One of the most meaningful gifts I received last month was an accidental one. Sometime last year a person who has been an important spiritual mentor for me had recommended I read a story by Leo Tolstoy called, “Where Love is, God is”. I went to the library and looked through the anthologies of short stories but could not find it anywhere. I finally just looked the story up on-line and got the gist of it, which is nothing like actually reading a story by Tolstoy! But then this Advent, as I was looking through a collection of Christmas Stories, there it was! I read it with delight and joy; both for the beauty of the story and that I should find what I had been looking for, months after I had stopped looking for it.
This weekend we begin a new series called, “I Want to Grow”. I anticipate that it will be informative, challenging and practical. Some of the suggestions that are sure to be a part of this series are likely to seem obvious and “too easy”. I pass a part of the story “Where Love is, God is” on to you as a little gift. What seems so obvious may in fact be exactly what we need:
“Martin was silent awhile, and then asked: ‘But how is one to live for God?’
The old man answered: ‘How one may live for God has been shown us by Christ. Can you read? Then buy the Gospels, and read them: there you will see how God would have you live. You have it all there.’
These words sank deep into Martin’s heart, and that same day he went and bought himself a Testament in large print, and began to read.
At first he meant only to read on holidays, but having once begun he found it made his heart so light that he read every day. Sometimes he was so absorbed in his reading that the oil in his lamp burnt out before he could tear himself away from the book. He continued to read every night, and the more he read the more clearly he understood what God required of him, and how he might live for God. And his heart grew lighter and lighter. Before, when he went to bed he used to lie with a heavy heart, moaning as he thought of his little Kapiton; but now he only repeated again and again: ‘Glory to Thee, glory to Thee, O Lord! Thy will be done!’
From that time Martin’s whole life changed.”
Wishing you a New Year filled with good spiritual advice, sacred reading, and growth in your relationship with Christ! (If you want to find this beautiful story, which is about seeing Christ in the people around you, it is included in “Christmas Stories”, Everyman’s Pocket Classics edition).
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Today I took the narrow yellow paper with the Colossians verses and made 10 copies. As I've walked around doing normal things I taped them here and there.
I have been sitting here all night in a sort of depressed place. I just went into the laundry to move things around and started reciting the first 2 verses. I realized when I was walking back to plop myself back on the sofa, I feel happy. It reminded me of the St Ignatius story.
Since I have been raised with Christ
set my heart on things above
where Christ is . . .
at the right hand of God.
Set my mind on things above,
not earthly things.
For I died!
and my life is NOW hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who IS my life, appears,
then I also will appear with him n glory.
Put to death, whatever belongs to my earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Because of these the wrath of God is coming.
I used to walk in these ways, in the life I once lived.
But now I must ALSO rid myself of all such things as these!
anger
rage
malice
slander and
filthy language from MY lips.
Dot not lie with each other,
since I have taken off my old self with it's practices
and have put on the new self
which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of it's creator.
I can't say I've been able to memorize these Words this past week. But we have become familiar with each other. The Words and me. The suggestion at study was to plant the Word into my circumstance. What does that mean? actually?
Twice I found myself saying pieces of the Words. The first time unexpectedly when asked what verse I was focusing on. "renewed in the image of it's creator" stood out. I am being renewed . . .
The second time I heard myself framing the speaking around this promise. That I HAVE been raised with Christ and my life is hidden with Christ . . . and that I am being renewed in the image of my Creator. It's not an easy renewal. How did I get this idea easy was how this works?
I love the challenge to memorize this passage of scripture together! I guess I would say that memorizing is hard work (especially for those of us getting a bit older), and that what we are doing is planting the Word into our minds so that the Holy Spirit can bring them into our circumstances (but he can't bring them to our attention if they aren't hidden there in the first place).
The question of it being "easy" is an interesting one, because we do talk about our desire for an "ease of obedience". But many of the disciplines (like scripture memory) that lead to this ease are in fact difficult - we have to make ourselves do what we would rather not do and the process can be uncomfortable. But as you have already seen, once you have struggled to put this passage into your life, it comes out at unexpected and helpful times. Hopefully you will find that the benefits far outweigh the costs.
THIS is SO typical!!!! I haven't thought about this this week! Even with the papers taped here and there, they have become invisible. Amazing!
vs 5 NIV Put to death . . . evil desires
The Message: And that means killing off . . . DOING WHATEVER YOU FEEL LIKE WHENEVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT, AND GRABBING WHATEVER ATTRACTS YOUR FANCY
. . . that isn't exactly accurate. The part about invisible. I do notice the papers. Then I get this feeling of "ugh. I don't want to do that." And then usually unappealing things, I want to do. Like the dishes.
I worked everyday for 6 weeks on Psalm 23. The part in the middle didn't stick. The end is fuzzily there. It is very aggravating. The music from Upstairs Downstairs is driving me crazy. Try and forget that. No use.
The beginning gets said so many more times that the middle and the end. Hmmm.
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