At church yesterday we read from four men who have had significant impact and influence on religious leaders. In today's devotion I give you a few pieces of what they said. My prayer is that God will influence us so that we will influence others for Him (plan to do that).
From Saint Augustine's On Faith, Hope, and Love
In this the grace of God is supremely manifest, commended in grand and visible fashion; for what had the human nature in the man Christ merited, that it, and no other, should be assumed into the unity of the Person of the only Son of God? What good will, what zealous strivings, what good works preceded this assumption by which that particular man deserved to become one Person with God? Was he a man before the union, and was this singular grace given him as to one particularly deserving before God? Of course not! For, from the moment he began to be a man, that man began to be nothing other than God's Son, the only Son, and this because the Word of God assuming him became flesh, yet still assuredly remained God. Just as every man is a personal unity--that is, a unity of rational soul and flesh--so also is Christ a personal unity: Word and man.
Romans 3:20-22 (English Standard Version) --- For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction
St. Thomas Aquinas from a conference he spoke at
Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? … in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.
If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross...
If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross…
If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death…
Matthew 8:18-22 (New Living Translation) --- When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head." Another of his disciples said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead."
Richard J. Foster GROWING EDGES , Jul 1994
I hope you have that sense of mission, of service, of work. No one else can do what God has given you to do. If your offering of service is withheld, all are less; if it is faithfully given, all are enriched. And it matters not a whit if your work is unvalued by the culture. The smallest act of kindness can send ripples of joy throughout a community. "They also serve who only stand and wait."
And from the perspective of spiritual reality I rather think that more is happening than we imagine. It is like the laws of mathematics have been superseded, or at least stretched in ways we do not fully understand. Evil has its effect, to be sure—to the third and fourth generation, as the Scripture says. But acts of love and justice and mercy . . . why, their effect goes on and on and on—"to the thousandth generation." So I tell you, never devalue the work you have been given—it is precious beyond measure.
John 15:11-15 (The Message) --- "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.
Henri Nouwen True Intimacy
Human relationships easily become possessive. Our hearts so much desire to be loved that we are inclined to cling to the person who offers us love, affection, friendship, care, or support. Once we have seen or felt a hint of love, we want more of it. That explains why lovers so often bicker with each other. Lovers' quarrels are quarrels between people who want more of each other than they are able or willing to give.
It is very hard for love not to become possessive because our hearts look for perfect love and no human being is capable of that. Only God can offer perfect love. Therefore, the art of loving includes the art of giving one another space. When we invade one another's space and do not allow the other to be his or her own free person, we cause great suffering in our relationships. But when we give another space to move and share our gifts, true intimacy becomes possible.
Psalm 36:5-11 (English Standard Version) --- Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
I know this was longer than normal, yet seeing from a different perspective, as these do, may change our influence.
From Saint Augustine's On Faith, Hope, and Love
In this the grace of God is supremely manifest, commended in grand and visible fashion; for what had the human nature in the man Christ merited, that it, and no other, should be assumed into the unity of the Person of the only Son of God? What good will, what zealous strivings, what good works preceded this assumption by which that particular man deserved to become one Person with God? Was he a man before the union, and was this singular grace given him as to one particularly deserving before God? Of course not! For, from the moment he began to be a man, that man began to be nothing other than God's Son, the only Son, and this because the Word of God assuming him became flesh, yet still assuredly remained God. Just as every man is a personal unity--that is, a unity of rational soul and flesh--so also is Christ a personal unity: Word and man.
Romans 3:20-22 (English Standard Version) --- For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction
St. Thomas Aquinas from a conference he spoke at
Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? … in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.
If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross...
If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross…
If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death…
Matthew 8:18-22 (New Living Translation) --- When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head." Another of his disciples said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead."
Richard J. Foster GROWING EDGES , Jul 1994
I hope you have that sense of mission, of service, of work. No one else can do what God has given you to do. If your offering of service is withheld, all are less; if it is faithfully given, all are enriched. And it matters not a whit if your work is unvalued by the culture. The smallest act of kindness can send ripples of joy throughout a community. "They also serve who only stand and wait."
And from the perspective of spiritual reality I rather think that more is happening than we imagine. It is like the laws of mathematics have been superseded, or at least stretched in ways we do not fully understand. Evil has its effect, to be sure—to the third and fourth generation, as the Scripture says. But acts of love and justice and mercy . . . why, their effect goes on and on and on—"to the thousandth generation." So I tell you, never devalue the work you have been given—it is precious beyond measure.
John 15:11-15 (The Message) --- "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.
Henri Nouwen True Intimacy
Human relationships easily become possessive. Our hearts so much desire to be loved that we are inclined to cling to the person who offers us love, affection, friendship, care, or support. Once we have seen or felt a hint of love, we want more of it. That explains why lovers so often bicker with each other. Lovers' quarrels are quarrels between people who want more of each other than they are able or willing to give.
It is very hard for love not to become possessive because our hearts look for perfect love and no human being is capable of that. Only God can offer perfect love. Therefore, the art of loving includes the art of giving one another space. When we invade one another's space and do not allow the other to be his or her own free person, we cause great suffering in our relationships. But when we give another space to move and share our gifts, true intimacy becomes possible.
Psalm 36:5-11 (English Standard Version) --- Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
I know this was longer than normal, yet seeing from a different perspective, as these do, may change our influence.
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