The Problem of Pain
chapter, "Heaven" (pp. 132-132)
We are afraid of the jeer about "pie in the sky", and of being told that we are trying to "escape" from the duty of making a happy world here and now into dreams of a happy world elsewhere. But either there is "pie in the sky" or there is not. If there is not, then Christianity is false, for this doctrine is woven into its whole fabric. If there is, then this truth, like any other, must be faced, whether it is useful at political meetings or no. Again, we are afraid that heaven is a bribe, and that if we make it our goal we shall no longer be disinterested. It is not so. Heaven offers nothing that a mercenary soul can desire. It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to. There are rewards that do not sully motives. A man's love for a woman is not mercenary because he wants to marry her, nor his love for poetry mercenary because he wants to read it, nor his love of exercise less disinterested because he wants to run and leap and walk. Love, by definition, seeks to enjoy its object.
20181205
Psalm 18
PSALM 18 - some ways to pray
We were made for God. And setting love in order is one of the most important tasks we can attend to as humans made by and for God. Of course, just saying "I love you, O LORD" does not necessarily mean I am loving God above all else... but it can help, especially as a regular prayer practice. There are so many ways to say this, in addition to acknowledging God as one's strength. For example, "I love you, Lord, because you first loved me."
2) Affirming God's qualities, who God is, and how God relates to me:
Affirming God's goodness and faithfulness to me is another helpful, mindful, orienting practice. In a general sense, or big picture sense, remembering who God is in relation to me (and every person) is important, and really helpful. For example, God is God, and I am not. Or God made everything, and will work out and sort out everything in the end; I did not and cannot. And also, more specifically, in one's more recent context or experience, which is what David is doing here. In another place, he famously says "The LORD is my shepherd..."
3) Acknowledging, and praising God for, answered prayers:
"I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” (v. 3)
I generally don’t think or remember to thank God for answered prayers… Some people are very faithful in keeping a prayer journal or list, in order to keep track of prayers (and remember to pray about things you've said you would!), but also to be intentional about continuing to pray for something, or recognizing that the prayer has been answered in some way. I guess this is kind of like acknowledging someone who has done something, or tried to do something, you asked them to do. I know, from firsthand experience (!), that it does not build up the relationship to not say "Thank you" or to connect with some kind of acknowledgment that the other person is engaged in my life and for me.
This is a beautiful psalm of “re-orientation” (cf. blog post "Different Kinds of Psalms," 11/15/18) - where David expresses his love to his Strength and his Savior. I think of the first verses when praying sometimes.
There is much of value in Psalm 18, and perhaps I'll comment more at another time. But I'd like to point out how the first few verses give us some words and ways to pray:
There is much of value in Psalm 18, and perhaps I'll comment more at another time. But I'd like to point out how the first few verses give us some words and ways to pray:
1) Adoration:
v. 1 “I love you, O LORD, my strength”
v. 1 “I love you, O LORD, my strength”
We were made for God. And setting love in order is one of the most important tasks we can attend to as humans made by and for God. Of course, just saying "I love you, O LORD" does not necessarily mean I am loving God above all else... but it can help, especially as a regular prayer practice. There are so many ways to say this, in addition to acknowledging God as one's strength. For example, "I love you, Lord, because you first loved me."
2) Affirming God's qualities, who God is, and how God relates to me:
"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (v. 2)
Affirming God's goodness and faithfulness to me is another helpful, mindful, orienting practice. In a general sense, or big picture sense, remembering who God is in relation to me (and every person) is important, and really helpful. For example, God is God, and I am not. Or God made everything, and will work out and sort out everything in the end; I did not and cannot. And also, more specifically, in one's more recent context or experience, which is what David is doing here. In another place, he famously says "The LORD is my shepherd..."
3) Acknowledging, and praising God for, answered prayers:
"I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” (v. 3)
I generally don’t think or remember to thank God for answered prayers… Some people are very faithful in keeping a prayer journal or list, in order to keep track of prayers (and remember to pray about things you've said you would!), but also to be intentional about continuing to pray for something, or recognizing that the prayer has been answered in some way. I guess this is kind of like acknowledging someone who has done something, or tried to do something, you asked them to do. I know, from firsthand experience (!), that it does not build up the relationship to not say "Thank you" or to connect with some kind of acknowledgment that the other person is engaged in my life and for me.
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