Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
This year, our men’s group started with the Richard Roar book “Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self”. For me, it expounded the notion that over time, we build layers around our true self. It can be credentials, reputation, achievements, success, wealth etc. Then as you face retirement and old age, these things peel away. We get stripped back to the original gem God created and all that we ever needed to be loved by God. For many of us, we seek to become something rather than realising that we are something. This reading and in particular the line “although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike” seemed to resonate with the insights I drew from Immortal Diamond. The search for God is a return to the core of who we are. It calls us to strip away the things that don’t matter, don’t last and do not give us any extra capacity to love the other as yourself.
ReplyDeleteI find your assessment of Lk 10:21-24 and its connection to "Immortal Diamond" to be insightful and thought-provoking. There are several points of resonance that I find particularly striking:
ReplyDeleteLayering and stripping: The idea that we build layers around our true selves resonates with the concept of "false selves" in psychology. These layers, often formed by societal expectations or personal insecurities, can indeed mask our authentic core. As we age or face loss, these layers can naturally peel away, revealing the person we were meant to be.
Seeking vs. being: The distinction between striving to become something and realizing we already are something is profound. It aligns with the Christian concept of grace, where we are loved and accepted not for our achievements but for our inherent worth as God's creations.
Childlike qualities: The verse about God revealing himself to the childlike aligns with the emphasis on humility and vulnerability in spiritual growth. Letting go of pride and embracing childlike wonder opens us up to a deeper connection with the divine.
Overall, your interpretation beautifully connects the themes of Lk 10:21-24 to the spiritual journey of self-discovery. It highlights the importance of shedding our masks, embracing our vulnerabilities, and recognizing the inherent value we already possess. This resonates not only with "Immortal Diamond" but also with broader spiritual truths about finding our authentic selves in God's presence.
I would love to hear more about your personal experiences with this. How has this realization impacted your own spiritual journey? What challenges or joys have you encountered in letting go of the layers and embracing your core self?