glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- you live in a crowd-but you must die alone It is 12:38 PM Wednesday afternoon here in Western Michigan. It is a warm hazy afternoon. I was outside this afternoon pulling up dead plant growth in my wild flower garden and immediately noticed it was a very warm day. It has been predicted to get cold and rainy this weekend. I got up this morning around 5 o’clock AM and spent all morning writing in my paper diary and reading from a book titled, ‘The Christian Contemplated’ by Rev. William Jay. Carol did call me this morning around 9:05 AM to catch up and to pray. We ended our time of communion around 9:25 AM. I do not know what I will this afternoon to keep myself awake. I could just sit and contemplate. Time flow circle of Light. Last night I listened to a Pod Cast and read from a book titled, ‘Will’ autobiography by Will Self. I went down into the lower level to prepare myself to go to bed around 10:05 PM and went to bed around 10:40 PM. I suppose I will close to wait. “In others, a little of this practice of retirement remains, lingering, as the effect of custom or conviction only. But though they do not constantly, they yet frequently neglect private reading, meditation, and prayer. Business, company, the most trifling pretensions, keep them from the duty; and they must be aware, if they would deal honestly with themselves, that whatever they do in this way, is their task, and not their pleasure. And need they be told to what character Job alludes, when he asks, “Will he delight himself in the Almighty, will he always call upon God?” But some have wholly incurred the reproach; “Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.” Yes-for it was not thus with you once; you have left off to be wise, and to do good. “Apostacy,” says Henry, “begins at the closet-door.” There your irreligion commenced; and ever since this revolt from God, you have been departing more and more from Him. O! what a day was that, when you first left your apartment without prayer! Perhaps you have forgotten it. But, no! How can you forget your hesitation-your strugglings with conscience-the shame and uneasiness you endured, so that you longed and endeavoured as soon as possible to lose the feeling. -And you succeed. You felt less the day following. At length you obtained a victory over every moral embarrassment. And now you lie down and rise up like the beasts that perish, and feel nothing. But allow me to ask, Is not this neglect of religious retirement, a proof that the love of God is not in you? You treat men with attention; but He is not in all your thoughts. You salute your fellow-creatures according to their rank and quality; but you never give Him the glory that is due unto his holy name. You visit your friends and acquaintances, but you never call upon God, though he is not far from any one of you. And have you nothing to do with Him? Is he not your Creator? Your Judge? Have you nothing to hope from Him? Nothing to fear? In his hand your breath is, and his are all your ways. Men deny the depravity of human nature: but we want no other proof of the mortifying truth, than this alienation of your mind from God. . .” Rev. William Jay pg. 61,62 ‘The Christian Contemplated’ 12:49 p.m. - 2022-10-05 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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