Reflection on God’s Power (Br Nicholas Lye)

If you have seen commercials like the ones above, I wonder how many of us truly believe in the magical transforming power of such products. We don’t seem to get the same kind of effect in our own homes, kitchens or everyday lives.

But one particular morning hymn that we sing for lauds on Monday: Week 4 seems to express that the magical transforming effect that we don’t see in reality, actually happens in our spiritual reality! – once we allow Creator Spirit to make a home in our hearts...

Come, O Creator Spirit, come,
and make within our hearts your home;
to us your grace eternal give,
who of your breathing move and live.

Our senses with our light inflame,
our hearts to heavenly love reclaim;
our bodies’ poor infirmity
with strength perpetual fortify.

Our earthly foe afar repel.
grant us henceforth in peace to dwell;
and so to us, with you for guide,
no ill shall come, no harm betide.

Sounds as unbelievable as a commercial? But our challenge is precisely to believe! That whenever we invite the Lord to fill us with the scent of His love every morning, we are challenged to ask ourselves if we truly believe in the mind-blowing, awe-striking intensity and magnitude of God’s power and might. Do we believe that a simple prayer each day, when sincerely prayed from our hearts, can truly affect, and sanctify, and intercede for all peoples across every land and nation? Do we believe that receiving a small, tiny host we which we profess to be the Real Presence of Jesus, can truly transform our entire being and cause rippling life-changing effects on all whom we meet each day? Do we also believe that as children of God, we have the potential power to be life-changing instruments of God’s love even with our small acts done with great love?

With our child-like imagination and conviction, we can move away from what seems unreal in real life, and enter into what is the deeper truth and reality in our spiritual life.

For only when we can believe in the mind-blowing power of God’s scent of love that fills our hearts and our lives, can we then be effectively SENT out to bring that scent of God’s love to the people all over the world, so that their broken, terrorised, sinful, hurting, depressed, lonely hearts may be transformed as they are filled with that powerful, life-changing scent of God.

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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Martin Arlando on 26th Oct 2010.