If you are here it is because you do believe in the resurrection. But I think the question to ask ourselves, every Eastertide is, are we actually living the resurrection? Do my actions, words and activities show a life that is living with the peace and joy of the disciples, even through challenging times? Or am I pulled down to focus on the gloom?

Modern culture tells us that enjoyment of life depends on being yourself fully, living comes from discovering and expressing your inner self.

 Now, that may be partially true. But not if we think that somehow inside us, as an essential part of our humanity, is the truth, the deep peace that we all long for. The resurrection says that the power of God which creates life and love and peace comes from outside us, is done by him, not something that we create or could possibly do.

As Pastor Eugene Peterson puts it, 

We live our lives in the practice of what we do not originate and cannot anticipate. When we practice resurrection, we continuously enter into what is more than we are.

 So we can draw on his power, not have to make it up ourselves. And  that takes an awful burden off us!

This power is greater than death, so death is not the last word on our lives, our challenges, or our great heartbreaks. Rather, we are called to see each of these moments as commas, not periods. That is, there is always something new: and that new something will be good, if we truly seek to live into it. And the way into this new life is through prayer.

Eugene Petersen writes

The primary language that we use to grow up in Christ, which is to say as we practice resurrection, is prayer. But if we are to practice this resurrection prayer, a further renovation of imagination is required: we need to have an existential understanding of prayer as an all-involving way of life.

 OK, so what does that existential understanding mean? It means that our prayer leads to changes in our lives and in our hearts – in our very existence. So, prayer is not a wish list of nice things we want to see done. It is not just praying for others to get better. It is us trying to come into union with God: bringing our hearts and thoughts into alignment with him, so that he is guiding how we chose to speak and act.

Prayer is not just us saying words in a book, or saying our own words to him. It is not trying to do what others, even the saints have done. We are unique and God calls us to a unique prayer life. The important point is not that we say some words, but that we bring to God, day by day, our lives and in some way dialogue with God about what we are doing, and how we can do things more in tune with God.

What does that look like? If I have been frustrated with someone, I go to God and ask him to show me how I can draw on his power, not to change people or the world around me, but to change my heart to see God as the most important thing, to see that I can choose to ask to put God’s will for love, grace and peace ahead of my desire to change others. To bear things we do not want to is a sacrifice- but there is no resurrection without taking up our cross. Not my will but your will be done!

If I can control my tongue or my actions and let others be, prayer tells me that this is not my power, my patience. I probably won’t be feeling patient at all!  But, if I surrender my desire for my way, for God, for His work in the world, for his Kingdom to come, then I am really praying and am nearing the Kingdom.

So, prayer is trying to pull my life into line with overflowing stream of God’s life -giving mercy to all. When I am sad and worried, again, praying shows me how my worry, pain etc appears in the perspective of my eternal life in God. I am going forward into this brilliant new life, am I preparing for it here and now by building those spiritual muscles of Godly compassion for others and self, of adoration of God in all things? Of thankfulness that we are indeed loved and called to this Kingdom, of self-sacrifice of my will so that I can try to share mercy and compassion with others even when I don’t want to?

Now we live in a world of death and, at times, destruction, but the resurrection is a reminder that while our work here on earth has eternal value, nothing we experience here is final, that the great redemption work that has started in us will continue to the day when Jesus returns for us.

Prayer is not about asking for strength to be the nice person we think we should be – that is self-focus. Prayer frees us to be able to transcend that self, and affirm again that God is the creator, and the creator of utter goodness. Prayer helps us to choose to try to work with that goodness.

 May your week be truly blessed as you pray in ever-deeper and more wonderful ways with God.
 Amen.

Let me conclude with this ancient but ever relevant prayer of St Aidan:

The Prayer of St Aidan

Leave me alone with God as much as may be.
As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore,
Make me an island, set apart,
alone with you, God, holy to you.

Then with the turning of the tide
prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond,
the world that rushes in on me
till the waters come again and fold me back to you.