Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: December 2

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 17

Here are two bright little “pleasant stones” which seem to many to have sharp corners. Actually they do have sharp corners, but for a reason. For purposes of cutting away the confusion which surrounds them. They are not orders, so much as results.

Results of a life indwelt by the One who lived His earthly life rejoicing in the midst of trouble and holding His heart ever toward His Father, in an open, childlike attitude of prayer.

Nothing which happened to Him really upset Jesus. He lived in an attitude of praise and prayer. But, the glorious thing about this to me, is that it made Him normal. He was sane and balanced and did not call attention to Himself as a fanatic. He was not a fanatic. The Christians you know who make themselves conspicuous by cluttering their conversations with religious clichés and pious-sounding references to themselves and their lord, are not easy people to deal with. Their Lord always seems to be giving them special instructions to do more amazing things than you could dream up in your wildest moments of dreaming, but they do not show forth Christ as He is! They are eccentric. He has been pushed in the margin of their lives and their own idealized image of themselves reigns squarely in the center, repelling rather than drawing. I [Eugenia Price, the author] personally feel ill at ease with the type of Christian who narrows her eyelids and speaks in syrupy tones about the “messages that come to her form God this morning.” God does speak to us. But it never leads to anything queer. It is always attractive and balanced. Rejoicing is being ready to accept anything that comes in His Name and Nature. He is perfect balance. Unceasing prayer is an ever open heart toward God. Every “voice” we hear does not come from God.

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”