Journey to enter into rest
Prepare your heart for an inner journey:
"Follow the Spirit as your guide, that you may resist the flesh."
While we continue to drink from the fountain of living water we no longer thirst after the world. The refreshing of His Spirit satisfies us, not to take things in our hands again. "In the last and great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying: If any man thirst, let Him come to Me and drink. He that believes in Me, as the scriptures say, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (He was refereeing to His Spirit given to everyone who would believe in Him)." Entering into rest our soul no longer experiences distress as in the valley of decision, where we are troubled with cares of this life and not One with God as we should: We forsake the fountain of living water seeking in creature what is found in God, left to ourselves, because we left our first Love, unless we return.
The prodigal son:
“There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his Father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So He divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had and set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in the land, and he began to be in want. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the cobs that the pigs were eating: no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my Father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my Father and say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his Father. But while he was still a long way off, His Father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; He ran to His son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to Him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against You. I am no longer worthy to be called Your son.’ But the Father said to His servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of Mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate."
The Father gave him the best robe: a new identity by the Holy Spirit. The Father put a ring on his finger: authority as son of God. "Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means harm you." The Father put shoes on his feet, "He that says he lives in Him is to walk even as He walked." "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, proclaiming peace, announcing news of renewal.” Rightly related to God is not how we see ourselves, rather becoming selfless, we see God and change in identity with Him. The Father prepares a feast, the son has come home: the Father does it all. Not about you and what you did, but who's you are and what He did: to save us from ourselves.
The Journey begins, returning home:
“Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them: What do you seek? They said to Him: Master where do You live? He said to them: Come, and see. So they came and saw where He lived; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour." In this encounter of becoming His disciple, we experience the goodness of God: fulfillment as if troubles are over for ever, mistaking the beginning of the Journey for having arrived. This beginning of Contemplation is dark to our understanding: walking in the Spirit is uncharted territory. We still suffer trials of fear of getting lost on the road, affections indulged as desires to take things in our hands again. So delicate is the refreshing of the Spirit that being weighed down with cares of this life distracts us. Not knowing where to go with affections and imagination until, “When I grew up, I put away childish things.”
There is a motion of sin in us:
"What is gain for me is lost for Christ."
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If we do not walk in the light we have, we deceive ourselves and become dull of hearing, so that knowledge of God becomes something far away. In disorder of inner life, spiritual reading does not bring relief; the little value we set on Him being what we receive: discouragement and loss of vision. "A double minded man is unstable in all His ways." To arrive at wholeness passes through the valley of decision: Enter in as a little child and put away your divided spirit.
Walk through the valley:
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord, is near in the valley of decision."
“Yes though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.”
Taken from tending the Father's sheep in the wilderness, David confronting the lion and the bear, has the rightful place for fear in Contemplation of God, prepared to face Goliath without fear. "Out of the mouth of babes You have ordained strength: to still the enemy and avenger." Living for the praise of God, "The joy of the Lord is our strength."
If we desire control we resist the Holy Spirit:
Saul desired to remain in charge; knowing the kingdom is thorn from Him, and gives his daughter to David in marriage. "Saul said: I will give him her that she be a snare to Him." But Saul is the one ensnared. "The evil spirit from God came upon Saul and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played with hand as at other times. And there was a javelin in Saul's hand and Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul...and David fled and escaped that night." Leaving the comfort of Saul's daughter, to escape a battle he is not to fight.
The dark night of the soul.
1: On a dark night, kindled in Love with yearnings, oh happy chance!
I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest.
Getting past the wall of our comfort zone:
"Michal let David down through a window."
The wall enclosed us with desire to please the old king: when controlled by desires, we can't put away our divided spirit, "This kind does not come out but by prayer and fasting." "It shall come to past in the day that the lord shall give you rest from your sorrow and your fear and the hard bondage wherein you were made to serve." "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the enemy and he will flee from you." Losing sight of the Lord in these uncertain times is our greatest affliction. Godly sorrow leads to repentance but worldly sorrow leads to death: To get past you have to surrender everything. To seek first the kingdom of God and not take things in your hands again, "The heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father."
You must value what you have:
"The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost."
After the death of Saul, David is king over all Israel, no longer fleeing outward enemies and encounters the enemy within: corrupted by power to take things in his hands with Bathsheba. The sentence of the Lord, "From now on you shall have wars." David was faithful to turn to God in adversity when confronted with outward enemies, to yield to Him in affliction: as contraries otherwise that can't coexist as one. "You did chastise me Lord, and I was instructed."
"They that wait on the Lord shall renew strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." We soar effortlessly with God, and loose this privilege when controlled by desire in relationships. Without following the Spirit, we would take things in our hands again. "Flee youthful lusts that war against the soul," "Flee anger," "Flee from idolatry." "The eyes of the Lord run through the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is to go on to perfection."
God breaks our heart to enlarge our territory:
“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies it brings forth much fruit."
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." "Therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat? What shall we drink? Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek), for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." "If any of you wants to be my disciple, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily and follow me." If you seek your life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for My sake you will save it." Jesus finished the work but requires our agreement with Him for the Passion of Christ to take us captive. Wounded with His wounds, we journey into union with God: "These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends." Carried into His death to all that is not of God, becomes our freedom to go on to know the Lord in His continual fellowship with the Father.
Prepare your heart for an inner journey:
"Follow the Spirit as your guide, that you may resist the flesh."
While we continue to drink from the fountain of living water we no longer thirst after the world. The refreshing of His Spirit satisfies us, not to take things in our hands again. "In the last and great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying: If any man thirst, let Him come to Me and drink. He that believes in Me, as the scriptures say, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (He was refereeing to His Spirit given to everyone who would believe in Him)." Entering into rest our soul no longer experiences distress as in the valley of decision, where we are troubled with cares of this life and not One with God as we should: We forsake the fountain of living water seeking in creature what is found in God, left to ourselves, because we left our first Love, unless we return.
The prodigal son:
“There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his Father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So He divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had and set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in the land, and he began to be in want. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the cobs that the pigs were eating: no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my Father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my Father and say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his Father. But while he was still a long way off, His Father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; He ran to His son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to Him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against You. I am no longer worthy to be called Your son.’ But the Father said to His servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of Mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate."
The Father gave him the best robe: a new identity by the Holy Spirit. The Father put a ring on his finger: authority as son of God. "Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means harm you." The Father put shoes on his feet, "He that says he lives in Him is to walk even as He walked." "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, proclaiming peace, announcing news of renewal.” Rightly related to God is not how we see ourselves, rather becoming selfless, we see God and change in identity with Him. The Father prepares a feast, the son has come home: the Father does it all. Not about you and what you did, but who's you are and what He did: to save us from ourselves.
The Journey begins, returning home:
“Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them: What do you seek? They said to Him: Master where do You live? He said to them: Come, and see. So they came and saw where He lived; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour." In this encounter of becoming His disciple, we experience the goodness of God: fulfillment as if troubles are over for ever, mistaking the beginning of the Journey for having arrived. This beginning of Contemplation is dark to our understanding: walking in the Spirit is uncharted territory. We still suffer trials of fear of getting lost on the road, affections indulged as desires to take things in our hands again. So delicate is the refreshing of the Spirit that being weighed down with cares of this life distracts us. Not knowing where to go with affections and imagination until, “When I grew up, I put away childish things.”
There is a motion of sin in us:
"What is gain for me is lost for Christ."
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If we do not walk in the light we have, we deceive ourselves and become dull of hearing, so that knowledge of God becomes something far away. In disorder of inner life, spiritual reading does not bring relief; the little value we set on Him being what we receive: discouragement and loss of vision. "A double minded man is unstable in all His ways." To arrive at wholeness passes through the valley of decision: Enter in as a little child and put away your divided spirit.
Walk through the valley:
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord, is near in the valley of decision."
“Yes though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.”
Taken from tending the Father's sheep in the wilderness, David confronting the lion and the bear, has the rightful place for fear in Contemplation of God, prepared to face Goliath without fear. "Out of the mouth of babes You have ordained strength: to still the enemy and avenger." Living for the praise of God, "The joy of the Lord is our strength."
If we desire control we resist the Holy Spirit:
Saul desired to remain in charge; knowing the kingdom is thorn from Him, and gives his daughter to David in marriage. "Saul said: I will give him her that she be a snare to Him." But Saul is the one ensnared. "The evil spirit from God came upon Saul and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played with hand as at other times. And there was a javelin in Saul's hand and Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul...and David fled and escaped that night." Leaving the comfort of Saul's daughter, to escape a battle he is not to fight.
The dark night of the soul.
1: On a dark night, kindled in Love with yearnings, oh happy chance!
I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest.
Getting past the wall of our comfort zone:
"Michal let David down through a window."
The wall enclosed us with desire to please the old king: when controlled by desires, we can't put away our divided spirit, "This kind does not come out but by prayer and fasting." "It shall come to past in the day that the lord shall give you rest from your sorrow and your fear and the hard bondage wherein you were made to serve." "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the enemy and he will flee from you." Losing sight of the Lord in these uncertain times is our greatest affliction. Godly sorrow leads to repentance but worldly sorrow leads to death: To get past you have to surrender everything. To seek first the kingdom of God and not take things in your hands again, "The heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father."
You must value what you have:
"The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost."
After the death of Saul, David is king over all Israel, no longer fleeing outward enemies and encounters the enemy within: corrupted by power to take things in his hands with Bathsheba. The sentence of the Lord, "From now on you shall have wars." David was faithful to turn to God in adversity when confronted with outward enemies, to yield to Him in affliction: as contraries otherwise that can't coexist as one. "You did chastise me Lord, and I was instructed."
"They that wait on the Lord shall renew strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." We soar effortlessly with God, and loose this privilege when controlled by desire in relationships. Without following the Spirit, we would take things in our hands again. "Flee youthful lusts that war against the soul," "Flee anger," "Flee from idolatry." "The eyes of the Lord run through the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is to go on to perfection."
God breaks our heart to enlarge our territory:
“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies it brings forth much fruit."
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." "Therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat? What shall we drink? Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek), for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." "If any of you wants to be my disciple, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily and follow me." If you seek your life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for My sake you will save it." Jesus finished the work but requires our agreement with Him for the Passion of Christ to take us captive. Wounded with His wounds, we journey into union with God: "These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends." Carried into His death to all that is not of God, becomes our freedom to go on to know the Lord in His continual fellowship with the Father.