Although I write with a stuffy head cold, I know I need to keep posting.
I've been reading Psalm 103, for one... excellent. I am finally taking serious the idea of memorizing Scripture. I have rested too long on my knowledge of the Bible's content, where to find things, etc. and thought I was doing well enough. But committing things to memory takes faith in God to a deeper priority in my life.
Since I did not grow up in the Christian church, spiritual habits have come hard to me, such as consistent Christ-centered prayer and reading the Holy Bible. So it's easy for me to be lazy and drift. What has changed for me is that I realize that all this stuff is not about what I do (i.e. religious activity) but instead my devotional time is about being open to God's transforming touch on my character, making me into someone He wants me to be.
While I stayed home from church, I listened to a fantastic biography sermon by John Piper about Athanasius, a 4th century Christian leader.
This sparked my interest in the ancient desert father Antony, whose biography Athanasius wrote. I didn't really know much about Antony until now. I've always kind of looked down on the ascetics as too world-denying, not caring enough about the world but wanting to retreat from it. However I think I have been too hard on them, and there is much to be admired about Antony's rigorous pursuit of reality and a pure life.
The monastery of Apa Bane in Egypt (Looks like Tatooine, doesn't it?)
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