These little thoughts/poems were written last night at Mosaic they are attempting to describe my situation with the word and with God at this present time.
Thought 1
The canvas is fresh, loads of potential. It is clean and white. What I do with it is my choice. But in those choices I want to follow the wishes of my instructor, the one who gave me these paint brushes…
Thought 2
I look out into the view, a great landscape to explore. It has dangers and risks. But I have been a guide. You will bring me through. While the challenges and risks are great. I accept them with open hands.
Thought 3
Lord you look after us. You give the desires of hearts, and I am thankful. You allow us a big expansive ocean to explore. You let us discover you great gifts. In you the colours are vibrant, expansive never seen. The flavours you offer satisfy. The treasures amazing. You words are life giving. A spark that sets forth new life, setting forth a big bang in our reality that changes all. You odder, and give satisfaction when we cant get none from the world. You give brance, life, and creative spark to discover and generate new life throughtout the world.
“We should be taking steps to celebrate Easter in creative new ways: in art, literature, children’s games, poetry, music, dance, festivals, bells, special concerts, anything that comes to mind. This is our greatest festival. Take Christmas away, and in biblical terms you lose two chapters at the front of Matthew and Luke, nothing else. Take Easter away, and you don’t have a New Testament; you don’t have a Christianity… This is our greatest day. We should put the flags out.”
~ NT Wright, Surprised By Hope
What do I choose?
To bow down to the empire and deny the truth that it is temporary?
Do i become a passive consumer of its seductive goods or a subvertive creator.
Do I live selfishly or self-sacrificially?
Do i choose adherence to security found in empire or a barbarian life found in christ.
Do i choose pax Romana or shalom in Christ?
Do I let my desire for luxurious things made by the slaves of industry rule or do i choose to live simply?
Is my worth set by my position of power in the empire or by Gods view of me?
What would I do to hold on to my position? Would I give it up for deeper convictions.
Will I choose love over hate?
Will I choose servitude over overlordship.
How willing am I not to bow the empire?
I find it funny that my next blog post is on marraige, or on the theology of marraige and why its important.
Lets go back to the very beginning God created humanity to be “like us”, male and female.Humanity was created to be in relationship with God and male and female were created to be in relationship with each other, in companionship with each other. They were to mutually serve one another in the garden, care for the world that God had given to them.
But then humanity rebelled, we sinned, and the consequences of this action was that our relationship with God was broken, our relationship with Gods creation was broken, and the relationship between husband and wife was no longer whole.
Gods original plan was that the relationshop between husband and wife is oneness, where people are able to grow together and share in lifes ups and downs. Where husband and wife serve one another mutually, and share the mystery of Gods love with themselves and those that they come accross.
Gods desire is not for broken relationship but wholeness. Where broken people come together and work together on becoming whole.
My favourite qoute at the moment about weddings is from rocky “I got gaps, she got gaps, together we fill gaps.”
We know that its all not happy sailing, there are times when we do stupid things, and hurt those we love. I know I do it without realising and have “doh” moments where I have to learn and turn around from my stupid mistakes. Sometimes differences in personality and style create conflict. General tiredness as well can stop people communicating clearly or can cause disconnect. This from my understanding takes constant work, grace and forgiveness.
The heart of Christian marriage is the idea that God is central to it. That marriage is a sacred vow, the coming together of two lifes under the grace of God. It is also never just about the couple, it is about the community they are in. The Marriage relationship is also about those impacted and effected by it. The married couple are one amongst people and places, as they mesh they interact with others who they can also serve and show love and be agents of grace to.
Married people, any thoughts?
Singles, engaged people, any ideas on this?
What do you think makes a successful marriage or relationship?
In the kingdom of God, relationship Human relationship is important. God wants healed whole relationship in his kingdom. This is why Jesus’ teaching moves on to relationship between people.
A saying that has struck me about anger and resentment is this “resentment is a poison that leaves both pwople worse off and kills relationship.” If we focus on anger and resentment, it will not bring healing, it only ever brings hurt and destruction.
I don’t think we should be religious about this. When we are wronged, we need to acknowledge we have been wronged, and confront the person who has wronged us in a graceful way. But we cannot allow the anger to control us. It is a feeling that we can control. Accepting the hurt, then moving on is the only way to health.
This is not easy, it is a learned practice. Holding onto anger feels like you have power over a person, but in fact, as stated earlier, holding on to anger only gives power to the feeling and hinders relationship. And holding on to anger is exhausting. It takes our energy and time away from living a life of love and wholeness.
Is there someone you are angry at?
Do you allow anger to control you mood and actions?
How do you resolve your anger?
No matter who you are, you are free.
Free to live in a new reality
One not bound by rules, but bound by a desire for whole life.
No longer do you need to fit with the social norms, the religious standard.
God looks deeper, into the heart.
He looks past your poverty, your blemishes, your social awkwardness. He looks deep into and loves the whole.
He doesnt want you following the rules, he wants you to follow him. To listen to him.
He doesnt want you to know a set of bible verses, or be proud at the fact that you know all the theolofical answers. He wants your broken and contrite heart.
He doesnt want your pride, he wants you humble.
He doesn’t need you to do everything, he wants you sitting at his feet listening.
You no longer need to follow the societal norms, you live in a new normal.
One where Jesus’s sacrifice is perfect and complete. It covers all and heals all.
He doesnt want us just part of us, he wants us all.
He wants to know every crevice, our hopes, our fears, our dreams. He wants to be apart of that all,
We no longer need to follow rules or regulations for relationship with God, all we need to be is open to the inviting hands of Jesus to add new favour as he salts our life with his flavouring.
This section ties the beatitudes to the next section. Jesus states that his teaching is not new, it is a fulfilment of the Law. This would have been an affront to the religious system of the time. The religious system you see was built around case law, interpretations of the Torah. What had basically happened though was that original intent of the torah (to establish right relationship between God and Humanity and right relationship through humanity) had become a series of rules that set out the haves and have nots within the community.
The original purpose was to draw people to God, not put barriers in place. Jesus’ call throughout the sermon on the mount is to call people back to God and his purpose, to begin bringing about new creation here and now.
The greatest struggle when reading this section of scripture is to also not change these life giving words into a strict set of rules that no one can follow, but follow the intent and follow the heart of the one we follow. Rather than setting up rules and regulations, we need to humbly come to God to figure out what it means to bring about the kingdom in our own life.
If you read my blog, please pretty please comment. I like reading your thoughts and ideas. It helps me come up with new thoughts and ideas, and challenges my preconceptions.
