Farewell Bonhoeffer

I have just removed Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Letters and Papers from Prison from my reading list.  It is a great book.  For more comments you can visit my more eclectic blog, Medley of Worship.  Or you are welcome to limit your reading this Perpetual Proverbs. 

Thanks for visiting.

Who Am I?

I love Saturday mornings.  During the week I am pressed by getting to work; on Sunday, to church.  Saturdays I often have the joyful blessing of unhurried worship and study. 

Today I was able to read more in Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison.  In it we find an occasional poem.  Part of my personal growth involves reading poetry out loud to try and learn to value this art form.

He shared a poem he titled “Who Am I.”  After several stanzas asking this question in different ways he concluded with the lines that struck me.

Who am I?
They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.
Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am Thine!

This is a glorious reminder.  I thought I would share it with you since the nature of this blog is devotional. 

In the midst of holy week, looking at our celebration of the resurrection, in all the turmoil of our lives we are reminded:  We are His.

Enjoy tomorrow.

Mercy Stirred

I am home taking a sick day.  It is the kind of thing that effects my ability to talk, not to think so I am using the time for a little more worship and study than I normally can enjoy.  The silver lining strikes again.

As I was reading in Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison I came across the following,

“When Jesus blessed sinners, they were real sinners, but Jesus did not make every man a sinner first....  Never did Jesus throw any doubt on a man’s health, vigour (sic) or fortune, regarded in themselves, or look upon them as evil fruits.  Else why did he heal the sick and restore strength to the weak?”  pp. 209-210

This got me to again think about my lack of mercy and reminded me that I need to grow in that area.  Too often I look at the choices people have made that brought on their difficulty and have a reluctance to help.  If Jesus had only healed those who were innocent of wrong doing would anyone have been restored? 

So?  God teach me to look more to mercy and less to judgment.  The congestion I am experiencing is in more than my throat and chest.

A Matter of Muttering

(2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV)  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Today as I was reading in Bonhoeffer’s  Letters and Papers from Prison, I came across this quote,

“I do want you to realize that I believe my attitude towards my case ought to be one of faith, whereas I am letting it become too much a matter of calculation and foresight.” p. 118

He had been locked in prison for a long time and kept trying to figure out when he would be getting out.  From his letters he at least acted like he would be released.  As you may know, he was executed just before being liberated by the allies at the end of World War II.

I got to thinking about how I try to figure things out.  Sometimes that is legitimate counting the cost and planning but too often it becomes a matter of muttering.  I keep going over the same stuff again and again.  I get in a stew and agitated.  There is a difference between responsible planning and trying to count the hairs on my head.

Walking by faith is for today, not just eternity.

Grace and peace.

Life in Prison

I am slowly working my way through Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison.  I am in a section of letters that he is writing to his parents.  Here is a man who has been arrested by the Nazi authorities and locked up in a little cell.  He is allowed out for 30 minutes a day.  He has watched friends and associates face execution.  He knows, barring a miracle, he is on the same path.  In this he writes these words:

“The important thing is to make the best use of one’s possessions and capabilities – there are still plenty left – and to accept the limits of the situation, by which I mean not giving way to feelings of resentment and discontent.”   page 40

I don’t know about you, but I have times in life when I am feeling so locked in by circumstances.  I feel like I am chained and handicapped by work and family.  I want to get out and soar.  I feel trapped.  At first Bonhoeffer shamed me.  Compare our situations.  He has a ten foot square cell.  I have a world to explore. 

Then Bonhoeffer inspired me.  I thought about the verse in Proverbs I had just been reading and posting about.  I found myself pondering.  I allowed this giant of the faith to speak to me through the intervention of the Holy Spirit.  He had his Bible and a few books.  I have that.  He had the hope of the living God in his heart.  I have that.  I found myself lifting up as on wings of eagles.

I thank God again for not only His Word and His Spirit, but for the giants of the faith that have left a testimony for us.

Blessings on your day.