prefigurative living....

I've been thinking about this recently. Thought I'd share a snippet of what I read in an article. It's pretty convicting, inspiring, and really gets you thinking about the implications of what it would look like if we lived like this more.....
"When people of faith try to live out their deep principles, actually walk their talk, they tend to come up against power in ways that can wake a nation's conscience. Jesus himself (who promised that anyone who followed his teaching would always be in trouble) was one of history's more brilliant prefigurative campaigners. He didn't merely argue that true greatness comes from humbly serving others, he illustrated it by washing his disciples' dirty feet. By socializing with outcasts, visiting lepers, and always raising up the 'least of these,' Jesus didn't simply prophesy a future beloved community, he made it manifest."
(Andrew Boyd  - Yes!  magazine)

Here's the rest of the article. 

I'm starting to think maybe the best days are the ones where you can wake up in the morning...and one of the first and only certain thoughts to run through your head is the awareness that you're finished trying to do things yourself;  that if God doesn't show up, walk with you, the day is pretty much done for.

"the nearness of God is my good"

This was on the daily lectionary readings for the 1st of january. Talk about a good way to start off the year:
ps. 103


Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
(Psalm 103 ESV)

Josh Garrels - Zion & Babylon

....and dear black friday -take that- jesus is bigger than all our greed.

dear black friday

Dear black friday,

I wish I could point the finger at you and say with a clean conscience that I have no part in you. I don't shop on you, I don't take advantage of all the sparkly things you offer.... But the truth is, you reflect our hearts. Mine not withstanding. As a human race we are greedy, selfish hoarders who look after our own good before others, and it just manages to manifest itself in a lot of different ways. We don't always give all our allegiance to this demon - but none of us has been entirely free of it for our whole life. And none of us is innocent. Black friday, I want to play a song for you. maybe we'll look back at Jesus and remember that there's something a lot more important than "getting our own"- in whatever manner we do that.

Why am I awake at 12:14 am writing a blog after a long day/late night of work?.....

I like sleep. In fact, I like it when it happens around 10:30pm. But I've blazed through the day so quickly that I've hardly given anything a thought. Maybe it makes more sense to say I haven't really paused. I guess I'm pressing the pause button now.

Be still. Be thankful. Acknowledge the one who got me through the day, who upholds me with his love.

I think I'm just going to sit in the quiet for a little while, and ponder the largeness of that thought. Of what it really means to be grateful. Of what it really means to acknowledge the grace of God. Of who Jesus is, and what it means to know him. Of the good news that is good.

After all the busy-ness, all the noise, at the end of the day when I've made it through another...

I just need to stop in the stillness and remember.

He really is amazing.