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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : Choice meditations

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ArthurRosh
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Joined: 2011/9/26
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 Choice meditations

A collection of quotes by Sundar Singh:

So many people are impressed by human ingenuity and our ability to tap the power of lightning, wind, light, and all the other myriad forces of nature. Yet, to overcome the passions and seductions of this world and to gain mastery over oneself is truly a much greater achievement. By leading a life of prayer, we receive from God the gift to dwell in the spiritual realm even while we remain in the material world. If we live in prayer, no force of evil or temptation can overcome us; we remain in safe communion with God without any fear. If we abandon the gift of prayer, we become like well-trained animals and no longer recognize our own imperfection, our relationship with God, or our responsibility for our neighbors.

Climate affects the form, color, and growth patterns
of plants and flowers. In the jungle we often see
insects that have taken on the form and color of the
grass and green leaves on which they feed. In the
snow of the North, the polar bear’s fur has the same
snowy whiteness. The Bengal tiger wears stripes on
its skin like the reeds where it lives. Our spiritual environment
similarly affects us. If we remain in communion
with God, our habits and disposition – even
our appearance – are all changed. To pray means to
be on speaking terms with God, to be in communion
with him and to be transformed into his likeness. We
begin to take on a glorious and incorruptible spiritual
nature.

As the earth moves, we experience the changes of
day to night and summer to winter. But with the sun,
there is perpetual noon and perpetual summer. Like-
wise, the sun of righteousness is the same yesterday
and today and forever. If we experience the exuberance
of joy or the gloom of despair, it is only because
our position shifts in relation to God. If we open our
hearts in prayer and meditation, the warming rays of
the sun are always there to heal the wounds of our sins
and give us perfect spiritual health.

Those who seek to follow the spiritual life are like salt in the
world. Salt crystals cannot give flavor to food unless
they dissolve. If we dissolve the salt in a pot, it disappears
but it does not cease to exist. Indeed, it can then
give flavor to thousands of grains of rice.
It is the same with us. If we are not melted in the
fire of love and spirit, if we do not sacrifice ourselves
completely, then we cannot pass on to even a single
soul the blissful experience of the spiritual life. If we
do not sacrifice ourselves, then we are rather like
Lot’s wife who was turned to a lifeless pillar of salt.
Yesu was melted in the Garden of Gethsemane and
gave his life on the cross to open the gate of heaven
for all. In the same spirit, we must be prepared to give
up our own lives for the spiritual welfare of others.
This is what will bring praise to God.
The sword of justice hangs threateningly even now
over many souls. We must be willing to sacrifice our
own desires – even our lives – for the benefit of those
in danger of spiritual death. Then the world will recognize
that true love abides in us and that we are children
of the God who sacrifices himself for us.

There are many unhappy people who rejoice in the
thought of entering heaven after death, yet who do
not realize that heaven must begin here on earth. How
will they ever enjoy being in a place to which they are
not accustomed? I see so many people, even among
the devout, who cannot live together in harmony during
this short earthly life. How will they ever live together
during the whole of eternity? I do not believe
in a religion that offers a heaven only after this life is
done. It is true that our dwelling place is not here; our
real home is elsewhere. But many of those who wait
for heaven will find the spiritual realm strange and not
at all to their liking.

In the spiritual realm, heaven and hell are two opposite
states of being. These states develop already
now within each person’s heart. We cannot see these
two states of the soul any more than we can see the
soul itself. But we can experience them just as clearly
as we can feel physical pain or taste the delicious flavor
of a sweet fruit!

Some glorify the womb of Mary that housed God Incarnate.
This pales in comparison to any heart into which the
Master is invited, transforming it into heaven itself.

Once in a vision I saw a man arrive in the spirit
world. He was in great distress, for in all his life he had
never given a thought to anything but earning his
daily bread. At the same time I saw another man die
and enter the spirit world. He was a doubter, obstinate
in his opinions. In love and compassion, saints and angels
met both of them and tried to guide them toward
the heavenly light. But again and again they turned
back toward the shadows, because sin had so warped
them that they doubted and discounted everything.
As I watched, I wondered what their end would be.
One of the holy ones turned to me and said, “God
may yet have mercy on them."

Then I saw another man enter the world of spirits.
He had led an evil life. When the angels and saints went
to help him, he cursed and reviled them, saying: “God
is altogether unjust. He has prepared heaven for such
flattering slaves as you and then casts the rest of us
into hell. And you call him Love!” Just then the magnificent
voice of a high angel called out, saying, “God
gives this man permission to enter heaven.” Eagerly
the man stepped forward. When he reached the door
of heaven, however, and saw the holy, resplendent
palace with all its glorious inhabitants, he began to
feel uneasy. The angels encouraged him to go a little
further to see the Master sitting on his throne. But
when he did, the light of the Sun of Righteousness revealed
the impurity of his sin-defiled life. He turned
away in an agony of self-loathing and fled in such
haste, that he cast himself headlong into the bottomless
pit. Then I heard the voice of the Master saying:
“Look, my dear child! I forbid no one to enter my
kingdom. No one forbade this man, nor did anyone
ask him to leave. It was he, with his impure life, that
fled this holy place. Except you be born of the spirit,
you cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Many have died of thirst though surrounded by the
ocean. Its salty water simply could not quench their
thirst. Just so, there are many people who live in the
midst of God’s boundless love, but die of thirst
because sin has turned the sweet water of God’s love
into bitterness for them. Those who turn away from
sin and seek spiritual life from the Master find fountains
of living water arising from that sea of love.
They find full satisfaction and enduring peace. This is
heaven.

Occasionally our sense of inner peace and spiritual
bliss fades. This may be because of some disobedience
or because the Spirit departs from us for a time so
that we recognize anew how empty and restless our
souls are without God. In this way, God can reveal
again to us our utter weakness and teach us that without
spiritual life we are nothing but dry bones. God
wants to protect us from the pride and complacency
of thinking that we have achieved something out of
our own human strength. God trains and educates us
so that we turn ever anew to the Master and so find
never-ending spiritual happiness.

In the midst of polar ice fields, one can find flowing
streams of hot water. In the same way we can find,
even in the midst of this loveless and sorrowful world,
restful streams of heavenly peace. It happens wherever
the fire of God’s spirit glows within human
hearts.

I studied theology in a theological seminary. I
learned many useful and interesting things no doubt,
but they were not of much spiritual profit. There
were discussions about sects, about Yesu Christ and
many other interesting things, but I found the reality,
the spirit of all these things, only at the Master’s feet.
When I spent hours at his feet in prayer, then I found
enlightenment, and God taught me so many things that
I cannot express them even in my own language. Sit at
the Master’s feet in prayer; it is the greatest theological
college in this world. We know about theology, but he
is the source of theology itself. He explains in a few
seconds a truth that has taken years to understand.
Whatever I have learned has been learned only at his
feet. Not only learning, but life, I have found at his
feet in prayer.

 2013/4/4 8:33Profile





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