The Sign

The people asked for a sign to prop up their faith,
But you refused.

So they made their own by carving into wood
“King of the Jews,”

And nailed it to the cross above your crown of thorns;
Headline of The Good News.

The Entry-Point

Cudos to the Kingdomtide Reader from Asbury this fall; it has been helpful in my quiet time each morning. Some excerpts from this morning's devotion are difficult to really digest, but very true.

"Anyone who intends to come with me must let me lead. Don't run from suffering, embrace it."

"They are difficult words, but they are the entry-point to the Kingdom. It is in self-denial, in considering others better than ourselves, that we truly live...(because) through the conflict of our self interests we will destroy one another."

The idea here is not to find creative and unique ways to hurt ourselves or make ourselves miserable; it is not suffering for suffering's sake. Rather, those who try to keep their lives by hoarding the positive somehow wind up with their own little kingdom bereft of life and love. Those who share the positive in ever-increasing ways enter into the kindom of life and love.

One problem is that there is a competing kingdom - the world - with values counter to the Kingdom of Heaven. This counter-kingdom screams for us to lead our own lives, to eliminate suffering, to obtain power, pleasure and self-security. It, like Peter's response to Jesus' announcement that he must suffer and die, tells us that self-denial and love of others is flat out insane...maybe even stupid.

Finally, this line; "we should first learn to live our lives with the Lord in secret, and learn the lesson of love while we sit at his feet. Then let us go love and serve our fellow-beings as we love our own selves." This is the key to self-denial - to be so filled with the truth of God's love, grace and acceptance that we don't need to earn value or seek the praise of others. It protects us from self-denial for self's sake. We love and serve out of an overflow of love rather than mustering up our own altruism.

Sharing

Blessed - bless
Forgiven - forgive
Loved - love
Reconciled - reconcile

Lord, may your gifts to me overflow to those whom you bring my way this day.

CNN Advocates Praying for Your Enemy...Sort of

I just watched a report on CNN about how to reduce your stress. The report was made in response to the stress that the financial downturn is causing. They're suggestion? "Compassion Meditation." What is that, you ask? Well, it is thinking of something or someone you don't like and then thinking good thoughts and wishing good things for them.

What does that sound like? Sure sounds a lot like "but I say, pray for your enemies..." Of course their report had information about breathing techniques to quiet yourself (is this a Holy Spirit thing?) and visualization techniques - non threatening images (like Jesus?). I actually thought they would talk to someone who would make this connection, but instead it was the Dalai Lama.

The Big Difference

It seems to me, as I've been reflecting on some readings, that there is a big difference between God and Satan (no kidding?!?) in terms of their calls to us.

God desires to lead us toward inner peace, joy and love - but most likely this will mean sacrifice and suffering; losing our lives to gain them. God loves us and is always drawing the best out in us. He convicts us but always in a manner that says "This is not who you are."

Satan desires to lead us toward selfish pursuit of the things we want, but it will mean internal destruction; comfort at the expense of our souls. Satan uses us and is quite fond of pointing out the worst in us because when we accept his condemnation that says, "That's exactly who you are," he gains control over us.

twitter dee or twitter dum

do you know about this new thing called twitter. i'm sure it does more than this, but basically it allows you to update what you are doing almost continuously. i know this is going to sound judgmental, but it isn't meant that way at all. there is someone i greatly respect who "twitters," so it's not about anybody using it.

it's just this - it seems a bit presumptuous to me. i'm one that can't stand the E! network phenomenon - fame for fame's sake. we hear about people who may or may not be famous; about their every move until someone is made famous by their own famousness if that makes sense.

it seems to me that twitter is the E! channel for the more pedestrian; my own show about nothing but me that i actually think people will watch. i suppose blogging is not far off of that - though i find blogging to be for me...working my thoughts out. i already know where i am and what i'm doing, so i don't blog about that. on the other hand, i do update my status on facebook, and that is not far away from twitter.

i guess it just dawned on me that it is pretty sad to think of a person who is actually sitting around watching someone else's twitter messages, pregnant with anticipation of the next update; "now i'm on the crapper." whoa, what could be next!

no offense twitter-ers, but somehow the existence of such a thing points to a broken world.

Intruder Alert

I'm reading the Asbury Kingdomtide Reader as a devotional this fall. Today's reading had this to say; "The Kingdom was supposed to fit our plans and agendas, but instead it is disruptive. He calls for life-change, for others-centeredness, for repentance. But it is too uncomfortable to repent; we'd rather wait around for a sign. We're not budging until we have reason to."

Then on the cover of the reader, I notice the Message translation of Romans 12:1; "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering."

Our plans, our life...offering? This isn't a time-tithe request, it is a full-on request to lay our lives upon the altar in response to Jesus' laying his there for us. This IS disruptive. Asking for signs - and we all do that, by the way - is just consumerism in response to a call for charity. How much of my life is asking for more from God when he's already given it all and how much of it is me giving my life up to "do the will of my Father in heaven?"