Is it possible that the Christian prayer life has become more like an activity than it is actually a way of life for us? We have all the tools we need – the Bible, prayer guides, prayer journals, faith in the Word of God – but we pray only when we need safe travel, successful deals, and happy personal outcomes. Our prayer life becomes centred on needs rather than relationships, expressed as obligatory “amens” or emojis in chat groups rather than faith-building God-centred words of exhortation. Even earnest prayer requests often turn into a display of prayer one-upmanship with long verbose prayers that sound more like demands with bible citations than faith-infused conversations with God!

Are you among the global travellers who prefer to stick to familiar brands no matter where you go. You stay at the same hotel under the Marriott chain, head to the iconic golden arches of McDonald’s for meals, and to Starbucks for coffee because your past experiences with these businesses have shaped your expectations of service, quality, and comfort? Sociologists refer to this phenomenon, largely driven by globalization, as cultural homogenization where people all over the world are experiencing  somewhat similar lifestyles.

When we read of how Jesus walked along the shores of the Sea of Gallilee, called out to a few fishermen who were preparing their fishing nets, “Come, follow Me!” and how they abruptly dropped their nets and followed Him, it is easy to conclude that Jesus was always calling perfect strangers to join His ministry.

Relationships regulate our behaviour. Whether the relationships are familial, romantic, friendships, or professional, they come with pretty clear social norms and expectations that guide how we should behave. In professional relationships, there are expectations around timeliness, integrity and productivity.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus gave us an open invitation to come to Him for rest when we feel overwhelmed. But we often feel that nothing is ever so bad that we need to respond to Him just yet. Surely, He doesn’t need us to prove our commitment to Him when we are in a bind or a flux. He clearly knows how deeply we trust Him and how much we depend on Him though we hardly ever respond to His invite to rest in Him.

More people now are involved in the circular economy, forming online and offline communities that are committed to extend the use-life of many products. Instead of being discarded, preloved products are refurbished to like-new condition, repurposed and eventually rehomed with a new lease of life.

What do people who know their God look like. Will we be able to recognize who they are among us? Consider a father’s unwavering hope for his child to land a professional ballet contract while supporting her through a process that seems to have no end in sight. Yet, he continues to provide her with the leadership that she needs to keep her aspirations alive. What about a young widower facing the reality that this new year will not be the same as any other as he battles the waves of grief and the new norm that arbitrarily show up in his life.

We can easily fall into the trap of familiarity with God when we no longer look for new things to unpack in our relationship with Him. This happens when we let our preferences and priorities dictate how much we want to engage Him to know Him better. Instead, we rely on what we already know about God and what He had done in the past to predict what He will do in the future (not unlike crystal-ball gazing), and we keep looking for familiar signs as evidence of His involvement in our lives. Over time, we begin to lose all awe and wonder of God.

Just because something has not changed for you does not mean you should remain in the status quo or that the status quo is the best that God has for you.
The Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years before God miraculously set them free by dividing the Red Sea and had them flee on foot through a dry passage while the Egyptian chariots that pursued them drowned. (Exodus 12:40). Afterward, they wandered in the desert for 40 more years before their leader, Moses, died. Then, God said to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead.” It was a strange statement of fact because Joshua clearly knew Moses was no longer alive, yet God chose to state the obvious.

Most of us think of time as the 24 hours we have each day and how much time we have for this or that. We think about tasks that need to get done, situations that need our attention, and routines that loop from day to day, month to month, and year to year. We tend to focus on the here and now, and less in terms of what God prioritizes and values.

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS. Is it a folklore about a baby named Jesus who was born in a stable and laid in a makeshift crib from a manger? Surely, Jesus is not still living that we are celebrating His birthday. Except that it was not an ordinary story, about an ordinary baby born, who lived an ordinary purpose.

We must not let our fellowship with other believers mask the lack of true relationships in our lives. It can happen when we allow the rituals, routines and our roles as members of any group to be the only connection we have in these communities. When we prioritize membership over interpersonal connections, we are no longer cued into people’s individual experience, feelings and aspirations. 

Without being tied to bollards to secure them in place, watercraft sway and lurch to the full force of the waves and winds. Without worship, our lives, likewise, become perennially reactive to the waves and winds of changing values and social realities that challenge the tenets of our faith.

William Young’s literary fiction, ‘The Shack’ revolves around a man who grew up in a family of broken father-son relationships, and is a powerful and often dark story about the importance of finding God’s fatherhood.

Once people have children, they immediately become parents even though they will need to learn what it takes to be  informed and responsible ones. When we marry, we become someone's spouse. Although it doesn't mean that we will instantly know how to be a good and faithful spouse, it's our responsibility to learn to be one. As children of God, we have the same responsibility to learn about God, the Father, and what it means to be a child of God.

Not nearly enough do we hear inspiring stories from believers who face severe health challenges while staying true to their faith and keeping their experiences authentic. They speak of their on-going battles with conditions like pleural effusion, prostatitis, gastrointestinal disorders, ulcerative colitis, or topical steroid withdrawal syndrome with as much ease as they talk about God’s goodness with evidence and conviction. Their stories are relatable because they make God so real without hiding the toll that these conditions take on their physical, emotional and mental well-being

We can easily spot believers who have a low tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity in the unpredictable nature of life. They lace their prayers with details that God should bless. They let their minds run in overdrive ruminating over the worst and best case scenarios hoping to minimize surprises. They blame the devil for everything because problems are always someone else’s fault. Even after praying, they worry about how their problems will be resolved. Underlying all that frenzy is the worry that they will be shortchanged. Overplanning (and over-praying) conceals their fear of losing control over the relationships they care about and the situations they are involved in. 

Are you fighting something today and feeling so overwhelmed that you do not know how to respond?

Whatever we perceive as a challenge is usually something that potentially exposes a hidden fear or a deeply embedded weakness in our lives. Yet, we are the ones God trusts to advance His Kingdom mission and He has positioned us and our nemeses exactly where He wants us to be in what is now a challenge for us.

WHAT DOES FREEDOM look like to you? We can all recognize the freedom that comes with financial independence, the religious freedom to practice our faith openly, the freedom to travel and live wherever we choose, the freedom found in an egalitarian society, and by retirement, the freedom from financial commitments. But one can enjoy all these freedoms and still not be free inside. There is a freedom that is not outwardly perceivable but those who experience them live and love very differently.

Jesus used the concept of seeds to help people visualize the potency and power of life that He has given His followers so that they would make a visible difference in their relationships and communities (Mark 4:26-32). Our gardens are the places where God has positioned us to live, work and flourish. So, if God has given you some mustard seeds to plant in your garden, would you hold them back because you feel unsure about the goodness of the grounds and insecure about your ability to plant seeds?