Week 37—Saturday 1 Corinthians 1:22-25
Week 37—SATURDAY
“THIS DREAM HAS DREAMT ITSELF OUT”
We saw yesterday that when psychiatry turns from insight, from self-knowledge, to self-commitment—the receiving and giving of love—cure sets in at once. Victor Frankl has put it this way: “The dream of half a century has centered around mechanisms to explain and techniques to heal neurotic diseases. I believe that this dream has been dreamt out.”
In both psychiatry and religion the dream of half a century that knowledge was the key to mental and moral cure has dreamt itself out. In both realms it has proved itself sterile. In both realms a new beginning can be made by self-commitment. In the realm of religion self-commitment to Jesus Christ; in the realm of psychology self-commitment to the receiving and giving of love—have opened the gates to change and recovery, conversion.
In my Listening Post which I have in the early morning, the Lord said to me, “You belong to me wholly, so there is nothing to fear from things, persons, or events.” Wonderful release. The first and most basic need is “to belong.” That fits in with the statement of Jesus: “If I your Lord and Teacher”—first Lord, secondarily Teacher. This also fits in with “called to belong to Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:6). The end of our calling is not to know good, do good, or be good—the end of our calling is “to belong.” The knowing, doing, and being good come out of our belonging to Jesus Christ.
Here were two sisters—beautiful, educated, talented. They had everything—and nothing. They were frustrated because their life purposes had not been fulfilled. One said, “I’ve been a lousy Christian.” The other said, “All my life I’ve been committed to nothing—to nothing except the rat race in which I live.” Both of them in prayer surrendered themselves to Jesus Christ. If they belong to Christ, then life will belong to them.
O Jesus Lord and Teacher, when we experience and express you this is not foolishness. It is sense—the only Sense. It is Wisdom—the only Wisdom. When I know you I know. When you are Lord, you are Teacher—and what teaching! Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I will be a Christian realist knowing that in Christ I’m dealing with Reality.