Weary in Well-Doing

And let us not grow weary in well-doing,

for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.

(Galatians 6:9 RSV)

Christina Rossetti

One of my favorite poems of all times was written by the English Poet Christina Rossetti (1830-1894).  

It is a poem on being out of sync with God:  wanting to do something when that isn’t His will, and coming to rest at the moment God calls us to act.   It is wearisome just doing the daily toil, doing the next right thing. 

For the Christian there also is doing the right thing at the right time – practicing wisdom and discernment.  This is a whole new level of action which can wear one out – for you might know what the right thing to do is, but then you have to discern when God wants you to act.  This means not just doing what one wants or thinks is correct, but doing what God wants and doing it in God’s time.  This requires kenosis, self denial in order to discern God’s will and do it at the right moment. 

Some think Christianity (religion) is a crutch, but they have no sense of how discerning God’s will is constantly being weighed down by carrying a burden, not being held up by a crutch.   

WEARY IN WELL-DOING      

 I would have gone; God bade me stay:

I would have worked; God bade me rest.

He broke my will from day to day,

He read my yearnings unexpressed

And said them nay.

 

Now I would stay; God bids me go:

Now I would rest; God bids me work.

He breaks my heart tossed to and fro,

My soul is wrung with doubts that lurk

And vex it so.

 

I go, Lord, where Thou sendest me;

Day after day I plod and moil:

But, Christ my God, when will it be

That I may let alone my toil

And rest with Thee?

Guess Again?

This is a continuation of my blog  Guess?

Some people have guessed in private conversation and email with me what the photo is about.

Not everyone has been correct, though a few have figured it out.

At left is another view same object in a different light.

For those who have seen this it might be more recognizable now.

 

The photo showing the bigger perspective is below – it might give you the clue as to the broader framework into which to put this picture.

 

All we need to do is realize where we have seen this before, even if we never looked at it quite like this.

A sense of direction might help as well. 

What would I have to be doing to take this picture?