This morning I called a friend. I thanked her for the nice card we had received at our home. The card said 'thank you'in a very beautiful, creative way for our prayers for her as she recovered from her surgery and went through rehabilitation. She is happy to be back at work after months of recovery.

Then my friend said this: "I wanted to thank you for your prayers because not everyone prays when you ask for their prayers."

I must confess that I was rather startled by this comment. After all we are called and commanded in the Bible to pray for one another. Above all Jesus himself modeled this habit by praying for us! (John 17)

According the experience of my friend, not everyone in the church has yet understood that this should be a habit of the church: pray for one another.

So may I urge you to practice this habit of the church: PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER!

One of the dilemmas of a follower of Jesus is that they are very much in the world while at the same time they have a strong connection to heaven.

St. Paul described the dilemma in these words:

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Philippians 1:21-24)

I want to be in heaven with Jesus and I want to drink one more cup of coffee with you!

I can do a lot of good work while I am here on terra firma. I can also be free from these surly earthly bonds and be with Jesus forever!

So I am torn between the two!

How does this dilemma work out for you? Let's talk about it.

I invite you to consider an ancient spiritual practice: meditation.

First, I must warn you. You are reading an enouragement to practice a subversive activity. Or at least some Christians would have you believe that meditation is a New Age habit which has no place in the life of a follower of Jesus. If you don't believe me, just read the websites from some very influential Christians who list meditation as the number one heresy in the world today.

However, the spiritual practice of meditation is an ancient practice that has its roots in the history of the Jewish people. As the people of Israel were getting ready to enter the land of Canaan, their leader Joshua received a message from God, part of which were these words:

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

There are varying interpretations of what the word, 'meditate' means. The one I like is the one which says that to meditate is 'to chew on'. In other words, take the word of God into your mind and heart and work it over like a good steak.

Another reference to meditation is found in the Book of Psalms:

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
(Psalm 1)

The one who follows God is one who meditates on the Word of God throughout the day.

Interestingly, the purpose of meditation is not to get a spiritual high. Christian meditation is not about getting 'high on Jesus'. Christian meditation is so that you and I can be transformed from the inside out. Inner change is followed by outer behavior.

Both passages I have quoted say that prosperity follows the person who meditates on the word of God. I am not sure that I can guarantee bigger bank accounts if you meditate on God's word. However, I know that many people can tell you that as they meditated on the Word of God they became nicer people which lead to promotions and better sales. I know people who found out that when they changed some of their habits based on God's word that they had more money to buy food, clothes and furniture for their family.

So join me practicing this subversive habit this week: MEDITATE!

What did you do today?

Well, I went to a ball game (Arizona Diamondbacks vs the St. Louis Cardinals). They did keep the roof closed today - but they really should have opened it - it is a beautful fall day in Arizona.

After a horrendous experience going to a ball game a few weeks ago (there is construction going on all over downtown Phoenix right now), I decided that we would go earlier than usual. Our trip was entirely uneventful - even the detour went smooth.

We arrived to find our friend, 'Gary', already at the game. He was eating pistachios and reading his Sunday paper. He was excited to see us.

I have a habit of taking my big little brother to about one ball game a month. Greg is proud to tell you he is 45 years old. Due to an untreated high tempature as a young child, he was left with the mind of about a six year old. Notice I said, 'big little brother'. Greg is about 6 feet, two inches, and weighs way too much. His mother who cares for him is in her late 70s and she welcomes an afternoon to herself. So as a large man with a rather simple mind, Greg enjoys the game for what it is. Occassionally he will become angry and throw a temper if his team is losing (just like a child might). So he watches the game, high fives when his team (the Diamondbacks) scores a run. He doesn't miss a thing on the field, Sometimes he has to update me on a play I might have missed.

Gary, who I had introduced you to in an earlier blog, is a single man who usually sits at the ball game by himself. We shared pistacheos which he brought, and red vines which Greg brought. We all bring our own water as a bottle of water costs at least $3.00 at the park. We moaned over bad plays and errors. We high-fived when Tony Clark hit the homerun that sealed the win for the Diamondbacks.

We came out to beautiful weather outside. The trip home was uneventful. We don't take this forgranted - a few weeks ago after the game, the car overheated and we had to be towed home at 11:30 PM!

I hope you had a wonderful afternoon with friends and loved ones including some time with people who really do need your friendship and love.

In our modern world success is measured in productivity, that is, how much did you do today? How many clients did you see? How many widgets did you sell? How many rooms did you clean? How many acres did you harvest?

We have decided that we are human doings! Doing! Doing! Doing!

Someone has said we work for hours to earn money to buy things we don't need! What futility! No wonder more people are on Prozac or some other psychotropic medication to ease their inner pain.

How different the way of Jesus.

Listen to this description of Jesus: "Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:15-16)

The ministry is growing! The public press is clamoring! Success is around the corner!

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." How counter culture is this!

Each month, my wife June, leads a morning of prayer and meditation (it is based on the ancient practice of contemplative prayer). We had our first one of the fall season yesterday. We came apart from our busy schedules to listen to God and to talk to God.

I joined them. I listened to God and, I believe, He listened to me.

I wasn't doing - I was being.

Long before before I became a busy human doing, I was a human being.

I am learning to just be.

Followers of Jesus know that to really follow Jesus you have to practice this habit of Jesus in withdrawing to lonely places and talking and listening to the Father.