Theological Ruminations

I was sitting in chapel today during the worship when something occurred to me. We were singing a song with the words "Glory, be to the Father, amen", and we had just finished a song that had a line that said "Lord have your way in us". This started me think about what exactly we were asking for with those words. These last few months have been hard from the standpoint that a lot of unexpected things happened outside of my control. I feel like I have finally started to come to an understanding with God about it. (By that I mean, I have finally gotten over the fact that God is God and I'm not). But maybe in some way I actually ask for those things to happen.

When we sing, at least for me, it is basically a prayer. So today we were praying for glory to be given to God and his will to be done in our lives. I was asking God to use me for his glory, whatever shape or form that may take, and that can be a scary concept. We ask for God to use us, and then act surprised when things happen, like fires, illness, or other trials. I'm not saying that God causes those things to happen. It may just be the combination of God allowing things and then using it for His glory and some spiritual warfare, since Satan really is fond of attacking those that God is using.

I suppose chapel just made me realize that God really does use people and events for His glory, and that can mean trials and hardship for us (think about Job), but in the end it brings us closer to God.

In church right now we are talking about the Lord's Prayer, that ever present example of how we should pray. I don't think it is a mistake that Jesus says to pray "Thy will be done". Sometimes that seems to be the hardest part of prayer. We have a tendency to ask for some many things. Things we "think" we need. But we are instructed to pray that God's will be done, not ours. Just saying those words and meaning them can be a huge struggle.

I'll end with this: God help me remember all things are used for your Glory, whether they seems to be a blessing or a trial. Help me to ask for your will to be done, and not mine. Amen

Cheers!

Your Literary Junkophile.

Amendment 1: I was feeling a theological mood today.

Amendment 2: I am now finished with my first round of exams! I believe all of them went well.