Insights from Thomas a Kempis

Do you know much about monasticism? Monks have been around for a long time. Thomas a Kempis was one. He wrote The Imitation of Christ in the 1420's. I've mentioned before that his writings are hit and miss for me. Sometimes his insights are quite profound. Other times I find myself sharply disagreeing with him. Most of these disagreements deal with the monastic idea of separation.

Monks didn't really start out that way. The early church experienced a lot of persecution. Early believers gave great respect to those that were martyred. Many dreamed of the chance to be killed for their faith. It was a sure fire way of proving to be a very religious person. As persecution faded into history, fewer and fewer martyrs were created. The religious elite had to come from some other source. At one point, the people who were considered the most religious were those who were tortured for their faith. They were called the "confessors." They were the new martyrs. As time continued to progress, Christianity was thoroughly excepted throughout the Empire. They weren't being killed (no martyrs). They weren't being tortured (no confessors). What would the religious elite do to prove themselves religious?

Many began to go and live in the old pagan temples that once flourished in the Roman Empire. They believed that the demons of the pagans stilled lived in these dark places. So, these monks would seclude themselves in these dark places to take on the demons through prayer. To make a long story short. This eventually turned in to monasticism. Religious people separated from the culture to focus entirely on their own spiritual welfare, neglecting the call of the Gospel to share Christ with the world. Granted, I may be over simplifying what happened, but this excerpt from Thomas will prove interesting.

If your concern is God and your own spiritual welfare you will little note what happens outside you. When you are not attending to yourself what are you doing?... If you wish to enjoy true peace and perfect union with God you must set all things aside and keep your eyes only upon yourself.

Who is the center of attention? This does not glorify God. Gad calls us to focus on Him, to the exclusion of our selves (Mark8:34). He calls us to bear the burdens of others (Gal. 6:2). Biblical Christianity is not a religion for hermits. If you only want to be by yourself, you will not like being saved. I think the two greatest commandments are direct rebuttals of Thomas' belief about focusing on self. Love God (focus on God). Love people (Focus people on God). Self doesn't even come up. A truly righteous and humble person does not think about himself. He does not think lowly of himself. He is to busy thinking about God and sharing Him with others that he forgets to think about himself at all.

Fellowship with God in the Word

Here is another excerpt from Andrew Murray's With Christ in the School of Prayer.

God, however, is the infinite Being in Whom everything is life, power, spirit, and truth, in the very deepest meaning of the words. When God reveals Himself in His words, He does indeed give Himself -- His love and His life, His will and His power-- to those who receive these words, in a reality passing comprehension. In every promise, He gives us the power to grasp and possess Himself. In every command, He allows us to share His will, His holiness, and His perfection. God's Word gives us God himself. That Word is nothing less than the Eternal Son, Christ Jesus. Therefore, all of Christ's words are God's words, full of a Divine, quickening life and power. "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life."

So often, we forsake the communion with Christ offered in the Word of God for nothing more than useless distractions of the world. God has provided His revelation to us and we sit around and do nothing with it. Next time you read your Bible, seek to communion with Christ. You will find that nothing is as joyful as time spent with your Savior.

VBS 2008 Video

Peeperz vs. Belt

We just had to put this on the web.

Insights from Thomas a Kempis

Thomas a Kempis is hit and miss for me. Sometimes I really enjoy what I read, other times, I don't agree with his take on things. Today was a hit. Read this quote.

Take advantage of everything that will help your progress, and if you see or hear of a good example, be on fire to imitate it. On the other hand, if you see something reprehensible, then do not imitate it, but avoid it. And if you have ever imitated such a deed, then correct it as soon as you can. Just as you take notice of the actions of others, be assured, others also notice yours.

I really like the last part. It is really easy for us to point out the failures of others. But rarely do we realize that other people can quite easily do the same of us. "Do not Judge, so that you will not be judged, for in the way you judge, you will be judged..." (Matthew 7:1).

This one is great.

The religious who meditates devoutly on the most holy life and passion of our Lord will find all that he needs to make his life worthwhile. In fact, he has no need to go belong Jesus, for he will discover nothing better. If Jesus Crucified would come into our hearts, how quickly and perfectly we would be instructed in the spiritual life.

Indeed, there is nothing better than finding Jesus. My prayer is that I find Jesus in my spiritual life everyday.