When we contemplate on the obedience we obey Christ with it has to be out of sheer Love. We abstain from something or we partake of it --it all has to be acts of love: that what seems right for us to do or right to us to do or not do.
We mustn't lump it onto others, though, saying, "You must all also do thus and thus..."
This presupposes that we need to be in God's presence. We need to be with God at all times --all the time: rain & sunshine, light & darkness, day & night, the highs & the lows --through it all.
How do we practise the presence of God? Do we work up an emotion? Conjure up God!? Yes and No.
Yes --because, yes, in all our relationships relating to everyone we do work up some emotions when we let our minds turn to them. This is not because they are not there, as if they are not real people, but all the more because they are real people and we have spent time with them. And same it is when we think of God.
No -- because, no, we do not need to work up our emotions or work ourselves up to feel God's presence as if he is not a real person. God is very real and very much a person and very much present even when we do not feel anything or even think of him. All we need, like with any person in any of our relationships, think of God --we feel the highs or lows of emotions towards him does not matter. Let's remember who he is to us and how he has been all that to us, and how we have been with him. Let's remember the walks we have been having with him till now. He is with us.
Thankful God is very much present; what a relief and comfort and strength this has been. Seeing your handwriting in the photo brings back fond memories of our written correspondence from so long ago! -Dena
ReplyDeleteHey Dena,
DeleteAlways nice to hear from you. Thank you for reading and commenting. Do share my blog if you want. Its nothing professional quality though.
Yes, yes... your comment made me remember our handwritten correspondences. All those letters and cards, sometimes my letters were so long and yours too, that it was a miracle they fit into those airmail envelops alrwady bursting at the seams!
Handwritten letters and cards are really something altogether that emails and blogs or WhatsApp texts can never match up to. I have always felt that a person's handwriting is a part of that person, a part of his essence or being or his or her very soul. A person sends a part of himself or herself through his or her own handwriting that emails etc cannot do.