December 18, 2019 | Psalm 42

This passage reminds me of an excerpt of the poem Desire of God by Frederick W. Faber:

“But none honors God like the thirst of desire,

Nor possesses the heart so completely with Him;

For it burns the world out with the swift ease of fire,

And fills life with good works till it runs o’er the brim.

 

Then pray for desire, for love’s wistfulest yearning,

For the beautiful pining of holy desire;

Yes, pray for a soul that is ceaselessly burning

With the soft, fragrant flames of this thrice happy fire.”

Dear God,

Thank You for giving us this season of advent, a time to slow down and to remember, to be mindful and to wait.  Help us, this day, to rest in the comfort of your coming Son and the joy of the holiday.  But more than this, God, hear us as we pray with the poet Faber, that we may more fully know the beautiful pining of holy desire and that our souls may ceaselessly burn in our love and hope for You.
Amen.

Lauren Willis, ’21