Too much informality

(The following is from my e-prayer bulletin but it is so much on my mind that I felt compelled to share it here as well.)

TOO INFORMAL?

There is a struggle in prayer. For me, it centers on how I should approach God. How do you approach the One who is both a “consuming fire” (Deu. 4.24) and our loving Father? He is the One whose judgment is sure and awesome. Yet He is also the One of whom John writes has “lavished” His love on us (1 Jn. 3:1 NIV). Do you feel the conflict? I identify with Tony Jones’ thoughts on this subject. He writes in Christianity Today:

“In two decades of youth ministry, I've heard a lot of conversational prayers to Father Weejus. You know, "Father Weejus ask that you'd be here tonight, and Weejus hope you'll really bless our time." I've heard a lot of unnecessary "justs" and "reallys" over the years, and inappropriate uses of the subjunctive mood ("We pray you would move your people and you would do your will …"). I'm all for conversational prayer. But a lot of it is sloppy, which, I'm afraid, has been bred by too much informality.” http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/001/12.75.html

“Too much informality.” I don’t mean to be harsh. But I’m afraid I agree. God sounds less like God of the universe and more like Santa Claus in some of our praying. The prayers of the apostles and the early church sound like they had a revelation of a bigger God than we pray to. Consider this one:

(Acts 4:24-25 NKJV) "So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, {25} "who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?"

At the same time, we must hold this reality of a big, sovereign God in tension with another reality that is equally revealed in Scripture:
• God is a loving Father (1 John 3:1)
• God is compassionate as revealed through His Son (John 11:35)
• God is personal (John 14:21)

Maybe the answer is all the above. Maybe the struggle we have in the approach is a healthy thing. Let’s not hold one reality to the exclusion of the other. He is both a consuming fire and a loving Father. I don’t know about you, but rather than decreasing my faith, that revelation increases it.

The promised land

We received a letter a couple of weeks ago from our dear Pastor Thompson in Guntur. As you know, our church has been donating funds toward the building of a new orphanage for these children who have been displaced and abandoned. Presently, there are about 80 kids who make their home in 750 square feet. It is nearly incomprehensible the conditions in which these beautiful children are living.

But we're hopeful! Due to the generosity of many, we made a down payment on a 3 acre tract! The children are so excited and of course Pr. Thompson is dreaming again. Here's a pic of the kids on the new property. Thank you SCCC for caring.