The Beauty of God's Saints

I am re-reading The Confessions of St. Augustine for a very interesting class, Devotional Classics. We are learning how to read spiritual autobiographies in a devotional way. As I was reading book 10 of The Confessions a simple, but often repeated phrase jumped out at me.

"Give what you command, and then command whatever you will."

Our dear brother and the beautiful saint of God in Christ wrote these words over and over again as he examined the sins of his senses. What a beautiful portrait this is of the beggar before his merciful master!

I find in so many areas I drop the ball. I am not able, even with the best of intentions and the most sincere desire to do well for God, to lead even a remotely righteous life. But, with Augustine I call on my dear Father in heaven to give what He commands and then, with a joyful heart, having received God's good gifts in Christ Jesus, I am prepared to receive whatever command He will give.

"...for I am a sinful man; yet I will tell out the greatness of your name nonetheless; and may he who has overcome the world intercede for my sins, and count me among the frailer members of his body, because [gulp!] your eyes rest upon my imperfections [!] and in your book everyone will find a place."

The beauty of God's Saints!