Faith in Purpose

Ever had one of those moments when you suddenly realized how silly you have been, like searching for your glasses that are pushed up over your forehead?

I have been looking for a sign that I've been standing under for weeks. 

Today a post on a topic that a wonderful friend referred to as "deep". That may be, but I promised a younger self I'll think about her and send these letters back as long as there is something to say.

A week before Easter we had two funerals in our community. 
An old friend, ill for many years finally succombed. We celebrated a wonderful full life. 
A very young friend in what appeared to be good health died suddenly. This time we celebrated a wonderful, and too short life.  
The second family has good reason to wonder how God could take away someone who meant so much to them and others; who had only just recently found a meaningful vocation and was loving life so very much. 
The parents were amazing. Rock solid. I felt so silly over my shaky faith in a power they obviously recognized as present even in their grief. 

Palm Sunday brought an infrequent attendance at the local church service and once more, public recitation of The Lord's Prayer. It reminded me how much I love that prayer, and rely upon it. It also reminded me that this prayer Jesus taught the disciples, and now to all who follow, has been most useful as a meditation tool.  For that purpose, it is essential to pause for contemplation after each of the six lessons. One cannot do that in a public recitation. 

The lesson that I need work on is the second; "... Your kingdom come, your will be done... ". Any higher purpose that I can participate in must be experienced through love as part of a plan I cannot know in its entirety. It requires us to accept that who we are is part of that purpose. We are where we are, being this person for a reason. 

Too very often we can think that life is meaningless. We might even believe that things happening around and to us are random. 

Not every message from that higher power comes gift-wrapped in a dream, or meditation or as the answer to a prayer. Sometimes you and I are the messenger. Sometimes a dying friend and their family deliver the message. 

The past is here inside to help me to understand the present and live more productively here, in the moment.

There is a purpose to be found in living the life I have, and the person I am becoming.  

Life will not be a spectator sport.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Matthew 6:5-13

English Standard Version

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 

Pray then like this:

~ Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

~Your kingdom come, your will be done,

~on earth as it is in heaven.

~Give us this day our daily bread,

~and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

~And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.