When I'm reading a good novel, and I mean a really well-written, engaging, novel (á la Jane Eyre), I get lost in the fictional world: the terrain, climate, plot. I can imagine myself in the world of the protagonist, immersed in his or her plight - suffering as they are suffering, victorious when they are victorious, loving whomever they are loving, turning my back on those who betray them - I have an awareness of their being as I turn each page.

I am very hesitant when a novel is made into a feature film, as I'm sure is similar to many other bibliophiles. I'm hesitant because these are characters that have already come to life in my mind. Will I even recognise the characters in the movie? Will I recognise another person's incarnation of my favourite character? I know what they look like, sound like, and act like. I have created their lives in moving pictures in my head, and, with my most beloved novels, will allow my mind to drift through my favourite scenes on a slow day.

I cannot help but be wary of someone else's visualisations of my most treasured novels. I find myself anxious as I begin to watch, often growing annoyed or angry as the movie progresses. Did you even read this book? If you find yourself agreeing with me as you read, I want to reassure you. It's alright. What I've just described is an excellent author. It's exciting when you open a book and within the first few chapters you just know that this is one that is going to line your bookshelves for years to come. 

I can't help but feel that there are times when God says about me, "Did you even read the Book? Do you know what you're supposed to look like, sound like, and act like?" The Author has created me in His image, an engaging, complex person who is responsible for sharing His story with the people in my life.

Recently, I was given this quote: The test of faith is whether I can make space for difference. Can I recognise God's image in someone who is not in my image, whose language, faith, ideal, are different from mine? If I cannot, then I have made God in my image instead of allowing him to remake me in his. - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

We cannot separate the story from the author. We must recognise the Author in everyone we encounter. If I am constantly worrying that others are not living up to the image of "Christianity" that I've created in my mind, then I will continually miss the purpose of the story. Our purpose is to authentically fulfill the role that God has given us, to have no gods before Him, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. If we can see that God has made our neighbour in His image just as He created you and I, perhaps we will be able to set aside our notions of how others should act and instead focus on the story the Author is trying to tell through us.

If you're anything like me, you've experienced stages in your life where either wonder if your prayers go anywhere or you give up on praying altogether. These stages are discouraging at best and fulfilling at worst...yeah, you read that right. Fulfilling at worst. Why is that a worst case scenario? Because it means you're finding fulfilment in earthly matters rather than in your relationship with God. To many people, Christians included, this may not sound so bad. What's wrong with being fulfilled by your family, friends, hobbies, or job? 

While it's not bad or sinful to find these things fulfilling, it becomes dangerous when you remove God from the list of priorities. I love what Philip Yancey says about prayer: "The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God."

I found that I needed to change my perspectives on prayer. Although it took me a while to catch on, my prayers were stale and (often) useless because my purpose for praying was to convince God that He needed to change something in my life. I didn't pray just to get to know God; I prayed when I needed something accomplished. Does that sound familiar to you? Take a moment to really consider some of your prayers.

After I considered this, I put in the work to change my prayer life. It wasn't easy. I hadn't realised the depth of the rut I had prayed myself into. Now, it wasn't that my prayers were selfish; I wasn't praying that my life would have no problems or that I would win the lottery or something. But I realised that almost all of my prayers revolved around the physical well-being of people in my life and success in my job. Well-intended prayers, to be sure, but fairly empty.

I finally realised that God cared more about the spiritual condition of souls (aka His relationship with His people) than the physical condition of bodies. Yancey was able to succinctly state this: To know God. That should be my main purpose in prayer - not necessarily the only purpose, but the highest priority.

So basically what I'm trying to say is consider your prayer life - or lack of prayer life. Are you really trying to know God through prayer - to align yourself (your desires and goals) with Him? Where is your fulfilment?

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18 

In light of recent events in Paris...and Syria...and Japan, and many other places around the world, you've got to wonder, is our world disintegrating? It gets difficult to hold out hope when there's so much tragedy in our face everyday. The highest trending hashtag right now is PrayforParis and PrayfortheWorld. And we should. We should pray for the world and the victims and families of tragedy. But we are also called to take physical action. To stand up for the victims - the orphans and widows. And so we remember 2 Corinthians 4.16-18:

​Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Remember that the One we serve sees us, and hears our prayers.  In these difficult times, resist the urge to hide your head in the sand, to forget the troubles of others, or to focus solely on your own troubles. You are called to something greater - to fix your eyes on the eternal. Let that be the window that you look through to be a part of the solution. 

I'm so used to saying prayer is a spiritual discipline. It sounds so, well, spiritual. It's the perfect christianese catch phrase - spiritual discipline. However, the more I learn about prayer and consider my own prayer life, the more that Philip Yancey quote resonates with me. I have often prayed out of a sense of duty, especially as a pastor. And yes, it's true that I sometimes have to force myself to make time to pray - and I don't think that's a bad thing, because I always come away from that time encouraged and refreshed. It's true!

My challenge to you (and also to myself) is to consider that prayer doesn't score points with the Almighty. Prayer is a way of deepening your relationship with your Saviour; to express yourself to your Creator. When I read through the Psalms, I don't see: Dear Jesus, thank you for this day. Please keep my family safe today.

I see: Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?

I see: I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

And that's just in one chapter! (chapter 6)

You're allowed to be emotional in your prayers. You're allowed to express frustration and grief and repentance and misery. Think of a relationship you've had (because we've all had one like this) where you never state your true feelings. Everything is "fine" all the time. You keep everything very shallow and near the surface. That's not a lasting relationship. That's not a genuine relationship.

Talk to God. Hear from God.

In so doing, you will begin to see it less as a "discipline" and more as a necessity.

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. - Exodus 20.4

This commandment follows up the command to have no other gods before the Creator. He then follows this up with a command that He alone should be worshiped and then goes on to define what worship is. Our worship must be directed by the power of faith, not the power of images or imaginations. Therefore, we are not to bow down to or worship images or statues of even God himself. Since God is spiritual, no material representation can possibly resemble Him. A.W. Tozer said, "Do not try to imagine God or you will have an imaginary God."
Part of this commandment is to prevent Israel from identifying the true God with any created thing. To identify God with any created thing is just one step from thinking of God in terms of that image. It would be creating God in the image of His creation. As one preacher put it: To create your own image of God is to make a small God.
So what is an idol? An idol is anything that takes the focus off God and puts it on something else. With that in mind, what do you worship? To what do you bow down? What is God's competition with your life? Affections? Resources? Always be on guard against anything that pulls you away from God. Tear away (painfully if necessary) the idols from your heart, and devote yourself to God.
Jesus made it very clear what God expects from us in worship. In John 4.23-24 He said, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."
We must worship the Father truthfully. That means we must worship Him as He is and not how we want Him to be. Now, God is different to different people at different times in their lives. But that doesn't mean that's all He is. What is your image of God?
Is He harsh, cold, and distant? Then you don't understand the love and mercy of God.
Or maybe he's a blonde, blue-eyed Jesus, who carries little lambs in his arms. Well, the Romans didn't crucify people for carrying lambs around.
Is he easy-going; doesn't really care too much about sin, because he'll just forgive you no matter what? Then you've missed out on the holiness of God.
I can't define who God is. He is above and beyond anything I can imagine or put into words. I don't worship a small God.