Then, as is also my habit, I work my way backward through the paper, perusing through the Style section, then the Metro, and then the Front section, ending with the editorials. Perhaps I have put thinking last, hoping I will be truly awake by then. This day, Richard Cohen’s column catches my attention. He is discussing the practice of prayer in Cabinet meetings by U. S. Presidents, stating that while some attention has come to George W. for that practice, in fact each of the presidents preceding him back through Jimmy Carder did so. Some staffs were more diverse than others were and one or two staff members opted out of the prayer time. He further observes that religion and references to it are everywhere, including sporting events in which both sides beseech God for the winning touchdown, as it were. Public piety seems to be required (that is the title of the article) and Cohen further states that he is troubled with the religion of religion becoming the quasi religion of the state.

I am left to wonder about prayer as a way of expressing our faith or living out faith in the work place. I am passionate about prayer, both individual and corporate. I come from a long history of involvement in prayer groups and the like. I want people to pray, and as a pastor, I want to help others with their prayer life. But I agree with Cohen, institutionalizing prayer is not appropriate. I would add that I think it is not particularly faithful. Cohen does not go there, but I am drawn in that direction. He uses the word religion, rather than faith. I think he uses it correctly. He is talking about religion and not about faith. But those two words are often used interchangeably. And I believe that the presidents see these activities as an important way of living out their faith.

Living our faith, in this time, in our world, is no small task. Because of scientific discoveries, we are faced with moral and ethical choices well beyond anything encountered before. In this multicultural, multiracial world, how do we claim our own faith and yet honor that of others very different from ours? How do we raise faith filled children? And how do we live out our faith in our workplace?

I smile, thinking of the coincidences of this world. I smile even broader. What coincidence, I ask myself. Clearly in my faith mind, it is the working of the Holy Spirit. For just yesterday, I pulled from my shelf, a small book. If I remembered correctly, one of the important offerings of this book was the idea of setting up a support group so that people could talk together about, and support one another in discovering, what might be required of them as persons of faith in their work situations. The group could also offer help throughout the process encouraging one another along the way. Interesting that I had just been thinking about how persons of faith might carry their faith into their work settings. For me, that would look nothing like public piety. It may more likely be more in the order of taking stands for justice, ethics and involve a real concern for others.

There is a third writing on this subject in my hands this week. That is the Hebrews passage Joanne just read to you. In this passage, there is first that wonderful and famous definition of faith: " Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the assurance of things not seen." Then the author is most concerned with declaring and demonstrating that faith produces a life that manifests in the here and now, the kinds of things that God promises will make up the future. This caused me to remember another wonderful and helpful definition of faith I came across some time ago. An independent organization had been asked by several denominations to help them define what made for maturity of faith. If this could be done, it would help churches develop programs that would produce people of mature faith. They were very clear that they were not talking about beliefs, which is a set of doctrines one subscribes to. Rather, they were talking about faith, that is the entire construct out of which one acts, and makes decisions about how to live ones life. What they came up with was Jesus’ definition: to love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, and mind and your neighbor as yourself. From that they developed four characteristics under each of those two charges. They decided that persons who loved God with their whole selves developed a personal prayer life that sustained them. They took the Bible seriously (nothing was said about taking the Bible literally), studying it and other faith materials. In other words, they engaged in religious education as a life long endeavor. These persons had a sense that they had a relationship with God and no matter the difficulties and pain that life brought, such persons had a sense of well being. Oh, I think, just like Hebrews- the assurance of things hoped for- the conviction of things not seen! Under the "loving neighbors" category were: these persons had a sense that their gifts and their wealth were gifts from God and both were to be used in God’s service. They worked to bring about justice for all. They regularly did acts of service such as feeding the hungry and were thought of by others as caring persons who they could go to in times of difficulty. This seems to me to fit nicely the definition of faith given by the author of Hebrews. If God’s realm is about justice and love, then this kind of life is certainly one lived trusting in and focusing towards God’s future.

Then, having spoken of the nature of faith, the author continues by illustrating the substance of the life of faith as it has been made known in the lives of prominent personalities through Israel’s history. I invite you to think of a person or persons whose life had the characteristics I just listed. And as we sing songs of the saints, think of that person. And when, in our pastoral prayer I invite you to name such people, please call out the name. For the shadows they cast by their lives of faith give us patterns and hope for our own lives.

By faith we can make a difference in this world. By faith we can get through difficult and frightening times. By faith we will be known as people of God. By faith there is hope just around the corner. By faith we are empowered to take a stand for justice. By faith things are made new. By faith we can encourage one another and accomplish great things. By faith……well you see this goes on. It is unfinished and will always be so. For faith is lived out by each of us according to God’s call and each of us adds to the list in our own way. Amen.