Engstrom: guidance

Saturday, July 17, 2021
Meditation:
    He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
    —Micah 6:8 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Our responsibility is to walk with courage and integrity, continually looking to our Lord for Guidance.
    ... Ted W. Engstrom (1916-2006), former president, World Vision US, in a private communication from World Vision
    See also Mic. 6:8; Jer. 7:23; Col. 2:6-7; Heb. 12:2
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You lead our walk. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Hilton: seek the grace

Friday, July 16, 2021
    Commemoration of Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, 1099
Meditation:
    If you know that [the Lord] is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
    —1 John 2:29 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Seek, then, that which thou hast lost, that thou mayest find it; for well I wot, whosoever once hath an inward sight, but a little of that dignity and that spiritual fairness which a soul hath by creation, and shall have again by grace, he will loathe in his heart all the bliss, the liking and the fairness of this world, as the stink of carrion; and he will never have any will or mind to do other deed, night or day (save what mere need of nature requireth) but desire, mourn, seek, and pray how he may come again thereto.
    Nevertheless inasmuch as thou hast not as yet seen what it is fully, for thy spiritual eye is not yet opened, I shall tell thee one word for all, in the which thou shalt seek, desire and find it; for in that one word is all that thou hast lost. This word is Jesus: I mean not this word Jesus painted upon the wall, as written in letters on the book, or formed by lips in sound of the mouth, or framed in thy m ind by imagination, for in this wise may a man that is void of charity find Him; but I mean Jesus Christ, that blessed Person, God and Man, Son of the Virgin Mary, whom this name betokeneth; that is all goodness, endless wisdom, love and sweetness, thy joy, thy glory, and thy everlasting bliss, thy God, thy Lord, and thy salvation.
    ... Walter Hilton (1330?-1396), The Scale of Perfection [early 15th century], ed. Serenus Cressy, I.iii.iii.ii (see the book)
    See also 1 John 2:29; Ps. 73:25; 119:40; Pr. 2:1-5; Matt. 7:7-8; 1 Cor. 13:12; Jas. 1:21; 2 Pet. 3:11-14; 1 John 1:6-7; 3:2-3
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your hold my treasure. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Law: living unto God

Thursday, July 15, 2021
    Commemoration of Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, c.862
    Commemoration of Bonaventure, Franciscan Friar, Bishop, Peacemaker, 1274
Meditation:
    For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
    —Galatians 2:19-20 (KJV)
Quotation:
    If we are to live unto God at any time, or in any place, we are to live unto Him at all times and in all places. If we are to use any thing as the gift of God, we are to use every thing as His gift.
    ... William Law (1686-1761), A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life [1728], London: Methuen, 1899, p. 74 (see the book)
    See also Gal. 2:19-20; Rom. 6:4-7; Gal. 5:24; 6:14; Col. 2:11-14
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, may I live for You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Keble: The trivial round, the common task

Wednesday, July 14, 2021
    Feast of John Keble, Priest, Poet, Tractarian, 1866
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
    —Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
Quotation:
The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves; a road
To bring us, daily, nearer God.

Seek we no more; content with these,
Let present Rapture, Comfort, Ease,
As Heaven shall bid them, come and go;—
The secret this of Rest below.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us, this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.
    ... John Keble (1792-1866), The Christian Year [1827], G. W. Doane, ed., Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard, 1842, p. 19 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 11:28-30; 2 Chr. 6:17; Matt. 6:10; Luke 6:21; 11:2-4; John 15:16
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have granted Your people rest.

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Brother Lawrence: work for the sake of love

Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Meditation:
    And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
    —2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV)
Quotation:
    We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.
    ... Brother Lawrence (c.1605-1691), The Practice of the Presence of God, New York, Revell, 1895, Fourth Conversation, p. 17 (see the book)
    See also 2 Thes. 3:13; Eccl. 11:1; Gal. 6:9; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Heb. 12:1-3
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, remind me when I neglect Your direction. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Rufinus: by example

Monday, July 12, 2021
Meditation:
    To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
    —1 Peter 2:21 (NIV)
Quotation:
    As, then, a consummate master teaches both by example and precept, so Christ taught the obedience, which good men are to render even at the cost of death, by Himself first dying in rendering it.
    ... Rufinus (345?-410), A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, second series, v. III, Philip Schaff & Henry Wace, ed., New York: Christian Literature Company, 1892, p. 549 (see the book)
    See also 1 Pet. 2:21; Ps. 40:6-8; John 4:34; 6:38; 9:4; Phil. 2:5-12; Heb. 10:5-9; 4:1; 1 John 2:3-6
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, following Your way leads to the cross. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Hallesby: God is merciful

Sunday, July 11, 2021
    Feast of Benedict of Nursia, Father of Western Monasticism, c.550
Meditation:
    When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.
    —Psalm 65:3 (NIV)
Quotation:
    God is merciful even when He declines to give us things that we ask of Him.
    ... O. Hallesby (1879-1961), Prayer, London: Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1943, reprint, Augsburg Fortress Books, 1975, 1994, p. 132 (see the book)
    See also Ps. 65:3; 100:5; 136; Mark 14:36; Tit. 3:5
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your mercy is eternal. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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