Francois Fenelon wrote to a counselee:

"Evil circumstances are changed into good when they are received with an enduring trust in the love of God, while good circumstances may be changed into evil when we become attached to them through the love of self. Nothing in us or around us is truly good until we become detached from the world and totally abandoned to God. So, even though you are now in these bad circumstances put yourself confidently and without reserve into His hand. I would give anything to see you in better circumstances. But if evil circumstances have taught you to be sick of the love of the world, then that is good. The love of self, which the world advocates, is a thousand times more dangerous than any poison."

A baseball umpire was asked one day when it was that he determined that a pitch was a ball or strike: was it when the ball initially came over the plate or was it where the ball finally hit the catcher's mitt? His response? It doesn't matter where the ball comes over the plate at or where it hits the catcher's mitt, the pitch is nothing, he said - neither ball nor strike - "until I say that it is a ball or strike!" Serving God isn't so much about keeping a checklist of things that I can or can't do - 'Well, I didn't cuss today, or smoke today, or kill somebody today, so I must be a christian' - and still be okay with God and have my place reserved in heaven. Serving God is about falling in love with Him to the degree that we cannot live without His smile. And, to attain this smile, we want Him to dictate His desires - knowing that what He desires He will bring about in my life, for without Him I can do nothing - for every aspect of my life. 'You tell me, God, what is right, what is pleasing to Yourself, and what is wrong - in me, to me, and for me. More and more Father, make me a living sacrifice to Yourself: holy - and wholly - acceptable in your sight!'

Posted by Steve Mounts at 5:50 AM

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