Thursday, January 28, 2016

Who Am I? I am Your Child


By Beth DeCristofaro

After Nathan had spoken to King David, the king went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, Lord GOD, and who are the members of my house that you have brought me to this point? Yet even this you see as too little, Lord GOD; you have also spoken of the house of your servant for a long time to come:  this too you have shown to man, Lord GOD!  (2 Samuel: 18-19)

The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. (Mark 4:24-25)

Piety
A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

Study
King David’s humble prayer after he is told by Nathan not to build a temple because God intends to build a temple of David’s lineage reminds me of the beautiful words in Psalm 8:

What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him little less than a god, crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, put all things at his feet (Psalm 8:5-7)

God’s love is so boundless that we can’t really grasp it.  “Me, Lord?”  “Yes, you, my Child” God says.  Jesus’ declaration reverberates in our souls.  However Jesus’ words make me wonder just what I give away or fail to see.  Absolutely I have been given much in “measurement” and gifts.  God doesn’t tease by removing them from me.  But without humility, confidence and expectation in God’s generosity I can’t grasp God’s grace freely offered that allows me to accept and make use of them.  I can’t be the light on the lampstand without allowing God to light my wick as He sees fit and to burn brightly according to His will.  Pretty awesome promise God makes to me as he made to David.

Action
It’s been a really long time since I’ve read anything at all by St. Thomas Aquinas.  A very long time!  Consider spending some time with this light to our path (as he said in the intro to the Summa Theologica: “we purpose in this book to treat of whatever belongs to the Christian religion, in such a way as may tend to the instruction of beginners.” (Thomistic Philosophy Page.  http://www.aquinasonline.com/Texts/)

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