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March 17, 2003

Pastor's Page

By: Pastor Stan Niemi
Posted: Wednesday, March 26, 2003

On a Monday evening the study was on prayer. I presented the form of personal prayer called by many Christians ACTS, which stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Simply put this ACTS form of prayer in daily life lends itself to a balanced devotional life as we speak with God and listen for God to speak to us . If left to our own devices most people pray to God when they're in a bind, in trouble, need something, or someone they care about needs something. All these can be part of our prayers but if that's all we pray then let me assure you your prayer life is not balanced. As any unbalanced person your unbalanced prayer life is ready to tip you over.

Balance is important for the tennis player. I had an episode of Atrial Fibrillation for one month a while back. During my episode I tried to hit a tennis ball with my wife. I had been off the court so long that when I ran a little bit I felt unbalanced and ready to topple over. Granted, my heart wasn't pumping enough blood through my system to keep up with my body's demands on the tennis court yet my inactivity for weeks had left me teetering on my feet. I am happy to report my heart is back to normal sinus rhythm and I feel balanced again on my running tennis shots.

Now I'm making preparations for the final week of lent - Holy Week with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday then also the Easter Vigil and Easter Celebration worship. Lent has been a good time for me this season in a spiritual sense. I've been able to pray and spend time devotionally as I'd planned. I look forward to the dark days of Mandy Thursday and Good Friday. I am so very thankful to Jesus for his willingness to suffer pain, torture, ridicule, lost of friends, loss of place in life and to subject himself to the suffering I deserve but that Jesus Christ willing takes on himself. The season of lent is good for a time but eventually lent can bring an imbalance into my life. I can't nor do I want to stay mindful of only the suffering of Jesus, his willingness to take on the sins of the world and my sins. To do so leaves me unbalanced.

For balance I seek and need the strong powerful word of Triumph, of Victory, of Conquer of Alleluia that the risen Christ brings and ushers in with his resurrection. Jesus is no longer held by the grave but has arisen to sit at the right hand of the Father. Easter is the balance that God so willingly pours into my life. Once I was the sinner but now am forgiven. Once the old Adam lived but now the new Adam lives through the power of faith and hope and trust in Jesus Christ. This hope brings on a whole new outlook on life.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Seek the balance in your life that can only come from knowing the fullness of God in Christ Jesus in his suffering but also in the power of his resurrection.
Calvary Lutheran Church, Rio Linda