Thursday, December 06, 2007

Advent

Quaker literature emphasizes one's mental posture in Meeting for Worship (M4W) as one of "expectant waiting."

In theological terms, this corresponds to awaiting God's grace, meaning the subjective experience is of receiving a gift.

Our freedom and ability to receive gifts for which no human being, not even oneself, might take credit (in the sense of now owing a debt to said being), is a way new wealth often enters the world.

On the other hand, there's no shame in giving others credit, either, i.e. God's mysterious ways often involve our fellow beings. We're to enjoy one another's company aboard Spaceship Earth (more an enjoinder than a command, per our treasured freedom to fail).