Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Last night I curled up in front of the fireplace with The Anatomy of Corporate Law, searching for the meaning of the legal concept of the “legal person.” Today we returned the books to the library, because today was the last day of Hilary Term 2008. In about a month, Trinity Term 2008 will begin, but until then, I’ll lay off the latest edition of Jurisprudence. ;]
In one sense, it’s hard to believe that it’s only been two and a half months since we left home – it feels like so much longer. In another sense, it’s hard to believe that it’s been only two and a half months - I’ve learned so much, from school books and otherwise.
Let’s start with what I’ve learned from books…Just kidding. (Just know that I’ve studied in six different libraries and probably read more books in the last eight weeks than I’ve read in the last 8 semesters and I enjoyed most of it…although I could have done without the braincramping and the last-minute dashes to the print a paper before a tutorial, only to discover that the printer doesn’t work and the bus is pulling in – but what’s learning without all that?)
Thursday, March 13, 2008
What I’ve learned lately – aside from lots about jurisprudence, media, British politics (and the Vietnam War) – is probably best summed up in Oswald Chamber’s March 8 entry in My Utmost for His Highest, “The Surrendered Life.”
Chambers writes, “Being born again by the Spirit of God means that we must first be willing to let go before we can grasp something else. The first thing we must surrender is all of our pretense or deceit.”
Dictionary definitions for pretense include “professed rather than real intention or purpose,” “make-believe,” “fiction,” “pretending.” Let’s add “ridiculously futile attempt to convince God that you’ve got it all together.”
Frail humanity stands before a holy God. Pretense is a “natural” reaction.
It’s also an unnecessary reaction.
“What our Lord wants us to present to Him is not our goodness, honesty or efforts to do better, but real solid sin,” says Chambers. “And what He gives us in exchange for our sin is real solid righteousness.”
But trading what I can do for what He can do is hard.
“If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you have and all that you are to Him.”
But it seems that surrendering all that I have to Him would leave me with nothing. The truth is, however, that all I’ve got isn’t much. The truth is that all He’s got is better than what I’ve got. I don’t even really have anything. Remember, I just pretend that I do. God didn’t ask for my pretense. He asked for my heart.
“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15
Children cry “Daddy!” without pretense.
“…Make the determination to go through the crisis…And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.”
…...
…...
In other news:
The Vosburgs in England have officially (as officially as it can be) moved into Oxford. How about that? (It still feels weird, and probably will until we leave…and probably will even after that.) We’re so thankful that God has blessed us with a good location – close to the bus stop! – and that we’re not too far from the center of Oxford.
The weather is improving. The latest predictions are that it might not be winter forever! The days are getting longer, the rain has eased significantly and the sun has been sighted on multiple occasions. (Not to contradict that report, but: I saw the first real snow [that I can remember] the other day when Nathan, Aaron and I were waiting for the bus. It was just a quick, light snow, but it was snow.)
Not much other news yet. Remember, I’ve only been out of school for a day and a half day. :]
We love hearing about all that’s going on in Baton Rouge/Region VII!
