waiting for Jesus – an Advent-season-prayer-a-day, Day 17, Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Note: Advent, from the Latin, adventus, “coming”, is the Christian season of preparation for Jesus’ birth, the heart of the Christmas celebration, and, according to scripture and the Christian creeds, his second appearance on some future, unknown day and also according to scripture and Christian tradition, his daily coming through the Holy Spirit. Hence, the theme of waiting for Jesus is Advent’s clarion call.

O Lord Jesus, I wait this day for the wonder of Your Wonder; that is, Your holiness.

Moses beheld the bush that blazed, but was not burned. Yet only when he turned aside to look at this great sight did God speak unto him, saying, “Moses! Moses!”(1)

I wonder, O Lord Jesus, You Who in Your incarnate divinity already hath made Your holy Otherness another-ness with us, where and when and how do You appear, reaching across the chasm between heaven and earth? By faith, yes, I trust that You do, yet I must ask where and when and how and how many times have I missed You; for I, too busy in my thoughts and deeds, too blind of sight, too blunt of mind, failed to turn aside to look?

O Lord Jesus, by Your Spirit, open my mind, quicken my heart, stir my soul, startle my spirit that I may not…that I will not miss You again. Amen.

 

Footnote:
(1) See Exodus 3.1-4

a-Lenten-prayer-a-day, day 23, Monday, March 27, 2017

Note: As a personal, spiritual discipline, I write a prayer for each of the forty days of Lent; each petition focusing on a theme, truly, relating to a care or concern weighing on my mind and heart, at times, vexing my soul and spirit…

On imago Dei: O Precious Lord, You created humankind in Your image.[1] Yea, an eternity of human contemplating canst ne’er reveal all that this means. Yet three things I believe I know. You are wholly Holy, utterly “Other” than I. Thus, I canst ne’er comprehend the fullness of the Sovereign Majesty and the Sacred Mystery of the workings of Your Mind.[2] Thus, I, to have even a thought of You, must have mine imago Dei – mine own image, mine own creation of You. O Precious Lord, by the Illumination of Your Holy Spirit, unceasingly unveil unto me the difference that I may seek You aright. Amen.

 

Illustration: The Creation of Eve (1508-1512), Michelangelo (1475-1564)

Footnotes:

[1] See Genesis 1.26a, 27: God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness”…So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.

[2] See Isaiah 55.8-9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”