Grace and Peace! We’ve made it through another week and worship is only a day away. I’m glad to be with you in the Pastor’s Workshop.
As you know, Saturday is a Sabbath day in the workshop. Sabbath is about rest. Sabbath is about being in a different “rhythm” than our normal productive routine. And Sabbath is about centering in God. Sabbath is about prayer. On Saturday we do both in the workshop, we pray over our work from the week and we rest to get ready for worship tomorrow.
So as you pray today, what will you be lifting up? What will you be asking for? What will you be thanking for? What will you be “talking with God” about? Particularly, in relation to our Scripture this week, Philippians 4:6-7 (“Don’t worry about anything. But in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving …), how will you be praying?
Here are a few of my prayers for our work this week and for our worship tomorrow:
- I pray that even though we worry, it would not be a constant condition in our lives.
- I pray we would take the Scripture’s path out of our stress and “walk” into God’s peace.
- I pray we would practice “centering in Christ” as outlined by the Scripture (pray about your stress, get specific in supplication, give thanks for how God is present and ready to minister to you).
- I pray we would know the blessings of “centering in Christ” – calmer nerves, collected thoughts, and a more peaceful, powerful, positive and productive “place” from which to engage daily living.
Prayer provides us an opportunity to picture a “preferred future” as God would provide it in grace in Christ. As you pray this Scripture what “preferred future” do you picture for yourself?
I don’t want to go on too long today. It is a day of rest for you and for me!
At the same time I do want to thank you for spending the week together, for exploring the Scripture together, for thinking and writing together, and for praying for worship tomorrow together.
I believe prayer is powerful – very powerful. I believe in prayer we center ourselves in the midst of God’s grace in Christ. I believe as we pray for tomorrow and for worship, God will be at work. God will work in and through our work, not only answering our prayers, but working God’s will in ways that bless others and glorify God.
In that faith I’ll let you get to praying and I look forward to being with you tomorrow in the Master’s workshop!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Sabbath. Thank You for rest. Thank You for prayer. Thank You for how you invite us to be with You in Christ and to live with You as we follow the truth of Your Word. Thank You for how Your Word calls us from worry into a place of peace in You. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to make that “journey of faith” each day as we come to You with our supplications and thanksgivings. For this blessing and for all the gifts of your grace, we give You our thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord.