Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Pursuit of God

One of my goals for over the next couple of months is to read. A lot. I plan to post the tentative reading list soon, but until then, I want to share a prayer that is in the early pages of the first book I'm tackling: The Pursuit of God, by A. W. Tozer. I bought this book a few years ago, and spotted it at the back of my bookshelf when I was packing things up last week. I decided it was time for a re-read.

Below is one of Tozer's prayers that I really loved, from the end of a chapter titled, "Following Hard after God." I found the prayer to be an amazing reminder that, as a Christian, I ought to be constantly striving for a deeper relationship with God. Here it is (with emphasis added)--

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me 
and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of 
my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. 
O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long 
to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty 
still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may 
know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love 
within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, 
and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee 
up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.

Maybe that prayer touched you, too, and maybe it didn't. In any case, happy last-day-of-January! I'll try to post that reading list soon!
~M


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