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<DIV><FONT size=4>Forwarded:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=illustrations@CLERGY.NET
href="mailto:illustrations@CLERGY.NET">Sermons.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=ESERMONS-WEEKLY@MAIL.IHS.NET
href="mailto:ESERMONS-WEEKLY@MAIL.IHS.NET">ESERMONS-WEEKLY@MAIL.IHS.NET</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 03, 2010 11:44 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Ash Wednesday Sermon</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal>Sermon for Ash Wednesday<BR><BR><SPAN
style="COLOR: #1f497d">
</SPAN>"And When You Pray" - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21<BR><BR>Jesus taught his
disciples, saying: And when you pray, do not be like the<BR>hypocrites; for they
love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the<BR>street corners, so that
they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they<BR>have received their
reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and<BR>shut the door and pray
to your Father who is in secret; and your Father<BR>who sees in secret will
reward you. (Matthew 6:5-6)<BR><BR>Prayer -- just the word elicits a wide
variety of responses and feelings.<BR><BR>Everything from the most pious of
responses to the most piteous of<BR>excuses, the concept and practice of prayer
has evoked much writing and<BR>discussion in Christian circles down through the
ages. Most of us would<BR>profess fairly easily that we believe prayer is
important. Most of us<BR>would have to confess, perhaps not so easily, that we
do not pray as we<BR>should.<BR><BR>As we begin our Lenten pilgrimage this day,
let us begin with prayer. And<BR>I mean that both literally and figuratively.
Let us begin where Jesus<BR>always seemed to begin every venture and effort,
with prayer. It is one of<BR>the Lenten disciplines espoused by the religious
for years. But it is more<BR>than just a discipline. So let us take some time,
as we begin our Lent, to<BR>explore what prayer is, or is not.<BR><BR>Part of
the problem, I suspect, about our failure to pray more frequently<BR>is our
feeling uncomfortable in prayer. We don't seem to know "how to"<BR>pray.<BR>And
because we get all hung up in the "how to" part, feeling inadequate<BR>for the
task, embarrassed by the act, unable to address God as we feel we<BR>should,
many of us simply don't. We don't pray.<BR><BR>Well, let's lay to rest the "how
to" part right away. I found a wonderful<BR>poem that will help us put that
issue into its right perspective. Listen<BR>to "Cyrus Brown's Prayer" by Sam
Walter Foss:<BR><BR>"The proper way for man to pray,"<BR>Said Deacon Lemuel
Keyes,<BR>"And the only proper attitude,<BR>Is down upon his knees."<BR><BR>"No,
I should say the way to pray,"<BR>Said Reverend Dr. Wise,<BR>"Is standing
straight with outstretched arms, And rapt and upturned eyes."<BR><BR>"Oh, no,
no, no!" said Elder Slow,<BR>"Such posture is too proud;<BR>A man should pray
with eyes fast closed, And head contritely bowed."<BR><BR>"It seems to me his
hands should be<BR>Austerely clasped in front.<BR>With both thumbs pointing
toward the ground,"<BR><BR>Said Reverend Dr. Blunt.<BR>"Las' year I fell in
Hodgkin's well<BR>Head first," said Cyrus Brown.<BR>"With both my heels
a-stickin' up,<BR>My head a-pointin' down;<BR>"An' I made a prayer right then
an' there...<BR><BR>The conclusion to this illustration and for many additional
illustrations<BR>and sermons for the Ash Wednesday can be accessed at <A
href="http://www.Sermons.com">www.Sermons.com</A>.<BR><BR></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>