GOD BE IN MY HEAD
God be in my head and in my understanding.
God be in my eyes and in my looking.
God be in my mouth and in my speaking.
God be in my heart and in my thinking.
God be at my end and at my departing.
Sarum Primer
God be in my head and in my understanding
One of the latest phrases is “__________living rent free in my head” when we constantly think about someone or something. We don’t seem to be able to stop thinking about them, impacting on our ability to deal with any other thoughts. We go over and over what was said or done, replaying conversations and actions taken. This endless loop drains us emotionally and physically.
If we allow God into our heads s/he directs our thoughts bringing wisdom and clarity to the situations we are dealing with. With God’s understanding we can stop the endless replay and move on, bringing a sense of peace and stillness. We become less tired as we are expending less energy. Sounds so simple doesn’t it. It takes self-awareness, courage, intention, and perseverance to do so. To be kind to oneself is not selfishness but rather self-care. If we don’t look after ourselves, how can we look after others, or function in relationships, both personal and work.
God be in my eyes and in my looking
To look with God’s eyes means we see deeper and clearer. It’s not a superficial or cursory look which often sees what it wants to see. It is a deep penetrating look which looks with wisdom, understanding and compassion. When we look at people with God’s eyes, we see beyond the mask they wear and are aware of the authentic self. For some that mask is one they have worn to protect themselves from societal prejudices, or deep-seated hurt from abusive relationships, or overwhelming loss. There are many reasons we wear masks. Our response should be one of love, acceptance and reassurance allowing the other to slowly drop the mask. Imagine looking into the eyes of Jesus and seeing pure love shown to you. That is what we are called to do.
When we look through God’s eyes at situations in the news, we see more than what the media portrays. We look with discernment beyond the sensational headlines before we rush into a making a response. The “real” story is revealed to us with God’s understanding. World poverty, social injustice, areas at war, environmental issues, political upheavals, corruption, and the list goes on when seen through God’s eyes compel action. We cannot sit by and do nothing if our eyes are truly opened to the human misery we witness.
God be in my mouth and in my speaking
If God is in our speaking, then slander, and abuse do not pass our lips. We don’t speak unkind words or words of anger which are meant to hurt but rather words of encouragement, kindness, and love. God’s words are about building people up and not knocking them down.
It does not mean there are no words of challenge or reproof. However, these words come from wisdom and understanding. Challenge with integrity but not abuse. There are so many words of vitriolic hate being thrown around which saddens my heart. When the young gay people of Orlando were shot and killed the world responded with words of love and solidarity, something I had not witnessed before on such a scale. Four days later Jo Cox, the MP for Batley was murdered and again there were words of love and compassion. The world was reminded of her words “that we have more in common than that which divides us.” My heart was warmed, and I thought the world was becoming a better place. Then came the Brexit vote and we saw the lid lift off the hate towards those who were perceived to be different. Suddenly it seemed to be okay to spew words of such vitriol accompanied by violence. We see so much hate spewed across social media, newspapers and TV screens today.
I was bullied as a child and my mother, trying to comfort me said, “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” She was wrong because they do. They can lead people to suicide. Words have power and we need to challenge those who abuse the privilege of free speech. Think before you speak.
God be in my heart and in my thinking
It is interesting that this line does not say “feeling’ rather than “thinking”. We are often asked the question “Are you ruled by your head or your heart?” but this line reminds me that we are to be ruled by a balance between the two. If only ruled by our heart we are in danger of rushing in, making mistakes, not seeing a clearer picture. “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” However, if we only employ our mind, we run into the danger of being cold and clinical and miss the point. God is not a cold dispassionate Creator. S/he requires us to love with our heart, mind, and soul. Our whole being and not just part of us should engage in life.
God be at my end and my departing
God promised to be with us always as did Jesus. As our earthly life draws to a close, we are assured of comfort and a guiding hand of companionship. We do not go alone into the dark night. Many fear impending death for fear of the unknown. Jesus acts as our guide and companion on this last journey, saying “Come, follow me, I know the way, I’ve been before many times.”
Leonora
