God at work...

"For it is God which worketh in you" (Phil. ii.13).  Sanctification is the gift of the Holy Ghost, the fruit of the Spirit, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the prepared inheritance of all who enter in, the greatest obtainment of faith, not the attainment of works. It is divine holiness, not human self-improvement, nor perfection. It is the inflow into mans being of the life and purity of the infinite, eternal and Holy One, bringing His own perfection and working out His own will. How easy, how spontaneous, how delightful this heavenly way of holiness! Surely it is a "highway" and not the low way of mans vain and fruitless mortification.  It is Gods great elevated railway, sweeping over the heads of the struggling throngs who toil along the lower pavement when they might be borne along on His ascension pathway, by His own almighty impulse. It is God's great elevator carrying us up to the higher chambers of His palace, without over-laborious efforts, while others struggle up the winding stairs and faint by the way.  Let us to-day so fully take Him that He can "cause us to walk in His statutes." Rev A B Simpson

The miracle of the Incarnation

All which is not itself the Great Divide was made in order that He might come down into it. In the Fallen World He prepared for Himself a body and was united with the dust and made it glorious forever. This is the end and final cause of all creating, and the sin whereby it came is called Fortunate and the world where this was enacted is the centre of worlds. Blessed is He.

- C S Lewis (Perelandra)

Getting passionate

Therefore,
let us desire nothing else,
let us want nothing else,
let nothing else please us and cause us delight except our Creator, Redeemer and Saviour,
the only true God,
Who is the fullness of good,
All good, every good, the true and supreme good,
Who alone is good,
Merciful, gentle, delightful and sweet,
Who alone is Holy,
Just, true, Holy and upright,
Who alone is kind, innocent, clean,
From whom, through whom, and in whom
Is all pardon, all grace, all glory
Of all penitents and just ones,
Of all the blessed rejoicing together in heaven.

- Francis of Assisi

Giving alms

Giving to the poor is an essential part of Christian morality. I do not believe one can settle how much we can give. I'm afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, and amusement, is up to the standard common of those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little... For many of us the great obstacle to charity (christian love) lies not in our own luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear - fear of insecurity. This must often be recognised as a temptation.

C S Lewis (Mere Christianity)