By Rev. Tyger Penson
Acts 1:12-14
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
I am learning to see and experience life in a new way. I look at the sights around me, not to see how fast I can get around them, but with eyes that are learning to dissect what I see. For instance, today I watched ants hurrying to and fro, with one ant slowly making her way along the pavement carrying what was obviously a huge, almost unmanageable treasure. I found myself reflecting back upon times when I’ve felt like that ant—just too much to carry and no one seeming to care, certainly not helping me.
Outside my window I watched a bird land on some bamboo sticks which suddenly moved apart, causing him to do the splits before he flew away. I too have been in difficult situations where I felt like where I was standing was giving way.
As I am growing closer to nature and taking time to contemplate and pray in new ways, I think back to a gospel/children’s song, “Into My Heart,” that I have sung over the decades.
Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Come in today, come in to stay;
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
It acknowledges that when we meditate and pray, something happens to us. In Acts 1, before Mathias is chosen to replace Judas as an apostle, Luke writes, “All these [the 11 remaining apostles] were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.” Those early followers of The Way had seen Jesus so often in prayer and had learned how valuable it was for them too, allowing God to dwell within them. They knew that seeking God’s guidance was paramount to making a crucial decision.
If someone asks you, “Why pray?” consider this.
To acknowledge God as the One who created you and loves you
To confess your wrongdoings and to change what needs to be changed
To bring peace and rest to body, mind, and soul
To be in the presence of God
To acknowledge God as giver of all that you need
To tell God that you love God with all that you have
To anticipate what God will do for you, in you, and through you
Prayer: Lord, slow me down, silence my anxieties, and help me allow you to come into my heart. Amen.
Song: “More Love to Thee, O Christ” by Elizabeth P. Prentiss