March 5, 2010
On the way home from doing some stuff around town, Father reminded me of these words of Jesus: “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27). When I got home, I looked the verse up in the commentary (Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol 8, p 638), because I was thinking (You were telling me!) that also the “Constitution and Bylaws” – and even the church! – were also made for man, and not man for them!
So this is what the commentary said: “To Jesus the Sabbath was not created for its own sake; it was a gift of God to man. Its purpose was not to put man in a kind of straight jacket. It was for his good – to provide rest from labor and opportunity for worship.”
And of course that has to be true also of God’s gift of “the church” to His children, too – In an even greater way!
(And I’m pretty sure that the writer of the “constitution and bylaws” of this “church” had much the same kind of goals in mind… to protect the gathering of this part of God’s body, and remove potential distractions that could remove focus from worship of and relationship with God, and so on. Only I am afraid that, with human beings the way we are, there is immediately a huge temptation to twist the purposes of this document, and actually make it a weapon of power and control… as we too often see it happen… After all, if man can twist the “body of Christ, His church” in these ways, how much more easily can man do it to a well-meaning but man-made document (which in its very creation recognizes the potential of people to twist everything…).
(And then the commentator goes on to quote Taylor: “Since the Sabbath was made for man, He who is man’s Lord… has authority to determine its law and use.” And it seems to me that that is no less true in the case of the church… or even of the constitution and bylaws! It’s His authority, not ours. He does not need us to try and protect, run, direct what is His to begin with (the church) – or even what we have created in relation to the church (in this case, the constitution and bylaws) if we truly accept Him as Lord! (Well, I suppose that also begs the question of whether we then really should have structured Christ’s church in such a way that we “need” a “constitution and bylaws”… hmmm, that’s a whole other kettle of fish, eh :-` (Papa???)
1 Thess 3:12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13. so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
And, oh yes… “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care – then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front, don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.” (Phil 2:1-3 paraphrase)
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Beginning to get some answers to some of my Old Testament - New Testament wonderings...
5 March 2010
So today I was reading in Daniel…
9:3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. [Father, some people believe we don’t need to fast and pray and seek You in these “ritualistic” ways to get Your attention – and love and forgiveness – because You’ve already given us Your love and forgiveness, once for all, on the cross… We have Your Spirit, so we just have to allow You to join Your Spirit to ours, they say… Okay… (But if we truly do have Your Spirit and are abiding with/in You, why do so many of us – all of us to some extent – still sin, commit iniquity, act wickedly, rebel (see v 5)??? Is it because we don’t really believe and accept that we are really forgiven and united with You?)] [One person I know who is big on NOT FASTING is at the same time big on TITHING and on needing STRONG LEADERS for churches to thrive… hmmm…]
9:9 To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him [You HAVE had compassion and forgiven us – You did that work on the cross!]
9:11 Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. [and we are freed from the “curse of the law” if we have believed in You]
9:12 Thus He has confirmed His words which He has spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity…. [so… calamity from God is a fulfillment of His warning about what would happen – “the curse” – if the law was broken …]
9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth [And under the Old Covenant, “seeking the favor of the LORD… by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth” is the way out of the curse/calamity for disobeying the Law. But in the New Covenant, we are no longer called to “seek God’s favor” by “… giving attention to Your truth” … but we are called to accept His free gift of salvation… and then we are made righteous by Him… not make ourselves righteous by changing our behavior and trying to live righteously by “following God’s truth” … because now we have God’s Truth within us! Okay! Yes! Wow! I see that . We still must repent (v 15-19) and turn from our sin and accept Jesus – but that is different from repenting and turning from our sin to “seek His favor”!
9:18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. [Daniel did recognize this: “we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, bun on account of Your great compassion.” Even under “the law,” God’s compassion and mercy was already there… and already in action… and there was also the promise of the coming Messiah (vv 24-25)
Yes, we do need the whole story – Old and New Testaments alike… but we also need to understand where we stand in that story… what is the old foreshadowing, which has passed away, and what is the Life we now live … (and how they relate to each other!).
So today I was reading in Daniel…
9:3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. [Father, some people believe we don’t need to fast and pray and seek You in these “ritualistic” ways to get Your attention – and love and forgiveness – because You’ve already given us Your love and forgiveness, once for all, on the cross… We have Your Spirit, so we just have to allow You to join Your Spirit to ours, they say… Okay… (But if we truly do have Your Spirit and are abiding with/in You, why do so many of us – all of us to some extent – still sin, commit iniquity, act wickedly, rebel (see v 5)??? Is it because we don’t really believe and accept that we are really forgiven and united with You?)] [One person I know who is big on NOT FASTING is at the same time big on TITHING and on needing STRONG LEADERS for churches to thrive… hmmm…]
9:9 To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him [You HAVE had compassion and forgiven us – You did that work on the cross!]
9:11 Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. [and we are freed from the “curse of the law” if we have believed in You]
9:12 Thus He has confirmed His words which He has spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity…. [so… calamity from God is a fulfillment of His warning about what would happen – “the curse” – if the law was broken …]
9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth [And under the Old Covenant, “seeking the favor of the LORD… by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth” is the way out of the curse/calamity for disobeying the Law. But in the New Covenant, we are no longer called to “seek God’s favor” by “… giving attention to Your truth” … but we are called to accept His free gift of salvation… and then we are made righteous by Him… not make ourselves righteous by changing our behavior and trying to live righteously by “following God’s truth” … because now we have God’s Truth within us! Okay! Yes! Wow! I see that . We still must repent (v 15-19) and turn from our sin and accept Jesus – but that is different from repenting and turning from our sin to “seek His favor”!
9:18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. [Daniel did recognize this: “we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, bun on account of Your great compassion.” Even under “the law,” God’s compassion and mercy was already there… and already in action… and there was also the promise of the coming Messiah (vv 24-25)
Yes, we do need the whole story – Old and New Testaments alike… but we also need to understand where we stand in that story… what is the old foreshadowing, which has passed away, and what is the Life we now live … (and how they relate to each other!).
And now back to Your book, Your words... Your Word!
March 5, 2010 (continued)
(I’ve been told that we need to discuss these kinds of things with each other in the family… but I’ve often found it hard to find people who want to… but always, one way or another, You’ve been providing them – and teaching me through them! Wow! Thanks!) (And sorry for so often not recognizing when You are doing that!)
Job 23:10 But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold [but not because of what “I” have done, in my “own righteousness” – oh dear! – but because of what He has done by joining my heart to His heart, my mind to His Mind, my love to His Love…] [oh, um, should I say “replacing by” rather than “joining to”?? .. No, it’s not about “replacing” either, is it? He after all created the good in our hearts and loves what He has created… it’s actually about “abiding” – love relationship!] … 12… I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food [“His words” : wonderful, important, informative, helpful, revealing Him, knowing about Him… but now He has given “His Word” – Jesus, God incarnate! – which is essential! Knowing Him personally… relationship…. Living in His Light, in His Love… in Him!!!!] [Okay, I get it! That was one of the things in that book that kind of freaked me! Okay! Thank You, Lord!]
Proverbs 21:2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the HEARTS [!!] . 3. To do righteousness and justice is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice [but even “doing righteousness and justice” is not sufficient if it is not from God’s Heart joined to and abiding with us in our hearts, together! Yes! Righteousness and justice based on true relationship with our God!]
:13. He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered [confirmation of what You have been teaching and showing me…]
:21. He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor [yes, true… IF the pursuit is after YOU… and then the life, righteousness and honor is so far above and beyond anything this world can offer, that one begins to lose all desire for those earthly imitations… which loss is therefore an indication of whether one is really pursuing You, or simply pursuing “ideas/ concepts” of righteousness and loyalty… Of course, sadly, in this world even such “lofty concepts” rapidly become twisted and sullied and even turned upside-down if they aren’t wrapped up in the Love relationship with You which You offer! Ah! Okay… now I see that, too… hmmm…. You sent THAT BOOK along at “just the right time” … again… because perhaps any sooner, I wouldn’t have been ready… wouldn’t have been so desperate to understand why people seem to long for Your love, but at the same time seem to be side-stepping it, not seeing it, even running from it to painful – yes, evil! – substitutes! Oh dear…]
Thank You for showing me… thank You for Your timing… Your heart… Your perfect plans and purposes… Your Love!! Your Light!! Your Way!!
Thank You!!
:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from trouble [very true – but how difficult it is to guard one’s tongue, if one’s heart is not right. How true it is that “it is from the heart that the mouth speaks” – and the mind thinks - Oh, dear God, reach into our hearts, join them to Your Heart, join Your Spirit to our spirits that we may truly abide in You – 100%!!! Please!!!! (Thank You!) Amen!
:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD. [Yes, it does!!!]
(I’ve been told that we need to discuss these kinds of things with each other in the family… but I’ve often found it hard to find people who want to… but always, one way or another, You’ve been providing them – and teaching me through them! Wow! Thanks!) (And sorry for so often not recognizing when You are doing that!)
Job 23:10 But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold [but not because of what “I” have done, in my “own righteousness” – oh dear! – but because of what He has done by joining my heart to His heart, my mind to His Mind, my love to His Love…] [oh, um, should I say “replacing by” rather than “joining to”?? .. No, it’s not about “replacing” either, is it? He after all created the good in our hearts and loves what He has created… it’s actually about “abiding” – love relationship!] … 12… I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food [“His words” : wonderful, important, informative, helpful, revealing Him, knowing about Him… but now He has given “His Word” – Jesus, God incarnate! – which is essential! Knowing Him personally… relationship…. Living in His Light, in His Love… in Him!!!!] [Okay, I get it! That was one of the things in that book that kind of freaked me! Okay! Thank You, Lord!]
Proverbs 21:2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the HEARTS [!!] . 3. To do righteousness and justice is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice [but even “doing righteousness and justice” is not sufficient if it is not from God’s Heart joined to and abiding with us in our hearts, together! Yes! Righteousness and justice based on true relationship with our God!]
:13. He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered [confirmation of what You have been teaching and showing me…]
:21. He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor [yes, true… IF the pursuit is after YOU… and then the life, righteousness and honor is so far above and beyond anything this world can offer, that one begins to lose all desire for those earthly imitations… which loss is therefore an indication of whether one is really pursuing You, or simply pursuing “ideas/ concepts” of righteousness and loyalty… Of course, sadly, in this world even such “lofty concepts” rapidly become twisted and sullied and even turned upside-down if they aren’t wrapped up in the Love relationship with You which You offer! Ah! Okay… now I see that, too… hmmm…. You sent THAT BOOK along at “just the right time” … again… because perhaps any sooner, I wouldn’t have been ready… wouldn’t have been so desperate to understand why people seem to long for Your love, but at the same time seem to be side-stepping it, not seeing it, even running from it to painful – yes, evil! – substitutes! Oh dear…]
Thank You for showing me… thank You for Your timing… Your heart… Your perfect plans and purposes… Your Love!! Your Light!! Your Way!!
Thank You!!
:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from trouble [very true – but how difficult it is to guard one’s tongue, if one’s heart is not right. How true it is that “it is from the heart that the mouth speaks” – and the mind thinks - Oh, dear God, reach into our hearts, join them to Your Heart, join Your Spirit to our spirits that we may truly abide in You – 100%!!! Please!!!! (Thank You!) Amen!
:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD. [Yes, it does!!!]
That book again... one more time...
5 March 2010
Funny, book made me very angry, especially the first half… but I am beginning to see that perhaps I have been feeling “defensive” … having some of my own preconceptions torn away rather painfully… perceptions I though only “others” have, or at least that I – in my “vast” reading and study perhaps, oh dear – had gotten beyond… but maybe only in my head (which tends to get rather arrogant… )… and therefore maybe they have still been pretty attached in my heart, too…
And You are trying to dislodge some of those preconceptions, pull them out, including their very long, long, deep roots … and boy, does it hurt! (But of course, once really pulled out, like root canals I have experienced, the abscesses can be drained, and the “antibiotic” of Your LOVE poured in… and real healing can proceed and occur!
(Okay, mind you/You, I’m still a bit skeptical of some of the writer’s claims… Oh Father, please show me, please shine the Light of Your Truth into the deepest recesses of my heart, so that my mind will indeed “take on the Mind of Christ.”). (Oh! I fear that I have pretty much thought, up to this point, that “changing my mind” by my efforts – study, prayer, my own will power, practical outward behavioral changes, even, oh dear, “psyching myself” into supposedly changed attitudes and beliefs… - will lead to changing my heart… But I see now that it really is only heart change that can lead to true mind change, isn’t it? The change of mind that “I” can accomplish is only surface change… only Your Heart changing my heart can truly change my mind, too, so that I truly do “have the mind of Christ.”)
Boy oh boy, it sure is a long, slow journey… although every now and again a sudden “AHA! moment” – an epiphany – from You! – (which You have no doubt been working on in my heart for a very long time) – just floods Your Light on both my heart and my mind… and on my body, and emotions… all of me! Wow!
Please help me to patiently and kindly love others the way You have patiently and kindly loved me… please…
Thank You!!
Funny, book made me very angry, especially the first half… but I am beginning to see that perhaps I have been feeling “defensive” … having some of my own preconceptions torn away rather painfully… perceptions I though only “others” have, or at least that I – in my “vast” reading and study perhaps, oh dear – had gotten beyond… but maybe only in my head (which tends to get rather arrogant… )… and therefore maybe they have still been pretty attached in my heart, too…
And You are trying to dislodge some of those preconceptions, pull them out, including their very long, long, deep roots … and boy, does it hurt! (But of course, once really pulled out, like root canals I have experienced, the abscesses can be drained, and the “antibiotic” of Your LOVE poured in… and real healing can proceed and occur!
(Okay, mind you/You, I’m still a bit skeptical of some of the writer’s claims… Oh Father, please show me, please shine the Light of Your Truth into the deepest recesses of my heart, so that my mind will indeed “take on the Mind of Christ.”). (Oh! I fear that I have pretty much thought, up to this point, that “changing my mind” by my efforts – study, prayer, my own will power, practical outward behavioral changes, even, oh dear, “psyching myself” into supposedly changed attitudes and beliefs… - will lead to changing my heart… But I see now that it really is only heart change that can lead to true mind change, isn’t it? The change of mind that “I” can accomplish is only surface change… only Your Heart changing my heart can truly change my mind, too, so that I truly do “have the mind of Christ.”)
Boy oh boy, it sure is a long, slow journey… although every now and again a sudden “AHA! moment” – an epiphany – from You! – (which You have no doubt been working on in my heart for a very long time) – just floods Your Light on both my heart and my mind… and on my body, and emotions… all of me! Wow!
Please help me to patiently and kindly love others the way You have patiently and kindly loved me… please…
Thank You!!
You revealing Yourself, Your Love!
5 March 2010
Woke up 4:20 am. Spent some time sitting by hubby in front of the TV watching a bit of Stargate… then checked face book… and sent an email or two… then had a bit of breakfast… and then a shower… followed by a long soak in the tub: first real “bath” (other than many showers, of course) in this house, lol! My toes are finally really clean from last summer’s very ground-in dust, from wearing bare feet or sandals for so long! Anyway…)
Hoo boy! Father, You sure have had some interesting ways of talking to me in the past day or two:
- facebook statuses
- scriptures I “just happened upon” when a planner fell open
- email letter I was writing to a friend, that turned into a conversation with You
- that guy who I’d never met before, and who just dropped into the office… and we ended up having a long conversation – with You in the midst of it, eh!
- a caring phone call
- and just now, that blog email that just arrived…
I did try to “read scripture and hear Your voice” last night, but I really didn’t get “grabbed by it” … but meanwhile You chose to speak to me in so many other ways…
Not to mention, as well, the glorious sunshine yesterday that kept popping through no matter how hard the clouds tried to stop it! It was as much as 16 C by 2 pm! Wow!
And I learned a lot about my “giving questions” when I was talking to that guy who dropped into the office… and then there was the happiness and joy I saw in those street folks when they received shampoo and body wash, such a simple thing, and yet so wonderful to them! ….
And then that blog email spoke to me very clearly about how “me-focused” I’ve become – or maybe have been all along, oh dear… in this whole business at work…
Not to mention, also, how You’ve encouraged me… and opened my eyes to Your greater vision about Your church… and about helping the poor, too!
So! Ha! This whole “church business” You placed me in has (unexpectedly to me! But of course You knew and planned all along) become a great blessing to me (and oh, Lord, I pray it will become so for all the others involved – maybe already has eh?), a great learning opportunity – a great, wonderful, awesome, drawing-closer-to-You experience… all coming to a head (though without doubt You were working it out the whole time!) in less than 24 hours! LOL! Wow! Thank You! Praise You, Lord! Praise Your Holy Name! You really, really, really do love me!!! And yes, I love You too! How could I not?!?!
And yet, for so many years of my life, I knew love for You was possible… I saw it in people like my grandpa and my mom and some others… but no matter how hard I “tried to experience/ summon/ even work for it,” I just couldn’t seem to “get it.” … And then, one day (just a couple years ago) You so clearly revealed it to me… just dropped it in my lap, so to speak… and yet, of course, Your Love – You! – had been there all the time… and the evidence of Your Love – of You! – all around me, constantly…. But somehow, in that moment, (lol… in reading that “controversial” book The Shack and then the book He Loves Me … somehow You finally got past my head knowledge that You love, that You are Love… and You opened my heart, and connected Your Heart and my heart, Your Spirit and my spirit….
And ever since, I just see Your Love all around… and I want others to see it, experience it, understand it from their hearts too… And yes, I get impatient… and I get sad and hurt… But I have to remember how long and patiently You have been seeking to touch my heart… and how long You patiently waited for my heart to respond joyfully to Your Heart… and in the past less-than-24-hours You have just impressed that upon me so incredibly… wow – it is a steep learning curve, a long journey – and You are in charge! Yes! Thank You!
(And I just looked out the window, and the sun is shining again !!!) Amazing love! Amazing grace! Amazing God – Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit!
LOL… Well, the JWs also dropped into the office yesterday… and left behind their literature… which of course makes You, Jesus, to be a created being, Michael the archangel… oh Father, please forgive them… please show them Your Truth… fo a lot of them are just so deceived… Father, their little booklets are written so simply, patiently… so deceptively…
But people really are looking for something simple… and it is true: the message of Your gospel, Your kingdom is simple: clear enough for a little child to clearly understand and accept joyfully! … and indeed, You Yourself did say that we need to become as little children… and yes, we have made it so complicated… and harsh (adding our own spin, our own extra details and perspectives and such)… and work-centered… and full of guilt-trips… and technical details… that do not belong in Your Message, that aren’t a part of You at all!!
Wow! Thank You for just this moment making that so clear to me… You’ve been allowing me to be dragged through all these goings-on until almost all I could see, feel, hear… physically, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually… was the pain and sadness and sorrow and convoluted technicalities and the babble of conflicting voices… and darkness… and when I felt I was getting dragged in myself (and yes, when I was, even though unintentionally and not recognizing it in myself, being part of it!), and I just wanted to run and hide… or yell and scream and fight and slap people on the side of the head (yikes!) – You have suddenly stepped in and flooded the darkness with Your Light!!!...
So, I guess this is a “Thank You” for the seeming darkness… and oh, I know, You can, You are, working in the lives of Your children, each of them, and You Love them no matter what… and You are building Your kingdom, Your body, Your church!! And yes – thank You for reminding me just this moment! – the gates of hell will not prevail against it, against them, individually and united in You!!! Thank You!
(Again, a thing I knew “intellectually” but my heart has not been able to really understand… has not really been open to You in that area. Thank You for opening my heart and for joining Your Heart to mind, Your Spirit to mine! Thank You that You keep the journey going… until one day I will see You face to face, my Living, Loving Redeemer… no longer “through a glass darkly” but fully, forever, in the full LIGHT of Your Glorious Presence, Your glorious loving Face!
Woke up 4:20 am. Spent some time sitting by hubby in front of the TV watching a bit of Stargate… then checked face book… and sent an email or two… then had a bit of breakfast… and then a shower… followed by a long soak in the tub: first real “bath” (other than many showers, of course) in this house, lol! My toes are finally really clean from last summer’s very ground-in dust, from wearing bare feet or sandals for so long! Anyway…)
Hoo boy! Father, You sure have had some interesting ways of talking to me in the past day or two:
- facebook statuses
- scriptures I “just happened upon” when a planner fell open
- email letter I was writing to a friend, that turned into a conversation with You
- that guy who I’d never met before, and who just dropped into the office… and we ended up having a long conversation – with You in the midst of it, eh!
- a caring phone call
- and just now, that blog email that just arrived…
I did try to “read scripture and hear Your voice” last night, but I really didn’t get “grabbed by it” … but meanwhile You chose to speak to me in so many other ways…
Not to mention, as well, the glorious sunshine yesterday that kept popping through no matter how hard the clouds tried to stop it! It was as much as 16 C by 2 pm! Wow!
And I learned a lot about my “giving questions” when I was talking to that guy who dropped into the office… and then there was the happiness and joy I saw in those street folks when they received shampoo and body wash, such a simple thing, and yet so wonderful to them! ….
And then that blog email spoke to me very clearly about how “me-focused” I’ve become – or maybe have been all along, oh dear… in this whole business at work…
Not to mention, also, how You’ve encouraged me… and opened my eyes to Your greater vision about Your church… and about helping the poor, too!
So! Ha! This whole “church business” You placed me in has (unexpectedly to me! But of course You knew and planned all along) become a great blessing to me (and oh, Lord, I pray it will become so for all the others involved – maybe already has eh?), a great learning opportunity – a great, wonderful, awesome, drawing-closer-to-You experience… all coming to a head (though without doubt You were working it out the whole time!) in less than 24 hours! LOL! Wow! Thank You! Praise You, Lord! Praise Your Holy Name! You really, really, really do love me!!! And yes, I love You too! How could I not?!?!
And yet, for so many years of my life, I knew love for You was possible… I saw it in people like my grandpa and my mom and some others… but no matter how hard I “tried to experience/ summon/ even work for it,” I just couldn’t seem to “get it.” … And then, one day (just a couple years ago) You so clearly revealed it to me… just dropped it in my lap, so to speak… and yet, of course, Your Love – You! – had been there all the time… and the evidence of Your Love – of You! – all around me, constantly…. But somehow, in that moment, (lol… in reading that “controversial” book The Shack and then the book He Loves Me … somehow You finally got past my head knowledge that You love, that You are Love… and You opened my heart, and connected Your Heart and my heart, Your Spirit and my spirit….
And ever since, I just see Your Love all around… and I want others to see it, experience it, understand it from their hearts too… And yes, I get impatient… and I get sad and hurt… But I have to remember how long and patiently You have been seeking to touch my heart… and how long You patiently waited for my heart to respond joyfully to Your Heart… and in the past less-than-24-hours You have just impressed that upon me so incredibly… wow – it is a steep learning curve, a long journey – and You are in charge! Yes! Thank You!
(And I just looked out the window, and the sun is shining again !!!) Amazing love! Amazing grace! Amazing God – Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit!
LOL… Well, the JWs also dropped into the office yesterday… and left behind their literature… which of course makes You, Jesus, to be a created being, Michael the archangel… oh Father, please forgive them… please show them Your Truth… fo a lot of them are just so deceived… Father, their little booklets are written so simply, patiently… so deceptively…
But people really are looking for something simple… and it is true: the message of Your gospel, Your kingdom is simple: clear enough for a little child to clearly understand and accept joyfully! … and indeed, You Yourself did say that we need to become as little children… and yes, we have made it so complicated… and harsh (adding our own spin, our own extra details and perspectives and such)… and work-centered… and full of guilt-trips… and technical details… that do not belong in Your Message, that aren’t a part of You at all!!
Wow! Thank You for just this moment making that so clear to me… You’ve been allowing me to be dragged through all these goings-on until almost all I could see, feel, hear… physically, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually… was the pain and sadness and sorrow and convoluted technicalities and the babble of conflicting voices… and darkness… and when I felt I was getting dragged in myself (and yes, when I was, even though unintentionally and not recognizing it in myself, being part of it!), and I just wanted to run and hide… or yell and scream and fight and slap people on the side of the head (yikes!) – You have suddenly stepped in and flooded the darkness with Your Light!!!...
So, I guess
(Again, a thing I knew “intellectually” but my heart has not been able to really understand… has not really been open to You in that area. Thank You for opening my heart and for joining Your Heart to mind, Your Spirit to mine! Thank You that You keep the journey going… until one day I will see You face to face, my Living, Loving Redeemer… no longer “through a glass darkly” but fully, forever, in the full LIGHT of Your Glorious Presence, Your glorious loving Face!
The church in all its technical correctness... or in the power of the cross
THE CHURCH IN ALL ITS TECHNICAL CORRECTNESS… OR IN THE POWER OF THE CROSS…
5 March 2010
A friend on facebook wrote on his status: “If we preach ‘the church’ in all of its technical correctness, we will never find it, but if we embrace the power of the cross we will see the church spring up around us in all its glory. When the cross is in its rightful place in the lives of the believing community, the church as God ordained will flow from that.”
And I responded… I agree, absolutely… so why is it so hard for us to leave the technical behind and embrace the cross alone? We talk about it, we sing about it, we preach about it... but we continue so often to "cling to the old rugged technicalities"... and their slivers dig much deeper... and have no resurrection, just permanent death, associated with them... oh dear...
I'm trying so hard to be patient, and trust God to change hearts and bring understanding, but my tummy is sick (aka ulcers) watching people chew each other up over interpretations of the technical. I come home and rest in Papa, and find joy and trust and yes, physical healing from the tummy pain ... and then I go to work and have to listen to hours of vitriol, day after day... and I come home sick again... Thursday at 1 pm has become the hour I long for all week because it's the beginning of my "weekend"...
I hear they have some coming to interpret the bylaws to them - again! - and I wish they'd just burn the bylaws and turn to Jesus!
Sorry for venting... I don't know who to talk to... well, I've talked and talked and talked to Papa... and I've learned so much... trouble is, the more He shows me and encourages me, the more DIScouraged I get back at work... I say "work" because it IS about technicalities, and "doing", and rules and regulations... about working and works ... and while there are lots of individuals there who are "part of Jesus' church" (probably all of them are part of it, at their varying places on the journey: I truly do think they do want to know Him, and yet... sorry, I'm just boggled....), it just seems some of them aren't willing (or not able, not understanding it at all) to "be the church together" ......
Maybe I just have to learn to be patient, God's work on hearts takes time, He's patient, not in a hurry - lol, witness how patient He has been and continues to be with me, just to start with!
And I keep wondering... am I doing anything positive here at all... or, by "staying in the room" am I just exacerbating the situation... or at least being "party to it" ???
Father???
(PS… Just got Sheila Wray Gregoire’s latest email blog… and she writes: “As the idea of objective truth has grown passé, it’s been replaced by the ultimate idea that our feelings are the proper arbiter for the goodness or rightness of anything. Truth is what feels right to us.
At one point, people believed in a higher morality… People gave generously, or volunteered, or lent a hand… [not] because it would make them feel good about themselves; they did it simply because it was the right thing to do…
We no longer believe in “the right thing” as much as we believe in “the right thing for me”. I am the reference point, and everything revolves around me…
When we stop looking so much at ourselves, and start looking at others, perhaps then we will make a brighter day, and a brighter world.”)
5 March 2010
A friend on facebook wrote on his status: “If we preach ‘the church’ in all of its technical correctness, we will never find it, but if we embrace the power of the cross we will see the church spring up around us in all its glory. When the cross is in its rightful place in the lives of the believing community, the church as God ordained will flow from that.”
And I responded… I agree, absolutely… so why is it so hard for us to leave the technical behind and embrace the cross alone? We talk about it, we sing about it, we preach about it... but we continue so often to "cling to the old rugged technicalities"... and their slivers dig much deeper... and have no resurrection, just permanent death, associated with them... oh dear...
I'm trying so hard to be patient, and trust God to change hearts and bring understanding, but my tummy is sick (aka ulcers) watching people chew each other up over interpretations of the technical. I come home and rest in Papa, and find joy and trust and yes, physical healing from the tummy pain ... and then I go to work and have to listen to hours of vitriol, day after day... and I come home sick again... Thursday at 1 pm has become the hour I long for all week because it's the beginning of my "weekend"...
I hear they have some coming to interpret the bylaws to them - again! - and I wish they'd just burn the bylaws and turn to Jesus!
Sorry for venting... I don't know who to talk to... well, I've talked and talked and talked to Papa... and I've learned so much... trouble is, the more He shows me and encourages me, the more DIScouraged I get back at work... I say "work" because it IS about technicalities, and "doing", and rules and regulations... about working and works ... and while there are lots of individuals there who are "part of Jesus' church" (probably all of them are part of it, at their varying places on the journey: I truly do think they do want to know Him, and yet... sorry, I'm just boggled....), it just seems some of them aren't willing (or not able, not understanding it at all) to "be the church together" ......
Maybe I just have to learn to be patient, God's work on hearts takes time, He's patient, not in a hurry - lol, witness how patient He has been and continues to be with me, just to start with!
And I keep wondering... am I doing anything positive here at all... or, by "staying in the room" am I just exacerbating the situation... or at least being "party to it" ???
Father???
(PS… Just got Sheila Wray Gregoire’s latest email blog… and she writes: “As the idea of objective truth has grown passé, it’s been replaced by the ultimate idea that our feelings are the proper arbiter for the goodness or rightness of anything. Truth is what feels right to us.
At one point, people believed in a higher morality… People gave generously, or volunteered, or lent a hand… [not] because it would make them feel good about themselves; they did it simply because it was the right thing to do…
We no longer believe in “the right thing” as much as we believe in “the right thing for me”. I am the reference point, and everything revolves around me…
When we stop looking so much at ourselves, and start looking at others, perhaps then we will make a brighter day, and a brighter world.”)
That book... again....
Father, this book I’ve been reading confuses me in the same way as the goings-on at the place I work confuse me …. How can people speak of Your love so glowingly… and yet at the same time seem to exhibit such an unloving spirit?
I’m wondering again… is there such a sharp division between Old and New Testaments as some would like us to believe? Can we just toss every bit of Your interaction – and yes, relationship … at various levels… some pretty profound!... with mankind generally, and with particular men and women, just because they were pre-cross and pre-resurrection?
Father, I’ve read just over half of the book… and the only direct reference to Scripture is 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (though the writer is clearly expressing his theological views). The rest (so far…) seems to me to be a long list of his own personal experiences in the past and how he has “felt” relating those experiences to “what he learned about You” at some point in the distant past. Father, he does seem to me to scorn the Old Testament side of the story. Okay, what he seems to be holding up as the whole Truth about You is a list of characteristics of “love” drawn from 4 or 5 verses in one chapter in the New Testament (wonderful as that chapter is, and true as it is, also)… and it also seems to me that, sadly, even the positives in that list he turns into angry negatives (or perhaps he is just angry at the people who in his past have turned them into angry negatives… there’s just so much “angry” in there that I am having a hard time seeing anything positive, even though it’s supposedly all about Your love … oh dear, much like what I see happening there among that gathering of Your people…). I know that we all have done that too often… But even when – maybe especially when – he then tries to present the “positive opposite” of those angry negatives …it seems to come through, also, as angry… a feeling that the “big stick” is being waved… And that really isn’t how You love, either!!!
And Father, not only does He seem to ignore the Old Testament half of scripture (except to seem to be pretty angry about it all, or at least about how it’s been interpreted by “the church”…though maybe this reaction I am getting is just “me,” maybe it is the confusion I’m feeling right now about this situation You’ve placed me in, maybe I’m even feeling threatened about some of my own “cherished beliefs”…. Papa???…), he doesn’t even quote any New Testament passages, or even hardly refer to them obliquely. And I wonder, how does he explain… well, so much of what Paul – and the others – wrote? Even things Jesus Himself said and did (I suppose he might say that was presented in Old Testament context since the cross had not yet happened… but is God a God of confusion? Why would Jesus leave a confusing record for us? Or maybe he’d say that the gospel is simple, and we should just not worry about, not get into, anything “deep”… or maybe he’d say that we just have to remember that Paul (and the others) had “problems”: their Jewish (and/or Greek/Roman/Platonic/etc) perspectives and training and beliefs and culture; the times they lived in – the “historical context”; Paul’s “patriarchal” outlook and Old Testament Law training… etc etc etc… (or maybe he wouldn’t say any of those things; maybe they are just things I heard others say… maybe I AM making it too complicated! Maybe I do need to find the simplicity of the gospel once again… if I ever knew it… having been brought up to think that complicated, intellectual, deep knowledge of the scripture was so important…)… Anyway…
So what? Do we just use one partial chapter that we really like, that seems to fulfill our “vision” of Who You are, out of all the Scripture, pounce on it, hang onto it, and make that – along with all our “bad experiences” related to what we’ve been “taught about You,” which of course we want to get rid of and destroy – do we make that the basis of our knowledge about You – our knowing of You? (Sorry, I may sound like I am being way too extreme here in my reaction… but like I already said, I’m feeling so confused right now… Oh Papa, please show me Your Truth! Please make it clear!) Anyway…
YOU ARE LOVE. But Your love is vast, beyond our experience and understanding… and unsullied with evil, unlike ours… which of course are all reasons why we’ve misunderstood You, misunderstood Your love (as the write correctly points out)… but at the same time, we can’t just “throw out the baby with the bath water,” can we? We can’t just throw out everything You’ve revealed about Yourself and Your ongoing relationship with mankind… even if we “struggle” with some of it, because of our limited understanding of Your Love!
It seems to me that this approach is not only too angry (but again, maybe that’s just my perspective from where I’m at right now), but also too simple (or at least maybe too shallow…). (Nothing in Your creation is as simple as it at first appears … though the first appearances are beautifully, amazingly simple! … and it seems to me that the more we learn of the underlying complexity, the more beautiful and amazing – and reflective of You, of Your Love – it becomes!)
I do love You, Lord! And You do love me – us – all of us! In ways vast and wonderful – and loving!!!
(Oh yes, one more “wondering” … the writer says You want us to do what we like – good things, or even neutral things, at least, I presume – because You love us and delight in seeing us happy etc… but it seems like we aren’t supposed to want You to fulfill YOUR drams for us, or even “allow” You to… because that would be, well, ummm, short-circuiting Your Love?!?! Nah… Father! Love is a relationship, a doing-together…. I know (I hope!) he’s probably just being extra-dramatic to make his point of how opposite Your Love is from the world’s definition of love… but oh dear God, it seems to me that when we push points too far, we are likely to fall right off the edge… perhaps right back into the mess we think we’re trying to get ourselves and others out of (yes, I see that happening, too, in this situation You’ve placed me in… even see it happening to me in my part of it…) … legalistic! Where is the joy?? Well, it’s there, alright, in little glowing moments (in the book, and in this situation where You’ve put me, both)… but so often, so much obscured by legalistic anger, it seems to me!... so human… so sad…
3 March 2010
Well, I’ve read a bunch more of that book… and I have to say, the second half I can handle far better than the first half. Just 2 pages left to read…
Papa, You know what is going on at work. Oh dear God – help!!!! Please!!!
And I guess that’s about all I have to say about that just now. (lol… I love that “Forrest Gump” movie!)
P.S. revelation: God is not nearly as concerned about the “organization” that is “that church” as He is about each person in it, and His relationship with each one, and their relationships as they relate to Him – (not as they relate to the organization!)
P.S. 2 God is patient, God is kind (1 Cor 13:4-7 NIV) (and 1 Thess 2) (and 1 Cor 1-4)… and so on and so forth…
I’m wondering again… is there such a sharp division between Old and New Testaments as some would like us to believe? Can we just toss every bit of Your interaction – and yes, relationship … at various levels… some pretty profound!... with mankind generally, and with particular men and women, just because they were pre-cross and pre-resurrection?
Father, I’ve read just over half of the book… and the only direct reference to Scripture is 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (though the writer is clearly expressing his theological views). The rest (so far…) seems to me to be a long list of his own personal experiences in the past and how he has “felt” relating those experiences to “what he learned about You” at some point in the distant past. Father, he does seem to me to scorn the Old Testament side of the story. Okay, what he seems to be holding up as the whole Truth about You is a list of characteristics of “love” drawn from 4 or 5 verses in one chapter in the New Testament (wonderful as that chapter is, and true as it is, also)… and it also seems to me that, sadly, even the positives in that list he turns into angry negatives (or perhaps he is just angry at the people who in his past have turned them into angry negatives… there’s just so much “angry” in there that I am having a hard time seeing anything positive, even though it’s supposedly all about Your love … oh dear, much like what I see happening there among that gathering of Your people…). I know that we all have done that too often… But even when – maybe especially when – he then tries to present the “positive opposite” of those angry negatives …it seems to come through, also, as angry… a feeling that the “big stick” is being waved… And that really isn’t how You love, either!!!
And Father, not only does He seem to ignore the Old Testament half of scripture (except to seem to be pretty angry about it all, or at least about how it’s been interpreted by “the church”…though maybe this reaction I am getting is just “me,” maybe it is the confusion I’m feeling right now about this situation You’ve placed me in, maybe I’m even feeling threatened about some of my own “cherished beliefs”…. Papa???…), he doesn’t even quote any New Testament passages, or even hardly refer to them obliquely. And I wonder, how does he explain… well, so much of what Paul – and the others – wrote? Even things Jesus Himself said and did (I suppose he might say that was presented in Old Testament context since the cross had not yet happened… but is God a God of confusion? Why would Jesus leave a confusing record for us? Or maybe he’d say that the gospel is simple, and we should just not worry about, not get into, anything “deep”… or maybe he’d say that we just have to remember that Paul (and the others) had “problems”: their Jewish (and/or Greek/Roman/Platonic/etc) perspectives and training and beliefs and culture; the times they lived in – the “historical context”; Paul’s “patriarchal” outlook and Old Testament Law training… etc etc etc… (or maybe he wouldn’t say any of those things; maybe they are just things I heard others say… maybe I AM making it too complicated! Maybe I do need to find the simplicity of the gospel once again… if I ever knew it… having been brought up to think that complicated, intellectual, deep knowledge of the scripture was so important…)… Anyway…
So what? Do we just use one partial chapter that we really like, that seems to fulfill our “vision” of Who You are, out of all the Scripture, pounce on it, hang onto it, and make that – along with all our “bad experiences” related to what we’ve been “taught about You,” which of course we want to get rid of and destroy – do we make that the basis of our knowledge about You – our knowing of You? (Sorry, I may sound like I am being way too extreme here in my reaction… but like I already said, I’m feeling so confused right now… Oh Papa, please show me Your Truth! Please make it clear!) Anyway…
YOU ARE LOVE. But Your love is vast, beyond our experience and understanding… and unsullied with evil, unlike ours… which of course are all reasons why we’ve misunderstood You, misunderstood Your love (as the write correctly points out)… but at the same time, we can’t just “throw out the baby with the bath water,” can we? We can’t just throw out everything You’ve revealed about Yourself and Your ongoing relationship with mankind… even if we “struggle” with some of it, because of our limited understanding of Your Love!
It seems to me that this approach is not only too angry (but again, maybe that’s just my perspective from where I’m at right now), but also too simple (or at least maybe too shallow…). (Nothing in Your creation is as simple as it at first appears … though the first appearances are beautifully, amazingly simple! … and it seems to me that the more we learn of the underlying complexity, the more beautiful and amazing – and reflective of You, of Your Love – it becomes!)
I do love You, Lord! And You do love me – us – all of us! In ways vast and wonderful – and loving!!!
(Oh yes, one more “wondering” … the writer says You want us to do what we like – good things, or even neutral things, at least, I presume – because You love us and delight in seeing us happy etc… but it seems like we aren’t supposed to want You to fulfill YOUR drams for us, or even “allow” You to… because that would be, well, ummm, short-circuiting Your Love?!?! Nah… Father! Love is a relationship, a doing-together…. I know (I hope!) he’s probably just being extra-dramatic to make his point of how opposite Your Love is from the world’s definition of love… but oh dear God, it seems to me that when we push points too far, we are likely to fall right off the edge… perhaps right back into the mess we think we’re trying to get ourselves and others out of (yes, I see that happening, too, in this situation You’ve placed me in… even see it happening to me in my part of it…) … legalistic! Where is the joy?? Well, it’s there, alright, in little glowing moments (in the book, and in this situation where You’ve put me, both)… but so often, so much obscured by legalistic anger, it seems to me!... so human… so sad…
3 March 2010
Well, I’ve read a bunch more of that book… and I have to say, the second half I can handle far better than the first half. Just 2 pages left to read…
Papa, You know what is going on at work. Oh dear God – help!!!! Please!!!
And I guess that’s about all I have to say about that just now. (lol… I love that “Forrest Gump” movie!)
P.S. revelation: God is not nearly as concerned about the “organization” that is “that church” as He is about each person in it, and His relationship with each one, and their relationships as they relate to Him – (not as they relate to the organization!)
P.S. 2 God is patient, God is kind (1 Cor 13:4-7 NIV) (and 1 Thess 2) (and 1 Cor 1-4)… and so on and so forth…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
