Divine Burning
From CS Lewis' anthology of the writings of George Macdonald
He will shake the heavens and earth, that only the unshakeable may remain. He is a consuming fire, that only that which cannot be consumed may stand forth eternal. It's just the nature of God so terribly pure that it destroys all that is not pure as fire, which demands like purity in our worship. He will have purity. It is not that the fire will burn us if we do not worship thus; yea, it will go on burning within us after all that is foreign to it has yielded to its force, no longer with pain and consuming, but as the highest consciousness of life. The presence of God.
Impossible! – too hard a burden to lay on our shoulders, simply piling guilt on guilt until following Jesus becomes a miserable burden, a Sisyphean task, crushing and condemning us.
The Adam & Eve myth speaks of a time of innocence and purity in the Garden of Eden, how these were lost when Adam & Eve disobeyed God and knew for the first time both good and evil. They are banished from the garden but the memory and feeling of loss would be with them and their descendents for ever.
The myth points to a spiritual void within humankind that cannot be filled by the pursuit of wealth or status or anything of the material world.
Jesus sets before us the purity of the Father's love, revealing the weakness of our own, contaminated as it is by our selfish ego. Gold contaminated with base metal needs refining.
He will shake the heavens and earth, that only the unshakeable may remain. He is a consuming fire, that only that which cannot be consumed may stand forth eternal. It's just the nature of God so terribly pure that it destroys all that is not pure as fire, which demands like purity in our worship. He will have purity. It is not that the fire will burn us if we do not worship thus; yea, it will go on burning within us after all that is foreign to it has yielded to its force, no longer with pain and consuming, but as the highest consciousness of life. The presence of God.
He is like a refiner’s fire, and he shall purify
Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see the Father
O Thou who camest from aboveThe Pure celestial fire to impartKindle a flame of sacred loveOn the mean altar of my heart
There let it for they glory burnWith inextinguishable blazeAnd trembling to its source returnIn humble prayer and fervent praise
Ready for all They perfect willMy acts of faith and love repeatTil death Thy endless mercy sealAnd make the sacrifice complete
Jesus said: You must be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.
Impossible! – too hard a burden to lay on our shoulders, simply piling guilt on guilt until following Jesus becomes a miserable burden, a Sisyphean task, crushing and condemning us.
The myth points to a spiritual void within humankind that cannot be filled by the pursuit of wealth or status or anything of the material world.
We are caught between our natural selves and spiritual selves.
We lack love and carry guilt.
We are a people in exile longing for home.
We long for the garden where the Father walks in the cool of the evening.
When Jesus says, you must be peerfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect he is simply shining a light on our exile.
When Jesus says, you must be peerfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect he is simply shining a light on our exile.
Jesus sets before us the purity of the Father's love, revealing the weakness of our own, contaminated as it is by our selfish ego. Gold contaminated with base metal needs refining.
Dare we ask to be refined?
0 comments:
Post a Comment