IT IS WRITTEN
Happy is the one . . . who takes delight in the law of the Lord, and meditates on it by day and by night.
Such a one is like a tree planted near streams; it bears fruit in season and its leaves never wither, and every project succeeds.
Psalm 1:1-3
Happy is the one . . . who takes delight in the law of the Lord, and meditates on it by day and by night.
Such a one is like a tree planted near streams; it bears fruit in season and its leaves never wither, and every project succeeds.
Psalm 1:1-3
The Beginning of Happiness
It is now well over 20 years ago since I first became conscious of God's tug on the leading strings of his Law. It began with an awareness that commencing a new relationship after separation and divorce from my husband was untenable, that it would be committing adultery, and that, no matter how much I might wish otherwise, the vow of marriage - taken in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit - could not easily be set aside.
This awareness was so strong that I did not question it. It was more than awareness, it was knowledge. I knew. I knew God did not like the separation from my husband; I knew staying with my husband was impossible; I knew there was a boundary and that to breach that boundary by entering into a new relationship would somehow be a trespass against my own best interests; I knew that whatever I decided was critical to my future; and I knew that the choice I had to make was so self-evident that it was hardly a choice. Without even a murmur of regret, I chose for God.
At that time I was not attending church. Yet without any difficulty, and in the absence of any institutional or familial guidance, I held to the certainty that I was choosing for God.
Far from feeling limited or confined by the consciousness of this new boundary, I felt somehow that I had been liberated into a new space, a vast and exciting terrain in which everything was unfamiliar but to which I had a right to belong. I was no alien here.
It was probably about seven, perhaps nine years later that I knew I was being asked to keep the Commandments - specifically what are generally known as the Ten Commandments, the Ten Words or the Decalogue. By this time I was attending a home church and was regularly reading the Bible with considerable enjoyment if not deep understanding. Not that immersion in the books of what Christians call the Old Testament - or even the Gospels - was encouraged. The home church movement is as much influenced by Pauline theology as the Anglican diocese in which I now worship, with an emphasis on doctrines of grace, faith and belief. But a call is a call, and so I set about finding out what these Commandments were. At that time I could have listed perhaps five or six, but not in the order that they are given in Exodus 20.
I took to the task quite lightly. I remember thinking that at least I didn't covet! How wrong, how very, very wrong I was. I was to discover and face (and heal) some entirely dark and unlikable aspects of myself - while experiencing the most intense joy. Happy is the one indeed.
This site records the journey through blog articles and other texts. Enjoy!
ARTICLES are found in the Blog section. Topics include praying the Ten Commandments, Sabbath keeping and the nature of time, use of the Name of God, and loving God with all of one's heart, soul, mind and strength.
MEDITATIONS are brief insights grouped by their subject. Links to each subject are found here.
LECTIO DIVINA or 'divine reading', is a spiritual practice that fosters spiritual development through contemplation of biblical texts. A good explanation of the practice and how it is conducted in a group setting is found here. The Lectio Divina section on the Happy Is The One site offers examples of insights I have been received in a lectio group.
FORGIVENESS FRIDAY is a series of weekly emails shared with friends. The emails explain how God gifted me at a time when I decided to maintain a relentless focus on forgiveness. My hope is that the emails will allow others to replicate the process and so benefit from a similar gifting.
It is now well over 20 years ago since I first became conscious of God's tug on the leading strings of his Law. It began with an awareness that commencing a new relationship after separation and divorce from my husband was untenable, that it would be committing adultery, and that, no matter how much I might wish otherwise, the vow of marriage - taken in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit - could not easily be set aside.
This awareness was so strong that I did not question it. It was more than awareness, it was knowledge. I knew. I knew God did not like the separation from my husband; I knew staying with my husband was impossible; I knew there was a boundary and that to breach that boundary by entering into a new relationship would somehow be a trespass against my own best interests; I knew that whatever I decided was critical to my future; and I knew that the choice I had to make was so self-evident that it was hardly a choice. Without even a murmur of regret, I chose for God.
At that time I was not attending church. Yet without any difficulty, and in the absence of any institutional or familial guidance, I held to the certainty that I was choosing for God.
Far from feeling limited or confined by the consciousness of this new boundary, I felt somehow that I had been liberated into a new space, a vast and exciting terrain in which everything was unfamiliar but to which I had a right to belong. I was no alien here.
It was probably about seven, perhaps nine years later that I knew I was being asked to keep the Commandments - specifically what are generally known as the Ten Commandments, the Ten Words or the Decalogue. By this time I was attending a home church and was regularly reading the Bible with considerable enjoyment if not deep understanding. Not that immersion in the books of what Christians call the Old Testament - or even the Gospels - was encouraged. The home church movement is as much influenced by Pauline theology as the Anglican diocese in which I now worship, with an emphasis on doctrines of grace, faith and belief. But a call is a call, and so I set about finding out what these Commandments were. At that time I could have listed perhaps five or six, but not in the order that they are given in Exodus 20.
I took to the task quite lightly. I remember thinking that at least I didn't covet! How wrong, how very, very wrong I was. I was to discover and face (and heal) some entirely dark and unlikable aspects of myself - while experiencing the most intense joy. Happy is the one indeed.
This site records the journey through blog articles and other texts. Enjoy!
ARTICLES are found in the Blog section. Topics include praying the Ten Commandments, Sabbath keeping and the nature of time, use of the Name of God, and loving God with all of one's heart, soul, mind and strength.
MEDITATIONS are brief insights grouped by their subject. Links to each subject are found here.
LECTIO DIVINA or 'divine reading', is a spiritual practice that fosters spiritual development through contemplation of biblical texts. A good explanation of the practice and how it is conducted in a group setting is found here. The Lectio Divina section on the Happy Is The One site offers examples of insights I have been received in a lectio group.
FORGIVENESS FRIDAY is a series of weekly emails shared with friends. The emails explain how God gifted me at a time when I decided to maintain a relentless focus on forgiveness. My hope is that the emails will allow others to replicate the process and so benefit from a similar gifting.