Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Inner Glaze
To keep us from the sin of pride - Satan's sin - God, the Potter, often prevents us from seeing our own beauty with an inner glaze that becomes more and more beautiful as He applies the heat.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Nothing to gain? Hardly.
Cynthia Bourgeault The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind—a New Perspective on Christ and His Message, Boston: Shambhala, 2008, pg. 92
"I remember being struck many years ago by an insight from the contemporary mystic Bernadette Roberts that crucifixion wasn’t really the hard thing for Jesus; the hard thing was incarnation. Crucifixion and what followed from it—his death and resurrection—were simply the pathway along which infinite consciousness could return to its natural state. What was really hard for infinite consciousness was to come into the finite world in the first place. With nothing to gain from the human adventure—nothing to prove, nothing to achieve, and a dangerously unboundaried heart that left him defenseless against the hard edges of this world—Jesus came anyway: that, claims Bernadette Roberts, was the real crucifixion!"
I differ with Cynthia's statement that there was nothing to gain from the human adventure of Jesus'
incarnating. Perhaps she's viewing it as nothing to gain in human terms. As any parent with difficult children, God tried many methods, prophets, and approaches to establish a warm and loving relationship with His people. The incarnation of Jesus had much to gain: Love expressing Love to itself (Son to Father, Father to Son to mankind); courtship of a relationship beyond casual dating with each of us, or getting noticed at all by some of us; and of course, salvation for all mankind for all time.
"I remember being struck many years ago by an insight from the contemporary mystic Bernadette Roberts that crucifixion wasn’t really the hard thing for Jesus; the hard thing was incarnation. Crucifixion and what followed from it—his death and resurrection—were simply the pathway along which infinite consciousness could return to its natural state. What was really hard for infinite consciousness was to come into the finite world in the first place. With nothing to gain from the human adventure—nothing to prove, nothing to achieve, and a dangerously unboundaried heart that left him defenseless against the hard edges of this world—Jesus came anyway: that, claims Bernadette Roberts, was the real crucifixion!"
I differ with Cynthia's statement that there was nothing to gain from the human adventure of Jesus'
incarnating. Perhaps she's viewing it as nothing to gain in human terms. As any parent with difficult children, God tried many methods, prophets, and approaches to establish a warm and loving relationship with His people. The incarnation of Jesus had much to gain: Love expressing Love to itself (Son to Father, Father to Son to mankind); courtship of a relationship beyond casual dating with each of us, or getting noticed at all by some of us; and of course, salvation for all mankind for all time.
Used
I am most grateful for answered prayer.
Years ago, I prayed that God would use me in any way He saw fit. After molding and shaping me, the Potter finally had a vessel He could fill and pour out. I'm still pretty leaky, but I am learning to tip myself over and pour myself out like the Little Teapot when the Holy Spirit gives me a nudge to do so.
One recent morning as I was reading my morning devotional, (Diary of St. Faustina: Divine Mercy In My Soul), I had the distinct impression that the passage I just completed should be shared with a particular friend. I did not have this friend on my mind. Her name was simply pressed upon my consciousness in reference to the last passage. I tried to move ahead, yet this pressing of her name and that passage continued.
Since the Potter takes His time shaping his works, I knew from past experience this pressing upon my consciousness was His touch. I therefore wrote her name in the book at that passage to mark it, and finished my reading. I moved to the next book I needed to read that morning. A deadline within the hour was fast approaching to initiate my weekly Book Club discussion. As I began the reading assignment, I was aware that I had not acted on the Spirit's urging to share that one passage with my friend. I found no solace in rationalizing that I didn't have the time at the moment. So in my usual reluctant obedience, I placed the call. Thankfully, she did not answer and I was able to complete my reading in time.
When she returned the call later that day, I read her the passage. In tears, she acknowledged she'd been shut down to God, to the Church, even questioning her conversion, and that I was the only one at the moment she was letting "in."
"See how God is responding to you?" I reassured her. How very special she must be to Him and how easily He knew how to reach her through the vessel He crafted with His own hands for that very purpose.
Sometimes, it is very lovely being used.
Years ago, I prayed that God would use me in any way He saw fit. After molding and shaping me, the Potter finally had a vessel He could fill and pour out. I'm still pretty leaky, but I am learning to tip myself over and pour myself out like the Little Teapot when the Holy Spirit gives me a nudge to do so.
One recent morning as I was reading my morning devotional, (Diary of St. Faustina: Divine Mercy In My Soul), I had the distinct impression that the passage I just completed should be shared with a particular friend. I did not have this friend on my mind. Her name was simply pressed upon my consciousness in reference to the last passage. I tried to move ahead, yet this pressing of her name and that passage continued.
Since the Potter takes His time shaping his works, I knew from past experience this pressing upon my consciousness was His touch. I therefore wrote her name in the book at that passage to mark it, and finished my reading. I moved to the next book I needed to read that morning. A deadline within the hour was fast approaching to initiate my weekly Book Club discussion. As I began the reading assignment, I was aware that I had not acted on the Spirit's urging to share that one passage with my friend. I found no solace in rationalizing that I didn't have the time at the moment. So in my usual reluctant obedience, I placed the call. Thankfully, she did not answer and I was able to complete my reading in time.
When she returned the call later that day, I read her the passage. In tears, she acknowledged she'd been shut down to God, to the Church, even questioning her conversion, and that I was the only one at the moment she was letting "in."
"See how God is responding to you?" I reassured her. How very special she must be to Him and how easily He knew how to reach her through the vessel He crafted with His own hands for that very purpose.
Sometimes, it is very lovely being used.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Tornadoes and Matthew 24
3-3-12 Journal entry:
Tornadoes are touching down all around us today. Sixty people have died in the past 24 hours from multiple tornadoes across six states. It seems to me, as I view media images of homes that are destroyed next to homes taht were untouched, that we are witnessing a precursor to Matthew 24... Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. ...
Tornadoes are touching down all around us today. Sixty people have died in the past 24 hours from multiple tornadoes across six states. It seems to me, as I view media images of homes that are destroyed next to homes taht were untouched, that we are witnessing a precursor to Matthew 24... Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. ...
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