What I think I've been getting at this week is that following Jesus is both an internal act of the will and a series of external acts of mercy. I think I've been trying to get there.
This morning, as I think again on these things I am struck by how well the collect for Sunday (prayer for the week) really sums it all up.
"...Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them..."
What it says, that I may have been missing, is that this two-fold turn toward Jesus isn't an activity we can take on ourselves. We have freewill which allows us to place our desires above that of God. I believe that even of our own power we can offer our wills fully over to God. What we lack, I think, is the ability to follow through. Our sinfulness and messiness will, from time-to-time, get in the way and make our best effort to follow God's will fall short. So, we pray that God might be in our hearts and minds and wills - that by His inspiration we may think those things that are right. We pray also that He might walk with us in the fulfillment of those things that are right - by His merciful guiding we may do them.
No comments:
Post a Comment