Sunday, November 18, 2012

Prayer of Thanksgiving

O My God, You fairest, greatest, first of all objects, My heart admires, adores, loves You, For my little vessel is as full as it can be, And I would pour out all that fullness before You in ceaseless flow. When I think upon and converse with You Ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, Ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, Ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, Crowding into every moment of happiness. I bless You for the soul You have created, For adorning it, for sanctifying it, Though it is fixed in barren soil; For the body You have given me, For preserving its strength and vigor, For providing senses to enjoy delights, For the ease and freedom of limbs, For hands, eyes, ears that do Your bidding; For Your royal bounty providing my daily support, For a full table and overflowing cup, For appetite, taste, sweetness, For social joys of relatives and friends, For ability to serve others, For a heart that feels sorrows and necessities, For a mind to care for my fellow-men, For opportunities of spreading happiness around, For loved ones in the joys of heaven, For my own expectation of seeing You clearly. I love You above the powers of language to express, For what You are to Your creatures. Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity. -from The Valley of Vision

Friday, November 16, 2012

Hello, my name is DRUGS...

I destroy homes and tear families apart; I live all around you; down the street and maybe next door. If you try me, you may never break free. I’m eager to give you a life-sentence; I’ll own your soul. When I have you, you’ll steal and lie, you’ll do whatever it take to get high. You’ll forget the values you were taught because I’ll now be your conscience and guide; I’ll teach you my ways. I’ll take you from your parents, your friends, I’ll even take you from God; in fact, I will replace God in your life. When you see the tears of your parents you won’t even feel sad--you’ll justify your actions and act like a victim. I’ll take away your looks and pride, your purpose, and especially your future. You’ll lose everything—your family, your career, your money—and then you’ll be all alone. I’ll ravish your body, destroy your health, control your mind…I’ll own you completely. I’ll have nightmares waiting for you in bed, and sweats, shakes, visions of damnation. You’ll regret that you tried me, but you came to me, not I to you. You knew this would happen, you could’ve walked away. I can bring you more misery that words can express. Come take my hand and let me lead you to Hell.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Political considerations, by Kevin DeYoung

Imagine your life were an open book. Every conversation recorded. Every errant word written down. Every gaffe broadcast before all. What if everything you ever did was fair game? What if every action and every decision were held up to the severest scrutiny? What if all your last minute apologies failed to satisfy? How would you feel to realize someone knew everything about your past? And someone was chronicling everything about your present? How would you like to face a barrage of questions for every inconsistency in your life? What a fearful proposition: anything you ever say or ever do can, and often will, be held against you. If an adversary so desired, he could paint an ugly picture of any of us. And without resorting to lies. It’s a scary thought to think that your whole life could be an open book. With defenses that do not hold, and sorry’s that do not stick, and excuses which only make things worse. That’s politics. And that’s the day of judgment without the blood of Christ.