Intimate Loving Trust

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 -- Week of 6 Easter, Year One
Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, 988
Rogation Day

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 962)
Psalms 78:1-39 (morning) 78:40-72 (evening)
Deuteronomy 8:11-20
James 1:16-27
Luke 11:1-13

Jesus invites us into an intimacy with God. In Luke's gospel, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus teaches them to call God "Father." (Luke writes in Greek, Pater.) The word is an expression more of trust than of authority. Elsewhere we are given the Aramaic word for Father, Abba.

The fundamental relationship that Jesus shows us between God and us is a relationship of loving trust. We get two stories today that illustrate some of the qualities of that trust.

Jesus tells of a neighbor who goes to a friend after bedtime and keeps pestering the friend for bread until the friend gets up to help him. You only do that sort of thing with someone you know loves you even when you know you are intentionally getting on their nerves. There is a childlike persistence in this story. It's not unlike a child in the grocery checkout, begging a distracted mother for candy. The child keeps asking. The child keeps asking because the child wants the candy. The child believes it can keep asking because it knows the mother loves him.

Now this is not a commentary about parenting. It's not good to reward whining children. (Kathy always told ours, "I can't hear you when you whine.") It is, instead, a picture of intimacy. It is an encouragement to perseverance. Persevere in loving trust toward God like a child will persevere toward a parent, or a close friend will persevere with a neighbor.

These are remarkably intimate images for our relationship with God.

Jesus' second illustration reinforces the element of trust in our relationship with God. Parents don't give the children dangerous things. If a child asks for a fish, the parent won't give a snake. If a child asks for an egg, the parent won't give a scorpion. God is an even more loving parent than we can be. The gift that God gives is God's own divine life, God's own self -- the Holy Spirit. God gives us God. So ask, and you will receive. Trust. Keep asking. Persevere.

Our fundamental relationship with God is one of intimate, loving trust. It is a relationship that has a parental quality. And we all need the experience of good, loving parenting.

Lowell

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About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas