Oh, to Eat Meat!

Our God and Father,

We come before You once again with the profound humility of our position as Your creatures. Not only because we are undeserving of Your gifts in the first place, but because we daily show ourselves ungrateful servants who fail to improve upon our baptisms as we ought. We desire knowledge, but are often negligent in our pursuit of Your truth. We would have understanding as the sons of Issachar, but lack the diligence of the Bereans to search Your word daily. We long to do precisely that which You would have us do, but frequently lack the wisdom needed to discern our proper course of action. In many ways, we are like a toddler who refuses solid food because we’re quite content to maintain our comfortable lot as nursing babies indefinitely. But of course, this is not the life to which You have called us.

You have created us to wield dominion over the works of Your fingers! You have made us joint heirs together with Your Son! Indeed You have entrusted us with the task of subjugating the entire world for Your glory! Ours is seldom the path of gingerbread houses or peppermint bays; but often the inglorious way of late nights and long hours of study, of sick children and the inevitable death of loved ones. But for all its lack of glamour, we have confidence that ours is the way of life despite the death all around us; of glory in the midst of every mundane task or duty. For You have ordained not only the end of Your divine story, but all of the means through which You will accomplish that end. Not only the major characters, but every minor walk-on as well. And not only the triumph, but every defeat behind which it is concealed. Help us to see Your hand at work in these apparent setbacks, thereby making it easy for us to give You thanks and praise in all things.

Help us, Father, to eat meat!

Be Not Silent

From 9/20/2009

To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock; do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary. Psalm 28:1-2

God of our Fathers,

We thank You for answering the prayer of the Psalmist when he asked You not to be silent towards him. For You spoke Your eternal Word into this world, caused Him to become flesh and dwell among us, and sent Him to a violent death on the cross to atone for our sins. You spoke to us triumphantly through His mighty resurrection, through His ascension, and through the written words of Your servants; blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit. You speak to us even now through this written word, reminding us of the gifts that are ours through that same Spirit – of Your lordship over the Sabbath, of Your sovereignty over all time and events, and of Your certain victory over all who would oppose You. And as if that weren’t enough, You eloquently speak to us through the sacraments; welcoming us into the covenant in baptism, and nurturing us with the bread and wine of communion.

Whenever we see or hear of these gifts Father, stir our hearts to sing Your praise. Make us ever more mindful of Your abundance toward us, and of the debt of gratitude we owe You. Open our ears to hear when You speak, and grant us the faith to obey Your voice.