‘The Good Life’

Truth Breaking Through Lies

It rests with us to form habits of the good life in thought, feeling, and action, and even in spiritual things. We cannot make ourselves ‘good’; but in this way, we can partner with the Holy Sprit to lay paths for the good life in the very substance of the brain. Through a relationship with Him we can hear the voice of God; paths will form where the Lord God may walk in the cool of the evening. (rephrased for parents from Vol. 5, pp. 141-142)

In January of last year I decided to upload a wallpaper of a lion on my laptop and other devices. Alongside it I added the caption, ‘Further Up and Further In! Courage, Dear Heart.’ Little did I know about the adventure I was about to fall into.

 

A Lion’s Roar

Remember my encounter with the Father-heart of God? I’d like to write about that a little bit more.

 

A friend had invited me to a church conference in Johannesburg. It was the week of my birthday, I needed to get some tasks done there and so I thought I’d treat myself — I’d ease the burden of doing errands, with some time spent in the Word and worship. I delayed in buying a ticket and they were all sold out! I was added to a waiting list in case there would be some cancellations. There were, and I got my ticket.

A day into the conference, during a break with lovely friends and a mochaccino, I realised I didn’t have much focus for the teaching and worship. I was constantly planning how I could complete all the tasks I had set myself before my return home …

We think, as we are accustomed to think; ideas come and go and carry on a ceaseless traffic in the rut — let us call it — you have made for them in the very nerve substance of the brain. You do not deliberately intend to think these thoughts; you may, indeed, object strongly to the line they are taking (two ‘trains’ of thought going on at one and the same time!), and objecting, you may be able to barricade the way, to put up ‘No Road’ in big letters, and to compel the busy populace of the brain-world to take another route. But who is able for these things? (Vol. 1, pp. 108-109)

The constant thoughts of how to complete my to-do list began to wear me down. I was finding it difficult to stop the traffic that was causing so much noise in my head; I really wanted to be able to quieten my spirit and enjoy the conference. I was anxious! I asked the Lord for help.

During one of the last worship sessions the music leader interjected with a story of his family flying into a war torn zone. As he sat at a window seat and looked down to the land below, he wondered what he was thinking when he decided to take them there! Deep in thought he turned around to look at his child sitting next to him, drawing a picture of a lion walking, unscathed, through arrows of fire. He felt a story was unfolding … When they landed he said that the town had a number of lion statues, he realised that the Lion of Judah was watching over them on their trip and that they would be okay while on their stay there. It was at that moment that I remembered a childhood memory of Lucy, riding on Aslan’s back with her face in his mane — tears started rolling down my cheeks.

The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9

The narrative within me (my view-point), was that I had to look after myself! I subconsciously believed the lie that the Lord wasn’t with me and that I was the one to order my day — I was fiercely independent. The picture of Aslan carrying me on his back brought healing to a mind deceived and a realisation that the Lord will never leave or forsake me. He is always there to make straight my paths.

The Beauty of God’s Goodness broke the lie in my heart and He used His Word (Truth), an Idea (Aslan) and Worship to bring renewal to the spirit of my mind.

 

Wrong Paths — Wise in Your Own Eyes?

There is a common notion that it is our inalienable right not only to say what we please but to think as we please, that is, we believe that while body is subject to physical laws, while the affections, love and justice, are subject to moral laws, the mind is a chartered libertine. Probably this notion has much to do with our neglect of intellect. We do not perceive that the mind, too, has its tendencies both good and evil and that every inclination towards good is hindered and may be thwarted by a corresponding inclination towards evil; I am not speaking of moral evil but of those intellectual evils which we are slow to define and are careless in dealing with. (Vol. 6, pp. 49-50)

Are our thoughts aligned to Truth? Are there lies that aren’t allowing the Beauty of God’s word to unfold in our lives?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7

In my article on Prudence, I mentioned how I have a tendency to be on a constant search for wisdom; in turn I tend to lean on my own understanding. Striving! It’s all in vain when I don’t trust in Him with all my heart. Without Him, it is all evil … even if by my own reasoning it all makes perfect sense.

Wise in my own eyes — exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man.

Posturing!

 

Pursue the Path of Truth

Partner with the Holy Spirit and Be Renewed in the Spirit of Your Mind

In her volume on School Education, Charlotte says that the Holy Spirit is the supreme educator of mankind, and that the culmination of all education is a personal knowledge of and intimacy with God in which we finds our fullest perfection. (Vol. 3, p. 95)

Let’s continue to partner with Him, humbly pursuing Truth and destroying the lie that we need to walk this path on our own! Let’s put away anxiety and offer everything up to the Father in prayer and petition — inviting the Holy Spirit into our daily endeavours. The Father has us, and our students, close at heart. He’ll use all manner of methods to draw us nearer, to behold His Glory.

Our Lord has Kingdom vision and sees way beyond our immediate plans for ourselves and our children.

He’s whispering, “Take courage, Dear Heart, hold my hand and let’s go Further Up and Further In. ”

Come, let’s heed the call of the ‘Good Life’ and walk in the cool of the evening with the Lion of Judah.