Buried
I am currently reading "Jesus Mean and Wild" by Mark Galli. Kevin read it and loved it. Now I am reading it with Megan as part of our weekly meetings.
I love this book. I can't wait to post that I've finished it and add it to my list of books completed this year.
What I am finding remarkable are the number of profound and wonderful and thought-provoking and convicting quotes that keep popping up. Some of them are so challenging to me that I wonder why I've never heard them or read them before. Megan pointed out that it's probably because these delightful quotes come from some pretty old literature that we've never read and it took someone more academically inclined than I to sift through the literature, find the quotes, and highlight them for the rest of us to enjoy. The quotes are buried, but now they've come back to life.
Here are a couple of my favorites from today's reading:
"It is by warfare that the soul makes progress." ~Abba John the Dwarf
Making progress in our soul, in our life, is never an easy thing. True progress will indeed require struggle. Abba John the Dwarf (what a name!) reminds us of this fact. There is indeed a war going on between good and evil; a war going on for the state of our soul. I generally do not like such militaristic terminology, but in truth, this is what it is. No wonder life is so difficult sometimes.
"...all responsibility as to [my] issues and consequesnces must rest with [God]; that as his servant it was mine to obey and to follow him -- his [responsibility] to direct, to care for, and to guide me and those who might labor with me." ~Hudson Taylor
This was an especially relevant reminder to me that God will indeed take care of those who have chosen to work with us. Yes, it is my responsibility to offer the best care possible, but really, this is God's work in their life. I am not 100% responsible for their failures or successes. God is there. He will intervene. There is no need for me to manipulate.
"...so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work." ~Amma Syncletica
Again, a good reminder that life is hard! The book over and over again emphasizes this fact. Life is not all easy. In fact, life is rarely easy... especially the spiritual life. Those who think that following the Living One is all rose-smelling and cake-eating are sorely mistaken. This life is one of training and endurance. Hard work is definitely required. There is no escaping it.
"For out of the perverse will came lust, and the service of lust ended in habit, and habit, not resisted, became necessity...[when he started to ponder giving up these necessities he said] Unruly habit kept saying to me, 'Do you think you can live without them?" ~Augustine in his 'Confessions'
We all do it. We justify a variety of sins in our life as 'acceptable'. The justifications start out small, but eventually turn into an addiction. Mine? Food. Mine? A judgemental spirit. Mine? An unforgiving heart. True repentance requires 1) quitting cold turkey/ turning away from these behaviors completely; and 2) accountability, accountability, accountability. 'Nuf said.
Wow. Lots to think about. Glad that these precious gems have come out of hiding!
~lk
I love this book. I can't wait to post that I've finished it and add it to my list of books completed this year.
What I am finding remarkable are the number of profound and wonderful and thought-provoking and convicting quotes that keep popping up. Some of them are so challenging to me that I wonder why I've never heard them or read them before. Megan pointed out that it's probably because these delightful quotes come from some pretty old literature that we've never read and it took someone more academically inclined than I to sift through the literature, find the quotes, and highlight them for the rest of us to enjoy. The quotes are buried, but now they've come back to life.
Here are a couple of my favorites from today's reading:
"It is by warfare that the soul makes progress." ~Abba John the Dwarf
Making progress in our soul, in our life, is never an easy thing. True progress will indeed require struggle. Abba John the Dwarf (what a name!) reminds us of this fact. There is indeed a war going on between good and evil; a war going on for the state of our soul. I generally do not like such militaristic terminology, but in truth, this is what it is. No wonder life is so difficult sometimes.
"...all responsibility as to [my] issues and consequesnces must rest with [God]; that as his servant it was mine to obey and to follow him -- his [responsibility] to direct, to care for, and to guide me and those who might labor with me." ~Hudson Taylor
This was an especially relevant reminder to me that God will indeed take care of those who have chosen to work with us. Yes, it is my responsibility to offer the best care possible, but really, this is God's work in their life. I am not 100% responsible for their failures or successes. God is there. He will intervene. There is no need for me to manipulate.
"...so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work." ~Amma Syncletica
Again, a good reminder that life is hard! The book over and over again emphasizes this fact. Life is not all easy. In fact, life is rarely easy... especially the spiritual life. Those who think that following the Living One is all rose-smelling and cake-eating are sorely mistaken. This life is one of training and endurance. Hard work is definitely required. There is no escaping it.
"For out of the perverse will came lust, and the service of lust ended in habit, and habit, not resisted, became necessity...[when he started to ponder giving up these necessities he said] Unruly habit kept saying to me, 'Do you think you can live without them?" ~Augustine in his 'Confessions'
We all do it. We justify a variety of sins in our life as 'acceptable'. The justifications start out small, but eventually turn into an addiction. Mine? Food. Mine? A judgemental spirit. Mine? An unforgiving heart. True repentance requires 1) quitting cold turkey/ turning away from these behaviors completely; and 2) accountability, accountability, accountability. 'Nuf said.
Wow. Lots to think about. Glad that these precious gems have come out of hiding!
~lk
Comments