A Good and Beautiful thought... Jesus taught and practiced a life of peace and joy in the knowledge of God’s complete nearness and care, and he offered that life to his disciples as well. Such life lay at the very heart of his own spirituality. His mastery over events and people through faith in God, and the presence of God with him, never left Him at a loss, no matter the situation. Though sometimes saddened to tears, or exasperated by the ineptitude of His students, only in the supernatural struggle with evil in Gethsemane, on the way to the cross, and then upon the cross, do we witness his vulnerability—his passion (John 12:27). No doubt it was from Him that Paul learned how to be afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair (2 Cor. 4:8 NRSV). He could enjoy the company of publicans and sinners. He could continue his nap in the storm, though the boat was filling with water and his disciples were scared out of their wits. After calming the storm he asked them: Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? (Mark 4:40 NRSV) Surely his friends must have wondered at these questions. They simply did not yet see what he saw. He knew that there was no reason to be afraid of those who can kill the body but after that have no more that they can do (Luke 12:4). Whoever keeps my word, he said, shall never see death (John 8:51 NRSV). Keepers of his word will have already passed from death to life. There also is no need for them to worry about food or clothing or the material provisions for life (Luke 12:22-31). One has only to devote oneself to living in the kingdom and every provision will be made—though perhaps not to the world’s taste. Provisions for this life and beyond are made by the father, who watches over everything and is always with us. Joy, the pervasive sense of wellbeing, is the condition in which we live the kingdom life. Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:14:21 +0000
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