Comments on: “Take Up and Read!” http://sober-minded.com/2008/03/18/take-and-read/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:08:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Joel http://sober-minded.com/2008/03/18/take-and-read/#comment-42 Joel Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:31:43 +0000 http://sober-minded.com/2008/03/18/take-and-read/#comment-42 Augustine was a pretty interesting character. I've been taking an early Christian history class and he is one of the characters we've recently studied. What I find really interesting was his original confession... I hope I quote this correctly... "God, give me chastity, but not yet". He knew for a long time that God wanted him to surrender, but he was stubborn and selfish about it.... and to Missy's point, yes, he was a bit lustful. You can't run from God's truth, though. More importantly, you can't be ambivalent about it. You must either accept it wholly or reject it outright. Augustine knew the truth, didn't reject it, but selfishly didn't want to accept it either. That is an untenable position to be in. He was utterly and completely miserable until he surrendered to it (wow, I feel like I'm preaching a sermon... sorry)... Anyway, it is an important lesson for to remember. Knowing the truth but not embracing it can only make us unhappy. The truth will set us free, but we must accept it completely in order for it to do so. Augustine was a pretty interesting character. I’ve been taking an early Christian history class and he is one of the characters we’ve recently studied. What I find really interesting was his original confession… I hope I quote this correctly… “God, give me chastity, but not yet”. He knew for a long time that God wanted him to surrender, but he was stubborn and selfish about it…. and to Missy’s point, yes, he was a bit lustful. You can’t run from God’s truth, though. More importantly, you can’t be ambivalent about it. You must either accept it wholly or reject it outright. Augustine knew the truth, didn’t reject it, but selfishly didn’t want to accept it either. That is an untenable position to be in. He was utterly and completely miserable until he surrendered to it (wow, I feel like I’m preaching a sermon… sorry)… Anyway, it is an important lesson for to remember. Knowing the truth but not embracing it can only make us unhappy. The truth will set us free, but we must accept it completely in order for it to do so.

]]> By: Missy http://sober-minded.com/2008/03/18/take-and-read/#comment-41 Missy Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:53:12 +0000 http://sober-minded.com/2008/03/18/take-and-read/#comment-41 I read that quote about Augustine somewhere else and it was referring to him overcoming the sin of lust...it was an interesting story. Thanks for the reading advice. I need to be better about that...it's not for a lack of books, just a lack of time to devote to them. The kids and I have recently discovered audio books and will listen to those frequently in the car....I don't think "The Box Car Mysteries" is what you are referring to though ;) I read that quote about Augustine somewhere else and it was referring to him overcoming the sin of lust…it was an interesting story.

Thanks for the reading advice. I need to be better about that…it’s not for a lack of books, just a lack of time to devote to them.

The kids and I have recently discovered audio books and will listen to those frequently in the car….I don’t think “The Box Car Mysteries” is what you are referring to though ;)

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