I have no hope at all, then, but in Your pity for me. Granting what You require, require whatever You will. You impose on us self-discipline. Well, as the writer has it, ‘Since I realized that no one can be self-disciplined unless God grants it, knowing who grants it is a mark of wisdom.’ Self-discipline is a gathering inward, toward oneness, from our disperasal out into severalness. For no one loves You well who loves anything else except because of You. You, my love, who burn forever without consuming, set me on fire, for the charity of God. You impose self-discipline? Require anything, granting what You require.
Dear God,
I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!
Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?
Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?
Please help me to gradually open my hands
and to discover that I am not what I own,
but what you want to give me.
And what you want to give me is love,
unconditional, everlasting love.
Amen.
A truly Christian love, either to God or men, is a humble broken hearted love. The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires. Their hope is a humble hope; and their joy, even when it is unspeakable, and full of glory, is a humble broken hearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor in spirit; and more like a little child, and more disposed to a universal lowliness of behavior.
For he loves thee too little who loves anything together with thee, which he loves not for thy sake. O love that ever burnest and art never quenched! O Charity, my God, enkindle me! Thou commandest continence. Grant what thou commandest and command what thou wilt.
My name is Dustin Horstmann. I serve as a full-time intercessory missionary at IHOP-KC. Check out the About page to learn more about this site.