{"id":4710,"date":"2022-03-06T21:15:34","date_gmt":"2022-03-07T02:15:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/?p=4710"},"modified":"2022-05-11T19:18:21","modified_gmt":"2022-05-12T00:18:21","slug":"welcoming-a-vision-by-mey-hasbrook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/?p=4710","title":{"rendered":"“Welcoming a Vision,” by Mey Hasbrook"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Message given at Durham Friends Meeting, March 6, 2022 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In discerning today\u2019s message, an earlier expectation requires broadening. While writing is an option for some, it is not an option for all. So what I thought would be us writing a letter to the Divine \u2013  the heart of our own hearts<\/em> \u2013  will become a prayer to the Divine. The prayer will be invited at the message closing. Here\u2019s a query for today, and to which we\u2019ll come back<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cffrom a Quaker named William – Is thy heart right?<\/em>
\u25cfand from today\u2019s closing hymn – Who in God\u2019s heav\u2019n has passed beyond [our] vision?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since November, I\u2019ve been reading and re-reading Chapter 12 of II Corinthians, all the while navigating life at a strong current. This letter is attributed to Apostle Paul and addresses a young, fractious, floundering church.

Ch. 12 is pretty intense:  from visions beyond words gifted by the Divine, to unavoidable and relentless pain, to divine grace. Paradoxically, weakness can open a path to strength; indeed, herein is the power of Christ, which shapes my life as the power of Love. <\/em>

Paul gives this story:  Three times I appealed to the Lord about the thorn in my flesh, that it would leave me, but he said to me, \u2018My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.\u2019
So \u2013 <\/em>claims Paul \u2013 I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me \u2013 <\/em>which for today\u2019s message, let\u2019s hold as \u2018the power of Love\u2019.
<\/em>Paul continues \u2013 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A friend of my late stepmother has become a pen pal, and it was she who sent me the reference to this scripture.\u00a0 Her card arrived after I finished a series of major medical tests, which began due to a diagnosis of a chronic benign condition.\u00a0 Yet tests evolved to eliminate concerns about cancer.\u00a0 Indeed, the passage came at an opportune time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me \u2013 <\/em>remember, we\u2019re holding \u2018the power of Christ\u2019<\/em> as \u2018the power of Love\u2019.
<\/em>
Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul and the other apostles were traveling ministers, as was William Savery circa the late 18th<\/sup> century.  His national home was the newly-formed United States, mired in partisanship and conquest.  William\u2019s ministry led him to England, and his sermon drawn upon today is titled \u201cAn Age of Uncommon Events\u201d*<\/strong>; it\u2019s from 1796.

He reminds Friends, [W]hile we are endeavouring to seek after truth, do not let us be afraid of coming to the knowledge of it<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognizing the budding natural science of the age, William commends one science worth them all.  <\/em>He goes on to explain how this is to know God and one\u2019s self, an inquiry of thought as well as feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact of such knowing, explains William, enlarges the love of professors of Christianity<\/em> \u2013  so, those who claim to be Christian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He calls upon the standard of Christ\u2019s prayer amid agony, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do<\/em>.
And he calls Friends to a prayer, Forgive us our trespasses, only as we forgive them that trespass against us.  <\/em>Yes, William includes only<\/em> intentionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am new to William Savery, and found \u201cAn Age of Uncommon Events\u201d in search of Quaker references to II Corinthians. 
What arises clearly for today\u2019s message from William\u2019s sermon and Chapter 12 of II Cor. is to honor the heart ache<\/strong> expressed <\/strong>in both \u2013 the type of heart ache from being broken open by the Light, by Christ who is the living path of Love.
Also, to face the paradox of heart ache and hardship with the presence of Christ <\/strong>\u2013 that is knowing that Christ\u2019s presence is powerful, gifting inner strength through Love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~ 
Friends, it is time now to prepare for our prayer to the Divine. For those of you who are able and wish to write this down, feel free. Most importantly, follow whatever form to which you feel called. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

May we be faithful in listening to Spirit, and to welcome continuing revelation. May our worship inspire us to a vision of expansive Love, beginning right here where we are \u2013 among one another \u2013 even in heart ache, even amid hardship, and always in the presence of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transitioning to prayer, I return to the query, and share excerpts from today\u2019s texts:

QUERY
\u25cffrom Friend William, Is thy heart right?<\/em>
\u25cffrom today\u2019s closing hymn, Who in God\u2019s heav\u2019n has passed beyond [our] vision?<\/em>

EXCERPT from Ch. 12 of II Cor.
Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? We are speaking in Christ before God. Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up. For I fear that when I come, I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish\u2026<\/em>

EXCERPT from \u201cAn Age of Uncommon Events\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh may the God of all mercy, wisdom, and power, hasten this day; enlarge the love of professors of Christianity one towards another, throw down all the walls of opposition, which were built up in the day of departure from the fountain of living water, and bring us again to drink at Shiloh’s stream; that all the heritage may drink at the fountain itself, and the world once more rejoice in knowing him to reign and to rule over all, whose right it is, and ever will remain. <\/em>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*<\/strong>\u201cAn Age of Uncommon Events\u201d is available online through the Quaker Heritage Press web site<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Message given at Durham Friends Meeting, March 6, 2022 In discerning today\u2019s message, an earlier expectation requires broadening. While writing is an option for some, it is not an option for all. So what I thought would be us writing … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":213,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-message"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9rLvf-1dY","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/213"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4710"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4710\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4901,"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4710\/revisions\/4901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durhamfriendsmeeting.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}