Teach me, Lord, how to die. And to wait for joy from you rather than trying to create it through my own efforts. And if it doesn't come, to die to it as well. Teach me to approach you, not as a companion, but as Master. Not to approach you as an alter ego by vain babblings falsely thought to be prayer, but as Lord, one other than myself to whom I approach in fear and trembling.
posted by bill rosser @ 11:26 AM
5 Comments:
romans 4:16-25
i want to encourage you to believe it what you do not see or feel (what no eye has seen nor ear has heard); something i've learned from you.
Take God for his words, for his truths and press on like Paul. He knew he had not yet attained perfection or complete knowledge of the power of the resurrection but he pressed on to know it, the only truth.
david r
Thank you, David, for your words of encouragement. Did my initial blog sound so depressing? Jesus did not enjoy the cross, but endured it for the joy ahead. Much so-called joy experienced by Christians may reveal an avoidance of cross-bearing. "Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning." I suspect Jesus' entire earthly life was characterized more by endurance than joy; but because of his faithful endurance joy was the reward. Surely, dying to self includes dying to my desire for instant joy.
I was mostly commenting on your first sentence. As a believer in Christ you are uncompromisingly dead in the flesh and only alive in the spirit. This is an objective beginning point. Now, i think our great struggle is in realizing/ knowing/believing we are dead and in turn feel alive in much that we do, or atleast we hope to, and this is not belief. At least I know that I am guilty of this. As far as joy and suffering i think our modern idea of joy is harmful, very similar to happiness. Paul seemed to find joy in his suffering; they appear to be one. Who knows what paul's endorphine level was like. But he was probably a physically miserable man considering that he considered himself a fool to live the life he lead if Christ had not risen.
david r
good stuff
This is great info to know.
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