Perhaps you have been asked, or you most certainly have heard, the following question: “If you were to throw a dinner party and you were allowed the company of anyone dead or alive, who would be on the guest list?”. After reviewing several contributions to this question from bloggers, online forums, and even the august New York Times, the answers consistently reveal a combination of famous (or infamous) thinkers, politicians, and entertainers. Jesus also frequently makes guest lists, even those of self-proclaimed atheists. I am guessing (pastoral hope/optimism alert) Jesus would be on all of our lists at CBC Ilderton. The question is partly fun and partly a perspective on an individual’s personality, interests, concerns, and passions.
This popular question was on my mind this morning as today we are closing out our first “Week of Prayer” in 2017. I thought of it because of the struggles most Christians, if not all, have with the practice of prayer. Space here doesn’t permit a detailing of the varied personal reasons and external obstacles to a fruitful and joyful life of prayer; however I believe we could summarize much of it by saying we don’t pray because, quite simply, we learn how to live without it. Even those who do submit to a practice of prayer do so out of mere duty or desperation rather than delight.
If you don’t pray, or the prayer life you have feels like either a burden or necessity, you will probably find it hard to relate to Paul when he writes in his letter to the Philippians: “always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy (1:4).” Surrounding this little but important peak into the apostle’s prayer life are three keys to finding joy in our prayers.
- Verse 3 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.”
Take time to purposefully thank God for the good things he has done for you.
- Verse 5 – “because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Being mindful of the opportunities to serve others, and the service opportunities of others takes our mind off of ourselves and aligns us with God’s work in his kingdom.
- Verse 6 – “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Perhaps most importantly, meditate on God’s promises! The great puritan preacher and theologian (not to mention Oxford grad 
) taught that before we pray we ought to meditate on biblical truths until our affections and hearts were as deeply engaged as possible. Only then will we believe in our hearts what we may understand with our heads – the awe inspiring truth that the creator of all that is longs to commune with his people.
If we truly believed, in a settled and firm heartfelt conviction, that God Himself communes with us in prayer would that not of necessity lead to a life of prayer (and the kind of joy Paul writes of)? Thankfully, the presence of Jesus in our lives is not a mere party game question. If you are reading this as a Christian; the most interesting, and most wise, and most powerful, and most loving of them all is already in your presence for he “never leaves nor forsakes”. The only question is the extent of your knowing, savouring, and delighting in it.
Much love,
Pastor Gary
As we gather for Sunday worship, we want you to meet with God and be transformed by the Word. Prepare your heart by reading the passage and listening to the songs for Sunday.