Athanasius was a bishop in the 4th century with a fierce conviction backed by action to defeat the attacks against Christ's divinity that were prevalent in his time (from The Story of Christianity; Justo Gonzalez; 175, 177-178):
"In A.D. 353, Constantius, who now ruled the whole [Roman] Empire, felt sufficiently secure to unleash his pro-Arian policy. Through threats and the use of force, an increasing number of bishops accepted Arianism. For Athanasius, for the monks, and for many of the faithful, the Arian controversy was not a matter of theological subtleties with little or no relevance. In it, the very core of the Christian message was at stake...If the chroniclers of the time are to be believed, Constantius feared the power Athanasius had in Alexandria, and for that reason sought to remove him from that city without actually banishing him.. Athanasius received a letter in which the emperor granted him an audience that had never been requested. The bishop answered politely that there must have been an error, for he had not asked for suhc an honor, and did not wish to waste the emperor's valuable time. Constantius then ordered the concentration of troops in Alexandria. When the legions were in place and any revoltcould be crushed, the governor ordered Athanasius, in the name of the emperor, to leave the city... Shortly thereafter, when Athanasius was celbrating communion in one of the churches, the govenor ordered the building to be surrounded and suddenly burst into the room leading a group of armed soldiers. There was chaos, and Athanasius ordered the congregation to sing Psalm 136, with the refrain: "For His mercy endureth forever." The soldiers pushed their way through the crowd, while some sang and others sought to escape. The clergy who were present formed a tight circle around Athanasius, who refused to flee until his flock was safe."
Monday, December 20, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The River church: Mid-December, 2010
We huddled into our humble abode, with kerosene heaters lit and the dessert spread something out of a "What Not To Eat" fitness video; but mind you, not, dear friends-- EAT, we DID! I'll put it this way: leading up to the December 12th event, I was given instructions to buy food for our Christmas party and promptly acquired $114.00 worth of cookies, cakes, candy, apple cider, hot chocolate, and other items everything but our palates regret consuming.
Overall, however, I loved being with our Body together on this day. I don't always have the opportunity to really explore peoples' lives in a deep way on Sunday mornings before or after our service with various duties to which to attend, so this afforded me that chance. I talked well with Dave Ramsey (no, not the Cut Debt NOW! guy), who told me a lot about his training regiment for triathlons that he used to use when he was older. Dave and I chatted for quite a while about fitness and about his techniques during races, which really encouraged me. My prayer coming into this time was that I'd get to connect with people who I hadn't connected with before, which the Lord was beyond faithful in by providing me those conversations.
I had the opportunity to catch-up with Greg Ayers, our worship leader, who lives in Salem, VA. I've been impressed by his effort over this year since beginning as our worship leader at the beginning of the year, something that is always a hefty task for any person to take on. I'm excited to continue through this year with him as he grows in these areas of worship. A few weeks ago, Josh and I went with two of our recently-married friends from college, Colt Emswiler and Josh Wright, and his wife, Claire Wright, to listen to Greg's band do a regular show at Blues BBQ Co. in Roanoke, Virginia, during which we enjoyed listening to Greg jam in a context very different from Sunday morning: loud rooms filled with 30 excited people, cheering loudly for the six-piece band as they lifted their tunes into the Wednesday-night air. Greg has roared about how great of an opportunity this time has been for him to reach out to the music community in Roanoke and accept the charge of being among these men and women who are ravenously devouring the music into which they're pouring their hearts. I was honored to share that night with him and hope to go back some pleasant Wednesday evening from now (every Wednesday, 7:30 PM; see link above for directions).
Our party finished well with a great rendition of "Joy to the World." I was somewhat overcome by the wave of emotion when I realized the contrast from what I've experienced over the last two years during this season: 15 or so satiated saints singing "Oh Come, All ye faithful!" and "Oh, Holy Night" as we packed ourselves into a hotel room to simply celebrate the season together. During those days, we were "satiated" because we were together, exalting the name of Jesus Christ. During this celebration, things felt different, with 50 or so members of our River family crowding the train-car Ministry Center; it was different, but held the same call: men and women gathering to fix their eyes of Jesus, the coming of the heralded one.
What an awesome day to enjoy the presence and the glory of our newborn King!
Overall, however, I loved being with our Body together on this day. I don't always have the opportunity to really explore peoples' lives in a deep way on Sunday mornings before or after our service with various duties to which to attend, so this afforded me that chance. I talked well with Dave Ramsey (no, not the Cut Debt NOW! guy), who told me a lot about his training regiment for triathlons that he used to use when he was older. Dave and I chatted for quite a while about fitness and about his techniques during races, which really encouraged me. My prayer coming into this time was that I'd get to connect with people who I hadn't connected with before, which the Lord was beyond faithful in by providing me those conversations.
I had the opportunity to catch-up with Greg Ayers, our worship leader, who lives in Salem, VA. I've been impressed by his effort over this year since beginning as our worship leader at the beginning of the year, something that is always a hefty task for any person to take on. I'm excited to continue through this year with him as he grows in these areas of worship. A few weeks ago, Josh and I went with two of our recently-married friends from college, Colt Emswiler and Josh Wright, and his wife, Claire Wright, to listen to Greg's band do a regular show at Blues BBQ Co. in Roanoke, Virginia, during which we enjoyed listening to Greg jam in a context very different from Sunday morning: loud rooms filled with 30 excited people, cheering loudly for the six-piece band as they lifted their tunes into the Wednesday-night air. Greg has roared about how great of an opportunity this time has been for him to reach out to the music community in Roanoke and accept the charge of being among these men and women who are ravenously devouring the music into which they're pouring their hearts. I was honored to share that night with him and hope to go back some pleasant Wednesday evening from now (every Wednesday, 7:30 PM; see link above for directions).
Our party finished well with a great rendition of "Joy to the World." I was somewhat overcome by the wave of emotion when I realized the contrast from what I've experienced over the last two years during this season: 15 or so satiated saints singing "Oh Come, All ye faithful!" and "Oh, Holy Night" as we packed ourselves into a hotel room to simply celebrate the season together. During those days, we were "satiated" because we were together, exalting the name of Jesus Christ. During this celebration, things felt different, with 50 or so members of our River family crowding the train-car Ministry Center; it was different, but held the same call: men and women gathering to fix their eyes of Jesus, the coming of the heralded one.
What an awesome day to enjoy the presence and the glory of our newborn King!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
A poem from my friend, Todd
This is a poem that my friend, Todd M. Murden, wrote (I added the sub-title in a move of blatant plagiarism).
I think that it is a great story and I wanted to share it, as I think it inspires people to desire a transformed life. I hope that you enjoy it!
“His Story, our Story"
(A man talks to a boy about life while crossing a rope-bridge leading to the boy's home)
There was once an orphan boy
who lived down the street from me.
He had never seen a play
nor heard any kind of story.
“Remedy that we must,” I said
And with a nod did he agree.
So I began to tell of him and I,
And how we came to be.
(“Ahem,” I cleared my throat to start.)
“The Three in One began with a desire in His heart.
To have a people all his own, a people set apart.
In his mind did he conceive,
All that was and is and is to be.
God knelt down and dirtied his lips to breathe
The breath of life and man conceive.
And from His breath man was brought forth like a dream
To enhance the glory of the One, Yahweh Elohim.
Soiled again his lips would be,
not for Him but thee,
when hence His image and likeness would choose
to kiss a lie and forever lose,
that life that first his breathe supplied,
eternal life, glory, and all, denied.
Good and evil from thence ensued
To encompass all that man should choose.
Glory for that which is not glory exchanged,
For this, our redemption, would He be famed.”
He stomped his feet and shook his fist,
“It makes no sense, if I could just
reach out and grab them they would see
their wrong action, their stupidity.”
“Yes, my child, this is true, this is a very strange thing indeed.
But none could quench our Makers love nor any power impede.”
“And so,” I continued, “as you see,
this is not exactly a story of you and me,
But a story told from the One above,
The story of our Makers steadfast and unfailing love.”
“Where was I again?” I mused.
“Oh yes, ‘Good and evil from thence ensued’…”
“A lie kissed, a lie believed,
Such was the fall of man conceived.
Creation along with him it came,
Pulled by the tide, the undercurrent of shame.
Such would its progress, towards shame, be,
An act of uncreation, and judgement you see.
But ‘Rich in Mercy,’ is one name he bears
And for all his creation, and his beloved, he cares.
Covenants, and promises, to all he provided,
To Noah, Abraham, and David he ensighted,
To be their God, and they his people,
From them, his own, would he make his steeple.
Living stones they are called, a temple of Presence,
A promise and blessing to go forth hence
To all of creation, let the nations rejoice
For our God and King has made his choice.
He will plead our case and establish our right
Be in awe of his mercy, justice, and foresight.
“But cold and stiff necked his people would be,
“He is taking a long time, why can we not see?”
They said, “his arm too short. We have no right and no way,
Nothing but silence from the Prophets, no one to say,
‘The word of the Lord I have, come hear,’
Silence, all silence, to Your heart are we dear?”
And in this silence, heaven breathed deep in awe,
As God, the Word, came forth, to crawl.
Not like the serpent, but as a child he came,
The fullness of God, and man, the same.
Holding their breath, the angels they cry,
‘Behold Immanuel, a baby, born to die.’
The sick are healed, and the blind they see,
“But the Son of Man,” the Father says, “He came for me.
To reveal my heart, to lay it bare to the world
Because on him would my wrath be poured.
Peace to you, my peace I proclaim,
I have come to free you from your sin, guilt, and shame.
Listen to me, all who will hear,
I am drawing you, and all creation, I am drawing you near!”
And so, the Son of God, Jesus, he came
To show the Father’s love and bear the blame.
The hosts and the heavens were silent and hushed
When, for the sins of man, the Son was crushed.
“How could this be done for me?
I have never had a father or family…”
I knelt down and looked my friend in the eye,
“This is what love does, it does not pass by,
When in need it sees its own to be,
It supplies all, gives all, out of its capacity.”
“The cross, the cross!” He danced and cried.
“There I see the Son, my Savior, my life, he died.”
And with all his heart, did my friend he sing
Of our Savior’s love, ‘where, O death, is thy sting’?
“One more thing,” I said, “One more thing to know,
Our God, and Father, did this to show,
The richness of his kindness and grace,
We now, in Christ, get a foretaste
Of what’s to come in life without end,
When we will be one with our Father and spend
All our days searching the treasures of his heart
Walking perfectly in His Spirit, knowing fully, not in part.
Jesus rose from the dead, He’s alive you see,
And he is inviting you in, inviting you into the family.”
“I always thought life to be a great story,
Told by a Story Teller, with adventure and glory.”
And smiling did my friend he say,
“With him, my Jesus, I await the day,
When the life intended but our sin denied
Eternal life, glory, and all supplied.
For me, for me, I can’t believe.
A child of God? A family?
An orphan all my life I’ve been,
A slave of doubt, unbelief, and sin.
Now, to Thee, my good Father, I cry,
I do not wish for this love to pass me by.
As Thee gave, all, I lay,
Before Thy throne of grace I say,
‘Jesus Christ is Lord of all indeed,
To Him all glory and honor proceed.
This will be the shout of all,
When in the end, before thy throne, we fall.”
And this my charge to thee, Beloved,
Can you in this way receive
The glory of this gracious love
Hung upon a tree?
For it is this love, the Crucified,
He, so longs to pour
Into thy heart, His indwelling Spirit,
With thee forevermore.
Like a child, Beloved, you must be,
To marvel at this great wonder, for His and our glory.
Todd M. Murden
Winter 2010
I think that it is a great story and I wanted to share it, as I think it inspires people to desire a transformed life. I hope that you enjoy it!
“His Story, our Story"
(A man talks to a boy about life while crossing a rope-bridge leading to the boy's home)
There was once an orphan boy
who lived down the street from me.
He had never seen a play
nor heard any kind of story.
“Remedy that we must,” I said
And with a nod did he agree.
So I began to tell of him and I,
And how we came to be.
(“Ahem,” I cleared my throat to start.)
“The Three in One began with a desire in His heart.
To have a people all his own, a people set apart.
In his mind did he conceive,
All that was and is and is to be.
God knelt down and dirtied his lips to breathe
The breath of life and man conceive.
And from His breath man was brought forth like a dream
To enhance the glory of the One, Yahweh Elohim.
Soiled again his lips would be,
not for Him but thee,
when hence His image and likeness would choose
to kiss a lie and forever lose,
that life that first his breathe supplied,
eternal life, glory, and all, denied.
Good and evil from thence ensued
To encompass all that man should choose.
Glory for that which is not glory exchanged,
For this, our redemption, would He be famed.”
He stomped his feet and shook his fist,
“It makes no sense, if I could just
reach out and grab them they would see
their wrong action, their stupidity.”
“Yes, my child, this is true, this is a very strange thing indeed.
But none could quench our Makers love nor any power impede.”
“And so,” I continued, “as you see,
this is not exactly a story of you and me,
But a story told from the One above,
The story of our Makers steadfast and unfailing love.”
“Where was I again?” I mused.
“Oh yes, ‘Good and evil from thence ensued’…”
“A lie kissed, a lie believed,
Such was the fall of man conceived.
Creation along with him it came,
Pulled by the tide, the undercurrent of shame.
Such would its progress, towards shame, be,
An act of uncreation, and judgement you see.
But ‘Rich in Mercy,’ is one name he bears
And for all his creation, and his beloved, he cares.
Covenants, and promises, to all he provided,
To Noah, Abraham, and David he ensighted,
To be their God, and they his people,
From them, his own, would he make his steeple.
Living stones they are called, a temple of Presence,
A promise and blessing to go forth hence
To all of creation, let the nations rejoice
For our God and King has made his choice.
He will plead our case and establish our right
Be in awe of his mercy, justice, and foresight.
“But cold and stiff necked his people would be,
“He is taking a long time, why can we not see?”
They said, “his arm too short. We have no right and no way,
Nothing but silence from the Prophets, no one to say,
‘The word of the Lord I have, come hear,’
Silence, all silence, to Your heart are we dear?”
And in this silence, heaven breathed deep in awe,
As God, the Word, came forth, to crawl.
Not like the serpent, but as a child he came,
The fullness of God, and man, the same.
Holding their breath, the angels they cry,
‘Behold Immanuel, a baby, born to die.’
The sick are healed, and the blind they see,
“But the Son of Man,” the Father says, “He came for me.
To reveal my heart, to lay it bare to the world
Because on him would my wrath be poured.
Peace to you, my peace I proclaim,
I have come to free you from your sin, guilt, and shame.
Listen to me, all who will hear,
I am drawing you, and all creation, I am drawing you near!”
And so, the Son of God, Jesus, he came
To show the Father’s love and bear the blame.
The hosts and the heavens were silent and hushed
When, for the sins of man, the Son was crushed.
“How could this be done for me?
I have never had a father or family…”
I knelt down and looked my friend in the eye,
“This is what love does, it does not pass by,
When in need it sees its own to be,
It supplies all, gives all, out of its capacity.”
“The cross, the cross!” He danced and cried.
“There I see the Son, my Savior, my life, he died.”
And with all his heart, did my friend he sing
Of our Savior’s love, ‘where, O death, is thy sting’?
“One more thing,” I said, “One more thing to know,
Our God, and Father, did this to show,
The richness of his kindness and grace,
We now, in Christ, get a foretaste
Of what’s to come in life without end,
When we will be one with our Father and spend
All our days searching the treasures of his heart
Walking perfectly in His Spirit, knowing fully, not in part.
Jesus rose from the dead, He’s alive you see,
And he is inviting you in, inviting you into the family.”
“I always thought life to be a great story,
Told by a Story Teller, with adventure and glory.”
And smiling did my friend he say,
“With him, my Jesus, I await the day,
When the life intended but our sin denied
Eternal life, glory, and all supplied.
For me, for me, I can’t believe.
A child of God? A family?
An orphan all my life I’ve been,
A slave of doubt, unbelief, and sin.
Now, to Thee, my good Father, I cry,
I do not wish for this love to pass me by.
As Thee gave, all, I lay,
Before Thy throne of grace I say,
‘Jesus Christ is Lord of all indeed,
To Him all glory and honor proceed.
This will be the shout of all,
When in the end, before thy throne, we fall.”
And this my charge to thee, Beloved,
Can you in this way receive
The glory of this gracious love
Hung upon a tree?
For it is this love, the Crucified,
He, so longs to pour
Into thy heart, His indwelling Spirit,
With thee forevermore.
Like a child, Beloved, you must be,
To marvel at this great wonder, for His and our glory.
Todd M. Murden
Winter 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
My dog, Boomer.
On Friday, my family made the decision to put down Boomer, my dog of 17 years. She's been getting worse walking around in circles and getting dementia, to go with her deafness and blindness. It was just time to say good-bye. Below is a picture of Boomer and the family together at Thanksgiving. We are blessed to have had her and her energy contributing to our family for so long.
Boomer, "Queen Boomer", "Boomer-dog": 1993-2010
Boomer, "Queen Boomer", "Boomer-dog": 1993-2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Ent-moot
Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well. (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
Following our cue from the popular fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings, three of my companions from China and I decided to partake in a mid-Fall Entmoot . I, for one, had to look up the meaning of the word myself, considering I had no idea what an Entmoot was before scouring through loads of hobbit-trivia, but am now soundly skilled in the arting of the Ent meeting.
I loved emeting together with Jon Allison, who I lived with for two years in Baoding, China; Tim Phillips, anohter member of our 2008-2010 Baoding clan; and Stephen Rivera, who held down the digs in Tianjin for the last year before returning with his "Ent-wife," Beth, in June.
One of the firmests takeaways from our time was the desire that we had to continue seeking brotherhood even though we are now very far apart. We've learned since returning from China that intentional community is not as successful when...there's less "intention"-- go figure. We shared, as we sat around a warm, log-fed fire, that it has not been easy to reacclimate to life in America mainly because it's difficult to find people who are really willing to share their lives in an "all-out" kind of way, to the point that life apart is forsaken for life together. These lessons are not born in books, but a midst sharing life continually as the Spirit rests on us. Our time together reminded me a lot of our McGyver Meetings that we submitted to thoroughout our time in Baoding, learning deep truths from God's word, shaping each other with our own thoughts, and mutually observing the quirkiness of life lived in such a foreign culture as Baoding, China.
On this night, we traded laughs over sandwiches and soup at "Lost Dog" restaurant in downtown Arlington, Virginia, where Jon moved about 5 weeks ago. During our time in Arlington (about 12 hours total, from friday evening to Saturday morning), we enjoyed one anothers' company very well, exchanging stories about our time since returning to America a short-- or incredibly fast, depending on your point-of-view-- five months ago.
I noticed that our main observations of this five-month period focused on one common thread, namely: community. We learned during our time the value of having close community around us, whether that coming from the people living next-door or from the people who were an hour's train ride away, as was the case for Stephen and Beth while they lived in Tianjin. The four of us shared about desiring depth with people in a place where many people don't look for it or, otherwise, would not know if they possessed it when they did.
"I just want to be able to do life together with people," Jon lamented as he shared about the short-comings he faced in the reality of life lived in America. We noted a few examples from our lives of times we'd experienced "deep community"-- citing our time together in China as a pivotal example of this. It's not primarily an American problem, but perhaps has to do with the way that people live and the priorities we believe take precedence in life.
The four of us vowed to continue our "ent-moot"-ing even from a distance, sharing thoughts on a mutual blog and continuing to carry out periodic meetings of the minds, as our desire to know and be known will hopefully not cease with our time in China.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
William Cowper: An Unending Desire
These words from William Cowper are breathing life into walking with God through a life-long battle with spiritual depression and an undying desire for intimacy with Him:
I. Walking with God from Olney Hymns (1771-1772)
Oh! for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heav'nly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus, and his word?
What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd!
How sweet their mem'ry still!
But they have left an aching void,
The world can never fill.
Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.
The dearest idol I have known
Whate'er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
-William Cowper
(ed. Rhodes, Nick; Selected Poems of William Cowper; Carcanet Press Limited, 1984)
I. Walking with God from Olney Hymns (1771-1772)
Oh! for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heav'nly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus, and his word?
What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd!
How sweet their mem'ry still!
But they have left an aching void,
The world can never fill.
Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.
The dearest idol I have known
Whate'er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
-William Cowper
(ed. Rhodes, Nick; Selected Poems of William Cowper; Carcanet Press Limited, 1984)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Blazing Belize
Belize is an enormous nation.
Okay-- in fact, it's about the size of Massachusetts.
See the family resemblance? Maybe slightly off-key second cousins, thrice removed, or something like that? I think so.
Land mass might be about where the similarities end between Belize and Massachusetts, though.
Well, except for maybe their relationship to the coastline. Trust me, I searched for more similarities.
On January 7th, The River church in Blacksburg, VA will be taking a group of 15 people to Belize to engage in a missions project, establishing what we hope becomes a long-term relationship with a town in the Toledo district of Belize called Punta Gorda. Over the passed several years, the River has begun their relationship with Punta Gorda, Belize by supporting a medical clinic, a Christian school, and an orphanage in Belize in conjuction with Laughing Out Loud ministries. This year, The River sent our first year-long missionary, Brain Lamm, to Belize to work with LOL in building up the ministry there.
We are incredibly excited about what impact for the kingdom of God these steps will make in the lives of people not only in Punta Gorda, but throughout the world.
For more information about Laughing Out Loud ministries, visit:
http://www.lolministry.com/
For more information about Toledo Christian Academy, please visit:
Okay-- in fact, it's about the size of Massachusetts.
See the family resemblance? Maybe slightly off-key second cousins, thrice removed, or something like that? I think so.
Land mass might be about where the similarities end between Belize and Massachusetts, though.
Well, except for maybe their relationship to the coastline. Trust me, I searched for more similarities.
On January 7th, The River church in Blacksburg, VA will be taking a group of 15 people to Belize to engage in a missions project, establishing what we hope becomes a long-term relationship with a town in the Toledo district of Belize called Punta Gorda. Over the passed several years, the River has begun their relationship with Punta Gorda, Belize by supporting a medical clinic, a Christian school, and an orphanage in Belize in conjuction with Laughing Out Loud ministries. This year, The River sent our first year-long missionary, Brain Lamm, to Belize to work with LOL in building up the ministry there.
We are incredibly excited about what impact for the kingdom of God these steps will make in the lives of people not only in Punta Gorda, but throughout the world.
For more information about Laughing Out Loud ministries, visit:
http://www.lolministry.com/
For more information about Toledo Christian Academy, please visit:
http://tcabelize.com/
If you are interested in joining our trip to Punta Gorda this January, please e-mail an inquiry to
Ryan@therivernrv.org
Will you take up the charge to carryout the charge to make disciples of all nations, near and far, and continue blazing a trail for God's coming kingdom in Belize?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
My 51st birthday, 2035
Monday, 10/ 29/ 35. 6:10 AM
Father,
Thank you for your provision in this day. You are good and faithful to me, beyond my most minute understanding. TO the praise and glory of your name, take this day and use it for the coming of your kingdom. You are the Rock…and Alpha and Omega…the Great I AM. Thank you for revealing yourself to me through the person of your Son Jesus Christ some 30 years ago. You are so kind to me, to befriend in my time of need and desperation. Please continue teaching me in my next 30 years, that I might be used as an instrument of righteousness and peace.
…
Coffee’s black this morning, a shinny swirl of oil illuminating at the top… a swirl speaking the depths of eternity.
Had trouble waking up this morning after the weekend. Alarm went off at 5:45, but I snoozed until 6. Haven’t been sleeping very well, just thinking a lot about home/ people there, namely my dad. I hope to escape away for a weekend, maybe to take my son or someone close to me to fly out and visit.
Not to mention that running after the kids lately has been exhausting—I feel like it’s been a priority for me to continue forward with the parents on the soccer team especially. There’s this younger couple who are related to one of my old club kids from the high school I led at after leaving graduate school/ early in marriage—it’s just fun to see ever more clearly the depth of God’s intentionality toward me. It’s almost like He’s trying to prove that He’s been faithful to me in the deepest parts of my being, even since before I knew He was! It’s fun praying for them and their son, as I just keep asking for that same faithfulness, love, and renewed knowledge of His grace to daily invade their consciousness. More than just “faithful,” though—actually working out all that I am and forever will be as His son. I’m grateful for this, as I know that it forces me to be humble before the Lord in my circumstances. Honestly, I’ve just been praying for emotion/ passion behind pursuing relationships these days, as I don’t exactly see what direction I should go in. I’m thankful for the position God has placed me in with the people around me now.
Finding it hard to be faithful in prayer for the brothers, though—usually keep lifting up my family and the Whoppaheads, leaving little room for others to come through. I want to keep thinking generationally with my prayers, feeling burdened to really ask for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done. What a deadly thought, to ask for my own doom!
“He must become greater, I must become less.” (John 3:30)
Please let my wife know that she is loved today. Confront her with all that she is in Jesus Christ.
Let my morning interactions with my children be holy, even if I simply look them in the eyes. May they truly know that your heart for them is that they know you and glorify you in thought, word, and deed.
Father, let your kingdom come today in the lives of the brothers… even as their names and faces flow through my mind, count this as my intercession for them. As hard as it’s been to be near them lately, please impress on them this day that they are loved by me…by you.
To the glory and praise of your name, God—thank you for this morning. May cereal breakfast with my rushing family be a manifestation of your rushing Spirit through our lives!
Amen…
Father,
Thank you for your provision in this day. You are good and faithful to me, beyond my most minute understanding. TO the praise and glory of your name, take this day and use it for the coming of your kingdom. You are the Rock…and Alpha and Omega…the Great I AM. Thank you for revealing yourself to me through the person of your Son Jesus Christ some 30 years ago. You are so kind to me, to befriend in my time of need and desperation. Please continue teaching me in my next 30 years, that I might be used as an instrument of righteousness and peace.
…
Coffee’s black this morning, a shinny swirl of oil illuminating at the top… a swirl speaking the depths of eternity.
Had trouble waking up this morning after the weekend. Alarm went off at 5:45, but I snoozed until 6. Haven’t been sleeping very well, just thinking a lot about home/ people there, namely my dad. I hope to escape away for a weekend, maybe to take my son or someone close to me to fly out and visit.
Not to mention that running after the kids lately has been exhausting—I feel like it’s been a priority for me to continue forward with the parents on the soccer team especially. There’s this younger couple who are related to one of my old club kids from the high school I led at after leaving graduate school/ early in marriage—it’s just fun to see ever more clearly the depth of God’s intentionality toward me. It’s almost like He’s trying to prove that He’s been faithful to me in the deepest parts of my being, even since before I knew He was! It’s fun praying for them and their son, as I just keep asking for that same faithfulness, love, and renewed knowledge of His grace to daily invade their consciousness. More than just “faithful,” though—actually working out all that I am and forever will be as His son. I’m grateful for this, as I know that it forces me to be humble before the Lord in my circumstances. Honestly, I’ve just been praying for emotion/ passion behind pursuing relationships these days, as I don’t exactly see what direction I should go in. I’m thankful for the position God has placed me in with the people around me now.
Finding it hard to be faithful in prayer for the brothers, though—usually keep lifting up my family and the Whoppaheads, leaving little room for others to come through. I want to keep thinking generationally with my prayers, feeling burdened to really ask for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done. What a deadly thought, to ask for my own doom!
“He must become greater, I must become less.” (John 3:30)
Please let my wife know that she is loved today. Confront her with all that she is in Jesus Christ.
Let my morning interactions with my children be holy, even if I simply look them in the eyes. May they truly know that your heart for them is that they know you and glorify you in thought, word, and deed.
Father, let your kingdom come today in the lives of the brothers… even as their names and faces flow through my mind, count this as my intercession for them. As hard as it’s been to be near them lately, please impress on them this day that they are loved by me…by you.
To the glory and praise of your name, God—thank you for this morning. May cereal breakfast with my rushing family be a manifestation of your rushing Spirit through our lives!
Amen…
Monday, October 25, 2010
Rockbridge work-crew weekend
I had the privilege of going to Rockbridge Alum Springs this passed weekend for a high school outreach camp designed to support Young Life clubs throughout Virginia in their mission to introduce high school students to the person of Jesus Christ. My role this weekend was simple: help set tables for the camp meals.
Easy.
Oh, uh...there's going to be 523 campers this weekend.
Oh, and over 100 other workers and visitors in the camp.
Uhh, and you'll be heading up over 35 college freshmen who are working on minimal sleep, getting a break from calculus and term-papers to volunteer for the weekend, who are on a sugar-high like a clan of 13-year old children at a sleepover because you decided to feed them lollipops, cookies, and skittles all weekend. The highlight of our first night together was a Wrestlemania-esque battle royale between "dudes" (a term affectionately used to refer to males who ravenously wrestle one another for the right to claim alpha-male status at Christian weekend getaways). I felt like I was witnessing a classics battle of Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant at times-- it's moments like these that make me grateful to be a leader of the this burgeoning generation of leaders.
On to the actual work: I liken being a dining hall boss to being an NFL football coach, in that you go in with a plan of what you want to accomplish, but something always goes horribly wrong and you need to be creative on your feet. Luckily my co-worker for the weekend, Lauren Odderstol, was brilliant in said respect, castigating renegade workers as they strayed from their assignments. Okay, so neither of us needed to actually discipline anyone during the weekend. In fact, working just over 24 hours total for a weekend (from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) seems like a breeze upon considering the workload for Summer camps, where the 5-week assignments teach work crew and work crew bosses an extraordinary amount about patience and poise under fire. For us, this was a great opportunity to get to know the freshmen from the University of Mary Washington (Eagles, not Fightin' Eagles...) and Virginia Tech (Hokies, not turkeys...).
Getting to witness to the glory of God through the quality of work we conducted was a huge priority, in that the campers spend almost 10% of their time over the course of a weekend in the dining hall facilities eating and witnessing various forms of entertainment: apparently someone misinterpreted a desire for music from the mid-90's group "Smashing Pumpkins" and decided to find their own alternative by taking a sledge hammer to a series of produce, including the ultimate moment of one rather robust high school boy exploding a healthy-sized pumpkin all over the first halo of tables surrounding the stage.
One work crew boy slowly siddled up to me as this display was taking place.
"Um, do you think they're going to get someone to clean that up?"
Oh, the innocence of youth, I thought.
"Definitely, bro: why don't you go grab some rubber gloves from the kitchen and get on that!"
I loved being able to witness club, a time where the gospel was presented in a very clear, concise way for high school students (and everyone in attendance) to hear who Jesus Christ is and what his purposes were while he was alive on earth in the flesh, not to mention the ruckus party-like attitude out of which a potent group of students are poised for hearing this message with skits and Justin Beiber's latest hits (don't worry, "Baby"--he's Canadian).
I prayed for tender hearts of high school students ready to receive this message as they heard the speaker at club telling the truth about sin in the world, its implications on their lives, and what Jesus promises through himself as a result of faith in him, his death, and his resurrection: a relationship with God. On Saturday night, the students were given 20 minutes during which all of the lights in camp were shut off and everyone was silent. This time was designed for them to be confronted with these truths by God himself. When you consider the daily life of your average high school student from suburbia, it's stunning to realize that this might be the longest they've ever had to simply be alone and interact with their God for any period of time!
Unfortunately, I had to leave early in order to go to work at The River church on Sunday morning, so I didn't get to see the last club on Sunday morning, during which students who accepted Christ and began a relationship with Jesus during this weekend had the opportunity to stand up and "Say-So".
All in all, the weekend was a great opportunity for meeting new friends and getting to really dig into the lives of the people with whom I served. I was honored to be led by Josh Nicoletti; serve with Julie Smartt, Lauren Odderstol, Brooke King, Brendan O'Connor, and Candace Newcomb; and be set-up for success very well by the staff at Rockbridge Alum Springs Young Life camp.
Easy.
Oh, uh...there's going to be 523 campers this weekend.
Oh, and over 100 other workers and visitors in the camp.
Uhh, and you'll be heading up over 35 college freshmen who are working on minimal sleep, getting a break from calculus and term-papers to volunteer for the weekend, who are on a sugar-high like a clan of 13-year old children at a sleepover because you decided to feed them lollipops, cookies, and skittles all weekend. The highlight of our first night together was a Wrestlemania-esque battle royale between "dudes" (a term affectionately used to refer to males who ravenously wrestle one another for the right to claim alpha-male status at Christian weekend getaways). I felt like I was witnessing a classics battle of Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant at times-- it's moments like these that make me grateful to be a leader of the this burgeoning generation of leaders.
On to the actual work: I liken being a dining hall boss to being an NFL football coach, in that you go in with a plan of what you want to accomplish, but something always goes horribly wrong and you need to be creative on your feet. Luckily my co-worker for the weekend, Lauren Odderstol, was brilliant in said respect, castigating renegade workers as they strayed from their assignments. Okay, so neither of us needed to actually discipline anyone during the weekend. In fact, working just over 24 hours total for a weekend (from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) seems like a breeze upon considering the workload for Summer camps, where the 5-week assignments teach work crew and work crew bosses an extraordinary amount about patience and poise under fire. For us, this was a great opportunity to get to know the freshmen from the University of Mary Washington (Eagles, not Fightin' Eagles...) and Virginia Tech (Hokies, not turkeys...).
Getting to witness to the glory of God through the quality of work we conducted was a huge priority, in that the campers spend almost 10% of their time over the course of a weekend in the dining hall facilities eating and witnessing various forms of entertainment: apparently someone misinterpreted a desire for music from the mid-90's group "Smashing Pumpkins" and decided to find their own alternative by taking a sledge hammer to a series of produce, including the ultimate moment of one rather robust high school boy exploding a healthy-sized pumpkin all over the first halo of tables surrounding the stage.
One work crew boy slowly siddled up to me as this display was taking place.
"Um, do you think they're going to get someone to clean that up?"
Oh, the innocence of youth, I thought.
"Definitely, bro: why don't you go grab some rubber gloves from the kitchen and get on that!"
I loved being able to witness club, a time where the gospel was presented in a very clear, concise way for high school students (and everyone in attendance) to hear who Jesus Christ is and what his purposes were while he was alive on earth in the flesh, not to mention the ruckus party-like attitude out of which a potent group of students are poised for hearing this message with skits and Justin Beiber's latest hits (don't worry, "Baby"--he's Canadian).
I prayed for tender hearts of high school students ready to receive this message as they heard the speaker at club telling the truth about sin in the world, its implications on their lives, and what Jesus promises through himself as a result of faith in him, his death, and his resurrection: a relationship with God. On Saturday night, the students were given 20 minutes during which all of the lights in camp were shut off and everyone was silent. This time was designed for them to be confronted with these truths by God himself. When you consider the daily life of your average high school student from suburbia, it's stunning to realize that this might be the longest they've ever had to simply be alone and interact with their God for any period of time!
Unfortunately, I had to leave early in order to go to work at The River church on Sunday morning, so I didn't get to see the last club on Sunday morning, during which students who accepted Christ and began a relationship with Jesus during this weekend had the opportunity to stand up and "Say-So".
All in all, the weekend was a great opportunity for meeting new friends and getting to really dig into the lives of the people with whom I served. I was honored to be led by Josh Nicoletti; serve with Julie Smartt, Lauren Odderstol, Brooke King, Brendan O'Connor, and Candace Newcomb; and be set-up for success very well by the staff at Rockbridge Alum Springs Young Life camp.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
36 Hours: "The River" late-October update
What life have you, if you have not life together?
There is not life that is not in community,
And no community not lived in praise of GOD.
-T.S. Eliot, Choruses from "The Rock"
"36 hours"
Staring off into the distance at the peaks jutting out before us, my hiking partner and I honored the moment that we found ourselves in, having scaled the face of the mountain below us. We tugged at our t-shirts and talked of such eternal glories as God's sovereignty and grace, as we noted how the green leaves of the trees were just beginning to turn yellow and red. We had scrapes on our arms from the ascent, and more to come on the descent; we had ideas in our minds that danced with the eternal; we had sweat on our heads that dripped with humanity; mostly, we held in our hearts the joy of the Lord.
Okay, so we weren't exactly exploring the Andes mountains in South America, but Phil and I were enjoying the gift that it was to participate in the fellowship of men during our second annual Men's retreat in Riner, Virginia. What an amazing vision we beheld over the course of this 36-hour event! It is a costly thing for men to meet together in this way, forsaking for the moment wives, businesses, jobs, children, homes in need of maintenance, and books in need of studying: costly, yes, but so important for the dynamic development of the church.
I loved being even a small part of this time with these men. The day after the retreat, I walked through the doors of our Sunday meeting hall at the Days Inn and saw, for the first time, not just the faces of people in the people in the pews and children in their chairs, but instead saw people and families that I loved. It was the first time that I recognized our church service as a renewal of God's covenant to administer grace to his people through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and not simply an obligation. Only in experiencing the true hearts and minds of men who are truly men, with troubles and hurts that penetrated deeply into their lives, was I able to get passed the notion of church for "church's sake" and see it as the means by which God was carrying out his plan for redemption in the world.
I'm honored to continue with these men, walking in God's grace, through this year as we experience renewal and redemption together in Jesus Christ, leading The River church and learning together how to love, teach, and care for families, friends, and a community in great need of Christ. We are doing many projects at present, including:
* A financial-planning program using Dave Ramsey's debt-reduction system
* Planning for an international outreach trip to Punta Gorda, Belize in January
* Maintaining Mens' groups throughout the year
* Establishing new offices, which are housed inside of a railroad car adjacent to the hotel where we meet
"Uh, sorry Ryan-- but, did you just say that the offices from which you're carrying out the eternal redemption of peoples' lives in the world through Jesus Christ are... in a railroad car?"
I didn't say that getting to this eternal redemption was going to be pretty: this update is mostly about men, after all.
Thank you for your continued support during this year. I have currently received funds/ pledges for half of my fund-raising goal of $10,000 for the year, a praise that is huge for me! Please continue praying for:
* Constant renewal in my relationship with Jesus Christ.
* My studies with Jonathan Tagg (pastor at The River) and Josh Nicoletti, my fellow intern.
* Our focus for carrying out the ministry we are doing this year at the church and in the community
* My work with freshmen at Virginia Tech Young Life
* Continued exposure to the Blacksburg community and community at-large.
* For fund-raising throughout the Fall.
There is not life that is not in community,
And no community not lived in praise of GOD.
-T.S. Eliot, Choruses from "The Rock"
"36 hours"
Staring off into the distance at the peaks jutting out before us, my hiking partner and I honored the moment that we found ourselves in, having scaled the face of the mountain below us. We tugged at our t-shirts and talked of such eternal glories as God's sovereignty and grace, as we noted how the green leaves of the trees were just beginning to turn yellow and red. We had scrapes on our arms from the ascent, and more to come on the descent; we had ideas in our minds that danced with the eternal; we had sweat on our heads that dripped with humanity; mostly, we held in our hearts the joy of the Lord.
Okay, so we weren't exactly exploring the Andes mountains in South America, but Phil and I were enjoying the gift that it was to participate in the fellowship of men during our second annual Men's retreat in Riner, Virginia. What an amazing vision we beheld over the course of this 36-hour event! It is a costly thing for men to meet together in this way, forsaking for the moment wives, businesses, jobs, children, homes in need of maintenance, and books in need of studying: costly, yes, but so important for the dynamic development of the church.
I loved being even a small part of this time with these men. The day after the retreat, I walked through the doors of our Sunday meeting hall at the Days Inn and saw, for the first time, not just the faces of people in the people in the pews and children in their chairs, but instead saw people and families that I loved. It was the first time that I recognized our church service as a renewal of God's covenant to administer grace to his people through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and not simply an obligation. Only in experiencing the true hearts and minds of men who are truly men, with troubles and hurts that penetrated deeply into their lives, was I able to get passed the notion of church for "church's sake" and see it as the means by which God was carrying out his plan for redemption in the world.
I'm honored to continue with these men, walking in God's grace, through this year as we experience renewal and redemption together in Jesus Christ, leading The River church and learning together how to love, teach, and care for families, friends, and a community in great need of Christ. We are doing many projects at present, including:
* A financial-planning program using Dave Ramsey's debt-reduction system
* Planning for an international outreach trip to Punta Gorda, Belize in January
* Maintaining Mens' groups throughout the year
* Establishing new offices, which are housed inside of a railroad car adjacent to the hotel where we meet
"Uh, sorry Ryan-- but, did you just say that the offices from which you're carrying out the eternal redemption of peoples' lives in the world through Jesus Christ are... in a railroad car?"
I didn't say that getting to this eternal redemption was going to be pretty: this update is mostly about men, after all.
Thank you for your continued support during this year. I have currently received funds/ pledges for half of my fund-raising goal of $10,000 for the year, a praise that is huge for me! Please continue praying for:
* Constant renewal in my relationship with Jesus Christ.
* My studies with Jonathan Tagg (pastor at The River) and Josh Nicoletti, my fellow intern.
* Our focus for carrying out the ministry we are doing this year at the church and in the community
* My work with freshmen at Virginia Tech Young Life
* Continued exposure to the Blacksburg community and community at-large.
* For fund-raising throughout the Fall.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
John 3
It has been my incredible privilege to guide six freshmen at Virginia Tech through their first months of college while studying the Gospel of John together at 5 PM on Tuesday evenings.
No, seriously-- we do actually read the Bible.
Stop laughing...
I know, I know-- we obviously spend time sharing awkward moments with transition through college (a series called "My Freshman moments")...
... and think about food the entire time during our studying, but...
...no, really, stop laughing, we DO study the Bible together: right after we tell stories about strange happenings from our past (The "Joe Vickers Tribute" stories, as named after one particularly verbose member of our group).
It's crazy to me that men not so much younger than me, at a gap less than 10 years, can have such a different perspective on life and on scripture, something that really keeps me on my toes when I'm searching through the Word to teach them. I'm awed by some of the astute observations these men make when they are exalting the scriptures.
"So, it's almost like we are the sails of the boat?" Wesley said, playing off of the illustration that Jesus uses to talk about the Holy Spirit's movement in human hearts in John 3:8:
'The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.'
"Um, well-- yeah, I suppose you could see it that way," I answered, trying to work out that elaboration as he said it. It's amazing to think that, for some of these young men, this is the first time they've been in a setting where people their age are getting together to read the scriptures and desire to grow in their faith together. What an amazing honor to walk with these young men through this time of their lives!
Please pray that I would continue to know this weight of glory that God has given me in leading these guys and learning from them as we explore the gospel of John together.
No, really-- our purpose together is actually reading the Bible...
...although, they also really like Halo: Reach, long-boarding, Virginia Tech sporting events, eating food...
No, seriously-- we do actually read the Bible.
Stop laughing...
I know, I know-- we obviously spend time sharing awkward moments with transition through college (a series called "My Freshman moments")...
... and think about food the entire time during our studying, but...
...no, really, stop laughing, we DO study the Bible together: right after we tell stories about strange happenings from our past (The "Joe Vickers Tribute" stories, as named after one particularly verbose member of our group).
It's crazy to me that men not so much younger than me, at a gap less than 10 years, can have such a different perspective on life and on scripture, something that really keeps me on my toes when I'm searching through the Word to teach them. I'm awed by some of the astute observations these men make when they are exalting the scriptures.
"So, it's almost like we are the sails of the boat?" Wesley said, playing off of the illustration that Jesus uses to talk about the Holy Spirit's movement in human hearts in John 3:8:
'The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.'
"Um, well-- yeah, I suppose you could see it that way," I answered, trying to work out that elaboration as he said it. It's amazing to think that, for some of these young men, this is the first time they've been in a setting where people their age are getting together to read the scriptures and desire to grow in their faith together. What an amazing honor to walk with these young men through this time of their lives!
Please pray that I would continue to know this weight of glory that God has given me in leading these guys and learning from them as we explore the gospel of John together.
No, really-- our purpose together is actually reading the Bible...
...although, they also really like Halo: Reach, long-boarding, Virginia Tech sporting events, eating food...
Monday, October 18, 2010
Loan Oaks Farm
This weekend, I met up with several friends from college, including five of the men with whom I lived. We called this weekend "Whopp-tober Fest 2010," acknowledging the house that we lived in, which we called "The Whoppahouse" named after our flag football team, "The Whoppaheads". The picture on the title page of this blog is of myself and four of these men at our friend, Colt's, wedding to Vanessa. These reunions have become such an anchor to me in terms of reinvigorating friendships and fellowship that God has used to shape me into the man I am today. We held a corn hole tournament; enjoyed each others' company; grilled meat, ate chili, Chinese food, and BACON for breakfast; and generally loved the weekend overall. Shout out to Nicole, who broke her arm on Saturday.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a poem designed as a "call to purity," hoping that it would do as these men, and many others, have done for me time after time in my young life: call me out of myself and into radical obedience to Christ.
"Resolve: An Anthem"
'Blessed are the pure at heart
for they will see God.' (Matthew 5:8)
We reject the existence of
the insignificant instance
for there is a call on this moment.
May what we do, say, and think
confirm that the kingdom of God is near:
for we are no longer slaves,
but we are sons and heirs
of the most high king.
We come in shame, we come in sin.
We come, and you say, "Welcome, sons."
We are no longer slaves,
but we are sons and heirs.
We accept the call to act,
and in our actions, praise--
all glory to the one who
sees all our hearts and shouts,
"Faithless one, Come! Come to me
all of you, the weak and weary,
and I will give you rest!"
We are no longer slaves,
but we are sons and heirs.
We see clearly what you have done:
let us remember the grace behind
and hold fast to the grace today
as the waters try to push us
over the cliffs to the rocks below:
dangerous daggers that destroy
communion with Life and Peace.
To the cross of Jesus Christ we cling--
that by grace we have been saved
and through faith in Christ we accept
this glorious gift of grace.
We are no longer slaves,
But we are sons and heir.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a poem designed as a "call to purity," hoping that it would do as these men, and many others, have done for me time after time in my young life: call me out of myself and into radical obedience to Christ.
"Resolve: An Anthem"
'Blessed are the pure at heart
for they will see God.' (Matthew 5:8)
We reject the existence of
the insignificant instance
for there is a call on this moment.
May what we do, say, and think
confirm that the kingdom of God is near:
for we are no longer slaves,
but we are sons and heirs
of the most high king.
We come in shame, we come in sin.
We come, and you say, "Welcome, sons."
We are no longer slaves,
but we are sons and heirs.
We accept the call to act,
and in our actions, praise--
all glory to the one who
sees all our hearts and shouts,
"Faithless one, Come! Come to me
all of you, the weak and weary,
and I will give you rest!"
We are no longer slaves,
but we are sons and heirs.
We see clearly what you have done:
let us remember the grace behind
and hold fast to the grace today
as the waters try to push us
over the cliffs to the rocks below:
dangerous daggers that destroy
communion with Life and Peace.
To the cross of Jesus Christ we cling--
that by grace we have been saved
and through faith in Christ we accept
this glorious gift of grace.
We are no longer slaves,
But we are sons and heir.
Friday, October 15, 2010
God is incomprehensible and knowable
In many ways, our God is a mysterious God. In Chapter 10 of my Systematic Theology book, Wayne Grudem answers how God can be both entirely incomprehensible, never fully known, and yet still people can truly know God as God.
"If we are to know God at all, it is necessary that he reveals himself to us... Because God is infinite and we are finite or limited, we can never fully understand God. In this sense God is said to be incomprehensible:
'Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable' (Psalm 145:3)
It is not only true that we can never fully understand God; it is also true that we can never fully understand any single thing about God... exhaustively.
Even though we cannot know God exhaustively, we can know true things about God... from scripture. Even more significantly, it is God himself whom we know, not simply facts about him or actions he does:
'but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the Lord.' (Jeremiah 9:24)
'And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent' (John 17:3)
The fact that we do know God is further demonstrated by the realization that the richness of the Christian life includes a personal relationship with God." (Grudem, Systematic Theology, 149-152)
"If we are to know God at all, it is necessary that he reveals himself to us... Because God is infinite and we are finite or limited, we can never fully understand God. In this sense God is said to be incomprehensible:
'Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable' (Psalm 145:3)
It is not only true that we can never fully understand God; it is also true that we can never fully understand any single thing about God... exhaustively.
Even though we cannot know God exhaustively, we can know true things about God... from scripture. Even more significantly, it is God himself whom we know, not simply facts about him or actions he does:
'but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the Lord.' (Jeremiah 9:24)
'And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent' (John 17:3)
The fact that we do know God is further demonstrated by the realization that the richness of the Christian life includes a personal relationship with God." (Grudem, Systematic Theology, 149-152)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Farewell, Bobby.
I remember my first baseball game ever: Three Rivers' Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the visiting Atlanta Braves playing the home Pittsburgh Pirates. The year was 1992. My memories of that game are simple, including ice cream bought by my dad and that the former Cy Young-award winner, Tommy Glavine, was on the hill pitching for the Braves. I don't remember much about either of the managers from that game, but lacing up his cleats and pulling up his stir-ups on this day to lead the Braves out of the visitors' dug-out was none other than Bobby Cox.
Yesterday, we said good-bye to a great baseball legend. Thank you, Bobby Cox.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Anarchy in Greece
What is happening in Greece-- where social unrest is inciting violent protests from citizens-- seems reminiscent of similar unrest in America in the mid-18th century. Although the clashes have different circumstances-- with the young colonies in America being governed by a very foreign encroaching on their rights, and this more modern version in Greece being purely domestic-- there some strong scents of similarities: powerful emotions of rebellion fueling upheaval throughout a state that is "already difficult to to control [and will] now be out of control" (BBC News, "Rebellion Deeply Embedded in Greece", December 2008).
See also:
"Rebellion Deeply Embedded in Greece"
See also:
"Rebellion Deeply Embedded in Greece"
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