I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
Psalm 119:147
As I have noted before, many monastic orders follow Benedict’s decision to interpret this passage literally, thereby dividing the day into eight times for prayer – Matins (nighttime), Lauds (early morning), Prime (first hour of daylight), Terce (third hour), Sext (noon), Nones (ninth hour), Vespers (sunset evening), Compline (end of the day). You are welcome to join their ranks, but I am not sure it is necessary. The heart of this passage calls – indeed it invites – us to live our lives before the Lord. It’s a 24×7 challenge.
Twinkle Twinkle?: Andy Crouch alerted me to this New Yorker piece, which reminds us of what we are missing. It has been twenty-five years since I last saw the heavenlies. It was while climbing Mt. Baker in Bellingham. I remember looking at the stars and being amazed, humbled, dumbfounded and then sad. To think this is there all the time but we can’t see it. As Psalm 19:1 declares, the heavens declare the glory of God. I think there would be fewer atheists if we could see the night sky.
Shamed for Being Old School: Some who are high tech chastised me for suggesting you write out a Bible verse on a note card. “A note card? How 1985 of you!” They pushed various alternatives – Notes, Evernote, Bible Memory apps, etc. I’m good with any method that helps you get the Word into your heart. I intend to keep using notecards, having only recently stopped painting the passages on cave walls.
Quotes Worth Requoting: 1) Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson; 2) The Church changes the world not by making converts but by making disciples. John Wesley; 3) Technologies give velocity to stupidity. George Will.
Without Comment: 1) The UN estimates that the economic effects of the lockdown will lead to the starvation of 130 million additional people; 2) Year-to-date the S&P 500 is up more than 10 percent, unemployment has dipped to 6.0%, the mortality rate remains steady at 100%; 3) In June of 2020, a CDC survey found that one in four young adults between 18 and 24 had seriously considered suicide.
Pastoral Ministry Illustrated: This 40 second video illustrates pastoral ministry, parenting, Isaiah 53:6 and alas, way too much of my own life.
Question of the Week: Can we establish common ground even if we do not agree on the common good?
Evidence: When I was in college, critics of the New Testament argued that it was not written until several hundred years after Christ, thus allowing time for legend to accrue. Over the last forty years, archeological finds (e.g., fragments of John 18 that date from early 2nd century) have eroded this claim. A recent find – discussed here – is solidifying the claim that the NT was written shortly after Christ’s death. Many think this new discovery dates within five years of Christ’s death.
Human Rights: Many make much of human rights. It’s worth reminding ourselves that the idea that we have value grows out of Scripture. Despite what Thomas Jefferson said, there is nothing self-evident about us all being equal. Indeed, quite the opposite. We have to be told that the weak (i.e., the old, mentally challenged, sick, etc.) have value. And while we are here, it’s worth restating that though the halo effect of Christianity continues to shape the thoughts of many, it does not shape all. Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of PETA, famously declared that “a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.” Meanwhile, prominent Israeli intellectual, atheist and author, Yuval Noah Harari, notes that the belief that humans have rights is nonsense based on Christian myth. As Christian influence wanes, rights will diminish.
Freedom: Admitting that our “accomplishments” are gifts from God is hard for those who want credit. But all we have – including the time and talent needed to accomplish something – are gifts from Him. Recognizing this is freeing. It turns out things really aren’t dependent on me! I remain free to work hard, but the pressure I have sinfully owned is gone.
Closing Prayer: Lord, I live in a culture that calls for self-assertion. Yet if you withdrew your upholding strength I would cease to exist in the blink of an eye. I confess that I forget that and think I am holding myself and the world together. I ask that you heal me of my damnable self-sufficiency. Amen. Tim Keller