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April 20, 2008

Making Connections Through Prayer

Making Connections through Prayer
Week Three of Sermon Series PRAYER IS…
Matthew 6:24-34 and James 2:1-17

Jesus tells us that the Lilies of the field in all their splendor are more beautiful than King Solomon—the wisest and richest of all the Israelite kings. His father David was the most revered, the most loved but Solomon was the wealthiest, the wisest. The Hebrew book of 1 Kings is a historical transition from King David’s time in 1st and 2nd Samuel to his son, King Solomon.

1st Kings follows the two books of Samuel and the first 10 chapters can be summed up in these verses, (10:23-26): “Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. The whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year. Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses…”

The lilies of the field are more beautiful than him!

In 21st century terms, for you southerners in the room, the Azalea trees in their spring splendor are more beautiful than all the rich and famous perfectly decked out stars who walk the red carpet on their way to the academy awards. For me, the summer sun as it sets over Lake Michigan, its reds and oranges shining through the clouds hovering on the horizon is more beautiful than all the man-made fireworks on display for the fourth of July celebration.

This weekend we celebrated Earth Day. Thirty eight years ago, on April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. This event was the brain child of Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Senator. He put together a team of people to coordinate and organize massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Years later some things have changed for the better and in many cases, we are still working against polluters (litter bugs on a large scale), extinction of species, global warming, and loss of natural resources.

As part of the United Methodist social principles, we address the issue of creation. Paragraph 160 in our Book of Discipline states, “All creation is the Lord’s and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We (Christians) should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect.”

To be a Christian is to be thoughtful and respectful of all creation. To be a Christian is to realize we are one among many creatures and species that inhabit this world. While scriptures say that we, humans, are the most beloved of all species, we have been given a sacred trust to be good and loving stewards of this earth and all of creation. So it seemed fitting to me that today we would discuss how prayer can have the effect of moving us beyond ourselves to experience our connections with nature and each other.

Let’s go back for a moment to Jesus’ comments about the lilies and how beautiful they are. What do you label as beautiful? This is where I wish we had a large screen behind me so I could display some pictures of nature in all her glory. Please help me out. Where are some of the most beautiful places you’ve visited on earth?

We can recall those places often enough but we need not hop on a plan to a far off place to experience the joy and awe of nature. As a child, did you have a place where you felt the presence of God? Is a different place for you now that you are an adult? For me it was and is northern Michigan. But I can’t always get 6 ½ hours away to be with God. So I need to find places here where I can connect with God. What are the gifts of nature that surround us here? Illinois corn fields. Mississippi River, Lake Michigan, parks, parks and more parks.

This morning, we are invited to return to nature and to see (seek) God’s presence there. Nature has so much to teach us. It’s hard to worry and be wrapped up in ourselves when we are actively seeking God in nature. It is while he is teaching about the lilies in the field that Jesus forbids us to worry.

Why? To worry is to live in one’s head. Usually when we worry we focus on the past or the future. We worry about what we said or did in the past. We worry about the something that may or may not happen in the future. In either case to worry is to live in our head. According to Jesus, worry drains the joy from life—sometimes quickly like water draining from a bathtub more often it happens slowly and methodically over time, like a leaky faucet. According to William Barclay, “There may be greater sins than worry, but very certainly no more disabling sin.”

On the other hand, to experienced the gifts of creation, of LIFE, is to live in the now! When we find ourselves living in the past or the future, we can step out into nature, observe nature, or do something positive for nature. This a great way to see how connected we all are.

Prayer is not just talking to God—it is also listening to God. In order to hear God we must quiet all the voices inside our brain. And where better to hear God, live in the moment than in nature? If you’re like me, you struggle with just being quiet. I need something to focus on and being in nature provides the focus enough to quiet the mind and allow me to listen to God. Jesus used nature references all the time in his teachings. God’s handiwork is out there for us to investigate and learn from. God is speaking through nature. Are we listening?

Are you spending enough time in nature? Now that winter is barely a whisper (hopefully) have you changed your routine and started walking places instead of always driving? Are you looking for excuses to be outside? Do you find yourself opening the windows and taking deep breaths of the fresh, springtime air? What is it that draws us into nature? Is it God?
When we stop and think about the earth, the diversity of species whether they are birds, insects, trees or humans, how marvelous is God’s imagination to come up with such diversity. A community of faith that celebrates it gifts of diversity--cultural, economic, marital status, gender, ages, sexual orientation, and social status, reflects God’s creation. In other words, the more diverse we are, the more beautiful.

When we think about the bounty of natural resources from the earth be it oil, water, the nutrient rich soil, or clean air, how generous our God is. When we recognize our abundance (even in the midst of scarcity) how generous we can be.

When we think of the interconnectedness of nature, we see how we are part of a larger system. We have a part to play. Millions of honey bees have been dying recently and scientists and honey bee specialists are trying to figure out why. It is a huge problem because this is affecting millions of crops, farms, livelihoods. Without bees, there is no pollination, and therefore no crops. Another example of the interconnectedness of life is seen beside a river. The trees grow and keep the soil from eroding. When a portion of a rain forest in South American is cut down, the climate in Europe is affected. Life is an intricate balance, an intricate dance where all pieces fit together to make a common whole.

Spiritual models that help us include Native Americans. They recognize the interconnectedness of all creation and the responsibility of human beings. Their emphasis is on long-term welfare rather than short-term expediency or comfort. Issues and actions that affect all life, not just human life are considered. The European killed the buffalo for their hides and left these great beasts to rot across the plains.
Native Americans believe all of nature has something to teach them and so they listen. They believe that God or the Great Spirit speaks through nature and so they are adept at being good listeners and observers.

Nature allows us to be free, to be more child like. We are encouraged to dance, skip, walk, stroll and run. The important thing is to be out in nature. What if we thanked God for all we saw as we were out on a walk? Maybe we offer a big strong looking tree our worries or ask the birds to carry them up to God?

In the past two years I have discovered running. In the book, “Running: the Sacred Art,” there is a section on prayerful running. One idea that I really like in the book is this. Decide on a specific route outside—maybe a favorite nature trail or somewhere in your neighborhood. The next time you go for a run (or walk!), spend the first third of the time considering the role of prayer in your life. Do you like more formalized prayers that you can repeat or do you like to pray spontaneously according to the circumstances? What are some of the obstacles you encounter when you pray? What conditions help you pray?

Spend the second third of your time in nature carefully observing the world around you. Are there some markers you could use along the way—a bend over tree, a unique birdhouse, a red pole. So when you take this route the next time, you could use the markers to shift your prayers to the next person/situation. Spend the final third of your time in prayer. Bring your thoughts into focus with the awareness that you are in the presence of God. What kinds of things will you pray for? Notice how your prayers are influenced by the environment as you move along.

We live in God’s world. God the diverse, abundant, generous, and interconnected Creator has a plan for our lives. As we witness when we spend time in nature, God is all around us. Our part is to listen, to observe and respond to God. Our part is detecting God’s presence where ever we happen to be, whether walking in the forest, driving in the car, sitting at our desk, playing with our children, worshipping at Irving Park UMC. What is God trying to say to you? Are you listening? Are you observant? If you are, that is prayer…

Posted by vickie at 10:00 AM