Looking into the well at Sichar

poem #1 in the series Song of the Brightness of Water
by Karol Wojtyla (aka Pope John Paul II)

Look now at the silver scales in the water
where the depth trembles
like the retina of an eye recording an image.

With the broad leaves’ reflection
touching your face
water washes tiredness round your eyes.

Still far from the spring.

Tired eyes are the sign
that the night’s dark waters
flow through words into prayer.

(Consider how arid, how arid our souls.)

The light from the well pulsates with tears:
a gust of dreams,
passers-by think, brought them down.

The well sparkles with leaves that leap
to your eyes. Reflected green
glints round your face
in the shimmering depth.

How far to the spring?

Multitudes tremble in you, transfixed
by the light of your words
as eyes by the brightness of water.

You know them in weariness. You know them in light.

Living the Gospel

The prologue of Charles Colson’s, “The Faith” hearkens back a few years to the events in a schoolhouse in Pennsylvania Amish country, where a man entered a schoolhouse and did things that we would all rather forget. In the horror and sorrow-filled aftermath, however, the response of the Amish community is something that should not only be remembered, but should be emulated. Instead of crying for retribution and justice for the violence perpetrated on their children, the Amish community extended forgiveness and generosity to the family of the gunman who shot their children and then took his own life, drawing almost as much national shock for the response as for the violent act. Colson’s commentary on this has got me thinking. He notes,

“In one way, we should wonder why the forgiveness of the Amish surprises anyone. It’s nothing but the Gospel, although, admittedly an all-too-rare instance of its full practice. But why don’t Christianity’s bitter critics understand that the practice of love and forgiveness are hallmarks of Christianity, real Christianity. Because we Christians do not truly understand the tenets of our faith and therefore cannot live the faith.”

If Colson is right (and I have a hunch that he is more correct than I want him to be), then I’ve got a lot of work to do as one whose job it is to help people grow and mature in their faith. So, as I mentioned in my last post, if you’re up for the challenge, pick up a copy of “The Faith,” and join this blog conversation. A couple of things I have learned along the way is that I’m never done learning and growing in what it means to follow Jesus, and you are never too late or too far behind to begin grappling with the big (and small) questions of faith. I hope you’ll join the journey.

The Big Exhale

If you haven’t noticed, it’s been a fair amount of time since I last blogged. I will sum it up by saying that “life happens,” the specifics of which include: selling a house, buying a house, remodeling a house in a do-it-myself fashion, having two small children, holiday madness, a poorly timed cold, single-digit temperatures and excessive ambition leading to general exhaustion. (If you successfully finished reading that last sentence, you probably feel the same way.) While my mind and body were both quite occupied, my mind was not focused in such a way that would produce intelligent, coherent or helpful thoughts for your consideration. Now that I am on the downslope of at least one mountain peak and can once again see the forest for the trees, I have taken a few deep breaths and have picked up my first book in a couple of months, “The Faith” by Charles Colson. After reading the prologue, I’m intrigued by where the book may go and the conversations it may spark. So, if you are still reading this blog and want to pick up a copy of the book and turn this into a book conversation, it might take us somewhere worth going. I’m looking forward to finding out.

Believing before Understanding

John 20:8-9 – “Finally, the other disciple who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

It seems that Jesus’ disciples were in a constant state of believing, but not understanding. This is a very contrary idea in our culture. We tend to be people who want the most and best information before we will consider believing, but as John reminds us here, it doesn’t always work like that. Often, believing precedes understanding. Culturally, I think we are much more akin to the apostle Thomas in our tendency to doubt first and insist on proof before we believe. While Thomas does ultimately believe, he is rebuked by Jesus to stop doubting…a statement he elaborates by saying “blessed are those who have not seen and still believe.”

I imagine it was Simon Peter’s first hand experience of this belief before understanding that led him to write in 2 Peter 1, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Clearly, these things lead to salvation only if they are preceded by faith…but without them, how could that faith ever be evident? Just as Jesus’ disciples did, we must learn and possess these things in increasing measure…though at times we may appear to (and even actually) not get it, this is the life to which Jesus is calling us…one in which we often believe and obey before we fully understand.

Too Hard for You?

a journal entry from August 4, 2009

John 6:66-68 – “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’”

Jesus’ teaching was often misunderstood and seldom easy. In this case, it was both cryptic and difficult…so much so that many of Jesus’ followers gave up following him altogether. This prompted Jesus to ask his closest hand-chosen followers, the twelve, if they, too, were ready to give up. Peter’s response was simple and concise, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” In essence…even if we wanted to go, we don’t have any better options.

Despite the truth of Peter’s statement, the reality is that from time to time, all of us divide our allegiances and our lives elsewhere, following after other things and, directly or indirectly, look to those things to give us life. For me, it is the temptation to control or solve things on my own, instead of trusting God first. It is the faulty assumption that my time is better spent coming up with solutions and working them out, then seeking God in prayer and Scripture first, and trusting that the details of my life won’t fall apart in the meantime.

Jessica and I own a house in Beaverton, which we are trying to sell, and the details surrounding it have been weighing on me for the past couple of weeks. I know God has the details of my housing situation under control, but right now I’m having a hard time not worrying about the details. Even as I sit down to pray, read or journal or as I’m driving in the car, my mind is often overwhelmed by the need to figure out and control this situation, rather than allow God to take care of the things that are, in reality, out of my control anyway. Only in releasing control and worry in this area can I truly experience the peace and life that Jesus offers. I must honestly leave the illusion of control for the reality of faith.

Thoughts on Isaiah

Isaiah 53-56: a journal entry from July 28

So much of Isaiah reads as judgment for Israel’s sins and shortcomings as the people of God. These chapters remind us that despite those shortcomings, God’s purposes that He set forth from the beginning will prevail and the invitation to life with God is still open, not just to Israel, but to all who hunger and thirst (Isaiah 55:1). The picture of the Messiah that we find in Isaiah 53 foreshadows how that life with God will come about and the subsequent chapters glimpse the new creation that will result, causing God’s people to “go out in joy and be led forth in peace,” and the mountains and hills and trees to join the celebration…all to the Lord’s renown. Justice will prevail and God’s house will ultimately be called “a house of prayer for all nations.” I am encouraged by this reminder of how God will ultimately make new this creation that he made and called “good,” and excited that I get to be a part of it.

Getting Back on the Horse

What do you do when you fall off the blogging horse? Apparently, I ignore it and hope no one will notice. Well, I got noticed. In fact, I got called out by our (to-remain-unnamed) non-blogging staff member. So, I will now attempt to re-enter the blogosphere and hope the change in cabin pressure doesn’t cause my head to explode. I will begin with a couple of back entries from my journal and see if that gets this thing jump started. (Did I just imply the metaphor of jump starting a horse?) Here’s to blogging and mixed metaphors.