How do you feel on these frosty mornings this time of the year when you need to get your car windows cleared off before you can go anywhere? Sometimes the method is to start your vehicle and let the defroster do much of the work. Sometimes there is effort expended with a scraper until the icy coating is removed. Whatever the approach to clear car windows, it is a necessity. If we try to drive without being able to see properly, it is both dangerous and frustrating. Just as there is effort required to ensure a clear view when frozen windows are cleared, there is effort required to ensure that we have a clear view of where God is inviting us to go. This is required in all seasons of weather. The most effective approach is prayer. Our regular times of prayer are a method we can trust for the clearing of our outlook to assist in finding our way forward. . When we pray, God can adjust our attitudes that may have resulted in a cold response to the world around us. Our perspective may have become glazed over as we hear repeated reports of all that is wrong in the world around us. Only as God warms that chilly resentment or frigid indifference, can we hope to see what God wants us to see. In reference to the Holy Spirit, Jesus says in John 16:13, “ But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” Our prayer time this week will be spent bringing to God the harshly frozen covering of our hearts that needs to be defrosted and removed so that we can see with love each person on our path. This is the way of Jesus. Please arrange to join us for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow, November 22nd at 1 pm.
Praying for a clear view of what God invites us to see, Pastor Lola
Loving God, thank You for the truth that is to be found in You. Thank You that Your Spirit will guide us into all the truth. Often there is lack of clarity around what is true and accurate. There are many different versions of the truth and we need Your wise discernment to determine what is actually true. We need You to clear anything that obscures our view of You and Your work in our world. Sometimes we hesitate to expend the effort required for our view to be clear. We want to get moving and resist any delay. Please God, may we always take time to have the vision needed for our journey. Guard us against having our sight clouded by popular opinion or the prejudice held in unloving outlooks. As You walk with us each day Lord Jesus, we ask that Your way of loving people will influence us. Show us how to react and what imitating You looks like. When we are able to see clearly, we expect our response will be required. We cannot know the obvious needs of others and not do what we can to help. We cannot see people being misunderstood and disrespected and not seek to see that change. Our prayers today find us examining ourselves. It is not just looking outward. If Your Spirit is going to guide us into all truth, then we must also be willing to look inward. In all aspects of our lives, we pray that we will be really seeing what is before us. We suspect that many people are just going through the motions of living. We pray that the clearing away of what is not authentic in us, will inspire others to face the truth for themselves. When our view reveals things we would rather not see, give us strength to face the truth. Please challenge us when we enter into denial or turn away from what we do not wish to see. We know that with many things to occupy our thoughts and attention, it is possible to overlook all together what is right in front of us. When that happens, please guide us back to where we have the possibility of viewing what we need to witness. When familiar patterns of behaviour contribute to us not seeing clearly, please deal effectively with this impediment. Where the truth that comes from You compels us to live differently, we pray that we will be willing. Reveal to us how we can encourage each other to see with clarity. Restore what has been damaged by us not seeing clearly. When our impaired vision has caused others damage, we pray for forgiveness. Rather than judge others, please give us determination to deal effectively with anything that prevents us from knowing You for Who You are.We are grateful that Your Spirit is available to guide us into all truth. Remind us not to attempt to navigate by ourselves. And God when we are able to lovingly assist others in having a clear view of You, we pray that we will. Our prayer is that each new day will move us closer and closer to You. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.