OUT OF THE SHOEBOX (excerpts)


Day Eighteen


Feel His Breath


Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbours saying, 'celebrate with me, I've found my lost sheep'. (Luke 15 The Message)


You are lost. Frightened. It's getting dark and the other sheep you were with have wandered off. Or you wandered off, you're not sure. But you know you should be back with the other ninety-nine and you are not. Your back left leg hurts from the deep, rough desert hole it was stuck in that took a lot of your energy to get free from. The hours get later and you get more worried.


In the distance, you hear the faint sound of your master's whistle. It is so familiar from all the years you have heard it. It is such a comfort. Slowly, it gets closer. Louder. You feel your heart beginning to beat faster at the anticipation of seeing him again, desperately hoping he will find you. Now, you hear foot steps in the dust. The scuff of well worn sandals. The dust begins to rise and the whistle is so much closer now. Minutes pass. In the shadow of the evening, you see the outline of your master rising over the hill. He walks slowly but steadily, scanning all areas of the hillside so as not to miss anywhere. He stops for a moment. You dare not move in case he doesn't see you. He does. He walks.


Your heart is now uncontrollable at the excitement of no longer being alone. The shepherd calls you by name. He has always done this. Always knew the names of all his sheep. Calmly he walks to you. Tenderly he touches you and gently lifts you upon his shoulder, mindful of the leg he can see is causing you pain. You feel so secure at having his strong hands wrapped around you, supporting you. He speaks to you affirmingly. Says your name reassuringly.


On his shoulder, you are close to his face. You look carefully and can see the outline of his life story told by the lines. His eyes are warm, watching each step in front to ensure a safe return home. You are so close to his face you can feel is breath. Feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes in life.


Approaching, you see the lights of the barn. You here the sound of the others and here the shepherd's voice over and over 'We're home, we're home.' The intimacy you have had with the shepherd made getting lost so worthwhile. Your master places you back in the barn. You hear his words in the distance as he walks on 'Celebrate with me, I've found my lost sheep'.


'Count on it - there is more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue'.


A question to consider: Do I really see my life as a celebration to my Shepherd?


Reflection:
With every step I take
With every breath I make
With every word I speak, may I be yours
With every step I take
With every breath I make
With every song I sing, may I be yours


Day Twenty-Two
Just Come


And when you come before God, don't turn it into a theatrical production either..find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven
Reveal who you are
Set the world right
Do what's best-as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty.
(Matthew 6 The Message)


I have never quite worked out why, when we are young, we are taught to pray by bowing our heads, closing our eyes and clasping our hands together. It seems so formal. For years I thought that it was extremely naughty of me to pray with my eyes open even though it felt far more natural to do so! When we are young, most of us are taught quite formal ways of praying. There are many ways to pray. Readings, singing (my personal favourite!), thinking, laughing. It is all forms of prayer. So, what makes it prayer? Our heart.


I love these verses that form part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. They are practical, have no airs and graces, and are so typical of Jesus to demystify what we like to make complex.
In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning points out that "In prayer, Jesus slows us down, teaches us to count how few days we have, and gifts us with wisdom. He reveals to us that we are so caught up with what is urgent that we have overlooked what is essential." (p88)


We can have such a tendency to let people know we are praying. We can carry on, babbling and trying to make our prayers sound so spiritual. Jesus says, 'not necessary'. Praise God! It is liberating to know that Jesus instructs us to be ourselves when we pray, and to be simple, without carry on. Jesus did exactly this. He often left the disciples to just be by Himself, to be Himself before his father. We are instructed to do the same.


One thing I love to do as part of praying at times, is have a coffee with God. I sit with my drink and imagine He is just in the chair next to me. As I talk, my focus is taken from what I am saying to Jesus, and my hardened heart softens. Jesus says this. We will sense His grace, His forgiveness, His strength, His smile.


If you are new to praying, or really unsure of what to do, the example prayer Jesus gives above is a good place to start.




Our Father in heaven
Recognise and acknowledge who God is to you
Reveal who you are
Ask Him to meet you where you're at. You need to know and feel His presence.
Set the world right
Do what's best-as above, so below.
Remind yourself that the world needs God, needs His Kingdom.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
God is interested in the nitty gritty and practical.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Ask God to forgive you and to help you forgive those that need your forgiveness.even the tough ones!
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil
We need a saviour because we are tempted and often give in. God offers protection from this hurt.
You're in charge!
At the start you acknowledged who God is. Now place Him back in the centre of your life.
You can do anything you want!
Give God room to breath and work in your life. Tell Him He has space to move.
You're ablaze in beauty.
Worship! For as long as you like!


In the day of Jesus, the Pharisees had very strict rules on how to approach God. Jesus turned this upside down. These verses in Matthew by Jesus can really be summed up in two words: just come.


A question to consider: Can I learn to be less theatrical with my prayers and 'just come'?


Reflection:


I will come each day, where in my heart is only the attitude of gratitude
I will sing, I will shout, I will laugh out loud in wonder, in praise
In gratitude.


Charis Brown