Olson: the temple of God

Saturday, September 19, 2009
    Commemoration of Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
    —John 4:23,24 (NIV)
Quotation:
    A temple may be defined as an edifice dedicated to the worship of a deity. Whether this deity be true or false, the temple as such becomes a meeting-place for people who desire to worship as they understand it. For the ancient Hebrews, the Temple in Jerusalem was the house of God, the place where God dwelt symbolically, and met with people who came to worship. Jesus called it “My Father’s house.” For the Christian, the word ‘church’ has become the symbol for the edifice built and dedicated for the worship of God. But unless it is so dedicated and so used, it may be considered only a mere building or club-house. However beautiful its design and architecture, a church is a true temple only as it is frequented by God’s people who come to “worship Him in spirit and in truth,” and who there hold forth “the word of life.” [Continued tomorrow]
    ... Milford C. Olson
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your people shine like stars.CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Thomas a Kempis: love is the key

Friday, September 18, 2009
Meditation:
    Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
    —John 14:23 (NIV)
Quotation:
    If thou hadst once entered into the mind of Jesus, and hadst tasted, yea, even a little of his tender love, then wouldst thou care nought for thine own convenience or inconvenience, but wouldst rather rejoice at trouble brought upon thee, because the love of Jesus maketh a man to despise himself. He that loveth Jesus and is inwardly true and free from inordinate affections, is able to turn himself readily unto God, and to rise above himself in spirit.
    ... Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471), Of the Imitation of Christ [1418], Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1877, II.i.6, p. 85 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You lift me up towards Yourself.CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Law: the season of prayer

Thursday, September 17, 2009
    Feast of Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen, Visionary, 1179
Meditation:
    You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
    —Psalm 18:28 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Reading is good, hearing is good, conversation and meditation are good; but then, they are only good at times and occasions, in a certain degree, and must be used and governed with such caution as we eat and drink, and refresh ourselves, or they will bring forth in us the fruits of intemperance. But the Spirit of Prayer is for all times and occasions; it is a lamp that is to be always burning, a light to be ever shining: everything calls for it; everything is to be done in it, and governed by it, because it is and means and wills nothing else but the whole totality of the soul, not doing this or that, but wholly, incessantly given up to God to be where and what and how He pleases.
    ... William Law (1686-1761), letter XI in Works of Rev. William Law, v. IX, London: G. Moreton, 1893, p. 183 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You speak to us in prayer.CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Cyprian: peace in the storm's heart

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
    Feast of Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, 258
    Commemoration of Ninian, Bishop of Galloway, Apostle to the Picts, c. 430
    Commemoration of Edward Bouverie Pusey, Priest, tractarian, 1882
Meditation:
    On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
    —Romans 12:20 (NIV)
Quotation:
    This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden, under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out over the wide lands, you know very well what I would see—brigands on the high roads, pirates on the seas; in the amphitheaters men murdered to please applauding crowds; under all roofs misery and selfishness. It is really a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. Yet in the midst of it I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasures of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians—and I am one of them.
    ... St. Cyprian (?-258), a letter in A Treasury of! Sermon Illustrations, Charles Langworthy Wallis, ed., Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1950, p. 59 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are the strength of Your people.CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Baptist Messenger: suppose

Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Meditation:
    Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
    —1 Timothy 5:1,2 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Just suppose members of our churches were voted on, like the members of certain civic clubs. Suppose three unexcused absences required that the individual’s name be automatically dropped from the roll, and he could be reinstated only by special vote of the body. Suppose absences from services had to be made up by attending services in some other place, or by carrying out some special project. Suppose church members had to be re-elected to membership each year, and that their attendance and participation in the program of activities determined how the vote went. Oh, well—just suppose.
    ... Anonymous, from The Baptist Messenger
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, quicken Your people, that the church may serve Your Kingdom better.CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Hilton: Scripture knowledge

Monday, September 14, 2009
    Feast of the Holy Cross
Meditation:
    If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
    —1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Learned men and great scholars have devoted great effort and prolonged study to the Holy Scriptures... employing the gifts which God gives to every person who has the use of reason. This knowledge is good... but it does not bring with it any spiritual experience of God, for these graces are granted only to those who have a great love for Him. This fountain of love issues from our Lord alone, and no stranger may approach it. But knowledge of this kind is common to good and bad alike, since it can be acquired without love, ... and men of a worldly life are sometimes more knowledgeable than many true Christians although they do not possess this love. St. Paul describes this kind of knowledge: “If I had full knowledge of all things and knew all secrets, but had no love, I should be nothing.” Some people who possess this knowledge become proud and misuse it in order to increase their personal reputation, worldly rank, honours and riches, when they should use it humbly to the praise of God and for the benefit of their fellow Christians in true charity. St. Paul says of this kind of knowledge: “Knowledge by itself stirs the heart with pride, but united to love it turns to edification.” By itself this knowledge is like water, tasteless and cold. But if those who have it will offer it humbly to our Lord and ask for His grace, He will turn the water into wine with His blessing.
    ... Walter Hilton (1330?-1396), The Scale of Perfection [early 15th century], ed. Serenus Cressy, Book I, I.iv (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, add love to my understanding of You.CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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John Chrysostom: the mind of the Scriptures

Sunday, September 13, 2009
    Feast of John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher, 407
Meditation:
    When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
    —1 Corinthians 2:1,2 (NIV)
Quotation:
    It is not possible ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well that has no bottom.
    ... St. John Chrysostom (345?-407), The Homilies of S. John Chrysostom on Acts, v. I, Oxford: J. Parker, 1851, XIX, p. 281 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your Gospel is unending.CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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