Augustine is love, Augustine is life
While reading Book 9, the main theme I noticed was submission. Essentially, Augustine speaking about denying himself and going with God's will instead is what he has been building up to. I love how he speaks about being evil in his actions, words, and intentions, but the Lord being "good and merciful". This is a topic we discussed very much in my Bible classes in High School, about how, essentially, people are inherently evil because the Lord is inherently good. Then when Augustine speaks in Book 10 about how his confession of evil to the Lord can only displease himself but his confession of good only glorifies God shows the process of sanctification and a major part of salvation. I love how throughout Book 10, Augustine makes it a point to express the power that the Lord has over his life. He talks about how there is literally nothing we can say to the Lord that He did not first know.
I know that all of this is known to us already, nothing new, but just to hear it reiterated time and time again, over generations, shows how truly majestic and consistent the Lord is. I love that we can constantly count on God and the way that Augustine shows this God-fearing love for the Lord is, to me, a great example of how we should all love the Lord.
P.S. I commented on Moriah's and Anna Grace's posts :)
I know that all of this is known to us already, nothing new, but just to hear it reiterated time and time again, over generations, shows how truly majestic and consistent the Lord is. I love that we can constantly count on God and the way that Augustine shows this God-fearing love for the Lord is, to me, a great example of how we should all love the Lord.
P.S. I commented on Moriah's and Anna Grace's posts :)
I agree. It is very reasssuring to know that God is so merciful. Even Augustine, although not a devout christian, can understand the mercy and grace of God. God says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". He understand that we are not perfect but he knows because he made us that way. A lot of people feel like they can not be used by God because they have sinned or they see themselves as "evil". I heard a preacher say one time, "Why wouldnt God use sinners and imperfect people to carry out his will? Who else does he have?" It is reassuring to feel God's grace but it is also reassuring to see that it is an equal playing field. No sin is greater than the other. We are all equal under the blood.
ReplyDeleteI love Augustine's choice of words in this book. (Well, in general, too, but this book especially.) He really hammers home the fact that we cannot impress God or out-do Him. Every good thing about us comes straight from His heart.
ReplyDeleteAugustine's continued use of contrasting God's mercy with our evil is just an amazing. The fact that he says it with such ease as well is just so telling -- he truly means what he says. Augustine has such a fierce and passionate love for God (he wrote a whole book on it) and it's just amazing to read about someone who loves God that much.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that these truths are repeated to us throughout time and in many mediums comforts me. It assures me of the fact that our faith is true. There's something to be said for church tradition and the survival of such ancient texts as the Bible and Augustine's Confessions.
ReplyDeleteSometimes to hear things we already know from different people is exactly what we need. For me, hearing about the Lord's faithfulness from someone who has gone through so much is amazing! You are so right when you said that this book shows how truly majestic and consistent God is. Great post!
ReplyDelete-Madison Flowers
So true! God's consistency never fails to amaze me. The way He loves each and every one of us so freely without even hesitating is astonishing to me.
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