Like St. Augustine, My Heart is Restless, Lord

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, October 8, 2015

Like St. Augustine, My Heart is Restless, Lord

Instead of going forward in The Oxford Book of Prayer, I looked backwards. Back a page, to a little, short prayer of St. Augustine. And, I was struck by it. I’ve known about this prayer for some years, and I repeatedly think about it. Even occasionally pray it. But today, it moved me particularly much.

Today’s prayer is about Longing. I chose it for today, and this brief prayer is also about “Thy Kingdom Come” (Prayer 173, page 64) [1] It actually is a quote from Augustine’s Confessions, which I first read a number of years ago. As set forth in elegant translation in my Oxford Book of Prayer: “Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praises; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee.”

Perhaps it is the translation. (I read the Confessions in a more modern, less poetic translation, years ago.) However, I found these words of Augustine—in this particular translation—to resonate deeply within me.

Such a thought. (!!!) I was made, fashioned, created, for God. I was awakened, after God took joy in my creation, to delight in Him. And not only to delight, but praise! Rejoice! (As the psalmist says, “Such knowledge is too much for me to comprehend.”)

But, wait! That’s not all. God created me expressly for Godself. In my mind’s eye, I can see a Master Craftsman meticulously fashioning me in God’s state of the art workshop. After all, Psalm 139 does mention people being painstakingly fashioned inside of their mothers’ wombs.

I’ll need to think about that for a while. My heart is restless, indeed. I praise God for such words. Indeed, I do.

@chaplaineliza

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[1] The Oxford Book of Prayer, edited by George Appleton. (New York: Oxford University Press, reissued 2009), 64.

Spirit of God, Help Me Center

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Monday, September 28, 2015

Spirit of God, Help Me Center

When I pray, I sometimes ask for God’s help in praying. I know the Apostle Paul specifies in Romans 8 that the Spirit of God helps us even when we don’t know the words to pray. What about when my word—Name of God I chose for today is Spirit of God?

I was intrigued and moved by the Scripture reference paired with this Name of God: Genesis 1:2. I know that verse, and I know the image I saw in my mind, immediately upon shutting my eyes and beginning to center.

Genesis 1:2 says, “The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.” (The Amplified Bible translation.) This mentions how the Spirit of God—the Ruach ha Kodesh, or Holy Spirit—brooded over the unformed creation.

Immediately I saw Something (or Someone) in my mind, hovering over an ocean—and yet not an ocean. Brooding over some space that looked like a land mass, and yet was not, quite. That Spirit of God was moving with love in Her heart.

Oh, did I mention the word “Spirit” in Hebrew is feminine? That’s why I used a feminine pronoun, because otherwise the masculine/feminine word agreement won’t jive.

The second impression I received as I centered was that of the Creation of Narnia, in The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. As I saw Aslan beginning to sing, I also thought of the Spirit of God. Kind of a mash-up of narratives, I know, but it was way cool. In my mind, anyway.

Dear Holy Spirit, thank You for this gentle, loving time of prayer. I am so glad I focused, using this Name of God.

@chaplaineliza

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Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

Day #34 – A Good Steward, Prayerfully

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Saturday, March 28, 2015

Day #34 – A Good Steward, Prayerfully

Ever hear something (or read something) and immediately have a scene from your past pop into your head? That was me, when I read today’s excellent suggestion from Ruth.

As I went through the colored action suggestions at the end of the blog post, my eye fell on the first one, the green one. And I immediately went back several decades, to when I was twelve or thirteen years old.

My dad was alive then. We were in the little brick house in Chicago where I (and my older brothers and sisters) all grew up. My dad was a statistician, and particularly precise and conscientious where saving money was concerned. We didn’t have too much to spare, especially with my older sisters at the University of Illinois. (Yes, both at the same time.) He drilled it into all of our heads to be thoughtful and careful with what we used, how much we used, and why we used it. This was the same with food to paper products to utilities.

I particularly remember several times when I was either twelve or thirteen. It was winter time, so a time of earlier darkness. A time of more artificial lights. I would go into a room, find what I needed, and automatically flip off the light switch as I left the room.

“Hey! I’m still in here!” was what my dad said, disgruntled. This happened several times. (At least.) I would look back, chagrined. Sorry. Apologetic. “I’m just doing what you said. What you taught me.” I distinctly remember saying that, at least a couple of times.

I know our family was thinking about saving money when we grew up. We needed to count our pennies. (Pennies were worth something in those days! But, I’m showing my age.) Now, when I think twice about turning on lights, or turning down the heat in my condominium, or using that reusable insulated cup for my coffee or tea in the morning, I am also thinking about being a good steward of creation. Of the gifts and blessings God has given me. What a good reminder of what I can do, to make a difference.

@chaplaineliza

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(Check out #40acts; doing Lent generously at www.40acts.org.uk )

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And read #40acts sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er .

A Canticle of Praise and Prayer

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – February 5, 2015

Pillars of Creation
photo credit – NASA – European Space Agency
Hubble Space Telescope

A Canticle of Praise and Prayer

For those of you following at home, here is an update on Bella, the sweet girl who is the daughter of a friend of the office manager at my church. She had an operation on a brain tumor yesterday. The lab results are in: benign! Bella is aware, responsive and smiling! Thanks be to God. Now the rehab and recovery. Thanks so much for prayers and good thoughts.

I thought today’s prayer suggestion from the book Prayer and Temperament was so appropriate, given today’s situation. The suggestion was to read Daniel 3:26-90, meditate and pray on it, and write my own canticle of praise to God as a response. (Yes, I know Daniel 3:26-90 is only found in Catholic editions of the Bible. The book I am using as a prayer guide for these two weeks before Lent begins is co-written by a Catholic priest.)

While giving God thanks and praise for God’s encouragement, comfort and support for Bella and her family at this serious time, I want to follow the prayer suggestion, as written.

This canticle from Daniel has a great deal to say about the natural world. I don’t usually think about the wide world, and what it contains. But—didn’t God make the world, too? (Rhetorical question.) Yes, I can look at this prayer suggestion in the light of an “assignment.” Or, it can focus my gaze on the glories of God’s creation. Not being much in the habit of writing out my prayers, I thought this was an excellent idea! Here goes.

Praise be to the God of creation, the One who spoke and the world came to be.

Let the four-footed ones make merry! Let the winged ones flap together!

Let sea creatures glide, insects buzz, reptiles hiss—all lift praise together!

Praise be to the God of all creatures, the One who called all things good.

Let the forest and field lift their leaves! Let the wastelands and wetlands rejoice!

Let rocks and rubble roar, sand and cinders sigh aloud—all lift praise to You, God!

Praise be to the God of inventive ingenuity, of endless creativity!

Let the creative sense within mortals give praise! Let both intellect and emotion rejoice!

Let community and crowd, families and folks all lift praise with many voices!

Praise be to the God of earth and sky, of sea and dry land, the One who is over all!

Praise be to the God who brought order out of chaos, the One who made me and you.

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Why not visit my sister blog, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.