Musings

[Seaker]

"A Contiguous Faith"

I first heard the word, “contiguous” when I was in the military.  The 48 States, excluding Hawaii and Alaska, were called “contiguous”, in that, through a series of tangent borders, they all somehow lock together to form a continuous land mass, a larger identity than a single one of them.  Each such State is unique, yet one is tied to the other.  Alaskans and Hawaiians:  please bear with this example!

In our mutual faith in Jesus as Son of God, Messiah, and Lord, we believers are contiguous, that is, we are in the “Body of Christ”, of which Jesus is the Head.    “State” implies it is one of several states.    The word “believer” should be viewed the same way.   There is inherent uniqueness and giftedness for every follower of Christ.  Yet, these attributes exist for the blessings of many.

We of all peoples should be the least having an identity crisis.  We exist for Christ and for each other.  Each bearer of faith is validated in the whole and even released to walk freer--as whole persons, together.

Paul called us “bondservants”.  We truly are when we consider and walk in the nature of our contiguous faith—given to us by the Spirit of Christ. 

[Seaker]

"Bodies of Evidence"

Sometimes, we need to mind the metaphors we use. Do we really want to be put to the test, placed in the frying pan, or be inside a spiritual pressure-cooker to prove that we really will follow Christ at all costs?

How about about just engaging Christ, now, at all costs? It would seem that to want anything more than that, to eschew what God has sovereignly put in our paths, is a denial of his will, if not a retreat on our part.

"Just as I am". This has to be more than a single, salvation moment. It must become our salvation history.

I think Dallas Willard has it right in The Spirit of the Disciplines. He talks about how we need to accept that God has given each of us a body to serve as a platform from which to live for and express His presence. To want anything else is a kind of gnosticism of nostalgia--a subtle yet subversive denial of our very being.

So...it would seem that if our bodies, with the Spirit indwelling them, are the loci of God's activity in our lives, what does that say about the kind of metaphors we should use? How about ones that proclaim our usefulness to God? How about ones that express our joint union in Christ--that confess, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"?

If any of us are actually called to be a martyr, how about, "My grace is sufficient"? Metaphors should illustrate how God meets us where we are, not how we can be morphed into a state of pains or problems or insulation from them.

God specializes in saying, "This is the way it is". For instance, He is "I am". Jesus said, "I am the way". His disciples said, "He is risen". We say with Paul, "To live is Christ, to die is gain". Either way, it is Life, now. Either way, we are in the act of living. Nothing could be closer to the heart of Jesus, as I understand the Scriptures, than for us to be in Him, and He in us. Our metaphors should reflect this reality. They should embrace and encourage.

God "knoweth our frame"; He has also chosen to frame Himself in our lives. That is true humility, it is grand, creative art on His part. To be truly "spiritual", we must accept our created selves and the role these have in God's redemptive purposes

[Seaker]

Remember You, Lord Jesus

In prayer I fall myself on Thee,
Jesus the Christ, sweet liberty.
Never once a better man,
we did not know Him, yet He came.

Lowly his start, unto the end
humble beginnings stretched its hand
to heal and comfort the diseased
of heart, and mind, soul and body.

You did not quite stand out for thirty,
yet three last years crowned your descending.
Hidden in wonder of virgin birth,
You offered life to all the earth.

Carpenter hands received the nails
of sinful building in this world.
You who blessed us took our worst,
breathed "peace!" abroad and killed the curse.

Ever-lifted hands,
ever-lifted hearts
spell into the air,
"How wonderful You are!"
We shall spill our thanks
from an overflowing cup,
remember You Lord Jesus,
now, we lift You up!

In prayer once more, we two or three
become united, must agree
by obvious splendor of your Name,
we know You lordly, because You reign!

Ever-lifted hands,
ever-lifted hearts
spell into the air,
"How wonderful You are!"
We shall spill our thanks
from an overflowing cup,
remember You Lord Jesus,
now, we lift You up!

[Seaker]

If I fell in love with Love,

would I be lifted, would I be crushed?

Am I so inside the refuge cave

I think of freedom like in this nave?

Plato thought outside as novel,

but God is here, will I praise or grovel?

I must embrace Compassion in my lair,

should I expect God, His goodness, out in the air.

Then chains will fall,

and He will spare.


http://www.thewebprophet.net/12steps1god/?p=115

[Seaker]

Notes: Ref. Stanza 1, see Colossians 1:12-14. Paul emphasizes that when the Father rescues us through Christ, we are placed then and there in the Kingdom of Jesus, "although" Heaven certainly awaits us!

Ref. Stanza 2, see Galatians 4:25-26. Here, Paul refers to the "Jerusalem that is above" as our "mother", that is, the place from which our faith comes. The Seed of Abraham, Christ himself, is from that place (Galatians 3:14).
---------------------------------------------


What Love Has Done

Oh, see what love has done!
(All because) the Father loves the Son,
Abba rescued us from sin's domain,
to take us where Lord Jesus reigns.
Oh, see what love has done!

Oh, what a share of love!
Jerusalem that is above,
Our mother from where God's grace embarks
has sent new life to human hearts.
Oh, what a share of love!

To know Him and be known!
The sages from all time have longed
to see joy's time, live in its space.
All is revealed in Jesus' Face.
To know Him and be known!

[Seaker]

Praise God for this Christmas morning. Yesterday and today: my absolute favorite days of the year!

I just read the first chapter of Michael Card's Immanuel: Reflections on the Life of Christ. It is a wonderful book. In it, he encourages readers to review his lyrics, and as these are not really poems, hum their own melody to the words. I enjoy a brother or sister whose life "tells" others to freely express the love of God.

Sensing Michael's brotherly nature, I penned and hummed my owner lyrics this morning:

I have never seen the heather,
nor Manna, made man.
Yet on this Christmas morning,
in hearts,
their fragrance fills the lands.

The upcoming sun looks quizzical
at my already-joy.
Yet on this Christmas morning,
in song,
we praise the babe (and King).

Our outside lights are turned off,
but inner shinings glow,
For on this Christmas morning,
the Hope
of all the world was born.

Glee on the tongue, twill not be long
till all the world is singing,
For on this Christmas morning,
our Hope,
for all the world is reigning.

[Poet]

May I write?

Dreams

Whenever silently we breathe
And from the work of day relieved
Then comes another visual cue
When there, we often think it's true
And in some ways it often is
For in the mind is where we live
The battle for the mind.

The furied fray that to and fro
Perceptible to some, not all
A tug-of-war that, over souls,
Entice decisions, glowing coals,
The vivid landscape, spirit realm
With fragile humans at the helm--
May heaven guard the mind.

[Seaker]

Hi Poet!  I apologize.  Estoy un poco lento!  Thanks so much for posting this poem.  Please share more.  I particulaly like the lines:

"The vivid landscape, spirit realm
With fragile humans at the helm--
May heaven guard the mind"

[Seaker]

Gospel Wishes

I hope the rich young ruler
Gave Jesus his donkey
And led all the people,
Praising the Lord,
That he gave up the Upper
Room of his dwelling,
Provided the wine
For the last supper.

Was he the one in the garden
Who fled with no clothes on?*
Did the disciples’ behavior
Grieve, drive him mad?
Did he stand by the cross,
See Jesus suffer?
Did he stammer at Joseph,
“I will purchase your tomb"?

Was he there when Mary
Said, “The Master has risen!”?
Did he say, “Come, let us consider
This in my highest room!”?**
Did they all eat with gladness,
Go to praying, believing
When all of a sudden
The Spirit fell?

Did the rich young ruler
Leave David’s city?***
Did he give up his life
For another world?

_____________________

* Mark 14:51
** Acts 1:13-14
*** Acts 1:8

[Poet]

Interesting musing.  What some of us wouldn't give for just a few minutes in that room, even to be a fly on the wall observing and listening.

[Seaker]

Love the perspective, Poet! 

[Seaker]

Mystery of the Ransomed Heart

I am my Lord’s . . . servant,
brought into His house, living,
and I can’t remember having ever seen Him before.
Oh, I fashioned an image,
called it “Master”,
but that rehearsed thought vanished with the call,
when I woke up in the house of my Lord.
We have by conscience . . . freedom,
everyone in His house, forgiven,
and we can’t remember ever having been this cleansed.
Oh, we bathed our minds in rituals of the heart,
called this inner religion “Master”,
but that desperate try to expiate gave way,
when we woke up in the house of our Lord.
Prophesy over us, Spirit!
Forth-tell Jesus’ words within our hearts,
so that these will be the lamp that brightens our path, daily.
Jesus, You are the Answer for our souls
and the Question of our love,
because every “Wonderful!”, Lord,
makes us ask You, “Why?”

[Seaker]

Encamíname (“Help Me Walk the Way” – translation below)

- this is more a song than a poem, so the translation is rough


Encamíname,
Encamíname.
Haz abrirme el camino,
Que anduviste tanto.

Te hiciste tan real,
Llevando la Santidad
por dondequier que ibas,
En tu rugosa palma.

Encamíname, Señor
Encamíname.
Haz que siempre me acuerdo
Que hallamos en Ti lo santo, todo.

Eres Dios Hijo, sin igual,
Viniste a este mundo.
¡Viva!, que reinas con Poder
En este tu humilde pueblo.

Cuando Abba Padre
Te envió a Israel,
Escogió un camino estrecho
Para mostrarse en Amor.

. . . hacia todos,
. . . Fiel es Él.

Encamíname,
Encamíname.
Haz que se abra este sendero
Sobre el cual . . . anduviste tanto.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Help me walk the way,
Help me walk the way,
Open up the road for me
That You walked so often.

You made yourself so real
Taking Holiness
Everywhere that You did go,
In hands with calluoses.

Help me walk the way,
Help me walk the way, Oh Lord
Lead me to ever recall
that we find in You the Holy, all.

God as Son, without an equal,
You came into this world.
Live forever, reign in your Power
among, within your humble people.

When by Abba Father
You were sent to Israel,
He chose to do it by the narrowest of ways,
To show Himself, in Love.

. . . toward us.
. . . He is faithful.

Help me walk the way,
Help me walk the way,
Make this path be wide open,
over which You walked so much.

[Poet]

I like that one.  Thank you for using both languages again.  Spanish has a truly beautiful quality in which some things simply don't translate exactly into English equivalents.  English can approximate, but only those who learn the language and its little ins and outs (like the arrangement of the adjectives and the agreement of the articles in gender and number) can hear a different idea in the sound.

"El pone los manos sobre de ellos, y les bendicen."   This was the first verse I read where I imagined a completely different picture than what I got from the English translation.

[Seaker]

"This was the first verse I read where I imagined a completely different picture than what I got from the English translation."

Poet, that is so true!  And, I think it explains my drive to provide both sides of the same coin--sacrifice of praise, that I try to offer up.