WORLDS ARE FORMING

A thought of the day from Augustine.

O Lord our God, let us abide in hope under the screen of Your wings, protect us and carry us!  You will carry us: both as little children and into our graying years You will carry us.  For then is our strength really strength, when You are it; but when it is our strength, it is weakness.  Our good lives eternally in You; and because we were turned away from there, we have been turned inside out.  Let us return now, O Lord, in order not to be overturned, since our good lives in You without any defect, because You Yourself are it.  Let us not fear that there be nowhere to return to, since we fell down from there -- and while we are not there our home, Your eternity, will not fall down.
                        ::Augustine, Confessions. IV, 31 (emphasis mine)

Blog Vulnerability: Who hears you?

Thursday afternoons are my time to hang out with my counselor.  The seminary has a deal with a local service, and we get to pay $10 for an hour of counseling.  (Real people pay about $125 at this same center, so it is a good deal, right?)  Every Thursday, I hang out with my counselor, then head to a coffee shop to read and process a little.

Sometimes I love it, other times...eh.  My session today was perhaps the best I've had with him.  I was sharing a lot, and was feeling very affirmed and heard.  You know how that feels?  When someone is really listening?  Yes, I know it is his job, but he was really doing it, with his actions and his words. 

Today, I was reminded how important and liberating the words "I hear what you are saying," when matched with authentic action, are.  I am reminded that I am a follower of Christ, who has a Creator who hears and knows me and loves me completely.  Psalm 139 is truth, and I have a great Counselor who has known me well.

My desire is to be reminded of the truth of God's hearing me, as well as the truth of loved ones hearing me, and in return, I want to be a person who truly hears God and others, in word, in action, and in truth.  May the same be true for you, friends.

Lord, Open Unto Me.

LORD, open unto me
Open unto me -- light for my darkness.
Open unto me -- courage for my fear.
Open unto me -- hope for my despair.
Open unto me -- peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me -- joy for my sorrow.
Open unto me -- strength for my weakness.
Open unto me -- wisdom for my confusion.
Open unto me -- forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me -- love for my hates.
Open unto me -- thy Self for my self.
Lord, Lord, open unto me.  Amen.
                                                                             :: Howard Thurman

How Can I Keep from Singing?

Sometimes a good old hymn does my soul well.  Like tonight...even amidst the busyness of finals: learning Hebrew and writing theology papers like a madman...Christ IS greater than my circumstances.  (Yours too, friends.)

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

Hebrews 4.14-16

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Hebrews has been stirring and comforting me over the past few weeks.  I always forget the richness within that book.  There is so much I don't understand within it, and at the same time, there is some of the most simple realities of the Christian faith.  Loving it.

Sweet Little Jesus Boy.

The title sounds (and may be) a bit cheesy.  However.  Get over it for now.  This song was sung by my friend Hannah in church yesterday, during communion.  It is a deep, mournful spiritual.  I had heard the song before, but never in the context of a communion service.  It was powerful.  As I listened to the words and walked forward to receive the Lord's Supper, I was struck by the beautiful and radical contrast between the Advent and Easter messages.

Sweet Little Jesus Boy
(Robert MacGimsey)

Sweet little Jesus boy
    They made you be born in a manger
    Sweet little holy child
    We didn't know who you were

Didn't know you'd come to save us Lord
    To take our sins away
    Our eyes were blind, we could not see
    We didn't know who you were

Long time ago
    You were born
    Born in a manger Lord
    Sweet little Jesus boy
    The world treats you mean Lord
    Treats me mean too
    But that's how things are down here
    We don't know who you are

Intro to Hebrew Translation test #2: Oops.

(Scripture according to Cleveland.  What if I LIKE my God to eat fire?  I mean, God could do worse, right?  I love my preceptor's remark: "Wo!"  Hey, I only got one point marked off for that.  Sigh.)

"Show me your glory..."

I am in the middle of writing two sermons right now: one for preaching class and one for my Field Ed church.  I am loving it.  My OT narrative sermon is from Exodus 33.11-23, where Moses is talking with God, wanting to know how he will know that God will be with him.  Moses is bold and Moses is persistent.  Sometimes I think he is not really listening to what God is saying.  He wants a clear answer from God, a promise of God's presence and protection. 

Moses asks of God, "Show me your glory..." (33.18)  My general reaction is to hear it as a plea of desperation for the intimate presence of God to remain with Moses, and when I pray that, for God's presence to remain with me.  (I have lots of other thoughts about what it could mean in Moses' context, but for now, I'll just say that I think it is a great plea.)

When you hear that phrase, or sing a song with those words, or pray a prayer like that, what do you mean?  What do you think Moses means?

Matthew 11.28-30 :: I'm Ready.

Earlier this week, these verses and this song hit me, both on the same day. Something connects the two of them for me in a very personal way.  May both provide some sense of hope and longing and action within you as well.

Matthew 11.28-30  (Jesus)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." 

I'm Ready (Tracy Chapman)
I want to wake up and know where I'm going...Say I'm ready...Say I'm ready
I want to go where the rivers are overflowing and I'll be ready...I'll be ready
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me...I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me
If it's love flowing freely...I'm ready...I'm ready
If the waters can redeem me...I'm ready...I'm ready
I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me...I'm ready to let the rivers wash over me

Call Me a West Coast Evangelical if You Will. As of This Weekend, I've Been a Christian For 12 Years. I like that.