The woman, the water, the way...

A great meditation on the ebb and flow of spiritual life based on the experience of Teresa of Avila and the four stages of prayer.

Let nothing disturb thee;
Let nothing dismay thee:
All thing pass;
God never changes.
Patience attains
All that it strives for.
He who has God
Finds he lacks nothing:
God alone suffices

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
 
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”
       
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. 
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God, 
with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
       
Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar.
 
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
 
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me - A prayer to the God of my life.
       
I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
 
As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me,
while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 42

Bible Sunday

Today is Bible Sunday and in Church, we listened to a sermon based upon the following words which are used during the coronation service as the monarch is presented with a copy of the Bible:

Our gracious Queen:

to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God

as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes,

we present you with this Book,

the most valuable thing that this world affords.

Here is Wisdom;

This is the royal Law;

These are the lively Oracles of God.

The preacher wondered how many Christians would answer ‘the Bible’ if asked the question ‘What is your most valuable possession?’

A question to challenge us all! Perhaps the words of the hedonistic Lord Henry Wotton in Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Grey’ might ring true for many – that people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

But if the most valuable thing in the life of a Christian – the Word of God – is thus devalued, then what will be the effect of every other aspect of the Christian’s life which is meant to be based upon that Word? If we fail to value our values and the things upon which we base them, surely those values become irrelevant and we are doomed to devalue every other part of our life.

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Psalm 119:105

Sacrifices

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them...

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:13-16;32-40

Relentless Living (and dying?!)

I was licensed as a Reader on Sunday - an incredible experience which will stay with me always. It was in one sense an ending - the end of my 'formal' training for the ministry but this seems to have been overshadowed by a much larger image of beginning.

Now begins even more training, both academic and in 'hands-on' ministry. I'm not going to be doing much other than I was already doing before but here's the odd thing - I suddenly have that feeling once more of not knowing where I'm headed! I get the sense that there's more in store than I originally bargained for when I began my training.

And now the wise words of my tutor make full sense - if I should ever say I'm ready for ministry, then is the time to give it up...

I guess I'll just have to throw myself once more into God's hands - as if I could ever escape them! The following prayer by Michel Quoist is close to where I'm at.

Help me to say “Yes”

I am afraid of saying “Yes,” Lord.
Where will you take me?
I am afraid of drawing the longer straw,
I am afraid of signing my name to an unread agreement,
I am afraid of the “yes” that entails other “yeses.”
And yet I am not at peace.

You pursue me, Lord, you besiege me.
I seek out the din for fear of hearing you,
but in a moment of silence you slip through.
I turn from the road, for I have caught sight of you,
but at the end of the path you are there awaiting me.

Where shall I hide?
I meet you everywhere.
Is it then impossible to escape you?

But I am afraid to say “Yes,” Lord.
I am afraid of putting my hand in yours, for you hold on to it.
I am afraid of meeting your eyes, for you can win me.
I am afraid of your demands, for you are a jealous God.

I am hemmed in, yet I hide.
I am captured, yet I struggle, and I fight knowing that I am defeated.
For you are the stronger, Lord,
you own the world and you take it from me.

When I stretch out my hand to catch hold of people and things,
they vanish before my eyes.

It’s no fun, Lord,
I can’t keep anything for myself.
The flower I pick fades in my hands.
My laugh freezes on my lips.
The waltz I dance leaves me restless and uneasy.

Everything seems empty,
Everything seems hollow,
You have made a desert around me.
I am hungry and thirsty,
And the whole world cannot satisfy me.

O Lord, I am afraid of your demands,
but who can resist you?
That your Kingdom may come and not mine,
That your will may be done and not mine,
Help me to say “Yes.”

'But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.' 2 Corinthians 12:9

Ignatius of Antioch

Today the Church remembers Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and martyr. This extract from his letter to the Romans, written as he was being taken to Rome to face martyrdom shows his single-minded devotion to his Lord.

"No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire. The time for my birth is close at hand. Forgive me, my brothers. Do not stand in the way of my birth to real life; do not wish me stillborn. My desire is to belong to God. Do not, then, hand me back to the world. Do not try to tempt me with material things. Let me attain pure light. Only on my arrival there can I be fully a human being. Give me the privilege of imitating the passion of my God. If you have him in your heart, you will understand what I wish. You will sympathize with me because you will know what urges me on.

The prince of this world is determined to lay hold of me and to undermine my will which is intent on God. Let none of you here help him; instead show yourselves on my side, which is also God’s side. Do not talk about Jesus Christ as long as you love this world. Do not harbor envious thoughts. And supposing I should see you, if then I should beg you to intervene on my behalf, do not believe what I say. Believe instead what I am now writing to you. For though I am alive as I write to you, still my real desire is to die. My love of this life has been crucified, and there is no yearning in me for any earthly thing. Rather within me is the living water which says deep inside me: “Come to the Father.” I no longer take pleasure in perishable food or in the delights of this world. I want only God’s bread, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, formed of the seed of David, and for drink I crave his blood, which is love that cannot perish."

A Martyr's Prayer.

Nearer to Thee, oh God, nearer to Thee I do come; ever closer to Thee I do come.
When in all things I do fail; and suffering and the agony of pain do beset me; I will find comfort by drawing nearer to Thee, oh God.

When the oppressors of the world do gather around me and divide my worldly possessions among themselves, yea even if my life they do seek to take; I will find comfort by drawing nearer to Thee, oh God, nearer to Thee.

If I be cast down and trodden under the feet of men and there be no one to help me; I will find comfort by drawing nearer to Thee, oh God; nearer to Thee.

When all hope is gone and all my aspirations are dashed to pieces and my future seems bleak; I will find comfort by drawing nearer to Thee, oh God, nearer to Thee. Amen!

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

Laundry List of Life

Written by Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11 . Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift...

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

'Angry' God revisited

Richard Beck's exploration of the Book of Revelation was really enlightening. Certainly different to the more usual study of the symbolism and what it might signify.

He's been studying a book by Michael Gorman titled Reading Revelation Responsibly. He suggests that taking the book as a whole instead, with the Lamb of God as the central figure helps us to better understand the violent imagery including God's wrath and judgement.

Maybe if we can begin to get our heads around the apparent conflict between God's love and wrath by looking at this final book of the Bible, then there might be some reconciliation between the God of the Old and New Testaments.

Beck concludes his blog post with these observations:

And yet, we shouldn't rob God of God's rage in the process. In our worries about others misinterpreting the "war of heaven" we shouldn't turn God into milquetoast. We need to allow God's rage to meet our own. Otherwise, Christianity loses its eschatological character and reduces to a bland form of liberal humanism.

Yes, this is a balancing act. If the rage of God is separated from the Agnus Dei we have some problems, problems conservative Christians often succumb to. But on the other side, liberal Christians are tempted to temper the rage of God, almost as if they are embarrassed that God actually cares about evil in the world.

To be biblical, we need both sides of the equation.

We keep the Agnus Dei firmly in view. And we allow God to rage.

Amen!