More...Grace

This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 

 Galatians 3:17-18

I recently heard someone reading through the Old Testament comment that it seems like the God of the Old Testament is very different from the God of the New Testament.  Yet we have more than one instance of Scripture highlighting the unchanging nature of God. (Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 are just two examples.) So why does the God of the Old Testament seem so judgmental and full of retribution while the God of the New Testament is so steeped in grace?

The believers in Galatia struggled to reconcile these aspects of God’s character as well. And Paul had a ready answer. He said that the covenant made with Abraham could not be annulled by the covenant, the Law, God made with Moses. (Paul makes the argument in Galatians 3 and specifically verses 15-29.) The covenant “previously ratified by God” (Galatians 3:17) refers to the Abrahamic covenant that God made with Abraham. The cutting of this covenant unfolds the beauty of God’s gracious character in stunning fashion.

We find the story of the making of this covenant in Genesis 15. God meets Abram (also known by his covenant name of Abraham) in a vision. In this vision God promises a great reward, which Abram interprets as the fulfillment of God’s original promise of land, descendants and a great name so that he would be a blessing to all the families of the earth. This, of course, has its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.

To seal the deal, so to speak, God proves His intentions to Abram by cutting a covenant with him. God tells Abram to take three 3-year-old animals, a female cow, a female goat and a ram and cut them in half and lay each half across from the other along with a turtledove and a young pigeon. (Genesis 15:9-11) This is a signal to Abram that God intends to cut a covenant with him regarding His promise. He would have been very familiar with this concept as it was a traditional form of agreement making. (see Genesis 21:22-34)

Covenant cutting was a fairly common practice in those days. The parties participating would divide an animal such as a sheep or a goat. Each carcass half would have been laid on either side of a ditch dug in the ground. The blood draining from the animal would pool in the ditch. To cut a covenant literally meant to form a serious, binding agreement. To signify the gravity of the agreement, the parties forming the covenant would walk around the carcass in an infinity pattern, including through the bloody pool at the bottom of the ditch. The implication of this form of covenant cutting was that the agreement was so binding that if either party did not hold up the covenant agreement the offending party would pay for it with his life. I imagine the hem of the robes of the participants would become drenched in blood, a constant reminder of the covenant that had been made.

Most covenant ceremonies would have used one animal, or two at the most. Here there are three large animals (and two small)! The use of three in the Hebrew mind is like putting an exclamation point on the end of a sentence - it’s important in the very greatest sense! Abram instinctively knows this is a big deal and so he drives away the birds of prey that attempt to feed on the carcasses. (Genesis 15:11)  No doubt he was intending to actively participate in this venture.

At the close of the day, however, God causes Abram to fall into a deep sleep. While he sleeps God shows up again. He speaks the covenant over Abram as He makes His way through the carcasses. God doesn’t hold Abram’s feet to the fire. Abram never walks the bloody path through the animal pieces in an infinity pattern. God takes upon Himself all the responsibility for the covenant. He passes through the animals as both a smoking fire pot (a picture of God’s wrath) and a flaming torch (a light by which to see). Abram’s only participation is as an observer. The covenant is cut for him. He bears no consequence as he surely could not keep the covenant! Abram can’t stand up to God’s wrath - but Jesus (the Light - John 1:5) can - and He did!

The last verses of Genesis 15 summarize the agreement. “To your offspring I give this land…” (Genesis 15:18a) It is this statement that Paul highlights in Galatians 3:16... “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ.”   The covenant God made with Abraham that day isn't predominantly about land.  It is first and foremost about relationship. It was a firm and binding covenant with implications even to this day because the relationship God offered Abraham extends to all who believe. (Galatians 3:6-7) Jesus paid for the covenant with His blood. He makes no requirement of us but to believe.

In the Old Testament we readily see God’s wrath. But if we’re willing to look closely enough His grace is just as prevalent.

More... Praying Often Looks More Like Listening

 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship 

with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has 

made us friends of God.  Romans 5:11 NLT

If someone were to say the word "prayer" right now, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?  I have to admit that the photograph known as Grace by Eric Enstrom is the image that comes to mind.  I'm sure you've seen it.  It's an image of an older, wizened man, white bearded face, head bowed in prayer sitting at a table with a loaf of bread, a bowl and what appears to be a Bible.  A copy of this photograph hung in my childhood home, in the dining room to be exact.  I'm not sure how or why this picture came to be there, but it resided on the wall above a music stand for decades.  The photograph, of course, is posed.  It wasn't a candid which caught a man deeply devoted in prayer.  The subject was actually a peddler who happened to stop by the home of a photographer preparing for a photographer's convention and was hired to pose for the now iconic portrait.

I remember as a child when asked to bow my head in prayer, obediently bowing and clasping my hands (as I'd observed in the photograph) but often not engaging with what the  pray-er was actually saying.  I may have had the posture of prayer but I was not praying.  I also remember times of putting myself in a posture of prayer before a meal only to really be thinking of what was coming for dessert.  Sometimes, like that old photograph, what we are calling prayer is really nothing more than going through the motions.

If I am to have more of God, going through the motions is unacceptable with prayer.  Shallow prayers with no depth or substance are not going to draw me deep into God's heart.  I am reminded of the story Jesus told of two men who prayed, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  (Luke 18:9-12)  Jesus describes one man whose "prayer" (and I use that term loosely!) is completely centered on himself.  Because of that story I think that we sometimes do an old pendulum swing and pray for anything but ourselves.  That is not biblical either as the story Jesus tells just prior to the "two men" story is about a woman who seeks justice from a judge constantly as a lesson about persistence in prayer...and she asks for justice from her adversaries.  

It's okay to get personal.  As a matter of fact, I think it's mandatory that we get personal in prayer.  If we don't we will never relate to God as anything but a distant notion, a far off authority who has no real relevance to our lives.  As a child I had the privilege of studying cello with a cellist who had studied with the famed cellist Pablo Casals.  He used to tell me that he would rather see me spend five minutes rehearsing well than an hour pretending to be practicing.  Whatever we happen to be doing, pretending doesn't  do anything to advance us in skill or ability.  Pretending at prayer doesn't fill our relational need for more of God either.

I've been thinking about prayer as part of my More series for awhile, but when I'd sit down to write I couldn't connect to my topic, until last week.  You see, last week my husband Alan and I went to dinner with a couple whom we've recently become acquainted.  Dinner was the setting in which we anticipated getting to know each other better.  As I thought over last week's meal, it came to me; prayer is a lot like having dinner with friends!  I recalled that we laughed and enjoyed good food.  We shared stories about ourselves.  These two beautiful people went from being virtual strangers to being friends whom I care about a great deal.  I learned where they had come from, how they'd come to be together, how they had handled a number of difficulties through the years, how they traveled with Jesus, just to name a few topics.  I discovered that they have some of the same passions that I share with Alan!  And here's the thing...I think they'd say the same about us.

What does that story have to do with prayer, you ask?  Let me tell you.  Prayer is not an intellectual exercise, an oratory or a set of lists to check off.  It is organic and personal and interactive.  It should be approached with enjoyment and desire and longing.  If we were to engage God through prayer similar to the manner we might engage with a friend over dinner, I think prayer would take on a new dimension in our lives.  What might that look like?

I think approaching prayer as a friendship communal would be just that, an interaction with a friend.  It would feel much less restrained and somber, a little more free and light-hearted.  I don't mean to insinuate that we forget that God is holy and righteous.  But when did holiness become synonymous with seriousness and inaccessibility? Why don't we approach God with laughter in our mouths and on our hearts?  Why do we insist on treating Him like a royal killjoy?  Do you recall the phrase "laughter is the best medicine?"  It turns out, it really is.  And because we are made in God's image, I think this tells us something of God as well.  I remember going to a women's prayer meeting when I lived in Flagstaff, Arizona and having a young woman start her prayer with "Hi God!  It's Brandi again!"  Her soul lightening heart attitude was fresh and free of arrogance and full of enjoyment.  It brought joy to my heart as well and spoke a truth deep into my soul; formality doesn't necessarily make us better at prayer, just perhaps a bit more reticent.  She spoke with God as though He were right there with her.  And why not?  He was.  He is.

We also forget, I think, that God is relational.  He doesn't need us, but He wants us.  He made us for relationship with Him.  I think, therefore, it's imperative that when we come to God in prayer we view Him with an eye to relationship.  We speak.  We listen.  Then we listen some more.  He already knows what's in my heart.  I don't need to tell Him.  The reason that I do is that it engages me in the conversation.  But if all I do is talk I've dramatically missed the point.  Listening is the larger part of prayer.  It's the part that changes us.

Well then, how do you do that?  It's certainly a fair question, but not an easy one to answer, I'm afraid.  I think that's because listening comes in such a variety of forms.  It can look a whole lot like reading the Bible (and this is certainly a key component to hearing God).  Have you ever been reading a passage only to have something jump out at you?  Remember my story about lectio divina and the word "be?"  That story gives a pretty good example of what I'm trying to convey here.

It can be words coming out of the mouth of another person that strike deep in my heart.  I recall an impassioned, but totally inappropriate conversation I was having with a friend of mine.  She very calmly told me that she was going to hang up and wait for the person who was her friend to call her back.  It shocked me back into reality!  And later when I called her back she could not recall making that statement!  

Sometimes it is a still, small voice reassuring me.  Last fall, after I'd gotten done with an hour in the prayer tent we had set up outside our church, I left feeling a bit skeptical that God would actually do what I was asking Him to do - bring revival.  I continued to struggle with Him as I drove down the hill from the church.  As I turned onto the highway I happened to look and saw a woman I had been praying for walking up the highway.  I turned around to pick her up.  As it turns out, she was heading to the prayer tent!  As we drove back up the hill she told me about how excited she was to spend an hour in prayer with other believers.  I'd been praying for her salvation.  And as I drove away after dropping her at the tent I heard God's sweet reassurance in my spirit, "Ruth, she is my deposit on your request."  That firmed my faith in a real hurry!

There are other ways God speaks as well, if we're willing to listen.  Sometimes he speaks through our surroundings.  I am reminded of another story I told in an earlier post.  In the section where I talk about prayer I tell the story of taking a walk, when in fact, God had been calling me to just be quiet with Him in my garden.  Recall that when the Pharisees try to rebuke Jesus for not correcting His disciples who were openly worshiping Him, He tells them, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."  (Luke 19:40)  

God is able to speak through anything He wants.  We just need to be able to listen.  And that takes practice.  Don't be discouraged if you feel you're not hearing anything at first.  Recognizing God's voice is crucial to our relationship with Him, and He's very patient with us.  Ask Him to speak to you.  Keep on practicing.  Keep on going to Him.  Keep on enjoying the relationship.  The hearing will come.  

The Growing Grace of Spiritual Relationship

I have the pleasure of serving as a host at the downtown coffeehouse called Fraser Street Commons our church operates...free coffee, tea and WiFi plus a casual place to meet friends and/or study.  I love doing this!  It has enabled me to meet a variety of people from the homeless veteran who needs a place to warm up, to the barista at a coffee shop several blocks away who appreciates a place to rest on her walk home, to the Penn State student looking for a comfortable place to study.  

Recently one such student came to the table where I was sitting and asked if she could ask a quick question.  I was more than happy to oblige.    "Well, maybe not that quick." she added with a smile.  Usually such questions have very simple and easy solutions.  Could you warm up my lunch in the microwave?  Could you get more toilet paper for the bathroom?  Things like that.  This time the question hung midair, a more substantial and enduring outcome desired.  "How do you develop a deeper relationship to God?"  Wow!  I wasn't ready for that.  "That's a good question," I replied.  "Let me think."  The very first thing to pop into my head was prayer.  I started to tell her how God had used that in my life to draw me more deeply into Himself.  But then other thoughts quickly emerged.  I gave her a roughshod answer but it really got me thinking and I knew I needed to blog.  How DO we develop a deeper relationship with God?

First we need to recognize that it is God who does this work.  Paul tells us in Philippians that while we are called to intentionally participate in this thing called spiritual life, it is God who  both directs and works out His will in this regard. Indeed, doing so gives Him great pleasure.  (Philippians 2:12-13)  Every effort of mine to increase my own godliness has failed miserably.  I can't do it.  Nobody can.  It is a work of God, a gift really.  So Janelle, I am changing your question slightly.  How do I intentionally participate in growing in spiritual grace and relationship with God? 

Prayer

When I was a child prayer was explained to me as talking to God.  In some ways this did me great disservice.  I wish it had been explained more as a conversation with God.  This, of course, gets a bit more complicated from a child's perspective.  Conversations are two way streets.  For it to be a conversation, I don't do all the talking.  Someone needs to speak back to me.  Children aren't always the best listeners.  Some adults have a difficult time grappling with this too.  In our social media lives we've learned to do all the talking!  But sadly, I am testament to the reality that difficulty listening existed this way long before social media became as big a thing as it is now.  

I remember working through Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God quite a number of years ago now.  I sat on my back porch, warm spring air enticing my senses.  I had done the greater part of that day's lesson when I got to the action step asking me to take a prayer walk.  I remember feeling that what I really needed was to just continue to sit on my back porch or take a leisurely stroll around my garden.  But it did say walk!   Now you must understand that in those days I was a hardcore walker.  Walking meant getting your cardiovascular system working!  So I obediently donned my walking shoes and started out.  As I hurried along I began talking at God. Yes, you heard me right.  I talked so much that I didn't give God an opportunity to get a single word in.  I must have walked a mile before I came to a corner that would either take me on a significantly longer walk or go nearly directly home.  What should I do?  I decided to stop a minute and see if God had any thoughts on the subject.  Did you catch that?  I stopped.  And God did have a thought!  He answered my question with a question of His own, "Why don't you just slow down?"

Slow down.  That became a life changing reality in my understanding and practice of prayer.  If I continue to hurry through life I am apt to miss God's speaking into my life.  The greater part of prayer is listening.  Perhaps that is what Paul is referring to when he tells us to "pray at all times" in Ephesians 6:18.  The picture in this particular passage is that of battle, specifically the clothing of oneself with spiritual armor.  This is armor that protects us from the evils and temptations of Satan and his minions.  I have discovered that being too busy to listen to God gets me into trouble!  Pause.  Rest.  Hear what God has to say to you.  And stay the course God sets.

Prayer also takes practice.  I didn't become a stalwart prayer warrior overnight.  I've made plenty of mistakes along the way.  I still do.  But God has me covered there too.   In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  (Romans 8:26-27)  He knows what He wants for me and for every matter I bring before Him.  The Spirit will always pray what is right; I need to pray with my heart, expecting a response from the One who loves to answer when I call.  (Psalm 3:4)

A spiritual direction practice that may be helpful in getting started, and one I've used often, is called the prayer of examen.  Simply put, it is the practice of sitting with God at the end of the day (or the experience) and asking Him to show me how He intervened (or tried to intervene!) in my day.  Slowly consider each event of the day.  What happened?  What was my response?  How did I feel?  Where was God in this?  Looking back I can start to recognize the ways God interacts with me throughout each day and grow to recognize that interaction in the moment.

Bible Reading

John starts his gospel account with these words "in the beginning was the Word."  (John 1:1)  He is referring to Jesus.  The author of Hebrews tells us "for the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)  It is Jesus who is behind and part of every word that comprises the Bible.  And that is precisely why consuming it regularly is so vital to spiritual growth.  If you want more of Jesus then contemplate and actuate more of what He says!

I am a Bible study-er.  I can get lost (literally!) for hours examining a passage, looking up the Greek words that are used and any cross references I can find (and sometimes even cross references to the cross references!).  When I study a passage I want to know it inside and out!  I love the insights I get into the original meaning that way.  But all that work isn't necessary in cultivating relationship with God.  In fact, it can get in the way.  If I haven't asked Him to be part of my study or I make studying too much about me guess who doesn't push His way in?  While studying deeply may be good, being with Him in His word is really what we need to experience life transforming relationship.  With Him.  Don't miss that!  I have sometimes taken breaks from hardcore study to just read the Bible.  I have been greatly encouraged by using a reading plan to read through the Bible in a year.  Or take two years!  It doesn't really matter.  What matters is setting aside time to spend with God in His word, each day, if possible.

Another spiritual direction practice may be helpful here as well.  It is called lectio divina or sacred reading.  An ancient way of listening to Scripture, it is meditation combined with prayer and Bible reading.  Prayerfully read a passage, or just a verse even.  It shouldn't be a long drawn out passage.  Just a few verses at the most.  As you read, ask God to direct your attention to those things He wants you to see.  It may take several slow, deliberate readings.  Or you may want someone to read them to you slowly while you just listen.  Hear what God is saying to you.  

The first time I experienced lectio divina was while I was at summer orientation for my son at Taylor University.  A couple of college veteran parents led us through this exercise with Ephesians 3:14-19.  What stuck out to me surprised me, brought me to tears even.  As verse 16 was read "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man," the word that stuck out to me was "be".  As the passage was read a second time I waited for a different word to stick out.  But no.  This is what God had for me.  As I asked Him about it He spoke sweetly into my spirit, "Ruth, you are so busy with so many things.  All I really want for you is to just be...with me."  I had been doing so much scurrying with things I had given life and death importance when what really mattered was time with Jesus!  Sounds a lot like Martha, don't you think (Luke 10)?  Now you can see why the tears flowed!  In God's eyes it's not what I do that matters to Him but rather whose I am!  This is an incredibly important concept when I consider my relationship with Him. 

 Later others shared the words that stood out to them.  Their words were different.  God used that same passage to speak what they needed to hear.  Don't ever assume that God will only use His word to say just one thing.  His word is living and active; remember?   On the other hand, make sure that what you feel He is saying to you can be confirmed elsewhere.  Hint:  This is where doing a little study would be appropriate.  

Community

Perhaps one of the most overlooked components of a thriving relationship with God is community.  This should not surprise us.  God within Himself is a community.  Wouldn't it make sense that the only way to understand His character better is to experience it with others?  When I refer to community in this sense I am talking about the church, as in a local body of believers.  Community is a great place to share the things that God is showing you in your prayer and Bible reading.  God will often confirm the things He shows us through the community in which we live.  The author of Hebrews exhorts his readers: 

          Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good  

        works.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people 

        do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his 

        return is drawing near.    Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT

Apparently thinking that we can be lone rangers is not a new issue.  But it is still one that must not be ignored.  We grow best when we are with other believers.  And be sure that social media does not count as community.  Sure, I use it just like the next person to stay in touch with people I have a connection; however, I do not use it to replace the vital people of God in my local church.  I need that accountability.  Face to face.  And so do you.

There are lots of ways to build community.  Perhaps your church has a life group ministry.  Mine does.  As a matter of fact my husband and I host one!  If you happen to live near State College, PA you can check it out here.  Perhaps it doesn't.  That's not an adequate excuse. Join a Bible study.   Seek to meet regularly with other believers for the purpose of prayer and accountability (and maybe a sandwich or two!).  Start a practice of hosting a meal or meeting others at a restaurant for a shared meal where you can discuss what you see God doing in your life.  Be intentional.  Proverbs 27:17 tells us "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."  God created life to be done together.

While there are certainly other ways that God uses to grow us (and I'm sure I'll touch on them at some point) these three - prayer, Bible reading and community - seem to be the main ways in every day life that He uses to bring us closer to Him.  There was a time in my life when I had to do these things even when I didn't feel like doing them.  It was a struggle.  But I kept coming.  And asking God to participate with me, to show me more of Himself, to awaken life in me.  And guess what?  He did.  

Rest assured...  I am praying that for you as well!