Posted by PS on December 23, 2005 at 01:49:08:
In Reply to: Re: Power posted by cav on December 20, 2005 at 07:58:14:
: : : : At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” : : Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” : : Luke 10:17-24 : :
: : The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
: : We do not even begin to realize the awesdome power we possess for good. Please do not neglect the gift you have been given. PRAY. SPEAK. ACT.
: :
: I have recently been struck with many powerful realizations. One in particular is how much of an utter screw-up I am. I know this is what we are supposed to say in our attempts to sound humble, but I had never really seen how I was that bad. I always felt that I was leaning on grace and making my way, using the gifts that God gave me to the best of my ability...but then somehow I was able to see that this was a lie. That I wasn't doing anything right...in fact I was misusing the gifts I had been given. But at the same time I look at my life and all the things I have and do, and I wonder how did I get here? I hear people praise me at work or in other places and I think who are they talking about? And then I realize that they aren't seeing me, but the Holy Spirit...the Spirit Lord, working through me and I know deep inside with perfect surety that this is the truth, that there is this tremendous power PS mentions at work in me and everyone. What a gift...
: and I had appropriated this as my own...yes acknowledged it as from God, but thought it my own ability like the Pharisee reveling in his pride, "thank God that I am not like this other man" God damn my pride and I want to drop it publicly, repent in the truest sense. To turn from it.
: The simplest truths that we learn in Sunday School and repeat until they become meaningless are so overwhelmingly powerful when they really sink in.
* * * * * * *
The rabbi, touched by the goodness of God, falls on his face in front of the synagogue and says, "Lord, you are everything; I am nothing."
The cantor, not about to be outdone, falls on his face near the rabbi and says, "Lord, you are everything; I am nothing."
Four rows back, a Jew steps out into the aisle, falls on his face, and says, "Lord, you are everything; I am nothing."
The cantor elbows the rabbi and whispers, "Look who thinks he's nothing."
* * * * * * *
All this to say that becoming nothing is really something; gaining humility is something you can be proud of.
Maybe this parody means nothing; maybe something. ;-)