O Divine Master

Greetings Dear Reader,

I should begin by addressing a couple of things but this will make the read slightly longer. Please bear with me. I promise not to take too much of your time.

First I had to back off from this for a couple of days whilst I dealt with an anger issue of my own. I did not feel it proper to write about this particular prayer until I had given over my feelings about something out of my control to God. Even though the situation has not changed, I had to change. I had to allow Christ control and have to live in a state of forgiving others in the same way that I constantly need forgiveness.

Second, I received a comment just this morning that contained a question. I will repost that here as it is central to what I was writing about for this morning. One reader asked,

“If someone does not believe in a higher power but instead believes that you always treat someone with respect, look out for the next person, and never lie, does that make them a bad person?

-Your words are very inspiring!

Thanks for the time you put into this blog.

(: “

Please understand that this question is far beyond my power to answer with authority. I can tell you what I believe and offer an opinion but to give a simple yes or no answer to this question would be arrogant. I will offer what seems reasonable to me as I ponder my way through this simple but so powerful line of the prayer.

I think that I forget sometimes that the Father is not dependent upon me for anything. Rather, I am totally dependent upon the Father for anything good that comes from me. In my fallen state if I try to be good, I can accomplish some measure of good by my own will but it has limits. I would never call someone who treats others with respect, cares for others, and is honest a bad person. I would be more concerned about what they are missing beyond that.

I can imagine what I would become without the grace and mercy of Christ working its way out in me. I know the darkness that lurks in my spirit and in my mind. I know the pride and arrogance that would work its way out in me if I did not believe that there was something stronger and higher than me. I am not saying this is true for others but it is true for me.

I do believe that God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ are the path to all the good things I desire to be. I have chosen to take the Father as a Divine Master whom I wish with all my heart to serve. I do this out of love not fear. I do this because I know that since I chose to move from unbelief to belief that it has made a daily difference in who I am and in who I am becoming.

I have often failed to remember the relationship here. I have a Divine Father who loves me. I have an opportunity to show that love to others and perhaps in doing that ameliorate so of the damage done by those who use the name of God to abuse others. I am not called to judge the faith of others or to tell them what they must become in relation to Christ. I must instead live what I believe and hope that the immense joy inherent in that life gives others a cosmic curiosity to seek out Christ for themselves.

God is not dependent upon my belief for his existence. He has, however, for some reason I do not comprehend chosen to use fractured people like me to communicate his love to others. This overwhelms me and drives me to become the things requested in the next lines of this prayer. I cannot move on to them though until I take a moment to contemplate who I am. I am a willing bond slave to a God who loves me enough to sacrifice his own Son rather that live without me. How can I not be totally indentured to him for both the strength and the will to do as he asks of me? I do not wish to just be a good person. I wish to be so humbly and voraciously committed to Christ and following him that I disappear and all that is seen is Christ.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. – Saint Francis of Assisi

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."