In Revelation 3:14-22, Christ wishes that the Christians in Laodicea were either hot or cold. It is often assumed that hot means ‘on fire for the Lord’ or a full commitment, while cold means, ‘no fire for the Lord’ or no commitment. If this is the case, the question we’re faced with is why Christ would approve of no commitment at all. That doesn’t make sense. Hot and cold, therefore, are not to be taken as positive and negative descriptions, but both are positive in regard to what the church’s actions should be. Steaming hot or refreshingly cold – either gets a thumbs up. The real problem then is being lukewarm, which seems to identify all too many churches today. We need to learn, just as the Laodiceans did, that lukewarm is not an option. If you’d be interested in reading more about this legendary recounting of the end of the world, check out my book Living Apocalypse.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Friday, March 7, 2014
Friday Musings – March 7
Statement: Feelings and experience show me there is no absolute truth. Response: If this is the case, feelings and experience are functioning as an absolute - with me at the center. What appears to cancel absolute truth becomes it.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Living Spiritual Rhythms–March 5
There are at least two types of giving: obligation and desire. These are not mutually exclusive, but the latter is less duty orientated than the former. On the one hand, when we go to the store and buy something, we are obliged to give in order to receive – this is called exchange. On the other hand, when we desire to give, we do so without receiving – this is called gift. We can say, therefore, that there are two economies – the economy of exchange and the economy of gift. Life, generally, and relationships specifically, are a radical negotiation between exchange and gift.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Reflection for the Week – March 3
“Brink of Disaster”
“Suicide Bombing”
“Destabilizing”
“Terrorist attack”
“High Risk Clashes”
“Crimes Against Humanity”
“Vertiginous Debt”
“Starvation hits new record”
“Church to Build a Ten Million Dollar Bowling Alley for Members Only”
No commentary …………………………….
Friday, February 28, 2014
Friday Musings – February 28
Forget self and love the other. Wrong! Remember which self is to love the other.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Thursday Thought – February 27
Living Spirituality does not overcome our problems, but it allows us to live a spiritual life in spite of them.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Living Spiritual Rhythms–February 26
We long for contact and connection. If this is the case, it is important to become aware of a necessary movement into a space that is partially our own, and partially that of the text, art, other, or God – a third space, if you will. We can say that this confluence of another relational space in-between spaces, where each space remains what it is, yet emerges into someplace new, will allow for a convergence of life together and for a mutuality of space, which forges mediated community at its very best.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Reflection for the Week–February 24
The question: what would Jesus do? while sometimes well meaning, doesn’t have a straight forward answer. It’s absurd to assume that there will always be a direct overlap between his context and ours. While this may occasionally be the case, most of the time it simply won’t be.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday Musing – February 21
Coming alongside the other is a wonderful and frightening opportunity to be mutual, while remaining individual.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Living Spiritual Rhythms–February 19
I hear it said all the time - “God is good.” This makes excellent sense and I fully embrace it, yet I wonder what this means for those who casually throw it around. So often, “God is good” becomes hyper individualized, and then I find myself at a loss to understand. Let’s say, someone has planned a big event, which had nice weather that enabled it to go off smoothly. God is not good because one has favorable weather and God would still be good if one had bad weather. I’m not sure either of these weather scenarios or other kinds of individualistic views that God orchestrates the world for me, can be a very relevant considerations when it comes to saying; “God is good.”
Monday, February 17, 2014
Reflection for the Week–February 17
God, through the created world and the potential for a relationship with others, graciously offers us a space to be and to do. This striking atmosphere of the given is loaded with responsibility and freedom. God wants us to engage with both. This means that we are called to be attentive to God and to interact with the created. The former is all together fitting, since God is God, but the latter should not be viewed as irrelevant or as a betrayal of God, who encourages us to be and do in the dimension of what has been made.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Friday Musings – February 14
What would it mean for someone to say, “I’m making progress?” For someone I know, it would mean at least this: “I’m no longer the ultra confused about everything person that I previously portrayed myself to be.”
