A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I try to be a good dad. You know that. I am so grateful that I have such wonderful children. Thank you so much for that gift and that privilege. You know that fatherhood has been such an important part of my identity, of my sense of mission. It is the one thing that absolutely nobody else could do for me. Once you’re in, you can’t quit. So I do the best I can. And sometimes, it seems like enough. And sometimes, I know I fall short. Way short.  I see why you chose parenting as the image you chose for the relationship [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I am not all that good at “obedience.” I prefer “alignment” or “collaboration” or “negotiation,” or some other word that allows me to feel like I am in charge. But sometimes, it helps me to know what you expect of me as your follower.  God, in your love and grace, you saved the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt, you set them apart as your covenant people, special to you, not like any other people. They were set apart to be a blessing to the world. And the way they would demonstrate that special status [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYERHoly Spirit,Wow, you were so present in that worship service this week at our United Methodist Annual Conference. I could feel you warm my soul and lift my heart. I felt connected to those around me. A packed house full of brothers and sisters in Christ, singing loudly and enthusiastically the hymns of the church. Great preaching, challenging us to be servants. I was motivated. Is that who you are, Holy Spirit? A really strong motivational force in our lives? A good feeling all over, convincing me of your presence? I confess that sometimes I reduce you to something as simple as a strong [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER Gracious God, “Sometimes I’m up; sometimes I’m down.  Oh, yes, Lord.  Sometimes you know…almost to the ground.  Oh, yes, Lord.”  The old spiritual is a pretty good prayer, God.  How can I say “yes” to the ups and the downs of life?  How can I not wish away a single moment, missing whatever opportunities and challenges you have for me in each minute?  I want to embrace with gratitude the whole enchilada, the good parts and the bad parts, the tears and the laughter.   Looking back, God, I can say thank you for so [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of work and play, of labor and rest, I am so blessed to have a job I love. I get up every morning, ok most mornings, and look forward to going to work. I am thinking about the challenges of the day, the opportunities in front of me, the tasks to get completed. I have the joy of a job with such varied opportunities – the creative enterprise of teaching and preaching, the relational joys of pastoral care, the fun of working with others to lead an amazing organization in a direction, and dream [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER Loving and Gracious God, Last week, I was going through my closet and found that photo album from 1982 given to me when I left the church in Duncanville. There were pictures of all the kids in the youth group being silly, signed with their names at the back of the album… The memories rush through me… I loved those kids and their families. It was such a special gift to spend that time with them.  You know, I can’t remember any of the Sunday School lessons I taught them, and only one or two of [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I saw a T-shirt last week, while in line to go onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It said “Attempting To Care.” It struck me at first as somewhat cynical, but then I realized it probably summed up a lot of us. God, I confess my own compassion fatigue. I grow weary of the procession of people I see on TV affected by international crises, weather catastrophes, and personal misfortune. I drive by the homeless man on the street, and want to look away. I have enough trouble carrying my own burdens… I can’t carry the pain of the whole [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYERO Christ, you who are God and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, I praise you today for your mighty power and for your great love. When I consider all your promises, that you sent your Son so that your kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, will overcome the kingdom of the world…, that things will be made right, I am filled with hope and gratitude.  When I envision the day that the hungry are fed, that the hurting are comforted, that the sick are healed, that the swords are beat into plowshares, that those imprisoned in oppression [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I guess I fit my name pretty well. They call him “doubting Thomas.” I am a doubter by nature. Someone today just told me a story that seemed hard to believe. So… I didn’t believe it. I meet so many people who seem so sure about everything – their religious convictions, their politics, their judgments about other people. I just wish I was as convinced of one thing, God, as they seem to be about everything. Shouldn’t there be some humility? The more I study and learn about you, the more I realize how much I don’t know. Surely there [...]

A PERSONAL PRAYER Early morning on Friday…  snapshots from my imagination trickle through my mind. All night prayers in the garden, the anguish, sleeping disciples, kiss of betrayal by a friend, the clank of shackles.             The horrors and indignities of Caiaphas, the chief priests.                       The early morning walk to Pilate, to Herod, the cruel crowd shouts for blood                                              The scourge, the beloved man collapsed, the mocking, the crown of thorns                                                 The journey out from the city, stumbling, barely alive already.                                                             The nails. The cross. The gasps for breath. The darkness.                                                                         Death. Yes, real [...]