Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Chapter 6, Pages 78 & 79

"Every day I put faith on the line. I have never seen God. In a world where nearly everything can be weighed, explained, quantified, subjected to psychological analysis and scientific control, I persist in making the center of my life a God whom no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, whose will no one can probe. That's a risk.

Every day I put hope on the line. I don't know one thing about the future. I don't know what the next hour will hold. There may be sickness, accident, personal or world catastrophe. Before this day is over I may have to deal with death, pain, loss, rejection. I don't know what the future holds for me, for those I love, for my nation, for this world, Still, despite my ignorance and surrounded by tinny optimists and cowardly pessimists, I say that God will accomplish his will, and I cheerfully persist in living in the hope that nothing will separate me from Christ's love.

Every day I put love on the line. There is nothing I am less good at than love. I am far better in competition than in love. I am far better at responding to my instincts and ambitions to get ahead and make my mark than I am at figuring out how to love another. I am schooled and trained in acquisitive skills, in getting my own way. And yet I decide, every day, to set aside what I can do best and attempt what I do very clumsily - open myself to the frustrations and failures of loving, daring to believe that failing in love is better than succeeding in pride."

- Eugene Peterson
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rose! Merry Christmas back. I always thought you had to have your own blog to leave a comment, which I do not have, although Gus is always trying to get me to start one. I do enjoy reading yours through. I love that picture of the icicle fountain.

Cagle Clan said...

Great stuff, thank you for sharing!
Jess :)
PS- Did I ever tell you I met Wynonna Judd?

jennifer joy staab said...

I just got _Blue Like Jazz_ and I think it may be a little similar in scope.