Thought For the Week

Dear Friends, Today’s post is by the British New Testament scholar, Pauline theologian, and Anglican bishop, N. T. Wright. It deals with two common Christian prayers – the Lord’s Prayer and the Tax Collector’s Prayer in Luke 18 (sometimes called the ‘Mercy Prayer” or the “Jesus Prayer”). These two excerpts are taken from Wright’s book, “Simply Christian.” It’s a fresh way of looking at two well-known prayers. Enjoy. “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God have mercy on me, a sinner.’” The Lord’s Prayer isn’t the only prayer that has formed the basis of deep and rich traditions of Christian praying. There are other prayers which have been used in similar ways through the years, either as a pattern or as something to repeat in order to go down deeper into the presence of the God we know in Jesus. Perhaps the best known of these… is the ‘Jesus Prayer’: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have m...

Dear Friends, It is so important, in regard to a healthy prayer life, that we have an intimate relationship with God. Jesus had that and modeled it to us by sharing with us his preferred name for God – Abba. It leads me to ask: “How do you address God in prayer?” It does make a difference. Yet, interestingly, I have found over the years that many people struggle with intimacy with God, often because they had no intimate relationship with their own earthly dad or parental figure – something Martin Luther struggled with. Today’s selection offers us insight into this very important issue. It is from Martin Copenhaver, from his devotional “The Gospel in Miniature.” I pray his words might be a first step on the road to healing for those who lack intimacy with, "Our Father who art in heaven..." Enjoy. “When we cry “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit, that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs w...

Jeff Evans Dear Friends, There are some books written years ago which one can read today and still feel the warmth of the author’s affection for Christ. John Bunyan’s writings are that way. In fact, he was so captivated by Jesus, that he could not stop speaking about him in public places, which got him shut up in an English jail for 12 years. He could have walked out of that jail at any time if he had simply promised (and followed through on that promise) not to speak about Jesus (preach) in public places. Bunyan is best known for his phenomenally popular allegory on the Christian life entitled, “Pilgrim’s Progress.” Yet, he wrote many other very helpful works as well, including, “The Intercession of Christ” – from which today’s selection comes. As you read, I believe you will also sense the passion, gratitude, and warmth of his love for Jesus coming through so clearly. May that same warmth of affection for Jesus blow over your heart as well. Enjoy. “Christ is not only ...