Prayer: Rest in God

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Prayer: Rest in God

The quote at the beginning of the first chapter, “What I Wish and Desire,” is from St. Anselm. He mentions “Make a little time for God and rest in Him.” [1] I came to a full stop when I read those words. Both phrases. First and foremost, I need to make a little time for God regularly. I need to make this happen in my life.

Sure, when I pray with my friends from Morning Prayer online (from www.dailyoffice.org), this is my go-to, wonderful online prayer group. But, I need some kind of regular individual prayer, too. This regular prayer time has been such a difficulty for me for years. My life is, frankly, somewhat chaotic. I have no ordered daily activities. Weekly activities, yes. But, not a daily, everyday routine that I can count on. (Again frankly, I do not think I would be likely to keep such a routine up, on a daily basis.)

However, I see the deep need inside of me for some kind of prayer, personal and individual prayer, on a regular basis. Perhaps that is why I come back to Ignatian prayer and meditation, again and again.

The second part of this quote from St. Anselm tells me to “rest in God.” Oh, what an inviting image! What a welcoming, encouraging thought, too. Immediately, I am drawn to the image of the lush green pasture and the cool, clear pool of water that I have seen when praying Psalm 23 (in Ignatian prayer, of course). Oh, dear Lord, would that I be able to rest in You whenever I have need!

With St. Anselm, I do pray to seek God. I hope and pray that through this book, this Ignatian guide of praying with Scripture, I might have the joy and delight of spending time with God, just God and me. Lord, You know my heart. You know that I need to find regular time with You, one on one. Help me to rest in You, delight in Your presence, and rejoice to find that green pasture and pool of water You have intended just for me. You intend it for all of us. It’s in Jesus’s name, the name of the Good Shepherd, I pray. Amen.

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my companion blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.  #PursuePEACE. My Facebook page, Pursuing Peace – Thanks! And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] Meditation and Contemplation: An Ignatian Guide to Praying with Scripture, Timothy M. Gallagher, OVM (United States of America: Crossroad Publishing, 2008), 19.

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

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

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

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