18 January 2007

the God who comes

i started reading carlo carretto's "the God who comes".
i'm only in the introduction and have already underlined
whole sections and had to blink back a few tears.

carretto talks about how the problem we face is this:
is God an autonomous presence, or
is He only present in things?
does He come to me as a cloud or as a person?


i hear much talk of "the desert". that wonderfully grown-up idea
that through suffering we grow and learn. that dry spells test
and increase our faith. i don't doubt this to be true but it can
get quite frustrating after a while.

i want carretto's words to refresh my memory and renew my faith--
that God is. and that He comes.

"to pray means to wait for the God who comes.
ah! bright wingsevery prayer-filled day sees a meeting with the God who comes; every night which we faithfully put at His disposal is full of His presence.

and His coming and His presence are not only the result of our waiting or a prize for our efforts: they are His decision, based on His love freely poured out.

His coming is bound to His promise, not to our works or virtue. we have not earned the meeting with God because we have served Him faithfully in our brethren, or because we have heaped up such a pile of virtue as to shine before Heaven.

God is thrust onward by His love, not attracted by our beauty. He comes even in moments when we have done everything wrong, when we have done nothing...when we have sinned."


-- carlo carretto







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2 comments:

  1. Beth,
    Thanks! I needed to hear this. I pray that you're renewed and met beyond your expectations. But always know that you are an encourager from God and He most definately is in, around and moving through you.
    Nina

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks, nina. your sweet words are appreciated.

    ReplyDelete