We strive toward God and try to find communion with Him in prayer. This longing of the soul for God is so beautiful that few words on earth are capable of describing it. But can we deliberately, by an act of our own will, deny ourselves...
We strive toward God and try to find communion with Him in prayer. This longing of the soul for God is so beautiful that few words on earth are capable of describing it. But can we deliberately, by an act of our own will, deny ourselves this communion? Let us think about it. Imagine simply not allowing ourselves to attend the liturgy. The very thought is disturbing: how could we forbid ourselves to take part when unseen wings are carrying us there?
Yet this is precisely what Peter does when he exclaims, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.” A very similar episode in spirit, found in three Gospels, is the story of the healing of the centurion's servant, or his son in the Gospel of John. With the same humble awareness of his unworthiness, the centurion does not allow Jesus to enter his house. It is paradoxical. The Lord Himself wishes to come to you, and you do not want to receive Him? Something unimaginable.
With time, however, one begins to understand that true communion with God consists precisely in this humble refusal to impose one's company upon Him. Very often, when we are in a kind of euphoria over God's nearness and involuntarily try to intensify it, because this state is so beautiful, we ultimately fall into temptation and stray from the path.
But perhaps such restraint in communion is only our duty, while the merciful and perfect Lord, when He gives, gives “grace upon grace,” as the Gospel of John says, and sends so many fish that the nets begin to tear.
6
6:1 We then not only beseech, but as fellow - labourers with you, who are working out your own salvation, do also exhort you, not to receive the grace of God - Which we have been now describing. In vain - We receive it by faith; and not in vain, if we add to this, persevering holiness.
6:2 For he saith - The sense is, As of old there was a particular time wherein God was pleased to pour out his peculiar blessing, so there is now. And this is the particular time: this is a time of peculiar blessing. Isa 49:8.
6:3 Giving, as far as in us lies, no offence, that the ministry be not blamed on our account.
6:4 But approving ourselves as the ministers of God - Such as his ministers ought to be. In much patience - Shown,
- In afflictions, necessities, distresses - All which aregeneral terms.
- In stripes, imprisonments, tumults - Which are particularsorts of affliction, necessity, distress
- In labours, watchings, fastings - Voluntarily endured.
Allthese are expressed in the plural number, to denote a variety of them. In afflictions, several ways to escape may appear, though none without difficulty in necessities, one only, and that a difficult one; in distresses, none at all appears.6:5 In tumults - The Greek word implies such attacks as a man cannot stand against, but which bear him hither and thither by violence.
6:6 By prudence - Spiritual divine; not what the world terms so. Worldly prudence is the practical use of worldly wisdom: divine prudence is the due exercise of grace, making spiritual understanding go as far as possible. By love unfeigned - The chief fruit of the Spirit.
6:7 By the convincing and converting power of God - Accompanying his word; and also attesting it by diversmiracles. By the armour of righteousness on the right hand and the left - That is, on all sides; the panoply or whole armour of God.
6:8 By honour and dishonour - When we are present.By evil report and good report - When we are absent.Who could bear honour and good report, were it not balanced by dishonour? As deceivers - Artful, designing men. So the world represents all true ministers of Christ. Yet true - Upright, sincere, in the sight of God.
6:9 As unknown - For the world knoweth us not, as it knew him not. Yet well known - To God, and to those who are the seals of our ministry. As dying, yet behold - Suddenly, unexpectedly, God interposes, and we live.
6:10 As sorrowing - For our own manifold imperfections, and for the sins and sufferings of our brethren. Yet always rejoicing - In present peace, love, power, and a sure hope of future glory. As having nothing, yet possessing all things - For all things are ours, if we are Christ's. What amagnificence of thought is this!