"Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." John 14: 23
"I am called to enter into the inner sanctuary of my own being where God has chosen to dwell." Henri J. M. Nouwen: The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming
Perhaps we spend too long looking for God upwards and too little time looking inwards.
This isn't about naval gazing - this is about seeking God in the place where God has chosen to place 'their' image and 'their' home.
This is about seeking God in the centre of ourselves where our deepest longings and hurts are - where we find our humanity and divinity.
This is about acknowledging our preciousness and sacredness by allowing God to 'make their home with us' and to fill that part of ourselves which was made for God.
Christians are constantly trying to walk a line between acceptance and love of self, and recognition and repentance of brokenness. This sometimes makes us wary of spending too much time searching within ourselves because we feel we should be making ourselves less and God more.
But God has said that "we will come to them and make our home with them" so God is within us. If we can seek and find God there, perhaps we will also be able to recognise God in others; and if that place of our longings is filled with the only one who can satisfy, perhaps we will be more freed to be truly present to others.
Sunday, 1 June 2014
Friday, 23 May 2014
Usefulness is not the same as worth
A carpenter and his apprentice were walking together through a large forest. And when they came across a tall, huge, gnarled, old, beautiful oak tree, the carpenter asked his apprentice: "Do you know why this tree is so tall, so huge, so gnarled, so old and beautiful?" The apprentice looked at his master and said:
"No... why?"
"Well," the carpenter said, "because it is useless. If it had been useful it would have been cut long ago and made into tables and chairs, but because it is useless it could grow tall and so beautiful that you can sit in its shade and relax."
"In solitude we become aware that our worth is not the same as our usefulness... In solitude we can grow old freely without being preoccupied with our usefulness and we can offer a service which we had not planned on."
I don't particularly want to be someone who is remembered for being good at things or for achievements.
I would like to be a person in whose shade others can sit and relax.
"No... why?"
"Well," the carpenter said, "because it is useless. If it had been useful it would have been cut long ago and made into tables and chairs, but because it is useless it could grow tall and so beautiful that you can sit in its shade and relax."
Tao story.
"In solitude we become aware that our worth is not the same as our usefulness... In solitude we can grow old freely without being preoccupied with our usefulness and we can offer a service which we had not planned on."
Henri Nouwen (Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life)
I don't particularly want to be someone who is remembered for being good at things or for achievements.
I would like to be a person in whose shade others can sit and relax.
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Lent 47: He is risen!
He is risen!
May you know the joy of meeting the risen Lord.
May you know him in your life.
May you know him in your being.
May you know him as a real, constant and true presence.
He is so much more than I ever imagined.
I imagine that there is so much still to come.
Halleluiah!
May you know the joy of meeting the risen Lord.
May you know him in your life.
May you know him in your being.
May you know him as a real, constant and true presence.
He is so much more than I ever imagined.
I imagine that there is so much still to come.
Halleluiah!
Friday, 18 April 2014
Lent 45: They killed my Lord.
... he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19: 30
I know that Jesus had to die - that it was the only way to defeat the violence, sin and death that ruled our world - that it was the only possible outcome of such a revolutionary life - that it was the only way to avoid responding in violence - that it was the sign the world needed - that it was how a way could be made for us to truly be with God - that it was the greatest way for God to show just how deep his love is for us - that it had to be.
But I still can't bear it that they, that we, killed this man.
That the best, the truest, the most authentic human being who ever lived, had to die.
That this man who has become my closest friend, who speaks truth into my deepest being, and who holds me in my darkest moments, was beaten, mocked, despised, isolated and killed in the most violent of ways.
They killed my Lord.
I know that Jesus had to die - that it was the only way to defeat the violence, sin and death that ruled our world - that it was the only possible outcome of such a revolutionary life - that it was the only way to avoid responding in violence - that it was the sign the world needed - that it was how a way could be made for us to truly be with God - that it was the greatest way for God to show just how deep his love is for us - that it had to be.
But I still can't bear it that they, that we, killed this man.
That the best, the truest, the most authentic human being who ever lived, had to die.
That this man who has become my closest friend, who speaks truth into my deepest being, and who holds me in my darkest moments, was beaten, mocked, despised, isolated and killed in the most violent of ways.
They killed my Lord.
Thursday, 17 April 2014
Lent 44: So very human
He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? ..." Luke 22: 46
Tonight I went to a Maundy Thursday vigil where we sit in silence from the end of the service (20.30ish) until midnight. I lasted until 22.45 and then my eyelids were drooping and my mind was too fuzzy even to think, let alone pray.
Jesus needed the disciples to be with him, spiritually and mentally, while he underwent one of the most challenging times of his life. Jesus needed to know that his friends and companions were somehow with him, and they weren't able to give that to him. I get the impression that they never fully absorbed the gravity of his words about his forthcoming suffering and death. It certainly feels like they didn't really ever believe it would happen.
Then, when Jesus is arrested, one of the disciples cuts off the ear of a slave. Jesus promptly puts a stop to the violence and heals the slave. Even when he is being arrested, Jesus continues to undermine violence of any kind. The disciples still, even at this point, somehow didn't get it.
Then Peter, even after being told he would deny Jesus and insisting that this would never happen, denies three times that he had anything to do with Jesus.
The disciples were so very human, right to the end. They blundered about getting some stuff right and a lot of stuff wrong. They came from all kinds of backgrounds, had messy histories and said a lot of stupid things. But Jesus loved them and used them.
Anyone else find that rather comforting?
Tonight I went to a Maundy Thursday vigil where we sit in silence from the end of the service (20.30ish) until midnight. I lasted until 22.45 and then my eyelids were drooping and my mind was too fuzzy even to think, let alone pray.
Jesus needed the disciples to be with him, spiritually and mentally, while he underwent one of the most challenging times of his life. Jesus needed to know that his friends and companions were somehow with him, and they weren't able to give that to him. I get the impression that they never fully absorbed the gravity of his words about his forthcoming suffering and death. It certainly feels like they didn't really ever believe it would happen.
Then, when Jesus is arrested, one of the disciples cuts off the ear of a slave. Jesus promptly puts a stop to the violence and heals the slave. Even when he is being arrested, Jesus continues to undermine violence of any kind. The disciples still, even at this point, somehow didn't get it.
Then Peter, even after being told he would deny Jesus and insisting that this would never happen, denies three times that he had anything to do with Jesus.
The disciples were so very human, right to the end. They blundered about getting some stuff right and a lot of stuff wrong. They came from all kinds of backgrounds, had messy histories and said a lot of stupid things. But Jesus loved them and used them.
Anyone else find that rather comforting?
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Lent 43: Forgive, and forgive, then forgive some more.
Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy seven times." Matthew 18: 21-22
This week's episode of Rev (season 3, episode 4) tackles a question which nobody wants to have to deal with.
What would we do if someone came to our church, moved into our neighbourhood or worked in our workplace, who had done something which we find utterly repulsive and awful, and asked to be part of our lives?
(If you haven't watched the episode yet and don't want to know what happens, don't read on - I basically summarise the plot)
In the episode a man, George, starts coming to Adam Smallbone's (the vicar) church. Adam asks for his help with the accounts and only later finds out from him that he had served time in prison for having images of child abuse on his computer. George is obviously broken, honest about what he has done, repentant and trying to start again. He explains how it all started with porn and got worse and worse until he found himself looking at pictures he swore he never would. He explains that getting arrested was the best thing that could have happened as it stopped him feeding his addiction and gave him a fresh start.
Adam decides that George should not be excluded from the church because of past crimes, however awful, and invites him to continue being part of the church as long as he signs a statement saying he will stay away from young people in the church. George says he is no risk to children but understands and agrees. Later at the church committee, one member has found out (not from Adam) who George really is and tells everyone. The committee vote that George should not be allowed to be church treasurer and are very angry at Adam for concealing George's past from them and for inviting such an awful person into their community. One member of the church, Colin, attacks George and George decides to leave the church, even though Adam says that he will always be welcome. He doesn't feel safe there any more, understandably. The episode ends soon after George walks away into the unknown.
This episode is very clear that what George did was awful, and that children should be protected from him. However, it is not afraid to address the radical nature of what forgiveness really means. The suggestion is that there should be nothing that we are unwilling to try to forgive. Adam is dealing with his own guilt over something he has done and realises that he cannot refuse this man his forgiveness and care. At one point in the episode someone claims that it is God's job to forgive, not Adam's. I do not think that that was Jesus' message, and neither does Adam.
I am impressed, moved and challenged by this story and the way in which it was handled. Whilst care of the abused should always come first, in a society which views child abuse and everything connected with it as the most heinous of crimes, we need to know how we will handle the abusers as well as the abused.
In the light of the coming days in the church calendar when we especially remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, questions around sin and forgiveness are especially apt - Jesus died for all people, to take away all sin, and rose to defeat all death. No one excluded.
How do we approach someone who seems to have fallen as far as one can go?
How would Jesus approach them?
What does the radical command to love our neighbour mean in this scenario?
I, personally, am grateful to the makers of Rev. for daring to touch on this theme, and to ask questions which are far from easy. I also have no idea how I would actually react if placed in this situation. I can only pray that God would give me grace.
If you haven't yet watched the episode, I really recommend that you do.
This week's episode of Rev (season 3, episode 4) tackles a question which nobody wants to have to deal with.
What would we do if someone came to our church, moved into our neighbourhood or worked in our workplace, who had done something which we find utterly repulsive and awful, and asked to be part of our lives?
(If you haven't watched the episode yet and don't want to know what happens, don't read on - I basically summarise the plot)
In the episode a man, George, starts coming to Adam Smallbone's (the vicar) church. Adam asks for his help with the accounts and only later finds out from him that he had served time in prison for having images of child abuse on his computer. George is obviously broken, honest about what he has done, repentant and trying to start again. He explains how it all started with porn and got worse and worse until he found himself looking at pictures he swore he never would. He explains that getting arrested was the best thing that could have happened as it stopped him feeding his addiction and gave him a fresh start.
Adam decides that George should not be excluded from the church because of past crimes, however awful, and invites him to continue being part of the church as long as he signs a statement saying he will stay away from young people in the church. George says he is no risk to children but understands and agrees. Later at the church committee, one member has found out (not from Adam) who George really is and tells everyone. The committee vote that George should not be allowed to be church treasurer and are very angry at Adam for concealing George's past from them and for inviting such an awful person into their community. One member of the church, Colin, attacks George and George decides to leave the church, even though Adam says that he will always be welcome. He doesn't feel safe there any more, understandably. The episode ends soon after George walks away into the unknown.
This episode is very clear that what George did was awful, and that children should be protected from him. However, it is not afraid to address the radical nature of what forgiveness really means. The suggestion is that there should be nothing that we are unwilling to try to forgive. Adam is dealing with his own guilt over something he has done and realises that he cannot refuse this man his forgiveness and care. At one point in the episode someone claims that it is God's job to forgive, not Adam's. I do not think that that was Jesus' message, and neither does Adam.
I am impressed, moved and challenged by this story and the way in which it was handled. Whilst care of the abused should always come first, in a society which views child abuse and everything connected with it as the most heinous of crimes, we need to know how we will handle the abusers as well as the abused.
In the light of the coming days in the church calendar when we especially remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, questions around sin and forgiveness are especially apt - Jesus died for all people, to take away all sin, and rose to defeat all death. No one excluded.
How do we approach someone who seems to have fallen as far as one can go?
How would Jesus approach them?
What does the radical command to love our neighbour mean in this scenario?
I, personally, am grateful to the makers of Rev. for daring to touch on this theme, and to ask questions which are far from easy. I also have no idea how I would actually react if placed in this situation. I can only pray that God would give me grace.
If you haven't yet watched the episode, I really recommend that you do.
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Lent 42: The way, the truth and the life
Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14: 6
Do you know, I am actually starting to believe this.
I have always believed it partially or I wouldn't have stuck with my faith. I knew there was something good in it all and had experienced enough of God to be sure it was worth persevering. But I didn't really know who Jesus was - who he really is. I felt that he had said some great things, done some great things, and there was that mystery of the cross which I couldn't (and still can't) get my head around but knew was important; but I didn't know him and so wasn't too bothered by this phrase and its validity.
The more I get to know Jesus Christ, my risen Lord, the more I see that in him God is known, in him life is found abundantly, in him is truth, in him is the way to live and to be.
I can't explain this logically. I do not, in saying this, deny all good in other religions, ways of life, moral frameworks and so forth. All I know is that, as I become more deeply acquainted with this man Jesus, the more I know that this is true.
He is the way and the truth and the life, and I want him to become my way, my truth and my life.
Do you know, I am actually starting to believe this.
I have always believed it partially or I wouldn't have stuck with my faith. I knew there was something good in it all and had experienced enough of God to be sure it was worth persevering. But I didn't really know who Jesus was - who he really is. I felt that he had said some great things, done some great things, and there was that mystery of the cross which I couldn't (and still can't) get my head around but knew was important; but I didn't know him and so wasn't too bothered by this phrase and its validity.
The more I get to know Jesus Christ, my risen Lord, the more I see that in him God is known, in him life is found abundantly, in him is truth, in him is the way to live and to be.
I can't explain this logically. I do not, in saying this, deny all good in other religions, ways of life, moral frameworks and so forth. All I know is that, as I become more deeply acquainted with this man Jesus, the more I know that this is true.
He is the way and the truth and the life, and I want him to become my way, my truth and my life.
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