Quite a while ago I wrote about the spiritual journey my wife and I are taking through the
Sheep Grazing over the Catacombs in Rome near an Olive Tree
book “A Journey with Jesus” by Larry Warner. He uses the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius as the foundation of the book.
Over the last few weeks the devotions have concentrated on sin, not in a self deprecating manner, but sin as the component of our lives that separates us from God and His grace. Sin is not a popular word today. Society, including many Christians, has sanctified many behaviours that have previously been regarded as sin. This just doesn’t extend to homosexuality and abortion but also to greed and materialism. The reasons I mention this is that we are good at judging people on the basis of the sins we don’t commit and close our eyes to the ones we do.
What I have found refreshing in Warner’s exercises is that I have been given an opportunity to lay open all aspects of my life. What this has done is that it has reminded me of how comprehensive the salvation that Christ offers had to be. It needed to cover every aspect of my life – not just the ones I select. It also halts complacency and reminds me that there is still so far to go in my sanctification.
With that reminder comes the wonderful assurance that in Christ all my needs have been met and I can say with the psalmist, “Keep my safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.” Psalm 16:1
Travels from Ur 