I can only imagine

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

This beautiful prayer was written by Dag Hammarskjöld.  Hammarskjöld was called "the greatest statesman of our century" by President John F. Kennedy. He served as the second Secretary General of the United Nations and gained a reputation as a peacemaker.

The last stanza of the prayer is the one that strikes my heart, particularly: "Give me a pure heart-that I may see you".  This is straight out of the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount - "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8).  I cannot envision what that moment will look like, but the band MercyMe sings a song called  "I Can Only Imagine".  The lyrics go like this:

I can only imagine

What it will be like

When I walk

By Your side

I can only imagine

What my eyes will see

When Your face

Is before me

I can only imagine

{Chorus}:

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel

Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of You be still

Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

When that day comes

And I find myself

Standing in the Son

I can only imagine

When all I will do

Is forever

Forever worship You

I can only imagine

I love that.

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace to you today,

Bruce

You who are over us,

You who are one of us,

You who are also within us,

May all see you in me also.

May I prepare the way for you,

May I thank you for all

that shall fall to my lot,

May I also not forget the needs of others.

Give me a pure heart-that I may see you,

A humble heart-that I may hear you,

A heart of love-that I may serve you,

A heart of faith-that I may abide in you. 

Amen.

- Dag Hammarskjøld

(http://praying.kansasbob.com/2010/07/beautiful-prayer.html)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca