Foxe: discomfort in the pews

Saturday, June 12, 2021
Meditation:
    Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
    When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
    Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
    —Matthew 19:23-26 (NIV)
Quotation:
    With his continual doctrine [Bishop Hooper] adjoined due and discreet correction, not so much severe to any as to them which for abundance of riches, and wealthy state, thought they might do what they listed. And doubtless he spared no kind of people, but was indifferent to all men, as well rich as poor, to the great shame of no small number of men now-a-days; whereof many we see so addicted to the pleasing of great and rich men, that in the mean time they have no regard to the meaner sort of poor people, whom Christ hath bought as dearly as the other.
    ... John Foxe (1516-1587), The Book of Martyrs, v. III, London: George Virtue, 1844, p. 41 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 19:23-24; Isa. 61:1-3; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 6:30; Acts 20:35; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 2:10; Jas. 2:2-9; 1 John 3:17-20
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, forbid that I discriminate against the poor. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Barth: confidence in God alone

Friday, June 11, 2021
    Feast of Barnabas the Apostle
Meditation:
Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the LORD will be your confidence
    and will keep your foot from being snared.
    —Proverbs 3:25-26 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Religion is the possibility of the removal of every ground of confidence except confidence in God alone.
    ... Karl Barth (1886-1968), The Epistle to the Romans, translated from the 6th edition by Edwyn C. Hoskyns, London: Oxford University Press, H. Milford, 1933, 6th ed., Oxford University Press US, 1968, p. 88 (see the book)
    See also Prov. 3:25-26; Ps. 31:11-14; 46:1-3; Prov. 3:5-6; Rom. 3:19; Heb. 4:16
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have shown me the foolishness of trusting anything apart from You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Herbert: the bridge of forgiveness

Thursday, June 10, 2021
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins.”
    —Mark 11:25-26 (NIV)
Quotation:
    He who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.
    ... Edward Herbert of Cherbury (1583-1648), The Autobiography of Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, London: Walter Scott, 1888, p. 40 (see the book)
    See also Mark 11:25-26; Matt. 6:12,14-15; Luke 11:4; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13; 1 Pet. 3:9
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, implant in me a heart that desires to forgive. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Fenelon: without ceasing

Wednesday, June 9, 2021
    Feast of Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597
    Commemoration of Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Hymnographer, Teacher, 373
Meditation:
    O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.
    —Psalm 88:1 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Accustom yourself gradually to carry Prayer into all your daily occupation. Speak, act, work in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be.
    ... François Fénelon (1651-1715), Selections from Fénelon, ed. Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston: Roberts Bros., 1879, p. 54 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 88:1; 5:3; 55:17; Mark 11:24-25; Luke 6:12; 1 Thess. 5:17
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, when my mind wanders, bring it back to You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Allen: the message of professionalism

Tuesday, June 8, 2021
    Feast of Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath & Wells, Hymnographer, 1711
    Commemoration of Roland Allen, Mission Strategist, 1947
Meditation:
    If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
    —1 Corinthians 9:17-18 (NIV)
Quotation:
    It is almost universally taken for granted that missionary work is the work of a paid professional class, and that the utmost that can be expected of those who do not belong to this class is to support those who do; and even that is not expected of the majority. Missionary societies began their crusade, not by striving to call out the spirit of Christian men whose occupation carried them abroad, not by trying to impress upon the Church at home that Christ calls all His people to witness for Him wherever they may be, wherever they may go, but by creating an army of professional missionaries. The whole system of societies, boards, offices, accounts, contracts with missionaries, statistical returns, reports, reeks of it. From every missionary society there goes out every day and all day into every part of the world with one insistent, unceasing voice the proclamation, that the Gospel must be preached in all the world, and that it must be preached by s pecial agents maintained by a society for this particular work.
    ... Roland Allen (1869-1947), The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church and the Causes Which Hinder It, London: World Dominion Press, 1949, reprint, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 1997, p. 145-146 (see the book)
    See also 1 Cor. 9:17-18; Acts 4:13,25-26; 20:33-34; Rom. 1:14-15; 1 Thess. 4:11-12; 2 Thess. 3:7-10
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have called me to Your service. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Van Dyke: Thou wayfaring Jesus

Monday, June 7, 2021
Meditation:
O Hope of Israel,
    its Savior in times of distress,
why are you like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who stays only a night?
    —Jeremiah 14:8 (NIV)
Quotation:
Thou wayfaring Jesus, a pilgrim and stranger,
    Exiled from heaven by love at Thy birth:
Exiled again from Thy rest in the manger,
    A fugitive child ’mid the perils of earth—
Cheer with Thy fellowship all who are weary,
    Wandering far from the land that they love;
Guide every heart that is homeless and dreary,
    Safe to its home in Thy presence above.
    ... Henry van Dyke (1852-1933), The Poems of Henry Van Dyke, New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1920, p. 230 (see the book)
    See also Jer. 14:8; Ps. 4:3; 119:19; Matt. 8:28; Luke 8:1-3; 2 Cor. 8:9; Heb. 11:13-14
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You make me a home in Your kingdom, for my home is not here. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Williams: 11 marks of spiritual health

Sunday, June 6, 2021
    Commemoration of Ini Kopuria, Founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood, 1945
Meditation:
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
    —Psalm 51:17 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Eleven marks of spiritual health [in] matters concerning ourselves: (1) Brokenness of spirit. (2) Spiritual battles. (3) Godly loathing for sin. (4) True self-denial. (5) Willingness to stay in hard and difficult service. (6) Spiritual contentment in God’s will. (7) Joy in sorrow. (8) Christians weaned from this world’s comforts. (9) God glorified in all earthly businesses. (10) The true watch of God’s people over their tongue. (11) God’s people shun the appearance of sin.
    ... Roger Williams (1603?-1683), Experiments of Spiritual Life & Health [1652], reprinted, Sidney S. Rider, Providence, 1863, p. 31-37 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 51:17; 42:5,11; 43:5; Matt. 16:24-26
Quiet time reflection:
    You alone, Lord, can lead me into holiness. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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