The Deacon’s View
“I Know ‘Dis’”
Lent is the season when the Church is overtly invited to set aside anything that distracts us from God’s available presence, anything that prevents us from recognizing “the still small voice of God”.  The idea of denying ourselves is there only so we can make room for the One our souls hunger for. 
God broke into the world in a new way in Jesus.  Jesus repainted the human concept of Almighty God, shifting us from a picture of a distant, controlling God to the image of God as a Servant who washes filthy feet and touches the open sores of a leper.  But in doing this, Jesus also throws us a curve ball. (For you non-baseball folk, the curve ball is one that has surprising shifts and curves and consequently is often missed.) The curve here is that Servant God is not our puppet, and comes not just to do human bidding, but to serve each of us in ways that lead to healings we often do not know we need. And consequently cannot even ask for.
Our deep inner healing is part of the restoration work that Jesus came into the world to accomplish.  This calls for a “hands off”, simple faith, letting go of our own perceptions of the sort of healing we need, or want.  Instead, this calls for a willingness to let Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit touch us in the deepest places of our being, asking simply to be filled with God’s mysterious grace and the healing God knows we most need.
I am absolutely convinced that this healing happens.  Our problem often is that we ask God to heal an aching elbow, but when God begins to touch a far deeper place and need, and the elbow still hurts, we can become discouraged and think ‘God just didn’t ‘show up’.’  Following each service at St. Paul's people are invited to come forward for prayers.  We invite all to name a specific area of known need, but to also leave room and expectation for the silent time of “soaking” prayer, letting Our Servant God have access to us to accomplish whatever healing work we need, but that lies beyond our perceived needs.
When our second grandson Nate was three years old, and couldn't pronounce ‘th’, he would make solemn statements and then add: “I know ‘dis’”.  Well, this is how I feel about soaking prayer.  I know it has worked in my life and for many, many others.  I cannot explain it, but, “ I KNOW DIS”.
Make room this Lent, for God to have greater access in your life.

        ~Your Deacon, Gay Blundell