A Prayer to Start the Week

Since I started this blogging thing, a lot of my day dreaming has been spent wondering what I should make of this site.

Should I use the blog to keep family and friends up-to-date with what's going on in my life? Should this be about God and Scripture and church and history and all things religious (the sorts of things I focus on)? Should it be the "Extra" edition of the church bulletin for the congregation where I preach?

For now, I've decided that it's likely going to be a hodge podge of all of the above, and maybe more. But there's one commitment that I'm making today: I plan to post a prayer to start the work week every Monday. If no one else sees and prays it, I will. If someone else prays along with me, all the better.

For the first several Mondays, I'll pray some prayers of Augustine. Born in 354, Augustinus Aurelius rejected Christian orthodoxy in his youth. But in his later years, he embraced the faith of his mother, Monica, and of the mentor who baptized him, Ambrose of Milan. From there, Augustine eventually returned to his homeland of North Africa, established a monastery, became the Bishop of Hippo, and served that diocese for thirty-four years until his death in 430.

To be sure, Augustine never rejected what I see as an unhealthy dualism. Nevertheless, he's rightly regarded as one of the greatest Christian thinkers ever.

Augustine rarely composed a prayer for public reading or personal use. Instead, his prayers are found scattered throughout his many writings on Scripture and the theological questions of his day. Evidently, Augustine frequently came to that point where speaking about God and the things of God naturally led him to speak to God. Like this . . .

"O God, you know our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking. Let us be free from all anxious thoughts for tomorrow; make us content with your good gifts; and confirm our faith, that as we seek your kingdom, you will not deny us any good thing."

For we ask through Christ the Lord, Amen.