First Love
The writings of Basilea Schlink continue to challenge me. She was the co-founder of the Evangelical Sisterhood in Germany, a protestant order which began in 1947 out of a revival among a girls Bible Study group. Basilea Schlink has written extensively and has particularly important things to say about repentance and reconciliation.
(For more information the website is www.kanaan.org)
However at the moment I am reading her book called "Those who love him".
She writes about the "first love" mentioned in Revelation 2:4 She doesn't mince words.
"With a view to this "first love" Jesus sets before us a bold unvarnished question: "Are you a bride or a whore?" The two possibilities are related: it is only possible to become a whore because God has called us to be a bride. The call to love God creates the alternative, that we squander our love faithlessly. Jesus looks to us for the love of a bride. Any other love which possesses our heart bring us into the state of spiritual adultery. If the thoughts and desires of our heart circle about some person, if we give them first place in our hearts, if we desire above all else to be together with them and loved by them, it is whoredom. And if it is not some person who possesses our heart, but rather some thing- my possessions, my health, my work, my favourite pastime it is basically no different."
This does not mean that we are not to love people and things, indeed everything that God has made. Jesus concern is this; that we love all created things in Him, from whom and for whom they were created and not as something independent of him. ......In other words our human situations and attachments are subject to Jesus.
She says much more. As for me....I'm on my knees
The writings of Basilea Schlink continue to challenge me. She was the co-founder of the Evangelical Sisterhood in Germany, a protestant order which began in 1947 out of a revival among a girls Bible Study group. Basilea Schlink has written extensively and has particularly important things to say about repentance and reconciliation.
(For more information the website is www.kanaan.org)
However at the moment I am reading her book called "Those who love him".
She writes about the "first love" mentioned in Revelation 2:4 She doesn't mince words.
"With a view to this "first love" Jesus sets before us a bold unvarnished question: "Are you a bride or a whore?" The two possibilities are related: it is only possible to become a whore because God has called us to be a bride. The call to love God creates the alternative, that we squander our love faithlessly. Jesus looks to us for the love of a bride. Any other love which possesses our heart bring us into the state of spiritual adultery. If the thoughts and desires of our heart circle about some person, if we give them first place in our hearts, if we desire above all else to be together with them and loved by them, it is whoredom. And if it is not some person who possesses our heart, but rather some thing- my possessions, my health, my work, my favourite pastime it is basically no different."
This does not mean that we are not to love people and things, indeed everything that God has made. Jesus concern is this; that we love all created things in Him, from whom and for whom they were created and not as something independent of him. ......In other words our human situations and attachments are subject to Jesus.
She says much more. As for me....I'm on my knees
posted by Rehoboth at
3:12 AM
2 Comments:
Carol - this is challenging stuff - Railton would have loved this woman! (Though obviously not more than Christ!)
I will join you on my knees!
L&P Andrew
By
Andrew Bale, at 10:32 AM
Her books changed my life as well, and I was never the same again after reading 'Repentance the Joy Filled LIfe'.
Every blessing for a lovely Easter, and good to find your blog via armybarmy's new list.
By
Eleanor Burne-Jones, at 5:34 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home