Loving & Merciful

Begin with a reading from Anselm:

Up now, slight man! Flee for a little while thy occupations; hide thyself for a time from thy disturbing thoughts. Case aside now thy burdensome cares, and put away thy toilsome business. Yield room for some little time to God, and rest for a little time in Him. Enter the inner chamber of thy mind; shut out all thoughts save that of God and such as can aid thee in seeking Him. Speak now, my whole heart! Speak now to God, saying, I seek Thy face; Thy face, Lord, will I see. 

St Anselm, Proslogium

Meditation

Read Romans 5:6-11

Take a deep breath. Reread Romans 5:8

Think about the people that you love, and what you would do to protect them.

Now think about people who have done things to hurt you. What would you do to protect them? Would you die for them? 

Now consider this quote by A.W. Tozer

Did we not by our sins take part in that unholy rebellion which rashly sought to dethrone the glorious King of creation? And did we not in times past walk according to the course of this world, according to the even prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience? 

A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy

Read Romans 3: 9-11

This isn’t a meditation to cause shame or send you into a spiral of guilt. Quite the opposite. It is to take our eyes off of ourselves, and to plant them firmly on God who is loving and merciful. Yet to fully understand just how loving God is, we must fully understand ourselves in proximity to God. In the book Walking on Water, Madeleine L’Engle quotes an unknown author who says “The infinite disparity between God’s love and man’s deserts is an indubitable fact; the saint (that’s you) embraces it for joy. The greater the incongruity, the more wonderful the love and mercy of God. The saint does not call himself a worm because he enjoys being wormy, but because there is simply no other way graphic enough to express the richness of God and the meagerness of men.”

Read Romans 5:6-11 one more time. 

Confession

As we enter into time with God, invite the Holy Spirit to speak. God is gentle and kind. His conviction will feel more like a gentle nudge than a wave of shame. Ask where you may have been disobedient in action or in in-action. Invite the Holy Spirit to uncover the parts of you that God is inviting into the light. Knowing that God is more loving than we can ever comprehend AND merciful and forgiving is a comfort during our time of confession. Reread Romans 5:8 at the end of your confession and remember that God died for you even knowing that you would sin against Him. 

The rest of the time is for you and God. Invite Him to speak or sit with Him in companionable silence.

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