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JohnBlog - Word&Light Day 19
His family, hometown, people and his world did not recognize him, understand him, acknowledge him, receive him, worship him, submit to him. But for some, that was about to change.
The disciple:
Your meekness is awesome. How could the incarnated creative intelligence of the universe be content with waiting three decades in obscurity? Waiting patiently in the humbled anonymity of an embryo, a baby, child, craftsman, low-income ‘Galilean’ from the fringes of the fringes of the civilized world? How could the one great God submit that most precious entity, his personified eternal communication, to the chaos of lost human society? What trust! What purpose! What love!
How is it that a creation so beautiful, imagined and sung into existence over countless eons could be so blind to its source? Why do you permit such grossness in the world, such idolatry, such irreverence intolerance, unkindness, selfishness, arrogance and ignorance of goodness and truth? It disturbs me.
But at other times I find myself slipping into a darkened state of mind. I have, more frequently than I care to admit, found myself wondering whether dark is light and desiring the shadows. How can you stand such fickleness among those whose love you desire with such intensity?
Jesus:
My way is to woo. Our way, my Father and I, is to trust. We trust those who seek after truth. We trust them to respond to our wooing. Darkness was unavoidable among mortals endowed with qualities of God. For mortals choosing to live in darkness, even darkness is a blessing. A far lesser one than the blessings enjoyed by those living in the light, and lasting for only as long as their mortality. But a blessing nevertheless. Is it not better to live in the image of God in darkness than not to live at all or to live as a mere animal? Men living in darkness may still live as more than animals, enjoying the dignity of making good judgments, making beautiful artifacts, receiving love and admiration, and walking in whatever wisdom they can find. But for all this, they are still in the shadows if they do not recognize the eternal light. Their temporal joys will fade with their mortal bodies.
As I love, I call to me those who will submit to the law of love. Deep calls to deep, spirit to spirit, love to love.
His family, hometown, people and his world did not recognize him, understand him, acknowledge him, receive him, worship him, submit to him. But for some, that was about to change.
The disciple:
Your meekness is awesome. How could the incarnated creative intelligence of the universe be content with waiting three decades in obscurity? Waiting patiently in the humbled anonymity of an embryo, a baby, child, craftsman, low-income ‘Galilean’ from the fringes of the fringes of the civilized world? How could the one great God submit that most precious entity, his personified eternal communication, to the chaos of lost human society? What trust! What purpose! What love!
How is it that a creation so beautiful, imagined and sung into existence over countless eons could be so blind to its source? Why do you permit such grossness in the world, such idolatry, such irreverence intolerance, unkindness, selfishness, arrogance and ignorance of goodness and truth? It disturbs me.
But at other times I find myself slipping into a darkened state of mind. I have, more frequently than I care to admit, found myself wondering whether dark is light and desiring the shadows. How can you stand such fickleness among those whose love you desire with such intensity?
Jesus:
My way is to woo. Our way, my Father and I, is to trust. We trust those who seek after truth. We trust them to respond to our wooing. Darkness was unavoidable among mortals endowed with qualities of God. For mortals choosing to live in darkness, even darkness is a blessing. A far lesser one than the blessings enjoyed by those living in the light, and lasting for only as long as their mortality. But a blessing nevertheless. Is it not better to live in the image of God in darkness than not to live at all or to live as a mere animal? Men living in darkness may still live as more than animals, enjoying the dignity of making good judgments, making beautiful artifacts, receiving love and admiration, and walking in whatever wisdom they can find. But for all this, they are still in the shadows if they do not recognize the eternal light. Their temporal joys will fade with their mortal bodies.
As I love, I call to me those who will submit to the law of love. Deep calls to deep, spirit to spirit, love to love.
Scripture
About this Plan
A meditation on John inspired by the 15th Century devotional ‘Imitation of Christ.’ In 2011 Chris Webster, a professor with positions at Hong Kong and Cambridge Universities, awoke from a 4 day coma. He started writing JohnBlog as spiritual instructions for his teenage daughter and son should he not return from a second cardiac arrest. This also tells everyone why he exuberantly loves life but considers death as gain.
More
This plan was provided by Chris Webster a proferssor with positions in Hong Kong and Campbridge Universities. For more information, please visit: http://JohnBlog.net
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