i want nothing more than knowing God.
nothing less than his mystery and
nothing more than what is his truest identity.
i want nothing more than knowing God.
i want to be drawn so close to him that I can
hear his breath
i want to feel his fingers run through my hair
and have him prune my life;
however that may look or feel.
i want nothing more than knowing God.
for his concern is not appearance but rather
heart.
rip my heart out of my chest and examine it under a microscope.
use your magnifying glass to see if there is any unworthy way in me.
teach me how to "let go"
making me become exactly how my Father saw me from the womb.
creation made a choice,
and though i may not make the correct or sensible move everytime,
teach me how to be humble.
show me ways in which i can express, receive and demonstrate humility.
show me ways in which i can love backwards.
for love isn't always forwards.
love isn't just a kiss and then a pulling away.
the love of God is so much more.
it is truly the love that lasts after the kiss and
penetrates the heart.
i want nothing more than knowing God.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
to be alone with me (us)
This morning, I woke up with the chorus of a song in my head:
"To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree."
Last night I was worried about a lot of things that are ultimately out of my control. I was driving to meet a friend and the "what if's" started to knock on my door. I tell my friends that the "what if's" will destroy but until you experience the battle, it becomes a mere phrase that covers a large wound.
As I turned the corner of my street just before the highway, I caught sight of something absolutely spectacular. A sunset. I was completely in awe of such beauty. The shades of blues, yellows and whites were intricately woven together across the horizon of the skyline. It was a picture that no painter could have ever produced. Creation was the author.
In this moment, I was reminded that God is in control. It is not by my doing that the sunset was beautifully formed or that the grass turned green. No. I cannot do these extraordinary things that are so simple for God to do. Instead, I stand as a breathless child who experiences a rainbow for the first time.
Last night, I was mesmerized by such indescribable beauty and comforted by the truth that it's ok. It's quite all right that I do not possess nor have all the answers to all the questions that tumble around in my mind. It's quite all right that I may not know exactly what happens today, tomorrow or ten years from now. For when I get worried and long for unending assurance, God wraps me in a hug. The kind of hug that a mother gives to her child after she falls and scrapes her knee. Or when a guy and girl who are in love just sit and gaze at each other, each equally lost in the amazement that they could be loved by someone. God gives us this universal hug that crosses all bridges in order for us to give that love to someone else. His beauty is nature, his face is found in the homeless and his heart is nailed up on the cross for all to see. We can choose to walk by the human statue or stop, take it in, and ask "what then shall I do?"
"To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree."
Last night I was worried about a lot of things that are ultimately out of my control. I was driving to meet a friend and the "what if's" started to knock on my door. I tell my friends that the "what if's" will destroy but until you experience the battle, it becomes a mere phrase that covers a large wound.
As I turned the corner of my street just before the highway, I caught sight of something absolutely spectacular. A sunset. I was completely in awe of such beauty. The shades of blues, yellows and whites were intricately woven together across the horizon of the skyline. It was a picture that no painter could have ever produced. Creation was the author.
In this moment, I was reminded that God is in control. It is not by my doing that the sunset was beautifully formed or that the grass turned green. No. I cannot do these extraordinary things that are so simple for God to do. Instead, I stand as a breathless child who experiences a rainbow for the first time.
Last night, I was mesmerized by such indescribable beauty and comforted by the truth that it's ok. It's quite all right that I do not possess nor have all the answers to all the questions that tumble around in my mind. It's quite all right that I may not know exactly what happens today, tomorrow or ten years from now. For when I get worried and long for unending assurance, God wraps me in a hug. The kind of hug that a mother gives to her child after she falls and scrapes her knee. Or when a guy and girl who are in love just sit and gaze at each other, each equally lost in the amazement that they could be loved by someone. God gives us this universal hug that crosses all bridges in order for us to give that love to someone else. His beauty is nature, his face is found in the homeless and his heart is nailed up on the cross for all to see. We can choose to walk by the human statue or stop, take it in, and ask "what then shall I do?"
Friday, June 25, 2010
empty my cup
In his book, The Importance of Being Foolish, writer Brennan Manning describes the love of Jesus as "kenosis - a total self-emptying." I could go on and on with examples and my own interpretation of what this kind of love is, but the fact of the matter is that if I do indeed do this, then I/we lose all understanding of Jesus' love. Therefore, in order to find out exactly what kenosis is, we must look at examples from the Bible in order to even begin to grasp such a foreign concept.
Many instances that Jesus had with his followers describe this kind of self-giving self-sacrifical love. I will only refer to a few of them. First, Jesus encounters a woman who was going to be stoned. This instance reminds me of a bunch of cats circling around a little mouse. Obviously, the mouse has nowhere to hide and is bound to be dinner for the intruding felines. In a similiar way, a group of men wanted to stone a woman. Jesus comes in and says: "Whoever is without sin, may you cast the first stone." Jesus completely revealed himself to the men and the woman by allowing his true nature to be exposed. He dealt with a conflicting situation with words rather than with violence. Jesus put himself out there for another person. He not only interacted with women who were considered lowly and without importance, but he treated both sexes with care and unbelievable compassion.
A second encounter worth mentioning is when Jesus heals the man born blind. Imagine being born without sight and a man comes up to you and puts mud on your eyes. In an instant, you are healed. Here, Jesus heals with a simple touch. Yet, this touch goes far beyond the physical healing of sight that this man longed for. This encounter was an expression of the Father's love through his son Jesus; a love that looked beyond social status, class, income, career, family, health, etc. straight to the heart of the person. Jesus had this innate ability to have compassion for anyone that he came into contact with. Jesus was able to look at a person and see a reflection of himself.
Which leads me to my third example. The one that is probably the most cliche of all in our culture yet the one loaded with meaning and significance. Jesus' crucifixion. Aside from the symboliism that the Gospel writers use to describe Jesus' death, the love, the kenosis, is found here. It is found in the blood that Jesus shed, in the words that he uttered, in the way that he lived his life not for himself, but for other people. Jesus was not a force to be reckoned with. He was a human with feelings, passions, desires, hopes and dreams just like all of us. He longed to be held, to be touched, to be told those three simple words that young lovers tell each other: "I love you."
So, how do we live the kenosis kind of love? It's not a simple, three step process. It is a daily reminder that without God, I cannot live this way on my own. It is a daily reminder that his grace is free and that I can do nothing to earn his gift of salvation. It is accepting that his death is already completed, and yet, it is a daily dying to myself; laying down the mindset that "It's my way." It's an outpouring of love that knows no limits and goes to the ends of the earth for a friend. It's a love that is a constant reminder of humility. It is a love that is similiar to that of an expecting mother. She loves her child though she has not seen him/her yet. As one of the writers in the Bible says: "You knew me before I was born. You knit me together in my mother's womb." It's loving another person not because of their college degree or lack thereof; its looking at a person, feeling that tug in your heart and seeing yourself in them.
That's the kind of kenosis love that Jesus gave.
For me, it is a daily struggle to love this way. It's giving up my impulses in order to see another fellow neighbor rise in the sunlight. By myself, its impossible to do this. But with God, I know its possible because everyday, I am experiencing a little bit more of this love that Jesus so often displayed and talked about. It is this love that is one of the two greatest commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself." You can't have one without the other. You can't say that you love God and hate your neighbor (or visa - vis.) They are, indeed, mutually exclusive.
I'll leave you with one last thought from the Bible.
"Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends."
Imagine if we all loved in this way.
How different would our world be?
Many instances that Jesus had with his followers describe this kind of self-giving self-sacrifical love. I will only refer to a few of them. First, Jesus encounters a woman who was going to be stoned. This instance reminds me of a bunch of cats circling around a little mouse. Obviously, the mouse has nowhere to hide and is bound to be dinner for the intruding felines. In a similiar way, a group of men wanted to stone a woman. Jesus comes in and says: "Whoever is without sin, may you cast the first stone." Jesus completely revealed himself to the men and the woman by allowing his true nature to be exposed. He dealt with a conflicting situation with words rather than with violence. Jesus put himself out there for another person. He not only interacted with women who were considered lowly and without importance, but he treated both sexes with care and unbelievable compassion.
A second encounter worth mentioning is when Jesus heals the man born blind. Imagine being born without sight and a man comes up to you and puts mud on your eyes. In an instant, you are healed. Here, Jesus heals with a simple touch. Yet, this touch goes far beyond the physical healing of sight that this man longed for. This encounter was an expression of the Father's love through his son Jesus; a love that looked beyond social status, class, income, career, family, health, etc. straight to the heart of the person. Jesus had this innate ability to have compassion for anyone that he came into contact with. Jesus was able to look at a person and see a reflection of himself.
Which leads me to my third example. The one that is probably the most cliche of all in our culture yet the one loaded with meaning and significance. Jesus' crucifixion. Aside from the symboliism that the Gospel writers use to describe Jesus' death, the love, the kenosis, is found here. It is found in the blood that Jesus shed, in the words that he uttered, in the way that he lived his life not for himself, but for other people. Jesus was not a force to be reckoned with. He was a human with feelings, passions, desires, hopes and dreams just like all of us. He longed to be held, to be touched, to be told those three simple words that young lovers tell each other: "I love you."
So, how do we live the kenosis kind of love? It's not a simple, three step process. It is a daily reminder that without God, I cannot live this way on my own. It is a daily reminder that his grace is free and that I can do nothing to earn his gift of salvation. It is accepting that his death is already completed, and yet, it is a daily dying to myself; laying down the mindset that "It's my way." It's an outpouring of love that knows no limits and goes to the ends of the earth for a friend. It's a love that is a constant reminder of humility. It is a love that is similiar to that of an expecting mother. She loves her child though she has not seen him/her yet. As one of the writers in the Bible says: "You knew me before I was born. You knit me together in my mother's womb." It's loving another person not because of their college degree or lack thereof; its looking at a person, feeling that tug in your heart and seeing yourself in them.
That's the kind of kenosis love that Jesus gave.
For me, it is a daily struggle to love this way. It's giving up my impulses in order to see another fellow neighbor rise in the sunlight. By myself, its impossible to do this. But with God, I know its possible because everyday, I am experiencing a little bit more of this love that Jesus so often displayed and talked about. It is this love that is one of the two greatest commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself." You can't have one without the other. You can't say that you love God and hate your neighbor (or visa - vis.) They are, indeed, mutually exclusive.
I'll leave you with one last thought from the Bible.
"Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends."
Imagine if we all loved in this way.
How different would our world be?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
One World, One People
Even in the turmoil, God is at work.
Today, I picked up a book called Six Months in Sudan. Written by Dr. James Maskalyk, he tells of his journey to Sudan working with Doctors Without Borders. I have begun reading it and I encourage all of you to read it, too. His blog inspired this book. Check it out at http://www.sixmonthsinsudan.com/.
Despite the oppression, wars and disease there are people who are making a difference. Someday, I hope to serve as this man and many of my friends who are doing. Hats off to those serving here in the U.S. and around the world. To those serving in the army, on college campuses, in teaching children and in many other ways too numerous and beautiful to name, thank you for all that you do. You have impacted me and changed my life in extraordinary ways.
Today, I picked up a book called Six Months in Sudan. Written by Dr. James Maskalyk, he tells of his journey to Sudan working with Doctors Without Borders. I have begun reading it and I encourage all of you to read it, too. His blog inspired this book. Check it out at http://www.sixmonthsinsudan.com/.
Despite the oppression, wars and disease there are people who are making a difference. Someday, I hope to serve as this man and many of my friends who are doing. Hats off to those serving here in the U.S. and around the world. To those serving in the army, on college campuses, in teaching children and in many other ways too numerous and beautiful to name, thank you for all that you do. You have impacted me and changed my life in extraordinary ways.
Monday, June 21, 2010
a barefoot God
My heart is changing.
I know that is an unusual way to begin a sentence, but it is true. Often, I look inwardly, tending to my own house without taking a moment to look out the window. There is so much happening beyond the walls of my home. I take pride in making the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom look presentable. In some ways, I feel as though I am stuck in the 1920s, an era when women stayed home to care for the children and fulfill household chores. I am beginning to realize that if I embody such a lifestyle for myself, I will miss the delight of looking out my window.
You see, there is something spectacular about opening the door of my home to sit outside. There is something right about lying barefoot on the grass and watching the clouds pass by. This is my picture of the "perfect day." This is how I imagine God spending time with me. Lying next to me on the grass, looking up at the sky, oblivious of time, yet holding time in itself. Our lives revolve around scheduling whether its transporting our kids to their soccer practice, having lunch with the in-laws, or planning a wedding. Yet, God is teaching me to not rely on a schedule where I know what's coming in the next 5 minutes, in the next hour, in the next day or even in the next week. He's teaching me to rely on no schedule at all.
God speaks many times in the Bible about "community." But, there are times (even in the scheduling) where he calls me to "get away."
I recently saw the movie, "The Karate Kid." I'm not one for plots that involve fighting but there was something about the movie previews that intrigued me. In one part of the movie, Dre Parker (played by Will Smith's son Jaden Smith) asks Mr. Hun (Jackie Chan), "Are we going to train today?" Mr. Hun says "No." And twelve-year old Dre asks "Why?" Mr. Hun says "Because too much of something can be a bad thing."
Really? "Too much of something can be a bad thing?" Well, if I eat too much ice cream, or watch too much television, or stay up too late on the computer, then yes, too much of something is bad. We all need a break. In Pslam 23, David (the psalmist) paints this picture of God as a Shepherd. He writes that God will always be with us "even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death." I leave you with Psalm 23 and ask you to answer this question, Is God your Shepherd today?
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he lead me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
You don't always have to walk with your shoes on. Sometimes, God is completely content going barefoot; hangin' out beside you on the grass, staring up at the clouds as they effortlessly pass by.
I know that is an unusual way to begin a sentence, but it is true. Often, I look inwardly, tending to my own house without taking a moment to look out the window. There is so much happening beyond the walls of my home. I take pride in making the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom look presentable. In some ways, I feel as though I am stuck in the 1920s, an era when women stayed home to care for the children and fulfill household chores. I am beginning to realize that if I embody such a lifestyle for myself, I will miss the delight of looking out my window.
You see, there is something spectacular about opening the door of my home to sit outside. There is something right about lying barefoot on the grass and watching the clouds pass by. This is my picture of the "perfect day." This is how I imagine God spending time with me. Lying next to me on the grass, looking up at the sky, oblivious of time, yet holding time in itself. Our lives revolve around scheduling whether its transporting our kids to their soccer practice, having lunch with the in-laws, or planning a wedding. Yet, God is teaching me to not rely on a schedule where I know what's coming in the next 5 minutes, in the next hour, in the next day or even in the next week. He's teaching me to rely on no schedule at all.
God speaks many times in the Bible about "community." But, there are times (even in the scheduling) where he calls me to "get away."
I recently saw the movie, "The Karate Kid." I'm not one for plots that involve fighting but there was something about the movie previews that intrigued me. In one part of the movie, Dre Parker (played by Will Smith's son Jaden Smith) asks Mr. Hun (Jackie Chan), "Are we going to train today?" Mr. Hun says "No." And twelve-year old Dre asks "Why?" Mr. Hun says "Because too much of something can be a bad thing."
Really? "Too much of something can be a bad thing?" Well, if I eat too much ice cream, or watch too much television, or stay up too late on the computer, then yes, too much of something is bad. We all need a break. In Pslam 23, David (the psalmist) paints this picture of God as a Shepherd. He writes that God will always be with us "even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death." I leave you with Psalm 23 and ask you to answer this question, Is God your Shepherd today?
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he lead me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
You don't always have to walk with your shoes on. Sometimes, God is completely content going barefoot; hangin' out beside you on the grass, staring up at the clouds as they effortlessly pass by.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
I Am His
"Lord, take my heart,
for I cannot give it to you.
And when you have it,
keep it.
For I would not take it from you."
- Francois Fenelon
for I cannot give it to you.
And when you have it,
keep it.
For I would not take it from you."
- Francois Fenelon
Monday, June 7, 2010
Thoughts on Life
I recently received this from a friend and wanted to share it with you in the hopes that you will share it with others.
_____________________
We never get what we want,
We never want what we get,
We never have what we like,
We never like what we have.
And still we live & love.
That's life...
The best kind of people,
Is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with,
Never say a word,
And then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
It's true that we don't know
What we've got until it's gone,
But it's also true that we don't know
What we've been missing until it arrives.
Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back!
Don't expect love in return;
Just wait for it to grow in their heart,
But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.
It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone,
An hour to like someone,
And a day to love someone,
But it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
Because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seems bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile!
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,
Enough trials to make you strong,
Enough sorrow to keep you human,
And enough hope to make you happy.
Always put yourself in others' shoes.
If you feel that it hurts you,
It probably hurts the other person, too.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Happiness lies for
Those who cry,
Those who hurt,
Those who have searched,
And those who have tried,
For only they can appreciate the importance of people
Who have touched their lives.
When you were born, you were crying
And everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so that when you die,
You're the one who is smiling
And everyone around you is crying.
""There are those who work all day.
Those who dream all day.
And those who dream for an hour
before working to fulfill those dreams."”
_____________________
We never get what we want,
We never want what we get,
We never have what we like,
We never like what we have.
And still we live & love.
That's life...
The best kind of people,
Is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with,
Never say a word,
And then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
It's true that we don't know
What we've got until it's gone,
But it's also true that we don't know
What we've been missing until it arrives.
Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back!
Don't expect love in return;
Just wait for it to grow in their heart,
But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.
It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone,
An hour to like someone,
And a day to love someone,
But it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
Because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seems bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile!
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,
Enough trials to make you strong,
Enough sorrow to keep you human,
And enough hope to make you happy.
Always put yourself in others' shoes.
If you feel that it hurts you,
It probably hurts the other person, too.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Happiness lies for
Those who cry,
Those who hurt,
Those who have searched,
And those who have tried,
For only they can appreciate the importance of people
Who have touched their lives.
When you were born, you were crying
And everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so that when you die,
You're the one who is smiling
And everyone around you is crying.
""There are those who work all day.
Those who dream all day.
And those who dream for an hour
before working to fulfill those dreams."”
Saturday, June 5, 2010
"The Furious Love of God"
"My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it."
~ The Ragamuffin Gospel
Brennan Manning
(p. 25)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Release Me
Lately, I have been learning about humility and sacrifice.
To be humble is more than just relinquishing power and fulfilling the requests of another individual. Humility is asking to honestly see life from a perspective different than yours. Humility doesn't ask "What can I do?" but rather "What does God require of me?" A humble person is one who goes the extra mile for a neighbor; not because he/she has to or it is the right thing to do but because its a lifestyle. Humility does the ridiculous for a friend, a stranger, an enemy.
A person who expresses humility looks in the eyes of a person and sees Jesus. Lord, I want to see your reflection not in the pond as a wrinkled and temporary shadow, but as a real person with flesh and blood, breath and desire staring back at me. May the mirror be a mosaic of you and your people. Teach me how to walk barefoot with humility everyday. Show me your blisters so that I may begin to understand how to truly love. Let me experience your blisters. Show me what it is like to "love until it hurts." Teach me how to live with less and show me that it is more than I need.
Humility begets sacrifice. Sacrifice does not merely give people things; sacrifice literally gives up the needs of ourselves for someone else.
An example of sacrifice that I am constantly reminded of is that of Abraham and Issac. Here is the true story of a father, Abraham, who responds to God's call to sacrifice his son, Issac. Yet, right when Abraham is standing over his son, he hears the voice of the Lord beckoning him to stop. God not only saw his humility and sacrifice but recognized that his heart was aligned with God's. This test drew Abraham and God closer together, allowed Abraham to see the soverignity of God's rule, and let Abraham put the needs of his son first.
Truthfully, I don't know if I could sacrifice my only child. However, I think that sacrifice comes in ways that we may not expect. In his book, The Challenge of Jesus, N.T. Wright describes the "kingdom of God." Historical research shows that the Jews were not expecting the kingdom of God nor the return from their exile to manifest in the way that it did. Sometimes our view of humility and sacrifice may be quite different than what god had in mind.
Give me the ability to surrender my daily life to you, so that your will is fully exposed as raw and true, loving and beautiful.
To be humble is more than just relinquishing power and fulfilling the requests of another individual. Humility is asking to honestly see life from a perspective different than yours. Humility doesn't ask "What can I do?" but rather "What does God require of me?" A humble person is one who goes the extra mile for a neighbor; not because he/she has to or it is the right thing to do but because its a lifestyle. Humility does the ridiculous for a friend, a stranger, an enemy.
A person who expresses humility looks in the eyes of a person and sees Jesus. Lord, I want to see your reflection not in the pond as a wrinkled and temporary shadow, but as a real person with flesh and blood, breath and desire staring back at me. May the mirror be a mosaic of you and your people. Teach me how to walk barefoot with humility everyday. Show me your blisters so that I may begin to understand how to truly love. Let me experience your blisters. Show me what it is like to "love until it hurts." Teach me how to live with less and show me that it is more than I need.
Humility begets sacrifice. Sacrifice does not merely give people things; sacrifice literally gives up the needs of ourselves for someone else.
An example of sacrifice that I am constantly reminded of is that of Abraham and Issac. Here is the true story of a father, Abraham, who responds to God's call to sacrifice his son, Issac. Yet, right when Abraham is standing over his son, he hears the voice of the Lord beckoning him to stop. God not only saw his humility and sacrifice but recognized that his heart was aligned with God's. This test drew Abraham and God closer together, allowed Abraham to see the soverignity of God's rule, and let Abraham put the needs of his son first.
Truthfully, I don't know if I could sacrifice my only child. However, I think that sacrifice comes in ways that we may not expect. In his book, The Challenge of Jesus, N.T. Wright describes the "kingdom of God." Historical research shows that the Jews were not expecting the kingdom of God nor the return from their exile to manifest in the way that it did. Sometimes our view of humility and sacrifice may be quite different than what god had in mind.
Give me the ability to surrender my daily life to you, so that your will is fully exposed as raw and true, loving and beautiful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)