Ad majorem Dei gloriam. For the greater glory of God. Many Christians have already written AMDG on top of their thesis, book, diary, or maybe even on the first board of a home to build - or a Church. AMDG it is the older (and presumably more thoughtful) version of WWID - or the answer to WWID if you like. AMDG is not just a motto (of the Society of Jesus - the 'Jesuits'), but a phrase coined by the founder of this society, Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), a man described by Pope Benedict XVI as someone who gave God the first place in his life, a man of profound prayer too. Besides that, there is another thing that reminds me of Rebecca St James: Ignatius wrote his Spiritual Exercises, basically a simple and straightforward approach to practical meditation and prayer, designed to be carried out over a period of one month (28 to 30 days).
Rebecca and her 40 days with God book(s) have nothing to do with the Jesuits as an organization, but of course we know her as a Jesus-follower. Her 40 days books are not meant to be read under strict conditions of meditation, but they have some kind of meditative character too. They are more direct, more meant as 'meditation by example' (which fits with our time) - they are written from an evangelical tradition, not a Roman Catholic one. However, mind you: Protestants have been interested in Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises too, and in 2006, an adapted version of these meditations appeared, for usage by Protestants. Contemplative prayer has had a growing interest during the last decade - maybe particularly since nine eleven.
For the greater glory of God. It strongly reminds of Rebecca's song For The Love Of God (Written By Rebecca St. James and Matt Bronleewe, 2000 - Transform album):
[Chorus]
For the love of God
Let this be my motivation
For the love of God
In this love I'm recreated
For the love of God
It's the reason for giving love away
For the love of God
God has such a huge place in many other songs: the Song (and Album) simply titled God, the album Worship God. Songs like God Of Wonders, Lamb Of God, Yes I Believe In God are about assurance; a song like God Help Me is more about reassurance.
There is a whole landscape of feelings about God in these songs, be it in words written by Rebecca herself, or in songs written by others, she selected for her albums. Just a selection, based on finding the word God in these songs:
Joy in God, praise: "We behold the Lamb of God ... The risen Lamb, the Son of God" (And We Behold Him); "For He is risen, Seated upon the throne, He is the Lamb of God ... He is the precious Lamb of God" (Blessing, Honour); "My God is there - His light is there to follow - Back to the quiet waters - I know he cares" (Way Up Here); "It's God, truly God - Can you see can you hear can you touch can you feel" (God); "Beautiful Savior my God, my friend" (A Cradle Prayer); "God I lift You high - You are my Abba" (Abba Father); "The extravagant love of God ... God loved us, And through His grace He gave us shining hope" (Omega); "The Son of God and Light of the world" (Expressions Of Your Love); "such grace could only come from God" (Go And Sin No More); "May the words of my mouth Please you dear God" (Mirror); "God of wonders beyond our galaxy" (God Of Wonders); "God will carry us" (I'll Carry You); "Lamb of God, Holy You are" (Lamb Of God); "Sing all ye citizens of heav'n above - Glory to God" (O Come All Ye Faithful); "The heavens declare You are God - And the mountains rejoice" (Song Of Love).
Longing for God: "And I'm longing for that place way up high - Where God's air is sweet and I touch the sky" (Way Up Here); "God, You alone can forgive me - erase my fear and my doubt ... God let me not be distracted Lord help me focus on you" (Go And Sin No More); "My heart and flesh cry out For You, the living God" (Better Is One Day); "Here I am to say that You're my God" (Here I Am To Worship); "They can point their fingers, Push me nearer to the flame; God, You can save me from the fire" (Carry Me High); "Restore me and draw me to you, God ... You're near me - You love me - You hold me - You reach me - You still me - You move me - You draw me to you, God - You are God!" (Peace); "Son of God we pray we may reach thee - May we live in peace we beseech thee" (Jesu' Joy Of Man's Desiring); "Merciful God - We confess that we have not loved You with our whole heart ... And we cry out for you God" (Merciful); "God, I'm so in need of grace ... God we praise You for Your grace - Before You we are raised - Forgiven" (Forgive Me).
Responsibility, encouragement: "There are millions in this world today - Searching for something that can take away the pain - Why don't we show them a little of God's love?" (Little Bit Of Love); "The power of God is a mighty force, That breaks the strength of the enemy ... God didn't give me a spirit of fear ... I'll stand to fight, With all God's might, Now turning darkness into light" (The Rock Medley); "God asks the question, 'Whom shall I send?' - Now what will we answer? ... Lord I give myself to you, my God I trust you ... teach me my God" (Here I Am); "Fear God and do exactly what He says
That's what matters" (That's What Matters; from the Bible book of Ecclesiastes), and "Life holds new meaning - When God becomes the center of it all" (same song); "That You the God of creation say - I've got this power in me" (In Me); "This is our time to believe - To know in our God we are free" (Stand); "Mean it death or mean it life - Oh, I believe in God - For I have found the way" (Yes, I Believe In God); "God, I hear You calling out to me" (Beautiful Stranger).
Insightful contemplation about God: "I feel the touch of God's loving hand
Restoring me in ways I can't understand" (Way Up Here); "We're never gonna see God if we keep looking for vogue" (We Don't Need It); "He was God but one of us" (A Cold Heart Turns); "You are the true God the one living Lord" (Speak To Me); "You are God in Heaven And here I am on earth - So I'll let my words be few" (Let My Words Be Few); "Be still and know you are God ... " (Peace); "Oh Lord my God, You walk beside me - Through the laughter, through the tears, Oh Lord my God, You hold and You hide me" (My Hope); "God help me see what You see - The diamond in the stone" (Beautiful Stranger); "God, it hurts to give You what I must lay down - But when I let go, freedom's found - God, it hurts to give You what I've held so dear - Because of Your love it's clear - I can trust You with this" (I Can Trust You); "For you are a friend who loves at all times - I thank God for you" (singing about a close friend, on I Need You - maybe the only song where Rebecca so directly hints at human relationships being so very important too, next to a close relationship with God); "Everybody asks, 'Is God good?' I believe, He is - In fact I know, He is" (You Are Loved).
What a stockpile of excitement and incitement we have here! And all of this wrapped in songs which themselves have clearly been created as pieces of art Ad majorem Dei gloriam.
Let us get crazy about all these things. Crazy about God. What a source of power and love He is. Even when I don't feel it, I can 'objectify' sorrows or fear to a certain extent, in order to see them in perspective, in a context where God has a place too. Contemplation and prayer helps in this process. Rebecca's albums are in themselves Spiritual Exercises. Add so many other artists to it - there is a lot of good music out there. Maybe we don't use the full potential of it. Maybe we could treat every good Christian album as a 40 days with God exercise?
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