"I have in mind what the bible calls a 'living hope,' the hope that waits for God to do what needs doing to make (the) world work right."
Lewis B. Smedes, "My God and I" (as quoted in Give Us This Day)
I would say that I'm waiting for that, too. The world seems so messed up right now and I have hope that God will...fix it. I realize, of course, that God works through human beings to right the wrongs and fix things. One time things were so messed up, God sent a flood to just wipe everything out and start over, but God promised not to do that again. So God shows awesome restraint and patiently waits for people to tune in and figure out God's will, and then act on it. There are times, I notice, when I get to see a glimpse of incredible, vast goodness. When things seems to fall into perfect place and God's grace shines through like the sun through a hole in the clouds. One example was the wedding we celebrated last weekend. All the elements of a God party were there--joy, love, dancing. It was heaven. God gives us these glimpses to give us the living hope Lewis Smedes is talking about. With the love and joy of young people starting a new life together, there is living hope for the future. When we can glimpse the goodness, the hope seems so real and reachable! Love, heidi
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
The One Thing...
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing."
Luke 10:41-42
At the risk of sounding clueless, I wondered this morning what was the "one thing" Jesus was talking about. I mean, Mary was listening to Jesus, at his feet, so the obvious conclusion would be that listening to Jesus is the "one thing." But just listening to Jesus seems to be only the beginning of the One Thing. We can listen all day and night, but unless we go out and do what Jesus asks us to do, we are stopping short. The One Thing actually turns into more like Two Things...hearing and heeding. We have to hear it before we can go do it, but we can't just rest after hearing it. We need both contemplation and action; both are prescribed for us by Jesus. Today, as we embark on an October Tuesday, let's spend some quiet time hearing Jesus, and then, as we feel directed to do, let's go out and do. It's a perfect day to love all we encounter! Love, heidi
Luke 10:41-42
At the risk of sounding clueless, I wondered this morning what was the "one thing" Jesus was talking about. I mean, Mary was listening to Jesus, at his feet, so the obvious conclusion would be that listening to Jesus is the "one thing." But just listening to Jesus seems to be only the beginning of the One Thing. We can listen all day and night, but unless we go out and do what Jesus asks us to do, we are stopping short. The One Thing actually turns into more like Two Things...hearing and heeding. We have to hear it before we can go do it, but we can't just rest after hearing it. We need both contemplation and action; both are prescribed for us by Jesus. Today, as we embark on an October Tuesday, let's spend some quiet time hearing Jesus, and then, as we feel directed to do, let's go out and do. It's a perfect day to love all we encounter! Love, heidi
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