Favorite quotes this week:

“What I need is gentleness by which the prince of this world is overthrown.” (Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, and he was a fervent or “rambunctious church father”).

Also, by him, “We attempt to live in union with Him now, since we shall rise in union with Him. Down here, is union practice.”

The idea of gentleness as a weapon of the heart! To overthrow hatred and violence. Nice. It’s an important fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 4.  Maybe gentleness has been underrated in our individualistic constantly in competition world. A soft answer of our being, when we turn and listen in love, turns away the ways of wrath.

Another,

“The choice before us today is just what it always was—whether to be worldly or otherworldly; whether to live for the unloving self or to live for the love of God.” (Joy Davidman)

And one from CS Lewis’ mentor who he said “baptized his imagination” into God:

“Love has ever in view the absolute loveliness of that which it beholds…..Therefore, all that is not beautiful in the beloved, all that comes between and is not of love’s kind, must be destroyed. And our God is a consuming fire.” (George MacDonald, scottish mystic theologian and poet)

John’s main point: “Love as such, regardless of the object to which it is directed, is participation in the life of God. Agape is born of God.” That’s basically his whole argument in I John.

Another I liked:

“Is it shocking to think of God as a pursuing Lover? Then Christianity is shocking.”

It’s beyond a slight interest in us, it a Lover actively pursuing us passionately. That’s a different image of God, we have to deal with, if we wish to encounter that type of God.

I love collecting great quotes which trigger deeper thoughts and tumblings into what is Real. Most great questions and quotes, provoke us to continue further into being and becoming… They trigger us into the reality of their answer, and towards our real questions. Jesus always taught this way. He discerned the real question, and then asked questions which lead into the reality of the answers.

My last, i promise! Something He mentioned to me this month; “I really am well pleased with you.” Can we live in the embarrassment of the reality of having God tell us He is pleased with us. Or as another monk put it, to deal with the words: “You are my love, you are my love. You yourself are actually included in the Belovedness I have towards My Son; can you  be caught up in that level of Love!”

I love overhearing other’s spirituality, to get inspired to stay within my own. The pleasant lines of my own inheritance. Let us each celebrate our own.

 God is actually shocking, when we really encounter Him. Shocking, that is,  to our ideas about Him, and our experiences thus far of Him. To align with Reality involves lots of saying to our pet ideas about what is Real. This never stops. Our imaginations have to come into visual alignment, and living alignment with what is actually Real. That’s a journey of becoming beyond our cultural constructs and life experiences of what life is really like. Turns out people have been growing spiritually for a long time, and learned a few things, along The Way.

Today’s little meditation on spiritual growth: I love thinking about the stages of spiritual growth, and having a map of spiritual development to interpret where we each are at. Thinking of the most basic today: shifting from needs based to beholding other for their intrinsic value. Other for other’s sake, not ours. The ability to appreciate another, not just in terms of my own needs, but for who they really are.

The progression of loving God, others and ourselves….and hence, spiritual growth takes us from a needs based relationship into an appreciation of other for their own sake.

 Just as children are firstly entirely needs based, and then progress gradually to see that their parents are actually people outside of them, and have been caring for them, and begin to consider their parent’s stories before they were born, so it is in the spiritual life.

We tend to first like others because of what they give to us; then we progress to see them and value them for who they are in themselves. This happens in spiritual growth as well.

 Love this quote from Saint Bernard: “At first, man loves himself for his own sake. That is the flesh, which can appreciate nothing beyond itself. Next, he perceived that he cannot exist by himself, and so begins by faith to seek after God, and to love Him as something necessary to his own welfare (the AA step—we need help!). That is the second degree to love God, not for God’s sake, but selfishly. But when he has learned to worship God and to seek Him aright (for His Own Sake not ours), meditating on God, reading God’s Word, praying and obeying…he comes gradually to know who God is, and find Him altogether lovely….we come to know God not just as a meeter of our needs, but as God! Worship necessarily pours forth then.”

  As we start to see God, for God’s sake, we begin to see us for ours. Our names begin to be whispered to us. As Jesus told Peter, blessed are you, because you have now seen who I am, so let me tell you who you are! Our false selves get shaved off, as our true selves encounter the true God. We move from relating to God through only our own needs, and start to see Him for who He is, and thus we start to get a clearer vision of who we are. That’s the path towards true identity.

In short, just as children do–we move from a needs based relationship to appreciating the other for their own intrinsic values. This happens in human relations as well as our one with God. It is like the child who only takes in infancy, then realizes someone is giving to them, and starts to move towards being able to see appreciate and eventually even bless the parent back.

Not based on the parent’s needs (parental inversion, which many suffer from—having to parent their parents) but because we see them for their own value. We appreciate who they are, outside of ourselves. That’s the trajectory of spiritual maturation.

We begin by recognizing our need—all have fallen short of glory etc; but move on to wonder at who God is apart from us. God for God’s sake.

Just as in viewing art—We start to see art no longer as a reflection of ourselves, but for what it is, in itself—as one aesthetician put it. The movement from self-referentiality to true encounter of other, in their unique otherness! Outside of our projections or transferences onto them.

Of course, we have to have our lives, to lay them down; to know ourselves before we can truly sacrifice for others. Jesus knew who He was on the cross. He was not a victim. He actually knew He was a King as He was being killed. If we are not secure in our identities, how can we recognize other’s, or lay down our lives for one another?

We are to love our neighbor, AS OURSELVES—that assumes we know ourselves as loved firstly.

Yet, there is something about moving towards being able to appreciate other outside our own needs for affirmation and approval. That is part of what spiritual growth really is—we are able to see and love other, beyond what they can do for us.

Enjoying looking at what spiritual growth models, and what maturity really looks like practically this season. Fun considering the stages of spiritual development.

 Lots of people get stuck by not having spiritual maps of growth. There are many in scriptures, but I like this simple one by this old saint. That movement from relating to God only in terms of ourselves, to shifting more to considering Him for His Own sake is the movement towards true worship.

 Nice thinking about what spiritual growth looks like today. If friendship is the model, then to value your friend for his or her own sake is the core to good friendship. That mutual beholding and respecting of one another, is the essence of great friendship. And God calls us His Friends.

 And isn’t this what we talk about when we talk about love. Being able to see others for their own amazingness, and even have the privilege of serving their identities.

 There is no comparison or competition in loving others in this way. We are no longer threatened by the domains of their being. But clearly standing in the pleasant identity lines of our heritage, and comfortable in sharing the fruits from our lands, and appreciating the fruits which are growing freely on other’s. This is a mark of maturity.

Our paths are enhanced not threatened by encountering other’s in love. We don’t have to assault or withdraw in order to grow spiritually, we are safe to become.

 Our actual identities are inviolable in Christ, so we can enjoy His creativity in making other’s paths. Both our true identity and our pathways or callings are hidden in Christ. So never under threat. This movement from self referential to Other referential is key. Glad some of the early saints, nailed that down for us in words.

In the Christian story, today begins Advent. In Christianity this is….about the

Advent of Christ. His adventure to earth, into our hearts and His coming back into history later. The advent, the intervention onto earth; the One who will advent again. The hope and faith called forth by Advent. One of my favorite christian holidays, Advent ushers in once and future hope.

 Where I grew up the Moravians had a tradition of an advent wreath with candles lit each week in hope heading up to the birth of Christ celebration. We practiced this in our home for the four weeks leading up to the overt celebration of the birth of The baby King-his first intervention through blood, womb and water, into real time. It recalls this birth while looking forward to His returning back into human history.

 It is the wake before. It is John jostling in expectation in the womb, when near Jesus while still in Mary’s womb. It is that expectancy of the Advent of something which would change everything. And it is looking again for His coming into history and real life. It is also John the Baptist looking for the Dove to land on The One who was the Lamb of God. It is that expectant watching for!

Jesus advent-ure to earth, into incarnation, into coming into space and time. That Advent-ture which changed the world, and will again, as we lean into the hope and expectancy, the true faith contained in Advent.

Adventus, in latin, paraousia in Greek.

“Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from three different perspectives. “Since the time of Bernard of Clairvaux (d.1153) Christians have spoken of the three comings of Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem, in our hearts daily, and in glory at the end of time.”[1] The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming.” One of my favorite holidays, for it covers the whole adventure, and places us in the right orientation to receive The King in real life. It leans us towards Glory! I love the advent orientation to life, we should have it year round, but nice to consecrate a time frame just for that way of leaning our hearts towards….in hope and expectation. It also has Sabbath running through it—to rest in His Being, as we look for His Coming. Great holiday.

No consumerism here, just sheer hope, free hope. And even wonder!

the bearable lightness of being: just some lighter thoughts today…

It’s said, that His burden is light. What does that mean practically for us? We know that His is actually heavy, but He only gives us the amount we can each handle. Some thoughts on that:

 We can only bear the amount of light given to each of us. That is our range of constellation or what St Paul calls our radiance. We are responsible for developing that radiance however. We are collaborators in spiritual growth.

 When I burden bear outside of His radiance for me each day, i soul it, and get depressed or overwhelmed. But His promise is to not give us more than we can handle “in Him.” Now, the key is to be “in Him”, then we only gain on our heart’s shoulders the part for us in Him each day. We do our part, but He carries the actual load.

  Spirituality is not passive in that way. And He will not give us more than we can bear—that amount meant to form us properly, if we let those trials become His Victories and formation of His Life, in us.

 Thinking about the bearable light. That amount of light we are meant to collaborate with God in. That level of understanding, insight and ability to live well, to walk well-ie, in Him. That’s our part of the garden to tend.

 We are not in competition with other’s domains, but responsible to make our own fruitful-in every area, while helping others make their fruitful. Our paths are held safe and progressively revealed by Him (Ephesians 2:10—the paths prepared beforehand to be our way). They are meant to co-bless. Our paths in Him cannot be taken away or lessened in Him, for they are help in His Heart—the Author and Finisher! So we need not defend our true selves or our paths. Let Him. Once you move out of this defending self mode, you have much more energy to become and be who you really are, and reflect the amount and type of light you are meant to carry.

In the world, you have constant defense and competition, not so in Christ. You have resting and knowing, and walking on into Him. Your callings then get revealed!

  The pleasant lines of our inheritance. As we get older we start to sense the parameters of our particular labor. The circumference of our domains of blessing.

 We stop trying to move into or be in competition with one another’s fields, but tend our own in order to bear fruit which blesses others.

  It is part of knowing the pleasant lines of our particular domains in life. What part of the situation we are meant to bless, and when to defer to others. So we don’s “soul” effort it into place. When young, we are searching for our fields. We are learning to possess them, to become them; then, we move on into seasons of cultivation so the fruits of our lives can bless others. Each of us have unique paths in this sense, which are somehow mysteriously networked in God. Life is beautiful in that way, and His burden is Light!

Racism misrepresents who God is and so who we are as humans. It dis-integrates one of the most basic symbols of God diversity in unity—His Oneness (the Shema).

 The whole idea of the Trinity is that God is diverse and social, even within Himself, apart from us. You see this from Genesis on, where God is hovering, considering, conversing even before He creates people. He is relational. People it turns out reflect who He is—a God of diversity, and a relational social God.

In Genesis, God is hovering in social relationship within Himself–The Spirit and Christ and Father are collaborating together. Then when they create humans, they make them social–creatures in relationship. This relational quality to being human is part of how become ourselves. We relate, therefore we become who we are. We are social by nature.

Death divides, Life unites. Let’s move in the ways of Life. Let’s be those who usher in unity with the beauty of diversity. Be part of symbolizing that. Let’s participate in the symbol of who God actually is. “A symbol is something which participates in the Reality to which it points.” As Paul Tillich put it. This is but one reason why symbols matter.

 Arguing against racism from symbols may seem odd to some. But everything we do has a symbolic dimension which communicates. Reality is replete with a symbolic dimension which is always talking, as one art critique put it.

  Racism symbolizes disintegration. Rather than growing in relation, we react to other in fear, and lose that mutual blessing of formation which can only come by loving relation with others who are not like you.

 Loving relationship with other is the way we are given to grow up, mature. When we reject an entire race, we lose out on knowing a huge part of who God is.

  God reflects Himself in racial diversity. So to throw out a whole people group is to lose relationship with that part of God’s reflection. We are the poorer because of it.

 Humans are meant to become in relationship with one another. We are social becomers, as Dallas Willard put it. When we throw out an entire people group, it cripples our own souls.

 Social relationship with others who are not like us, is how things are set up for us to become more fully human and alive. There is a mutual life flow which happens when with others unlike ourselves. There is a mutual edification and becoming, which is only possible in that relational way.

The opposite of racism is proactively loving those who are not like yourself, and receiving that mutual becoming which is only possible in diversity.

We are able to become ourselves to the degree we are in depth and loving relationships with one another. We become by loving one another.

But God is One integrated, diverse yet unified relational social God.

Finding the good soil in one another to plant the seeds of life we carry daily. Where is the cloud or fire in one another, where is the Spirit hovering in today’s conversation with others.

 In conversation we seek to find where the Spirit is, and how to amplify the conversation in that area. Once you sense where God is in the conversation, go there and listen well, and expand it. Give the Voice room.

 When you see a light a spark, pull out a spotlight and shine it there, then the conversation will have meaning and healing in it. We must find the good soil in one another in order to not waste our blessings. As the parable teaches—some areas of each of us are stoney or rocky, other parts have weeds, other parts accessible to the dark birds which steal; but each of us also has good soil where what is planted reproduces and gives life to others around us. Find that soil in one another daily, and you will have the pleasure of the spiritual farmer.

This requires us to pray and listen first, to discern where that good soil is. This is a counselor’s wisdom. But just as in good art, we follow where the Spirit hovers, and join in there in one another. That’s produces fruit which outlast us. We are sort of co-dj’s with the Holy Spirit. Even in our daily conversations, I ask, ok God what part of this conversation are you talking about? Which part are you dialoguing with? I want to collaborate with Your Spirit. It’s not just what you carry, it is the wisdom to plant it well. It is learning how to find the good soil.

Our part in building the ancient spiritual house. What is your generation’s part of the overall structure God is building to wear His Own name through the generations of His Purposes? He is writing a grand novel about Himself through all the generations; what is your generation’s chapter to add?

My own generation are namers, interpreters and authenticators. So…

Why authenticators now? Why have a generation of those who are manifesting and walking with Christ in a truly authentic manner. Why would He emphasize that now, in the overall building of His Church or expression on earth. Why authenticate Christianity now?

I often feel the generations of His Purposes, and try to seek out what He is emphasizing each generation. What is He highlighting about Himself through your generation?

Through mine, it is authenticity. We are transparent and real about who we are, and who He is. There is no religious interruption, or ideological one.

I feel the chapters of His Story, and how we are uniquely included in the grand narrative. At times, i can step outside my own generational role and just enjoy the overall story. We each have our part to play, but the story is much bigger than us. May we build well on the foundation which is already laid.

 St Paul warned us to build our part well in the long spiritual saga, and to recall the foundations and be thankful that others built well before us. We test our building on whether we an see the foundation which is Christ, and then we move out with the Father and consider the whole structure, then we add our particular part, we are privileged to build with Him.

 But we are judged based on how well and what we built with, and whether we are in and with Him as we build. We need wisdom to see what materials to use for our story of the building. We have to catch a glimpse of the whole structure to know what’s wise to build with for our part. So if we build with authenticity, if ours is the authentic room in the house, then we do that well, but we also consider how it fits into the whole building.

 I think it’s wise to consider why you are spiritually building with the materials you have. Father is the master builder, and we can ask Him—hey why are you using me now? Why put in authenticity into the story at this point?

 Well the church needs to be real and clear as the best option. Jesus needs to walk in skin and bones now, as He did in real life. But this needs to be emphasized in our season. The Real Jesus—not just religion. But people who are really in Him, and being themselves. That is one of His methods of revealing Himself in this season, and there is a reason for that!

Knowing why your generation now, helps keep us motivated to build and be well. To stand into His purposes for your own generation with passion and integrity.

 There is also a prophetic reason He would emphasize authentic spirituality in my own generation. People need to see un-phony Christians, those who realize and admit their own brokenness and partialness, but that Jesus is still perfect and One worth following. To reveal the trajectory of spiritual growth. The Perfect having come into the imperfect form of our real lives. That we still struggle with our false selves, but our true selves are being formed actively in living relationship with Jesus.

 When you look at the generation of His Purposes over my own generation, you see He is emphasizing authenticity. New authentic forms of being friends of Jesus is His method for this chapter of His Story. For His deeper incarnation in His People, requires us to be real about who we are, where we have come this far in terms of His Formation of His Life in us, and an authentic expression of our passion and struggles to know and be with Him more.

 It is an act of Mercy to offer examples of people who are really open about their own struggles, but also clearly overtly tangibly moving in His Spirit.

Reading and teaching from Isaiah 41 (and 63) this week as a lens for now: here’s what I’m getting in a nutshell: Don’t fear, instead rejoice, and tell God stories…

  The great and most erudite of the prophets Isaiah has this great chapter set at the end of the world. There are three characters in this passage: God, His friends, and those who are building idols of one sort of another.

  God’s friends are asked to do three things in times of shaking and idol building: not to be afraid, to actually rejoice instead, and to tell the stories of God’s kindnesses.

  Nothing has changed in terms of the correct response to turbulent times. Practice actively (whatever practices help you not move in fear) not moving in the ways of fear, actually rejoice as a sign that God is still here, and tell stories (in whatever medium you choose), past and present of all God’s kindnesses.

  God stories make room for God to be here. Or as Madeleine L’Engle wrote: “Jesus was not a theologian. He was a God who told stories.”

 Raw notes from my little homily today: why not share it here also, as this is like the outer courts of the temple where the people gather to discuss what’s up. And Jeremiah always hung out in that space. And I like that guy! Anyway…if you don’t believe in Jesus, or if you like Jesus but don’t like religion, just skip to the parts about Love versus fear!

Today i watched a father show his son a bullet hole in a wall. The son grew afraid and the father already was.

 I was on the way to talk to a small group of people on Henri Nouwen’s idea of moving from the house of fear to the house of love, and living from that place where we hear the tone of Love in our hearts as a necessary spiritual practice in our times of fear and shaking externally. I had felt impressed to meditate on Isaiah 41 today, and was going to teach from that passage which is set in the end times.

  I was thinking, that we as friends of the Prince of Peace, if we take that friendship seriously, not just religiously, are meant to according to Isaiah, move in the opposite spirit than fear if we are His Friends, and not just religious acquaintences.

  For ideology (or even our best ideas) want make us safe or a safe place, “the shelter of the Presence of the Most High” and friendship or close proximity with Him, will. We have to actually walk around as friends of God.

 That in Him, we are safe havens of love and kindness, His presence is Peace, and we are carriers of that Presence; especially as darkness increases, and true light of His Presence (not just ideologies) must come in higher contrast, as we tell the stories past and present of His kindnesses to us.

 Isaiah is the most erudite and articulate of the prophets, expressing most of his content in fluid symbols which tap into the Reality of his message.

 So you see three directives in this chapter towards God’s friends, which is set in “end times”: don’t fear, rejoice, tell stories of God’s kindnesses so people can know Him, and see the high contrast with the shaking turbulences around them. We get to be living signs in the story.

 There are three characters in this passage: those busy building idols, the friends of God, and God Himself. The setting is the end of the world! Pretty grand narrative here. Similar to chapter 63.

 That’s the opportunity now, in our times. So, we discipline ourselves to not live in fear. We hold fear captive in our hearts, so to the degree it doesn’t rule over us, we can bring that fearlessness to others. That’s the practice of daily overcoming fear. For perfect Love, which is God, cast out fear. So our job is to be in and near God—friends.

 I see increasing fear, anxiety, and confusion everywhere these days. But we are called to do three things: don’t live in fear, instead rejoice, and tell stories of His kindnesses to us. Telling the stories, also keeps us in Peace as we remember His faithfulness across the years of our own narratives.

 So, we are to be clinging to His command to not be afraid (Isaiah 41), to actively, hourly find the Voice of Love, to listen for that tone of His Presence, as Nouwen would put it. Not to fear, instead to actually rejoice, resonate in, and tell His Stories of life through ours! Express well, His “kindnesses” to you—past and present.

 That ushers in healing and the safest place on earth-His Presence. It brings a space of love and safety for others around us, and for ourselves for that matter.

  There’s lots more in this passage and how it relates to chapter 63 as well. Like the type unity (being unified around a common fear is not true or higher unity) that evil has in building idols, how that type of unity is meant to intimidate and distract us from true unity in Love; and the contrasting unity His people have in love. But to hear that part you would have to come to the group.

 Henri Nouwen wrote: “When we begin to understand at a deep, spiritual level that we live surrounded by love and in communion with God no matter what the external circumstances, we can let go of the fear that lurks on the outskirts of our minds. We can move from the house of fear to the house of Love where the Voice and Presence of God is.”

  So, don’t fear, instead rejoice and find His Presence, and tell stories about it, through whatever creative mediums you tell stories. That was my sermon in a nutshell.

 Interesting always how “real life” brings scriptures to life. Turns out they still apply. I promise i compressed this into seven minutes at the gathering! Not easy to do when preaching from da prophets!

 Hope I get to see that man and his son again to tell them they don’t have to live in fear. In the meantime, i’ll say it here.

So let me just suggest, here is what the true church, at least should be doing now: practicing not being in any sort of fear (whatever spiritual practices keep you out of the ways of fear), being actively in His Joy (re-joicing–ie re-bounding and re-sounding His Joy), and telling every story you can think of from the past and present of God’s kindness to you personally. This will make a way on earth for others to encounter Him directly. And it is our mandate now. We are meant to be signs in these times.

The seasons of life…why marry another?

Each aspect and season of life is sensual and beautiful in its on way, a marriage or collaboration into being and becoming—can we live that out fully? Not just the lover metaphor or  initial stages (the attraction to the carnival of life), but the being in constant communion through all the season of life-the dying for one another when it is tougher and not as lovely.

Some seasons of life are sheer work together. The blazing of sharpening the inner heart’s furnace of faith. Others are ridiculously pleasurable. Either way. We must chose to continue as one…that’s the bond of becoming…

The Song of Solomon is meant to lead us towards the incarnation of Revelations, and laboring with, into, as one, the fullnesses of one another–the symphony of selves only possible in wedding.

 The Lover stage is easy. Attraction is simple. Sacrifice is harder.  The daily deaths necessary to become. The Laboring with, through seasons of life, stages and levels of sacrifice—more like Jesus; more like the One who originally attracted you. Why not go on into the fullness of His Glory…to become older together is the best art. The best wines have passed through many seasons of life.

Why do we stop at lover? Why not press on to partners in a garden which never ends?! Are we that timid before becoming? The maturation of our own souls and spirits. That intimidated by His calling to become the sons and daughters, the husbands and wives of His Own wedding banquet….