a reasonable mystic: December 2007

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Of Petitions

The soul should not be surprised at feeling itself unable to offer up to God such petitions as it had formerly made with freedom and facility; for now the Spirit maketh intercession for it according to the will of God, that "Spirit which helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom. viii. 26). We must co-operate with, and second the designs of God, which tend to divest us of all our own operations, that in the place thereof His own may be substituted. Let this then be done in you, and suffer not yourself to be attached to anything, however good it may appear; for it is no longer good if it in any measure turns you aside from that which God willeth of you: the Divine Will is preferable to all things else. Shake off then all attachments to the interests of self, and live on faith and resignation; here it is that genuine faith begins truly to operate.

Labels: books, lectio divina, Madame Guyon, mysticism, prayer, reading, spiritual

About Me

Name: Mal

Location: Williamstown, Victoria, Australia

My wife Diana and I are pastors of a small Baptist church, which meets around food on Friday nights instead of Sunday (open house on Sunday). Before this I was a scientific researcher (robotics and AI), and a uni lecturer (electrical engineering),with degrees in Mathematics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Theology. Pastoring is much more rewarding! We also run the Beth Tephillah Ministry Centre, focusing on prayer ministry. I run Roaring-Mouse.com, a business which does website design, construction and hosting, electronic construction, video, print and Internet publishing, and lifestyle consulting and counselling. I am a keyboard musician.