March 5, 2009
The Lord lives! -2 Samuel 22:47 (NRSV) OK, here is my attempt to wrestle with theism. Should we take this verse literally?  I mean, plenty of people do.  For me though, it just won’t work.  In thinking of God as living like you and I live is very limiting for God.  God is everywhere.  God is a spirit.  The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach and it also means wind or breath.  Take from that what you will but I find it comforting. When this verse says the living God, I think of it as God living within us.  There is an obvious divinity within the human soul that sets us apart from other living things on the planet.  At least, to me it is obvious.  I find it much more comforting than our brains being a series of electrical reactions and chemicals spraying over receptors that cause bodily functions.  I like to think there is more to living than that.  There is a warmth. It means that God is active in our lives.  When a stranger smiles at you, when a good act is performed, when someone truly cares about another human life.  That warmth is almost inescapable. Try to feel the warmth around you.  It is infectious.  You’ll love it, trust me.  Once you feel it, spread it. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

The Lord lives!

-2 Samuel 22:47 (NRSV)

OK, here is my attempt to wrestle with theism.

Should we take this verse literally?  I mean, plenty of people do.  For me though, it just won’t work.  In thinking of God as living like you and I live is very limiting for God.  God is everywhere.  God is a spirit.  The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach and it also means wind or breath.  Take from that what you will but I find it comforting.

When this verse says the living God, I think of it as God living within us.  There is an obvious divinity within the human soul that sets us apart from other living things on the planet.  At least, to me it is obvious.  I find it much more comforting than our brains being a series of electrical reactions and chemicals spraying over receptors that cause bodily functions.  I like to think there is more to living than that.  There is a warmth.

It means that God is active in our lives.  When a stranger smiles at you, when a good act is performed, when someone truly cares about another human life.  That warmth is almost inescapable.

Try to feel the warmth around you.  It is infectious.  You’ll love it, trust me.  Once you feel it, spread it.

Spirit of the living God,

fall afresh on me.

Melt me, mold me,

fill me, use me.

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March 3, 2009
I still cannot get over the importance of love for any human on this Earth.  God sacrificed Jesus to send a message of love and forgiveness.  In 1 John, it talks about “obeying his commandments.” Now, I think that when hearing the word “commandment” we automatically think to the Mosaic law (or the Law of Moses) and tablets that God gave to Moses for his people to follow.  Although it is important to follow these, Jesus set new expectations for us.  Through his parables, he taught of love, humility and service.  Christian or not, all of us can afford to be more loving, more humble and serve more.  These qualities are what make us human and in performing these actions, we become more fully human. The goal of Christ’s teachings is not for us to become Christ-like.  We cannot.  It is impossible to fully achieve what Jesus did.  After all, he was God.  We cannot make the blind see, raise people from the dead, or cure leprosy.  But, love, humility and service are all things we can do.  So, I encourage anyone who reads this to make it a point to be a loving person.  This can manifest itself in your relationships or to complete strangers.  Love knows no boundaries.  Be humble.  Do not think that you are better than anyone else.  Because you are not.  No one is.  We are all on the same level, on the same mission, to find happiness within ourselves and to find love.  Be of service.  This is the vehicle for love and humility.  By helping those in need, we exemplify the love and humility of Christ. If ye love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever, e’en the spirit of truth. -Hymn by Thomas Tallis (John 14: 15-17)

I still cannot get over the importance of love for any human on this Earth.  God sacrificed Jesus to send a message of love and forgiveness.  In 1 John, it talks about “obeying his commandments.”

Now, I think that when hearing the word “commandment” we automatically think to the Mosaic law (or the Law of Moses) and tablets that God gave to Moses for his people to follow.  Although it is important to follow these, Jesus set new expectations for us.  Through his parables, he taught of love, humility and service.  Christian or not, all of us can afford to be more loving, more humble and serve more.  These qualities are what make us human and in performing these actions, we become more fully human.

The goal of Christ’s teachings is not for us to become Christ-like.  We cannot.  It is impossible to fully achieve what Jesus did.  After all, he was God.  We cannot make the blind see, raise people from the dead, or cure leprosy.  But, love, humility and service are all things we can do.  So, I encourage anyone who reads this to make it a point to be a loving person.  This can manifest itself in your relationships or to complete strangers.  Love knows no boundaries.  Be humble.  Do not think that you are better than anyone else.  Because you are not.  No one is.  We are all on the same level, on the same mission, to find happiness within ourselves and to find love.  Be of service.  This is the vehicle for love and humility.  By helping those in need, we exemplify the love and humility of Christ.

If ye love me,
keep my commandments,
and I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another comforter,
that he may abide with you forever,
e’en the spirit of truth.

-Hymn by Thomas Tallis (John 14: 15-17)

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March 2, 2009
Today’s devotional reading is from Paul’s letter to the Romans.  In this letter, the floodgates of God’s love open for all.  In fact, I would like to describe it as inescapable.  God’s love is everywhere.  Whether you believe it or not, God loves you, for you, as you.  God loves you in the most particular way possible.  God loves your quirks, your shortcomings, your good works, your everything.  God loves you. Gordon Kaufman, a theologian at Harvard Divinity School, describes God as “serendipitous creativity” in his book In Face of Mystery.  I would definitely be comfortable with believing in a God like Kaufman describes but I would add something.  I would call God “intentional, particular LOVE.”  For Christians, Jesus set this example for the world.  He set a bar that all of us should try to achieve.  He exemplified a boundless love.  It emanates throughout the world, whether you know it or not, want it or not, like it or not.  It is there.  You do not need to accept it but that love is for you. This is not meant to be a proseletyzing message.  Those that know me, know that I would be the last to do that.  But it comforts me to know that God loves me and everyone I surround myself with and everyone, everywhere and everytime.  It is a love so potent that it is infectious.  It makes you want to love your neighbor, do good works, just be the best person you can be.  Share that love. Do not force to convert people.  This is not the love of God.  Show your love by example and through your actions. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame.  Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. Song of Solomon 8:6-7 NRSV “If you love and serve men, you cannot by any hiding or stratagem escape the renumeration.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today’s devotional reading is from Paul’s letter to the Romans.  In this letter, the floodgates of God’s love open for all.  In fact, I would like to describe it as inescapable.  God’s love is everywhere.  Whether you believe it or not, God loves you, for you, as you.  God loves you in the most particular way possible.  God loves your quirks, your shortcomings, your good works, your everything.  God loves you.

Gordon Kaufman, a theologian at Harvard Divinity School, describes God as “serendipitous creativity” in his book In Face of Mystery.  I would definitely be comfortable with believing in a God like Kaufman describes but I would add something.  I would call God “intentional, particular LOVE.”  For Christians, Jesus set this example for the world.  He set a bar that all of us should try to achieve.  He exemplified a boundless love.  It emanates throughout the world, whether you know it or not, want it or not, like it or not.  It is there.  You do not need to accept it but that love is for you.

This is not meant to be a proseletyzing message.  Those that know me, know that I would be the last to do that.  But it comforts me to know that God loves me and everyone I surround myself with and everyone, everywhere and everytime.  It is a love so potent that it is infectious.  It makes you want to love your neighbor, do good works, just be the best person you can be.  Share that love.

Do not force to convert people.  This is not the love of God.  Show your love by example and through your actions.

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame.  Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. Song of Solomon 8:6-7 NRSV

“If you love and serve men, you cannot by any hiding or stratagem escape the renumeration.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

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March 1, 2009
Today in my devotional, a question was asked.  “The person who is in communion with God wears mortality comfortably.” How do you “wear mortality?” Honestly, I have not thought about this much.  It is not that I think I am immortal; it is just that I think that thinking about my mortality presupposes me thinking about my own death.  I just don’t like to think of my own death. But, after reflecting upon this question, it means more than that.  Life is unplanned.  No matter how much meticulous planning I do, I can never know what tomorrow will bring.  Obviously, this is hard to be comfortable with.  I just need to remember that God is good.  There will be obstacles, trials and tribulatons but, in the end, God is there to love and guide me. I just need to let go.  Plans and goals are good to have but knowing that they can change is even better. I spied him where a fountain burstClear from the rock; his strength was gone.The heedless water mocked his thirst;He heard it, saw it hurrying on.I ran and raised the suff’rer up;Thrice from the stream he drained my cup,Dipped and returned it running o’er;I drank and never thirsted more -A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

Today in my devotional, a question was asked.  “The person who is in communion with God wears mortality comfortably.” How do you “wear mortality?”

Honestly, I have not thought about this much.  It is not that I think I am immortal; it is just that I think that thinking about my mortality presupposes me thinking about my own death.  I just don’t like to think of my own death.

But, after reflecting upon this question, it means more than that.  Life is unplanned.  No matter how much meticulous planning I do, I can never know what tomorrow will bring.  Obviously, this is hard to be comfortable with.  I just need to remember that God is good.  There will be obstacles, trials and tribulatons but, in the end, God is there to love and guide me.

I just need to let go.  Plans and goals are good to have but knowing that they can change is even better.

I spied him where a fountain burst
Clear from the rock; his strength was gone.
The heedless water mocked his thirst;
He heard it, saw it hurrying on.
I ran and raised the suff’rer up;
Thrice from the stream he drained my cup,
Dipped and returned it running o’er;
I drank and never thirsted more

-A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

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February 27, 2009
Today’s Devotional: Psalm 46:1-7 (NRSV) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. [Selah] There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. [Selah]Amen

Today’s Devotional: Psalm 46:1-7 (NRSV)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. [Selah] There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. [Selah]
Amen

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February 26, 2009
Lent Day 2: Who am I?  Why am I here?  Questions that I rarely ponder, mainly because they make my head hurt.  But, here I am writing not only this blog post but also a midterm paper that deals with these issues.  Don’t really have time for a long post because this paper is due tomorrow and it is about cell processes and greater societal behavior…two things I know little about. But for your perousal, check out Goodenough, Nietzsche, and Durkheim, authors I am using for my paper.  And also, my daily devotional led me to one of my favorite although very much overused scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NRSV) Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Remember, GOD IS LOVE. And of course Jesus is LOVE TOO!-Anthony

Lent Day 2:

Who am I?  Why am I here?  Questions that I rarely ponder, mainly because they make my head hurt.  But, here I am writing not only this blog post but also a midterm paper that deals with these issues.  Don’t really have time for a long post because this paper is due tomorrow and it is about cell processes and greater societal behavior…two things I know little about.

But for your perousal, check out Goodenough, Nietzsche, and Durkheim, authors I am using for my paper.  And also, my daily devotional led me to one of my favorite although very much overused scriptures:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NRSV) Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Remember, GOD IS LOVE. And of course Jesus is LOVE TOO!
-Anthony

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February 25, 2009
Happy Ash Wednesday all. My friend Marcus heard somebody call today as “Christian Coming Out Day.”  Well, I am out and proud as a disciple of Christ. Today’s Upper Room Devotional pretty much sums up this Lenten Season for me: Psalm 16:8-11 (NRSV) I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit. You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Following Christ is the path of life.  His love will provide me with infinite possibilities that I cannot imagine.  That is the hard part about this journey though.  I need order in my life and God is mysterious and works in unexpected ways.  So, all I can expect is the unexpected, which makes me extremely nervous.I am bound for the promised land, I am bound for the promised land; Oh who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.

Happy Ash Wednesday all.

My friend Marcus heard somebody call today as “Christian Coming Out Day.”  Well, I am out and proud as a disciple of Christ.

Today’s Upper Room Devotional pretty much sums up this Lenten Season for me:

Psalm 16:8-11 (NRSV) I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit. You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Following Christ is the path of life.  His love will provide me with infinite possibilities that I cannot imagine.  That is the hard part about this journey though.  I need order in my life and God is mysterious and works in unexpected ways.  So, all I can expect is the unexpected, which makes me extremely nervous.

I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land;
Oh who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.

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February 24, 2009
Starting this blog the day before the Lenten season begins is abundantly appropriate in my opinion. At this moment in time, I feel spiritually lost.  I am caught in a schism between holding on and letting go.  I am searching for the strength and faith to fall fearlessly into the hands of God.  I want to be enveloped in God’s love.  I want security and guidance. I have a feeling this is not going to be an easy thing to do.  I am expecting an Augustinian struggle of sorts but I think I am up for it.  Lent is a great time for me to embark on this journey, to delve deeply within myself and find God’s place in my life and my place in God’s plan.  Jesus taught of an endless, boundless love and I want to experience it.  I want His love to pulse through my body, bringing me to my knees. I know it can happen, I just don’t know what is in the way.  Through this Lent, I want to practice some degree of piety to bring me closer to God.  I want to purify myself: physically, mentally, spiritually.  I want to make conversations with God a daily activity.  Asking for things is not the objective at hand.  I want to God to know that I am an instrument for God’s use.  I want to be a vessel for that endless love to be spread throughout the planet.  Lofty goals for the next 40 days, I know.  This is only the beginning of a lifelong spiritual journey. I wanted to end this post with a favorite hymn from my childhood: Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary Pure and Holy, tried and true With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living Sanctuary for You

Starting this blog the day before the Lenten season begins is abundantly appropriate in my opinion.

At this moment in time, I feel spiritually lost.  I am caught in a schism between holding on and letting go.  I am searching for the strength and faith to fall fearlessly into the hands of God.  I want to be enveloped in God’s love.  I want security and guidance.

I have a feeling this is not going to be an easy thing to do.  I am expecting an Augustinian struggle of sorts but I think I am up for it.  Lent is a great time for me to embark on this journey, to delve deeply within myself and find God’s place in my life and my place in God’s plan.  Jesus taught of an endless, boundless love and I want to experience it.  I want His love to pulse through my body, bringing me to my knees.

I know it can happen, I just don’t know what is in the way.  Through this Lent, I want to practice some degree of piety to bring me closer to God.  I want to purify myself: physically, mentally, spiritually.  I want to make conversations with God a daily activity.  Asking for things is not the objective at hand.  I want to God to know that I am an instrument for God’s use.  I want to be a vessel for that endless love to be spread throughout the planet.  Lofty goals for the next 40 days, I know.  This is only the beginning of a lifelong spiritual journey.

I wanted to end this post with a favorite hymn from my childhood:

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary

Pure and Holy, tried and true

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living

Sanctuary for You

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