This is a poem we used in worship Sunday, followed by discussion questions. (from Bonner Resources)
“The Call”
I have heard it all my life,
A voice calling a name I recognized as my own.
Sometimes it comes as a soft-bellied whisper,
Sometimes it holds an edge of urgency.
But always it says: Wake up, my love. You are walking asleep.
There’s no safety in that!
Remember what you are, and let this knowing
take you home to the Beloved with every breath.
Hold tenderly who you are, and let a deeper knowing
color the shape of your humanness.
There is nowhere to go. What you are looking for is right here.
Open the fist clenched in wanting and see what you already
hold in your hand.
There is no waiting for something to happen,
no point in the future to get to.
All you have ever longed for is here in this moment, right now.
You are wearing yourself out with all this searching.
Come home and rest.
How much longer can you live like this?
Your hungry spirit is gaunt, your heart stumbles. All this trying.
Give it up!
Let yourself be one of the God-mad,
faithful only to the Beauty you are.
Let the Lover pull you to your feet and hold you close,
dancing even when fear urges you to sit this one out.
Remember, there is one word you are here to say with your whole being.
When it finds you, give your life to it. Don’t be tight-lipped and stingy.
Spend yourself completely on the saying.
Be one word in the great love poem we are writing together.
--Oriah
1. In what ways are you currently “walking asleep” in your life?
2. What are you being called to do? How have you responded to that call? Are you currently living in concert with your call or are you running from it?
3. The author says, “there is one word you are here to say with your whole being.” What is your one word?
4. What other thoughts do you have in response to this poem?
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Calling
From worship on January 25:
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." At once they left their nets and followed him.
When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
--Mark 1:14-20
This passage is a very obvious example from the Bible of God calling people. Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John to follow him. For many of us today, to follow Jesus often means to make some lifestyle changes, to adopt a new mindset or new beliefs, to begin some new practices; but not necessarily a radical change in life.
For these men, it was just that. They left their careers, families, life as they new it--for something new—for someone new. For them it was about more than belief or faith—it was about action; about how to live life.
Throughout the Bible, God called people, beginning in Genesis with Abram and ending in Revelation with John of Patmos. God called men: Moses, Samuel, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, and Saul.
God called women: Sarai, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Elizabeth, Mary, and Lydia.
Calling people was one of the most frequent things God did throughout the Bible. It happened repeatedly.
Often that call had something to do with doing something specific for God, and helping others see or hear or obey God.
We have translated that into our church culture as a call to something religious. For example, we talk about being called into ministry, and we treat that calling as if it were more important than other callings. That gives the impression that God only calls a few people; and the rest of us are on our own. But that doesn’t line up with the character of God in the Bible.
God works in and through anyone and everyone, in a variety of jobs and situations and relationships. Each of us is called—to a relationship with God, to general ways of living life, also to some specific actions. It’s different for each of us, yet each calling is important from God’s perspective.
Our call is not just valuable or holy when it’s in a religious context, any call is valuable and holy, when we simply answer and follow.
God is working in and through all people in diverse and countless contexts. When we are faithful to being who God created us to be and doing what he wants us to do, we are partnering with God to achieve his purposes—love people, draw them to him, establish God’s kingdom in relationships and communities here on earth.
A common question is how did and does God call? In the Bible, God often called through visions, through a burning bush, through a voice calling in the night, through the words of other people, through a brilliantly flashing light.
How does God call now? It's a question we could spend hours on, but I'll throw out a few ideas, just to get us thinking, and encourage you to keep thinking on this, especially when we take some time to reflect and respond in a bit.
God sometimes calls us through a voice in our heads—thoughts, desires, interests, curiosities, ideas, hunches, questions...
Through words spoken to us by another person, often someone different, outside our context—a stranger, a traveler, even someone with whom we disagree.
Through a book, a sermon, a song, a story, a poem...Through the Bible...Through a need that we become aware of...Through a gift or talent we possess...Through an event in daily life that speaks in some strong or unexpected way.
Calling is often thought of as sudden; but it often isn’t. God is working behind the scenes, in our lives, preparing us for things to which he calls us.
Peter and James "immediately" answered their calling. But I imagine that God had prepared them for that moment when Jesus would appear, that the rest of their lives up to meeting Jesus was a part of their being called.
Jesus' personal calling to them is merely the last step in the being called, and one that they can follow immediately without contradiction with the rest of their life. Even their father has been prepared -- they don't have to leave him alone, there are already others there to help him with the work.
From Ginny Ward Holderness and Forrest Palmer:
"All of life is to be lived in response to God’s call. Our work and life, our careers and lifestyle, all our activities and relationships are directly connected to the abundant love and creative work of our generous God. There is no separation between faith and work or between faith and lifestyle.”
Our real call is to be faithful with God in whatever we do.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." At once they left their nets and followed him.
When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
--Mark 1:14-20
This passage is a very obvious example from the Bible of God calling people. Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John to follow him. For many of us today, to follow Jesus often means to make some lifestyle changes, to adopt a new mindset or new beliefs, to begin some new practices; but not necessarily a radical change in life.
For these men, it was just that. They left their careers, families, life as they new it--for something new—for someone new. For them it was about more than belief or faith—it was about action; about how to live life.
Throughout the Bible, God called people, beginning in Genesis with Abram and ending in Revelation with John of Patmos. God called men: Moses, Samuel, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, and Saul.
God called women: Sarai, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Elizabeth, Mary, and Lydia.
Calling people was one of the most frequent things God did throughout the Bible. It happened repeatedly.
Often that call had something to do with doing something specific for God, and helping others see or hear or obey God.
We have translated that into our church culture as a call to something religious. For example, we talk about being called into ministry, and we treat that calling as if it were more important than other callings. That gives the impression that God only calls a few people; and the rest of us are on our own. But that doesn’t line up with the character of God in the Bible.
God works in and through anyone and everyone, in a variety of jobs and situations and relationships. Each of us is called—to a relationship with God, to general ways of living life, also to some specific actions. It’s different for each of us, yet each calling is important from God’s perspective.
Our call is not just valuable or holy when it’s in a religious context, any call is valuable and holy, when we simply answer and follow.
God is working in and through all people in diverse and countless contexts. When we are faithful to being who God created us to be and doing what he wants us to do, we are partnering with God to achieve his purposes—love people, draw them to him, establish God’s kingdom in relationships and communities here on earth.
A common question is how did and does God call? In the Bible, God often called through visions, through a burning bush, through a voice calling in the night, through the words of other people, through a brilliantly flashing light.
How does God call now? It's a question we could spend hours on, but I'll throw out a few ideas, just to get us thinking, and encourage you to keep thinking on this, especially when we take some time to reflect and respond in a bit.
God sometimes calls us through a voice in our heads—thoughts, desires, interests, curiosities, ideas, hunches, questions...
Through words spoken to us by another person, often someone different, outside our context—a stranger, a traveler, even someone with whom we disagree.
Through a book, a sermon, a song, a story, a poem...Through the Bible...Through a need that we become aware of...Through a gift or talent we possess...Through an event in daily life that speaks in some strong or unexpected way.
Calling is often thought of as sudden; but it often isn’t. God is working behind the scenes, in our lives, preparing us for things to which he calls us.
Peter and James "immediately" answered their calling. But I imagine that God had prepared them for that moment when Jesus would appear, that the rest of their lives up to meeting Jesus was a part of their being called.
Jesus' personal calling to them is merely the last step in the being called, and one that they can follow immediately without contradiction with the rest of their life. Even their father has been prepared -- they don't have to leave him alone, there are already others there to help him with the work.
From Ginny Ward Holderness and Forrest Palmer:
"All of life is to be lived in response to God’s call. Our work and life, our careers and lifestyle, all our activities and relationships are directly connected to the abundant love and creative work of our generous God. There is no separation between faith and work or between faith and lifestyle.”
Our real call is to be faithful with God in whatever we do.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Knowing and Being Known
Thoughts from Sunday's worship:
Jesus knew those whom he chose, and allowed them to know Him. Jesus knows us like no one else does, and invites us to know Him. Think about some of the phrases or ideas that we sometimes take for granted:
God lives in us
We are the temple of the Holy Spirit
Jesus comes into our hearts
God is my life...
Sometimes we make these statements, or others like them, without really pondering how incredible they really are. The truth is, there is an intimate, supernatural, mystical, unexplainable connection between the God of the universe and each one of us.
God created us in God's image. We reflect God's nature, and character. These days I'm thinking less about God's authority and knowledge--seeing God as above and beyond--and thinking more about God's love and connection with us; seeking to experiences God's presence.
God knows us, because we are His. God cares deeply about each thought, word, decision, conversation, fear, and emotion.
God knows us, and longs for us to know Him--not just about Him, but to really know God intimately, personally.
One of the primary ways we know and experience God is by knowing and experiencing one another. When we are known, when we let someone else into our lives; we allow God to speak into our lives.
When we listen and serve and love one another, God is in the midst of that. We connect with the divine in one another.
The Church is the Body of Christ. That is an incredible mystery, but there is this sense of knowing God by knowing each other. Loving God by loving one another. Serving God by serving our neighbor.
God already knows what we are thinking and feeling, yet still asks us to share with Him. Something special happens when we choose to enter into that intimate connection, when we open up and show God who we are, and how we feel.
This also happens when we reveal who we are to one another. God is there, listening with us, loving us, drawing us to Him, and to each other.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Listening to Hester
Great post from Amy's blog about listening, story, and community:
When I was 14 years old, the summer after the 8th grade, my Dad told me that I needed to get out of my head, and he sent me to Friendship Manor, the nursing home, to volunteer for the summer. At that point, my parents didn’t know that I’d been depressed enough to make one small, feeble suicide attempt. My despair and ennui at that time weren’t sufficient to overcome my aversion to pain, so the slim cut across my wrist that I’d made with the razor blade didn’t draw anyone’s attention. It didn’t even leave a scar… but I knew, and I had come to be very frightened of the power of my own depression. So, I decided that my Dad was probably right. If I spent the entire summer indoors, as was my usual routine, I literally wasn’t sure I’d make it through alive.
read the rest here.
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