Psalm 20 (21) "You have granted him his heart's desire; you have not refused the prayer of his lips."
"May the Lord answer in time of trial; may the Lord grant all your prayers." When we engage with God in prayer for release from whatever troubles us, be it our own or perhaps someone else's problem, what is the answer we seek? Or are we simply looking and expecting deliverance? The difficulty with this approach to prayer - expecting what we want - is the tendency to discount what God wants in the matter. Hard as it may sometimes be to accept, the temptation or trial whatever it may be is still a fact of life. Unless we can change it ourselves, can we not assume God most likely has something to do with the matter.
"Apart from sin", Augustine said, "whatever you have comes from him".
Our prayer, like everything else that is "us", comes from God: all our longing is God. Any reluctance to acknowledge this, that God does indeed have "something to do with it", evidences our basic unbelief, our lack of faith; part of the evil that exists the world is the absence of real faith stemming from the human heart. "Your will be done" simply comes to mean, "my will be done".
In another psalm "a man who trusts in the Lord" turns his prayer into a "Lament", an expression of deep-felt sorrow: "how long, O lord, will you forget me? How long must I bear grief in my soul, this sorrow in my heart day and night?" Where are you, God? he seems to be asking.
But prayer is not only about grief or sorrow. It is also about rejoicing. "May we ring out our joy at your victory and rejoice in the name of our God." Rejoicing and praising God, regardless of circumstances and despite the way he felt in his heart (often moved to bitter tears and anger), the psalmist discovered the truth that "praise is fitting for loyal hearts"; "I will thank my God", or "I will love you, Lord, my strength", are typical responses to the goodness of God. Praise is the universal balm that consoles the soul. God is good.
Our faith is continually put to the test: "tried as silver is tried" ("silver" in Scripture, incidentally, is a symbol of faith), and God does not withhold his love in any circumstance. God's goodness reaches to the humble of heart; the over-confident need not be so sure.
"Knowledge" of God is our reward for this faithfulness: in simplicity, in sharing the sufferings as well as the joys of others. Peace.
Lord, God, you are all I want.
You are with all, for all, and in all.
You are all my desiring, as well:
living, acting, praying, prompting, sustaining.
You are near me so long as I am near you.
Draw near, my soul, draw near.
Showing posts with label psalm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label psalm. Show all posts
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
OUR GOD COMES!
"Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad . . . all the trees of the wood shout for joy at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth . . . with justice; he will judge the peoples with his truth." Psalm 95 (96)
Who is it that comes? Comes for what? And When? But first, consider why he comes, then how and the "who", the "what for" and the "when" may become clearer.
According to the scriptures, Jesus - God "made flesh" - said: "the Son of man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10); also, we read "I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev. 3:20).
We are told in the Gospels that when Jesus entered Jericho a man was there named Zacchaeus, anxious to see him. It seems Jesus was just as anxious to see him: "Zacchaeus", he called to him, "come down" (small of stature, Zacchaeus had climbed a tree to get a better view), "hurry, because I must stay at your house today". Why, if not to share a meal, sit with him and talk with him so that Zaccheaus could find out for himself "what kind of man" Jesus was?
We are also told that Zacchaeus didn't wait for a second offer but "hurried down and welcomed him joyfully". So, a meal was shared - and we can only surmise - a victory, too! (Cf. Rev. 3:21).
It may be his knocking, or his calling out to us, or simply something that stirs our curiosity, but either way when a deep desire to know more about "the Son of man" - God's Son - is born in us, he makes us an offer too good to refuse because this is what leads to faith. The "who" and the "what for?" are questions only answered after the Lord is joyfully welcomed (our goodwill evidences this); and then, taking time to sit down to "listen" and to "talk" with him (both the ingredients of prayer), to find out what kind of person Jesus is.
But another question arises: when does he come? He comes twice. He has already come in the form of the Gospel message which we have "Heard, seen and touched", a message which proclaims a "second" coming ("and then will appear the Son of man coming in the clouds"). First, he ascended in a cloud, but then he will come again in "clouds"; a mystery? That's no reason to dismiss the idea.
Saint Augustine said his first coming was the proclamation of the 'good news' that the whole earth is filled with his presence. "We must not resist his first coming, and then we shall not have cause to dread his second coming. The fact that he has not come yet (i.e., again) is no reason to think he will not come. He will come, but when it will be you do not know. If he finds you ready, it is no disadvantage that you do not know".
"Readiness" is what the Christian life of faith is all about. Because the Lord, God, comes to judge the earth with justice and the peoples with truth, we are ready when our life is predicated on justice - right living - (guided by the Lord's precepts of love and mercy), founded in truth. We have to be honest with ourselves, of course, and have a good conscious before God.
Our greatest enemy is fear. The world enslaves us, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, but as Augustine advised, we "should make use of the world and not be its slave".
Many have found a dynamic opennessto both the gospel message, which is as much about our neighbour as it is about God, and to the "comforter", the Holy Spirit whom God sends to be near us, to live within us and to guide us on our journey. 'Letting go' our preconceived ideas, our prejudices, all the barriers that prevent us from hurrying to welcome him joyfully, this may be all that is necessary to open up the world of faith to our eyes. It is freeedom. It is joy. It is peace. Let us hurry to admit Christ into our lives.
Who is it that comes? Comes for what? And When? But first, consider why he comes, then how and the "who", the "what for" and the "when" may become clearer.
According to the scriptures, Jesus - God "made flesh" - said: "the Son of man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10); also, we read "I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev. 3:20).
We are told in the Gospels that when Jesus entered Jericho a man was there named Zacchaeus, anxious to see him. It seems Jesus was just as anxious to see him: "Zacchaeus", he called to him, "come down" (small of stature, Zacchaeus had climbed a tree to get a better view), "hurry, because I must stay at your house today". Why, if not to share a meal, sit with him and talk with him so that Zaccheaus could find out for himself "what kind of man" Jesus was?
We are also told that Zacchaeus didn't wait for a second offer but "hurried down and welcomed him joyfully". So, a meal was shared - and we can only surmise - a victory, too! (Cf. Rev. 3:21).
It may be his knocking, or his calling out to us, or simply something that stirs our curiosity, but either way when a deep desire to know more about "the Son of man" - God's Son - is born in us, he makes us an offer too good to refuse because this is what leads to faith. The "who" and the "what for?" are questions only answered after the Lord is joyfully welcomed (our goodwill evidences this); and then, taking time to sit down to "listen" and to "talk" with him (both the ingredients of prayer), to find out what kind of person Jesus is.
But another question arises: when does he come? He comes twice. He has already come in the form of the Gospel message which we have "Heard, seen and touched", a message which proclaims a "second" coming ("and then will appear the Son of man coming in the clouds"). First, he ascended in a cloud, but then he will come again in "clouds"; a mystery? That's no reason to dismiss the idea.
Saint Augustine said his first coming was the proclamation of the 'good news' that the whole earth is filled with his presence. "We must not resist his first coming, and then we shall not have cause to dread his second coming. The fact that he has not come yet (i.e., again) is no reason to think he will not come. He will come, but when it will be you do not know. If he finds you ready, it is no disadvantage that you do not know".
"Readiness" is what the Christian life of faith is all about. Because the Lord, God, comes to judge the earth with justice and the peoples with truth, we are ready when our life is predicated on justice - right living - (guided by the Lord's precepts of love and mercy), founded in truth. We have to be honest with ourselves, of course, and have a good conscious before God.
Our greatest enemy is fear. The world enslaves us, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, but as Augustine advised, we "should make use of the world and not be its slave".
Many have found a dynamic opennessto both the gospel message, which is as much about our neighbour as it is about God, and to the "comforter", the Holy Spirit whom God sends to be near us, to live within us and to guide us on our journey. 'Letting go' our preconceived ideas, our prejudices, all the barriers that prevent us from hurrying to welcome him joyfully, this may be all that is necessary to open up the world of faith to our eyes. It is freeedom. It is joy. It is peace. Let us hurry to admit Christ into our lives.
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