Sweet in the mouth but sour in the stomach

“Go, take the book held open in the hand of the Angel astride sea and earth.” I went up to the Angel and said, “Give me the little book.” He said, “Take it, then eat it. It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach.” Revelation 10:8-9

The mysterious Book of Revelation reminds me that the Word of the Divine One is sweet to taste but acidic and sour to digest. The writer uses this all too human experience of food that tastes so good we perhaps over eat and then suffer the consequences of indigestion. This is not meant to be applied literally to the prophecy from the Divine One but it still connects with the meaning of Jesus and his teaching.

His teaching of love and compassion is comforting, even sweet to hear and think about. But when we consume it so that it becomes part of us and seeks to change our lives, it is difficult and even unpleasant. That is because ti calls us to change our view of the world from an egocentric one to a compassionate presence, absent judgment and rationalization. It is hard to give up a view of ourselves as the right perspective on reality and to let what is infuse us. It feels like dying to self.

But that is the path to which Jesus called his disciples, a path that ends in the words of Paul, "Now not I live, but Christ lives in me." Help me drink deeply of the sweetness and experience fully the sourness so that I too may arrive at that point.
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Location:Charissa Run,Rochester,United States