Truth

It's a blessing to be able to express joy or talk freely of an opening among those who share my religion. I wouldn't belong to this group if it didn't share my religion and understand its doctrines. My experience as a Quaker Christian (I don't like having to say that) has been a lonely one insofar as the different Meetings I have attended or was a member of were not Christian. Middletown Meeting came closest to being Christian.

I had found something so wonderful when I first got hold of the Journal of George Fox, edited by John L. Nickalls. I found truth. A man living over five centuries ago reached out me through the power of God and brought me to the feet of Jesus Christ. I was so excited I wanted to share my glorious discovery with the Meeting because I just knew they had not heard George Fox and truth. I began to see they were not interested in truth. That has been the case for all my years of experience with, I'll call them Secular Quakers. What Secular Quakers are interested in, I learned, is Peace first and foremost, like Protestants are with the Bible. 

I refused to make peace my God, or the Bible, or George Fox, or Isaac Penington. Scriptures, as the Apostle Paul says, are good for instruction, etc. and reading the Bible is part of my morning and night worship. I also read George Fox and Robert Barclay's Apology for the True Christian Divinity every day. I read other Quaker Christian writings if available (Douglas Gywn is next on my list) and other books on Christianity. 

I asked the question in Meeting, how does one love those who are hostile or enemies? I then said I'd put the question to Jesus. He will answer me, I said. And so He has. It's why I love Him.

Today while walking to an event, the scripture verse that says God first loved us came to mind. That led to this being opened to me: Because God loves them I love. That's how one can love an enemy or someone who is hostile or downright despicable. God loves them. What He loves I can love.