I am not perfect.
I keep reminding myself.
I don’t mean to mess up, to hurt people, to gossip…but you wouldn’t know that.
I repent.
And earnestly, I try, I try.
But I still fail.
God have mercy on me.
By your grace, I am saved.
Remind me I am loved, remind me, remind me.
Χάρις
Monday, March 7, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
A Parable of Prayer
A father and his son, travelling together in a wagon, came to the edge of a forest.
Some bushes, thick with berries, caught the child’s eye.
“Father,” he asked, “may we stop a while so that I can pick some berries?”The father was anxious to complete his journey, but he did not have it in his heart to refuse the boy’s request.
The wagon was called to a halt, and the son alighted to pick the berries.
After a while, the father wanted to continue on his way. But his son had become so engrossed in berry-picking that he could not bring himself to leave the forest.
“Son!” cried the father, “we cannot stay here all day! We must continue on our journey!”
Even the father’s please were not enough to lure the boy away. What could the father do? Surely he loved his son no less for acting so childishly. He would not think of leaving him behind – but he really did have to get going on his journey.
Finally he called out:
“You may pick your berries for a while longer, but be sure you are still able to find me, for I shall start moving slowly along the road. As you work, call out ‘Father! Father!’ every few minutes, and I shall answer you. As long as you can hear my voice, know that I am still nearby. But as soon as you can no longer hear my answer, know that you are lost, and run with all your strength to find me!”
-Your Word is Fire: The Hasidic Masters on Contemplative Prayer, edited and translated by Arthur Green and Barry W. Holtz, pp. 109-110
Some bushes, thick with berries, caught the child’s eye.
“Father,” he asked, “may we stop a while so that I can pick some berries?”The father was anxious to complete his journey, but he did not have it in his heart to refuse the boy’s request.
The wagon was called to a halt, and the son alighted to pick the berries.
After a while, the father wanted to continue on his way. But his son had become so engrossed in berry-picking that he could not bring himself to leave the forest.
“Son!” cried the father, “we cannot stay here all day! We must continue on our journey!”
Even the father’s please were not enough to lure the boy away. What could the father do? Surely he loved his son no less for acting so childishly. He would not think of leaving him behind – but he really did have to get going on his journey.
Finally he called out:
“You may pick your berries for a while longer, but be sure you are still able to find me, for I shall start moving slowly along the road. As you work, call out ‘Father! Father!’ every few minutes, and I shall answer you. As long as you can hear my voice, know that I am still nearby. But as soon as you can no longer hear my answer, know that you are lost, and run with all your strength to find me!”
-Your Word is Fire: The Hasidic Masters on Contemplative Prayer, edited and translated by Arthur Green and Barry W. Holtz, pp. 109-110
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Craving Growth
I am currently reading Reimagining Church by Frank Viola. He challenges the ‘institutional church’ (which he left in the late eighties). To quote Publishers Weekly:
Viola, believes the church as we know it today is nothing like what God intended it to be. According to Viola, the first-century church, which should be our pattern, met in homes without any official pastor. All members of the church were involved in worship, spontaneously breaking out with teaching or song as they were moved. Decisions were not made until everyone reached consensus. There were no official leaders or elders, but there were men who served and taught and helped others, thus leading by example. Viola believes that to bring the church back on track, both clergy and denominations must be completely abolished. Churches should not have buildings nor should they worry about doctrinal statements.
I am eating up this book. I love the challenges he poses, I love the idea of such imperfect people participating in community and being able to use their gifts to share with others. I love the idea of being a participant, not just an observer. Because I believe that when people participate, when they play a role in church, they appreciate it so much more. They can ‘own it’.
I believe that it is a rarity for a non-Christian to enter into a church building on a Sunday morning for the first time. I believe that ‘making believers’ happens best through relationship and meeting people where they are at, not expecting them to step outside their comfort level into the unknown.
I believe that questioning and challenging is healthy. I personally believe that questioning and challenging is how I have grown closer to God and opened my heart and mind to His leading. I think that right now, in this particular time in my life, I am searching to grow. I really want to take advantage of the resources around me and push myself to devleop as much as possible. This transition has not been easy by any means and I think that it's in the hard times that we, as Christians can grow and develop further.
Viola, believes the church as we know it today is nothing like what God intended it to be. According to Viola, the first-century church, which should be our pattern, met in homes without any official pastor. All members of the church were involved in worship, spontaneously breaking out with teaching or song as they were moved. Decisions were not made until everyone reached consensus. There were no official leaders or elders, but there were men who served and taught and helped others, thus leading by example. Viola believes that to bring the church back on track, both clergy and denominations must be completely abolished. Churches should not have buildings nor should they worry about doctrinal statements.
I am eating up this book. I love the challenges he poses, I love the idea of such imperfect people participating in community and being able to use their gifts to share with others. I love the idea of being a participant, not just an observer. Because I believe that when people participate, when they play a role in church, they appreciate it so much more. They can ‘own it’.
I believe that it is a rarity for a non-Christian to enter into a church building on a Sunday morning for the first time. I believe that ‘making believers’ happens best through relationship and meeting people where they are at, not expecting them to step outside their comfort level into the unknown.
I believe that questioning and challenging is healthy. I personally believe that questioning and challenging is how I have grown closer to God and opened my heart and mind to His leading. I think that right now, in this particular time in my life, I am searching to grow. I really want to take advantage of the resources around me and push myself to devleop as much as possible. This transition has not been easy by any means and I think that it's in the hard times that we, as Christians can grow and develop further.
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