Hold Fast
"Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
GENESIS 21:18
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Hold Fast
Thus [the angel] absolves the troubled woman from all excommunication and fear. He receives her again into grace and into participation in the promise of Isaac. . .. God shows the same kindness toward us. He speaks with us through the ministry of men and in this manner conceals His majesty, which is dreadful and unbearable for us. . .. Therefore let us recognize His exceedingly great and incalculable gift: that He emptied Himself in this manner and took on human form. Let us not on this account despise the Word; but let us fall on our knees and honor and prize the holy ministry through which God deigns to speak to us. For we are truly that people. As Moses says about his Jews (Deuteronomy 4:7), we have a God who draws near to us and dwells with us, since through your mouth He speaks with me and through my mouth He speaks with you. Yes, the Son of God Himself came down into the flesh and was made man for the sole purpose of drawing us unto Himself and in order that we might acquire hope in His mercy and not be afraid of Him as we shall be afraid of His majesty, which our nature cannot bear, as is written (Exodus 33:20): "Man shall not see Me and live," and also (Deuteronomy 4:24): "God is a devouring fire." Therefore He assumed a weak form—a form like our own and for this reason completely human.
GENESIS 21:18
+
Hold Fast
Thus [the angel] absolves the troubled woman from all excommunication and fear. He receives her again into grace and into participation in the promise of Isaac. . .. God shows the same kindness toward us. He speaks with us through the ministry of men and in this manner conceals His majesty, which is dreadful and unbearable for us. . .. Therefore let us recognize His exceedingly great and incalculable gift: that He emptied Himself in this manner and took on human form. Let us not on this account despise the Word; but let us fall on our knees and honor and prize the holy ministry through which God deigns to speak to us. For we are truly that people. As Moses says about his Jews (Deuteronomy 4:7), we have a God who draws near to us and dwells with us, since through your mouth He speaks with me and through my mouth He speaks with you. Yes, the Son of God Himself came down into the flesh and was made man for the sole purpose of drawing us unto Himself and in order that we might acquire hope in His mercy and not be afraid of Him as we shall be afraid of His majesty, which our nature cannot bear, as is written (Exodus 33:20): "Man shall not see Me and live," and also (Deuteronomy 4:24): "God is a devouring fire." Therefore He assumed a weak form—a form like our own and for this reason completely human.
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