Monthly Archives: November 2009

A Personal Testimony: A Test of Faith

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. … 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live….John 11:21, 25. NRSV

“If you have been here, my brother would not have died.” Have you said that to God? How many times, over and over again? “God, where are you?”

Where’s God when tragedies hit our household, our friend’s household or when we witness the catastrophic events that happen around our globe. God, if you had been here, my brother, my sister, father and my mother would not have died.

Well, let me tell you a secret. God was there and God is always present with our loved ones and with all of humankind when tragedy hits.

God was with my brother “Kenny” when he died at the young age of 28. I saw God throughout Kenneth’s dying. God was there when my father passed. The night before, my father expressed his gratefulness and delight in hearing my voice yet again. God was there when my mother took her last shallow breath. I saw her and my father’s new image; new youthful bodies with my angel eyes in a dream the day she died. God was there when my brother, Calvin left this earth, void of human companionship, but not without the comfort and love of God.

God gave new life to them and God promises to give new life to each of us. God has promised to be “God in the face of Death” (Max Lucado, 2006). God promised that he would be my protector and I repeat often: “the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1) as a reminder of my protection and of my protector. God promised that he would be my deliverer: I will be with you to the end of your time (Matthew 28:20).

Yes, God is always there. He is our resurrection, he is our life; all we need to do is believe even at the point of our own death.

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The Jarring Voices

God, I don’t understand. I read the “Word” and I am filled with awe and hopeful expectations. At other times, I read the “Word” and I tremble with fear and condemnation. Sometimes God the “Word” gets cloudy because so many claim to have the authority to speak on your behalf.

I hear the voices of an angry and judgmental God. This voice often comes through the jarring noise of the very conservative “religious rights” who are more interested in maintaining the status quo and looking out for “self” than bringing your salvation to this world. However, it is very unsettling and hurtful when I hear this same voice coming from people I love and respect. God I ask for your intervention.

It is a good thing that I also hear the voice of a merciful, loving and forgiving God; a voice I love and the one voice that keeps me humble. This is the voice I want to serve and the voice that I choose to follow. Unfortunately, this voice is not often shouted from the roof tops; nor seldom heard from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. God I ask for your intervention.

Finally, I hear the radical, fiery, compassionate voice of God; the one that screams out to take care of the one less fortunate. The one that calls out for justice; the one that reminds me I have a duty to serve. The voice that Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Troy Perry, my uncle Cornel and others have heard and for whom they willingly became “Drum Majors for Justice.” God I ask for your intervention.

God, I pray that you help me discern your true voice; the voice that has a calling on my life; the one that will truly motivate me to do your will despite life obstacles and the many jarring voices of this world. God, I ask for your intervention. Amen

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Meditative Prayers to Our Merciful God

God you are so wise. You alone know the future. You have the world to worry about, but you still take time to hear from your humble servant. It is a good future for your humble servant. God I praise you. I thank you God for being wise; for being omniscient; for being omnipotent and for your willingness to take the time to listen to the concerns of your humble servant. Amen.

God you are so mighty, full of wisdom and mercy. But, yet I am frightened. I am frightened because I don’t feel worthy. I can never be the person you have called me to be. But then I am reminded of Jesus and I realize through Jesus Christ, I am worthy. I can be that person you have called me to be because of Jesus. Thank you, amen and amen.

God, sometimes it is a little frightening and yes difficult to be faithful. We are taught to trust you, to be faithful. Frankly, God your ways don’t seem possible. Your ways seem strange. But time and time again (sometimes many, many years later), your ways have proven to be right. Remind us again, when we doubt your ways, the many miracles we are privileged to experience when we are faithful and are willing to follow your directions. Amen

Oh, God even in the midst of our misery or our happiness, we cannot forget you. God, you are our sustainer, our redeemer. You get us up in the morning and you give us the ability to provide for ourselves. Before we were born you knew us and you promised to be with us even in death. Oh God, we praise you for your goodness, your willingness to love us and to be with us always alive or in our grave. Amen.

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Please share your meditative prayers with us.

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