ad augusta per angusta

'to high places by narrow roads' reads one translation. another, 'to triumph through difficulty.' but the first leads to richer and natural association.

put in these terms, exposition is less creative and more observational.

ad augusta (to high places):
: ad : as in 'constraining to'
- 'under the sun'
- present tense
- romans 7:24
- walking amid sin
- towards an object, a goal
: augusta :
- the great divorce
- 'further up!'
- the source of hope..
- realized partially in the present
- Reality
- more than the place,
- but the Love that makes the places high
per angusta (by narrow roads):
: per :
- what occupies the present before the goal
- necessary; not 'by way of,' but the simply stated 'by'
- statement of fact.. what lies in between
- singular byway
: angusta :
- sermon on the mount
- simplicity and indefensibility of the statement: that the road to the high places is narrow!
- the road to jericho
- the assaulted; the good samaritan
- a narrow road to a high place is fraught with precipice..
- the very earth retreats from that road
- falling is a fact
- and so fear of losing balance is destroyed
- for the goal will be attained
- and here the eyes must be constrained to

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yes!

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as for myself,
1. with God's great help, I've been able to let go of the anger indicated the last time I wrote here. the biggest reminder from that whole mess is that it isn't you or me that changes/redeems the human condition: it is Jesus and none other. cue derek webb:
'and I'll do all I can
to be a better man
I'll clean up this act
and be worse than
when we started.'
when dealing with brothers/sisters, we can legitimately call them out on clear sin issues (where 'calling them out' is a simple call then left to Jesus and authority) or point out how their use of liberty presents a stumbling block (1 corinthians 8; romans 14). but the work of present redemption is Christ's alone. we must not, cannot usurp it! it is a most insidious temptation we must all be on guard for, lest our submitted love become pure idolatry.
2. but this drama pales in importance, scope, and joy to the rest of current life. it's totally an 'nt' thing to focus on present strife in the effort to understand/resolve it, giving it far more concern than it merits. and so it is here.
3. praise Christ for His abundant gifts and the totally healthy excitement/terror they inspire, causing my heart to spend most of its time up around my throat these days. yep.
4. hey, that let's me 'blame' my increasing corniness/romanticism (those two are the same thing, right?) on God. ha!
5. all things in their [God-appointed, God-ordered] time. what a joy to be aligned with that Sovereignty.

the present is full and brimming.

'madness!'