i attended a church group last night, where the focus was love and relationships. during the group, we read in 1 Corinthians 13 and Song of Songs. then they showed the below nooma video:
after the video, to incorporate conversation and fellowship, the leader of the group asked us to turn to the person sitting beside us, and tell them the first thing that crossed our mind, regarding the nooma, and the verses in Corinthians and Song of Songs. i am very interested in any study of the Bible and soak up this sort of conversation like a hungry houseplant.. but the most honest answer, as to the first thing that popped into my mind regarding the video, wasn’t anything deep or seeking, but this:
“oh my, Rob Bell is going to blow himself up!”
(sorry, God! )
..but in all seriousness, i did enjoy this video and study shared in The Word very much. i hope you find yourself inspired, whether by this video or otherwise, to spend some of your own time and research in The Word and with the Lord.. and always the time to share it with the person beside you.
so i’ve been thinking about something you said.. something quite beautiful in regards to conditions of the heart:
my heart is waltzing, sways of hope and trepidation..
my initial thought of response went something like this:
“i’m pretty sure that hope eats trepidation for dinner.. didn’t i read that somewhere before? hmm. in fact, isn’t there like a whole entire book or something about this very dinner and dance?”
(a few verses from some of my own current reading:Proverbs 13:12, Psalm 31:24, John 14:27, Psalm 9:18, John 8:32)”
..but then i began to really think about the above Bible verses, what you said, and also something a friend of mine recently wrote on her blog (that was so good, i’ve been meaning to repost for sharing on my own blog- what better time than now?!):
You’re looking in the wrong places….(for the prince)
What is a Lord, your leader and Father, a KING… Our God… Thus, his son is???? HE is the prince you seek… HE calls you out by name to dance with HIM in the pista, then… when the rhythm gets good and you’re feeling one with the dance floor and your partner, JC will hand you off to your soul-mate… The transition will be done soooo smoothly, you won’t even realize what has happened until you celebrate your 10yr anniversary….
and so my initial response began to change.
i’m not so sure what you spoke of, was ‘soul-mates’ and ‘dating’ per say.. and i’m not either, when i reference the above in this letter.. but i do use it, for what it says about the Prince and the dance..
meaning some ‘trepidation’ might not be a bad thing at all..
but perhaps keeps the oxygen flowing, blood pumping, and the heart beating for the right reasons.
meaning some ‘fear’ might be the sign of a healthy spirituality..
perhaps keeping us mentally accountable, our eyes skyward, and the feet moving.. towards the music that is leading us home..
and if we just stay in the dance, we learn more, toresist less the sways; over time our movements becoming more natural and in step with those of the Prince.. one day looking back and realizing, all clumsy fears have departed and we are waltzing solely to the melody that is Hope.
maybe ’scared to death’ is really, ’scared to life’ when it’s put into perspective, eh?
i hope this letter finds your heart free and dancing.
in Hope,
ruby
p.s. listen toefterlang. they pretty much rock socks.
the other day i was listening to the radio, and there was a story about a seventy-year old illiterate man who was returning to first grade to learn to read.
for some reason, the story stuck with me all day.and then the next day.so i did a little research, and found out why this man, Alfred was his name, didn’t read, and why he wanted to learn now.
Alfred, had never learned to read as a child, and began farming young, a job that has carried him through life, and supported his family.but there was something Alfred never forgot over those years, a promise he had made to his mother- a promise to learn to read.
now i think there’s a lot we can learn from Alfred.we may know how to read (<-that’s me assuming if you are on this post, you know how to read.. .. feel free to call me out if i’m wrong)..
but are we not so quick to forget how to read, that which we should be reading the most- The Word?and i don’t mean just physically reading the words, but actually breaking them down, spending time with them; in comparison to learning to read- seeking to enunciate and really understand the meaning and life, history, blood and tears behind them.
and is it not the busy-ness of life or our grown up faith that sometimes gets us into this place of closed dusty books, rules, timelines, and empty ink on paper, non-relational reading?
“and the good news would be, the good news is RIGHT!”
Matthew 18
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
thank you, Alfred, for reminding us of the promises of Our Father; though we may, at times, throw them in the closet for a rainy day, or bury them under laundry and paperwork- He is still there, standing faithful, patient, forgiving and loving, alongside them.
thank you, Alfred, for reminding us, that no matter how much time has passed, no matter how far we’ve fallen, no matter what odds the world has placed against us, and no matter how old we are-
it is never too late to return to a childlike faith.
i was reading in Matthew today, when the verses suddenly came to life.
i did like i usually do, when The Word proves itself alive again and again- i was shocked.
but i’m certain it’s less shock that is experienced in these moments, and more likely awe of this incredible Father and His Word that is here for us, to lead us through, well everything and anything..
a Father who never ceases to amaze, surprise, bless and love us..
i was thinking of the below verses in relation to life:
dealing with the world, and the hunger for power and popularity
dealing with the people of whom the world lords over
dealing with one another, when we find ourselves angry with our own brothers
dealing with self, battling sin and ego, double-mindedness and all of the above
living in this world we must breathe in, yet not being of it,
times when we ask the question, “..but how?”
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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