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God created the world and it was beautiful.
Every day, after the creation, he said, “it is good.” He was pleased with his creation. Yes, that was God’s intention in creation.
He wanted to create a beautiful world. And in that beautiful world, He wanted people to live, enjoying the beauty of life.
Yes, life CAN be beautiful.
When we look around, yes, I see the beauty of life.
When my kids were born, I saw the beauty of God’s creation. Now they have their own children and when I see my grandchildren running around with happy smiles, it is beautiful.
When I see people’s kindness and care, I see the beauty of people.
But unfortunately, we don’t just see the beauty of life.
We see misery. We witness senseless sufferings.
2.1 million population is facing grave shortage of supplies in Gaza. People are dying of starvation, especially the children. In just 48 hours, 33 people died of starvation.
We see the continuation of wars and conflicts. So many lives are sacrificed.
Our challenges are not just global challenges. We also struggle personally. We have our own challenges and we struggle with our own personal issues.
Life is not just beautiful; life can be very challenging. Many people have to deal with their problems. Their future is not always bright and hopeful.
Do we just give up?
Many times, I feel helpless and even hopeless. I feel overwhelmed. I struggle with my own issues and it’s not easy.
But I don’t give up. I am not willing to give up. I turn to prayer.
These days, to me, what is the most important is prayer.
No human reason can explain what’s going on in this world. No good will of human beings can solve the problems we face.
To me, prayer is so precious. And when I pray, that is the sweetest time that I enjoy.
Now I understand more deeply the heart of William Walford who wrote the hymn, “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer.
I simply lay down all my burdens, worries, and concerns. Just simply sit before God and pour out what I have inside of me. Every thought, every feeling, every wish.
Like a child, I simply pour out everything within me. Not knowing what he will do with them.
Without any desire to control the outcome, just pour out and wait. My frustration, my fear, my helplessness, my shortcomings – they all come out without any restriction.
When I cannot articulate my thoughts, that’s Ok. Sometimes what I say is like gibberish. I don’t even understand what I am saying.
But I know God does not hear what I say. God hears my heart. Sometimes I write my prayers to help me articulate better.
When I pray, I let go of all my control over myself, my situation, and my problems.
I am free in a strange sense. No manipulation. Just pour out. My needs, my wishes, my dreams, and my fear.
And wait. Even when I don’t see the answer of my prayers, I wait.
Prayer is the most powerful tool that God gave us to deal with life’s challenges.
Life is full of challenges. Life doesn’t always turn out as you thought it would.
Today’s Scripture is famous Lord’s Prayer.
You find this prayer in Matthew too. Probably, Matthew’s version is more familiar to you. And Matthew’s Lord’s Prayer is what we recite.
Luke’s version is much shorter and it is given in a different context.
Matthew’s version of Lord’s prayer is given in the context of series of moral teachings of Jesus on the mount. We call it the Beatitudes. Jesus did all kinds of teachings in his sermon on the mount.
But you find Lord’s prayer in Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. It comes out in the context of his journey to Jerusalem.
Journey to Jerusalem was a journey to challenges, problems, and suffering. That was the place where Jesus was rejected, arrested, tortured, and killed.
In the context of that journey, Jesus taught the disciples this prayer.
When you face challenges of life, pray as Jesus did. That was Jesus’ message.
When life is hard, pray. Do not run away. Pray. Do not give up. Pray.
You ask, and it will be given to you. You search, and you will find. You knock, and the door will be opened for you.
If you literally translate the Greek words, it’s like this. You ask and keep asking. You search and keep searching. And you knock and keep knocking.
Do not stop. Do not give up. Do not lose hope even when the situation is hopeless, even when you don’t see the answer right away.
That’s what prayer is.
Keep knocking. Even when you feel like that what you are asking seems impossible, you keep asking.
Even when you have no clue for your problems, you keep searching. Even when you feel like the door is tightly shut, you keep knocking.
You never know what will come out as the result of your prayers. Prayer leads you into the mystery of life.
Your prayer becomes saints’ prayer when you keep praying.
Christopher Morley, an American writer, said.
Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.
Prayer is prayer when you keep praying. Prayer is prayer when you have prayer incorporated into your being.
It’s not that there is a time to pray but there is no time not to pray.
When we pray, we become like a child. A helpless child who totally depends on the parents.
That was what Jesus taught us today.
Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:11-13)
God who promises is the God who acts on his promises.
God will give us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will give you peace, the kind of peace the world cannot give.
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