glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- she disposes herself in preparation for the ascent It is now in the flow of my existence 3:04 PM Thursday afternoon. I went searching for that other book by Robert Letham titled "The Work of Christ" (Contours Of Christian Theology). I discovered I did not buy this volume in the series Contours Of Christian Theology. I only have these volumes in this series--- "The Revelation Of God" (Contours of Christian Theology) by Peter Jensen "The Providence Of God" (Contours of Christian Theology) by Paul Helm "The Holy Spirit" (Contours of Christian Theology) by Sinclair B. Ferguson "The Church" (Contours of Christian Theology) by Edmund P. Clowney Apparently I did not buy all the volumes in the series Contours of Christan Theology. At one time in my Christian life I collected books on Christology or the doctrine of Christ. I also use to collect books on the Historical Jesus. There comes a moment in ones life where he realizes he can not read everything. I really do not read a lot of books in one year. I tend to read some books over and over like the book "Carthusian Spirituality: The Writings of Hugh Of Balma And Guigo De Ponte" [The Classics of Western Spirituality]. I spend a lot of time in a state of stillness each day. I am seeking to rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. At this point I will quote Hugh of Balma--- "55. Next comes the final [persuasive] reason, namely the progress of the loving spirit eager to reach out for greater things out of love for her Beloved. This does not take place after the manner of human philosophers who, puffed up by proud scorn, disdainfully refuse to attribute anything than can in any way be grasped by human understanding to that fountainhead from which every ray of truth spreads over the minds of all rational spirits. Instead, as much as the human spirit blazes with greater desire based on sensory things, having been taught by true wisdom, she knows that she cannot by her own merits obtain understanding of the things she possesses. Therefore she overflows all the more with thankful praise to the Grantor of all things. The more amply she receives graces from him, the more humble she becomes in her own eyes, putting herself down lest divine judgment convict her of robbery because, giddy in her own soul, she attributed to herself things not her own. 56. There are, then, two arms by which the upward movement of the human spirit's affections is increased. On the one hand, she disposes herself in preparation for the ascent; on the other hand, she calls for the free gift of divine outpouring by which what she already has is made to merit greater and richer awards. She employs the first arm by the very fact that she does not attribute what she has to herself but redirects everything into praise to the Bestower of all things. In this way she scrapes out a cavity in herself by more truly fighting against herself. As this cavity wells up with divine graces that skip over mountains and hills, the humbler places within her are filled by the graces pouring into her. The more capacious the cavity of humility, the more grace she can hold. Now to the degree that any creature acknowledges its source, it denies itself, since the more something created from nothing attributes every good and all all existence to its Creator, that much more does it recognize the magnificence of the Creator. Thus it is rightly said that "God resists the proud, but to the humble he gives grace" (1 Pet 5:5; James 4:6). 57. The human spirit employs the second arm-the right arm-in aid of her yearning, permitting her to practice her exercises even more ardently than usual. When, through the union of love, the soul senses what things belong to God, she breaks forth into all manner of praise of God, and this praise, more than anything else (except the exercises of love), calls forth from God the largess that makes it possible to give God even greater praise. This is what John, playing the part of such a praisegiver, says in the "Apocalypse: Blessing, glory, wisdom, and thanksgiving [honor, and power and strength to our God for ever and ever]" (Rev 7:12). Frequent acknowledgment of God's favors is like a trumpet sounding in the ears of the Beloved. This frequent meditation on divine favors rouses the spirit to pour herself out completely in even more zealously obedient service to the overflowing Creator. Hence David, playing her role, says, "My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out" (Ps 38:4 [39:3]), because his meditation consists in repeated consideration of divine benefits, setting the mind on fire to embrace even greater things for love of the Giver." pg. 128,129 Hugh of Balma "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23,24. 3:44 p.m. - 2012-02-16 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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