Today two of my Christian siblings are meeting for the first time. They are people who are unashamed of their faith and whose faith clearly makes a difference to how they live, how they treat others and how they are perceived by others. Everyone I know who knows who these people are speaks highly of them.

They are, in my humble opinion, good free samples of Jesus.

How do they do it? I don’t know for sure but I would imagine that they have a humble prayer life, and a heightened awareness of who Jesus Christ is. The combination of those two things is as powerful as a mixture of nitrogen and glycerine*.

A humble prayer life is one that starts from where we are rather than where we think we ought to be. It is a prayer life that recognises our dependence on God. It is a prayer life that acknowledges that all we have is as a result of his grace. This pome was inspired by another person I know who has such a prayer life:

prayerpome

I wish I could pray like Teresa:

I wish it just came to me quick

she’s so calm and serene and so godly

and I only pray like, erm, Nick.

When Teresa prays we all listen:

with ears pricked and mouths open wide

in awe at the depth of the insight

that comes from her saintly inside.

I wish I could pray like Teresa:

with words that are gentle and kind

pastorally sensitive praying

not the first thing that comes to my mind.

I wish I could pray like Teresa:

a top-notch grade 1 intercessor

while my stuttering words come weakly

in rough phrases that fail to impress her.

Teresa’s prayers are always so perfect:

fluently considered aforethoughts

that flow from her mouth like a poem

that rhymes and resonates like it ought.

I wish I could pray like Teresa:

expressing the depths of her soul.

but God doesn’t want me to be her

he just wants me to say what I think… even if it doesn’t rhyme or make much sense

And then there’s the heightened awareness of who Jesus Christ is. When people speak to me of their faith being dry or routine I always suggest (alongside other things that relate directly to their own circumstances) that they go back to reading one of the Gospel narratives of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Because if our faith is based on anything it’s based on him. And if it’s not based on him, it’s based on nothing. But as we become more aware of who he is, and that HE loves us, it can be transformational.

Oh, in case you were wondering… the two Christians who are meeting today for the first time are Pope Francis 1 and Queen Elizabeth 2. Isn’t God amazing that they are my Christian brother and sister!

Be blessed, be a blessing

* nitroglycerine – it is very volatile and makes a BIG bang! (And in case the mention of this stuff here triggers alerts for national security services, welcome to you too.)