Lent 02•24•2021: Show Me The Way

Wednesday, February 24th, 2021

🏵 Philippians 2:12-15 🏵

“So work out your salvation in fear and trembling. It is God who, for his own generous purpose, gives you the intention and the powers to act. Let your behaviour be free of murmuring and complaining so that you remain faultless and pure, unspoilt children of God.”

Below I am sharing the definitions of two words I rediscovered as I was reading my Lenten devotional today by Henri J. M. Nouwen. I hope you discover a nugget or two of knowledge as well.

Gnosis (the knowledge of God, St. John)

• esoteric knowledge of spiritual truth held by the ancient Gnostics to be essential to salvation

Memoria Dei (the memory of God, St. Basil)

• This memoria becomes an inner presence, and this presence becomes prayer – life lived before God and in the awareness of his presence.

Show Me The Way…

We are asking God to show us the way. But before anyone ever gets to the point of asking and seeking God; we must admit he exists.

Nouwen shares in his book, when we say from our hearts that God exists, EVERYTHING trembles in heaven and on earth. This is because when we acknowledge the existence of God, all that is, flows from him. A way of knowing that we have come into the true knowledge, (Gnosis) of God; we openly allow ourselves to become acutely aware of how we experience ourselves. Take the time to name and claim those things that are uniquely (YOU)! The list should include everything not a list of good vs. bad, just who you are.

About me…I’m an artistic, I’m a learner, I like food, I like going to Disney World, my feelings are easily hurt, I’m fearful, I’m a thinker, I like romance, I like sunsets, I like the ocean, I am too quick to judge, I’m a giver, I’m smart, I like to talk, I talk too loud, I’m a fighter, I’m a lover… that’s a few things, get the idea. I EXIST!

Experiences of love and hatred are different, the desire of power is different from a desire of service; however, these are sameness insomuch as they relate to my existence, as to what really counts . I exist no more or no less based upon my values, likes, desires, political affiliations, etc.,

I Exist. •PERIOD•

What does count about existence, is that as soon as I say, GOD EXISTS, my existence is no longer the center of my life. This is because of (Memoria Dei) the essence of the knowledge of God, it has revealed to me and opened my eyes; my existence as deriving it’s total being, from him. Yes, him, God, I exist only because God exists!

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~Clear Out Day 7

Donate personal possessions such as clothes, books, shoes, to live a second life. Take time to figure out what is essential and what is extra.

~Prayer~

You who live in the secret place of Elton,

spending your nights in the shelter of Shaddai,

saying to Yahweh, “My refuge, my fortress,

my God in whom I trust.”

You who say, “Yahweh, my refuge!”

No disaster can overtake you,

no plague come near your tent;

he has given his angels orders about you

to guard you wherever you go.

—Psalms 91:1-2, 9, 10-11

~ Amen

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation