Merton Explained

It seems that if I had kept reading the other day, I would have been able to understand the quote I posted much better. Here is what Ravi Zacharias has to say about Thomas Merton...

After Merton observes how everything within him converged--Bethlehem, Calvary, and the empty tomb, now all within him; God offering himself to God within the mortal frame of this kneeling man--he ends with the key words "the love of those creatures who are drawn to him in and with the power of his own love for himself." The love with which God himself is bound, now binding us to himself. This is the mystery, the majesty, and the grandeur of holy Communion--God's love shed in our hearts to keep us from fragmentation and dissolution.

So beautiful and profound. :)

On God-Dwelling in Us

"In the temple of God that I had just become, the once eternal and pure sacrifice was offered up to the God dwelling in me. The sacrifice of God to God. Now, Christ born in me, a new Bethlehem, and sacrificed in me his new Calvary, and risen in me: offering me to the Father, in himself, asking the Father, my Father and his, to receive me into his infinite and special love--not the love he has for all things that exist, for mere existence is a token of God's love, but the love of those creatures who are drawn to him in and with the power of his own love for himself."

~Thomas Merton (quoted in Grand Weaver, Ravi Zacharias, pg 142).

I have to keep reading this over and over and over... it is so deep, but incredibly profound.

On journals and Chesterton

Well, I have pulled the old blog from the depths of the grave where it has laid buried and I think I may give it another go-round. Because I have another blog, though, (specialneedsiblings.com), I don't think I'm going to focus a lot of attention on this one. Perhaps it will be more of a journal to record some of the amazing lessons that I learn or profound thoughts I come across.

Here's something I've been enjoying lately by G.K. Chesterton.

An imbecile habit has arisen in modern controversy of saying that such and such a creed can be held in one age but cannot be held in another. Some dogma, we are told, was credible in the twelfth century, but is not credible in the twentieth. You might as well say that a certain philosophy can be believed o Mondays, but cannot be believed on Tuesdays. You might as well say of a view of the cosmos that it was suitable to half-past three, but not suitable to half-past four. What a man can believe depends upon his philosophy, not upon the clock or the century... Therefore in dealing with any historical answer, the point is not whether it was given in our time, but whether it was given in answer to our question."

As he goes on to say, Christianity is the answer to life's questions... and it matters not the time or the place, but whether it is true.

I like the way he says things. :)

Through a glass

I've decided there is too much life to not share. And even if no one else follows along, I'll have beautiful reminders of God's grace.

I wrote this a few weeks ago... when the supermoon appeared in the sky. I just forgot to share it till now.

Tonight I went outside to look at the moon. Apparently, tonight’s orb is a ‘supermoon’ and it showed in the brilliance and splendor of it’s glow. As I gazed upon it, I thought…

I thought of the 50 workers in Japan who are laying down their lives to prevent a nuclear meltdown that would destroy so much.

I thought of wars and earthquakes and tsunamis and all the horrible things that happen on this earth.

I thought of the glory that lies beyond this earth.

I thought of how the moon is just a miniscule reflection of that glory.

And as the clouds danced past the moon, sometimes obscuring it completely, other times magnifying its light, I thought of 1 Corinthians 13:12.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am also known.”

For now, our glimpses of heaven are as through a glass. Or as if through the clouds. There are times when dark clouds obscure our view completely. At other times, we catch glimpses of greater glory as those same clouds, or trials, draw us near to God.

But then…

Oh glorious thought!

But then, we shall see face to face.

No more darkness. No more obscurity. No more uncertainty. Only face to face glory.

Now I know in part. Then, I will know completely, totally, and utterly--as I am known by Christ.

Now we see through a glass… but then…

Grace

Church today was amazing.

The topic was the Gospel of grace… and how most of us never grasp the true meaning.

How we know the facts of Christian theology or principles, but fail to live with a revived heart.

How we claim to know God, but are falling apart because we do not recognize that the Gospel is more than just knowing the plan of salvation.

How we speak of grace, but live devoid of it.

How we replace true grace with rules and steps and principles and methods.

How the dichotomy that reigns in churches and homes and individuals is nothing like what God intended.

And how God does not ask us to do or to work or to strive. Because our striving can never get us close. Because our righteousness is like filthy rags. Because on our most glorious, righteous day and on our worst, most scarred and sin-filled day, it is only the blood of Christ that covers us. Because in God’s sight, one day is no better nor worse than the next.

Rather, Christ’s blood alone allows us to approach the throne of grace. Reconciliation has already occurred. Total acceptance is ours this very moment. There is no part that He looks at and merely ‘tolerates.’ Rather, every part of our being is fully accepted by Him, through the blood of Jesus. As the visiting pastor said this morning, “God not only loves you. He likes you.”

And recognizing that it is only, only, ONLY grace can allow us to live every day and every moment with revival in our hearts and grace on our lips.

Prayer

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed is Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." ~Matthew 6:9-13

"Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain." ~1 Chronicles 4:10

"I am praying, not only for these disciples, but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one… and may they be in Us so the world will believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one... May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me. Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they can see all the glory You gave Me because You loved Me even before the world began… then Your love for Me will be in them and I will be in them." ~John 17:20-25

One minute...

This is an amazing and powerful message. Sometimes the best things are the most simple... this message is only one minute long.

http://www.francisanfuso.com/wp-content/uploads/14-Francis-Being-A-Doctor1.mp3

I am convicted. Do I live my life focused on intentional healing, or do I relive the pain and hurt that has been caused? God is for me... who can be against me? I need to start living that.