I'm in love... (cross-archive)

*grin* ...I'm wondering how much extra traffic I garnered by my title...

Have some tough issues I'm working over... lots to think about (yes. start groaning, those who know me too well). But what has awed me over and over the past few days is how God keeps drawing me to him. He'll overthrow my schedule, I'll get all frustrated because of things I should be doing... but God keeps calling. beckoning. And I am reminded that He is the most important thing in my life.

Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. -- G. K. Chesterton

(from the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis:)
"Why, Daughter of Eve, that's what i brought you here for. I'm to lead you where you shall meet him," said Mr. Beaver.
"Is- is he a man?" asked Lucy.
"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion- theLion, the great Lion."
"Ooh!" said Susan, "I'd thought he was a man. Is he- quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."


Rebecca St. James' song "Lion" for the Music Inspired by Narnia CD

Mysterious
That's what I call You
I'm curious about You
I'm scared and not sure that You are safe
But Your eyes seem to say that You are good

Chorus
This is not a dream that I'm living
This is just a world of Your own
You took me from all that I knew
Shown me how it feels to hope
With You with me, facing tomorrow together
I can learn to fly
Feels like I'm living in a lion's mouth, but the lion is an angel

Wise eyes, You see the core of me
Your gentleness melts me
And now I know that words cannot describe
The power that I feel when I'm with You

Peace and power, love forever
Who am I to stand before You?
I am speechless
But in my weakness
You are here and all is well

You took me from all that I knew
Shown me how it feels to hope
With You with me, facing tomorrow together
I can learn to fly
Feels like I'm living in a lion's mouth, but the lion is an angel

Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone? (cross-archive)

Had this hymn in today's family morning devotions. Interestingly enough, the lines initially compared Peter's martyrdom with us. "Shall Simon bear the cross alone, and other saints go free?"

Must Jesus bear the cross alone
And all the world go free?
No, there's a cross for ev'ryone,
And there's a cross for me.

The consecrated cross I'll bear
Till death shall set me free,
And then go home my crown to wear,
For there's a crown for me.

Upon the crystal pavement down
At Jesus' pierced feet,
Joyful I'll cast my golden crown
And His dear name repeat.

O precious cross! O glorious crown!
O resurrection day!
Ye angels, from the stars come down
And bear my soul away.

-- Thomas Shepherd and others

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Mark 8:34

One interesting thought struck me upon reflecting on all this. When Jesus spoke to the disciples, he had not been crucified yet. That's obvious, of course, but we often view what He said in light of what He did. I wonder what the disciples thought when He referred to crosses and giving one's life.