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Good Spirit: Come now, let us enter this quiet place you have prepared. As before, I am here with you to guide you into the mystery of this contemplative prayer.
Soul: Good Spirit, my mind is a whirl with all the business of my life. Help me now to hear your voice calling me to follow. Capture my imagination by the revelations you will show me as you guide me into the mystery of the scriptures.
Good Spirit: Take the passage we began with, reading further into the mystery of Jesus' encounter with the Deceiver in the wilderness, when the Deceiver attempted to persuade Jesus to break his fast for the sake of his health and missions. Jesus responded, "Man does not live by bread alone." Now we read .......
Good Spirit: Ah, indeed, if Jesus is to be God's champion will he not need to have power to put down his enemies? How can one conquer without a powerful army and mighty weapons? Who will follow a leader who is meek and mild, without weapons, without armies; who does not ride high upon the glorious praises of the masses?
Consider now; is it not your own weaknesses that troubles you most? If only I was stronger, smarter, naturally gifted in many ways. Think for a moment, by what standards do you measure your self esteem?
Consider now; how, by the world's standards, one's worth is measured by appearances, by popularity, by possessions, by reputation, by position of authority, by youthfulness, by achievements, by wealth and power and such like.
Consider now; that in God's eyes, you are his precious child, formed by his hands, in whom the breath of life has been given; loved and called by the name he has given you. Nothing in all the world can add anything greater than this. It is you, who you are, that he calls to serve him. What he asks of you, he also provides.
Consider now, to what, and to whom, have you given over your heart and are now serving?
Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-31
- Then he took Jesus up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him,
“I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.”
Good Spirit: Ah, indeed, if Jesus is to be God's champion will he not need to have power to put down his enemies? How can one conquer without a powerful army and mighty weapons? Who will follow a leader who is meek and mild, without weapons, without armies; who does not ride high upon the glorious praises of the masses?
Consider now; is it not your own weaknesses that troubles you most? If only I was stronger, smarter, naturally gifted in many ways. Think for a moment, by what standards do you measure your self esteem?
Consider now; how, by the world's standards, one's worth is measured by appearances, by popularity, by possessions, by reputation, by position of authority, by youthfulness, by achievements, by wealth and power and such like.
Consider now; that in God's eyes, you are his precious child, formed by his hands, in whom the breath of life has been given; loved and called by the name he has given you. Nothing in all the world can add anything greater than this. It is you, who you are, that he calls to serve him. What he asks of you, he also provides.
Consider now, to what, and to whom, have you given over your heart and are now serving?
.....................................footnotes..........................................
Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-31
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