<font color='black' size='4' face='Times New Roman, Times, serif'><font color="black" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Sermon for Ash Wednesday</span>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;"><span> </span>"And When You Pray" - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
taught his disciples, saying: And when you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the
street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you,
they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your
room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and
your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:5-6)</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Prayer -- just the word elicits a wide variety of responses and feelings.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Everything
from the most pious of responses to the most piteous of excuses, the
concept and practice of prayer has evoked much writing and discussion in
Christian circles down through the ages. Most of us would profess
fairly easily that we believe prayer is important. Most of us would have
to confess, perhaps not so easily, that we do not pray as we should.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">As
we begin our Lenten pilgrimage this day, let us begin with prayer. And I
mean that both literally and figuratively. Let us begin where Jesus
always seemed to begin every venture and effort, with prayer. It is one
of the Lenten disciplines espoused by the religious for years. But it is
more than just a discipline. So let us take some time, as we begin our
Lent, to explore what prayer is, or is not.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Part
of the problem, I suspect, about our failure to pray more frequently is
our feeling uncomfortable in prayer. We don't seem to know "how to"
pray.<span> </span>And because we get all hung up in the "how to" part,
feeling inadequate for the task, embarrassed by the act, unable to
address God as we feel we should, many of us simply don't. We don't
pray.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Well,
let's lay to rest the "how to" part right away. I found a wonderful
poem that will help us put that issue into its right perspective. Listen
to "Cyrus Brown's Prayer" by Sam Walter Foss:</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"The proper way for man to pray,"</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"And the only proper attitude,</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Is down upon his knees."</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"No, I should say the way to pray,"</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Said Reverend Dr. Wise,</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"Is standing straight with outstretched arms, </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">And rapt and upturned eyes."</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"Oh, no, no, no!" said Elder Slow,</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"Such posture is too proud;</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">A man should pray with eyes fast closed, </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">And head contritely bowed."</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"It seems to me his hands should be</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Austerely clasped in front.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">With both thumbs pointing toward the ground,"</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Said Reverend Dr. Blunt.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"Las' year I fell in Hodgkin's well</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">Head first," said Cyrus Brown.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"With both my heels a-stickin' up,</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">My head a-pointin' down;</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">"An' I made a prayer right then an' there...</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12pt;">The rest of this sermon and many additional illustrations and sermons for the Ash Wednesday can be accessed at <a href="http://www.sermons.com/" target="_blank">www.Sermons.com</a>.</span></div>
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