Saturday, January 8, 2011

QUAINT WORDS

Welcome to "Quaint Words!”

These posts will contain thoughts, poems, and prayers from old books that I have found at antique stores, flea markets, and garage sales (with an occasional treasure from a bookstore).

I love the rhythm and sound of the older English language, and am blessed by other believers who have gone before me!

(A listing of books and authors, and also dates of individual postings from those books, will be found on my "QUAINT WORDS" page)

"In the profound religious experience of Jesus' last hours the heart of God was laid open to human eyes. [People] have never been able to turn their eyes away from it. An increasing number of [people] look at it, generation after generation, trying to understand and explain its meaning...

God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. [People] find God and repent at the cross of Christ.

In that great tragedy [people] see what the real nature of human selfishness is. They see that human selfishness will strike down anything that gets between it and its desire...

[People] see in the suffering of Jesus not simply how far human selfishness will go, but how far the heart of God goes in its reclaiming desire."

(From "What It Means to be a Christian" by Edward Increase Bosworth,
c. 1922


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

3 comments:

  1. Now there's an author that I've never even heard of before. I need to google him.

    This was a particularly good part:

    "In that great tragedy [people] see what the real nature of human selfishness is. They see that human selfishness will strike down anything that gets between it and its desire..."

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  2. This is one of my biggest issues - I see people who I think are selfish who are professed Christians - and I don't understand why in the world they can't see it. Yet does that make me a judgemental person? I think so. sandie

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  3. Debbie - Glad to add a new somebody to google!! I liked that line, too - and I like the closing thought. In my paraphrase, that the only thing that goes farther than human selfishness is the arm of a loving God who would not let it be the final Word!

    Sandie - I agree. Hypocritical Christians can be such a stumbling block to both believers and non-believers. Judgmental? Hmmm...not sure. It seems to me that if we look down on them because of their selfishness, and think of ourselves as better - yes, I think I'd call that judgmental. But, if we are recognizing something in them that's true, and yet we are able to feel sorry for them, or to pray for them - maybe that's not judgmental. I think it's one of those "I better be careful I don't miss the LOG in my eye, while looking at the SPECK in yours!" I suppose Jesus is the only One who can judge us fairly, and yet love us fully.

    GOD BLESS!

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)