Where is God When We Pray? C S Lewis

An ordinary simple Christian kneels down to say his prayers.

He is trying to get into touch with God. But if he is a Christian he knows that what is prompting him to pray is also God: God, so to speak, inside him through the Holy Spirit.

But he also knows that all his real knowledge of God comes through Christ, the Man who was God--that Christ is standing beside him, helping him to pray, praying for him.

You see what is happening. God is the thing to which he is praying--the goal he is trying to reach. God is also the road or bridge along which he is being pushed to that goal. So the whole threefold life of the three-personal Being is actually involved in that ordinary little bedroom where an ordinary man is saying his prayers.

The man is being caught up into the high kinds of life--what I call Zoe or spiritual life: he is being pulled into God, by God, while still remaining himself.

---C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Outside and Hungry - St. Augustine

Too late have I loved You, O Beauty, ancient yet ever new.

Too late have I loved You!

And behold, You were within, but I was outside, searching for You there -- plunging, deformed amid those fair forms which You had made.

You were with me, but I was not with You.

You called and shouted, and burst my deafness.

You gleamed and shone upon me, and chased away my blindness.

You breathed fragrant odors on me, and I held back my breath, but now I pant for You.

I tasted and now I hunger and thirst for You.

You touched me, and now I yearn for Your peace.

  -- From The Confessions of St. Augustine, Book X,
     Chapter 27

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness,

for they shall be filled.

(Matthew 5:6)

Goodness and Mercy

Re-reading Psalm 23 again today.

As always, finding something new to bring  me joy and inspiration..... and of course, gratitude.

 I wonder, what would David think if he could see how many people today ponder his words, relishing every phrase. Finding comfort and encouragement.

I wonder how many people have quoted these words at funerals. 
How many caskets have been placed in the ground as a minister
and loved ones prayed, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For Thou art with me..."  Has to be millions - after all, it's been three thousand years!

I think about Mary and Martha when they placed the body of their
brother, Lazarus, in the tomb - were they mouthing these words?
Did Jesus' mother, Mary, recite them, too, as she saw the life ebb out of her Son's body on the cross?

And I so love these words: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."  "Surely" and "shall", not "maybe," or "I hope",  and "all", not "sometimes."

What a Good Shepherd we have! And David seemed to know Him very well.

"Goodness" and "mercy" - daily gifts to us from Our Father. He's leading us and they are following, like other sheep following their Shepherd.

What a parade, what a convoy, we make!

We don't have to worry about them keeping up with us - they never let  us out of their sight!

A friend once had two golden labs - she named them, yes, "Goodness" and "Mercy" - what a joy to see her walking them in our neighborhood!

Reminds me of an old gospel song:

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me!
His faithful follower I will be, 
For by His hand He leadeth me!

By His own hand - not an angel or someone to substitute - His own hand!

The words of this song were written by Joseph Gilmore about
150 years ago....here are some more of his thoughts...

He leadeth me, O blessed thought,
O words with heavenly comfort fraught.
Whate'er I do, where'er I go
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me!

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden's flowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still 'tis His hand that leadeth me!

Lord, I would clasp Thine hand in mine
Nor never murmur nor repine
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since 'tis Thy hand that leadeth me!

And when my task on earth is done
When by Thy grace the victory's won,
Even death's cold wave I will not fear
Since God through Jordan leadeth me!

What a Word of Encouragement Meant to Churchill

 What a Word of Encouragement Meant to Churchill

Winston Churchill led the British people through the desperate challenges of World war II. He constantly told them that they must "never, never, never give up." In one speech he used the word "never" seven times! as he pounded his fist to reinforce his message.

But their chances of holding out against the German onslaught began to shrink.

FDR's right-hand man, Harry Hopkins, joined him one night. Churchill pleaded for news from Roosevelt.

"Here's what Roosevelt says," Hopkins began. "Whither you go, I will go; whither you lodge, I will lodge; your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you will die, I will die and there will I be buried.....with you even to the end."  (From the Book of Ruth)

And Winston Churchill began to weep, sobbing, "There is hope."

[VE Day is tomorrow]

An Almost Lost (and Last) Song - From Daniel

                                                

                         Almost Lost Song - From Daniel

I ran across this beautiful hymn recently. Legends say that this was the hymn sung by the three young Hebrew boys -- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego -- while they were in the firey furnace in Babylon during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Scholars date it as over 2000 years for certain (except for the last two lines which were added by early Christians).

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers;

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name;

We will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple,

On the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim.

We will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths;

In the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

We will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Remember the story (Daniel 3)?
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisors crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own god....no other god can save in this way...".

The King's letter "To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

How great are his signs,
How mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
His dominion endures from generation to generation

No other God can save this way.......words from Nebuchadnezzar....and he didn't even know the half of it!