Too eager I must not be to understand.
How should the work the Master goes about
Fit the vague sketch my compasses have planned?
I am his house-for him to go in and out.
He builds me now-and if I cannot see
At anytime what he is doing with me,
'Tis that he makes the house for me too grand. The house is not for me-it is for him.
His royal thoughts require many a stair,
Many a tower, many an outlook fair,
Of which I have no thought, and need no care.
Where I am most perplexed, it may be there
Thou mak'st a secret chamber, holy-dim,
Where thou wilt come to help my deepest prayer. I cannot tell why this day I am ill;
But I am well because it is thy will-
Which is to make me pure and right like thee.
Not yet I need escape-'tis bearable
Because thou knowest. And when harder things
Shall rise and gather, and overshadow me,
I shall have comfort in thy strengthenings.
-George MacDonald
How should the work the Master goes about
Fit the vague sketch my compasses have planned?
I am his house-for him to go in and out.
He builds me now-and if I cannot see
At anytime what he is doing with me,
'Tis that he makes the house for me too grand. The house is not for me-it is for him.
His royal thoughts require many a stair,
Many a tower, many an outlook fair,
Of which I have no thought, and need no care.
Where I am most perplexed, it may be there
Thou mak'st a secret chamber, holy-dim,
Where thou wilt come to help my deepest prayer. I cannot tell why this day I am ill;
But I am well because it is thy will-
Which is to make me pure and right like thee.
Not yet I need escape-'tis bearable
Because thou knowest. And when harder things
Shall rise and gather, and overshadow me,
I shall have comfort in thy strengthenings.
-George MacDonald
3 comments:
That could not be more true!
It cuts through to my very soul; and though it cuts like a knife, something in it says that there is nourishment there. That truth is, for me, slowing making a transition from bitter to sweet.
I sincerely thank you for sharing it...I truly needed to hear it today.
Crystal, I was thinking about what we talked about at lunch today, and I think I'd like to add a bit more to the issue of apostolic succession. From my limited knowledge of the subject, apostolic succession gets its scriptural foundation from the dialogue between Jesus and Peter Matthew 16:13-19 (note the phrase "You are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.") It is held that in this passage Jesus is anointing Peter as the first Pope. The act of Jesus anointing Peter legitimates apostolic succession; however, I don't believe this interpretation of the verse is a correct one and I would venture to say it's a very big misconception (meaning: when Jesus said "upon this rock" I don't believe He was referring to Peter specifically or exclusively). This is a good explanation I believe: "By these words our Lord assures him that it was not without a good reason that he had formerly given him this name, because, as a living stone (1 Peter 2:5) in the temple of God, he retains his stedfastness. This extends, no doubt, to all believers, each of whom is a temple of God, (l Corinthians 6:19,) and who, united to each other by faith, make together one temple, (Ephesians 2:21.) But it denotes also the distinguished excellence of Peter above the rest, as each in his own order receives more or less, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, (Ephesians 4:7.) Hence it is evident how the name Peter comes to be applied both to Simon individually, and to other believers. It is because they are founded on the faith of Christ, and joined together, by a holy consent, into a spiritual building, that God may dwell in the midst of them, (Ezekiel 43:7.) For Christ, by announcing that this would be the common foundation of the whole Church, intended to associate with Peter all the godly that would ever exist in the world." Hopefully that makes some sense. Anyhow, if the Catholic and Anglican (as well as others) view of this verse is indeed a misinterpretation of the verse, then apostolic succession lacks a major part of its scriptural foundation. Personally, I don't invest much belief in apostolic succession since I don't believe it's legitimate, and I wouldn't really hold to apostolic succession as the the binding thread of an enduring church. Furthermore, Catholics and Anglicans have many of their own issues amongst one another (much like denominations do). Catholics hold that they alone are heirs in the apostolic succession while Anglicans disagree hold that they too are still connected to the apostolic succession. I think Paul had a good insight into following men and divisions in I Cor. 1:10-15.
If Alishia happens to read this too, I figured I'd go on to reiterate the my answer about whether a Mormon can be saved. The answer is still very much "No," and I very much doubt any exceptions to this answer. Although there is a possibility that a Mormon could believe in Christ as his or her Lord and Savior, I very much doubt this could actually come about due to several reasons. Firstly, the Book of Mormon is far from the Word of God we have, and I can't help but think that aspiring to the Book of Mormon would actually lead to a true and untwisted knowledge of Christ. Along those same lines, a big part of Mormonism is lifestyle and being a "good mormon" and self improvement really does come in to play when were talking salvation and the afterlife for them, which is very contrary from the Christian view of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and man's inability to save himself or total depravity (sorry but it really does matter this time). Without acknowledging something as powerful as total depravity and the Law that condemns us, I find it hard to believe that the Gospel would be acknowledged as necessary by a Mormon (it's like the opposite law without gospel). Plus, you have to consider the argument that's brought up about the native on some far off island and whether he has a knowledge of God. Personally, I would say that there's plenty within and around him that would led him to an accurate knowledge of God, so this same type of knowledge is also available to the Mormon as well. I believe a Mormon could come to accurate knowledge and belief of Christ, but I don't believe he or she could remain a Mormon for very long after.
Anyhow, hope this was helpful for you both.
The first draft of something inspired by the MacDonald passage.
One dream is lost: the dream of union
Between soul and body, in concert
Reaching for parallel ends, never
Desiring what conflicts the other.
Yea, that dream died today--this side
Of Earth--and in its place rose so sweet
A Dream that to relate it requires
A more gifted tongue. But in sum:
I know that though the body and soul
Be never at home with each other,
They may yet with the Spirit, who
Turns aching into arches and turns
Sorrow into skylights--all adornments
For His home--be I comfortable
With it soon! For I will rest in
Carpenter’s arms for all eternity.
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