Preparing for the Final Exodus Plague ~ in my prayer

We’ve talked about asking questions when we pray.  We’ve talked about listening to our Triune God’s questions when we pray.  

What do you think?  Is it working for you?

I love the questions ~ assuming you’re asking me the same questions!

Some where in this journal made public I share with you my prayer.  In my profile maybe?  The first post?  I don’t remember…

“God, are you the same now than you were before being Human?”

“God, are you Emmanuel ~ God is with us ~ always...before you were Human

...while you were Human

...NOW?

“God,  since you’re Alpha & Omega, why do the scriptures present you differently

 before you were Human

...while you were Human

...NOW?

“God, why did you want to be like me?”

I feel God asking me questions.

“Child, are you different now that you know I Am with you

...feel I Am with you?”

“Child, since I Am Alpha & Omega,  do you love me differently

before I became One with you in Flesh

...while I Am Flesh

...NOW?”

“Child, will you be with me in Alpha & Omega?”

“Child, will you Love like I do?

Ah man...I cry.

You know what?  I have a tendency to add a “because” to my questions.  

You know what?  I add “Then why…” to my answers.

                                                     “But…” to my answers.

        “if…” to my answers.

Whoa…

I believe God leaves out the “Because’s,” the “Then why’s,” the “But’s,” and the “If’s.”

I believe God leaves out all qualifiers in his answers because God is Love...

God’s Love is unconditional...

God’s Will is to be Love…

Ah man...I cry.

My humanity is riddled with conditions.  

I judge.                      I compare.                      I make mistakes.  

I wonder if God manifested to be like me to experience conditions.

My child judges.       My child compares.       My child makes mistakes.

God is ever present. God is unconditional love. God searches for me...regardless.

Remember when we didn’t know what to do with all that new knowledge we ingested in the Garden so we hid in the trees?   Remember when we ran to God at the tomb when we heard God was looking for us?  

THAT answers my prayer question, “God, are you Emmanuel ~ God is with us ~ always 

….before you were Human

...while you were Human

...NOW?

Ah man...I cry.

The Canaanite Woman ~ in my heart, in the stillness

Ah man…

Here we go…

I  call  The  Canaanite  Woman
Jesus’  spiritual  director.

Here’s why…

I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, The Transfiguration bringing belief through a human mind, I feel this could be one of the loneliest times for the Man Jesus.  It seems so long ago...maybe in archives labeled TRANSFIGURATION. Christology in my naiveté.


I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, The Triumph of the Cross ~ in my heart.  It seems so long ago...maybe in archives labeled TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS in the challenge,

To love God is to follow the commandments as outlined in the Tablets.  God’s commandments are concrete and measurable.  I can see clearly when someone ~ including me ~ breaks any of the Ten. The Ten are behavior based.


It is much more challenging to clearly define Love One Another, Turn the other cheek. The Greatest commandment Jesus outlines requires an attitude adjustment.

Whoa...how arrogant is THAT?  I am quoting myself.

I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, Who do the Crowds Say I AM ~ in my heart, in my life, in my stillness…

Alright.

Alrightalright.

I know I hide in the Garden’s Trees when I am afraid to face God.  When I am afraid of facing other people I can simply stop answering the phone, if you will.

See, for me…

Sin ~ for lack of a better word ~ against society isn’t necessarily sin against God.  However, when I live through God is Love...sin ~ for lack of a better word ~ against God IS always sin against other people.

A great example from Jesus’ life to help me explain where my prayer concretely takes me home with that thought.

Mark 2:  23

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

Scripture is riddles with such examples of sin against society and sin against God.  Share the ones with me that bring you home, if you will.  Let’s talk about it.  Let’s pray with it.

Alright.

Alrightalright.

Now really begins the Canaanite Woman as Jesus’ spiritual director.  Oh boy...this is the part of my retreat sharing when many of the others blasted me!

Am I THAT nervous writing this here or is it the coffee in my system?!?

Alright.

Alrightalright.

Jesus was raised by people that truly loved God.  Truly held God in the center of their hearts.  I believe that.  Jesus grew up hearing over and over how he was one of the Chosen People; that others were not so privileged.

The Canaanite Woman challenged his processing human mind ~ tradition, history, society’s cultural teaching ~ when she heard him calling her a dog. As far as she was concerned ~ and I am concerned ~ Jesus was implying that she and her kind weren’t worthy, if you will, for the children's’ bread.

S H E   S A I D  to the very human Jesus, “Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

I cry…

I can see...can feel...Jesus stopping in his tracks.  I can see...can feel...Jesus turning around to face her... walking toward her with his arms outstretched...hugging her... holding her tightly against him.  I can hear...can feel...him whispering in her ear, “You are so right. I AM here for you.  I love you.  Thank you.”

Ah man...I cry…

I pray I will always hear another's prayer.



I pray (my soul) will leap in (my) womb, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I am greeted by another.



I pray I will always feel God's Love through another person.



I pray (my soul) will leap in (my) womb, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I am with another.



I pray I will always live God is Love.



I pray (others' souls) will leap in (their) wombs, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I greet them.



Let’s rest.  Sit back.  Feel our hearts beat.  Breathe and sigh.

Who do the crowds say I AM ~ Remember Moses?

Moses meets God face to face.  Ah man…

Listen to the conversation they had.

Meanwhile Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed.

So Moses decided, "I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned."

When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!" He answered, "Here I am."  Exodus 3

WARNING ~ tangent

One of my all time favorite movies is Prince of Egypt.  I am brought to tears everytime I see the Burning Bush scene.  God strokes Moses with the flames...gently...lovingly. Moses stands there entranced with God’s touch.  It is just  beautiful.  Moses feels God’s love...

Alright…

Alright…

Alright…

God introduces God’s self to Moses, “I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." 

Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."  


But Moses said to God, 
"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?" 
He answered, "I will be with you; 


ah man...THERE's an answer to Jesus' question, "who do you say I am?"!  I pray I will answer, "you are with me."


and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain." "But," said Moses to God, "when I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' 


if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?" God replied, "I am who am." Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you."

I just can’t get over God telling Moses, “I AM”

And, today….Jesus asking, “Who do the crowds say I AM?”.

I have to tell you, I KNOW I left the punctuation off my statement :  I just can’t get over God telling Moses, “I AM”   See, I believe God waits for us to complete the I AM.  

I go back to The Garden.  We are told God created everything; yet, God asked The One to name everything.  Wow. God invites us to work with him in everything.  

I am seeing an amazing connection right now between God and The Word Incarnate within the simple, "I Am."  Whoa...it doesn't get more beautiful than this!

Sometimes, I realize I need God to be with me.  I hear God saying to me, “I AM with you.”
I can answer Jesus, "You are with me."

Sometimes, I realize I need to know God’s love.  I hear God saying to me, “I AM in love with you.”
I can answer Jesus, "You love me."

Sometimes, I realize I need God to hear me.  I hear God saying to me, “I AM all ears.”
I can answer Jesus, "You are heard."

Sometimes, I realize I need God…

And, now...Jesus asks us, “Who do you say I am…”
I pray I will answer Jesus 
when asked, “Who do you say I am?”.

I pray I will hear God when Jesus asks me, “Who are YOU?”.
I pray my actions will answer the question…

It is time for me to sit back...to feel my heart beat and sigh.