Welcome to Pastor Jack Buckley's weekly blog and podcast.
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Monday, September 27, 2004
A Prayer for Real Life
The poor man asks his rabbi, "Since we have a prayer for everything, is there also a prayer for the Tsar?" The answer comes, "Yes, my son, yes. 'May God bless and keep the Tsar -- far away from us!'"
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus taught us a simple prayer that really is for everything. With just a few short words, the Lord's Prayer helps us talk to God about every kind of joy and concern that comes our way in "real life."
Think about it:
1. Do you feel like a spiritual orphan? Think of God as "Our Father who art in Heaven." God loves you like a perfect Dad or Mom, and has all the power and wisdom to put that love to work for you.
2. "Hallowed be thy name" means much more than not swearing. If you call yourself a godly person, you're responsible to live up to the name. What a wonderful thing it is when Christians show a family resemblance that honors God's name.
3. Praying for God's will to be done "on earth as it is in heaven" lines up our ideas and plans with God's way with the world. Everything from personal decisions to world politics comes under God's government. What can you do about problem people? How do you make tough choices? In God's plan your little prayers can make a huge difference in bringing heaven down to earth.
Well, you see what I mean about a few simple words of prayer touching "real life" issues.
I'm preaching in October on the rest of the Lord's Prayer. Come by any Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Walk with me into a fuller, freer way of talking honestly with God -- about "real life."
posted by Jack Buckley at
11:32 AM
Monday, September 20, 2004
Here Come the Brides
I walked her down the aisle, kissed her cheek, then turned around and presided at my own daughter's wedding.
Totally blissed out, I was. Next best thing to levitating.
Then came the reception: First dance. Clinking glasses calling for a kiss. Father-daughter dance (she followed so well I looked like I knew what I was doing). Laughter. Tears. Kareoke.
Next morning I had to preach. Everyone bore with me as I lost my train of thought, stumbled over words, talked (again) about the wedding.
The sermon was about Jesus' first miracle, in John chapter 4 -- turning water into wine at a wedding reception. How cool is that?
We got the idea that God, contrary to popular opinion, loves a good party.
Go back to the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:18-25) and you see Adam naming all the animals, looking for the perfect partner. None there. So God creates Eve while Adam naps. He wakes up, sees her, and shouts "This is it! At last!" Fade to black.
Look ahead to Heaven (Revelation 19:6-9) and you see Jesus sitting with his Bride (us) at the head table of -- you guessed it -- an eternal wedding reception.
Will there be kareoke? Who knows, or cares.
What I do care about is that from start to finish the Bible shows us a God who loves to love. And loves to see people like you and me share that kind of love every chance we get.
So, theologically speaking, Cheers!
posted by Jack Buckley at
10:37 AM
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