A Note from Hixon Frank
Hey Church!
Despite my rugged appearance, obvious masculinity, and the fact that I usually drive a pick-up, I must get something off of my chest. (burly and manly though it may be 😉 )
Simply put … I really like poetry! Depending on your generation, I think it’s “the bee’s knees,” “groovy,” “bodacious,” “rad,” “lit,” and/or “bussin’.” Just so we are all on the same proverbial page!
From Shakespeare, Poe, and Longfellow to Whitman, Angelou, and Black (Baxter Black that is);I like them all! I’m definitely no expert and can’t really explain what a haiku is… but give me a good limerick, sonnet, or narrative and I’m your guy.
While taking a few days off last week, I decided, for reasons I can’t fully explain, to read a book that has been on my list for years, G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy. G.K. Chesterton was an English writer, poet, philosopher, and Christian apologist who died almost 90 years ago. The book is a fascinating combination of poetic creativity, and heavy theological lifting. I cannot help but think most people who reference Chesterton’s masterpiece have not read it in its entirety, but have “cherry picked” quotes or even chapters from its rich pages.
I don’t blame them… it is a laborious task, requiring focus and attention, and often, as in my case, many moments to pause to just comprehend what was written. I did indeed finish the book, though I must confess the last few chapters were a blur.
I know this article is not intended to be a “book club” but if you are a reader, enjoy poetry, or want to be challenged in your faith, I recommend G.K. Chesterton’s seminal work, Orthodoxy.
One of the most impactful quotes in the book is as follows… (for best results, read the following with a British accent. Think Sherlock Holmes. Pipe, ascot and smoking jacket are optional.)
“Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings, gifts of toys or sweets. Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he put in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs? We thank people for birthday presents of cigars and slippers. Can I thank no one for the birthday present of birth?”
G.K. Chesterton
Another amazing writer, though not a poet in the strictest sense, the Apostle Paul wrote in
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
So… pray with thanksgiving and have peace. Sounds simple right?
But what most of us do is tack an “and thank you God for….” on the end of our prayers, before a meal or while thinking of what else to pray.
But Paul is talking about CAUSE and EFFECT.
In EVERYTHING pray with thanksgiving. In EVERYTHING?
How am I supposed to be thankful for …
- The first holiday season since my spouse died…
- A bad medical report
- My kids are far from the Lord
- More month left than money to cover it…
- Job struggles
- Betrayal
- Stress
- Anger
Saying that you should thank God FOR those things would be silly… (Though arguably those things can bring us closer to the Lord.) We are to thank God IN those things.
What if the heartfelt words at the beginning of your every prayer went something like this….
“Father, thank You for breath in my lungs and for another day to glorify You. You have given me salvation, strength, reason, and growth. You have placed/allowed circumstances in my life that I don’t want but I believe You are who you say you are. You are the great physician. You are the provider. You are You are sufficient even when I am heartbroken and lonely. Even when the way is uncertain, I am secure in You. Thank You for walking with me through these days. You know my heart and what I need. Guard my mouth that I may be gracious, kind and at some point Father, allow me to REJOICE in these days.”
A heartfelt prayer like the one above will result in being GUARDED by God’s Peace. You see… a prayer like that draws us into closeness with the Father… Closeness with the Father can only move us toward Peace. He is, after all, the Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6) And He has promised he will guard us in that Peace!
Struggling with peace?
Drowning in loneliness?
Don’t see a bright future?
Hard time forgiving others?
Can’t stop striving?
Instead of trying to fix those areas of our lives… maybe we should start by simply being thankful. Discipline ourselves to be thankful, deeply thankful. Not so much for the “gift in the stocking,” but for the legs that go in the socks.
That is often where God will meet you with inexplicable peace!
Tis the season,
Hixon