Richard Dahlstrom blew me away today. I have heard a lot of sermons/lectures/thoughts on Luke 18:18-25, but Dahlstrom raises an important (and typically over looked) question- what is eternal life? Some sort of after life, right? I certainly think of that, and I (and Dahlstrom) would venture to guess most people do as well. But Dahlstrom says that the after life isn't the kind of eternal life Jesus is getting at.
The eternal life Jesus is giving us is a life right here and now that is eternal. That we are able to live a life that is eternal because we have a life that is regenerative. Wow.
Though I deeply believe that Jesus came to give us life before, not just after death (I have to admit I stole that phrase nearly directly from Shane Claiborne) and that we are able to transform the world we live in bringing the kingdom of God to earth, Dahlstrom's idea just blew me away. Eternal life is such a power concept, but can also seem like such a distant idea. The idea that the life we are living right now, at this very moment and not just some future life can be eternal is astounding.
11.3.08
10.3.08
Ruach Elohim
I was walking across the Washington Avenue bridge today and something really hit me. Maybe it's because now that it's daylight's saving time I was walking into the sunset, maybe it's because it is starting to feel like spring or maybe it's because I have so my to process from yesterday and this morning. Whatever it was, for the first time in much too long I noticed the wind. I definitely have noticed the wind chill the past couple of weeks, but it has been a very long time since I've noticed it otherwise.
The Hebrew word used for Genesis that has been translated into our Bibles as "spirit" is the same word that is used for wind. The first image of God in the Bible is of wind, of motion, of restlessness. All through the scriptures, God is restless. God is never letting the world be, even when things may be going reasonably well. God is not about to settle for anything less than the world being an embodiment of his divine love.
Feeling the wind this afternoon I realized how long it has been since I have truly appreciated something as beautiful. How long since I have experienced something so powerful I've gotten goosebumps. How long it has been since I've been honest with myself.
For months I've been incredibly restless and felt as if I have no where to go with it. Of course, my restlessness only grew. I became so incredibly frustrated. So, like all of my brilliant plans that end up failing, I decided to ignore it in hopes that I would wake up one morning and not be restless anymore (well, the quasi-hope because my greatest fear is that very thought). Obviously and thankfully, that plan didn't work out so well.
My restlessness drives me absolutely crazy. But in reality, it is exactly what is keeping me from going crazy.
The Hebrew word used for Genesis that has been translated into our Bibles as "spirit" is the same word that is used for wind. The first image of God in the Bible is of wind, of motion, of restlessness. All through the scriptures, God is restless. God is never letting the world be, even when things may be going reasonably well. God is not about to settle for anything less than the world being an embodiment of his divine love.
Feeling the wind this afternoon I realized how long it has been since I have truly appreciated something as beautiful. How long since I have experienced something so powerful I've gotten goosebumps. How long it has been since I've been honest with myself.
For months I've been incredibly restless and felt as if I have no where to go with it. Of course, my restlessness only grew. I became so incredibly frustrated. So, like all of my brilliant plans that end up failing, I decided to ignore it in hopes that I would wake up one morning and not be restless anymore (well, the quasi-hope because my greatest fear is that very thought). Obviously and thankfully, that plan didn't work out so well.
My restlessness drives me absolutely crazy. But in reality, it is exactly what is keeping me from going crazy.
8.3.08
Do not fear, for I am your God
It's hard for me to believe that tomorrow (or perhaps today by the time I've finished writing this) is the last Sunday of Lent. Ash Wednesday seems like just days ago, rather than many weeks ago. At the beginning of this journey I chose a word to see me through Lent, and tied a ribbon to my wrist to keep it with me.
In retrospect, this has been a time of deep healing. The beginning of Lent count not have been better timed- it began right as my grandparents' health problems and my family life as a whole imploded.
The call during the first week of Lent saying that the doctors thought my grandpa might not make it completely broadsided me. The one thing I was completely unequipped to deal with was suddenly brought to the forefront of my life. Not only that, I was also fighting to keep the family from falling apart. The problem was I was falling apart and moreover absolutely beyond the point terrified.
But Tyler brought up an interesting facet of fear. Fear is always based on the future, the what if. Fear is never grounded in the present. "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love" (2 Tim 1:7). So, in the words of Tyler, I chose to do everything in my power to "curl up into the fetal position." The word I chose for lent before this even began ended up being exactly what I have relied on for the past five weeks- Grace. Difficult was it is, I decided to fall into grace, rather than into fear.
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
There has been a whole lot of healing (physically and emotionally) for my family and I this Lent. But Biblically speaking, 40 days is a time of preparation and though I've made progress as we're nearing the end of lent I have no idea what I have been prepared for. I made a decision to put my family first and I am incredibly glad that I did. Now that that is no longer a necessity and I've had a chance to catch my breath I realize I have no idea where I am headed. But alas, the 40 days aren't over just yet, who knows what may happen before then (especially after Shane Claiborne kicks my butt some more this Monday). A new direction may be coming yet.
In retrospect, this has been a time of deep healing. The beginning of Lent count not have been better timed- it began right as my grandparents' health problems and my family life as a whole imploded.
The call during the first week of Lent saying that the doctors thought my grandpa might not make it completely broadsided me. The one thing I was completely unequipped to deal with was suddenly brought to the forefront of my life. Not only that, I was also fighting to keep the family from falling apart. The problem was I was falling apart and moreover absolutely beyond the point terrified.
But Tyler brought up an interesting facet of fear. Fear is always based on the future, the what if. Fear is never grounded in the present. "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love" (2 Tim 1:7). So, in the words of Tyler, I chose to do everything in my power to "curl up into the fetal position." The word I chose for lent before this even began ended up being exactly what I have relied on for the past five weeks- Grace. Difficult was it is, I decided to fall into grace, rather than into fear.
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
There has been a whole lot of healing (physically and emotionally) for my family and I this Lent. But Biblically speaking, 40 days is a time of preparation and though I've made progress as we're nearing the end of lent I have no idea what I have been prepared for. I made a decision to put my family first and I am incredibly glad that I did. Now that that is no longer a necessity and I've had a chance to catch my breath I realize I have no idea where I am headed. But alas, the 40 days aren't over just yet, who knows what may happen before then (especially after Shane Claiborne kicks my butt some more this Monday). A new direction may be coming yet.
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