Archive - June 4, 2009

How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Psalm 17 – Beholding the face of God

[The wicked] is like a lion that is eager to tear, And as a young lion lurking in hiding places. Arise, O LORD, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword, From men with Your hand, O LORD, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes. As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.

I suspect that David is speaking of awaking from death in the last line, but I am not certain. My first reaction was to ask myself what I was thinking of when I went to sleep last night, and what I was thinking of when I woke up this morning. Have I ever been satisfied with the likeness of God when I awake? How far do I get into my day before I think about God?

I suspect it would be a good practice to end each day by attempting to fall asleep while meditating on God. I suspect it would affect your sleep, your dreams, how you awake the next morning, and how you interact with God throughout your day. The struggle for me is taking the time to remember God. I need to make my encounters with God more daily and less when-I-get-around-to-it.