"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" … "is not worthy of Me" … "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it" … "I am … the Life" … Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him … the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God …
Lk.14:27 (NAS); Matt.10:38; 16:25 (NAS); Jn.14:6 (Beck); 1 Jn.2:15 (KJV); 2Cor.4:4 (RSV)

I felt there was a God, but likewise felt
unworthy of Him. Not that I feared hell.
My focus was … on this world. Seldom did
I think of Him. He, as it were, was hid,
kept in a mental pocket; whilst my mind
was set on Earth … effectively kept blind
to His domain. Hence, hollow was my life
with no transcendent purpose. Pain and strife
were incidental, accidental things
(as I saw them) - not shaping tools God brings
into man's stay below: not purposeful.
Thus horizontal (and not vertical)
my view! Thy hand I didn't - couldn't! - see
nor dreamed Thou'd be the very Life of me!

____________________

The Father loves the Son, and has put everything under his control … has given all things into his hand … O LORD, thy hand is lifted up, but they see it not …
Jn.3:35 (Bar,RSV); Is.26:11 (RSV).

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