Beatitude

Breathing in the New Year

While in a certain sense arbitrary, the dates changing and our year "new," creates openings for fresh starts, new creations and the relinquishing of past problems. Dates, times and the passage of time are all assigned by human design. A thousand years is the same as one day to God. We have created the start of the calendar, the years, the days, the hours and the seconds of what we call time. But there is still something special about the moments when we leave them behind as though exhaling and approach a new one, inhaling.

Since Christ was born into time, he sanctifies time, even though he is entirely, also, above time. So as I exhale, letting go of 2011, I find that I am renewed and all-the-more eager and ready for something new. One reason this is a good thing, is that we can let go harmful or burdensome things. Then we can await the spirit's inspiration, inhaling the new life of Christ.

Try this type of breathing as a spiritual exercise. Breath out the past and the burdens we should not hold onto. Then breath in the present, the new, fresh air of God's life for today. See what happens to your perspective.

Delightful Words

When Psalm 85 says: "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky" I get a picture of the author being tickled pink over what he or she just composed. Like uncovering buried treasure. Those words pop! They are some of the most poetic in all of scripture. Tell me, how do they affect you? 

The PCUSA Changes Its Ordination Standards

The Presbyterian Church USA has ratified an overture to become more inclusive toward people of gay and lesbian orientation. In essence, the vote to change ordination standards allows the possibility for people to be evaluated not so much on their sexual orientation but for their suitability to “submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life;” a courageous and admirable shift in my opinion. 

You can check more information about this decision at: http://oga.pcusa.org/

I’ve found that through any major change my own spiritual discipline must be alive and well. Even now I seek depth in my own spiritual practices, like The Examination of Consciousness I mentioned in the previous post. I even find a true spiritual connection with people in my regional body of Presbyterians who disagree with my more inclusive approach to the church. We can remain open to a God whose grace is bigger than all our decisions and schisms and even our successes. Perhaps, then, the best thing to remember is that our efforts to be the church are not about us. They are instead about a God of surprising grace.

The Examination of Consciousness

Today I’ll recommend a practice called the Examination of Consciousness. While it has connections to the more penitential version, often called the Examination of Conscience, the Examination of Consciousness is a light, readily repeatable practice based on raising one’s awareness of the spiritual life.

Here’s the basic pattern:

1) Take a ten minute break. During this break calm yourself and let go of the business of the day.

2) Ask yourself two basic questions:

1. “How have I been close to or responsive to God today?”
2. “How have I been distant from or unresponsive to God today?”

3) Or you can more simply ask: “Where is God in this?”

4) Notice your responses and jot them down in a journal. To stay within a ten minute time frame, don’t attempt to write paragraphs, just phrases or sentences. (You can make the practice longer, but that sometimes makes it less repeatable.) In this practice you are mainly attempting to develop awareness and the ability to contemplate the answers to the two basic questions.

When a person lives in greater awareness of God’s presence he or she will experience more vitality, energy, gratitude and compassion. If we cultivate our ability to recognize God’s life in ours we can be greatly aided in discernment and faithful living—and simply enjoy ourselves more!

The Examination of Consciousness is designed to be less about your sin and more about awareness of God’s presence or seeming absence in our daily lives. Most of the time the experience should feel hopeful and aid in a closer, more companioned walk with God.

See what happens when you try it for a week. My guess is that you will be glad to continue the practice.

Impossible

The following poem, "Impossible," was my own creation, written from the inspiration of Acts 2, especially verse 24.

 

IMPOSSIBLE

Eternity is in the next breath you take,were you to notice, in even so little a thing as the blink of an eye.

Christ waits, watches, the Attending One.

You and I, we squander mostly the time as it passes,distracted by what, the flies and gizmos of life.

Yet, sitting across from you, close by, it’s as if he leans in,and dips his head ever so slightly forward as though to indicate, “I know you can believe! I know you can accept new life!”

Christ is there spilling out life and light like the power that exploded theuniverse into being looking to you, with bright eyes and unquenchable hope that… you and I… will… catch… on.

 

She is there, Oh don’t miss her in the visions you see and the dreams you dream.

We all find ways to push them away, those hopeful indications of your next chance to love, to believe, to live in joy.

Spirit calls to your spirit beyond your words and your intellect.

Spirit moves among you with energy you never knew you could have.

She is there like the water we swim in, the air we breath, the light by which we see.

 

For as close to you as your next breath, Eternity lives.

You don’t have to conjure it up, you don’t have to justify it, or explain it, or earn it…

No it’s inexplicable and mysterious.

Just Is.

The wholeness of God who lived and died and lives again.

There.

The watchful attending nudges you to faith.

Awaiting only your acceptance.

 

Forsake the worries and the sins that grind us into the ground.

Forsake the fears and the hatreds that tempt to define us.

Forsake the expectations and ruminations of lost resources and people you and I wished we had, but don’t.

Forsake the enticements of lesser gods and things contrary to the love of God, for anything less will in turn forsake you.

 

The Eternal Possible is as close as your next breath.

This Possible will nudge your future into places you couldn’t believe if told.

Christ’s confidence will get you there rewiring the circuitry of hope.

The faithfulness of God will be there with you, filtering through your

impossibilities for the next appearance of Possible!

 

Stones and Bread

I had a sobering conversation with my mechanic just last week. Our 180,000 mile car is nearing the end of its useful life. My mechanic and I got to talking about the business of repair and I reminisced about my days repairing Xerox copy machines. “I used to pray, ‘God, fix this machine.’” And then I laughed and said, “God never really came through on that prayer.” My mechanic said, “That’s because the real prayer was about your character.” He’s right. We're here to deal with what really is rather than depend on God to magically change things.

I’m thinking that is partly why Jesus disagreed with the devil when he asked him in Matthew 4 to change the stones into bread. Jesus was undertaking the spiritual discipline of fasting. What was behind the temptation was to forget the spiritual discipline and look to God for a magical relief. Jesus chose to live primarily by the Word of God and let stones be stones.

Could it be true that we often wish God to simply change the circumstances, when what God really wants is our faith and the character development that goes with it?

Small

In light of large, overwhelming upheaval, I long to think small—not to avoid the desperation of the world but to adopt a mode of being that makes me more available to it. Instead of allowing the waves of fear to drown me, I wish to take a small part, along with you, to improve the world’s condition.

When the whole world seems to ring like a bell, I long to be still—not to hid from the suffering of the world but to draw on a source that is not of this world. I wish to know the Spirit that doesn’t miss a beat and sings through history songs that fill our souls just when we thought there was no hope.

When the world is angry, seeking power to bring down one enemy or another, I want somehow to look down to the ground and meekly draw in the dirt and caution about throwing stones. Does the world need more stones aloft? And in the mean time, you and I can listen to our neighbor, and work for peace.

When we throw our hands up, and we have lost those we loved, I will mourn, hopefully in your company. Together we will feel human pain… just listen to and look at what we would otherwise not want to see. Maybe weep. Maybe in suffering we will know what is otherwise unknowable.

When plans are devised to oppress and deals are made to cover up, I long to be simple. I long to resist as best I can the complicated temptation to nod in numb agreement. Then I hope I can teach with you, one simple truth after another until the world becomes a learning community and everyone’s decisions are made calmly and wide-eyed.

Dear God, I wish to be simple, mournful, meek, quiet and small today.

 

It Takes A Congregation

How many Presbyterians does it take to change a light bulb? You know where that normally goes. They form a committee, then decide to study the matter and discover it's really not about the switch, it's more about the essence of light... and perhaps we could consider the light of God instead of physical light, etc. But here's where I'll go with it today, thinking about whole new light fixtures and bulbs: It takes the whole congregation. At Westminster Presbyterian Church, Olympia, Washington, we've watched the drama unfold over 20 years. The congregation turned on the lights this summer. God inspired us, challenged us, encouraged us and then showed us the final steps. These days, every time I flip a switch, I picture 20 years of faithful worshipers. In know these faithful worshipers will be the hosts to thousands of guests and that Christ will be our host each day. It takes a congregation.

Seeing Differently

 When we take a look at the whole chapter of John 20 it challenges us to see the world in a different light. It is easy enough to be confused, to be sorrowful, or afraid, or simply disbelieving in this world. That’s where we live. I live there too. Sometimes I find myself going down a path of fear and worry much like the disciples who, on Sunday evening, locked themselves inside for fear.

What changed the disciples’ minds on that first Easter and on the following week in Thomas’ case was the presence of the risen Lord. To a person they struggled to believe what seemed impossible. They had witnessed the horrific event of the death of their rabbi. To come to terms with the reality that he was no longer dead but talking to them required seeing life differently.

It requires the same of us. Now the world, the universe, life, death, all things are open to God’s new life. When the risen Christ appears amidst my fear and worry I must choose. Do I believe in the path of fear or the path of life? How will I function if my worst fears end not as I suppose, but instead in life and love and forgiveness? The greatest challenge for us is not so much dealing with betrayal, jealousy, death and darkness as it is in seeing life in terms of resurrection.

Fortunately Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit. Christ has breathed upon us and enabled us to receive life. And looking through the lens of resurrection, whoa… it’s a whole new world out there!

Whom Are You Looking For?

Mary Magdalene came to the tomb looking not for Jesus, but simply for a place to grieve in John 20:1-18. She told others about the empty tomb with the assumption that Jesus’ body was stolen, not that he had risen. She is still convinced that Jesus’ dead body has been placed somewhere else, as she weeps outside the tomb. Then the resurrected Jesus speaks to her and she can’t see him as Jesus. Even though she looks right at him, she thinks he’s the gardener. Jesus asks her the question: “Whom are you looking for?” Evidence has it that she wasn’t actually looking for the living Jesus. That would have been too much to ask of someone who had just been crucified.

This is true for most of us. Daily you and I look resurrection in the face and don’t see it. My faith is too reasonable. I expect the life and death cycle to be reliable and predictable. The normalcy of life and death, anger and hatred, wars and crime, disbelief and defeat are commonplace and reinforce our expectations. They also blind us to the very abnormal and out-of-the-ordinary divine act of resurrection.

Mary recognized Jesus when he called her name. This text was not written to remind Mary of the event, but to show us of its truth today. Jesus calls our name just as Jesus called Mary’s. The opportunity is open for us to accept resurrection life; to open our hearts to Christ’s life. This challenges us to live not according to death, and all its relatives like hatred, wars, and crime; but instead to live according to life, love, peacemaking, justice, faith and hope. I submit that it’s not a one-time deal. We need frequently to turn to the risen Christ. I’m praying that I can keep turning toward the one who calls my name. How about you?