One of the best prayers I have heard in recent memory was breathed at the end of a movie I have watched a number of times now. It wasn't so much the prayer, but how it summed up the character's life and faith in God. The movie is titled "The Book of Eli" and the prayer goes:
Dear Lord, thank you for giving me the strength and the conviction to complete the task you entrusted to me. Thank you for guiding me straight and true through the many obstacles in my path. And for keeping me resolute when all around seemed lost. Thank you for your protection and your many signs along the way. Thank you for any good that I may have done; I'm so sorry about the bad. Thank you for the friend I made. Please watch over her as you watched over me. Thank you for finally allowing me to rest. I'm so very tired, but I go now to my rest at peace. I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith.
At the end of the movie, as Eli prays, my head bows and I find myself in God's presence. My heart and my conscience pricked by a movie written, produced and financed by secular society. I am convicted by this. Will I be able to pray with such conviction and assurance at the conclusion of my task on earth?
It is a sobering thought. For so many years I've demanded much of life, of God and others. I have given little in return and I have given even less thought to the task given to me by God - to do what is right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him. I have complained about any obstacle that blocked my path to selfish gain. I have quit all too soon whenever I attempted to 'put my hand to the plow'. I have not really sought the best for others, unless it has been mutually beneficial. Here I stand convicted, first by this prayer from a post-apocalyptic Hollywood movie character and secondly, and more importantly, by what I read in God's Word. I am just as Paul described when said to the Roman church in Romans 3:10-18 that "no one is righteous". I have turned away from good and I have not found real, lasting peace by the selfish pursuit of my own pleasures. You do not have to look long or very deep into my life to see how I have failed miserably in my service to my fellow man and to God. I am not bragging of this. Instead, it sickens and disgusts me when I realize that my 'good deeds' are no more than menstrual rags (Isaiah 64:6) and it disheartens me when I see what I did do had produced nothing more than a 'fart' (Isaiah 26:18).
My hard work alone has not secured anything of worth for me...especially since I have been expending my energies pursuing the temporal instead of the eternal. So, what now? By God's Word, I am proven to have offered nothing, of being unfaithful and inconsequential to who and what really matters. Is there no hope, or help, for me? Is this all? Am I to be trapped and held here in my ineffectiveness, my powerless state of sin and neglect?
No! The Apostle Paul asks the same question and then provides the answer in Romans 7:24 when he too found himself in the same state: "Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord." I raise my own voice in this declaration along with Paul. Thank God for Jesus Christ; my LORD and my Savior. With God's leadership, through the diligent study of His Word, at the end of my days my prayer will be similar to that of Eli and Paul before him: I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith.
In Christ's name, may it be so. Amen.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Only One in the World
A recent song by Rihanna got me thinking. In the song she pleads with her lover to "make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world, like I'm the only one you'll ever love". No doubt the song has much to do with sex and the pursuit of sexual pleasure, however, there is a cry for more - to matter to someone, even for a moment.
In my own wandering I too have cried out in my own despair and longing for someone to make me feel so special. The world today promises so much but provides so little - mere shadows and dust.
A hymn titled "Satisfied" written by Clara Tear Williams in 1875 speaks of this deep longing. In the first verse she pens:
All my life I had a longing
For a drink from some clear spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.
The second and third verses tell of how she attempted to meet this thirsting and longing for something better, something satisfying. I identify with Clara. For many years I have sought for that 'one thing' that would meet my deep need, that would satisfy a longing in my soul.
I have enjoyed social, financial and career success in this life, but it has not filled this deep longing for substance. I have been employed and excelled greatly in my tasks, earning high praises on my performance evaluations. I've been entrusted with large budgets tasked with meeting the needs of government agencies. I have headed up departments and successfully managed staff members while earning the unsolicited praises of those whom I supervised. I have taken little and made it into something more. This has provided little satisfaction.
I have enjoyed social success. I have rubbed shoulders with the upper echelon - finding myself in the company of the 'movers and shakers' in our society. People have sought out my advice and opinions on various matters. I have been elected and appointed. I have counselled, directed and taught. People beyond my years have come to me for direction and leadership. But it has not met my inner need for acceptance.
I know what it is like to make good money and to have money - to not to have to worry about coffee money for Starbucks, or about whether or not I can have the finer foods, whether I can be clothed plainly or fashionably. Entertainment was available and enjoyed. I have paid good money for poor thrills. Again, these things have not brought long term satisfaction.
My various successes have brought a measure of joy and happiness, but it never lasts. It is but a morning mist quickly burned away by the rising sun. In my life, it is my longing to know that I matter and that I matter to not just anyone, but Someone.
In the last verse of her hymn, Clara rejoices with the following:
Well of water, ever springing,
Bread of Life so rich and free,
Untold wealth that never faileth,
My Redeemer is to me.
I desire this. Is it truly possible to receive such a gift? Scripture tells me in that I can. All I need do is ask and receive. Psalm 34:8 encourages me to "taste and see that the LORD is good". In Revelation 3:20, Jesus Christ says "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." Finally, in Luke 11:9-10 I read "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
Father God, I ask that you will open my eyes and my heart to receive from you. According to your Word, I matter. You are able to meet my every need. Please do so in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Will you ask and receive this too?
In my own wandering I too have cried out in my own despair and longing for someone to make me feel so special. The world today promises so much but provides so little - mere shadows and dust.
A hymn titled "Satisfied" written by Clara Tear Williams in 1875 speaks of this deep longing. In the first verse she pens:
All my life I had a longing
For a drink from some clear spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.
The second and third verses tell of how she attempted to meet this thirsting and longing for something better, something satisfying. I identify with Clara. For many years I have sought for that 'one thing' that would meet my deep need, that would satisfy a longing in my soul.
I have enjoyed social, financial and career success in this life, but it has not filled this deep longing for substance. I have been employed and excelled greatly in my tasks, earning high praises on my performance evaluations. I've been entrusted with large budgets tasked with meeting the needs of government agencies. I have headed up departments and successfully managed staff members while earning the unsolicited praises of those whom I supervised. I have taken little and made it into something more. This has provided little satisfaction.
I have enjoyed social success. I have rubbed shoulders with the upper echelon - finding myself in the company of the 'movers and shakers' in our society. People have sought out my advice and opinions on various matters. I have been elected and appointed. I have counselled, directed and taught. People beyond my years have come to me for direction and leadership. But it has not met my inner need for acceptance.
I know what it is like to make good money and to have money - to not to have to worry about coffee money for Starbucks, or about whether or not I can have the finer foods, whether I can be clothed plainly or fashionably. Entertainment was available and enjoyed. I have paid good money for poor thrills. Again, these things have not brought long term satisfaction.
My various successes have brought a measure of joy and happiness, but it never lasts. It is but a morning mist quickly burned away by the rising sun. In my life, it is my longing to know that I matter and that I matter to not just anyone, but Someone.
In the last verse of her hymn, Clara rejoices with the following:
Well of water, ever springing,
Bread of Life so rich and free,
Untold wealth that never faileth,
My Redeemer is to me.
I desire this. Is it truly possible to receive such a gift? Scripture tells me in that I can. All I need do is ask and receive. Psalm 34:8 encourages me to "taste and see that the LORD is good". In Revelation 3:20, Jesus Christ says "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." Finally, in Luke 11:9-10 I read "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
Father God, I ask that you will open my eyes and my heart to receive from you. According to your Word, I matter. You are able to meet my every need. Please do so in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Will you ask and receive this too?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night
Dylan Thomas raged against his father's impending death and exhorted his Dad to "rage, rage against the dying of the light". Is there a lesson to be learned here for the darkening in our own lives? Or are we yet wise men sending forth words lacking light?
What am I talking about you ask? Well, at one time or another we all have astutely proclaimed that the world is going to pot, or in other vernacular, going to hell in a hand basket. So, Wise Man, what say you? What offering of light do you present to affront the accursed darkness and hold it at bay so that we all may see for just awhile, even for a step forward?
There is an endless stream of theory, rationality, study and speech about what can be done. But, in my mind, there seems to be an obvious lack of effort. Even the Teacher tells us: 'Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out'. (Ecclesiastes 12:12)
I think the time for talk is long gone. What we need now, I believe, is for someone to actually do what they say, and do it well. Maybe that someone is our own self.
So, where is a good place to start? How about here: 'Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty'. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) What about these 'commands'? What are they? Check out the following Scriptures for direction: Micah 6:8, Luke 10:27, Mark 10:45, James 2:17, Matthew 22:37-40, James 1:22.
I challenge you - and me - as Dylan Thomas challenged his father, "Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night". What say you? Will you join me?
What am I talking about you ask? Well, at one time or another we all have astutely proclaimed that the world is going to pot, or in other vernacular, going to hell in a hand basket. So, Wise Man, what say you? What offering of light do you present to affront the accursed darkness and hold it at bay so that we all may see for just awhile, even for a step forward?
There is an endless stream of theory, rationality, study and speech about what can be done. But, in my mind, there seems to be an obvious lack of effort. Even the Teacher tells us: 'Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out'. (Ecclesiastes 12:12)
I think the time for talk is long gone. What we need now, I believe, is for someone to actually do what they say, and do it well. Maybe that someone is our own self.
So, where is a good place to start? How about here: 'Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty'. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) What about these 'commands'? What are they? Check out the following Scriptures for direction: Micah 6:8, Luke 10:27, Mark 10:45, James 2:17, Matthew 22:37-40, James 1:22.
I challenge you - and me - as Dylan Thomas challenged his father, "Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night". What say you? Will you join me?
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