Sunday, August 30, 2009
What does it mean to be a "Good Christian"?
What does it mean to be a "Good Christian"?
In Adult Discussion, we are going to be looking at that in the context of our perspectives of The Bible.
Since it would be interesting to see what effect these discussions have on our answers to this question, we will kick off Adult Discussion on September 13 with a pre-discussion survey in which each of us will be asked to present our personal views on the following questions. (Whenever we conclude our discussion of “What Does It Mean To Be A Good Christian?” we will conduct the survey again to determine if our personal views have changed.)
For purposes of this discussion, there are no “correct” or “orthodox” perspectives – the “Correct” answers are those you truly believe, while “Incorrect” answers are those you do not believe but merely pay lip-service to so you will not be thought of by others as “Not a Good Christian.” (Tsk! Tsk! )
And these are just the preliminary questions. If Pastor Chad continues to publish his sermons so that I can continue to plagiarize them, there will be more questions for discussion. And if any of you want to have additional questions considered, please e-mail them to me before September 13. I don’t want to “blind-side” anyone with these questions, and I would appreciate it if you think about them and be prepared to discuss your responses on September 13.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. What is your perspective on The Bible?
There’s the “inerrant” view of the bible – that it has NO mistakes.
There’s the “written by God” perspective – In the Orthodox Jewish perspective there is a belief that the Torah, the first 5 books of the bible (“The Law”), was written by God through Moses, and every word is in the place God intended it to be.
Or… is the bible “inspired”? – written by people, through the lens of a culture different from ours, yet we’re still able to hear the words of God to us even today.
Or… is the info in the bible just guidelines, there to help us live as best we can?
Or… is the bible just one of many sacred texts from the various traditions, any of which is helpful to us?
2. If your perspective is something other than that The Bible is inerrant, can you still be a “Good Christian,” or are you automatically relegated to being a “second-class” (or worse) Christian?
What about other Christians whose answer to Question 1 differs from yours?
Are they eligible for “salvation” anyway?
And just what does “salvation” mean to you?
3. If you choose not to accept everything in The Bible as The Inerrant Word of God, how do you “pick and choose” which parts you accept, and which parts you reject?
Isn’t this “Cafeteria Christianity” approach to The Bible dangerous?
4. If The Bible was actually dictated by God to King James, what did Christians use for guidance before there was a King James?
Just when was the Canon of Scripture – The Bible as we know it - officially accepted anyway, and by whom? King James?
Prior to the acceptance of the Canon, what legitimate perspectives of Christianity existed among devout Christians?
What were the requirements for acceptance of “scripture” into the Canon?
What are the relationships between The Canon of Scripture and The Creeds?
5. Is Christianity about The Bible?
6.Who invented Christianity as we know it today?
What was the path from Christ to Christianity as a religion?
7. What is your perspective on communion?
The liturgical tradition teaches, generally speaking, that the bread and wine ARE the body and blood of Christ.
Then there is the tradition that teaches that they are SYMBOLIC of the body and blood.
Then there is the tradition that teaches that communion is just a MEMORIAL, something that brings us back to the upper room about 2 thousand years ago, a remembering of that event.
Thing is, which is “right”? All these perspectives are “biblical”… based on the bible. What’s a “good Christian” to do?
In Adult Discussion, we are going to be looking at that in the context of our perspectives of The Bible.
Since it would be interesting to see what effect these discussions have on our answers to this question, we will kick off Adult Discussion on September 13 with a pre-discussion survey in which each of us will be asked to present our personal views on the following questions. (Whenever we conclude our discussion of “What Does It Mean To Be A Good Christian?” we will conduct the survey again to determine if our personal views have changed.)
For purposes of this discussion, there are no “correct” or “orthodox” perspectives – the “Correct” answers are those you truly believe, while “Incorrect” answers are those you do not believe but merely pay lip-service to so you will not be thought of by others as “Not a Good Christian.” (Tsk! Tsk! )
And these are just the preliminary questions. If Pastor Chad continues to publish his sermons so that I can continue to plagiarize them, there will be more questions for discussion. And if any of you want to have additional questions considered, please e-mail them to me before September 13. I don’t want to “blind-side” anyone with these questions, and I would appreciate it if you think about them and be prepared to discuss your responses on September 13.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. What is your perspective on The Bible?
There’s the “inerrant” view of the bible – that it has NO mistakes.
There’s the “written by God” perspective – In the Orthodox Jewish perspective there is a belief that the Torah, the first 5 books of the bible (“The Law”), was written by God through Moses, and every word is in the place God intended it to be.
Or… is the bible “inspired”? – written by people, through the lens of a culture different from ours, yet we’re still able to hear the words of God to us even today.
Or… is the info in the bible just guidelines, there to help us live as best we can?
Or… is the bible just one of many sacred texts from the various traditions, any of which is helpful to us?
2. If your perspective is something other than that The Bible is inerrant, can you still be a “Good Christian,” or are you automatically relegated to being a “second-class” (or worse) Christian?
What about other Christians whose answer to Question 1 differs from yours?
Are they eligible for “salvation” anyway?
And just what does “salvation” mean to you?
3. If you choose not to accept everything in The Bible as The Inerrant Word of God, how do you “pick and choose” which parts you accept, and which parts you reject?
Isn’t this “Cafeteria Christianity” approach to The Bible dangerous?
4. If The Bible was actually dictated by God to King James, what did Christians use for guidance before there was a King James?
Just when was the Canon of Scripture – The Bible as we know it - officially accepted anyway, and by whom? King James?
Prior to the acceptance of the Canon, what legitimate perspectives of Christianity existed among devout Christians?
What were the requirements for acceptance of “scripture” into the Canon?
What are the relationships between The Canon of Scripture and The Creeds?
5. Is Christianity about The Bible?
6.Who invented Christianity as we know it today?
What was the path from Christ to Christianity as a religion?
7. What is your perspective on communion?
The liturgical tradition teaches, generally speaking, that the bread and wine ARE the body and blood of Christ.
Then there is the tradition that teaches that they are SYMBOLIC of the body and blood.
Then there is the tradition that teaches that communion is just a MEMORIAL, something that brings us back to the upper room about 2 thousand years ago, a remembering of that event.
Thing is, which is “right”? All these perspectives are “biblical”… based on the bible. What’s a “good Christian” to do?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Food for the Journey
FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY Week of August 24th, 2009
Folks,
Any Trekies out there? Star Trek fans… here’s a trivia question: Do you remember the “Prime Directive”? This was the thing above all else that the space travelers needed to abide by.
Here it is from Wikipedia: “In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive, Starfleet’s General Order #1, is the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets. The Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal development of pre-warp civilizations, consistent with the historical real world concept of Westphalian sovereignty. It has special implications, however, for civilizations that have not yet developed the technology for interstellar spaceflight ("pre-warp"), since no primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or the existence of extraplanetary civilizations, lest this exposure alter the natural development of the civilization.”
Do you think we have theological Prime Directives? Do we each carry in us, in our lives, some foundational belief that affects our view of life? Some most basic tenant of faith that informs our relationships?
People of faith seem to have something that leads them… that motivates them in their lives… some basic/foundational belief that informs their judgments and actions. What’s your Prime Directive of God?
I just received a letter from one of our synod pastors calling a meeting to see what should be done. He’s referencing the latest news out of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In America (ELCA), our National church body. Last week the ELCA, in its national bi-yearly gathering, passed, among other things, a resolution that would allow homosexual people in committed relationships to be ordained as pastors in Christ’s church. For this pastor, and others, I assume the possibility of leaving the ELCA is on the table. According to his letter, the key issue is “not homosexuality, but our understanding of God’s word”. For him, THIS is his Prime Directive. He believes the passing of this resolution is just another of many decisions made by the ELCA indicating this church is drifting away from “God’s Word”. And does it lead to a line in the sand? For this pastor and for others in the ELCA, the idea of ordaining homosexuals in committed relationships is stepping over the line. This pastor is motivated by being faithful to God’s word… and ordaining homosexuals in committed relationships is an extreme expression of going against God’s Word.
What does this bring up in you? What’s your “God’s Word”?
About three years ago I was listening to an NPR story from a female reporter in Iraq doing a story on some US civilian trainers there. During the story one of the American men she was interviewing was talking about the Iraqi custom of men holding hands – he talked about the difficulty of getting them to stop doing that. The female reporter asked why he would want to do that, and he responded by saying that it just wasn’t right for men to hold hands, that it was just wrong.
Based on her response, you could tell she had a very different perspective. She responded with something about that being their culture and that he (the man being interviewed) should recognize that he is in another culture – a foreign culture – and the people in this culture have their own customs and practices that are different… and should be respected as such!
Then later in the story she referenced women not having the freedoms women have here in the States, and that it was our responsibility to try and help women have more rights and privileges, as men do in Iraq. And I thought – how interesting… she criticized the American man for wanting to try and change the custom of men holding hands, but she could not accept the custom of women not being equal. Now I’m not judging the custom as right or wrong, just commenting on her judgment of which customs to respect and leave alone and which customs change because they are “wrong”. She had a line… she could only accept cultural customs so far.
I once wrote a sermon based on the idea that we all may have a line we are unwilling to cross. For some the line is pretty close and for others the line is pretty far away. Where is your line? What is the foundational principle of your faith? What is “God’s Word” for you?
Let’s say its love… Sounds like an admirable divine Prime Directive. Jesus calls us to love. Okay… What does it look like? Does it mean to give money to anyone that asks you? Or do you have a criteria for generosity? Whom are you called to love?
We’re seeing this line come up for many people, and this topic of Homosexuality is the lightning rod for it. There are sides being drawn… unfortunately! Can we have a difference of opinion and STILL remain in the same family? Can we have a line, and STILL dwell together in God’s house? Can we share a prime directive that includes us all?
Things to think about…
Peace,
Pr. C-
Folks,
Any Trekies out there? Star Trek fans… here’s a trivia question: Do you remember the “Prime Directive”? This was the thing above all else that the space travelers needed to abide by.
Here it is from Wikipedia: “In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive, Starfleet’s General Order #1, is the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets. The Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal development of pre-warp civilizations, consistent with the historical real world concept of Westphalian sovereignty. It has special implications, however, for civilizations that have not yet developed the technology for interstellar spaceflight ("pre-warp"), since no primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or the existence of extraplanetary civilizations, lest this exposure alter the natural development of the civilization.”
Do you think we have theological Prime Directives? Do we each carry in us, in our lives, some foundational belief that affects our view of life? Some most basic tenant of faith that informs our relationships?
People of faith seem to have something that leads them… that motivates them in their lives… some basic/foundational belief that informs their judgments and actions. What’s your Prime Directive of God?
I just received a letter from one of our synod pastors calling a meeting to see what should be done. He’s referencing the latest news out of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In America (ELCA), our National church body. Last week the ELCA, in its national bi-yearly gathering, passed, among other things, a resolution that would allow homosexual people in committed relationships to be ordained as pastors in Christ’s church. For this pastor, and others, I assume the possibility of leaving the ELCA is on the table. According to his letter, the key issue is “not homosexuality, but our understanding of God’s word”. For him, THIS is his Prime Directive. He believes the passing of this resolution is just another of many decisions made by the ELCA indicating this church is drifting away from “God’s Word”. And does it lead to a line in the sand? For this pastor and for others in the ELCA, the idea of ordaining homosexuals in committed relationships is stepping over the line. This pastor is motivated by being faithful to God’s word… and ordaining homosexuals in committed relationships is an extreme expression of going against God’s Word.
What does this bring up in you? What’s your “God’s Word”?
About three years ago I was listening to an NPR story from a female reporter in Iraq doing a story on some US civilian trainers there. During the story one of the American men she was interviewing was talking about the Iraqi custom of men holding hands – he talked about the difficulty of getting them to stop doing that. The female reporter asked why he would want to do that, and he responded by saying that it just wasn’t right for men to hold hands, that it was just wrong.
Based on her response, you could tell she had a very different perspective. She responded with something about that being their culture and that he (the man being interviewed) should recognize that he is in another culture – a foreign culture – and the people in this culture have their own customs and practices that are different… and should be respected as such!
Then later in the story she referenced women not having the freedoms women have here in the States, and that it was our responsibility to try and help women have more rights and privileges, as men do in Iraq. And I thought – how interesting… she criticized the American man for wanting to try and change the custom of men holding hands, but she could not accept the custom of women not being equal. Now I’m not judging the custom as right or wrong, just commenting on her judgment of which customs to respect and leave alone and which customs change because they are “wrong”. She had a line… she could only accept cultural customs so far.
I once wrote a sermon based on the idea that we all may have a line we are unwilling to cross. For some the line is pretty close and for others the line is pretty far away. Where is your line? What is the foundational principle of your faith? What is “God’s Word” for you?
Let’s say its love… Sounds like an admirable divine Prime Directive. Jesus calls us to love. Okay… What does it look like? Does it mean to give money to anyone that asks you? Or do you have a criteria for generosity? Whom are you called to love?
We’re seeing this line come up for many people, and this topic of Homosexuality is the lightning rod for it. There are sides being drawn… unfortunately! Can we have a difference of opinion and STILL remain in the same family? Can we have a line, and STILL dwell together in God’s house? Can we share a prime directive that includes us all?
Things to think about…
Peace,
Pr. C-
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Food For The Journey
FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY Week of August 10th, 2009
Sacred Memory…
When I was a kid, sometimes when my mother would listen to the radio, after some particularly meaningful song, she’d tell me some background about a place or time, or a person that the song reminded her of. She’d sometimes tell me about an uncle, or a cousin, or a story about when she was at school. I didn’t think it was ramblings, but I certainly didn’t see it from the same “eyes” of memory that she had. I certainly didn’t have the same appreciation for the song that she had. To me, that song was just an old song.
I can remember as a child hearing my grandparents talking about some of their experiences back in World War II, or other events in their lives. Looking back, they would talk with such meaning, as if they were seeing these events again, as if they were trying to describe them to a person that couldn’t see those events with the same eyes of experience. It was almost as if they were trying to convey to me the feelings and perceptions they had as they were living those events. The thing is, they weren’t trying to tell me about a memory… they were trying to tell me about themselves through that memory!
But, I was too young to appreciate what they were doing. I didn’t get it. I lived primarily in the moment, or if I looked anywhere it was to the future. The past wasn’t something I looked at too much, probably because there might not have been too much of it in my life to be very reflective about it.
Then years later, I’d do my clinical chaplaincy work in a retirement home/assisted living center/nursing home complex in Gaithersburg MD, called Asbury Methodist Village, in the summer of 1996. At the time I was all of 30 years old. During our first week there, we were greeted and briefed by a number of staff members, who talked to us on a number of things related to work and ministry among the elderly. We had nurses and social workers come talk to us about what life is like as an older person, what they might be going through emotionally, intellectually, physically, etc. We had people come and talk with us about various infirmities and diseases that are related primarily to the elderly – like Alzheimer’s disease.
I remember one particular social worker who came to talk to us. She talked with us about the power of Reminiscence… that thing people do more of as they get older. To the young, “reminiscence” is pretty much remembering. And reminiscing is pretty much talking about old times. But the social worker talked about this as a natural process, as something people do; either to make more sense of the present, to make peace with the past, to anchor the living process in something. It’s a natural part of our aging process, she’d say. And as she spoke about this process, it sounded almost like something holy. She described something that naturally occurs in us as something that took on the feel of a Sacred Pilgrimage to a sacred place… but the sacred place is in our history, in our psyche, in our souls.
Well, as it turns out, I’ve noticed I’m doing this more and more. I hear a song that I’d heard back when, and it brings back all kinds of memories. And I find my self telling my kids about this or that event in my life. And once I figure out what I’m doing… I realize it’s more than just a story. And I see they don’t get it. How can I put in words – although it’s a story… it’s not just a story. I’m telling you about myself, about who I am, about my pilgrimage through this life so far. How can you say this on words? How can you convey meaning of your life as a story-teller, a teller of stories… about yourself, only told in pieces… one story at a time? But to them, they’re just stories.
For about four years, my father enjoyed writing poetry. They weren’t the most sophisticated poems, nor the most articulate pieces… but they represented a piece of his memories… which unfortunately are fading now more and more with each passing day. He’d write about his past, places he went to in his life and career as a Foreign Service Officer, he’d write about his growing up years, about his father, etc. unfortunately he hasn’t been able to do this for about a year now. He’s developing a form of dementia that’s stealing his memories. So his poems mean more to me now that I know what they’re really about… now that I’m beginning the process of reminiscing myself.
One of my professors at Seminary used to say – “The bible does not reveal its secrets to disinterested passers-by.” Maybe it’s not all going to be spelled out for us… maybe we have to dig a little. I wonder if this isn’t what our spiritual journey’s are like. I wonder if all the important things we need to know about living well, about forgiveness, about God and grace, about faith and hope… are already there? Is it a matter of just getting that stuff out… in the right way, at the right time? Maybe it’s about Remembering… about looking back on our lives, reading between the lines, and seeing the sacred between the empty spaces of our journey, about having the courage to seek deep within and shine the light in those dark corners we haven’t looked at in a long, long time… Maybe it’s the same way with our growth as healthy people – maybe we have to take time to look inside us, in our journey thus far… in our memories, our Sacred Memories… memories handed down to us from ages ago, memories that were introduced to our spiritual DNA a long time ago. This has led me to believe in something that really does exist… Sacred Remembering.
There is a scene in the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance”, about a gifted golfer who returns from WWI psychologically wounded. He is struggling with some demons that prevent him from living as a whole and healthy human being (sound familiar?). Well, this character Bagger Vance comes along to help him in his journey. Basically it’s a movie about living well, using the game of golf as a tool for doing so. Here’s a scene that speaks about Sacred Remembering
Bagger Vance: Yep... Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone... Somethin' that can't be taught to ya or learned... Somethin' that got to be remembered... Over time the world can, rob us of that swing... It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas... Some folk even forget what their swing was like...
Watch it here:
This scene is a more full scene, but it’s subtitled in some other language, and the sound quality isn’t all that great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nna6BpU8i2I&feature=related
Here’s the same scene, better quality sound (without the sub-titles) but it’s shorter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH4oOnh6DyI
It’s all there… we just have to Remember!
Peace,
Pr C-
Sacred Memory…
When I was a kid, sometimes when my mother would listen to the radio, after some particularly meaningful song, she’d tell me some background about a place or time, or a person that the song reminded her of. She’d sometimes tell me about an uncle, or a cousin, or a story about when she was at school. I didn’t think it was ramblings, but I certainly didn’t see it from the same “eyes” of memory that she had. I certainly didn’t have the same appreciation for the song that she had. To me, that song was just an old song.
I can remember as a child hearing my grandparents talking about some of their experiences back in World War II, or other events in their lives. Looking back, they would talk with such meaning, as if they were seeing these events again, as if they were trying to describe them to a person that couldn’t see those events with the same eyes of experience. It was almost as if they were trying to convey to me the feelings and perceptions they had as they were living those events. The thing is, they weren’t trying to tell me about a memory… they were trying to tell me about themselves through that memory!
But, I was too young to appreciate what they were doing. I didn’t get it. I lived primarily in the moment, or if I looked anywhere it was to the future. The past wasn’t something I looked at too much, probably because there might not have been too much of it in my life to be very reflective about it.
Then years later, I’d do my clinical chaplaincy work in a retirement home/assisted living center/nursing home complex in Gaithersburg MD, called Asbury Methodist Village, in the summer of 1996. At the time I was all of 30 years old. During our first week there, we were greeted and briefed by a number of staff members, who talked to us on a number of things related to work and ministry among the elderly. We had nurses and social workers come talk to us about what life is like as an older person, what they might be going through emotionally, intellectually, physically, etc. We had people come and talk with us about various infirmities and diseases that are related primarily to the elderly – like Alzheimer’s disease.
I remember one particular social worker who came to talk to us. She talked with us about the power of Reminiscence… that thing people do more of as they get older. To the young, “reminiscence” is pretty much remembering. And reminiscing is pretty much talking about old times. But the social worker talked about this as a natural process, as something people do; either to make more sense of the present, to make peace with the past, to anchor the living process in something. It’s a natural part of our aging process, she’d say. And as she spoke about this process, it sounded almost like something holy. She described something that naturally occurs in us as something that took on the feel of a Sacred Pilgrimage to a sacred place… but the sacred place is in our history, in our psyche, in our souls.
Well, as it turns out, I’ve noticed I’m doing this more and more. I hear a song that I’d heard back when, and it brings back all kinds of memories. And I find my self telling my kids about this or that event in my life. And once I figure out what I’m doing… I realize it’s more than just a story. And I see they don’t get it. How can I put in words – although it’s a story… it’s not just a story. I’m telling you about myself, about who I am, about my pilgrimage through this life so far. How can you say this on words? How can you convey meaning of your life as a story-teller, a teller of stories… about yourself, only told in pieces… one story at a time? But to them, they’re just stories.
For about four years, my father enjoyed writing poetry. They weren’t the most sophisticated poems, nor the most articulate pieces… but they represented a piece of his memories… which unfortunately are fading now more and more with each passing day. He’d write about his past, places he went to in his life and career as a Foreign Service Officer, he’d write about his growing up years, about his father, etc. unfortunately he hasn’t been able to do this for about a year now. He’s developing a form of dementia that’s stealing his memories. So his poems mean more to me now that I know what they’re really about… now that I’m beginning the process of reminiscing myself.
One of my professors at Seminary used to say – “The bible does not reveal its secrets to disinterested passers-by.” Maybe it’s not all going to be spelled out for us… maybe we have to dig a little. I wonder if this isn’t what our spiritual journey’s are like. I wonder if all the important things we need to know about living well, about forgiveness, about God and grace, about faith and hope… are already there? Is it a matter of just getting that stuff out… in the right way, at the right time? Maybe it’s about Remembering… about looking back on our lives, reading between the lines, and seeing the sacred between the empty spaces of our journey, about having the courage to seek deep within and shine the light in those dark corners we haven’t looked at in a long, long time… Maybe it’s the same way with our growth as healthy people – maybe we have to take time to look inside us, in our journey thus far… in our memories, our Sacred Memories… memories handed down to us from ages ago, memories that were introduced to our spiritual DNA a long time ago. This has led me to believe in something that really does exist… Sacred Remembering.
There is a scene in the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance”, about a gifted golfer who returns from WWI psychologically wounded. He is struggling with some demons that prevent him from living as a whole and healthy human being (sound familiar?). Well, this character Bagger Vance comes along to help him in his journey. Basically it’s a movie about living well, using the game of golf as a tool for doing so. Here’s a scene that speaks about Sacred Remembering
Bagger Vance: Yep... Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone... Somethin' that can't be taught to ya or learned... Somethin' that got to be remembered... Over time the world can, rob us of that swing... It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas... Some folk even forget what their swing was like...
Watch it here:
This scene is a more full scene, but it’s subtitled in some other language, and the sound quality isn’t all that great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nna6BpU8i2I&feature=related
Here’s the same scene, better quality sound (without the sub-titles) but it’s shorter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH4oOnh6DyI
It’s all there… we just have to Remember!
Peace,
Pr C-
Food for the Journey
Food For The Journey Week of August 3rd, 2009
Folks…
You ever heard about how to kill a frog without the frog knowing it? You put the frog in a pot of cold water – so it’s comfortable… you know, so it doesn’t suspect anything. And you slowly turn up the heat until you bring the water to a boil. As the story goes, the frog will never notice it getting hotter and hotter… but the trick is to turn up the heat SLOWLY!
You ever stop to notice how fast things are? You ever wonder how things got so crazy? Well, it didn’t happen over-night. Our planners and day-timers, blackberries and schedules seem to suck the “moment” right out of our lives… but it happens little by little, over a long period of time. I think the thing is we’re geared to “produce”. If we spend our time on things that are not “productive” then we tend to feel guilty. So we lean towards doing, and doing, and doing. What can we “show” for our time spent? Some people over the years have even told me that if they could get by without sleeping, they would.
I know relaxing is in many respects “un-American”. The American ethos was formed from people that created this country by the sweat of their brow, forging ahead with the strength of their own backs. Our industrial might was founded on those ethics of putting in “an honest 8”. And look where it has gotten us – we’ve become a world industrial leader. Countries still want to be like us in some ways.
Being industrious is not a bad thing… it can help us learn about goals, and living up to our potential… all admirable things. Wouldn’t we want our children to live this way?
What I’m talking about is an imbalance in the way we live our lives. Our “honest 8” has become more and more an honest 10, or 12. We’ve forgotten the “moment”. When was the last time you had a Moment with God? Most of us have to find them as we can… squeezing them in between meetings, or driving from here to there.
Take your time back! You don’t have to let ‘em crank the heat up more and more! Yes there are some things we HAVE to do! But I don’t think those HAVE TO’s are as many as we might think. There probably are more things we have CHOSEN to do because of a variety of reasons. But in the midst of this, don’t forget to take time to just relax.
If you don’t already do this (If you do do this, you really are a step ahead) take a “moment” to be with your kids, with your spouse, with a person you care for, with God (pray, meditate, or however you connect with God) … schedule it, block out some time if you have to… and talk, eat, go for a walk, relax. Our in-box will still be there… it never goes anywhere anyway, and no matter how much we do, there’s always stuff in it… so…
Take A Moment… and see where it takes you!
And just for kicks - here’s a story about The Moment… http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072803220.html
Peace,
Pr. C-
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
Folks…
You ever heard about how to kill a frog without the frog knowing it? You put the frog in a pot of cold water – so it’s comfortable… you know, so it doesn’t suspect anything. And you slowly turn up the heat until you bring the water to a boil. As the story goes, the frog will never notice it getting hotter and hotter… but the trick is to turn up the heat SLOWLY!
You ever stop to notice how fast things are? You ever wonder how things got so crazy? Well, it didn’t happen over-night. Our planners and day-timers, blackberries and schedules seem to suck the “moment” right out of our lives… but it happens little by little, over a long period of time. I think the thing is we’re geared to “produce”. If we spend our time on things that are not “productive” then we tend to feel guilty. So we lean towards doing, and doing, and doing. What can we “show” for our time spent? Some people over the years have even told me that if they could get by without sleeping, they would.
I know relaxing is in many respects “un-American”. The American ethos was formed from people that created this country by the sweat of their brow, forging ahead with the strength of their own backs. Our industrial might was founded on those ethics of putting in “an honest 8”. And look where it has gotten us – we’ve become a world industrial leader. Countries still want to be like us in some ways.
Being industrious is not a bad thing… it can help us learn about goals, and living up to our potential… all admirable things. Wouldn’t we want our children to live this way?
What I’m talking about is an imbalance in the way we live our lives. Our “honest 8” has become more and more an honest 10, or 12. We’ve forgotten the “moment”. When was the last time you had a Moment with God? Most of us have to find them as we can… squeezing them in between meetings, or driving from here to there.
Take your time back! You don’t have to let ‘em crank the heat up more and more! Yes there are some things we HAVE to do! But I don’t think those HAVE TO’s are as many as we might think. There probably are more things we have CHOSEN to do because of a variety of reasons. But in the midst of this, don’t forget to take time to just relax.
If you don’t already do this (If you do do this, you really are a step ahead) take a “moment” to be with your kids, with your spouse, with a person you care for, with God (pray, meditate, or however you connect with God) … schedule it, block out some time if you have to… and talk, eat, go for a walk, relax. Our in-box will still be there… it never goes anywhere anyway, and no matter how much we do, there’s always stuff in it… so…
Take A Moment… and see where it takes you!
And just for kicks - here’s a story about The Moment… http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072803220.html
Peace,
Pr. C-
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Themes from VBS
So we've been doing the daily themes that we'll see at VBS on Sunday mornings; God is with us, God is powerful, God keeps his promises, God is a God of life, and the last theme... God cares for us.
Over these last four Sundays, I've been asking you all to contribute your ideas and thougths about God... When have you experienced God being with you? How has the idea of God being powerful shown up in your life? What promises has God made to you? What does "God is a God of Life" mean to you?
The readings in Exodus- where the VBS readings come from- deal primarilly with the Israelites and their escape from Egypt, their time in the desert, and their struggle to make it to the land God had promised them. Now, the story doesn't seem to have a good ending for the Egyptians, and later on once the Israelites cross the desert to the "promised land", it certainly does not end well for the Canaanites.
I talked about Egypt and the Promised Land, what it meant to the Israelites, but more importantly- what Egypt/slavery/bondage means in a meatphoric sense, and what the Promised Land means in that same sense. Setting aside the "real" Egyptians, and the "real" Canaanites, who didn't make out too well, what do these things represent in our lives?
In the Jewish mystical tradition, "Egypt"... "the Land of Egypt"... represents those things in our lives that are obstacles or barriers to God. It is those things that prevent us from living as we think we're called to live. And "the Promised Land", "the Land flowing with milk and honey", represents that which is God's place in our lives, it is those things that move us toward God.
We ALL have and Egypt - something that is in our darker nature, something that pulls us away from God and those things tha thelp us live healthy lives. And... we ALL have a Promised Land, a space or time where we're coming from a really good place, where we might feel connected with the divine, where we might feel we really are living in a true and healthy way. Looking at it from that perspective - God does want us to live well... in that sense God IS a God of life!
I've wanted to look at these questions and issue from the perspective of our decisions, our life-style and our lives.
Is God with you? Of course, you say! Well... can you tell anyone how? What;s God like for you? How does God show up in your life?
Is God powerful? Well... sure!?!? Okay- can you talk about this powerful God in your life? WHat kind of powerful things has God done in your life?
What about God's promises? What are some fundamental promises God has made to you? And how do you know?
Last week- God is a God on life! Really? Can you talk about this God of life- in your life?
And next week... God cares for us! We know that. We know that God carss for us- If we assume tnat God loves us, then it only makes sense that God ought to care for us... but can you talk about this care in your life? What does it mean? And a good question, qhat does this care look like... to you!
See- all this "faith" stuff is about helping us make sense of God in our lives. The questions we ask lead us to look in the direction of God.
Over these last four Sundays, I've been asking you all to contribute your ideas and thougths about God... When have you experienced God being with you? How has the idea of God being powerful shown up in your life? What promises has God made to you? What does "God is a God of Life" mean to you?
The readings in Exodus- where the VBS readings come from- deal primarilly with the Israelites and their escape from Egypt, their time in the desert, and their struggle to make it to the land God had promised them. Now, the story doesn't seem to have a good ending for the Egyptians, and later on once the Israelites cross the desert to the "promised land", it certainly does not end well for the Canaanites.
I talked about Egypt and the Promised Land, what it meant to the Israelites, but more importantly- what Egypt/slavery/bondage means in a meatphoric sense, and what the Promised Land means in that same sense. Setting aside the "real" Egyptians, and the "real" Canaanites, who didn't make out too well, what do these things represent in our lives?
In the Jewish mystical tradition, "Egypt"... "the Land of Egypt"... represents those things in our lives that are obstacles or barriers to God. It is those things that prevent us from living as we think we're called to live. And "the Promised Land", "the Land flowing with milk and honey", represents that which is God's place in our lives, it is those things that move us toward God.
We ALL have and Egypt - something that is in our darker nature, something that pulls us away from God and those things tha thelp us live healthy lives. And... we ALL have a Promised Land, a space or time where we're coming from a really good place, where we might feel connected with the divine, where we might feel we really are living in a true and healthy way. Looking at it from that perspective - God does want us to live well... in that sense God IS a God of life!
I've wanted to look at these questions and issue from the perspective of our decisions, our life-style and our lives.
Is God with you? Of course, you say! Well... can you tell anyone how? What;s God like for you? How does God show up in your life?
Is God powerful? Well... sure!?!? Okay- can you talk about this powerful God in your life? WHat kind of powerful things has God done in your life?
What about God's promises? What are some fundamental promises God has made to you? And how do you know?
Last week- God is a God on life! Really? Can you talk about this God of life- in your life?
And next week... God cares for us! We know that. We know that God carss for us- If we assume tnat God loves us, then it only makes sense that God ought to care for us... but can you talk about this care in your life? What does it mean? And a good question, qhat does this care look like... to you!
See- all this "faith" stuff is about helping us make sense of God in our lives. The questions we ask lead us to look in the direction of God.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Feeling The Presence of God????
Chad
This morning, as you often do, you invited us to share our personal experience feeling the presence of God,
and, as often happens, you seemed disappointed that most of us remained silent.
Perhaps this silence is not due to Lutheran reticence, but to the fact that, at least in my case,
I am "tone-deaf" to experiencing the presence of God.
You might as well invite me to sing like Pavarotti - it just ain't gonna happen!
If I saw a "burning bush" I'd probably just call 911, report it to the Fire Department and move on!
Does this mean I do not believe that "God is with us?"
Does this mean that I do not experience the presence of God?
Why is it necessary that I personally experience the presence of God in order to believe that "God is with us"?
If I were color-blind, would I deny the existence of colors when others experience them?
Does the fact that I have a "tin ear" mean that I deny that others have "perfect pitch?"
During most of the three years that the Apostles were in the direct physical presence of Jesus,
did they experience the presence of God? Or did they live their lives awaiting the revolution, oblivious to the fact that "God is with us?"
If feeling the presence of God is such a common experience, then why were Samuel hearing the voice of God
and Moses seeing the burning bush noteworthy enough to make it into the Bible?
Why then, do you seem disappointed that others have not been blessed as you have to recognize they have felt the experience of God?
Maybe an answer is that I'm in church this morning trying to think (unsuccessfully) of when I have experienced the presence of God.
Meanwhile, I am standing up and down, and walking around without my cane, shaking hands and taking communion,
and my leg is not bothering me, and I am not really noticing this. I have not explicitly "prayed" for my leg to be healed,
and I can not say I have felt the power of God enter into me - its just that my "annoyance" is not as annoying as it once was.
Perhaps the answer is that the Name of God is "I Am," and not "You Shall Feel My Presence."
DTH
This morning, as you often do, you invited us to share our personal experience feeling the presence of God,
and, as often happens, you seemed disappointed that most of us remained silent.
Perhaps this silence is not due to Lutheran reticence, but to the fact that, at least in my case,
I am "tone-deaf" to experiencing the presence of God.
You might as well invite me to sing like Pavarotti - it just ain't gonna happen!
If I saw a "burning bush" I'd probably just call 911, report it to the Fire Department and move on!
Does this mean I do not believe that "God is with us?"
Does this mean that I do not experience the presence of God?
Why is it necessary that I personally experience the presence of God in order to believe that "God is with us"?
If I were color-blind, would I deny the existence of colors when others experience them?
Does the fact that I have a "tin ear" mean that I deny that others have "perfect pitch?"
During most of the three years that the Apostles were in the direct physical presence of Jesus,
did they experience the presence of God? Or did they live their lives awaiting the revolution, oblivious to the fact that "God is with us?"
If feeling the presence of God is such a common experience, then why were Samuel hearing the voice of God
and Moses seeing the burning bush noteworthy enough to make it into the Bible?
Why then, do you seem disappointed that others have not been blessed as you have to recognize they have felt the experience of God?
Maybe an answer is that I'm in church this morning trying to think (unsuccessfully) of when I have experienced the presence of God.
Meanwhile, I am standing up and down, and walking around without my cane, shaking hands and taking communion,
and my leg is not bothering me, and I am not really noticing this. I have not explicitly "prayed" for my leg to be healed,
and I can not say I have felt the power of God enter into me - its just that my "annoyance" is not as annoying as it once was.
Perhaps the answer is that the Name of God is "I Am," and not "You Shall Feel My Presence."
DTH
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