I am very......down. God has been working in my heart recently--which is exciting and wonderful!--but I'm just kinda disgusted with myself. I wish I could take a holiday...from ME.
In other news, it's my parent's last Christmas in the States for a loooong while. That's depressing. I mean, I am so excited for them, and I know that they are following God's call for their life, so I really wouldn't have it any other way, but I am going to miss them so much. like, INCREDIBLY much. It has been an emotional week and I'm not really one for "emotional" experiences of any kind.
I guess this is the "cold and broken Hallelujah" Christmas.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
in the face of the cross
I've been reading Bonhoeffer's Cost of Discipleship and it amazes me how God has used this book to gently slap me in the face with truth that i know, but am not living out in my day to day existence. There are times where i find myself almost despairing with the enormity of my incompetence, but then, that is probably good for me. Good for me to realize that I am utterly wretched without God's grace, and good for me to remember God's promise to continue His work in me to completion. He is faithful-- praise be to God!
these are some quotes that have really stuck out to me in my readings:
ON REVENGE:
To leave everything behind at the call of Christ is to be content with him alone, and to follow only him. By his willingly renouncing self-defence, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego. The exclusiveness of adherence is the only power which can overcome evil.
And the cross is the only justification for the precept of non-violence, for it alone can kindle a faith in the victory over evil which will enable men to obey that precept.
ON LOVING ENEMIES:
enemies are those who harbour hostility against us, not those against whom we cherish hostility, for Jesus refuses to reckon with such a possibility.
His (the Christian’s) behavior must be determined not by the way others treat him, but by the treatment he himself receives from Jesus; it has only one source, and that is the will of Jesus.
Love asks nothing in return, but seeks those who need it. And who needs our love more than those who are consumed with hatred and are utterly devoid of love? Who in other words deserves our love more than our enemy? Where is love more glorified than where she dwells in the midst of her enemies?
In the face of the cross the disciples realized that they too were his enemies, and that he had overcome them by his love. It is this that opens the disciple’s eyes, and enables him to see his enemy as a brother.
“It will be the prayer of earnest love for these very sons of perdition who stand around and gaze at us with eyes aflame with hatred, and who have perhaps already raised their hands to kill us. It will be a prayer for the peace of these erring, devastated and bewildered souls, a prayer for the same love and peace which we ourselves enjoy, a prayer which will penetrate to the depths of their souls and rend their hearts more grievously than anything they can do to us.” -A.F.C. Vilmar, 1880.
these are some quotes that have really stuck out to me in my readings:
ON REVENGE:
To leave everything behind at the call of Christ is to be content with him alone, and to follow only him. By his willingly renouncing self-defence, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego. The exclusiveness of adherence is the only power which can overcome evil.
And the cross is the only justification for the precept of non-violence, for it alone can kindle a faith in the victory over evil which will enable men to obey that precept.
ON LOVING ENEMIES:
enemies are those who harbour hostility against us, not those against whom we cherish hostility, for Jesus refuses to reckon with such a possibility.
His (the Christian’s) behavior must be determined not by the way others treat him, but by the treatment he himself receives from Jesus; it has only one source, and that is the will of Jesus.
Love asks nothing in return, but seeks those who need it. And who needs our love more than those who are consumed with hatred and are utterly devoid of love? Who in other words deserves our love more than our enemy? Where is love more glorified than where she dwells in the midst of her enemies?
In the face of the cross the disciples realized that they too were his enemies, and that he had overcome them by his love. It is this that opens the disciple’s eyes, and enables him to see his enemy as a brother.
“It will be the prayer of earnest love for these very sons of perdition who stand around and gaze at us with eyes aflame with hatred, and who have perhaps already raised their hands to kill us. It will be a prayer for the peace of these erring, devastated and bewildered souls, a prayer for the same love and peace which we ourselves enjoy, a prayer which will penetrate to the depths of their souls and rend their hearts more grievously than anything they can do to us.” -A.F.C. Vilmar, 1880.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
work in progress
pierce this pharisee heart in my chest
and put my self-righteousness to rest
instill in me humility’s vision
Lord, let me be genuine
Show me why for this world you would bleed
Give me a heart for my brother in need
fill me with a consuming passion
Lord, let me be genuine
hedge up my way from the things I pursue
keep me from lovers other than You
fix my eyes on the things of heaven
Lord, let me be genuine
and put my self-righteousness to rest
instill in me humility’s vision
Lord, let me be genuine
Show me why for this world you would bleed
Give me a heart for my brother in need
fill me with a consuming passion
Lord, let me be genuine
hedge up my way from the things I pursue
keep me from lovers other than You
fix my eyes on the things of heaven
Lord, let me be genuine
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)