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ON Morning and Evening Prayer
My friend, Ben Witherington, and one of my New Testament teachers, shares this today on his insightful blog
"For the psalmist says,'When I remembered you upon my bed, I thought upon
you in the morning dawn.' We ought then to have God always in remembrance
but then especially when thought is undisturbed and when by means of that
remembrance one is able to concern himself, when one can retain things in
memory. For in the daytime, indeed if we do remember, other cares and
troubles, entering in, drive the thought out again; but in the night it is
possible to remember continually, when the soul is calm and at rest; when it
is in the harbor and under a serene sky. ...For it were indeed right to
retain this remembrance through the day also. But inasmuch as you are always
full of cares and distracted amidst the things of this life, at least then
remember God on your bed. At the morning dawn mediatate on God. If at the
morning dawn we meditate on these things, we will go forth to our business
with much security. If we have first made God propitious by prayer and
supplication, going forth in this fashion we shall have no enemy. Or if you
should, you will laugh him to scorn, having God propitious. There is war in
the marketplace; the affairs of every day are a fight, they are a tempest
and a storm. We therefore need arms, and prayer is a great weapon. We need
favorable winds; we need to learn everything, so as to go through the length
of the day without shipwrecks and without wounds. For every single day the
rocks are many, and oftentimes the boat strikes rock and is sunk. Therefore,
we have especial need of prayer early and by night." (Homily on Hebrews
14.9).
Ben offers this from John Chrysostom (347-407). I am struck by the idea of going forth into a day with "no enemy." Reflect more on these words: "There is war in the marketplace; the affairs of every day are a fight, they are a tempest and a storm. We therefore need arms, and prayer is a great weapon. We need favorable winds; we need to learn everything, so as to go through the length of the day without shipwrecks and without wounds." This is the most interesting and compelling account of morning and evening prayer I have ever seen.
There are two more compelling readings on prayer in his post you can read by looking here.
THANKS BEN.
THIS ONE IS OF DAVID (5) AT HIS HORSEBACK RIDING LESSON.
posted by John David Walt | at 10/14/2005 10:30:00 AM
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