Lisa Colón DeLay

The first point of wisdom is to discern that which is false; the second, to know that which is true.
- Lucius Caelius Lactantius

Maybe it’s just me, but knowing what is false and true is a chief concern of life. I wonder, “Is this the best decision?” or “I’m a being self-decieved?” or “Am I being told the truth?”

We navigate life as a continual search and quest and discerning of this. On many levels, in many venues, this is a main part of being human.

We don’t arrive at this place like a time-traveler. Boom! We move there through the bumpy journey of discovery, limping. A pilgrimage of mistakes and joys. Sorrow and enlightenment. We get a bit mangled along the way too. But, the whole process is important.

God does not exist to answer our prayers, but by our prayers we come to discern the mind of God. - Oswald Chambers

In the action of praying we become. Slowly the striving turns to listening and abiding. The foolishness of our petulance and pleading matures into familiarity, knowing, and synergism.

You will feel broken as you walk this path. Don’t let that discourage you. God knows who you are. He doesn’t think of you of as a problem. He doesn’t ruminate on what is wrong with you, like you may do to yourself. God only sees what is missing that will come to bring you deep joy and shalom. Never forget that God is always at work. Often in so many ways we do not and cannot understand. He never slumbers. He never sleeps. His eyes are loving upon you. Watches over you and sings your name.

This is how we learn to know what is true.

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One more thing! Do you have a question about prayer or finding God’s will? Use the Voicemail Feature in the blue bar on the right. I’d love to explore your questions or comments! :)

Have a super day, everyone!

Some days you take your faith to the scales. You wonder…is it up to mustard?

Today is one of those days–and it’s epitomized in the not-so-scenic view from my front porch.

Will you pray for me?

What do you need faith for today?

A most calming, most hopeful way to see prayer in the light of Stanley Grenz describes it in his book, Prayer: The Cry for the Kingdom. (Eerdmans, 1998) He says that every prayer is eschatological (related to end times). By this he means that prayer is the cry, the longing, and the hope of God’s will coming in the culmination of all things. That time when God wipes our tears, rights all wrongs, and the fullness of time and creation enters into the Consummation of the Story of God-theologically speaking. It is a response and movement toward God and faith, and his plan of redemption in the ultimate sense.

Just the same, Jesus prayed for what else? “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s kingdom, spiritual is here now, thanks to our Messiah Kin. Redemption has been won. Yet, as we all know the earth groans to be restored, tragedies happen, evil is committed, and not all is well with people and the world. This is the cry of prayer, in every nation and tongue.

Have you ever seen prayer this way?

Thank you for visiting today. I invite you into a short spiritual exercise of prayer and meditation.(It takes 2.5-4 min.)  Simply read over the following almost 1,000 year old prayer, about 3 times, (preferably out loud-even a whisper is fine). Each time think carefully, for 30 seconds or more, about something in the passage that stands out to you, before you re-read. Then, speak with God for a few minutes about the thoughts that came to mind.

Your comments, or reflections about your experience, or this prayer are quite appreciated.

Thank you, and happy Advent Season.

Page 28, Third week of Advent Meditation section-

Holy Bible: Mosaic, Tyndale Publishing, 2009.

Prayer for God’s Guidance

-The Sarum Breviary, 1085

We beseech Thee, O Lord, let our hearts be graciously

enlightened by Thy holy radiance, that we may serve Thee

without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of 

our life; that so we may escape the darkness of this world,

and by Thy guidance attain the land of eternal brightness;

through Thy mercy, O blessed Lord, who dost live and

govern all things, world without end. Amen.

Lectio Divina means sacred reading, and it can be a wonderful way to involve Scripture to meditate and pray to our Creator. It is a worshipful time away with God that helps to build a time of close communion with the Divine. It isn’t a time of pouring a heap of requests at God’s feet, but it’s a time of respectful listening for God, waiting, and allowing God be made known.

A friend of mine from New Zealand describes this spiritual practice in simple terms. (click the link) I will add more posts about it myself, later. I thought many of you could benefit from his input. Enjoy a time of lectio divina with your maker soon.

And please get back to me (leaving a comment, or on the contact page) with what it was like for you (whether positive, negative, or neutral).