The place of honor

Good Friday morning, my friends.

Today's prayer is by the same author as yesterday's: John van de Laar.  I like the way he presents this - he tells God: "You really should be more careful about who you are associated with".  And of course he is talking about you and me!  It is so easy for us to praise ourselves, to place ourselves in "the places of honor at the table".  Jesus speaks of this in Luke 14:7-11:

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this person your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.  But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

It's not about thinking less of ourselves, it's about thinking of ourselves less often.  Why do we need the best seat?  Why not let someone else have it?  But if we are offered that seat, there is no reason not to take it, with humility.  And when we consider who we were, who we are, and what God has done for us, humility is not hard to find.

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace be yours!

Bruce

Sometimes, God,

It seems that you don't care much for your reputation.

     Your name always seems to crop up in connection

          with all the wrong sorts of people:

          questionable people, of ill repute and little respectability.

     You really should be more careful about who you are associated with.

 

But, then, if the truth be known, we are those people.

      Oh, we present ourselves as clean and pure and righteous

          But we know the truth, God, as do you.

          We, too, have our darkness, our sin.

 

So, it's just as well that you are so comfortable with the likes of us,

     that you welcome sinners like the long lost children we really are,

          that you love us so deeply and personally

          that we cannot stay as we are;

          that Your grace receives us, heals us and challenges us

     so that we become grace-givers, accepting all others in Your name.

 

And so, we praise You, gracious God, for your amazing grace.

In Jesus' Name.

John van de Laar

(http://www.sacredise.com/pages/Seasonal/lent/prayers/wrongsort.htm)

Bruce MacPherson  macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address.  Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.