We are on week thirteen but crazy enough still in just the first section of this great prayer!
Chilcote took this prayer that is divided into four roughly equal parts and provided a theme for each section:
Part 1: Who is God to me? (first paragraph of prayer)
Part 2: What can I give to and ask of God? (second)
Part 3: How does God shape my life? (third)
Part 4: How do I live as a disciple of Christ? (fourth)
Today, we continue with part one from Chilcote.
Scripture
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:25-33
Meditation
Jonathan Coussins, the author of Elizabeth’s prayer, concludes the opening section with a return to the scene of God’s provision. God blesses us with light, music, sweetness, and contentment; gives us sunshine, food, and repose; and provides all the basic necessities of life. Neither Elizabeth, however, nor the preacher of the Sermon on the Mount viewed God as a heavenly vendor of material and spiritual blessings. That is not the point.
One of the words in Elizabeth’s prayer provides a clue, perhaps, to the important teaching of Jesus and the intent of this prayer. The somewhat archaic term succor comes from two Latin words, a preposition that means “beneath” or “under” and a verb that means to “run.” So the word literally means to run beneath or “to quickly get under.” No less than five times in the portion of his sermon, Jesus draws attention to the anxious thoughts of the poor who gathered around him for a word of hope. In the face of their anxiety, he affirms repeatedly that God will run beneath them. God will get under them quickly and never let them fall. Jesus calls them to the joyous abandon of trust in this God. He himself lived in that sort of relationship with God. When we cast our care on God (see 1 Peter 5:7) - when we live in the joyous abandon of a trusting relationship with God – glory brings to completion that which grace has begun in our lives.
Prayer
Gracious Lord, you provide succor in all necessities in life and sustain your creation each day: quickly get under me when I begin to falter, run beneath me when I am falling, free me from all my anxious thoughts and into the joyful abandon of trust in you. Amen.
As a recap if you would like to read it, here is the great prayer from Elizabeth Rhodes:
"Grant me, gracious Lord, a pure intention of heart, and a steadfast regard to your glory in all my actions. Possess my mind continually with your presence, and fill it with your love, that my whole delight may be to repose in the arms of your protection. Be light to my eyes, music to my ears, sweetness to my taste, and full contentment to my heart. Be my sunshine in the day, my food at the table, my repose in the night, my clothing in company, my succor in all necessities.
Lord Jesus, I give you my body, my soul, my substance, my fame, my friends, my liberty, and my life. Dispose of me, and all that is mine, as seems best to you, and to the glory of your blessed name. I am not my own, but yours; therefore claim me as your right, keep me as your charge, and love me as your child. Fight for me when I am assailed, heal me when I am wounded, and revive me when I am destroyed.
My Lord and my God, I ask you to give me patience in troubles, humility in comforts, constancy in temptations, and victory over all my ghostly enemies. Grant me sorrow for my sins, thankfulness for my benefits, fear of your judgments, love of your mercies, and mindfulness of your presence for evermore. Make me humble to my superiors and friendly to my equals, ready to please all and loathe to offend any; loving to my friends and charitable to my enemies. Give me modesty in my countenance, gravity in my behavior, deliberation in my speech, holiness in my thoughts, and righteousness in all my actions. Let your mercy cleanse me from my sins, and your grace bring forth in me the fruits of everlasting life.
Lord, let me be obedient without arguing, humble without feigning, patient without grudging, pure without corruption, mercy without lightness, sad without mistrust, sober without dullness, true without duplicity, fearing you without desperation, and trusting you without presumption. Let me joyful for nothing but that which pleases you, and sorrowful for nothing but what displeases you: that labor be my delight which is for you, and let all weary me that is not in you. Give me a waking spirit, and a diligent soul, that I may seek to know your will, and when I know it may I perform it faithfully to the honor and glory of your ever blessed name. Amen."
Part Fourteen coming next Monday...
pcraig
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