(Special for the picture, I took from Romanos' blog and I am very thankful to him for this)
This morning, when I was sitting among my beloved friends, once more I am reminded of the identity as a Christian. This also has a little connection with the saying of Father Ephraim of Syria, which I quoted in my last post.
".....Whether you are in church, or in your house, or in the country; whether you are guarding sheep, or constructing buildings, or present at drinking parties, do not stop praying... " In other words, if we admit ourselves as Christians, every where and every moment, don't stop to be a Christian.
And fortunately, this also reminds me to a posting (click here) that really touched me, about being witness in any circumstances and again, everywhere. This is great!
In my own daily life, there is a time when I stay with myself, in silence and dim. This is the time when I am in a personal room, when no other people see me physically. Just imagine that somebody has to be in an elevator lonely or a small room and get it locked when he's inside. Where is The Lord that time? Actually, the question shouldn't be like this because we know that He is everywhere present and filling all things. So this reminds me to the Questions, Adam, where are you?. This question is very deep, that is "Do you realize where are you now?" When we think that nobody sees us, then who are we? Will we be the same with when everybody put their eyes on us? Are we still Christian? And in the personal sense as a reflection, "Do I allow Him to come into my 'secret' places, which is the place that not so many people see me physically, that is the place when I am in a personal room even in my own heart and mind, when I think we can do almost anything I want?".
Now, let's reflect back to Adam, Jonah, or those who know The Lord God but try to "Ah... this time let The Lord go away from my personal zone, I hope that He is not here and doesn't see me", that is the wants to flee or to be 'free' from His Notice. Like I remember written in the Psalm in the same tone: to escape from His Eternal vision... But can we, even try to? This can be related to the Parable, the second Child when he wants to leave His Father's house with the very thing in mind.
But don't we remember that Lord is so much caring, loving and even giving us the very genuine freedom, which are far beyond we can imagine in his Limitlessness? Then what can we hide from him? Our own selves? There is nothing. God is in the midst of us, He is ever present God.
Then, even in the most personal place of ours, would we give our very reverence, honor, love, obedience, and devotion like we do in the Public places or even Church? Therefore this is beautiful to reflect from what we notice from a Monachos, a person willing to meet God, face by face; don't try to hide anything, even the very weaknesses before Him. That is a profound message for us which gives us a poignant voice, are you ready right now facing the Glorious and Most Holy God, with Whom once Moses being face to face; to stand before Him and talk to Him? Therefore we need to have the voice of the Publican, "Lord, have mercy on me a sinner" we plea to be granted tears of repentance, with the deepest longing to meet and to be with Him like a deer in the arid desert longing for the water. For the Lord loves those who are humble and the contrite heart He does not despise. We are to be Holy, for The Father is Holy. Can't we encounter God without holiness.
The Lord knows every thing of us, even our own hairs. He knows well our hearts and He cares about it. Do we remember Pothini, a Samaritan Woman who was talking to Him at the well and was enlightened by her personal encounter with Him there? He so loves us and in His Mighty and Strong Power He protect us, He deliver us and He renew us in any moment, everywhere and here and now. But He will never gallop the doors of our hearts, He knocks....
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!
Yes, this is always the message of both hope and reassurance with which I witness to people about our good and loving God—that He knows everything about us, we do not have to pretend, not to ourselves, not to others, not to Him, that we are better or worse than we are. We know that He knows everything about us and, as you wrote so well, He cares about us, each and every person, as if we were His only creature. He cares for us even knowing all that we are, good and bad. He is always ready to carry us home, if we will only run to His arms like a lost sheep that has been found by the shepherd. He doesn't even ask us where we've been or what we've done—He already knows. But He asks us to listen to His voice, now, right now, and leave behind us everything, both good and bad, in exchange for His gift of love to us. As the Psalms say, "I run the way of Your commandments, for You have set me free!" (Psalm 119:32)
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