Augustine’s Confessions, Reading 1
In God’s searching presence, Augustine undertakes to plumb the depths of his memory to trace the mysterious pilgrimage of grace that his life has been -- and to praise God for his constant and omnipotent grace. In a mood of sustained prayer, he recalls what he can of his infancy, his learning to speak, and his childhood experiences in school. He concludes with a paean of grateful praise to God.
CHAPTER I
1. “You are great, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is your power, and infinite is your wisdom.” And man desires to praise you, for he is a part of your creation; he bears his mortality about with him and carries the evidence of his sin and the proof that you resist the proud. Still he desires to praise you, this man who is only a small part of your creation. You have prompted him, that he should delight to praise you, for you have made us for yourself and restless is our heart until it comes to rest in you. Grant me, O Lord, to know and understand whether first to invoke you or to praise you; whether first to know you or call upon you. But who can invoke you, knowing you not? For he who knows you not may invoke you as another than you are. It may be that we should invoke you in order that we may come to know you. But “how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe without a preacher?” Now, “they shall praise the Lord who seek him,” for “those who seek shall find him,” and, finding him, shall praise him. I will seek you, O Lord, and call upon you. I call upon you, O Lord, in my faith that you have given me, which you have inspired in me through the humanity of your Son, and through the ministry of your preacher.
Outler, Albert, C., Translator and editor. Augustine Confessions. Holiness Data Ministry, Digital Edition, 1999. Abridged and modernized English by Floyd T. Cunningham, 2003. All journaling assignments in this module are from Augustine Confessions and are from this source and are in the public domain.
I think the phrase that stood out most to me in that paragraph was "restless is our hearts until they come to rest in you". You can't speak to any truth more than that! This world is nothing but huge examples of different avenues that people try to find rest in. Money, fame, fortune, power, drugs, sex, all of these things do not provide the rest that comes from knowing God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Just recently, a retired professional football player was picked up for Statutory Rape. This man had it all: fame, fortune, multiple homes, respect, and a legacy that preceded him. He played football before I was even old enough to understand it, yet I know his name, the team he played for, and the things that made him famous. Yet all these things in their earthly brilliance were not enough to give rest to this man's heart. He unfortunately tried to find it in the hands of a young woman whom he "thought was 19". Sadly enough, this is another example of the restless heart of humanity, that as Augustine says, only finds true rest in God through his Son Jesus Christ, our lord and savior.
1 comment:
I stumbled across your blog and I wanted to leave a quick comment - I really enjoyed reading this post. I recently heard a sermon by Charles Swindoll that spoke on this subject. People turn to all kinds of worldly things today in order to 'find' themselves and their happiness. But as Chuck pointed out - it's only after you 'find' God and spend time getting to know Him with His Word that you are equipped to find yourself, the person God intended you to be. "Restless is our hearts until they come to rest in you." Very well put :) I look forward to reading more. Have a blessed week.
Trish
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