Resisting the Prowling Lion – Day 34
…the problem is that the Gospel is indeed a ‘mere’ message – a simple word. God loves us, what are we to do about it?
We can add nothing to this love, for that would simply diminish its perfection.
…the problem is that the Gospel is indeed a ‘mere’ message – a simple word. God loves us, what are we to do about it?
We can add nothing to this love, for that would simply diminish its perfection.
Pride in the fact that God has been gracious to us is nonsensical, arrogant, futile, and destructive of the Good News.
Yes, religious people must allow their faith to add salt to public life… but public politics is not the ground whereon a personal faith can be prosecuted. When that happens we all too often end up, to Screwtape’s glee and delight, using our faith as a convenience for our own personal preference instead of building the Realm of God.
Silence, lived and felt well, is not emptiness; it is the musical accompaniment to the whispers of God’s love.
…. I have learnt that when I give myself over to being ‘His’ I finally discover what it is to be ‘me’.
Jesus weeps. Whenever any of us contemplates, conspires, and commits any sin, knowing that this sends us on a downward spiral towards a death as certain as that of Lazarus.
When did we ever think that destroying and belittling someone else’s devotion, ritual, or way of prayer would help us grow any closer to God? Screwtape and his minions have certainly been hard at work!
The Word of God IS living and active and, if we but let it, it will pierce our souls and transform our hearts. But for that to happen both listener and preacher must be willing to be wounded by the Word.
I know if I moved away from ‘the big church’ of my boarding school years any growth I gained would be for me, myself, and me alone – an unholy trinity if ever there were one!
People obsessed with the future become dis-eased with life and are robbed of the possibility of any present joy or gratitude to God.