Broken Pilgrim

New Year's Resolution

Grow in creating space for God.

(actually, 'twas my old year's resolution as well...)

The Hope of Glory

It's 2:20 in length. You've got time to watch it … and be encouraged.

Life with God

And so my "vacation with God" is coming to an end. I'm getting ready to check out of my room, grab some breakfast and drive back to Portland to catch my flight to Chicago.

Here's the prayer from Today's Daily Text Reading, the last words I read in my time praying and reading this morning:

God, we pray for your deliverance when we become confused and disheartened. Thank you for strength which is far greater than we thought possible. Thank you for insight when the way seems unclear. We ask that today you walk before us. Amen.

Pretty good prayer for a "life with God".

And so the journey continues …

A Mind to Know You

Here, from this evening's Night Office, is a prayer from St Thomas Aquinas:

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.

Amen, and Amen.

The Will of God and Suffering

I generally find myself unimpressed and unconvinced by most attempts to reconcile the will of God with our suffering. Most people quote Romans 8:28 and have done with it. Certainly I have.

But how much better to look at that verse in context. Kansas Bob has done that in his post For a Reason. Go read it. He says it better than I ever could.

[waiting while you go read … ]

Okay, you back?

Scotty Smith has said (and I've quoted this before), "We are all destined to be as lovely and loving as Jesus." The will of God.

How do we get there?

Think about it.

Vain or Valiant?

I was reading Psalm 108. David is (as usual) giving praise and exaltation to God. But then he comes to this place where he seems to be referring to some failures on the field of battle. He acknowledges that God is not with them. The chapter concludes with these two verses (12-13):

Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

David knows that the solution to their woes is not just trying harder. In fact it is "vain" in his words. The ability to succeed is only, only, only with God.

And so with us. Trying harder never, never, never opens the way to transformation of mind-heart-soul. For that is just vain salvation of man. Turning to God, however? Foes defeated. Valiant living. Transformed mind-heart-soul.

So why do I so consistently settle for less?

Sin Sucks!

Or perhaps more accurately … I suck! It seems that sin just keeps rearing its ugly head in my life and heart and mind and soul. And it makes me weary.

So today I jettisoned my plans to go to some concerts in Chicago (I'm still gonna catch the one tonight at 9pm, though!) and decided just to spend the day reading and praying and reflecting and journaling.

I had gotten behind in my readings from the Moravian Church. So as I've been catching up, part of the e-mail from September 12 really pierced, deflated, reflated (I know that's not a word!) my inner world this day.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1

The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. Mark 2:10

Holy Redeemer, your capacity to forgive is greater than our capacity to sin. Never let us take this gift for granted. Amen.

What a comfort these words are! As my Sin and sins continually find new "life", these truths are my only hope.

And it's a sure hope.

Because it's not based on me at all.

Thanks be to God.

[Further commentary added about an hour later … ]

Continuing to live through readings from this past week, I came across these two verses in Psalm 103:

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:11-12 (ESV)

Nice commentary on God's steadfast love and capacity to forgive, don't you think?

More thanks be to God.

Will or Surrender

Right now I'm sitting at Caribou working on prepping some training/encouraging for the volunteer worship service designers and leaders. I'm looking through M. Robert Mulholland, Jr.'s Shaped by the Word: The Power of Scripture in Spiritual Formation. I ran across this quote on page 99 and just had to drop it in here (especially since I've been so "good" about posting on this blog of late).

It is possible for us to will the will of God but not surrender our heart. I can will the will of God for my life, but I can will to do it in my way, at my convenience, when it suits me, how it suits me, in the context that suits me. I can honestly and sincerely will to do the will of God without surrendering my heart.

I don't think any words I can say can add to the power and conviction of Mulholland's.

Kyrie eleison.

A Prayer for Today

Today's prayer from Daily Texts:

Creating One, your expressions of love in creation delight and stretch us.

Redeeming One, your example of putting love into action startles and humbles us.

Sustaining One, your presence in our attempts at sharing love and mercy encourages and empowers us.

Show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you.

Amen.

And Amen.

Distraction

When we are distracted from the true and coming only One worthy of our attention and affections, He will distract us to distraction until we are distracted no more.

Thanks be to God.