Because I have real doubts about the existence of a providential God who monitors life on earth each second of each day, praying is not a frequent exercise for me. One has only to focus on the history of mankind right up until the modern day to question the presence of a caring, loving God who will intercede in times of trial and tribulation only if you pray to Him. (Although I am beginning to wonder about the fortuitous series of events that have occurred to ensure the election of an African-American to the Presidency of a country that enslaved African-Americans over 300 years ago. Either John McCain must have infuriated God pretty badly or Oprah Winfrey does have a direct conduit to God).
I pray for strength only. Strength-----to endure whatever hardships life holds in store for me and my loved ones. But there is one prayer that has really made an impression on me because it delivers a basic message that characterizes the Christian faith as it is or should be. So forgive me for praying on a blog but I'm sure that St. Paul wont mind and besides I believe that the copyright on it has run out. Read it to yourself or out loud several times to internalize its message.
If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.
And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains,but have not love, I am nothing.
And if I dole out all my goods, and if I deliver my body that I may boast but have not love, nothing I am profited.
Love is long suffering, love is kind, it is not jealous, love does not boast, it is not inflated. It is not discourteous, it is not selfish, it is not irritable, it does not enumerate the evil. It does not rejoice over the wrong,but rejoices in the truth It covers all things, it has faith for all things,it hopes in all things, it endures in all things.Love never falls in ruins;but whether prophecies, they will be abolished; or tongues, they will cease; or knowledge, it will be superseded.For we know in part and we prophecy in part. But when the perfect comes, the imperfect will be superseded.
When I was an infant,I spoke as an infant, I reckoned as an infant; when I became [an adult], I abolished the things of the infant. For now we see through a mirror in an enigma, but then face to face.Now I know in part, but then I shall know as also I was fully known. But now remains faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
1 corinthians 13:1-13
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