Sunday, June 17, 2012

Fear and Trembling 2


"By virtue of resignation, that rich young man should have given away everything, but if he had done so, then the knight of faith would have said to him: By virtue of the absurd , you will get every penny back again- believe it! And the formerly rich man* should by no means treat these words lightly, for if he were to give away his possessions because he is bored with them, then his resignation would not amount to much." -Kierkegaard, Soren. Fear and Trembling. 1843.

*Luke 18:18-30 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23  But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”  (ESV)


Dear Lord, please give us pure hearts. Let us sacrifice to you in faith like Abraham did: because it is our pleasure to love you. Help us to understand your love in every blessing that we receive. Bring us closer to you. Amen.

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