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Blog postGod.
“Out of the depths we cry to you, O Lord.”
That’s what an ancient pray-er said to you.
And I’m guessing that those words are heard in our rooms every day.
For the patient with a hard diagnosis.
For the code team who worked hard to save a life.
For the coworker carrying difficult news from home.
For our community. For our country.
“Out of the depths we cry to you.”
But God, we cry to you because you know our depths, < -
Blog postI went into my archives and found that I should pay attention to myself more often. Here’s something I wrote almost a decade ago.
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1. Jesus often helps you with the conversation. “What do you want?” is what he asked a couple disciples who came to him in a referral from John. Not meanly, but invitingly.
2. Jesus loves you more than you hate yourself. Our self-loathing gets in the way of conversations at times. We assume that people won’t want to talk to us. -
Blog postThis month, we’re talking about talking with God (commonly known as praying). Last week, Rich Dixon talked about Daniel’s prayer space.
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Today I’ll describe a place that’s meaningful to me.
Like Daniel’s prayer room, it’s an actual, physical location. More importantly, it’s a metaphor for a space I can visit when I’m struggling to talk to Jesus.
I originally encountered this spot on my handcycle during a time of tremendous internal turmoil. I sto -
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Blog postI went to the gym. I heard a great offer on the phone. I wanted to see if it was true. I met Sam. She said, “What are you looking for?” I told her about my fitness journey. She told me what the gym could do to help.
Jesus was near by John (the one who baptized) (John 1). John pointed to Jesus. A couple of John’s followers followed Jesus. “What are you seeking,” he asked. They told him they wanted to know where he was staying, where he was teaching. He told them to come with him.
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Blog postHappy Monday, friend.
I realized that Paul’s letters, most of them, were written with people in mind. He knew them, or some of them, and as he looked at what they were facing, and listened to God, and started writing (or dictating), he was thinking about actual people.
And as I write, from time to time, I’m thinking about you. And you. And you. (I’m literally smiling as I type this, seeing your faces, and then starting to tear up.)
We’ve been rerunning some posts about -
Blog postGod.
It’s been a hard week.
I feel like we say that to you a lot, these days.
We used to be able to predict what would happen in a week. Now we are resigned to 2020 Bingo cards of disaster and disruption.
“Didn’t see that coming,” we say.
“I thought it couldn’t get worse, and then it did,” we say.
And I’m not sure what to say to help.
I can’t even settle down to ask you, it seems, because I might miss out on some new disaster or death or dr -
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Blog postJesus spent time with crowds and had compassion for multitudes and children. But he often took his disciples away from the crowds so that he could teach them and talk with them. When we map parts of his journeys, it looks like he lost his compass and led his disciples aimlessly in the wilderness. And often, he went away from other people to talk with his Father. Just the two of them for hours on end.
I was thinking about solitude today. And about Jesus going off alone. And how ha -
Blog postThis month, we’re talking about talking with God (commonly known as praying). Today, Rich Dixon keeps us thinking about that.
Three times each day, Daniel prayed in a special place.
He got on his knees in an upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. He continued even when it got him in trouble with the king.
Did Daniel believe prayers from this spot were prayers more powerful? Did he believe God was more present in this room, or that He listene -
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Blog postSometimes when I’m talking about prayer with a group of people I’ll say, “So, prayer can be defined as talking with God, right?” And people often nod. Depending on where the group is.
Then I’ll say, “So, is Jesus God?” And when I’m having this conversation, most people will say “Yes.” And then I’ll say, “So, when we read about people talking with Jesus, in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, they are praying, right? When the woman who was getting water talks to Jesus about religious differ -
Blog postThe other year, Meg wondered about journaling prayer. I think it’s a great question. I think that sometimes, David prayed with a pen. The book of Psalms includes some of those prayers. They reflect honesty and vulnerability. They aren’t pretty or polite.
But neither is good conversation.
1. With a loud frustrated voice.
I cry aloud to the LORD;
I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my t -
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Books By Jon Swanson
"God. We Need You.": A Year of Prayer in a Hospital Chapel (Resources on Faith, Sickness, Grief and Doubt Book 5)
Jun 21, 2020
by
Jon Swanson
$0.99
Other Formats:
Paperback
A Great Work: A Conversation With Nehemiah For People (Who Want To Be) Doing Great Works
Nov 29, 2013
by
Jon Swanson
$0.99
Other Formats:
Paperback
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