October 24 1994

ARTICLE TOOLS

Find similar articles E-mail this page

REFLECTIONS: Classic and contemporary excerpts

FOREVER OUT OF STEP?

The Rev. Andrew Greeley's first two laws of the church: (1) "When other people have abandoned something, we discover it"; (2) "When people discover something wonderful that we have, we have just abandoned it."

- Cited by Michael Leach in

"America" (May 2, 1992)

PRAYER THAT IS PERSONAL

When we pray for ourselves, our petitions usually center around what we think we need or what we are sure so-and-so needs. God sees needs in our lives that are far more urgent than those we have written on our heavenly supermarket list and daily present to our "Need-Meeter" in the sky. Our need for changed attitudes, a new acceptance of someone we have been rejecting, our need to be "cut down to size"-these are not things we pray for too readily. On the other hand, we do find we can pray these things for other people!

- Jill Briscoe in

"Before You Say 'Amen' "

LIVING OUR PRAYERS

Our lives must be as holy as our prayers. Our prayers are to prove their reality by the fruit they bear in the holiness of our life. True devotion in prayer will assuredly be rewarded, by God's grace, with the power to live a life of true devotion to Him and His service.

- Andrew Murray in

"Aids to Devotion"

BECOME AS CHILDREN

Now, as always, God discovers Himself to "babes" and hides Himself in thick darkness from the wise and the prudent. We must simplify our approach to Him. We must strip down to essentials (and they will be found to be blessedly few). We must put away all effort to impress, and come with the guileless candor of childhood. If we do this, without doubt God will quickly respond.

- A. W. Tozer in

"The Pursuit of God"

BEYOND RATIONALISTIC TRUTHS

In our time we cannot overemphasize that theology can ...