Monday, November 10, 2008

We are but dust

This weekend Bill and I went to a conference.  We spent some time praying prayers called "breath prayer".  We focused on Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."  Breath prayer is when you breathe in deeply whispering (or thinking) "Be still", and as you slowly breathe out "and know that I am God".
This was a beautiful experience of connecting our busy minds with the fact that God's Spirit is near, dwells within us, and that He alone is God and longs for us to connect with Him.  Many things in our lives have been reminding us of our ridiculous weakness and God's unfathomable strength.  So often we try to live life without recognizing where our strength comes from, and in our perceived strength, we miss out on so much.  Why don't we pray more?  Why don't we read His Word more and it be active on our hearts and lips that nothing we have is of our own strength?  Do we really believe this?  
I am taking classes to be a Biblical Counselor, and praise God, a BIG emphasis is that we can do nothing apart from recognizing where our True Counsel and change lies.  Our adoption reminds us that we have absolutely no control, and so we petition all who read this, please pray for us and our future child.  We feel so helpless, and what a good place to be!  So, we need you.  Please pray.
Also, as many of you have read lately in the news, the DRC is a horrific mess.  And we are not ok with this.  If you attended Common Ground yesterday, you will agree that the persecuted Church leaves us feeling helpless and broken.  But, we must be reminded where our help comes from, it comes from the Lord, as Psalm 121 reminds us.  
Will you take some time with me today and pray for the DRC, for the Persecuted Church around the world and for us as the Church in America and Indiana to live out the Kingdom of God as people who believe in and join in the work of the God who saves? Today I will be praying this Psalm over and for the DRC and the Persecuted Church, that this would be their prayer:
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
       an ever-present help in trouble.
 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
       and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
 3 though its waters roar and foam
       and the mountains quake with their surging.
       Selah
 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
       the holy place where the Most High dwells.
 5 God is within her, she will not fall;
       God will help her at break of day.
 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
       he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
 7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
       the God of Jacob is our fortress.
       Selah
 8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
       the desolations he has brought on the earth.
 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
       he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
       he burns the shields with fire.
 10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
       I will be exalted among the nations,
       I will be exalted in the earth."
 11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
       the God of Jacob is our fortress.
       Selah

2 comments:

Alison said...

Praying with you. Just praying that Psalm is so powerful and gives such a sense of peace and hope!

andrew,betsy,& noura said...

we are definately praying. We are right next to the Congo and have many Congolese students here, two that I am good friends with and they tell me the stories that made me cry. Also, now with the fighting, there is a polio epidemic there. We will be praying for your little one that she/he will be protected from it all.