July 28, 2022 – Words of Wisdom, Thomas Merton

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.”

Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:1-6

The Desire to Please G-d

I believe we have a desire to please G-d if we have determined to be a follower of Jesus. The problem with this desire is that it goes against our human inclination. You see, our human inclination is to be concerned only about our personal needs. But Jesus calls us out of ourselves to do loving acts for our neighbors and to love G-d before we worry about our own needs. And that is a counter-cultural movement in America today.

Even Jesus’ own Disciples did not understand his teachings and had a hard time getting out of their own way. So we are in good company when we say “I want to be a follower of Jesus, but to live and forgive and love as he asks is so hard.”

Thomas Merton says “But I believe that the desire to please you (Lord) does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.” What more can we hope for then the desire to please G-d and the trust that Jesus will show us the path.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, sometimes I do the very thing I do not want to do, and sometimes I live as you call me to live. Show me the path you want me to follow today and give me the will to see it through. Amen. Pastor Dave