The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: and it looks as if He were speaking of the devil, as though He would
comprehend everything in one so that the entire substance of all our
prayer is directed against our chief enemy. For it is he who hinders
among us everything that we pray for: the name or honor of God, God's
kingdom and will, our daily bread, a cheerful good conscience, etc.
Therefore we finally sum it all up and say: Dear Father pray, help that
we be rid of all these calamities. But there is nevertheless also
included whatever evil may happen to us under the devil's kingdom --
poverty, shame, death, and, in short, all the agonizing misery and
heartache of which there is such an unnumbered multitude on the earth.
For since the devil is not only a liar, but also a murderer, he
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: man still abed, and most guilty was his panic when they bade him rise
and dress himself- though little did he dream of the full extent to
which Mr. Trenchard had enmeshed him, or indeed that Mr. Trenchard
had any hand at all in this affair. What time he was getting into his
clothes with a tything-man outside his door and another on guard
under his window, the constable and his third myrmidon made an
exhaustive search of the house. All they found of interest was a letter
signed "Monmouth," which they took from the secret drawer of a secretary
in the library; but that, it seemed, was all they sought, for having
found it, they proceeded no further with their reckless and destructive
ransacking.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Georgics by Virgil: The current sweeps him down the hurrying tide.
Us too behoves Arcturus' sign observe,
And the Kids' seasons and the shining Snake,
No less than those who o'er the windy main
Borne homeward tempt the Pontic, and the jaws
Of oyster-rife Abydos. When the Scales
Now poising fair the hours of sleep and day
Give half the world to sunshine, half to shade,
Then urge your bulls, my masters; sow the plain
Even to the verge of tameless winter's showers
With barley: then, too, time it is to hide
 Georgics |