Good morning, Digital Neighbors!
The dynamic unchanging nature of God is one of the greatest wonders of His being. It is easy to accept but hard to comprehend the ONE who is every ancient and ever new. Time is the most obvious thing in our life. The first two decades of life are nothing but constant change and growth as we move from infancy to adulthood. We mark different decades and chapters of life with the next experience of maturity or begin to realize when the body has told us that new adventures in health and potential diminishment have arrived. The mind can always strive for that youthful curiosity and hunger that keep us alert and more engaged with reality, but the body will have its day, and it will let us know of accumulated wear and tear on the parts. Young at heart, old of parts. Even the mind will eventually tell us that we must deal with realities or experiences ignored in our past if we want to possess a future that is more whole and integrated. The pains, sorrows and disappointments of life must be dealt with if we want to own our story and not just be a hapless participant in it.
Supporter only beyond here
More Thee. Will we find acceptance in the Thee lurking behind our daily goings about? What does the Thee desire or want from us? Does the Thee need worship, service, or praise? Many of the ancients would say that the collection of “Thees” they worshiped were little better than the mortals that worshipped and served them. The gods and goddesses just possessed more wonderous abilities and were patrons of the various aspects of life and death. Each one had their field of authority with its promises of benediction or punishment for the mortals that sought or defied them.
The Unknown and Unnamed of Abraham & Sarah offered a promise and an invitation. Trust me and I will make a great nation out of your children. REALLY? Abe and Sarah thought they only had dying left on the bucket list. Not a child in sight nor did they expect one this late in the story. But the Unnamed called them out of Ur and sent them to a land that He would show them. Time was not over and trust, the spouting of faith, was just beginning. Hard to believe that some one as old as Abraham and Sarah would leave the security of their family & neighbors to venture to a strange land and trust in the promise from an Unknown God who has only spoken to them. No name, no image, just a promise and a risk that they accepted. Abraham and Sarah possessed a pure heart, a humble heart, a heart of love and a heart of faith to venture forth and change the world. A few quotes to round off this post. Enjoy!
Thou who art over us,
Thou who art one of us,
Thou who art—
Also within us,
May all see thee—in me also,
May I prepare the way for thee,
May I thank thee
for all that shall fall to my lot.
May I also not forget the needs of others,
Keep me in thy love
As thou wouldest that all should be kept in mine.
May everything in this my being
be directed to thy glory and may I never despair.
For I am under thy hand,
And in Thee is all power and goodness.
Give me a pure heart—that I may see thee,
A humble heart—that I may hear thee,
A heart of love—that I may serve thee,
A heart of faith—that I may abide in thee.
DAG HAMMARSKJöLD, 1905–61, MARKINGS
First, birth:
the beginning:
the start of the way.
Then infancy:
an easy time,
without a burden on your back.
Then childhood:
a happy road of flowers,
when all is gay and careless.
Then youth:
when you hope,
and dream, and love.
Then maturity:
when cares set in,
and you may lose
your joy of God
for love of earthly things.
Then age:
the end of earthly bondage,
and the sound of trumpets
you discern
for the wanderer’s return.
MICHAEL WELSH
AGED TWELVE
