"Our Father in heaven..." - Happy Birthday Pappy

Those words take on a new meaning as today would have been my dad's 92nd birthday. This is our first year without him and his absence hangs in the background, an unfilled vacuum. Not overly communicative would be an understatement as my weekly phone calls to him would usually end within 10 minutes with a "Well that's about all from here.." But he was always the first one we would go to with a prayer request as he was a prayer warrior. His communication to his Heavenly Father was regular and extensive... I would say they were on a first name basis. It had always been his habit to rise early to read and pray and two distinct memories are engraved in my memory and heart to reinforce that practice. 

The first is at an early preschool age, bursting into my parents bedroom with an urgent need to see my dad on his knees by the bedside in prayer. I quickly and quietly backed out not wanting to intrude on that conversation.

The second is within the last years as I was visiting dad after mom had gone. Dad's hearing had diminished and as he still continued his practice to rise early for study and prayer, I overheard his conversation with God as I sat in the kitchen with my coffee. I felt a sudden urge to take off my shoes for surely I was standing on holy ground. 

The other day the words of the Lord's Prayer caught me off guard as I realized their new meaning. No longer was I able to ask my dad to pray for my life situations and circumstances. But it also made me realize that my father was an imperfect reflection of the love, care and concern that our Godly Father showers on us. And as I at one time went to pap, I saw the significance of my own prayers as I went to my Heavenly Father. The vacuum has been filled with something much larger than I could ever hope for or imagine.

26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8)

Poem from pappy when I left for college.

Isaiah 53

a personalized version (changes emphasied in italics.)

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He Was Pierced for My Transgressions

53 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
    And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
² For he grew up before him like a young plant,
    and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that I should look at him,
    and no beauty that I should desire him.
³ He was despised and rejected by me,
    a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom I hide my face
    he was despised, and I esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he has borne my grief
    and carried my sorrows;
yet I esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced for my transgressions;
    he was crushed for my iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought me peace,
    and with his wounds I am healed.
⁶ I, like a sheep, have gone astray;
    I have turned—each time—to my own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of mine.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he opened not his mouth.
⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
    and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
    stricken for my transgression?
⁹ And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
¹¹ Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make me to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear my iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore my sin,
    and makes intercession for me, a transgressor.

Peace...be still

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:37-40)

Sometimes He speaks peace to the waves....Sometimes He speaks peace to our hearts... But the result is still the same as we trust in Him who has power and authority over both...

Crunchy Communion Bread

our church changed the type of communion bread they use over the last few months.    i am not sure of the reason but i think it had to do with  individuals who were allergic to gluten.    the ushers in the back of the sanctuary would have a gluten-free option where individuals could get up and go to participate in communion.    i am glad for the change because who wants to be singled out in order to participate in a corporal observance of the Lord's supper.


interesting thing about this new communion bread is that it is crunchy.    the pastor reads the scripture, breaks the bread, prays, and directs us to eat together with the words, "...Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me.” (MSG)

with no music background and no one speaking, the sound of hundreds of people crunching bread distinctly echoes through the congregation. almost humorous.... but not quite.    the words of the scripture resonate with me and suddenly the crunchiness conveys a symbolic and powerful message.    the body that was broken, was broken by me as a direct result of my sin.    the burden of my personal sin and guilt is expressed by the 'crushing' of the bread as i truly participate with my fellow worshipers and recognize my culpability in the death of the Saviour. a very somber moment.

but it also conveys that message of grace and hope as He said, "This is my body, broken for you..."  His sacrifice was purposeful, intentional and redemptive. and THAT is something to remember, something to celebrate. "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ...we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Rom 5:8,11).

i hope we never change from our crunchy bread because it brings it all home in a very simple way.

Do this to remember me....