Among the Watering Places with Liz

"...The material world is intended to enhance human life.      "It is also the realm or the place where we are to develop our spirit under God.  One of the main functions of matter is to mediate the presence of an infinite God to finite minds.  The Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle were divinely appointed arrangements so that God could be with human beings without destroying them.  The same is true of the coming of the Messiah as a babe in a manger.  These material realities are all graciously designed to allow for the necessary space between us and God.  In this way God can come to us and we, in turn, can come to God.  Divine realities are thus mediated to us through the finite realities of our personal histories, our social experiences, our physical bodies." Richard Foster, Streams of Living Water , p. 216 For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him might have everlasting life. John 3:16 ...

Agape is one of four Koine Greek words translated as 'love'.  Many years ago I read this challenging definition of the agape brand of God-love: the expending of energy for the benefit of another without concern for the cost to self. Pause and think deeply on that in the face of the babe given as a gift to the world, whose coming we celebrate at Christmas.

As a young vine needs a trellis to lean on, so the young believer needs specific and prescribed and external routine duties in order to bring the soul to the habits of grace. George Watson, "Coals of Fire," 1886, p. 89. My beautiful trumpet vine, 2012  

"The life of Jesus lived out in the life of His people ~ that is what perfect moral righteousness is.  It is a life of integrity.  It is a life governed by truth and honesty.  It is a life committed to godliness.  It is a life set free from selfish ambitions and vested interests.  It is a life liberated from the defilement of self-righteousness." ~ Ivor Hopkins ~ That the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 2 Cor 4:10