Gently forward
mood: 
peaceful
peaceful—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (8 February, "The Cost of Sanctification")
Tempted to sleep in an extra hour this morning, but was gently reminded that while I've sometimes regretted sleeping in, I can't recall ever being sorry I rose early. This hypothesis is supported by today's evidence thus far.
Read Jesus' prayer in John 17 last night; think I'll stay there for a day or two (the fact that this morning's reading from Chambers is also rooted here is the kind of coincidence I relish). It's been one of the most powerful pieces of Scripture for me ever since it dawned on me that this is the prayer of the Son. Not a set of principles, commands, or goals to shoot for, but the very prayer of Jesus. The implications are staggering— everything written here must be fulfilled, will be fulfilled, has been accomplished and is being worked even now, by the power of the living God. It is His work, to His glory, for if I have no faith that the Son's prayer to the Father will be honored in full, then it is utter foolishness for me to ever be about the business of prayer whatsoever.
It's a good time for courage, wisdom, faith, and hope. Not that there's ever a bad time for these. Nice not to be in a hurry.
Kim, Kathy and I are studying the path to spiritual formation together (Richard Foster) together. Our first time together was this morning, and it's going to be a very hard, but rich experience. We're all so different, but stretch one another a lot.
It focuses on the different movements of God through our history and the different experiences of Jesus that each movement was rooted from. Social justice rooted within the compassion of Christ. Contemplative prayer being rooted in the devotion to the Father that Jesus prayed. The holiness movement being devoted to the virtue and sacredness of the Father that Jesus talked about. Evangelism, so on - each rooted in something Jesus said or did.
But this is when it got tense - when we discussed what this study should do if we're faithful to the Spirit in it - in us:
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Kim, Kathy and I are studying the path to spiritual formation together (Richard Foster) together. Our first time together was this morning, and it's going to be a very hard, but rich experience. We're all so different, but stretch one another a lot.
It focuses on the different movements of God through our history and the different experiences of Jesus that each movement was rooted from. Social justice rooted within the compassion of Christ. Contemplative prayer being rooted in the devotion to the Father that Jesus prayed. The holiness movement being devoted to the virtue and sacredness of the Father that Jesus talked about. Evangelism, so on - each rooted in something Jesus said or did.
But this is when it got tense - when we discussed what this study should do if we're faithful to the Spirit in it - in us:
<<Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God...>>>
We'll see. It's easy to talk *about* it - it is entirely another to pay the price inside.
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But at least you know that K,K and I are doing this study TOGETHER - just in case I didn't make that clear.
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So you're doing this study on your own?
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Maybe I wasn't clear.
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What I like about him so far is how smart he is with language. It's a big deal with you are talking about the traditions of both the Protestant, Catholic and Orthadoxy churches. The effort he puts into making it clear for everyone is noticable.
We've committed to doing everything within it, word for word. Even the holding hands part while we prayed which of course, being the mature women that we are, made us burst into these fits of giggles.
I love those guys but it's going to be hard to do it with Kim, especially. She's more naturally inclined to live out the "holiness" movement - I'm definitely more inclined toward the contemplative. I thought I was more attuned to the compassion/social justice, but I'm realizing even in the first section that I have to re-define what it means to be compassionate. I have to surrender what *I* want that to mean because it's about how we all feel. That's going to suck.
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(The fact that I get encouraged at the same time you mention something is hard must get old...)
If memory serves (I tried to do something similar a few years back, but we were much lamer), I was more contemplative, too. Shocker.
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