I have been reading (just finished today) the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. (By Eric Metaxas) Wow... What an amazing testimony. It seems to me, more now after reading this than ever before, there are very few people truly living a life for God. I was touched by this man's insight. Of course, he was a brilliant scholar raised in a family of true intelligence. But, intellect aside, it was his devotion to God and His Word that really got to me. It was because of his devotion that he had this insight into God's will for his life. At such a young age, that someone could even reflect upon the thoughts he had... again I say, "Wow".
It makes me recognize my apathy toward trying to see God's will in my own life. I find it hard to take a mere 30 minutes in a day to read my Bible. And he not only found the time but made it the essential part in his day... to read, to meditate, then to live it! I understand the concept of living every part of my life with God in mind; but this is so much more. Not to just live with a silly catch-phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" attached to every decision; No; but to spend such time with God that one just knows His will for his life! To know (after careful meditation and prayer each day) when His voice is speaking.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was remembered by all who met him as a loving, gentle man. How can you reconcile this with a man willing to be part in assassination? I would have had trouble too, had I not read this wonderful biography. He so carefully kept his family, his friends, and his church out of this part of his life; knowing it was God's will for him and him alone. He did not seem to agonize over it, he just KNEW. And the task, although unsavory, and seemingly contradictory to all he believed, was a matter of being obedient to God's will for him.
I know I do this entire subject injustice in my bumbling words. Something Dietrich Bonhoeffer said in a letter (to paraphrase): Nothing should be indescribable. If one takes enough time to think about it, there are words to describe nearly everything. But I feel I am limited in my words to elegantly describe my thoughts and feelings about what I have learned from this man, 75 years gone now. I know that as thoughts occur, I will be recording them for quite awhile.
