“Life lived in the inner sanctuary is the abundant life that Jesus promised,” The Signature of Jesus (p.91).
I have been praying lately that God would help me to live in my inner sanctuary. It all started with the book I am currently reading called The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning. My ONU teacher Prof Lee gave it to me for the trip and it is inspiring thoughts in my mind and changes in my heart. I recommend it.
In contemplating Jesus on the cross and all the love that it speaks of for me, I was moved to try to live in a place where I always dwell on the love of Jesus and let that be what drives me to love others. In order to do that, there has to be a way to always focus on Him, on the cross, and His all-consuming love.
It’s simple really. And then again, it’s not. The key is to continually linger in His presence. I feel like I don’t naturally linger.
“In muffled cries of praise, disciples turn humbly to this indwelling God throughout the day. They are alert to the outer world of sound, sense, and meaning—this is not a discipline in absent-mindedness. They walk and talk, work and play, laugh and cry in full presence to the tasks and persons. Behind the scenes, the rhythm of prayer and interior worship continues. A cry of thanksgiving is their last word before falling asleep and their first upon awakening,” (p.90).
I want this to be me and I am pursuing this through the heart posture of eurcharisteo (thanksgiving). Jesus was covered in spit, ridiculed, beaten, and nailed to a cross for me. And He would have done it for just me. His arms stretched out for me say, “this is how much I love you, do you see how much you must love one another?” I want love to be my driving force and Jesus models it so perfectly.
He really loves me. And He doesn’t just love me. He gives himself to me. It’s crazy. Centering down, as it’s referred to in The Signature of Jesus, is the conscious decision to focus on inner praise and prayer, while being fully present to all that is going on around you. Even just the simple word Jesus or Abba can bring me back to that place in my heart where I begin to give thanks and tell Him how much I love Him.
I want to learn to linger, to remain in His presence—in His continual flow of love—that I might love with the heart of Jesus.
Jesus, Teach me to live out of my inner sanctuary.
Some pictures at a real sanctuary!
Here is a sweet church we got to worship at Sunday in Nelspruit. I was sitting in a pew looking out a window to a vast valley and farther off hill of trees. Absolutely gorgeous!
