In [Mark 13], Jesus repeats a simple imperative three times in quick succession: "Keep awake!" For Jesus to repeat this so emphatically three times in a row implies that one of the great hazards of the faith journey is spiritual acquiescence, a kind of grogginess that dulls us to what is true, and truly important. Sleepiness of spirit means we miss out on what God is doing, and perhaps overlook the presence of Christ right in our midst. By simply falling asleep, spiritually speaking, we miss God, and miss out on what God is calling us to be and do.
The peril of spiritual stupor is real, and we see this theme repeated in scripture many times. The disciples who hiked to the mountaintop with Jesus almost missed the transfiguration because they were sleepy! One story tells about someone whom others assumed was dead, but Jesus says, "He's not dead; he's sleeping." In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night which the disciples knew would be Jesus' last among them, they fell asleep. Even after Jesus implored them to stay awake with Him, they nodded off. Scripture also records one poor follower who dozed during a sermon and fell out the window. (Let that be a warning to the people in the pews!). If it hadn't been for Mary and company on Easter morning, the disciples would have slept through the resurrection of Christ…
A dulling of spiritual insight causes us to see people as things, and to overlook how each is a child of God made in the image of God… If we're not careful, we become so distracted by things that do not matter, so driven by things that are of little account, or so tired and burned out and spiritually exhausted, that they stop being human to us. We lose sight of people, of purpose, of what matters most. "Keep awake," Jesus says. "Be alert." "Stay attentive!" Following Christ, staying awake with Him, requires a constant spiritual acuity, an attentiveness to see the coming of Christ, a preparedness of soul and character, a kind of spiritual attention. Stay awake.
-- U.M. Bishop Robert Schnase from his blog at www.fivepractices.org
#2278
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
THE HIGHEST KINGDOM
Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36a)
[Jesus'] life and utterance were the proclamation of this new order of things, of this new force by which man was to be ruled. When, unarmed and defenseless, He said to the Roman power, “My Kingdom is not of this world,” He spoke the word of inauguration. Over the kingdom of the elemental forces, over the kingdom of the animal, over the kingdom of the intellect, He beheld rising, with Himself as prophet and embodiment, that kingdom of the spiritual whose forces should be those of purity and sacrifice, love and trust, obedience and service. It is the last of the kingdoms because it is the highest; it will be the most enduring for there is nothing that can take its place.
-- J. Brierley in The Life of the Soul
#2277
[Jesus'] life and utterance were the proclamation of this new order of things, of this new force by which man was to be ruled. When, unarmed and defenseless, He said to the Roman power, “My Kingdom is not of this world,” He spoke the word of inauguration. Over the kingdom of the elemental forces, over the kingdom of the animal, over the kingdom of the intellect, He beheld rising, with Himself as prophet and embodiment, that kingdom of the spiritual whose forces should be those of purity and sacrifice, love and trust, obedience and service. It is the last of the kingdoms because it is the highest; it will be the most enduring for there is nothing that can take its place.
-- J. Brierley in The Life of the Soul
#2277
Monday, April 6, 2009
BECAUSE OF US
To some, the image of a pale body glimmering on a dark night whispers of defeat. What good is a God who does not control His Son’s suffering? But another sound can be heard: the shout of a God crying out to human beings, “I LOVE YOU.”
Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that He could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to - because of us. At Calvary, God accepted His own unbreakable terms of justice.
Any discussion of how pain and suffering fit into God’s scheme ultimately leads back to the cross.
-- Philip Yancey
#2276
Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that He could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to - because of us. At Calvary, God accepted His own unbreakable terms of justice.
Any discussion of how pain and suffering fit into God’s scheme ultimately leads back to the cross.
-- Philip Yancey
#2276
Thursday, April 2, 2009
THE UNCONQUERABLE CHRIST
The world has tried to conquer Christ. When He was here, and since His coming, they have all tried -- devil and demons, friend and foe, priest and Pharisee, Judas and Pilate, philosophy and psychology, pleasure-seekers and pleasure-finders.
And you have tried, too! You have tried to conquer your hunger for Jesus, your thirst for the Saviour. You have tried to conquer the unconquerable. You have pushed Him into the outer edges of your existence. You have refused to let Him guide in your decisions. You have stubbornly shoved Him away from your conscience, and said: "Hands off, Christ! Hands off my personal life, my thought life, my sex life. It's none of your business what I do with myself, how I spend my time. It's my life to live, not yours. I'll give you a little time on Sunday. I'll pray when I'm in need. Now that's enough, Christ. That's enough."
But He is still there, isn't He? He refuses to be held at arm's length. He is unconquerable. He claims you through His Cross. He has died for you already. And you cannot change that fact with all your arguments, with all your unbelief, with all your rebellious attitudes.
He keeps coming into your life, doesn't He? He wants to win you back to God. He comes just where you keep saying “no” to Him. Just once say, “yes”! Open the door a crack. Let Him in. See if He can do anything. See if He can remove your guilt. See if He can control your passion. See if He can regulate your thought. See if He can change your action. He is the unconquerable Christ!
-- H.S. Vigeveno in Jesus the Revolutionary
#2274
And you have tried, too! You have tried to conquer your hunger for Jesus, your thirst for the Saviour. You have tried to conquer the unconquerable. You have pushed Him into the outer edges of your existence. You have refused to let Him guide in your decisions. You have stubbornly shoved Him away from your conscience, and said: "Hands off, Christ! Hands off my personal life, my thought life, my sex life. It's none of your business what I do with myself, how I spend my time. It's my life to live, not yours. I'll give you a little time on Sunday. I'll pray when I'm in need. Now that's enough, Christ. That's enough."
But He is still there, isn't He? He refuses to be held at arm's length. He is unconquerable. He claims you through His Cross. He has died for you already. And you cannot change that fact with all your arguments, with all your unbelief, with all your rebellious attitudes.
He keeps coming into your life, doesn't He? He wants to win you back to God. He comes just where you keep saying “no” to Him. Just once say, “yes”! Open the door a crack. Let Him in. See if He can do anything. See if He can remove your guilt. See if He can control your passion. See if He can regulate your thought. See if He can change your action. He is the unconquerable Christ!
-- H.S. Vigeveno in Jesus the Revolutionary
#2274
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
FOOLISH CHOICES
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Psalm 111:10)
Some time ago, a good friend of mine who has been far from God his whole life finally admitted that his own path, his own choices, his own foolish impulses had led him into a royal mess. In a private setting, he emotionally -- and with unprintable words -- described the crash of his entire life. He ended with this brief summary statement: "I have blown it!"
I told him that I couldn't disagree with a word he had said and that the current mess he was in was nothing more than the predictable consequence of twenty-five-years of folly. What could he expect after making one foolish choice after the next? "But," I said, "listen to me. There is a way out of your chronic case of the follies. You can make a really smart choice in the next five minutes. You can make a choice that is so wise it will redirect what is left of your life here on earth and redirect your entire eternity. If you're ever going to make wise choices, here is where you have to start. Fling open the door of your heart to God; put your hand in the hand of Christ extended to you; accept the forgiveness that is offered to you. The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom.
-- Bill Hybels in Making Life Work: Putting God's Wisdom into Action
#2273
Some time ago, a good friend of mine who has been far from God his whole life finally admitted that his own path, his own choices, his own foolish impulses had led him into a royal mess. In a private setting, he emotionally -- and with unprintable words -- described the crash of his entire life. He ended with this brief summary statement: "I have blown it!"
I told him that I couldn't disagree with a word he had said and that the current mess he was in was nothing more than the predictable consequence of twenty-five-years of folly. What could he expect after making one foolish choice after the next? "But," I said, "listen to me. There is a way out of your chronic case of the follies. You can make a really smart choice in the next five minutes. You can make a choice that is so wise it will redirect what is left of your life here on earth and redirect your entire eternity. If you're ever going to make wise choices, here is where you have to start. Fling open the door of your heart to God; put your hand in the hand of Christ extended to you; accept the forgiveness that is offered to you. The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom.
-- Bill Hybels in Making Life Work: Putting God's Wisdom into Action
#2273
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