citizens of jerusalem

"You're so heavenly minded you're no earthly good"

Chapter 9 was especially relevant in light of my current situation.  I love that verse from Johnny Cash's song "No Earthly Good."  I often find myself in my own world- my head is full of dreams, thoughts, and questions at any given point.  But sometimes I realize that I live in my head so much that I don't make myself available to the people around me.  I think about loving God and loving people but I don't spend nearly as much time or energy on praying or talking with others.  I think about theological implications of this and that yet my lifestyle hardly reflects the values I profess to hold dearly.  I am so heavenly minded that I don't have time to be earthly good.

So it was both freeing and challenging to read Wright's argument that because we are heaven's citizens, we must bless the place we are currently live in.  I also found it amusing that Jeremiah 29 was mentioned here...coincidence?  I think not. ;)

focusing on Him

Hmmm I'm not sure if I'm doing this right, but here I go!

I finished reading chapter 3 this afternoon.  So far, what has struck me the most is Wright's emphasis on God and what He can do.  I realized that over the past year, I've been focused on ("obsessed with" might be a more accurate expression) what I have done and what I can do.  When reflecting on Philippians 4:13 my emphasis has been on the "I can" rather than "through Him who gives me strength."

While reading through Abraham's journey (Gen 12-22) yesterday, it was amazing to see how many times God asked Abraham to trust Him.  From journeying to an entirely foreign land to sacrificing his "only son" (it just struck me now that God called Isaac Abe's only son...what about Ishmael?), Abraham was asked to trust God completely, over and over again.  And Abraham did.  It made me wonder if Abe had moments of doubt throughout the years, if his laughing when the angel told him that he was going to have a son at a super old age was a display of doubt or if he completely believed it and just thought that God had a great sense of humor.  Anyway, what also struck me was how many times God reiterated and reminded Abe His Great Promise- that Abe's descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.  I realize now how impossible and perhaps ridiculous that may have sounded to Abe at various points in his life- when he and Sarah were way past childbearing age, when God asks Abe to sacrifice Isaac ('...but Lord, what about the numerous descendants dealio??'), etc.  Yet God repeats His promise over and over again, we know that He's kept His end of the covenant.

So this week, my goal and prayer is the focus on what HE has promised and what HE can do.  I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

Welcome!

I'm glad to be going through this journey with you. Praying and anticipating that God will do great things in our lives in the midst of our current circumstances=D

Main points from the book we mentioned today:

-In Relevations 4-5, John describes us a picture of who God is(and as written by N.T. Wright): King, sovereign, positively beautiful, surrounded by many jewels and capped by the rainbow. A God who makes loving and gracious promises and keeps them. Is this really the God we believe in?Or is the God of the Bible not bigger and greater than most of our usual pictures of God?

-Christ purchased humans first and foremost for God...When Christ bought us at the cost his own blood, it wasn't first and foremost for our happiness-though to be saved by him will mean happiness itself.

-We are given these tasks simply and solely in virtue of what he has done. The eavesdroppers are not just hearing themselves mentioned, they are listening in on the forming and celebrating of plans that are going to make them spiritual millionaires.

-Christian faith - biblical faith - is not a matter of putting a brave face on things and trying our best. It is a matter of looking away from ourself and seeing the world as God sees it, as it really is.

-Lastly, are we going to stop eavesdropping and join in the song? What does that look like in our every day life right now and what does that mean?

May we be met by His presence and be in awe so much that we may worship Him in not only in song, but by waking up every morning and worshipping Him in our actions.

Godspeed and blessings.