By Your Will, or by Ours, or by Chance?--June 23, 2015

Dear God, remarkable things happen when we pray--

how can we know whether a thing we pray for

comes from your intention, or by chance,

or is completely of human origin?

Perhaps we can never be certain,

but if what happens fits your teaching,

and if our hearts were undivided in praying,

then surely it seems right to give you thanks for it.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 123; 146; 30; 86

1 Sam. 6:1-16

Acts 5:27-42

Luke 21:37-22:13

Selected Verses

Ps. 86:11

Teach me your way, O LORD,
          that I may walk in your truth;
          give me an undivided heart to revere your name. 

1 Sam. 6:9

"…And watch; if [the cart pulled by milch cows] goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-shemesh, then it is [the LORD] who has done us this great harm; but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.”  [Philistine priests and diviners to their five lords]

Acts 5:38b-39

"…because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them--in that case you may even be found fighting against God!”

Luke 22:13

So [Peter and John] went and found everything as [Jesus] had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.