Gifts of Heaven · Volume 1 · Chapter 88

Obedience, church, rose – three words in spiritual light

25th November 1840, from 8 to 10 pm

Oh Lord! There are three words of heavy content! Would You not graciously reveal them to me in Your great love for the easy understanding of the announcer W.H. and her brothers and sisters – since she, although still very young, nevertheless, as it appears to Your sinful servant, now and then already gets some little longing for You. Oh Lord! If it is Your holy will, hear this small request of Your useless, lazy servant and let Me not be put to shame in the glorification of Your exalted, mighty, holy name above all!

[1] Now then, write!

[2] Do you remember the short sentence I told you last night when I was coming here? Behold, you have forgotten half of it! Therefore, it is necessary to recall it to you before your request may be granted.

[3] This was the sentence: "Why do you look at the stars so wonderingly and are afraid for your soul? What do you think, what do you want, what is it that you want to know? Love! so you will learn what you do not know and should know."

[4] Behold, just as yesterday you looked at the stars blindly and sighing and did not know who the "master of the house" was, so today you look at these three words presented to you by the aforementioned girl and do not know what is to become of them.

[5] Behold, you have asked for the subject rather than permission from Me, that you might do such a thing! If I were ambitious like people, I would leave you in the lurch this time, so that you may see how great a fool you are!

[6] But since I am not like humans and you do not take credit for your extraordinary stupidity, I will certainly tell you at all times what is honestly important to you, so that you may know it for the benefit of others.

[7] Behold, "obedience" is the way into the true, living church, which is My living Word, written and spoken from eternity in every man's and angel's heart.

[8] The "rose", however, means the purest, most fragrant love for Me from the church of the heart. But as this master-flower grows on thorny bushes, so the way to the true church, as the one and only place where My grace is at home, is also a somewhat thorny one. But for this very reason, pure love – whose roots in the garden of childlike obedience feed the thorny bush – is the highest, most beautiful and holiest good – indeed, it alone is the eternal, most blessed life itself. And whoever does not carry this royal flower spiritually in his heart, will hardly enter the great, eternal kingdom of heaven.

[9] Obedience is the garden. The life in obedience are the good rose bush roots. Although still in the dark, lightless earth, these are nevertheless the main bearers of the bush and finally of the blossom itself. The church, however, resembles the thorny bush. And the thorns on it, are all the trials of freedom and manifold temptations of the world, but at the same time also the fire-absorbers of love, just as the real thorns on the rose bush are absorbers of the electric fire. The rose, however, is finally the beautiful symbol of love itself!

[10] So listen, My dear young inventor of these three words! You, too, should become a rose and thereby become My dear daughter, so that one day the riddle, which still holds you captive in the worldly, may become clear to you!

[11] Come therefore immediately into My garden and blossom there into the glorious flower of eternal life, since you will hear again the very secret sounds of My Fatherly voice.

[12] But what has been said to you by My servant, let it also be said to your brothers and sisters! Amen. Then I, your most loving Father, say Amen.