Nothing is sweeter
than Love, nothing more courageous, nothing higher, nothing more pleasant,
nothing fuller or better in heaven and earth; because Love is born of God, and
cannot rest but in God, above all created beings. He that loveth, flieth,
runneth, and rejoiceth; he is free and is not bound. Thomas a Kempis
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How easy it is to
close eyes, ears and heart to this "electric" Gospel. How much better to be
like Michael Faraday, who, when asked by a fellow scientist on his death-bed,
"What are your speculations now?" replied, "Speculations! I have none. I
know whom I have believed. I am not thinking of speculations; I am resting
my soul upon certainties."
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The holy life is not all mountain‑top experience.
It has its depths as well as its lofty heights.
The valley of the shadows must alternate with the still waters;
the danger of the path with the shelter of the fold.
The young eaglet must be tossed out of its nest
if it is to learn to fly up the steeps of the air.
God must put his child to the proof
to ascertain if his love is true and deep.
Sorrow, pain and loneliness may have to be allowed
to plough up the subsoil of the heart,
in order that the spirit of obedience, so dear to God,
may become manifest under a thousand tests.
Our Heavenly Father's love and care and protection
are his wings and his feathers,
shielding us from all harm,
keeping us warm and safe.
He is able to make every experience of life
work out for our good.
We are, however, to remember that the promise
that God will make all things work together for our good
is a promise to the new creature in Christ, and not to the old creature.
Our temporal affairs may be permitted to go awry.
We are not wise enough
to know what is for our own best interests as new creatures,
and what would help us most in our fight
against the world, the flesh and the Devil.
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