Faith + Purity + Prayer
I love the library.
My friend says, "It's sort of like shopping only everything is FREE." It has been a long time since I sat and watched a DVD that I borrowed from the library, but I wasn't feeling well tonight and decided to stay home and relax. Watching a movie was the perfect way to do just that.
The DVD was a Canadian film called Saint Ralph. Set in 1953 and 1954 in Hamilton, Ontario, Saint Ralph is about a 14-year-old Catholic schoolboy named Ralph Walker.
And Ralph is determined to work on all three.
No, this is not a true story. And I'm not mentioning it so that you run out and rent this low budget Canadian film. In fact, I'm not even recommending it. It is probably not worth the cost of the rental.
But watching this movie did make me think about the combination of faith, purity and prayer.
Why does it seem like we can be strong in one of those areas, or perhaps even two. But often we fall short of seeing all three at the top of their game. Even the disciples ran into this problem:
My friend says, "It's sort of like shopping only everything is FREE." It has been a long time since I sat and watched a DVD that I borrowed from the library, but I wasn't feeling well tonight and decided to stay home and relax. Watching a movie was the perfect way to do just that.
The DVD was a Canadian film called Saint Ralph. Set in 1953 and 1954 in Hamilton, Ontario, Saint Ralph is about a 14-year-old Catholic schoolboy named Ralph Walker.
Ralph learned in Father Hibbert's religion class that there are three criteria to making a miracle: faith, purity and prayer.Ralph's father is dead, and his mother Emma is gravely ill. Told it will take a miracle to bring his mother out of her coma, Ralph is in search of one. When Father Hibbert cracks a joke about the cross-country team training for the Boston Marathon, Ralph misunderstands and takes him seriously. The priest tries to correct Ralph's misperception by saying, "Anyone on this team winning the Boston Marathon would be a miracle to match the loaves and fishes." That's all Ralph needs to hear. He figures if he can win Boston, he'll have the miracle necessary to wake his mother.
And Ralph is determined to work on all three.
No, this is not a true story. And I'm not mentioning it so that you run out and rent this low budget Canadian film. In fact, I'm not even recommending it. It is probably not worth the cost of the rental.
But watching this movie did make me think about the combination of faith, purity and prayer.
Why does it seem like we can be strong in one of those areas, or perhaps even two. But often we fall short of seeing all three at the top of their game. Even the disciples ran into this problem:
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."Sheesh! The Lord of heaven and earth, who is about to be crucified for the sins of the world, asks you to keep an eye out - and you can't even keep an eye OPEN!
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping!
"Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."Watch. And Pray. "Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." [1 Timothy 4:12]
This entry was posted
on Friday, April 28, 2006 at 11:25 PM.
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3:57 AMdo you think the purity that we are supposed to set an example for is primarily an internal or an external thing?
12:44 PM
Tricky question. Here's why: my first response is that it is primarily an internal (matter of the heart) purity. Two often we try to live a pure life to please the expectations of others. I do NOT believe that is the kind of purity God wants us to obtain.
Which is why the movie I watched was relevant. At first, Ralph was trying to stay pure because it was a rule in his church. Been there. Tried that. DOESN'T WORK! Attempting to please "men" that way only breeds guilt and despair - the very things that Jesus came to abolish.
"...a pure heart - a steadfast spirit within me." [Psalm 51:10]
"He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false." [Psalm 24:4]
There is much more to it, and it is primarily a matter of the heart.
On the other hand, the verse I mentioned in the blog, 1 Timothy 4:12, encourages us to set an EXAMPLE in purity. Again, this is bigger than choosing to rent a "cleaner" movie because you're with someone from the church. This kind of purity involves your attitudes, motives, etc., and is seen in all of the choices you make.
1:57 AM
I believe that if you are trying to set an example it should be an internal thing. You should do it because you think it is the right thing to do.
You see some guy needs help gettin his groceries into his car, you go help him because you think it's the right thing to do, not because you think somebody else wants you to do it. About 2 months ago I was at Church (Incedentally I was there to see you play, Paul) and some guy walked into the church off the road and he was walkin around askin people for change. I gave him everything I had on me without thinking twice. This isn't me saying that I'm a better person than anybody else but if I woulda had to wait for him to leave and sit there and wait for somebody else (Be it the voice in my head, Jimminy Cricket, Elvis or God) to tell me to go chase him down to hook him up with some Horton's money (Coffee money for those not in the know) then it would no longer be my decision to help him out.
Like I said, you do things cause you want to do them, not because somebody says you should. I've read the Bible before, I even used to go to church every sunday from when I was knee high to a grasshopper until I was about 12 or so, and I got to tell you I don't think that there is a difference between the kid I was and the person I am. I gave before and I still do and I always will. That's just the way I am, nobody had to tell me to do it, I just do
5:06 AM
I love libraries too :)
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