“Hunter serves as Pastor and Head of Staff at Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Augustine, Fl. He is a Florida native and is a graduate of Flager College and Columbia Theological Seminary.” -Joe

What would free the human heart from feeling troubled? What would it take to lift that burden from you?

Jesus’ answer may seem cliché because we’ve heard it a thousand times. But just because we’ve heard it a thousand times doesn’t mean that it isn’t the best answer. Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.”

When Jesus said believe in God and believe also in me he’s not talking about something intellectual. That’s not what the Greek translation of the words suggests.

When Jesus says believe in God and believe also in me, he is saying something like this: “Give your heart to God, give your heart also to me.”

Martin Luther put it best when he said, “God is who you hang your heart on.”

Prayer:

Loving God, help us to hang our hearts upon you that our hearts may know less trouble and more peace. And in knowing more peace, we might offer this peace to others who are hurting. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.

“Hunter serves as Pastor and Head of Staff at Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Augustine, Fl. He is a Florida native and is a graduate of Flager College and Columbia Theological Seminary.” -Joe

Prayer is the first act of the disciples after Jesus’ ascension. Jesus goes upward and the disciples go inward. The disciples stopped looking around and started looking inside. Their outward journey with Jesus was, in a manner of speaking, over. But a new inward journey had just begun. And that inward journey, prayer, is where they would discover the power of hope.

Acts of compassion are, of course, fundamental to our faithful witness to God’s love. But prayer is where we tap into the foundational power of our faith. God uses prayer to help form us into the people we are called to be. People of hope.

Prayer: God of hope, may you help us to ground ourselves in prayer that we experience your presence in our lives so that we might be comforted—and to also be hope-bearers to your world. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

An ancient Asian tale gives two images that contrast the difference between heaven and hell. The image of hell is this: There is a large banquet hall and the meal has been prepared by the world’s best chefs. The only unusual thing about this scene is the silverware utensils. They are very long, heavy, and cumbersome. When the guests sit down and begin to eat, some people are not able to lift any of the utensils. Those that can lift the fork, knife, or spoon cannot maneuver it to get anything to eat. Soon banqueters begin to bump into each other in their attempt to eat. Frustration and even anger is the result. In the end, no one gets anything to eat.

The image of heaven is similar – with a twist. The banquet hall appears the same. Even the large and cumbersome silverware is present. However, there is a different group of guests present who have somehow learned an important lesson. They realize that the utensils will not allow them to feed themselves; but, as they sit down to eat, those that can lift the utensils pick up food and maneuver it to feed a neighbor. When necessary two people lift a fork and feed a third person, who, in turn, with aid feeds those who fed him. In the end, all eat well. There are laughter and story-telling. Each person is satisfied and even joyful because they have learned to feed each other.

This story of course is also a metaphor for our life here on earth. Life is hell when we make it all about us, whenever we are selfish or self-centered. However, we experience heaven on earth when we serve and love others.

Let us pray: Continue to show us your ways, O God, that we might take hold of the life that is truly life. Amen.

There is a story about a homeless man named Tom who has had a rough life. He suffered from addictions and was in and out of many shelters. Finally, one night Tom found himself at a worship service and he had a conversion experience. After that night, his whole life turned around. He signed up for a program at a shelter that helped him get his act together. He worked hard and eventually became one of the helpers in the shelter. Everyone grew to love Tom.

Well over time, a new resident named Jim came into the program. As Jim got to know Tom and hear his story, he too decided that he wanted to become a Christian. At the evening worship service after the sermon, Jim told the pastor, “I want to be just like Tom.” The pastor corrected him, “Don’t you mean you want to be just like Jesus?” Jim responded, “Is he like Tom?”

I remember my friend Roger Kunkle saying, “You are the only Bible that some people will ever read!” It is so true, isn’t it? I hope that when people look at our lives, they will see something in us that inspires!

Let us pray: Loving God, Help us to live our lives in such a way that we are a blessing to you and a blessing to others. We pray today for people who are in struggling just to cope. Surround them with your mercy, grace, and love. Grant them, and each of us, the courage and strength we need to face the moment. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A father was listening to his child playing in the other room when he heard her repeating the alphabet in a tone of voice that sounded like a prayer. When he asked her what she was doing, the little girl explained: “I’m praying, but I can’t think of exactly the right words, so I’m just saying all the letters. God will put them together for me because He knows what I’m thinking.”

In a sermon some time ago, my friend Charlie Landreth preached from the passage in Romans where Paul writes, “For we do not know how to pray as we ought…” In his message, he reminded us that there are times when we feel a deep need to pray and yet words escape us.

Maybe when you look at the violence and heartache in the world around us, you are grieved over the senseless loss of life. Maybe there are times when that can feel so overwhelming that it is hard to know even where to begin with a prayer. Or perhaps you have a loved one who is near the end of life and you want to hang onto every precious moment, but you also know that your loved one is suffering and the quality of life is not there. It is hard to know how to pray or what to pray for. Or maybe you are dealing with a troubled teen or a relationship that is falling apart, and you are not sure what kind of outcome to hope for.

Paul’s words speak to us, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Let us pray: Loving and gracious God, we thank you that even when we don’t know how to pray, your Spirit intercedes in us and for us. Hear – even now – our deepest cries and hurts… Heal us and redeem us and help us in our weakness; we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.