August 4, 2003

SPIRITUALLY MALNOURISHED?

I’ve had a little book on my shelf for over forty years. It’s title is He Sent Leanness, and the subtitle is “A Book of Prayers for the Natural Man.” The author, David Head, writes from an Anglican liturgical perspective, but his words also unmask the hypocrisy and superficiality of some of our “low-church” Baptist prayers.

David Head opens the book with a tongue-in-cheek “author’s prayer” of his own:

“Grant, I beseech Thee, that all who read this book may be conscious of the deep spiritual insight of the writer;

that the sale of this book may result in a nice little nest-egg, even after income tax has been deducted;

that copies of this book, nicely bound, may make an impressive sight in the study, on the bookshelf which is level with the eye;

that amid all the congratulatory applause, the writer may be conspicuously humble.”

This is a foretaste of the kinds of “prayers” that fill the book’s pages. Here’s an example:

A General Confession

“Benevolent and easy-going Father: we have occasionally been guilty of errors of judgement. We have lived under the deprivations of heredity and the disadvantages of environment. We have sometimes failed to act in accordance with common sense. We have done the best we could in the circumstances; And have been careful not to ignore the common standards of decency; And we are glad to think that we are fairly normal. Do thou, O Lord, deal lightly with our infrequent lapses. Be thy own sweet Self with those who admit they are not perfect; according to the unlimited tolerance which we have a right to expect from thee. And grant as an indulgent Parent that we may hereafter continue to live a harmless and happy life and keep our self-respect.

“O God, we have considerable doubts in our minds about the way You are running the universe.
Is there any chance that You will show Your mercy to us, O Lord?

“We see all kinds of things in the world that do not please us.
Do you think You could do something about it, O God?

“From a universe where things can be extremely unpleasant,
Deliver us, Good Lord.

“From everything that calls from us courage and endurance,
Deliver us, Good Lord.

“From suffering the balloon of our pride to be pricked, from suffering the castle of our self-satisfaction to be attacked, from suffering the thunder of our egotism to be stilled,
Deliver us, Good Lord.

“From all vicissitudes and deprivations that throw us back upon You,
Deliver us, Good Lord.

“We miserable owners of increasingly luxurious cars, and ever-expanding televisions screens, do most humbly pray for that two-thirds of the world’s population which is under-nourished;
You can do all things, O God.

“We who seek to maintain a shaky civilization do pray most earnestly that the countries which suffer exploitation may not be angry with the exploiters, that the hungry may not harbour resentment against those who have food, that the down-trodden may take it patiently, that nations with empty larders may prefer starvation to communism, that the ‘have not’ countries may rejoice in the prosperity of those that have, and that all people who have been deeply insulted and despised may have short memories;
You can do all things, O God.

“That the sick may be visited, the prisoner cared for, the refugee rehabilitated, the naked clothed, the orphan housed, and that we may be allowed to enjoy our own firesides, evening by evening, in peace;
You can do all things, O God.

“O Son of God, we beg, we beseech, we supplicate, we petition, we implore You to hear us.
Lord, be good to us.
Christ, make things easy for us.
Lord, deliver us from the necessity of doing anything.”

The title of this book comes from a Biblical expression of God’s exasperation with his people. In spite of God’s gracious deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, the people complained at every turn. When they didn’t get everything they wanted, they said,
“Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7)

According to a psalm that reviews the history of Israel’s spiritual failings,
“He gave them what they asked, but sent leanness to their souls.”
(Psalm 106:15, King James Version)

Is your soul “lean”? Examine your prayers.

–Pastor George Van Alstine