de Caussade: come to the Bible

Saturday, February 10, 2018
    Commemoration of Scholastica, Abbess of Plombariola, c.543
Meditation:
    So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
    —Acts 6:7 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Come [to the Bible], not to study the history of God’s divine action, but to be its object; not to learn what it has achieved throughout the centuries and still does, but simply to be the subject of its operation.
    ... Jean-Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751), The Sacrament of the Present Moment, Harper & Row, 1982, p. 73 (see the book)
    See also Acts 6:7; Matt. 22:29; John 5:39-40,46; Acts 8:32-35; Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have spoken Your word in my heart. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Johnson: faith in time of need?

Friday, February 9, 2018
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”
    —Luke 13:24 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The man who has never had religion before, no more grows religious when he is sick, than a man who has never learned figures can count when he has need of calculation.
    ... Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., v. IV [1791], James Boswell, New York: Derby & Jackson, 1858, p. 302 (see the book)
    See also Luke 13:24; Matt. 11:12; John 6:27; Phil. 2:12-13; Heb. 4:11-12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You call my heart to prayer. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Ruskin: to know Him

Thursday, February 8, 2018
Meditation:
    But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith
    —Philippians 3:7-9 (NIV)
Quotation:
    To live is nothing, unless to live be to know Him by whom we live.
    ... John Ruskin (1819-1900), Modern Painters, v. II, New York: John Wiley, 1852, p. 7 (see the book)
    See also Phil. 3:7-9; Job 19:25; John 11:25-26; Acts 17:27-28; Col. 1:15-17; 2 Tim. 1:12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, to know You is the greatest hope of my life. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Wesley: O for a thousand tongues

Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Meditation:
Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.
For the word of the LORD is right and true;
    he is faithful in all he does.
    —Psalm 33:1-4 (NIV)
Quotation:
O for a thousand tongues to sing
    My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
    The triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
    Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
    The honours of thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
    That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
    ’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
    He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
    His blood availed for me.

He speaks, and, listening to his voice,
    New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
    The humble poor believe.

Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
    Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Saviour come,
    And leap, ye lame, for joy.

Look unto him, ye nations, own
    Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
    Be justified by grace.

See all your sins on Jesus laid:
    The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
    For every soul of man.

Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
    And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
    And wash you purest white.

With me, your chief, ye then shall know,
    Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
   &nbs p;And own that love is heaven.
    ... Charles Wesley (1707-1788), The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, v. I, John Wesley, London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office, 1868, p. 300-301 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 33:1-4; Ps. 96:1-2; 98:1-6; 144:9-10; Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19; Rev. 5:9
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, receive my praise.

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Selden: prayer as pure request

Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
    —Matthew 6:5,6 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Prayer should be short, without giving God Almighty reasons why He should grant this or that: He knows best what is good for us. If your boy should ask you [for] a suit of clothes, and give you reasons, ... would you endure it? You know his needs better than he: let him ask a suit of clothes.
    ... John Selden (1584-1654), Table-Talk [1689], Whitefriars: Davidson, 1821, p. 110 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 6:5-8,32; Ps. 38:9; Luke 12:30; John 16:23-27; Rom. 8:26; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 2:18; Phil. 4:6
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, teach me how to please You in prayer. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Therese of Lisieux: Incarnate Word!

Monday, February 5, 2018
    Commemoration of Martyrs of Japan, 1597
Meditation:
    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
    —John 1:14 (NIV)
Quotation:
Incarnate Word! Thou Word of God alone!
    To live of love, ’tis to abide with Thee.
Thou knowest I love Thee, Jesus Christ, my Own!
    Thy Spirit’s fire of love enkindleth me.
By loving Thee, I draw the Father here
    Down to my heart, to stay with me always.
Blest Trinity! Thou art my prisoner dear,
        Of love, to-day.
    ... Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), Poems of St. Teresa, Carmelite of Lisieux, Boston, Angel Guardian Press, 1907, “To Live of Love”, n. 2 (see the book)
    See also John 1:14; 3:16; Rom. 5:8; Tit. 3:4-7; 1 John 3:16,24; 4:9-10,19
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are present! CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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St. Bernard: an endless road

Sunday, February 4, 2018
    Commemoration of Gilbert of Sempringham, Founder of the Gilbertine Order, 1189
Meditation:
    When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
    —Luke 18:22 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Theirs is an endless road, a hopeless maze, who seek for goods before they seek for God.
    ... Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153), On Loving God, CCEL, p. 190 (see the book)
    See also Luke 18:22; Matt. 6:19-20; 19:23; Luke 12:16-21, 33-34; 1 Tim. 6:17-19
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, keep my eyes on Jesus. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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