Greetings, Christ Church!

So I've been thinking about prayer, especially after seeing a placard recently that read, “Pray Big.” If I’m honest, I’ve often been hesitant to heed this advice, not because I don’t think it’s good advice. I do. But in the back of my mind I’ve associated such “big prayers” with a form of Christianity that is more fixated on material blessings than I feel comfortable with.

Over the years, however, I’ve been coming to grips with the fact that God delights in big prayers because they demonstrate faith in the Lord who is eager to give good gifts. That’s not to say that these gifts have anything to do with the acquisition of worldly wealth. Rather they are gifts that point to the abundant life that God offers us in Christ Jesus. And they come in many different forms, including restored relationships, ministry opportunities, provision, spiritual gifts, etc. And as we’ll see from our Gospel reading this Sunday, not only is the Lord eager to give good gifts to his children, he often surprises us with the extravagance of these gifts.

As we approach this second Sunday in Epiphany, may we seek the Lord and pray big, being reminded of the words of Jesus: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Blessings,
Fr. Darin+

Priest-in-charge