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Contents
1. Scripture
2. Wisdom Saying
3. Comments
4. Suggested Reflection
5. Spiritual Exercise
Scripture~Matthew 9.36
He saw the many people and was sorry for them. They were troubled and they could not help themselves. They were like sheep with no one to care for them.
Wisdom Saying
Once we clearly acknowledge the soul, we can learn to hear its cries. Jesus heard its cries from the wearied humanity he saw around him. He saw the soul's desperate need in those who struggled with the overwhelming tasks of their life. Such weariness and endless labor was, to him, a sure sign of a soul not properly rooted in God. A soul, in effect, on its own.
*Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart, p. 209.
Comments
In today's Scripture Jesus sees the multitude. He does not see them as we tend to see people. We see the outer flesh. Jesus sees the inner heart, or soul.
For Jesus seeing the people inwardly, He has an affective response. The Greek is "his bowells were moved because of them." In the New Testament the bowells is love and compassion's physical location.
"They were troubled" refers, literally, to an unloosing. In this context the word refers to unloosing of strength. The people were inwardly an exhausted people.
Likewise, "the people could not help themselves." The Greek can read that the people was "thrown down." Jesus saw that inwardly the people was a dispirited people.
Lastly, the people were as a flock of sheep, wandering aimlessly. They lacked a spiritual shepherd to lead, care for, and protect them.
As Willard comments, Jesus "saw the soul's desperate need." Jesus saw the "weariness" and "endless labor."
Willard points to an underlying root to this oak of dispirited weariness. The soul was not properly "rooted in God."
God is the Absolute Light emanating the rays of all Good. God is the Wellspring of life-giving, life-affirming energy. What is of God gives a constant supply of vigoration.
Vigor is from the Latin vegere, "to arouse, be active." So, when we are properly rooted in God, we find ourselves receiving a current of perpetual strength and inspiration to action.
The opposite of the above is true. If I am not receiving a flow of renewing vigor, I am in disconnection with the Energy that arouses, or inspires, spiritually.
Can one living in communion with the Energy experience exhaustion? Yes. By not taking the time in Quiet Communion to fellowship with the Energy Source.
What happens in the Prayer of Silence? Our spirit communes with Spirit. We, by mingling with the Light, are animated by the same Light.
As we grow in sharing with Spirit, we come to discern better what detracts from the supply of spiritual vigor. What occurs in this loss of spiritual vitality is a disconnection from the Source Itself.
Every action and thought has the inherent potential of connection or disconnection in regard to the Source. The spiritual person must guard heart and mind in the everyday affairs of life.
The spiritual person has to maintain a stricter life than other persons. I mean stricter in watching over what she chooses to join in inwardly and outwardly. She does not engage in some thoughts, activities, and relationships other persons do and that may, in themselves, not be wrong. She has chosen to live close to the Heart of Christ. She cannot live close to some things that otherwise she would. She lives close to matters the majority of persons, even religions ones, place little attention toward. This is both the cost and blessing of living close to the Heart of Christ.
Suggested Reflection
1) Are there thoughts, actions, and relationships you need to remove yourself from to live closer to the Heart of Christ?
2) What do you do daily to remain connected to Christ and His flow of vigor?
3) Do you want to live closer to Christ? What changes will that take in your life?
Spiritual Exercise
Do one of the following...
Write a letter to Christ, expressing your sincere desire to live close to His Heart.
Write a letter from Christ to you, expressing how much He longs for you to remain close to His Heart.
See next page for Purpose of OneLife and reference to a couple of the writer's written works; and reference to sources.
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