New horizons, new dreams, new hopes. Take it easy. One step at a time. Three thoughts:
1. Bigger and brighter flame.
2. Learning to put myself, all of me, where God can use me to light other candles.
3. Encouraging and supporting other candle volunteers, and learning from them.
- God, what can I do about that flame?
- How about those devotional practices you've been forgetting?
- Oh. Yeah. Those. Okay.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Nets of theology and other ideology woven and cast by wolves in shepherd's clothing, disabling and isolating volunteers for the gift of faith, and dividing them from each other. Unbelief masquerading as belief even in the most scripture-quoting corners of the most scripture-quoting communities. Popular superstitions masquerading as science. Folly masquerading as wisdom. Psychological manipulation masquerading as reason. A tidal wave of naked, shameless, proselytizing self-worship. Arrows of blame and ridicule.
I will raise my ugly candle, flame or no flame, in defiance of all that, in defiance even of my fear of offending God with my weak or missing flame. Maybe some other volunteers will see my candle, flame or no flame, and take courage from it, or at least find some amusement in it to cheer them. Maybe some will send me messages of encouragement too. Raising our candles, however ugly, flame or no flame, might help volunteers for the gift of faith find each other, so we can encourage and support each other and learn from each other.
I will raise my ugly candle, flame or no flame, in defiance of all that, in defiance even of my fear of offending God with my weak or missing flame. Maybe some other volunteers will see my candle, flame or no flame, and take courage from it, or at least find some amusement in it to cheer them. Maybe some will send me messages of encouragement too. Raising our candles, however ugly, flame or no flame, might help volunteers for the gift of faith find each other, so we can encourage and support each other and learn from each other.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Learn to put myself, all of me, heart, mind and body, where God can use my candle to light others, if I'm lit. Learn to do whatever I can do, so my flame will get bigger and brighter.
"O My servants! Deprive not yourselves of the unfading and resplendent Light that shineth within the Lamp of Divine glory. Let the flame of the love of God burn brightly within your radiant hearts. Feed it with the oil of Divine guidance, and protect it within the shelter of your constancy. Guard it within the globe of trust and detachment from all else but God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its light."
- Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p 153
"O My servants! Deprive not yourselves of the unfading and resplendent Light that shineth within the Lamp of Divine glory. Let the flame of the love of God burn brightly within your radiant hearts. Feed it with the oil of Divine guidance, and protect it within the shelter of your constancy. Guard it within the globe of trust and detachment from all else but God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its light."
- Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p 153
Trying to learn to write more freely, to let my heart show, and stop putting words in the way. How, how, how?
Seeing God doing something in people's hearts, what people sometimes call the gift of faith ... yes, just try to move the images and feelings onto the tablet, without all that stuff I do with words. God doing something in people's hearts, that I think of as like lighting a candle ... God as a reality that many people see as nothing more than a myth, a psychological gimmick ... lighting candles. He might use some candles to light others. Am I lit? Maybe there's no way for me to know? Is it only on or off, or degrees, or maybe both at the same time, like light transmission as waves and as particles, both at once? I don't dare lay claim to being lit, but I want to be, and hope to be, and maybe that's what matters. If I am, that's the most important thing by far that I have to give to the world. If I want to be, then what better can I do than put myself where He can use me if He wants to, to light others if I'm lit.
Seeing God doing something in people's hearts, what people sometimes call the gift of faith ... yes, just try to move the images and feelings onto the tablet, without all that stuff I do with words. God doing something in people's hearts, that I think of as like lighting a candle ... God as a reality that many people see as nothing more than a myth, a psychological gimmick ... lighting candles. He might use some candles to light others. Am I lit? Maybe there's no way for me to know? Is it only on or off, or degrees, or maybe both at the same time, like light transmission as waves and as particles, both at once? I don't dare lay claim to being lit, but I want to be, and hope to be, and maybe that's what matters. If I am, that's the most important thing by far that I have to give to the world. If I want to be, then what better can I do than put myself where He can use me if He wants to, to light others if I'm lit.
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