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Dear San Marco Church Community: I had a day this week that began with a sense of anxiety. I had a long list of concerns related primarily to my work responsibilities. As I began the day, I was determined to persevere, but I was not joyful about it. Before I even left my house, someone called me regarding one of the cases for which I was responsible that day. The person shared detailed information in a clear manner, helping me to focus on the matter at hand. But more importantly, she ended the call by telling me she would be praying for me for everything I had on my schedule that day. This was not someone I had ever met, so I was a bit surprised at her comment. She was so sincere and genuine in talking about prayer that I immediately felt a sense of calm, and even some peace. This experience reminded me of the passage in Philippians 4:6-7 that states, “Do not worry. Instead, pray with thanksgiving about everything. God’s peace will then guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This is true regardless of whether we’re praying for ourselves or someone is praying for us, and regardless of whether the experience we face is, indeed, difficult and challenging. I must confess that too often I hesitate to offer prayer when I sense it would be helpful. Perhaps because I have lived within church life for many years, I sometimes see the offer of prayer as a cliche’ of the community. Yet when the offer of prayer comes from a faithful source, I experience deep comfort, often right away. This Sunday, September 27, I’ll be continuing our series entitled The Altogether Christian by considering what it means to have the “mind of Christ.” The scripture I’ll emphasize is 1 Corinthians 2: 7-16. As always, I appreciate and depend upon your prayers. See you Sunday! Steve
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