Imitation of Christ

Imitation of Chirst by Thomas Akempis is an incredible book and great to read along with Psalm 119. You know, in those spare times when you have nothing to do. I've been thinking and reading a lot in the past few days: Psalm 119, Imitation of Christ, Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer, and The Practice of the Presence of God by brother Lawerence. No I didn't read the entire book on each... The books are more devotional and set up to read around and not like a novel that you read through cover to cover. I have added a Book section to this blog that links to these books online...

Here are some great quotes from Imitation of Christ that upply to where we are:

Seek to retire within yourself. Love to dwell alone with yourself. Seek no man's conversation, but rather pour forth devout prayer to God that you may keep your mind contrite and your heart pure.

If you completely conquer yourself, you will more easily subdue all other things. The perfect victory is to triumph over self. For he who holds himself in such subjection that sensuality obeys reason and reason obeys the Word of God (Christ) in all matters, is truly his own conqueror and master of the world.

Because few labor to die entirely to self, or tend completely away from self, therefore they remain entangled in self, and cannot be lifted in spirit above themselves. But he who desires to walk freely with Christ must mortify all his low and inordinate affections, and must not cling with selfish love or desire to any creature.

There are many matters of which it is well for you to be ignorant, and to consider yourself as one who is dead upon the earth and to whom the whole world is crucified. There are many things, too, which it is well to pass by with a deaf ear, thinking, instead, of what is more to your peace.

Living on earth is truly a misery. The more a man desires spiritual life, the more bitter the present becomes to him, because he understands better and sees more clearly the defects, the corruption of human nature...But woe to those who know not their own misery, and greater woe to those who love this miserable and corruptible life. Some, indeed, can scarcely procure its necessities either by work or by begging; yet they love it so much that, if they could live here always, they would care nothing for the kingdom of God.

How foolish and faithless of heart are those who are so engrossed in earthly things as to relish nothing but what is carnal! Miserable men indeed, for in the end they will see to their sorrow how cheap and worthless was the thing they loved.
-Thomas Akempis