On Writing for God
AM Psalm 34 • PM Psalm 33
1 Kings 19:1-8 • Eph. 4:1-16 • John 6:1-14
“O magnify the Lord with me,And let us exalt God’s name together!”
This verse from today’s readings keeps coming back to me, reminding me of the thirty or so of us St. Paul's parishioners and friends who write these Morning Reflections. Each month I labor over the lectionary readings for the day, hoping something will hit me, daring to pray the hit will come from the Holy Spirit. Then, as soon as I turn my assignment in and begin to relax, here comes the e-mail with the next assignment.
I marvel at the variety of expression from day to day among the contributors. Styles vary, but substance is constant. And whether the day's reflection draws from personal experiences, from scriptural or theological studies, or from historical, cultural, or literary backgrounds, it always reveals a longing to know God and God's will better. Sometimes, as I read someone else's meditation, an answer opens up to me. Sometimes, when the writer leaves a question about the faith hanging, I say, “Oh, me too. I wonder too.” Together we ponder the deep questions and hope our readers whose names and faces we don't see will ponder along with us.
I've kept a quotation by J.F. Powers, novelist and short story writer and 1963 National Book Award winner, on our refrigerator for years: “I think it’s possible to write something that even God might like.... Not as a soul seeking salvation, but just as entertainment for God. This may be blasphemous to say, but I do believe it. I don’t think God is there and we’re here, [or that] there are no connections. I think there are connections, and I think art is certainly one.”
So when I ask myself why I, and others, write these Morning Reflections, there's the answer: we write for ourselves, we write for others, but, mostly, we write for God.
Written by Kay DuVal
Kay wants to thank all the Morning Reflection contributors, who help her start her day right.