Today, I would like to reflect on grace. There was a time when I thought that grace was dispensed by God to specific individuals at opportune, but yet specific, times in that person’s life. From this perspective, I understood “freely given” to mean that we do not deserve it so we should not boast. Today, I still believe we should not boast, but I have also expanded my understanding. Today, I believe “freely given” means just that – it is given freely, lavishly, abundantly, and constantly. In fact, grace is a fundamental aspect of creation, it is the power that holds creation together and it is constantly seeking expression in our lives. Deepak Chopra said, “grace is the effortless flow of existence that comes when you are living in harmony with life.”
In the New Testament there are three Greek words that are all translated “life” in English. The first is bios. Bios is the root of the English word ‘biology’ and in the New Testament this life is biological life. The second is psuche. This is the root of the English words psyche and psychological. In the New Testament this word means the soul, breath of life or seat of life. The third is Zoe. Zoe is the root of the English word “zoology” and in the Greek New Testament it is the life that God lives by in God’s self, it is God’s own life.
Yes, the English is quite correct in that life as we know it is all three of these Greek New Testament terms. We have a biological life, we have a divine life, and we have a soul which is the breath or seat of that divine life. Zoe is Christ within us, it is who we are in our essential essence, in our ground of being, it is our true selves. We identify with our bodies and our personalities, but our bodies and our personalities are but a shadow of who we really are. We are much, much more than a body and a personality. We are children of God, we are born of God, and we live, if we live at all, by God’s own life.
Grace is, indeed, living in harmony with this life. Living in harmony with Zoë gives us the power to live in harmony with psuche and bios – that is in every area of our life and it is, indeed, characterized by the effortless flow of existence. When we are in harmony with grace life flows effortlessly and good things just happen. We don’t have to try and make them happen, they happen spontaneously – such is the nature of grace.
If your life is full of the fruit of the Spirit – peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control, then your life is flowing with grace and you are in harmony with the creative power and the fundamental nature of the universe. If the flow of life (Zoë) is restricted and constrained then we experience discomfort, anxiety, doubt and fear.
Bios resides in our bodies. Feel your body and it will tell you if you are in harmony with the universe. Psuche resides in our hearts. Listen to your heart and it will tell you when you are in harmony with the universe. Zoe has no residence for it is your home.
God loves you and so do I.
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Thought for the Day, 2-1-10
Today, I would like to reflect on grace. There was a time when I thought that grace was dispensed by God to specific individuals at opportune, but yet specific, times in that person’s life. From this perspective, I understood “freely given” to mean that we do not deserve it so we should not boast. Today, I still believe we should not boast, but I have also expanded my understanding. Today, I believe “freely given” means just that – it is given freely, lavishly, abundantly, and constantly. In fact, grace is a fundamental aspect of creation, it is the power that holds creation together and it is constantly seeking expression in our lives. Deepak Chopra said, “grace is the effortless flow of existence that comes when you are living in harmony with life.”
In the New Testament there are three Greek words that are all translated “life” in English. The first is bios. Bios is the root of the English word ‘biology’ and in the New Testament this life is biological life. The second is psuche. This is the root of the English words psyche and psychological. In the New Testament this word means the soul, breath of life or seat of life. The third is Zoe. Zoe is the root of the English word “zoology” and in the Greek New Testament it is the life that God lives by in God’s self, it is God’s own life.
Yes, the English is quite correct in that life as we know it is all three of these Greek New Testament terms. We have a biological life, we have a divine life, and we have a soul which is the breath or seat of that divine life. Zoe is Christ within us, it is who we are in our essential essence, in our ground of being, it is our true selves. We identify with our bodies and our personalities, but our bodies and our personalities are but a shadow of who we really are. We are much, much more than a body and a personality. We are children of God, we are born of God, and we live, if we live at all, by God’s own life.
Grace is, indeed, living in harmony with this life. Living in harmony with Zoë gives us the power to live in harmony with psuche and bios – that is in every area of our life and it is, indeed, characterized by the effortless flow of existence. When we are in harmony with grace life flows effortlessly and good things just happen. We don’t have to try and make them happen, they happen spontaneously – such is the nature of grace.
If your life is full of the fruit of the Spirit – peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control, then your life is flowing with grace and you are in harmony with the creative power and the fundamental nature of the universe. If the flow of life (Zoë) is restricted and constrained then we experience discomfort, anxiety, doubt and fear.
Bios resides in our bodies. Feel your body and it will tell you if you are in harmony with the universe. Psuche resides in our hearts. Listen to your heart and it will tell you when you are in harmony with the universe. Zoe has no residence for it is your home.
God loves you and so do I.
Bookmark and Share
Subscribe