Of Journaling and Imprecatory Psalms...
The only cause worth pursuing is Christ.
This I find very difficult, because I latch on to causes very quickly.
For instance: The Terri Schaivo case that everyone's been talking about lately. (I could go on and on, but you know it all already.) I always wondered what imprecatory Psalms were good for, and now I know, I guess. It's wonderful how the Psalms link the causes of the poor, oppressed, sorrowful, and the destruction of the wicked with the cause of Christ. That's what makes them such powerful prayer tools.
My former pastor made a comment when he preached on the book of Revelation: it's hard to understand the book (Revelation), only because we don't view it as the early church did. The early church experienced mass persecution; and until we identify ourselves as partakers in the sufferings of the modern persecuted church, we will never understand what Revelation really talks about: GLORY. No, it's not primarily an expose' on the end times. It's primarily hope for the persecuted church. (much of it about the destruction of enemies, uncannily enough.)
~~~~
Cogito ergo Scribo. I think therefore I write. (my indirect excuse for the previous paragraphs) And that last paragraph really didn't come out well, did it?
~~~~
Reading old journals has become a sort of therapy for me these days. I highly recommend keeping some sort of journal (an HONEST one). Why? Because three weeks from now, you can look back and see where you've been since then. It's personal encouragement.
For example: With a journal I can trace my erratic and willy-nilly prayer life. (Ahem.)
And here's a bunny-trail:
Just in this past year, I began to understand God as my Father. A father gives things to his children, even when the children don't ask, because he knows what they want. And even so, when I have just WANTED something, God has given it to me--without any bowing of my head, closing the eyes, opening the Bible, in actual focused prayer... I find that very strange. But it's really true--and I have books full of examples to prove it.
That is NOT to downplay the importance of real prayer, of course.
All of life is one great conversation with God, isn't it? (this always makes me think of that Alison Krauss song, "Living Prayer," but the song falls short of reality in places.) That's why one keeps a journal--so he can see how he and God have been interacting for all the years--how his life points to God, and how God works through him, and so forth.
Journaling is a Biblical practice: When God parts the Red Sea, you erect a memorial.
Oh, and one last thing. II Cor. 4:11 (I think that's the reference, but it's somewhat approximate) sounds a LOT like "Til We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis...
P.S.--Last night and this afternoon I chipped away at the sea-story mentioned in the previous post. It's not coming out well, but it's ON PAPER. :P
This I find very difficult, because I latch on to causes very quickly.
For instance: The Terri Schaivo case that everyone's been talking about lately. (I could go on and on, but you know it all already.) I always wondered what imprecatory Psalms were good for, and now I know, I guess. It's wonderful how the Psalms link the causes of the poor, oppressed, sorrowful, and the destruction of the wicked with the cause of Christ. That's what makes them such powerful prayer tools.
My former pastor made a comment when he preached on the book of Revelation: it's hard to understand the book (Revelation), only because we don't view it as the early church did. The early church experienced mass persecution; and until we identify ourselves as partakers in the sufferings of the modern persecuted church, we will never understand what Revelation really talks about: GLORY. No, it's not primarily an expose' on the end times. It's primarily hope for the persecuted church. (much of it about the destruction of enemies, uncannily enough.)
~~~~
Cogito ergo Scribo. I think therefore I write. (my indirect excuse for the previous paragraphs) And that last paragraph really didn't come out well, did it?
~~~~
Reading old journals has become a sort of therapy for me these days. I highly recommend keeping some sort of journal (an HONEST one). Why? Because three weeks from now, you can look back and see where you've been since then. It's personal encouragement.
For example: With a journal I can trace my erratic and willy-nilly prayer life. (Ahem.)
And here's a bunny-trail:
Just in this past year, I began to understand God as my Father. A father gives things to his children, even when the children don't ask, because he knows what they want. And even so, when I have just WANTED something, God has given it to me--without any bowing of my head, closing the eyes, opening the Bible, in actual focused prayer... I find that very strange. But it's really true--and I have books full of examples to prove it.
That is NOT to downplay the importance of real prayer, of course.
All of life is one great conversation with God, isn't it? (this always makes me think of that Alison Krauss song, "Living Prayer," but the song falls short of reality in places.) That's why one keeps a journal--so he can see how he and God have been interacting for all the years--how his life points to God, and how God works through him, and so forth.
Journaling is a Biblical practice: When God parts the Red Sea, you erect a memorial.
Oh, and one last thing. II Cor. 4:11 (I think that's the reference, but it's somewhat approximate) sounds a LOT like "Til We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis...
P.S.--Last night and this afternoon I chipped away at the sea-story mentioned in the previous post. It's not coming out well, but it's ON PAPER. :P
posted by Unknown at 7:12 PM
1 Comments:
I heartily agree with you concerning journals! Prof. E made fun of journals in class one day because he thinks that they're just for dizzy blondes scribbling down stuff about their boyfriends and what they had for lunch, without any good philosophical content. But, hey, if I stay up late enough, my journal has plenty of philosophical content (whether it's good is another matter.... :).
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