A snippet from OtR's latest newsletter:
Woke up this morning on the farm, on the blurry edge of the world, mist rising off the fields, the embryo of a new day breaking open, pink and lavender spreading like a hopeful rumor in the east. A glowing crescent was clinging to the edge of the still-high moon like a spooning lover. A patient hawk sat silent in the dead elm, the goldfinches waking up, the first hummingbirds arriving at Karin’s feeders, thrumming the invisible harp of the world with their wings.
The morning smelled like a freshly opened bottle of wine – leaves, earth, the damp woods, berries, grass.
There is still more than enough beauty in one morning alone on earth to break a heart wide open.
-- Linford Detweiler
...mine's cracked; how about yours?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Difficult Circumstances and Intimacy with Christ
As we wait, we can fix our eyes on Jesus as a companion who empathizes with our suffering and a Savior who is working behind the scenes. Difficult circumstances seem to increase our ability to experience intimacy with Christ.
-- Ruthann Ridley
The more stories I hear, the more this seems true. It certainly seems true in my life.
-- Ruthann Ridley
The more stories I hear, the more this seems true. It certainly seems true in my life.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Blindness
One great power of sin is that it blinds men so that they do not recognize its true character.
-- Andrew Murray
This seems quite true, doesn't it? In many respects, our sin(s) dull our sensitivity to God...our awareness of Him, even our interest in His ways. It blinds us, so that we don't see Him as clearly as we otherwise might. Perhaps this is why our prayers and songs acknowledge the phrase, 'Open our eyes, Lord....' It is as much confession, as desire.
There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
-- Chris Tomlin
...more on blindness and sin.
-- Andrew Murray
This seems quite true, doesn't it? In many respects, our sin(s) dull our sensitivity to God...our awareness of Him, even our interest in His ways. It blinds us, so that we don't see Him as clearly as we otherwise might. Perhaps this is why our prayers and songs acknowledge the phrase, 'Open our eyes, Lord....' It is as much confession, as desire.
There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
-- Chris Tomlin
...more on blindness and sin.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Circumstances and Goodness
Our circumstances are not an accurate reflection of God's goodness. Whether life is good or bad, God's goodness, rooted in His character, is the same.
-- Helen Grace Lescheid
-- Helen Grace Lescheid
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Mystery
If there were no mystery man would not feel his corruption; if there were light man could not hope for a cure. Thus, it is not only right but useful for us that God should be partly concealed and partly revealed, since it is equally dangerous for man to know God without knowing his own wretchedness as to know his wretchedness without knowing God.
-- Blaise Pascal
-- Blaise Pascal
Sunday, July 17, 2011
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!
'For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counsellor?'
'Or who has given a gift to him,
to receive a gift in return?'
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
-- Romans 11:33-12:2
I think I've missed the intent behind 'living sacrifice' by not connecting the verses before it. First, I suspect that I can only present myself to God by appealing to His mercy. ...it is not primarily an act of self-control (as I have so often thought), as it is a act of submission to His mercy...by acknowledging that I need His mercy. Second, the use of my body is the result of the use of my mind, particularly its renewal. My side of things is really more about how I conform to this world and His side is the transformation that can occur when I stop trying to conform.
Stopping this (conforming) is a real challenge, until I realize how much power God has over things...thus the prior OT quote. When my heart bursts with awareness of 'O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!', the desire to conform is highly mitigated.
'For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counsellor?'
'Or who has given a gift to him,
to receive a gift in return?'
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
-- Romans 11:33-12:2
I think I've missed the intent behind 'living sacrifice' by not connecting the verses before it. First, I suspect that I can only present myself to God by appealing to His mercy. ...it is not primarily an act of self-control (as I have so often thought), as it is a act of submission to His mercy...by acknowledging that I need His mercy. Second, the use of my body is the result of the use of my mind, particularly its renewal. My side of things is really more about how I conform to this world and His side is the transformation that can occur when I stop trying to conform.
Stopping this (conforming) is a real challenge, until I realize how much power God has over things...thus the prior OT quote. When my heart bursts with awareness of 'O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!', the desire to conform is highly mitigated.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Beauty and Strength
One of the naturally most compelling forces in life is true strength. It is hard not to admire it, whenever we see it. Perhaps even more powerful is true beauty, which can slay the mightiest of things. When combined, little is more life-giving to the world.
...that's a good place to leave it, but an opposite is also true and worth mentioning, particularly in the human arena of this. Admitting weakness is sometimes a very strong thing to do. And, acknowledging our lack of beauty...is a most beautiful thing
...that's a good place to leave it, but an opposite is also true and worth mentioning, particularly in the human arena of this. Admitting weakness is sometimes a very strong thing to do. And, acknowledging our lack of beauty...is a most beautiful thing
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Fitting Time
For certain things are not refused us, but their granting is delayed to a fitting time.
-- St. Augustine
-- St. Augustine
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Worry
Worry is a misuse of imagination.
-- Dan Zadra
...got this one from a good friend, Jim Eisenbraun.
I suspect this isn't what Dan had in mind, but here's where my mind went today regarding 'worry is the misuse of imagination'.
So, why might this be true? Well, for starters, what might we tend to worry about? If we were honest, we could make a long list and whether we actually do so or not, we have such a list and it is pretty long. I've realized that I've been worried lately. I didn't even recognize it, but I think that's what I've been doing. Why do we worry about the things on our lists? What is at the root of nearly all of our worries? I suspect that it is, in fact, a kind of loss of imagination...of letting God be God in our lives; over the things we worry about. We don't imagine much more than what we see, so we take over. Which often just leads us to...more worry about how we're doing. So we really aren't imagining much of Him at all. ...and that seems like a misuse of imagination to me.
What are you worried about today?
-- Dan Zadra
...got this one from a good friend, Jim Eisenbraun.
I suspect this isn't what Dan had in mind, but here's where my mind went today regarding 'worry is the misuse of imagination'.
So, why might this be true? Well, for starters, what might we tend to worry about? If we were honest, we could make a long list and whether we actually do so or not, we have such a list and it is pretty long. I've realized that I've been worried lately. I didn't even recognize it, but I think that's what I've been doing. Why do we worry about the things on our lists? What is at the root of nearly all of our worries? I suspect that it is, in fact, a kind of loss of imagination...of letting God be God in our lives; over the things we worry about. We don't imagine much more than what we see, so we take over. Which often just leads us to...more worry about how we're doing. So we really aren't imagining much of Him at all. ...and that seems like a misuse of imagination to me.
What are you worried about today?
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