Residence Time
I was given this metaphor several years ago. New knowledge can be like water poured on a plate, splattering all over people. Or it can be like water poured into a bowl that, after a time, gently overflows. One is a flat surface, and the other is a container. Lord, make me a container.
That is the Question
This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ ⏤ Jeremiah 6:16
I'm at the crossing. Which is the good way? Do I have time to stand still, study the terrain, ask, and wait for an answer? Suppose I actually do all of that, then say, Nah, I'll go the other way.
The Way
Yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida. Nadie puede llegar hasta el Padre si no es por mí. — Juan 14:6
I can get too familiar with familiar language. For a long time, I read this verse, in English, as: if I follow the ways of Jesus, I can be admitted into the Father's presence. That sounds like earning. Reading this in Spanish, and hearing Jesus say, "I am the road...," hit me differently. The focus is on Jesus' work, not my works. This is reconciliation.
- love
- Holy Spirit
- humility
- church
- politics & society
- mission & witness
- holiness
- parable & metaphor
- identity
- eternal life
- doubt & deconstruction
- leadership
- grace
- justice
- scripture
- spiritual life
- advent & christmas
- poverty & compassion
- imagination & creativity
- technology & ai
- knowing God
- human dignity
- faith & trust
- incarnation & cross
- kingdom of God
- community
- reconciliation
- spiritual formation
- epistemology
- prayer
- gratitude
- culture
- creation & nature
- discipleship
I practice the spiritual discipline of rescuing earthworms on paved surfaces. It's a reminder to me that I can pause what I'm doing, get a little dirty, and help. Also, that I've been given the responsibility to care.