God’s Nearness
Barrie Fox (April 14, 2009)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. -Romans 1:16
It has been said that prayer is the privilege of friendship with God. Undoubtedly, prayer time is not just for Sundays or special occasions but for daily use. I once heard someone say that one of the greatest blessings we can bestow on our loved ones and friends is to remember them in our prayers.
I recall the story of a little girl saying her prayers in her bedroom in a loud voice, asking God to please remember to send her a rocking horse for her birthday. On being told by her mother that she didn’t need to shout because God wasn’t deaf, she said, “I know. But Granddad is, and he’s on the other side of that door!” Praying is wonderful, but often we find that we want to be assured our prayers are being heard. When I consider the value of prayer in my life, I realize how much more appreciative I should be than I often am.
A little boy was flying his kite late one evening in his backyard while his parents were entertaining some friends. As the visitors were leaving, one of them noted that in the darkness the kite was nowhere to be seen. “How do you know it is still up there?” someone asked. “That’s easy,” said the boy, “I can feel it tugging on the string.” This is a metaphor for how some of us feel-sure that God is real and near. We believe we can sense God’s presence in our lives, even when we cannot prove it.
This month we are celebrating 70 years of Daily Bread. Each day we will be sharing Daily Bread stories from throughout the decades. You will notice that these stories reflect the language and theology of the time they were written. Our hope is that this act of sacred remembering will bless us with awareness of God’s movement throughout time and a renewed sense of God’s presence with us now! Consider joining this rich tradition of sacred story sharing by submitting your story here: https://www.CofChrist.org/daily-bread-writers-guide
Prayer Phrase
The Spirit is revealed in our sacred stories.
Spiritual Practice
Sharing Stories
Sharing sacred story is a meaningful way to express and remember God’s activity among us. How have you been transformed by the words and stories of others? What stories do you feel called to share from your own sacred history?
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
