Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 4:07 pm

It Yields It's Fruit In Season

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Yesterday the sun came out.  I couldn't help it...I had to go and look!  I took my camera round the park, and discovered that, seemingly overnight, spring has begun.  After a very long, cold winter, wondering if it would ever end, I found myself out in my hoodie and vest-jacket.  I don't know how this mystery happens.  But I'm glad it does.

I found myself full of wonder, and sucking in as much fresh, crisp air as I possibly could, knowing that in Glasgow you take days like this as they come, and never for granted.  I couldn't help but throw my head back and bask in it.

I also couldn't help but notice that there were trees that had not yet begun to flower, and that there were still dead leaves piled over the grass beneath...signs of death in the midst of this new life.  The metaphors were endless.

A phrase from Psalm 1 resounded in my mind... "It yields it's fruit in season"... Creation knows this cycle is continuous.  Every year we experience the depths of winter where it feels like spring will never come, and that first spark of green on the branches outside the window, promising that the thaw is coming. 

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Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 7:05 am

Guidelines for good spiritual direction

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I've been going back through some old notes over the last few weeks, and I ran across this list I at one time put together (I think it was from various sources, but may have come out of a particular lecture...sorry not to have better footnotes).  It was meant to be guidelines for spiritual directors, but I wonder if some of these transfer over into our daily interactions with each other.  What would it mean to listen to each other in this way, with God's heart continually before us?  What do you think?  Over the top? Impossible? Freeing?  It is a good reminder that we are all works in progress, and that God will continue to uncover our own weakness and growth edges for the rest of our lives.  I am so glad that we are surrounded by his grace and mercy.

The director should approach a one-to-one session prepared in specific ways:

Through prayer, anticipate receiving the person as one for whom Christ died.

Become aware of any personal bias or partiality that might operate in this particular situation, such as gender, ethnicity, or appearance, Be aware of how the directee's issues or situation might parallel your own, triggering your own unresolved tensions.  Be attentive to anything that might lead you to favour a particular outcome over what God might want to do or say.

Be in touch with your own temptations, foibles, and sins of the past, so that nothing shared is likely to surprise, offend, tempt, shock or undo you.

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Friday, February 5, 2010 at 8:21 pm

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Monday, February 1, 2010 at 10:58 am

Divine Hours

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I recently ran across this website for a church who has been given permission to post the daily office prayers from Phyllis Tickle's collection.  Just thought I'd share it for anyone interested in giving it a go.  You can set it to update for your time zone as well.  Enjoy!

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:31 pm

The Activity of Rest

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Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.  - Hebrews 4:12-13

I have always felt a bit beat up on when reading these verses...until last week, when I realized where they were placed within Hebrews.  The passage immediately before is about the Sabbath rest for the people of God, and his command to enter into it, unlike the Israelites, who hardened their hearts and were not able to.  The passage immediately after is about Jesus, our great high priest, who was tempted in every way as we are but without sin.

Upon this reading, I saw an invitation.  The door into this Sabbath rest is Jesus, who knows every weakness I have ever felt, and has resisted every temptation I come up against.  He has seen my failure, my internal monologue, my desire to hide or cover up the things that are maybe not such wise choices.  He knows that sometimes I want to twist his word to make me feel better about myself or the choices I want to make.  But often times I don't see it...I am blinded by my desire to be comfortable...happy...normal...all the while stepping further and further away from his guiding hand and into dangerous territory.

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Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 5:01 am

Life Perseveres

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  And not only that,

  but we also boast in our sufferings,

  knowing that suffering produces endurance,

  and endurance produces character,

  and character produces hope,

  and hope does not disappoint us,

  because God's love has been poured into our hearts

  through the Holy Spirit

  that has been given to us.

  Romans 5:3-5

 

 

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Friday, December 25, 2009 at 7:47 am

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 5:04 am

Put Down Your Burden

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What burdens do we carry without ever even knowing they are there? 

Last night I started a post about false perceptions and how I recently heard them described as "The hurricane that disrupts all relationships."  As I was writing I began chatting about it to my housemate, coming up with all kinds of silly, daily examples of how we misperceive reality and land ourselves in a mess, believing and spreading misunderstandings and outright lies, and carrying burdens we were never meant to carry.

Later that evening, I found myself telling her a story about something that happened back in university days.  I recalled how devastated I was by events that happened. I felt like there had been a conspiracy against me, the incident had affected me for years to come.  I was even sharing it in that moment because I feared would happen again.  She looked at me and said, "Is that really what happened, or is it how you perceived it?"  I was immediately caught...

In that moment, I realized that fifteen years ago I interpreted an event one way, and made up the thoughts and intentions of a group of people that were potentially utterly untrue.  And last night while riding on the underground I uncovered the lie.  It only took a moment, I laughed awkwardly at myself and realized that I am not exempt from this whole arena of false perceptions.  

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Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 11:47 am

How is God converting you?

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I've been thinking a lot lately about the differing streams and approaches to the Christian's life with Christ.  I find myself sometimes wondering what it would look like if we could really hear and learn from other Christians who think differently. If each of us sees through a glass dimly (which funnily enough is found in the midst of the "God is love" chapter, 1 Cor. 13), it seems that we would really benefit from paying attention to what others see of God in the world.

What I've been coming to ask lately when I hear someone speak, whether I agree or disagree with them, is a simple question (ok, a few questions).  What's under the hood?  What is this person speaking of the character of God? Are they reacting to something that has been hurtful to them? Or is this part of the movement of love within Christ's Church?  What does my own theology lead to? Is there a challenge I need to hear in order to come into alignment with the truth of God's love?  How might God need to "convert me?" in my theology? 

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Friday, October 16, 2009 at 6:10 pm

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Friday, August 28, 2009 at 9:55 am

With the Ears of My Heart

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I have listened to many voices this week.  This one says the Bible isn't literal, that one says that a particular part of Ezekiel means Christ is coming back within the next 5 years.  One says the "emerging church" is dangerous, another says the "traditional church" is a farce.  Someone says John Piper is a heretic, and another says Rob Bell will lead to the destruction of the Church.  And then there are the voices inside my head: You've not done enough...you question too much...you haven't rested enough...you've rested too much!  Aaaaah! 

What are we like?!  

I would like to propose another way: God, what are you saying to us? In spiritual direction, we believe that we are listening with one ear to the other person, and one ear to the Holy Spirit, who is constantly speaking. We ask God to reveal any beliefs we might hold about him or about our situations that aren't true. What if we could bring this discipline into daily life of the Church and of the blogosphere? How can we discern what is of God and what is not? How do the things we believe lead us to greater love of God and others? I mean true, sacrificial, growing love...not just infatuation.

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Monday, August 31, 2009 at 7:06 am

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Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 7:12 am

Come Away and Rest Awhile

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Last week I led a discussion about retreating...what, why, how?  I tend to find when I'm going to lead something like this God wants to re-visit the concept with me as well.  I tend to go through a process of wondering, "but what if you don't speak to them? what if you leave me in this?" and then he reminds me that my obedience is to stand at the door and invite people in...HE is the one who will meet with them. Some highlights of the discussion follow:

God is always speaking, and he desires to highlight and heal the places in us that keep us from hearing his voice.  It takes time, attention and silence to quiet the voices that are constantly speaking into our experience in order to give him space to do this.  Thus we need to take extended time to be still and know that he is God...to listen to what he has to say to us.  It is often helpful to take someone along with you to hear your thoughts as you process them.  But why is it so hard to take this time?

For me, I could just say I get busy and don't have the time, but I find two root reasons stand out: 1. I don't think the world could go on without me...actually I think it's more that I don't want the world to go on without me.  2. When we actually are able to still the voices around us, we come to find our own inner monologue is as loud or louder as all that is around us, and so the thought of being alone with our own thoughts is a bit scary. 

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Friday, August 14, 2009 at 3:23 am

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 10:37 am

When Expression Becomes Idolatry

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I love to take pictures.  During the last five or six years, those pictures have often told a story.  I have a few journals made up of pictures I've taken and words God has spoken to me through them.  The last few months I have found this gift has seemed to dry up.  I've taken my camera out and just can't seem to take a picture that moves my soul.  If this form of expression is not coming naturally, do I let it go or do I try harder to engage it?  Last week I went away to the Lake District, one of the most beautifully stunning places on earth in my opinion, and I conciously decided not to even take my camera.  

And that was when it dawned on me...the camera that was so useful and meaningful in one season is not going to be helpful in this next bit, where it seems God's invitation is for me to experience the moments.  This does not mean it was wrong before, or that it will not return again one day, but I'm pretty sure there is a metaphor for life in that God does seem to be inviting me to enjoy the moments without so much concern about capturing and regurgitating them.

I have a feeling that I do this with God as well.  When a lightbulb goes on or I have a profound thought, I immediately want to capture it, to share it, to save it so I can pull it out in the desert and feed myself.  But God has given this moment like manna.  If I don't enjoy it now, if I am too quick to capture it, articulate it, to figure out what it means and pass it on, I have lost it.

May we learn to enjoy God in the moments, to listen to what he is saying daily, and savour his presence with us.

Amen.

 

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Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 3:13 pm

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