Until yesterday, I had never told anyone this. But I revealed it to my wife, and to my surprise she didn't react with ridicule. My revelation? When I'm "doing my business", sitting on the john, rather than reading a magazine or cursing this basest of bodily functions...I pray.
No, not, "Oh, Lord, get this thing OUT OF ME!" or other cries for deliverance, just meditative prayer. Whatever's on my mind. Usually just a prayer of submission, a recognition of my lowliness and God's almighty holiness. After all, what other time are we more keenly aware of our humanness?
And if you think about it, submission is what it's all about. Our highest purpose is to submit. Read the Lord's Prayer -- "Give us this day our daily bread. Lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from evil." -- it's all a prayer of submission. It's not up to us. It's all up to God.
When the apostle Paul prayed to God for his "thorn in the flesh" to be removed, he was told: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Forget the jokes about the "spirit moving me", etc. etc.
When I'm sitting on the toilet, reminded of my humanness, reminded of everyone's humanness, I am also reminded that I am not a physical being trying to make my way to a spiritual place; I am a spiritual being making my way through a physical world.
And so I delight in my weaknesses, in my hardships, in my difficulties -- yes, even in my moments of undeniable humanity, even then.
Now to get a little fiber in my diet so that I can maintain my regularity!
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2 comments:
you aren't the only one. i do that as(s) well. i pondered how i never wanted to "squat" in junior high, because of how vulnerable i would be,...you can't dodge a wad of wet paper towels that have been launched over the partition while your pants are around your ankles! i believe this is one of the most compromising positions, so why not take advantage of your momentary humility brought about by your plumbing needing to function? i imagine great battles have been won because an opposing army attacked while their enemies were in the latrine. there is certainly nothing to be proud of there. any vainity is out the window(down the tubes?). it may not be a biblical prayer position, but then again didn't jesus say go into your (water)closet and pray?
you guys crack me up!! i've been there, and done that, but not all the time. i spend that time alone reading, most of the time.
just this week my lovely wife called me just as she left for work, and wondered why it always takes me so long to get to the phone after she leaves. well, i want to ask, "hey, you just left. what can be SO important?" (as i write this guess who calls? yes, it WAS her!) i told her that i am not misfunctioning and i do not need to go to see the doc, i am just reading.
yes, i too, don't think i ever did anything other than use a urinal in school. a very vulnerable position.
militarily i guess that is why a lot of actions happen near sunrise. most men i know hit the head just as they get up. i wonder it this has been going on since roman times?
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