Prayer Sunday - It's Not Narnia, You Know? | Kara

Each Sunday, we'll devote our bloggy-time together to pray for our church, our neighborhood, our city, the world - and most of all, for God's Kingdom to come.

Would you take a minute and pray for our church plant?

As I consider the kind of church we want, the vision, our mission, lots of Christian buzzwords to toss into this mix, I find myself returning to C.S. Lewis's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Aslan (the lion who, in this allegory, is Jesus) tells Lucy she won't be returning to Narnia (this magical land where Aslan lives), which makes Lucy very sad:

“It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?"


Aslan goes on to say beautiful and comforting things about how He is present in Lucy's land too, and that He'll always be telling her about Himself. It's lovely.

But the part I like best is just this part - it's not Narnia, it's Aslan. It's not a good life, free of pain and grief, full of joy and wonder. It's Jesus. And all the good things that we experience - great church services for instance, or alleviating the suffering of others, or good night kisses from toddlers who don't really know how to kiss yet but know it has to do with putting their mouth on your cheek at bedtime - all that stuff is just a taste of the goodness of God.

So here's my prayer:
God - would you root our church plant (see what I did there, God? Hahah - I know how you like puns in prayer!) in Your goodness. Protect us from getting distracted - instead, give us laser focus, empower us to look at You, to see You, to see what You're up to, and to participate in that. There are many noble causes, many worthy pursuits - but keep us always, always close to You, always paying attention to You.
God, I want our church to get some seriously good stuff accomplished - I want to feed hungry people; I was us to serve and pray and worship together in community; I want to fight human trafficking until it's dead; I want to be crazy-go-nuts for kids, like I want us to spend most of what we have loving kids and showing them that You love them, and providing for their physical needs and their emotional needs and their spiritual needs. I don't think we can do any of that very well unless we are right in step with You, hearing from You, being directed by You, being encouraged by You.
God - breathe life into our lives and send us and spend us how You want. Because it's not Narnia - it's not a safe or happy or satisfying environment - those things are just the things that happen naturally when we are in Your presence. Lord, bless us with Your presence. Be with us and go before us, show us the way to follow You. Bring Your Kingdom.
Amen.

Everyone is invited to also share prayers in the comments! Happy Sunday!