Author Archives: Michael Summers
A Lament for Afghanistan
Impressions of Afghanistan included, for me, a sense of a people traumatized by decades of armed conflict in their nation – wrecked buildings, landscapes stripped of trees and vegetation in an attempt in previous decades to get rid of hiding … Continue reading
Prayerful Preparation for Christ’s Return
Originally posted on Call for Fire Seminar:
Paul’s prayers for the Thessalonians identify faith, hope, love and habitual prayer as essential means of preparing for the return of Christ. After saying that he always thanked God’s for the Thessalonians’ faith,…
Praying when Blessed by Jesus
Several months ago, I memorized the Beatitudes. Since then, each morning I have included meditation on their meaning with reflection on my daily Bible reading and what I plan to write about next on this blog. According to Matthew, Jesus … Continue reading
How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts?
How shall the young secure their hearts? Throughout my life I have sung lyrics by Isaac Watts that ask that question. Watts drew his inspiration from Psalm 119:9-16, the second division of that psalm’s 176 verse anthology of prayer. Concern … Continue reading
Moving Forward after Prayer
All seemed lost. News that not one but three armies were moving towards the national capital frightened the nation. King Jehoshaphat responded. As I noted in a post in 2013, “A leader’s spiritual life affects the moral climate of those … Continue reading
Thoughts about The Lord and His Prayer
British professor N. T. Wright has written a book, The Lord and His Prayer (published in 1997 by Wm. B. Eerdmans), about the model prayer that Jesus used to teach his disciples to pray. The prayer, recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 … Continue reading
Learning When We Pray
We learn when we pray. That may ignite reaction or spark questions in your mind. How does that happen? Am I saying that we humans are like artificial intelligence that through continued interaction anticipates more what phrases or words people … Continue reading
A Survivor Prays on Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, I remember my uncle Jimmy who was killed in action in Vietnam, grieving with my friends Ray and Rhonda at their son-in-law’s memorial, praying at a ceremony at a French military Memorial Day ceremony in 2002, and … Continue reading
A Disciple’s Full-Bodied Prayer
Humility and gratitude flow through prayer in Psalm 40, grounded in a full-bodied devotion to the Lord God. The psalmist recognizes his helplessness without God; he recalls how God not only rescued him previously, but also provided for him: “I … Continue reading
Father, Hear the Prayer We Offer
Originally posted on Call for Fire Seminar:
What does the homeless woman pray as she huddles under a cardboard shelter? What did the religious among the schoolchildren who drowned in South Korea pray as they sank beneath the surface? What…
