Walking with God

Praise the Lord, my soul;

all my inmost being,

praise his holy name.

(from Ps.103:1-8)

Thomas Merton, American Trappist monk, writer and theologian, once asked himself a question he immediately answered:

 How does an apple ripen?

The apple, by simply being in the sun, fulfills its purpose of ripening, The apple doesn't try to ripen faster, it simply allows the sun to do its work.

 

There is nothing it can do to ripen itself.

It can’t do workouts, tighten its muscles and then suddenly be a red, ripened, juicy apple in the morning.

The apple just hangs on the branch in the sun, naturally ripening, where it receives its daily nourishment.

This is the basic plan for how Christians ripen in their relationship to God.

The difference is that Christians don’t naturally ripen in their relationship to God, we have to place themselves where we can be nourished.

The beginning place of nourishment I find most helpful is the Guide to Prayer For All Who Walk With God.

The daily walk in the Guide begins with an affirmation, psalm, and psalm prayer.

The walk continues with a daily scripture reading, silence, reading for reflection, your reflection, and prayers.

The daily walk concludes with an offering of self to God, and blessing such as Numbers 6:24-26.

The continuing steps carrying tis nourishment for people hungering and thirsting after righteousness are, for me are from Micah 6:8 and Jesus Great Commandment.