Tension

It's 11 weeks until I travel across the world to a country I've never seen, and only read and heard about. Part of me can't believe it's so soon, while the other still wonders partially if it really does exist.

but it reminds me of how similar we all are; just as people in Maine are similar to people from Alaska and California and Florida. But in the same way we are no different than those in Europe, or Italy, or even Haiti. Like the paper I am writing now, the people 500 years ago are no different than those living today or the cavemen that the Gieko commercials are imitating.

Why do we seem so different? Why do we feel so strange or disconnected with them?

I think we are just unsure what to make of their customs, their beliefs, and their language. We think they are different or wrong in some way when in fact how do we not know we are the ones that are wrong?

This reminds me of something we talked about in bible class today. The gentiles were not being accepted by the Jews in the early Christian church because the Jews wanted them to be Jews first then Christian just as they had (acts 15). Well Christ died not just for the Jews but for the gentiles as well. Just as in Psalms 72 and Amos 9:11-15 it talks about the Davidic kingdom ruling the world or bringing back god's greatness on the earth. It is a vision of the best possible scenario.

It makes me see through the history of Isreal how taking advice from the outside world and trying to use it to better our own selves or societies just ends in making things worse. Instead we should listen for God and and read his word and not take things at face value. Just as Israel wanted a King so too do we long for our king. But we must remember the differences in perspective. The Israelite King was one to help shine it's light through the nations and failed. we wait for our king who is the light, but we must all help share the light for there is no glory in being alone!

Reflection

The other night I was walking back to my room and looked toward the sky to see a very tremendous sight. The moon shinning in all its glory, yet even then something wasn’t quite right. The clouds and haze had covered it just enough that the light peaked few, but all will still fuzzy. Now this may sound a little Odd, but at the moment I stopped and my jaw dropped, That has been how the world has been for me and in everyone’s lives so much and especially for me recently.

So what am I saying exactly? Well there are so many directions this concept can go, but the main one that applies to everyone is that we see God’s Glory through the stories and writings in the bible, in the people we see, and the world he created, but still we can’t quite get it; Were still a little off or things maybe are just a little fuzzy. We don’t have all the fine details and everyone will never agree on every point.

But we can all see the light, and most would agree that it’s really there and not a figment of our imagination.

But he called us to be a light so that his light might shine on earth, yet we are all separate, and with numbers comes strength. So when we come together as a Christian body we not only are worshiping, but we are also reflecting the very thing God shows us. We reflect a body of light one that is not all completely the same and maybe a little blurry on some thing, but people should not be able to overlook the light. They have the option of ignoring or not accepting it, but if the light is not being shown then we have to ask why?

Why can no one see the light, why can we as a body not even see the light?

We spend enough time looking at ourselves and making sure we look presentable in the Earthly realm, but how often do we look to the spiritual? When was the last time we compared our spiritual lives and activities with what the spiritual world calls for; once a day? Week? Month? Maybe even year or years? And yet God calls you to keep our minds on that continually.

So next time you look in a mirror or the son just stop think, am I going the right direction?

When was the last time I focused more on spiritual perception than earthly? And I’ll admit I fall into this trap over and over, yet with a group of believers tied together with the common bonds of Christ and the bible as a guide we should together build a strong light one that does begin to resemble the spiritual realm and then, will we truly begin to make progress towards accomplishing our goal of spending eternity with our Father in the beautiful mansion he has prepared for us in a land of Paradise.

Which Way is UP?

Some times the world feels far away, sometimes you feel it up close and personal. Right now I have had little time to sit and reflect, little time to spend looking and seeing the spiritual or even stopping to breathe.

This has been a trying week or two, so many decisions, work to be done, tests, projects, and answers to be decided. The work is nowhere close to concluding, but I need to breathe. I need to stop and breathe in and reflect and see what value I’m getting from these few days, this work?

I’m meeting new people, making friendships, learning, and I feel something reaching deeper. Paul speaks of growing stronger in trials and trying times, I feel this may not be as intense or trying as things he faced, but even now I can feel a closeness closing in; now that I can see, breathe, hold.

I’ve been wondering and no answers are coming, I’ve been pointing up and screaming inside for answers and peace, I feel like a psalmist in which all answers remain unseen. But then I remember on one of Rob Bell’s Nooma videos I saw so long ago, one of complete silence and words. I’m reminded that silence can speak louder than words, and that sometimes we need to be quiet to hear God. Patience is the key to understanding, but sometimes we also need to be assertive.

Abraham asked God to save Lot and his family from destruction in Sodom and Gomorrah. And He didn’t stop once he continued, and eventually they all escaped the wrath poured out on Sodom (besides lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt).

So I’m saying I don’t know which way is up! I don’t know where I’m going, what I should do, where I’m heading. I’m calling for answers to find the narrow path set before me. I need a light to get brighter, a path to start coming to view and stop treading the dangerous dark waters. Maybe this is calling for trust in him? Maybe it’s reminding me that I’m not in control? But I think I’ve hit a turning point, a point where I need to find the light, direction.


Maybe I can discover which way is up!