poetry

the 'orchard thieves' blew it
embarrassed, their cover gone,
ever since they've been
trying to get back in
and go for the other tree
        - RFM

You, plural, describing the church . . .

We've been blessed with many new, good, enlightening translations of the Bible, and I, for one, am glad. My college Greek is long ago withered, and I never studied Hebrew. The "thees and thous" of old translations are foreign language any more. That is good.

But one little word, "ye", Y - E, was a valuable word-- the plural of "you", Y-O-U, because in several places we read it as for individuals, for ourself, when it is meant to include the whole body of believers.

For example, in I Corinthians 3:16 our modern English reads "you are the temple of God" and the old versions read "YE are the temple of God." What's the difference? Later on(6:19) it does read "your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit" which I understand to mean me, my body, personally. But here "ye" means that together, you and I, and the whole mystical union which is the redeemed body of Christ--all those imperfect people we worship with as well as all our warts an all-- we, together, are where God dwells on earth, and where God meets human life as it happens.

Looking for the glory . .

. . .so elusive, and yet it is there in surprising places . . like a shining coming through the trees . .. it is the love of Jesus almost always unconsciously given . . . broken bread that feeds the giver . . . it is not ours but we can share it . . .

Thoughts about glory . . .

I've been thinking about glory lately . . . not notoriety, or fame, or praise, or anything about 'me' at all . . . but glory as in love, as in shining, as in Presence, as in wonder . . . glory that cannot really be parsed out and explained or earned or deserved . . . the glory of being loved and the glory of knowing God is loving through you, too.

Three Great Things

The Great Commission--
We need to tell the world God is GOOD! That God the Good News is for everyone who will call on the name of the Lord...
The Great Commandment--
The hallmark of the Church is LOVE! If we love God and belong to God, then we had better learn to love God's people . . . even the ones who think we're too (liberal, fundamentalist, Catholic, conservative, fillin the blank) . . and even the ones with which we disagree in the details. If they say "Jesus is Lord!" be careful how you judge...
The Great Promise--
The LIFE of the Church is the Holy Spirit! We can be filled! Luke 11:13 is just one of many promises that we may have God indwelling us day by day! "If you being evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more will the Father give the Holy Spirt to those who ask Him?"

Walking by Faith

Psalm 107 begins by saying, by exhorting "Oh give thanks to the LORD for He is good!" And then commanding "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so." Say what? That God is GOOD!

Then the Psalm goes on to give four examples of people in trouble . . . people who cry out to the LORD. In every case when they cry out God hears and answers. Then comes the refrain:

Oh that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

Just now I am in trouble . . . in a spiritual and physical and relational crisis . . . praying for a loved one's physical healing . . .praying God to intervene in a desperate situation. It is for all those involved a Gethsemene.

I want to affirm here and now that God is GOOD! His mercy endures forever! I desperately want God to give a miracle! I ask God for the faith we need to see God's GLORY shone (John 11:40).

End of the World and Fundamentalism

The Harold Camping prediction has brought to the world's attention the absolute folly of fundamentalism; of Christians who give answers to questions that are actually shrouded in mystery, and who need to control the interpretation of scripture. They are equally to blame with the very intelligent theologians and scholars who also need to make control pronouncements explaining away the supernatural; who tell us what God is and is not.
The fact remains that our Truth is a Word spoken by God; what is written down is not true because it is written down, but it was written down because it is True. That Word is beyond "explanation." We can KNOW the Word, but only as the Word chooses to be made known to us. I believe the Word is speaking, has spoken, will continue speaking. I am trying to listen.