glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the living God "In order to devote energy to the praise of God, I urge you to turn your thoughts as much as you can from mundane concerns and raise them them to heavenly ones. Reflect on how the citizens of the heavenly court continually rejoice, exult, and delight in God. Call to mind the joys of each of them and eventually, to the extent that you can and are permitted to, mingle with them and join in their joyful praises. With all your heart, from the depths of your being, cry out with Anselm, My God, what have I have considered better or more loveable than you in the entire world, so that I would drag my heart away from you and desire anything on earth apart from you? Why have I loved or sought anything in my whole life apart from you, Jesus my God? Why have I delayed, why have I even for a moment stopped entertaining you in my heart, embracing you with my whole soul, and delighting in your sweetness? Why did all the my longings turn me to you? Where did all the thoughts and feelings of my spirit go when they did not come to you? Where was I when my heart was not with you? Where did all my desires vanish when they were not with you alone? Now, from this moment, I will instruct all my desires: grow fervent and flow to the Lord Jesus; run, for you have hesitated long enough; hurry to where you are going, search for the one you seek. You see Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has ascended to heaven; he is not here. The most Beloved of the Lord dwells in security, nor shall the scourge come near his dwelling. Above the heights of the heavens, above all the excellence of the angels, he ascended by his own power and sits upon a throne of unique splendor at his Father's right hand, co-eternal and consubstantial, clothed with divine light and crowned with glory and honor as befits the only-begotten of God, serene in joy and almighty in power, Lord in heaven and earth. There all the angels of God and the whole multitude of the citizens of heavenly Zion adore him. In him all hearts rejoice as one, the eyes of the blessed feast on that longed-for face; the desires of all the saints meet in him. The vast, glorious, heavenly city sings out and applauds in every way his splendor: Rejoice, and praise, O habitation of Zion, for great is he that is in your midst, the Holy One of Israel (Isa. 12:5). Through him a hundred times ten thousand minister in the sanctuary of the heavenly temple, contemplating the face of Majesty with clear, unblinking gaze, sounding forth the harmony of a ceaseless hymn in praise of the undivided Trinity. Through him, thousands upon thousands travel continuously in swift flight between heaven and earth to carry out the Father's hidden counsels, like industrious bees winging their way between hive and flowers. They accomplish all things pleasantly, a well-trained soldiery that knows neither hesitation nor the delay of disobedience. Through them the highest business of our salvation is administered and the deepest secrets of his counsels are conveyed to us. Through them the health of mortals is produced, by them earthly empires and kingdoms stand. We recognize the chief among them, Michael, the courageous standard-bearer of the heavenly citizens, who stands before the battle-line of the living God brandishing his defending spear and thundering with a terrible voice in the face of the enemy: "Who is like God?" 11:06 a.m. - 2022-08-06 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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