Pilgrims and Puritans.

Due to several delays and a resulting missed flight connection, today I had the opportunity to read pretty much all of Nathaniel Philbrick's book Mayflower. The book struck me as quite similar to 1776 with lengthy descriptions of battles, marches, cold, near-starvation, etc. But it also helped to fill in a lot for me, as my knowledge of American history kind of skips over from the First Thanksgiving (which according to the book, wasn't even called that) to Paul Revere. It was also fascinating to read about the strength of the Pilgrims' convictions... I wonder how my faith would hold up under similar testing.

Anyway, I give the book one and a half thumbs up for informativeness... though I wish the author would have provided a little more narration about the facts of daily life during the first years in Plymouth (I just got the impression that most people died... maybe that's why not a lot of information is available), and about the Puritans (who founded Boston, as opposed to the Pilgrims, who were at Plymouth) and maybe condensed all the war stuff a bit.

If anyone is interested in borrowing my copy... let me know!

How much longer?

Carolyn McCulley posted a very poignant letter she received (details changed to obscure identities) and her response on her blog today. In the letter, a never-married 39-year-old expresses her pain at having remained single so long, and questions whether she should consider marrying a non-Christian for companionship. "How much longer?" she asks.

Part of the remedy which Carolyn suggests is the fellowship of other believers. Reading this, I am so thankful for the community which God has graciously provided me through my church friends, and other Christian friends. At certain moments we all need encouragement, and God commands us to bear one another's burdens in these times (Gal. 6:2). I am also humbled to realize the power of loneliness to overwhelm us, causing us to rationalize behavior which God forbids. I certainly do not consider myself immune to the temptation this woman is facing.

May God continue to heal us of our pride, our self-pity, our "entitlement" mindset in regards to marriage (or any of His other blessings); and may we continually turn back to Jesus and His finished work on the cross.

Also appropriate to this topic...

This hymn is on the adjacent page in the Trinity Hymnal to one of the hymns we sang in church yesterday ("Be Thou My Vision"). I had never noticed it before. I copied the words down during the offering. (Yes, I know that I am supposed to be using that time to meditate on how I can offer myself to God beyond just writing a check. Anyway.)

How long wilt Thou forget me, O Lord, Thou God of grace?
How long shall fears beset me, while darkness hides Thy face?
How long shall griefs distress me and turn my day to night?
How long shall foes oppress me and triumph in their might?

O Lord my God, behold me, and hear my earnest cries;
Lest sleep of death enfold me, enlighten Thou mine eyes;
Lest now my foe insulting should boast of his success,
And enemies exulting rejoice in my distress.

But I with expectation have on Thy grace relied;
My heart in Thy salvation shall still with joy confide;
And I with voice of singing will praise the Lord above,
Who, richest bounties bringing, has dealt with me in love.

--Arthur Mann, after Psalm 13

Divided loyalties/more on prayer.

My pastor is preaching through the life of Elijah and this past Sunday our sermon was based on 1 Kings 18:16-24:

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions?" If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.
-1 Kings 18:21

We were challenged in the sermon to identify what are our personal "Baals," and to pray for God's mercy to heal us of our idolatry, our divided loyalties. ("No one can serve two masters" -Matthew 6:24.) My personal idols include the usual stuff: marriage, motherhood, the esteem of non-Christian colleagues and acquaintances, my car (nicknamed "Precious"), having a beautiful home, etc.

Anyway, I "cheated" and read ahead in the story.

Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning to noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made... Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
-1 Kings 18:25-26, 29

Reading this, I was struck not by the fact that the LORD eventually shows up Baal's prophets and vindicates Himself as the true, living God (we knew He would). But I was realized that so often my prayers resemble those of the prophets of Baal. So often I feel as though I need to "pray harder" or show myself to be "more fervent" in order to get His attention. Maybe I think He is "...deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened?" (1 Kings 18:27)

So to whom am I really praying when I attempt to maniuplate, control, bribe, and bargain with God in this way? To the LORD, or to some made-up Santa Claus who needs continuous reminding of the fact that I'm on the "nice" list and therefore deserve lots of presents?

Hmm.

I'll be very interested to hear what Pastor George has to say on this passage, next week.