I choose hope

I read St. Paul talking to the Thessalonians about caring for them the way a mother nurses her own children, and my heart aches at being separated from mine.

He describes care so deep that his companions shared not only the gospel, but also their very selves, because the people had become so dear to them.

That's what mothers do; share their very selves with their dear ones.

The would give -all- if they could. Most try to.

I know that I tried to.

For now I share in Paul's pain at separation, and join him in praying for their peace and protection and goodness and holiness.

I thank the Father that He is a God of restoration. And I choose hope.

Day 8 take 2: fully ourselves

I had the honor of counseling someone in prayer this morning, a sweet spirit who's humility is deep and painful. My heart continues to ache for her this afternoon, and for a few other friends who's crosses are difficult.

We talked about Paul's apparent abhorrence of and battle with the flesh, and about my BP's teaching on our being made in the image and likeness of God; the imago Dei. He taught us that the Christian journey is to become more and more who God made us to be. The more we transform ourselves into His image, the more truly ourselves we become.

In the fullness of time we will walk in resurrected bodies, finally and at last fully ourselves. His plan for completion is not that we disappear, but that we transform.

And so it is not that we become less ourselves, but more ourselves. When we are most like Him, we are most fully us.

It is not that we either become like Jesus, or remain like ourselves. The two become one.

And I think that when I have this discussion with Paul, he will agree with me.

(Click here to read more on this in a later post...)