Odes to Solomon

I ran across this hymn while reading for class and found it so, so beautiful. The first five verses especially really struck me as encapsulating so well why I write, and the rest is just beautifully-written praises of God. We can never praise Him enough!

1. As the occupation of the ploughman is the ploughshare, and the occupation of the helmsman is the steering of the ship, so also my occupation is the psalm of the Lord by His hymns.
2. My art and my service are in His hymns, because His love has nourished my heart, and His fruits He poured unto my lips.
3. For my love is the Lord; hence I will sing unto Him.
4. For I am strengthened by His praises, and I have faith in Him.
5. I will open my mouth, and His Spirit will speak through me the glory of the Lord and His beauty,
6. The work of His hands, and the labor of His fingers;
7. For the multitude of His mercies, and the strength of His Word.
8. For the Word of the Lord investigates that which is invisible, and reveals His thought.
9. For the eye sees His works, and the ear hears His thought.
10. It is He who made the earth broad, and placed the waters in the sea.
11. He expanded the heaven, and fixed the stars.
12. And He fixed the creation and set it up, then He rested from His works.
13. And created things run according to their courses, and work their works, for they can never cease nor fail.
14. And the hosts are subject to His Word.
15. The reservoir of light is the sun, and the reservoir of darkness is the night.
16. For He made the sun for the day so that it will be light; but night brings darkness over the face of the earth.
17. And by their portion one from another they complete the beauty of God.
18. And there is nothing outside of the Lord, because He was before anything came to be.
19. And the worlds are by His Word, and by the thought of His heart.
20. Praise and honor to His name.
    Hallelujah.

(This is an early Christian (specifically gnostic) hymn, from about the second century AD. No, I'm not particularly gnostic, but this hymn doesn't strike me as very gnostic either (yes, I'm basing that on a quick peruse of wikipedia). This version of Odes of Solomon 16 came from The Gnostic Society Library)

Psalm 116

God is faithful. We should love God because of the good that He's done in the past. But isn't that a bit selfish? Shouldn't we love God because He's the Creator and Ruler of the universe and the Savior and because He died for me? I guess those all fall into the first category, of loving God just for what He's done for me. Also all still loving God for what He's done, not who He is. But how would we know who He was if not through His actions? How would we know who anyone was? Our actions define us, define how others see us. It's easier to praise God for His actions--those are things that we've experiences, concrete experiences--as opposed to praising a character trait, something a bit vague and something I may or may not have experienced. But when we praise a character trait, what are we doing but thinking of all the times we've experienced that trait in our relationship with God? I know that's what I do.

"Remember"

I've been reading through some of Deuteronomy right now, and the thing that really struck me this time is how much God reminds the Israelites to remember Him and what He's done for them. That's something that I've been thinking about too, lately--it's so important to remember God and who He is, not just in the bible but also who He's been in my life. I need to remember not only that He saved the Israelites from slavery and died for me, but also the comfort and joy He's given me and the fact that He saved me personally from my sin.

Comfort in Isaiah

I've been struggling lately with my faith. Well, it's not that I've been doubting, it's more that I don't feel God as close as I was feeling Him, and I've had some very uncomfortable questions. I'm tired, and more than just physically. I had creepy dreams last night, but it was still hard to get up--there's something so alluring about evil when you're not thinking straight.

Then I started my reading in Isaiah. It was so, so unbelievably comforting:
-"I'm the one who promises it; I'm here." Isaiah 52:6 (CEB)
-"But my righteousness will last forever." Isaiah 51:8 (NIV)
-"He was pierced because of our rebellions and crushed because of our crimes. He bore the punishment that made us whole; by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

Hallelujah, that we serve a living God!!

Sabbath

I took today as a Sabbath (well, it was more of a half Sabbath), as I often do on Sundays. It was, honestly, an amazing Sabbath. I spent the day sleeping in, praying, reading the Bible, spending time with friends, reading fun books, talking with my family back home, and reflecting. It was the most refreshing Sabbath I've had in a long, long time. Thank You, God!!