Steve Macchia

Heartfelt Prayers: Henri J. M. Nouwen

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / March 10, 2021

A Prayer of Henri J.M. Nouwen:

Listen, O Lord, to my prayers. Listen to my desire to be with you, to dwell in your house, and to let my whole being be filled with your presence. But none of this is possible without you. When you are not the one who fills me, I am soon filled with endless thoughts and concerns that divide me and tear me away from you. Even thoughts about you, good spiritual thoughts, can be little more than distractions when you are not their author.

O Lord, thinking about you, being fascinated with theological ideas and discussions, being excited about histories of Christian spirituality and stimulated by thoughts and ideas about prayer and meditation, all of this can be as much an expression of greed as the unruly desire for food, possessions, or power.

Every day I see again that only you can teach me to pray, only you can set my heart at rest, only you can let me dwell in your presence. No book, no idea, no concept or theory will ever bring me close to you unless you yourself are the one who lets these instruments become the way to you.

But Lord, let me at least remain open to your initiative; let me wait patiently and attentively for that hour when you will come and break through all the walls I have erected. Teach me, O Lord, to pray. Amen.

— From A Cry for Mercy, by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Reflection:

Behold — Where are the eyes of your heart drawn into this prayer?
Believe — How is your faith strengthened in this prayer?
Belong — Who are you recalling as you pray this prayer?
Become — What is God inviting you to receive and thereby become as you pray this prayer?

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Heartfelt Prayers: Prayer of Saint Benedict

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / March 3, 2021

Prayer of Saint Benedict:

Almighty God,

give us wisdom to perceive you,

intelligence to understand you,

diligence to seek you,

patience to wait for you,

vision to behold you,

a heart to meditate upon you,

a life to proclaim you;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives with you and the Holy spirit,

one God now and for ever.

Lord, be with us to guide us,

within us to strengthen us,

without us to protect us,

above us to raise us,

beneath us to uphold us,

before us to lead us,

behind us to guard us,

ever about us,

this day and evermore;

this day and evermore.

Amen.

Reflection:

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Heartfelt Prayers: A Disciple’s Renewal

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / February 24, 2021

A Disciple’s Renewal:

O MY SAVIOUR,
help me.
I am so slow to learn, so prone to forget, so weak to climb;
I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights;
I am pained by my graceless heart,
my prayerless days,
my poverty of love,
my sloth in the heavenly race, my sullied conscience,
my wasted hours,
my unspent opportunities.
I am blind while light shines around me:
take the scales from my eyes,
grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.
Make it my chiefest joy to study thee,
meditate on thee,
  gaze on thee,
  sit like Mary at thy feet,
  lean like John on thy breast,
  appeal like Peter to thy love,
  count like Paul all things dung.
Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be

more decision in my character,
more vigor in my purposes,
more elevation in my life,
more fervour in my devotion,
more constancy in my zeal.
As I have a position in the world,
keep me from making the world my position;
May I never seek in the creature
what can be found only in the creator;
Let not faith cease from seeking thee until it vanishes into sight.
Ride forth in me, thou king of kings and lord of lords,
that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end.

— From The Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Reflection:

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Heartfelt Prayers

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / February 17, 2021

A Prayer by William Barclay:

O God, Our Father, we know our own weakness.
Our minds are darkened, and by ourselves we cannot find and know the truth.
Our wills are weak, and by ourselves we cannot resist temptation, or bring to its completion that which we resolve to do.
Our hearts are fickle, and by ourselves we cannot give to you the loyalty which is your due.
Our steps are faltering, and by ourselves we cannot walk in your straight way.
So this day we ask you,
To enlighten us;
To strengthen us;
To guide us, that we may know you, and love you, and follow you all the days of our life.
Give to your Church your blessing and your protection.
Guide her in her thinking, that she may be saved from the heresies which destroy the faith.
Strengthen her in her witness, that she may bring no discredit on the name she bears.
Inspire her in her fellowship, that those who enter her may find within her your friendship and the friendship of their fellow men.

— From Prayers for the Christian Year by William Barclay

Reflection:

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Christmas Presence: Witnessing

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / December 21, 2020

Read Luke 1:67-79. What is Zechariah giving witness to in his song?

In this fourth week of Advent, consider adding a special note to your gifts, sharing with loved ones a simple prayer that God’s loving presence would be especially near.

Luke 1:67-79

⁶⁷And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has visited and redeemed his people
⁶⁹and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David,
⁷⁰as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹that we should be saved from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us;
⁷²to show the mercy promised to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
⁷⁴    that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
⁷⁵    in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
⁷⁶And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us^[a] from on high
⁷⁹to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

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Christmas Presence: Wondering

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / December 14, 2020

Read Luke 1:46-55. What is Mary wondering about in her soul?

In this third week of Advent, prepare your heart for Christmas by pausing for one full hour and journaling or sketching as many of God’s good gifts as you can.

Luke 1:46-55

⁴⁶And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
  For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me,   and holy is his name.
⁵⁰And his mercy is for those who fear him
  from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm;
  he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵²he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
  and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
  and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
  in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers,
  to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

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Christmas Presence: Watching

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / December 7, 2020

Read Isaiah 9:1-7. What are the people of God watching for in the future?

In this second week of Advent, notice at least three to five gifts of God’s presence embracing you in love, awakening you with wisdom or offering you his companionship through another.

Isaiah 9:1-7
¹But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

²The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
³You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
⁴For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
⁵For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
⁶For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

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Christmas Presence: Waiting

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / December 3, 2020

Read Psalm 16. What does the psalmist suggest about waiting in our journey?

In this first week of Advent, find at least one, 10-15 minute block of time to sit silently in solitude, and ponder the word “wait.” Consider how well or poorly you wait in life.

Psalm 16

¹Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

²I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”

³As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.

⁴The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.

⁵The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.

⁶The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.

⁸I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.

¹⁰For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.

¹¹You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

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Reflections on Beauty

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / November 17, 2020

Beauty

I’m struck by how much my soul is enlivened by beauty.

Not exclusively of human beauty per se, as delightful as that may be,

But of God and his created order, which of course includes the people he designed.

Beauty multiplied in the lives of children young and old, imperfect reflections of love;

Beauty offered in the seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn;

Beauty displayed in the garden, desert, pasture, woodland, seashore;

Beauty portrayed in the majesty of mountains, oceans, plains, and forests;

Beauty delivered in the weather, clouds, sunshine, rain, and snow;

Beauty magnified in the light and seen clearly under the microscope;

Beauty compensated in the restitution of the ugly, dormant, neglected, or dismissed;

Beauty shared in the human touch, an act of kindness, a lovely meal, a gesture of grace;

Beauty provided in the Word of God, filled with life, hope, peace, justice, and joy;

Beauty conveyed in the written word, the spoken word, the Word of love made flesh;

Beauty created in art, dance, poetry, pottery, lyric, melody, harmony, and song;

Beauty redeemed in the heart of confession, forgiveness, compassion, reconciliation;

Beauty whispered in the ear of those who pray, love, serve, and listen to God;

Beauty is God’s glorious idea, his chosen way to communicate, his invitation.

If you’re struck by how much your soul swells with joy amidst beauty,

Gaze upon God’s beauty today and choose the one thing that matters most.

Offer God’s beauty to others today, in the coming hours, and in the days ahead.

Beauty heals, notices, releases, celebrates, affirms, enlivens, completes, and transforms.

Reflections on beauty and beautiful reflections accompany a purifying soul.

Beauty.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Phil. 4:8, The Message

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Lord, Have Mercy

Steve's B-Log / Steve Macchia / September 28, 2020

Are you exhausted by this challenging season? International pandemic. Racial inequalities. Economic uncertainties. Political discord. Wildfires. Hurricanes. Lost summer. Back to school. Physical distancing. Masks.

“Lord, have mercy” is my latest breath prayer. And I’m praying it continuously throughout the day. It’s my heart cry. My longing. My earnest desire. Mercy amidst the chaos and confusion. Mercy accompanied by grace. Mercy laced with love. Mercy from the heart of a loving God toward all he has created. Yes, mercy given to me (and to you!) is pure gift.

Mercy is one of my favorite words. It’s beautiful to say the word, even more glorious to hear and see and receive. It makes me want to sing, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning, great is thy faithfulness O Lord, great is thy faithfulness.”

Mercy means “compassionate or kindly forbearance” shown toward an offender, an enemy; it means compassion, pity or benevolence. It’s synonym is forgiveness. It’s a strong word for mighty people showing kindness, favor, compassion or faithfulness; to bend or stoop in kindness toward another. It begins with God, fulfilled in God’s people. That’s mighty! Wow. Where do we see this evidenced today?

God shows his tender mercy toward us all the time. We are evidence of his mercy. Were it not for God’s mercy we would be lost, forgotten, forlorn, and doomed to our own futility. But God, in Jesus and in his mercy is faithful, loving, kind and full of grace — even when we are not worthy. His mercy saves us. Empowers us. Lifts us up and gives us hope.

All of us want to receive it, but are we willing to be a vessel of mercy to others? Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” Matt. 5:7 and “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” Luke 6: 36. “For I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you invited me into your home; I was naked and you gave me clothing; I was sick and you cared for me; I was in prison and you visited me…whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me” Matt. 25: 34-36.

Mercy is the commodity most needed today — and most missing today. I don’t see much mercy on the daily news. I don’t hear much mercy on the streets of our cities. I don’t notice it when I see pettiness of heart or smallness of mind. But, I do hear it when I listen to voices of compassion for the lost, the least, and the left behind. I see it when I notice life change because of unmerited kindness, patience, grace and forgiveness. Yes, mercy is all around us if we look in the right places.

Hannah Hurnard once said, “Blessed are the merciful, the tender and compassionate in judgment, who will not criticize but discern with the eye of love where help, and perhaps warning, is needed.”

Charles Spurgeon adds, “God’s mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners after great lengths of time and then gives great favors and great privileges and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great heaven of the great God.”

Imagine what our lives or our churches or our culture would look like if mercy were our priority. Yes, imagine with me what our hearts and souls would look like if mercy reigned supreme in the very place where God seeks to solely reside.

As you endure this season of life, let me encourage you not to lose heart by the conditions and situations of this time in history. Instead, let me urge you to be a living example of God’s mercy in every situation, every conversation, every relationship, and every decision that’s before you. To choose otherwise may in fact contribute to the ills of our day rather than the hope we are called to offer.

To love mercy and the God who made it so — may that be the hallmark of our lives.

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Heartfelt Prayers: Henri J. M. Nouwen

Heartfelt Prayers: Prayer of Saint Benedict

Heartfelt Prayers: A Disciple’s Renewal

Heartfelt Prayers

Christmas Presence: Witnessing

Christmas Presence: Wondering

Christmas Presence: Watching

Christmas Presence: Waiting

Reflections on Beauty

Lord, Have Mercy

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty