Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know Thee,
And desire nothing save only Thee.
Let me hate myself and love Thee.
Let me do everything for the sake of Thee.
Let me humble myself and exalt Thee.
Let me think nothing except Thee.
Let me die to myself and live in Thee.
Let me accept whatever happens as from Thee.
Let me banish self and follow Thee,
and ever desire to follow Thee.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in Thee,
that I may be defended by Thee.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear Thee,
and let me be among those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself and put my trust in Thee.
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of Thee.
Let me cling to nothing save only to Thee,
and let me be poor because of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee.
Call me that I may see Thee,
And forever enjoy Thee.St. Augustine
Ever have one of those days? Today is one of them for me… one of those days where God blows expectation and planning out of the water in a way that takes your breath away and leaves you trembling and breathless at the way his plans are bigger than ours. Sometimes, God’s plans are so far above ours I wonder if he could be offended at the smallness of our expectations… like a kid who asks for a gumdrop and gets the deed to the candy store. And that’s how today feels. I am so blessed to be at a congregation where the people are anxious to give, anxious to serve… who actively seek out ways to do so sacrificially, and thank God for the privilege. It is the essence of what faith is to be about, and it inspires me. It challenges me to reconsider the opportunities for sacrifice that exist inside every day… to be a living sacrifice… to cling to nothing here. It’s something I struggle with. I love the known, the comfortable… and as much as I desire him who is Unknown, I want to hold on to what I know too. I want to be comfortable. But Christ wasn’t comfortable, and he didn’t make people comfortable… he flipped the existing socio-religious structures on their head, and forced people to see life for what it really is. I am grateful for the men, women, and children in my congregation who remind me of that… not because they say it, but because they live it. It’s one of those days…
