I've had a total theologian crush on Julian of Norwich for a long time- I love every quote of hers I've seen but haven't read anything straight through. I'm finally diving into a devotional edition of her Revelations of Divine Love and I am loving it.
I've been praying lately to be more aware of God's love for me; and I've been less-consciously but very actively wrestling with rest, and how to find it. These readings are speaking to me so perfectly. I'm super grateful.
"I saw that He is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us.
He is our clothing which for love enwraps us,
holds us,
and all encloses us because of His tender love,
so that He may never leave us."
"...He showed a little thing,
the size of a hazelnut
in the palm of my hand
and it was round as a ball.
I looked at it with the eye of my understanding and thought: 'What can this be?'
And it was generally answered thus: 'It is all that is made.'
I marveled how it could continue,
because it seemed to me it could suddenly have sunk into nothingness because of its littleness.
And I was answered in my understanding:
'It continueth and always shall, because God loveth it;
and in this way everything hath its being by the love of God.'
In this little thing I saw three characteristics:
the first is that God made it,
the second is that God loves it,
the third, that God keeps it."
"For this is the reason why we are not fully at ease in heart and soul:
because here we seek rest in these things that are so little,
in which there is no rest,
and we recognize not our God who is all powerful, all wise, all good,
for He is the true rest."
"Also our Lord God showed
that it is full great pleasure to Him
that a pitiable soul come to Him nakedly and plainly and simply."
"For the goodness of God is the highest prayer, and it comes down to the lowest part of our need.
It vitalizes our soul
and brings it to life
and makes it grow in grace and virtue.
It is nearest us in nature
and readiest in grace
(for it is the same grace that the soul seeks and ever shall,
till we know our God truly who has us all in Himself enclosed)."
-from chapters 5 & 6
7 comments:
This is beautiful.
A good reminder to seek out my book with her writings. Thanks.
(tear)...thanks for sharing :)
Just purchased it on my Kindle! Can't wait to begin :D
This is a beautiful picture of our even more beautiful Father. Praying for you sister that you continue to gain a deeper understanding of God's love for you! Thanks for sharing!
WoW1 that was really wonderful.
Ei-chee-wa-wah....got the book, both the one you are reading, as well as her original writing, and I have to say.
Be careful, dear sister in Christ.
Much of her perception is NOT biblical. Sounds good, feels good, looks good. But, NOT in line with the Word of God OR the character of God- UNbiblical. Maybe her moment 'close to death' was with an angel of darkness disguised as light, and not God himself as she believes. For if this were so, her beliefs completely throw out the Holy Word of God.
In her steadfastness against God 'ever' being angry, did she not absorb and take in the Old Testament? Especially the book of Isaiah and His anger against His own people, the Israelites, who had turned to other gods and idols to worship, whose lives were filled with sin? "...but even then the Lord's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike." Isaiah 9:17
Be careful of her 'white light' that seems to be a disguise of the untruths out of her mouth.
I belive your heart is in the right place, seeking after God and His truths, and seeing the 'beauty' in her writings, but I'd be leary of anyone who reccomended this book to you.
Hold fast dear sister to your Jesus and the Word of God.
Filter everything you take in, whether from fellow believers, pastors, and religious writings and hold them to the TEST, the Word of God and the Spirit of Christ within you-ESPECIALLY in these end times...which is why I belive her book HAS resurfaced after being hidden for over 600yrs.
Hold on tight to the Truth, dear one! :)
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