Matthew 17:7 - And Jesus came to them and touched them saying, "Arise and fear not."
So easy to say and so hard to trust God. There are so many areas where I fall short of this. I can't even trust my spouse - how can I trust God. In some ways those are the same thing. Trusting God that whatever my spouse does things will be okay. I just see so many people for whom they are not okay. Forgotten people, lost people. It makes it hard for me to trust that I will be okay.
And yet. That is what Jesus asks us to do - fear not. Trust me. I am here. Today I choose to start over - already screwed this up! - and trust, trust, trust. Even if I have to keep going back and starting over. It will come. For me, possibly on my death bed ...
B
Monday, October 31, 2016
Monday, October 24, 2016
Beloved
Matthew 17:5 - While he was still speaking, look, a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved son, listen to him."
Outside of what a bright cloud overshadowing someone would be like, I think we forget that Jesus is not the only beloved of God. Jesus is yes, and we are too. Whether you want to say we're adopted or natural children of God, we are God's beloved - and so is everyone else. There is so much love that we all have it and God still has love left over. Love will never run out. God's love will never run out at least. And we can be grateful and joyful for that!
What are we called to do in response to this abundant, overflowing, overshadowing love? Love God, love ourselves, love others. It always comes down to love.
B
Outside of what a bright cloud overshadowing someone would be like, I think we forget that Jesus is not the only beloved of God. Jesus is yes, and we are too. Whether you want to say we're adopted or natural children of God, we are God's beloved - and so is everyone else. There is so much love that we all have it and God still has love left over. Love will never run out. God's love will never run out at least. And we can be grateful and joyful for that!
What are we called to do in response to this abundant, overflowing, overshadowing love? Love God, love ourselves, love others. It always comes down to love.
B
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Prolonging the Vision
Matthew 17:4 - And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents; one for you, on for Moses and one for Elijah."
Yes, we want to stay in the power of God, we want to stay in the vision and prolong the communion with God as long as possible. Sometimes I think we are meant to relate to Peter rather than judge him for his obtuseness. We try and fail. We, too, want to prolong joy and comfort rather than be in the world and work for our families and others. We, too, want to leave the world behind sometimes and it's good to do so.
But we cannot live there. We can only take our lives as they come and alter our plans to suit the need of our community and ourselves. Jesus calls us to work - the harvest is ready and the laborers are few.
Yet we cannot always work. And when we sit for a few minutes or meditate or pray, we are gaining strength - as jesus is doing here - for the work ahead. Having a balance is crucial.
B
Yes, we want to stay in the power of God, we want to stay in the vision and prolong the communion with God as long as possible. Sometimes I think we are meant to relate to Peter rather than judge him for his obtuseness. We try and fail. We, too, want to prolong joy and comfort rather than be in the world and work for our families and others. We, too, want to leave the world behind sometimes and it's good to do so.
But we cannot live there. We can only take our lives as they come and alter our plans to suit the need of our community and ourselves. Jesus calls us to work - the harvest is ready and the laborers are few.
Yet we cannot always work. And when we sit for a few minutes or meditate or pray, we are gaining strength - as jesus is doing here - for the work ahead. Having a balance is crucial.
B
Monday, October 17, 2016
Moses and Elijah
Matthew 17:3 - And there appeared Moses and Elijah with him, talking to him.
Now, I want to know what they were talking about, right? Were they encouraging him? praying with him? giving him information? Moses and Elijah - friends of God in the person of Jesus.
And what were the disciples thinking? Well, we find out what Peter is thinking but not James and John. I think Moses and Elijah come to underscore the vision as a theophany, in case there was any doubt. Jesus continues to show them who he is in his true self and relation to the prophets. And we are shown this as well.
The question, as always, is what will we do with this information?
B
Now, I want to know what they were talking about, right? Were they encouraging him? praying with him? giving him information? Moses and Elijah - friends of God in the person of Jesus.
And what were the disciples thinking? Well, we find out what Peter is thinking but not James and John. I think Moses and Elijah come to underscore the vision as a theophany, in case there was any doubt. Jesus continues to show them who he is in his true self and relation to the prophets. And we are shown this as well.
The question, as always, is what will we do with this information?
B
Friday, October 14, 2016
Transfiguration
Matthew 17:2 - And he was transformed before them, and his face shone like the sun and his robe became as white as light.
In a time and place without electricity or very good laundry (did they even clean their clothes? poor slaves), whiteness and light were symbols of purity. I'm pretty sure this is why we still think of those things as pure. Light gives us eyes, helps us see. This transformation signals to us that Jesus is otherworldly - He is God in the flesh.
They are seeing God/Jesus as he truly is. And they live. They don't yet understand, but they live.
B
In a time and place without electricity or very good laundry (did they even clean their clothes? poor slaves), whiteness and light were symbols of purity. I'm pretty sure this is why we still think of those things as pure. Light gives us eyes, helps us see. This transformation signals to us that Jesus is otherworldly - He is God in the flesh.
They are seeing God/Jesus as he truly is. And they live. They don't yet understand, but they live.
B
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Apart
Matthew 17:1 - After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, his brother, up a high mountain apart.
Apart for quiet time, for teaching known only to those three. Apart. The word pricks our ears to pay attention to what happens in the following verses. We are being let in on the secret.
But also, as always, apart to pray.
B
Apart for quiet time, for teaching known only to those three. Apart. The word pricks our ears to pay attention to what happens in the following verses. We are being let in on the secret.
But also, as always, apart to pray.
B
Thursday, October 6, 2016
The coming Kingdom
Matthew 16:27-28 - For the Son of Man intends to come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he will repay every person for what they have done. Truly I say to you there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
Aside from the fact that all those who heard him (who were standing there) did die, this is an interesting passage. He is announcing to all that he is coming back and the day of judgment that the Jewish people awaited would include him. He is announcing his divinity. And he is announcing a divine accounting of everyone. Justice will come to Israel and the world.
THe second line could be read as both warning and promise! A warning to those who were on the top and not paying attention to those on the bottom and a promise to the poor, hungry, lame, imprisoned that their suffering was noticed by God and would soon end. And we are still awaiting that judgment - and we are still in need of that judgment - that correction even if we were not standing there.
B
Aside from the fact that all those who heard him (who were standing there) did die, this is an interesting passage. He is announcing to all that he is coming back and the day of judgment that the Jewish people awaited would include him. He is announcing his divinity. And he is announcing a divine accounting of everyone. Justice will come to Israel and the world.
THe second line could be read as both warning and promise! A warning to those who were on the top and not paying attention to those on the bottom and a promise to the poor, hungry, lame, imprisoned that their suffering was noticed by God and would soon end. And we are still awaiting that judgment - and we are still in need of that judgment - that correction even if we were not standing there.
B
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Losing one's soul
Matthew 16:25 - For whoever would save their soul/spirit would lose it and whoever would lose their soul would find it.
Having lost my soul/spirit, I can say that I'd rather find it. The paradox of finding it by losing it or losing it by finding it. See, the thing is, we need to have a sense of self, of our spirit to lose. It took me til my 40s to have such a sense. Then giving it to God - losing it - has given me more and better. Don't get me wrong, life is hard in many ways for everyone. Yet, when I did not have a sense of who I am, life was much harder. I was lost.
Those who would save their spirits/souls as they are - flawed - and not grow will lose even what they have. Those who chose to lose their souls/spirits to God, will grow their spirits, their capacity for love and compassion. Empathy. It requires being vulnerable, willing to lose. It requires making that choice every day. Some days I chose well, others I choose badly. Today, I want to choose well.
B
Having lost my soul/spirit, I can say that I'd rather find it. The paradox of finding it by losing it or losing it by finding it. See, the thing is, we need to have a sense of self, of our spirit to lose. It took me til my 40s to have such a sense. Then giving it to God - losing it - has given me more and better. Don't get me wrong, life is hard in many ways for everyone. Yet, when I did not have a sense of who I am, life was much harder. I was lost.
Those who would save their spirits/souls as they are - flawed - and not grow will lose even what they have. Those who chose to lose their souls/spirits to God, will grow their spirits, their capacity for love and compassion. Empathy. It requires being vulnerable, willing to lose. It requires making that choice every day. Some days I chose well, others I choose badly. Today, I want to choose well.
B
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