July 25, 2010 ASAP = ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER - NESTOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

I started and ended the sermon on July 25, 2010 with the following quoted from Leonard Sweet;

Always Say a Prayer

Ever wonder about the acronym ASAP? Generally we think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives: "As soon as possible." Maybe if we think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we'll begin to find a new way to deal with those rough days along the way.
There's work to do, deadlines to meet, you've got no time to spare, but as you hurry and scurry, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer. In the midst of family chaos, quality time is rare. Do your best; let God do the rest, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer. It may seem like your worries are more than you can bear. Slow down and take a breather, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer. God knows how stressful life is; he wants to ease our cares, And he'll respond to all your needs, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer.
Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

The Gospel reading was from Luke 11:1-13. This is when Jesus teaches the prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer. But he does much more than that Jesus teaches up about the nature of our God.

“When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” (NRSV) Jesus is teaching us about the familial relationship that God has established with us. We are a part of God’s great human family we. We are invited to relate to God the divine perfect parent. No matter the qualities of our earthly parents, our God loves us and has set us aside for a divine purpose. In other words our relationship with God in prayer is “Holy.” And Jesus teaches us these words because they make sense of God’s purpose for our lives. 1. We are related. 2. God provides for our needs each day as it comes. 3. God forgives us and wants us to forgive as well. Look at how the translators of the NRSV have related Jesus’ words to us: “ 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.

And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

Jesus does not stop there but shares the parable of persistence. On Sunday I had some fun translating that parable into

many times, Lord! You’ve done it for others, you’ve done it for me, now I am begging you to do it again! Do it for him! Save him, Lord!”

“It was as if he grabbed God by the lapels,” said Long’s friend, “and refused to turn God loose until God came with healing wings. When we heard that prayer, we just knew that God would indeed come to heal. In the face of that desperate cry for help, God would have been ashamed not to save the man’s life.” And so, says Tom Long, it happened. The man was healed. (1)

That janitor took Jesus seriously when he said to pray boldly. Whether God was really moved by his particular style of praying is above my pay grade to answer. But I do know this--the person who refuses to pray, for whatever reason, is missing out on life’s most powerful resource. Some of us may feel we’re too sophisticated to pray. Others may feel they’ve see too much tragedy in life to feel prayer does much good. O friend, keep praying. You need to spend time with God each day. You need to voice to God the deepest desires of your heart. What have you got to lose? Start today setting aside some time each day for communion with God. Pray silently, or raise the rafters like that janitor. But pray. You are a follower of Jesus. Jesus prayed. There are all kinds of reasons why he could have skipped prayer. But he never did. To be a Christian is to pray.

ASAP = ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.