How have you experienced the wonder and blessed fulfillment of God’s promises? I frequently do a regular kind of Examen to notice the wonder and fulfillment of God’s promises. Each time I swim, as I go up and down the lane, The Lord’s Prayer sounds in my mind and heart. It is interesting to notice which phrase pierces my heart on each day. Will it be how I have Hallowed God’s name? Perhaps overflowing gratitude for how God cares specifically, in detail for me as daily bread is given. Possibly my heart becomes caught by the challenge of not being led into temptation or for entering the process of forgiveness. As I pray with each of these phrases, my heart is captured in the wonder and blessedness of God’s activity in life. Blessed fulfillment of God’s promises leads to humble gratitude. Today we celebrate the process of God’s fulfillment and our gratitude as we prepare for the fourth week of Advent.
The Scripture
The spiritual companion story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth is one that anoints my heart deeply. Today’s Scripture is Luke 1:39-45. Mary runs to her cousin’s house to share a spiritually enriched conversation and the presence of God. What joy! Every time I read it, I take an intentional pause to consider to whom do I run with haste to share spiritual direction and God’s presence. (Thanks, Karen 😊) To whom do you run?
This short and powerful story gives us direction as to how our hearts are to be when coming into God conversation and God’s presence. Both women reflect and live humility. Elizabeth was honored just to be in the presence of the yet to be born child, Jesus. Elizabeth knew that God did not owe her anything, and yet her life and bodily presence was shaped differently because of the miraculous God-life growing within her. She truly understood that she was the beneficiary of God’s lavish love and grace. And Elizabeth spoke filled with the Holy Spirit of God as she proclaimed Mary’s blessedness as fulfillment of God’s promises. Mary humbly recognized, received, and shared the blessedness of God’s new birthing in her life. This change for both women started with the interior formation of God creating new life within and shifted their exterior demeanor, posture, and activity in life.
Today’s Prayer Practice
Recognizing, receiving, and living into and sharing the fulfillment of God’s promises is a powerful and life change perspective. When we acknowledge the wonders that God has actively lived within the details of our life we too, like Mary and Elizabeth ooze with the praise and joy of an exuberant humble heart filled with gratitude. Does this mean that life is easy or that we have everything that we want? No. But it does grant us the assurance of God’s love and God’s active lavish energy lived within and through our lives.
Today you are invited to pray visio divina with a short video clip from the major motion movie A Wonderful Life. You may recall the star of the story was Jimmy Stewart, who played George Baily. Set at the beginning of the Great Depression when there was a rush on withdrawal of personal funds from all bank accounts, George discovered he was facing drastic consequences for lost bank funds. In fact, he wished to his Guardian Angel, Clarence, that he was never born. After living a scene of what it would be like if he had never been born, (seeing the depression of his loved ones, the downfall and takeover of his beloved town by a person who could only be describe as a ruthless combination of the Scrooge and the Grinch), George prays for the return of his life.
Take a prayerful look at this clip and notice how God does not give up on us, even amid our most challenging times in life. Please view the video four times.
- Review it to simply know the facts and progression of the scene.
- Watch pondering what portion of the clip sticks out in your heart after watching for the second time.
- After the third viewing of the video, contemplate which scene intersects with your personal life or the world events currently.
- Finally on the fourth viewing, consider the reality that God speaks to us and is always present, even through video clips. What is the invitation from God to you through the short video? What is God inviting you to do or to be?
When you finish these four steps of prayer, please close your time before God with a prayer of abundant gratitude for God’s activity in the details of your life.
Enjoy praying.
Brenda
