet, and in situations we run into. We trust that the world holds God’s secret within and we expect that secret to be shown to us. Prayer creates that openness in which God is given to us. Indeed, God wants to be admitted into the human heart, received with open hands, and loved with the same love with which we have been created. Nouwen again
Apparently these two devotionals brought up some questions as I sent them around as I do that from time to time.....The question was," does that mean to pray and then leave it in God’s hands ....waiting. ? don’t keep reminding Him ??"
There is a time for everything as it says in Ecclessiastes that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. If we believe God is our Father , He is in charge and gives us all we need. But, we need to ask Him what we desire and what is His will. Those things have to go together.
Jesus came a third time to show His disciples that fishing was good but not what He now was calling them to now any longer. He was calling them and Peter as the leader to feed the sheep. " Follow Thou me" He tells Peter . vs 19
Jesus brought them breakfast so to speak after He allowed them to catch 153 fish ( 1 of each variety in the sea there) ---fish and bread. In other words He was manifesting to everyone that He was a physical new body that could eat and dine, not just a spirit. He was truly risen from the dead!
God came to them that early morning with a big breakfast . " It is the Lord", John says refering to himself as the speaker, " that disciple whom Jesus loved." Peter went right into the sea after he got his full coat on. God does answer our prayers but let us say on His time, not ours. " If we ask anything according to His will , He hears us." I John 5:14
God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.
SERENITY PRAYER
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. (Although known most widely in its abbreviated form above, the entire prayer reads as follows...)Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen."
Not everything we ask for is what we need right then. We may need it later or God may have another plan for us which we do not know at this time.
In answer to the second part, we should ask and keep on asking but note in Luke 18, the unjust judge , even He finally answers the woman. But God is not unjust. He will keep His children in His hand and not forget their request according to His will He will answer. Our problem is that we lose our grip so to speak, not our eternal life, but our vision of what He wants that we think is His will at least and we lose patience. But it says He will avenge His elect.
I go fishing . Fine but along with our fishing God is there and He is calling us always to something greater than just catch fish...of course we can glorify God in any task in our lives but.... we should be following Him in His will and to let others know by our life and words and actions that there is more than nominal Christianity which is not believing. We have to get to where John was, " It is the Lord!"
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