| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Following last week's pattern, I will be adding to each day - God's love as the beginning - the end - now. Tuesday I wasn't sure how to start this look at the now of God's love. When we talk about God's love as the foundation from which we enter the day and then talk about God's love as the power pulling us into the future unveiling of God's Reign, what about now? Yesterday I watched the last half of the Lord of The Rings (#3). During one of the endings, the new king is crowned with masses of characters (all types and all sizes) looking on. They all bow as the king walks toward them. Then in front of the king are the four Hobbits. They begin to bow but the king stops them and says, "You do not need to bow to anyone." Then - then - the king all the characters turn toward the Hobbits and bow to them. It is a blow you head off kind of moment. That's it. The moment. Those Hobbits were always in the moment. There against all odds and at what appeared to be a great disadvantage (they are only Hobbits you know) they take on the day and live boldly. They are on a quest - an adventure - a journey. They have purpose and substance to their lives. I would contend that as followers of Jesus who have been invited into a life that is wrapped up in the beginning and the end of the God whose love is everlasting, now is the time for that love to materialize. In religious circles we may use language like incarnation. That is a good word to use in the week before Advent and the coming of the Lord. Incarnation. Wednesday "Now the Silence" is a hymn by Jaroslav Vajda (text) and it is a verse full of "now." I love the repetition and the addition. The repetition of Now and the addition of all the aspects of God's Reign that are present here and Now. This is the way of God's love. It is not something stored up or put away for a rainy day or remembered as part of another day and time. Rather, the beginning and the end join hands in the present - this moment - to make a people whose love will be the reflection of God's love. That is the hope of all Scripture. That is the coming of the Messiah. That is the "Yes!" to the way of God coming among us in the flesh so that we will know the importance of a "now" that walks on the love has the power to create and the power to put all things to rest forevermore. Now. Thursday We are about to start a new year in the Church. It begins with the season of Advent. It is all about the coming of the Lord. It is all about the fullness of God that has been and will be and is even now cracking open the day. Just look to the east - it is like the sun beginning to make itself known. This morning it is also like the moon in the west - full, bright, reminding us of what it is to fully reflect the brightness of the sun. That is what it is to live within the everlasting embrace of God's love - we reflect the brightness of God. God's love as a present reality is a power that pulls at us. It never stops. It is always tapping us on the shoulder and attempting to turn us to the way of this love that is able to take hold of us and move us beyond ourselves into a new adventure within a life is constantly taking its shape from the ever-expanding love of God. This is why there is always a bit of mystery to the power of the love of God. We are not able to control where it will take us. God's love as a part of this moment is full of surprise. I may know what love is to me, but love to me is a love that has me quite at the center of things. Love is viewed through my eyes and with my desires and within my framework. God's love is known for tripping up people like me and opening up another way to move through the now that is always approaching. How in the world does God's love that is from the beginning and out there in the future meet up in the time at hand? First I would suggest it is always a surprise. God's love swoops in and takes hold of the moment and we are invited into the treasure of that love. We may have other ideas about how the day 'should' go, but then we remember - a love - an embrace - a never-failing promise. Even the act of remembering is a surprise. For as we all know, we want things as we would want things. And yet, somehow there is a space in the moment in which the Spirit of God is present to tickle our hearts and turn our heads. That movement by the Spirit is the power of this eternal love of God to send us spinning - just a bit - to allow us to re-view and re-think what is about to be. Will we be like we would be if left to our own ways or will we be a part of that eternity that is God as love? God as love here in the present is also simply what is. There need not be a grand intervention - a miraculous healing - a novel insight. All that is needed is the love of God being expressed and made known within the ordinary. This Spirit of God takes what is and adds seasoning to it - a life of love - a life that exhibits the healing of all things - a life of unrestrained mercy - a life of peace even as we are being seduced by the ways of war. Right here, in the ordinary, God as love is revealed. The ordinary is you and me. The ordinary is made up of all the interactions we often move through too quickly to feel the tickle of God's loving presence. God as love is the power for life that is available despite our preoccupation with division and war and finger-pointing. O God of love and new life, when you tickle us with the power of your Spirit, help us to feel your presence and act within the bounds of your loving intervention. Amen. O God of love and new life, be our hope and consolation. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Following last week's pattern, I will be adding to each day - God's love as the beginning - the end - now. Tuesday I wasn't sure how to start this look at the now of God's love. When we talk about God's love as the foundation from which we enter the day and then talk about God's love as the power pulling us into the future unveiling of God's Reign, what about now? Yesterday I watched the last half of the Lord of The Rings (#3). During one of the endings, the new king is crowned with masses of characters (all types and all sizes) looking on. They all bow as the king walks toward them. Then in front of the king are the four Hobbits. They begin to bow but the king stops them and says, "You do not need to bow to anyone." Then - then - the king all the characters turn toward the Hobbits and bow to them. It is a blow you head off kind of moment. That's it. The moment. Those Hobbits were always in the moment. There against all odds and at what appeared to be a great disadvantage (they are only Hobbits you know) they take on the day and live boldly. They are on a quest - an adventure - a journey. They have purpose and substance to their lives. I would contend that as followers of Jesus who have been invited into a life that is wrapped up in the beginning and the end of the God whose love is everlasting, now is the time for that love to materialize. In religious circles we may use language like incarnation. That is a good word to use in the week before Advent and the coming of the Lord. Incarnation. Wednesday "Now the Silence" is a hymn by Jaroslav Vajda (text) and it is a verse full of "now." I love the repetition and the addition. The repetition of Now and the addition of all the aspects of God's Reign that are present here and Now. This is the way of God's love. It is not something stored up or put away for a rainy day or remembered as part of another day and time. Rather, the beginning and the end join hands in the present - this moment - to make a people whose love will be the reflection of God's love. That is the hope of all Scripture. That is the coming of the Messiah. That is the "Yes!" to the way of God coming among us in the flesh so that we will know the importance of a "now" that walks on the love has the power to create and the power to put all things to rest forevermore. Now. Thursday We are about to start a new year in the Church. It begins with the season of Advent. It is all about the coming of the Lord. It is all about the fullness of God that has been and will be and is even now cracking open the day. Just look to the east - it is like the sun beginning to make itself known. This morning it is also like the moon in the west - full, bright, reminding us of what it is to fully reflect the brightness of the sun. That is what it is to live within the everlasting embrace of God's love - we reflect the brightness of God. God's love as a present reality is a power that pulls at us. It never stops. It is always tapping us on the shoulder and attempting to turn us to the way of this love that is able to take hold of us and move us beyond ourselves into a new adventure within a life is constantly taking its shape from the ever-expanding love of God. This is why there is always a bit of mystery to the power of the love of God. We are not able to control where it will take us. God's love as a part of this moment is full of surprise. I may know what love is to me, but love to me is a love that has me quite at the center of things. Love is viewed through my eyes and with my desires and within my framework. God's love is known for tripping up people like me and opening up another way to move through the now that is always approaching. How in the world does God's love that is from the beginning and out there in the future meet up in the time at hand? First I would suggest it is always a surprise. God's love swoops in and takes hold of the moment and we are invited into the treasure of that love. We may have other ideas about how the day 'should' go, but then we remember - a love - an embrace - a never-failing promise. Even the act of remembering is a surprise. For as we all know, we want things as we would want things. And yet, somehow there is a space in the moment in which the Spirit of God is present to tickle our hearts and turn our heads. That movement by the Spirit is the power of this eternal love of God to send us spinning - just a bit - to allow us to re-view and re-think what is about to be. Will we be like we would be if left to our own ways or will we be a part of that eternity that is God as love? God as love here in the present is also simply what is. There need not be a grand intervention - a miraculous healing - a novel insight. All that is needed is the love of God being expressed and made known within the ordinary. This Spirit of God takes what is and adds seasoning to it - a life of love - a life that exhibits the healing of all things - a life of unrestrained mercy - a life of peace even as we are being seduced by the ways of war. Right here, in the ordinary, God as love is revealed. The ordinary is you and me. The ordinary is made up of all the interactions we often move through too quickly to feel the tickle of God's loving presence. God as love is the power for life that is available despite our preoccupation with division and war and finger-pointing. O God of love and new life, when you tickle us with the power of your Spirit, help us to feel your presence and act within the bounds of your loving intervention. Amen. O God of love and new life, be our hope and consolation. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Following last week's pattern, I will be adding to each day - God's love as the beginning - the end - now. Tuesday I wasn't sure how to start this look at the now of God's love. When we talk about God's love as the foundation from which we enter the day and then talk about God's love as the power pulling us into the future unveiling of God's Reign, what about now? Yesterday I watched the last half of the Lord of The Rings (#3). During one of the endings, the new king is crowned with masses of characters (all types and all sizes) looking on. They all bow as the king walks toward them. Then in front of the king are the four Hobbits. They begin to bow but the king stops them and says, "You do not need to bow to anyone." Then - then - the king all the characters turn toward the Hobbits and bow to them. It is a blow you head off kind of moment. That's it. The moment. Those Hobbits were always in the moment. There against all odds and at what appeared to be a great disadvantage (they are only Hobbits you know) they take on the day and live boldly. They are on a quest - an adventure - a journey. They have purpose and substance to their lives. I would contend that as followers of Jesus who have been invited into a life that is wrapped up in the beginning and the end of the God whose love is everlasting, now is the time for that love to materialize. In religious circles we may use language like incarnation. That is a good word to use in the week before Advent and the coming of the Lord. Incarnation. Wednesday "Now the Silence" is a hymn by Jaroslav Vajda (text) and it is a verse full of "now." I love the repetition and the addition. The repetition of Now and the addition of all the aspects of God's Reign that are present here and Now. This is the way of God's love. It is not something stored up or put away for a rainy day or remembered as part of another day and time. Rather, the beginning and the end join hands in the present - this moment - to make a people whose love will be the reflection of God's love. That is the hope of all Scripture. That is the coming of the Messiah. That is the "Yes!" to the way of God coming among us in the flesh so that we will know the importance of a "now" that walks on the love has the power to create and the power to put all things to rest forevermore. Now. We are about to start a new year in the Church. It begins with the season of Advent. It is all about the coming of the Lord. It is all about the fullness of God that has been and will be and is even now cracking open the day. Just look to the east - it is like the sun beginning to make itself known. This morning it is also like the moon in the west - full, bright, reminding us of what it is to fully reflect the brightness of the sun. That is what it is to live within the everlasting embrace of God's love - we reflect the brightness of God. God's love as a present reality is a power that pulls at us. It never stops. It is always tapping us on the shoulder and attempting to turn us to the way of this love that is able to take hold of us and move us beyond ourselves into a new adventure within a life is constantly taking its shape from the ever-expanding love of God. This is why there is always a bit of mystery to the power of the love of God. We are not able to control where it will take us. God's love as a part of this moment is full of surprise. I may know what love is to me, but love to me is a love that has me quite at the center of things. Love is viewed through my eyes and with my desires and within my framework. God's love is known for tripping up people like me and opening up another way to move through the now that is always approaching. O God of love and new life, make this day a time of love that expressed through the body of your beloved Son so that we may be for the world a bit of hope when the time at hand seems hopeless. Amen. O God of love and new life, be our hope and consolation. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Following last week's pattern, I will be adding to each day - God's love as the beginning - the end - now. Tuesday I wasn't sure how to start this look at the now of God's love. When we talk about God's love as the foundation from which we enter the day and then talk about God's love as the power pulling us into the future unveiling of God's Reign, what about now? Yesterday I watched the last half of the Lord of The Rings (#3). During one of the endings, the new king is crowned with masses of characters (all types and all sizes) looking on. They all bow as the king walks toward them. Then in front of the king are the four Hobbits. They begin to bow but the king stops them and says, "You do not need to bow to anyone." Then - then - the king all the characters turn toward the Hobbits and bow to them. It is a blow you head off kind of moment. That's it. The moment. Those Hobbits were always in the moment. There against all odds and at what appeared to be a great disadvantage (they are only Hobbits you know) they take on the day and live boldly. They are on a quest - an adventure - a journey. They have purpose and substance to their lives. I would contend that as followers of Jesus who have been invited into a life that is wrapped up in the beginning and the end of the God whose love is everlasting, now is the time for that love to materialize. In religious circles we may use language like incarnation. That is a good word to use in the week before Advent and the coming of the Lord. Incarnation. "Now the Silence" is a hymn by Jaroslav Vajda (text) and it is a verse full of "now." I love the repetition and the addition. The repetition of Now and the addition of all the aspects of God's Reign that are present here and Now. This is the way of God's love. It is not something stored up or put away for a rainy day or remembered as part of another day and time. Rather, the beginning and the end join hands in the present - this moment - to make a people whose love will be the reflection of God's love. That is the hope of all Scripture. That is the coming of the Messiah. That is the "Yes!" to the way of God coming among us in the flesh so that we will know the importance of a "now" that walks on the love has the power to create and the power to put all things to rest forevermore. Now. O God of love and new life, make this day a time of love that expressed through the body of your beloved Son so that we may be for the world a bit of hope when the time at hand seems hopeless. Amen. O God of love and new life, be our hope and consolation. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | God's love as the Beginning - God's love as the End. What about now? I wasn't sure how to start this look at the now of God's love. When we talk about God's love as the foundation from which we enter the day and then talk about God's love as the power pulling us into the future unveiling of God's Reign, what about now? Yesterday I watched the last half of the Lord of The Rings (#3). During one of the endings, the new king is crowned with masses of characters (all types and all sizes) looking on. They all bow as the king walks toward them. Then in front of the king are the four Hobbits. They begin to bow but the king stops them and says, "You do not need to bow to anyone." Then - then - the king all the characters turn toward the Hobbits and bow to them. It is a blow you head off kind of moment. That's it. The moment. Those Hobbits were always in the moment. There against all odds and at what appeared to be a great disadvantage (they are only Hobbits you know) they take on the day and live boldly. They are on a quest - an adventure - a journey. They have purpose and substance to their lives. I would contend that as followers of Jesus who have been invited into a life that is wrapped up in the beginning and the end of the God whose love is everlasting, now is the time for that love to materialize. In religious circles we may use language like incarnation. That is a good word to use in the week before Advent and the coming of the Lord. Incarnation. O God of love and new life, let this moment be open to the vast power of your love and make us instruments of that love. Amen. O God of love and new life, be our hope and consolation. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | I'm using the add on display again this week. Monday The love of God as the end is what I have usually called the pull. God's love already holds what will be. No matter how things 'end' there will be the God whose love knows no end. So even though we see things as the end - the end of our career - the end of a relationship - the end of a trip - the end of the day - the end of life, the love of God is there. If the love of God is there as it was from the beginning, I would think that the end is now been transformed into a beginning. God pulls us into the beginning of all things because God is already at the end. This is one of those reasons I often go back to the expression that God is the Alpha and the Omega. God's love as the end means that the end will be transformed by that love. Within the end of all things is the opportunity for life to begin. The look of that ending is not know - it is only affirmed. The affirmation is simple. God's love will be there and in the midst of that love we face that which has yet to be. Does that mean the end or the beginning. If we have not yet been there - it is the beginning even as it appears to be what we call the end. Tuesday The love of God as the end is encouragement. It is the power that pulls us into whatever we will encounter as we step out into the future. We already stand on the creative love of God from the beginning and now - just so we do not merely stand in one place for the rest of our lives - we are pulled into places and times of which we do not know the ending. We do not know how this day will go. But yes we do. It will end within the embrace of God's love. That is meant to be an open door to whatever is next. It is the voices of Jesus that says, "Come and follow me." Really!? Even when we cannot see around the bend and into the moments ahead of us, God is always calling us into God's love that has prepared a place for us. The gospel writer John speaks of rooms that are prepared for us in 'our Father's mansion.' I buy it. I'm sold. There is this love of God set up and ready for us. We need only come and rest within it - call it home - stretch out and act as though it has been there all along and will be there for ever. That creates encouragement. We are handed a reason to face the stuff of life that we think will be the end of us. We face it because our God promises to be forever present. Wednesday But the end is end. Things stop there because things come to an end. That can be devastating. No - that is devastating. The end can hurt so much that we run from anything that looks or sounds like it could be the end. We do not do ending well. Unfortunately, our humanity brings with it the ability to know that the end is coming. We don't know what end is coming or when the end is coming or how the end will take place - but it is coming. Knowing the love of God as the end is meant to make us bold - to face it even though we fear it - to take the next step. The love of God as end has the power to pull us into scenarios we have created and even those we have already experienced. I think of Charlie Brown attempting to kick that football and Lucy always - always pulls it out of the way right as he is about to kick it. So how will this adventure in kicking go? It will be a mess - it always is. And yet, Charlie Brown goes for it. He boldly rushes into a future that previously has shown great promise but has consistently put him on his butt. Yes, the end we face may be just what we expect. At the same time, we can never fully understand the power of God's love that awaits us in the end. When the end is not the love of God - what is it? O God of love and new life, be our hope and consolation. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | I'm using the add on display again this week. Monday The love of God as the end is what I have usually called the pull. God's love already holds what will be. No matter how things 'end' there will be the God whose love knows no end. So even though we see things as the end - the end of our career - the end of a relationship - the end of a trip - the end of the day - the end of life, the love of God is there. If the love of God is there as it was from the beginning, I would think that the end is now been transformed into a beginning. God pulls us into the beginning of all things because God is already at the end. This is one of those reasons I often go back to the expression that God is the Alpha and the Omega. God's love as the end means that the end will be transformed by that love. Within the end of all things is the opportunity for life to begin. The look of that ending is not know - it is only affirmed. The affirmation is simple. God's love will be there and in the midst of that love we face that which has yet to be. Does that mean the end or the beginning. If we have not yet been there - it is the beginning even as it appears to be what we call the end. Tuesday The love of God as the end is encouragement. It is the power that pulls us into whatever we will encounter as we step out into the future. We already stand on the creative love of God from the beginning and now - just so we do not merely stand in one place for the rest of our lives - we are pulled into places and times of which we do not know the ending. We do not know how this day will go. But yes we do. It will end within the embrace of God's love. That is meant to be an open door to whatever is next. It is the voices of Jesus that says, "Come and follow me." Really!? Even when we cannot see around the bend and into the moments ahead of us, God is always calling us into God's love that has prepared a place for us. The gospel writer John speaks of rooms that are prepared for us in 'our Father's mansion.' I buy it. I'm sold. There is this love of God set up and ready for us. We need only come and rest within it - call it home - stretch out and act as though it has been there all along and will be there for ever. That creates encouragement. We are handed a reason to face the stuff of life that we think will be the end of us. We face it because our God promises to be forever present. But the end is end. Things stop there because things come to an end. That can be devastating. No - that is devastating. The end can hurt so much that we run from anything that looks or sounds like it could be the end. We do not do ending well. Unfortunately, our humanity brings with it the ability to know that the end is coming. We don't know what end is coming or when the end is coming or how the end will take place - but it is coming. Knowing the love of God as the end is meant to make us bold - to face it even though we fear it - to take the next step. The love of God as end has the power to pull us into scenarios we have created and even those we have already experienced. I think of Charlie Brown attempting to kick that football and Lucy always - always pulls it out of the way right as he is about to kick it. So how will this adventure in kicking go? It will be a mess - it always is. And yet, Charlie Brown goes for it. He boldly rushes into a future that previously has shown great promise but has consistently put him on his butt. Yes, the end we face may be just what we expect. At the same time, we can never fully understand the power of God's love that awaits us in O God of love and new life, inspire us as we step into what is not yet. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | I'm using the add on display again this week. The love of God as the end is what I have usually called the pull. God's love already holds what will be. No matter how things 'end' there will be the God whose love knows no end. So even though we see things as the end - the end of our career - the end of a relationship - the end of a trip - the end of the day - the end of life, the love of God is there. If the love of God is there as it was from the beginning, I would think that the end is now been transformed into a beginning. God pulls us into the beginning of all things because God is already at the end. This is one of those reasons I often go back to the expression that God is the Alpha and the Omega. God's love as the end means that the end will be transformed by that love. Within the end of all things is the opportunity for life to begin. The look of that ending is not know - it is only affirmed. The affirmation is simple. God's love will be there and in the midst of that love we face that which has yet to be. Does that mean the end or the beginning. If we have not yet been there - it is the beginning even as it appears to be what we call the end. The love of God as the end is encouragement. It is the power that pulls us into whatever we will encounter as we step out into the future. We already stand on the creative love of God from the beginning and now - just so we do not merely stand in one place for the rest of our lives - we are pulled into places and times of which we do not know the ending. We do not know how this day will go. But yes we do. It will end within the embrace of God's love. That is meant to be an open door to whatever is next. It is the voices of Jesus that says, "Come and follow me." Really!? Even when we cannot see around the bend and into the moments ahead of us, God is always calling us into God's love that has prepared a place for us. The gospel writer John speaks of rooms that are prepared for us in 'our Father's mansion.' I buy it. I'm sold. There is this love of God set up and ready for us. We need only come and rest within it - call it home - stretch out and act as though it has been there all along and will be there for ever. That creates encouragement. We are handed a reason to face the stuff of life that we think will be the end of us. We face it because our God promises to be forever present. O God of love and new life, the end of all things is often difficult for us to face. It is so unknown. Remind us again that in the end we will see how you create things anew. That will make this day look new and strange - so walk with us again. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Last week I followed a stream about love of God as the beginning. This week - though I'm on vacation and may not keep up with it - the stream goes toward the love of God as the end. The love of God as the end is what I have usually called the pull. God's love already holds what will be. No matter how things 'end' there will be the God whose love knows no end. So even though we see things as the end - the end of our career - the end of a relationship - the end of a trip - the end of the day - the end of life, the love of God is there. If the love of God is there as it was from the beginning, I would think that the end is now been transformed into a beginning. God pulls us into the beginning of all things because God is already at the end. This is one of those reasons I often go back to the expression that God is the Alpha and the Omega. God's love as the end means that the end will be transformed by that love. Within the end of all things is the opportunity for life to begin. The look of that ending is not know - it is only affirmed. The affirmation is simple. God's love will be there and in the midst of that love we face that which has yet to be. Does that mean the end or the beginning. If we have not yet been there - it is the beginning even as it appears to be what we call the end. O God of love and new life, the end of all things is often difficult for us to face. It is so unknown. Remind us again that in the end we will see how you create things anew. That will make this day look new and strange - so walk with us again. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | End the week - from the beginning. Here are the past two days and today's piece. Wednesday In my faithful imagination, God is completely vulnerable from the beginning. Why take the time to create - why invest in something over which you are not going to want complete control - why call everything good even when everything is about to stumble? The love of God is vulnerable from the beginning. I don't think many folks like this kind of vulnerable God. This is a God who creates and then really takes a chance with us. From the beginning we can be and do as we please - and we do. Adam and Eve take the lead on this. They go ahead and eat. They go ahead and seek to take the wheel and drive things in the manner of their choosing. God does not put a fence around that 'special' tree in the garden. Rather, God seems to go off and take a nap. God is vulnerable to the ways we will go. And yet, even when we choose to be like God and spend each day of our lives trying to be in control of the world around us - and even the world of others - God remains vulnerable. This beginning vulnerability is the shape of God's relationship with us all along the way. At the beginning of each moment we are invited to trust in this God who is willing to be crushed by us - again. That invitation into the garden of 'trust in God alone' never ends. Yesterday We must remember that always - behind us - is our God who never leaves. God does not stay around trying to find out who is 'naughty or nice' - that's not our God. Instead when God is behind us, God is a place to rest - God is the power of life that gives us the opportunity to take off. When the love of God is the beginning, it is in place and it is immovable. That is what brings about all of creation in the first place. That love is the constant - the steady walkway. We may look out into this day and be frightened by what we see or the things we hear. That is quite normal. And yet, there is a part of our storytelling that says stay put - rest - breathe - remember. This is a moment for life to be shaped by what is handed to us before the day even began - not by what appears to be coming at us. The love of God as the beginning of things We often hear of a wrathful God. A God who will do us in if we continue doing what we are doing. A God who whips up storms and illness and disease to break us of our bad ways. And yet, from the beginning our God is the God of Love. As noted earlier, it is a love that never lets us go - but a love that is willing to let us go so we can be us. That kind of love as a foundation allows for us to blow it and turn away from God and live as though we know nothing of this God of love who has been loving us from the beginning. The foundation of love never crumbles. It is never pulled out from under us. It is eternally present. In fact, it does let us go. It does let us screw up and thrown everything to the wind. But God - this God of love as the beginning of all things - does not act according to our actions. God lets us be. God lets us fall off the edge because we seem set on jumping again and again. So rather than sending us over the edge, God waits. I cannot imagine that kind of waiting - but God waits. Yes, we often find out that what we do - when we turn from our God - is that we stumble and suffer the consequences of what we are doing that is so contrary to this God who, from the beginning loves and beckons us into lives made alive by that love. But there - after jumping over the edge or simply running away from God's love - God waits to catch us and hold us and heal us and set us along the way of life that is reflective of God's love. That is love from the beginning. It is the encouragement for life no matter what the day sends us. It is the encouragement to face the day with a love that will not let the powers of the day take away our hopefulness and joy. O God of love and new life, wander with us as we move into this day. We will be wandering and we will so often need your love to stand alongside us and guide us and remind us of who you have been and will be. Praise to you, O God. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Onward - from the beginning. Today I realized that the 'connection' part of the devotion is not needed as it seems I am doing that in what I'm writing for the day. From yesterday In my faithful imagination, God is completely vulnerable from the beginning. Why take the time to create - why invest in something over which you are not going to want complete control - why call everything good even when everything is about to stumble? The love of God is vulnerable from the beginning. I don't think many folks like this kind of vulnerable God. This is a God who creates and then really takes a chance with us. From the beginning we can be and do as we please - and we do. Adam and Eve take the lead on this. They go ahead and eat. They go ahead and seek to take the wheel and drive things in the manner of their choosing. God does not put a fence around that 'special' tree in the garden. Rather, God seems to go off and take a nap. God is vulnerable to the ways we will go. And yet, even when we choose to be like God and spend each day of our lives trying to be in control of the world around us - and even the world of others - God remains vulnerable. This beginning vulnerability is the shape of God's relationship with us all along the way. At the beginning of each moment we are invited to trust in this God who is willing to be crushed by us - again. That invitation into the garden of 'trust in God alone' never ends. We must remember that always - behind us - is our God who never leaves. God does not stay around trying to find out who is 'naughty or nice' - that's not our God. Instead when God is behind us, God is a place to rest - God is the power of life that gives us the opportunity to take off. When the love of God is the beginning, it is in place and it is immovable. That is what brings about all of creation in the first place. That love is the constant - the steady walkway. We may look out into this day and be frightened by what we see or the things we hear. That is quite normal. And yet, there is a part of our storytelling that says stay put - rest - breathe - remember. This is a moment for life to be shaped by what is handed to us before the day even began - not by what appears to be coming at us. The love of God as the beginning of things O God of love and new life, help us to breath and rest and remember that in this day you will be with us and from within the grasp of your love, we will boldly live in your ways. Amen. |
| | | | Adventures... in Hope - Redeemer Devotions | | | | | | Onward - from the beginning From Yesterday: I want to hold onto God's love as the beginning. It is the power that moves us into creativity. It is the power that builds up and is able to open up that which was closed or appears to be closing down. In so many ways, we do not have much proof of the existence of God's love. Already in the beginning of this moment, we know of lives that are broken and relationship that are filled with more separation than unity. Despite the visibility of warfare and threat and coercion that makes today seem as though there is no possibility for a beginning to erupt among us - or the possibility of God's love to be a reality we can enter, we are encouraged to hold onto that which was in the beginning and is about to begin yet again - now. In our faithful story telling, I see this God who holds on to us before we think about holding on to this power of love. For in the beginning God's love already has us embraced and is whispering notions of peace and comfort and reconciliation into our hearts. For as much as I want to hold onto that love - that beginning, I am a part of that power by the sheer fact that I am here - now. The beginning power of love is the sustaining power that is hope that is always shaped by love. In my faithful imagination, God is completely vulnerable from the beginning. Why take the time to create - why invest in something over which you are not going to want complete control - why call everything good even when everything is about to stumble? The love of God is vulnerable from the beginning. I don't think many folks like this kind of vulnerable God. This is a God who creates and then really takes a chance with us. From the beginning we can be and do as we please - and we do. Adam and Eve take the lead on this. They go ahead and eat. They go ahead and seek to take the wheel and drive things in the manner of their choosing. God does not put a fence around that 'special' tree in the garden. Rather, God seems to go off and take a nap. God is vulnerable to the ways we will go. And yet, even when we choose to be like God and spend each day of our lives trying to be in control of the world around us - and even the world of others - God remains vulnerable. This beginning vulnerability is the shape of God's relationship with us all along the way. At the beginning of each moment we are invited to trust in this God who is willing to be crushed by us - again. That invitation into the garden of 'trust in God alone' never ends. Connection: Trusting in this vulnerable and loving God builds us up to be a people who are willing to settle for the embracing love of God. From that embrace, we can face anything within the day. From that embrace, we have enough. O God of love and new life, we are ready to be whipped up into your presence - that same presence we call Spirit or New Life. Amen. |
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