I just want to be noticed!!

This weeks is quite an interesting reading in a 21st century context. Richard Rolle (1290-1349), sometimes known as St. Richard the Hermit wrote this work "The Fire of Love" . He talks about his personal devotional experience of feeling real warmth surging about his body as he prayed. The warmth or what called "The Fire"brought him great comfort and interior sweetness as result of his prayer. The warmth itself both comforted and enlightened him.He however observed that when he became distracted by other things the warmth left him.  

He as hermit spent a lot of time on his own. I find this interesting as being truly alone is quite rare these days, we are surrounded by many distractions. Even being alone distractions are so readily available with modern technology. As I lifestyle I think I would struggle to see how I could fulfil that call. Maybe I need to think harder!!

He believed we are exchanging glory for baser more earthly pursuits such as vanity, fame, love of possessions and money. This would seem to promote major concerns for us in the days of mega churches, superstar preachers and pastors, prosperity doctrine permeating the western Church. Are we so far off the mark? Richard Rolle would say that we are deceived and the love of God is not in us. He would regard all this as idolatry. Is he that far wrong? Are we that far wrong? 

It would be a great thing for us to examine the things that we love. These questions may give you a framework

Are other things coming before God while masquerading as the light?
Are worldly  or religious honours of greater interest than our pursuit of the "Holy One?"
Are we so busy working for God, that we have lost God?
Is this a religious form of idolatry?
Is the Father really our "significant other" in the spiritual realm?

These are Hard questions but worth a look. Think about it this week.

 Paul

Encouragement of a Father

I love this quote from the text:
"Since the goal of a virtuous way of life is the very thing you have been seeking, it is time for you noble friend, to be known by God and become his friend.
This is true perfection:
 not to avoid the wicked life because like slaves we servilely fear punishment nor to be good because we hope for rewards, as if cashing in on the virtuous life by some business like arrangement ...................................................we consider becoming God's friend the only thing worthy of honour and desire.

This is a paraphrase of what was written by Gregory of Nyssa (331-396) one of the great "Fathers" of the Church. it is from a "The Life of Moses" one of his most famous works. I don't think I can put it any better so I won't try. I will however comment on one of the aspects that he also mentions in his texts beyond his comments on friendship with God. This is our role as encouragers and cheerers in the lives of others. To encourage each other in the journey and especially the struggle that comes. 

As St Paul says "Beloved I do not consider that I have made it on my own but this thing I do : forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead ( Philippians 3:13). Taking others with us in the process.

Who can you encourage this week in the process of becoming a friend of God, like Moses or David. Not perfect men, but men or women with a desire to know and be known by God.

Do you really desire to be a friend of God? Becoming a true son or a daughter or will you settle for one of the slave or business relationships mentioned in the early part of the text?

As with most things it all starts with a simple choice

From the inside out?

We are entering a new section of our journey "The Virtuous Life."

Theologica Germanica was originally written around 1350 as a tract. It was modified by Martin Luther in 1516. Its basic aim is that we move our experience and knowledge of God  from the "outer person" to the "inner person"

Our world system operates on a collection of punishments and rewards depending on the circumstances. However more in line with last weeks blog, Theologica Germanica suggests that obedience to God's Word is in fact based on a motivation of the heart, an act of love. Unlike the world we are not entirely based on fear of punishments or gaining rewards. There are undoubtedly those aspects present in the Word of God. The question remains what is our primary motivation: reward, fear of punishment or love?

I guess it is totally wrapped up in this scripture:

John 14:23New International Version (NIV)

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

 So much of modern thinking is about changing our behaviours and the rest will follow. It might be good to take stock where are we what is motivating  us, a thinly veiled religious copy of the world system or a deepening relationship and love of the Father motivating change. This is quite counter cultural thinking, we so often talk about changing from the inside out, but are we really trying to do the reverse? Are we on a journey from the outside in, from external motivation to internal motivation towards living a Godly life.  Might it not be as important to examine our motivation then seek change. I have been able to do this with my attitude to gratitude through asking God to change my heart. I am far more grateful than if I had just tried to change my behaviour.

There is a metaphor in this piece of writing  that suggests the right eye of your soul looks towards the eternal and the left eye looks to the "things of this world"

The question remains which is your dominant eye? Right or Left?

Until Next week Paul

An radical affair of the heart

I am going to have to think about this one for quite a while. As the last in the series on prayer it is quite interestingly different. Jean -Nicholas Grou  (1730- 1803) suggests that prayer is a supernatural activity that God via the Holy Spirit needs to teach.  We need the gift of prayer. He says we know a few types of prayer off by the heart, but we are largely ignorant of the theory as well as the practice of prayer. That is very strong stuff!

He states we try and do things in our own strength forgetting that prayer is a supernatural activity. Which would all seem quite logical, but I think I rarely treat it as such. I thinking  I am much more likely to consciously think of  corporate prayer in some instances as a supernatural process rather than personal prayer. He says that God is spirit therefore we must worship in Spirit and in Truth.

He then goes on to say we spend so much time praying with our lips and so little time praying with our heart. I found this immensely challenging! Do I pray with my heart?

Try this for a quote "You ask me what the voice of the heart is? It is love which is the voice of the heart. Love God and you will always be speaking to him. The seed of love is growth in prayer. If you do not understand that you have never loved or prayed. Ask God to open you heart and kindle a spark of his love, and then you will begin to understand what praying means.
If it is the heart that prays. It is evident that sometimes even continuously it can pray by itself without any help from words spoken or conceived....... For God reads the secrets of the heart. God reads its most intimate feelings even those which we are unaware of "

This is very radical stuff, not what you find taught in a prayer seminar or at church on Sunday. I really need time to assimilate this and let it travel the hardest 12 inches from my head to my heart. I am certainly going to be praying for God to kindle the spark of his love this week. I am not sure if I will know if I succeed, but I will come back to you next week.

It certainly brings a new nuance to what can be happening in silence.

Until Next time.

Paul 

Faith more than just a word

I must say that I have really enjoyed using the John Baillie prayers as part of my daily liturgical routine. So a big tick there to add to the praying scripture and the other things I do.

Todays reading is from the father of the Protestant Reformation Martin Luther (1483-1546). Now the part that really jumped out at me were these simple statements "Prayer is a special exercise of faith. Faith makes the prayer acceptable because it believes that either the prayer will be answered, or that something better will be given instead."

I found this quite challenging. Do I actually believe this?
Do I always pray in Faith?
Is that why my prayer does not always seem to answered? Or maybe my prayer is just not answered in the way I expect or want. I do however also understand "No" is an answer.

He goes onto say this: " This clear statement which says: directly he who does not trust will receive nothing, neither that which he asks for or anything better."

This is a very strong statement. Very black and white, not too much wiggle room here. So where do I stand?

What is faith? Well here are some definitions.

faith

noun

1.    1.

complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

"this restores one's faith in politicians"

synonyms:		trust, belief, confidence, conviction, credence, reliance, dependence;

2.    2.

strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

"bereaved people who have shown supreme faith"

synonyms:

religion, church, sect, denomination, persuasion, religious persuasion, religious belief,belief, code of belief, ideology, creed, teaching, dogma, doctrine "she gave her life for her faith"

 

Biblical Statement:

Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith (pi'stis) is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." This passage concerning the function of faith in relation to the covenant of God is often used as a definition of faith.

I have really been challenged to look at this as an issue in my life. Am I operating in faith in my prayer life and life in general.It is as though I have not consciously thought about this as an integral part of my prayer life. It was just an assumption. Which is a dangerous premise. It is not that I have not had answered prayer because I have lots of examples.

However if I can consciously interact with faith can I do much better. Even if it is only to say as the man in the Bible "Lord help me in my unbelief." 
 

 Is this a challenge that I like? Not really! Is this a challenge that I need? Absolutely!!

Have a faith filled week. Until next time

Paul