So no photo for this one. I am on my mom's pc and I dont have any photos to put on to the web to blog with. Recently I have been thinking about the community of God. The Body of Christ, as Paul would say. There have been many events that have influenced my thought on the Body. How is the Body of Christ suppose to act when one person hurts another or does something that seems unforgivable? How should we respond to such situation? I think the best answer to this question is found in Philippians. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:5-11 that "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
When it comes down to it we are suppose to act like Christ at all times, even if we get hurt. I think Christ was hurt when Peter denied him and when Thomas didn't believe. Yet how do we see Christ respond to these situations? Christ restored these relationships. For Peter he gave him three opportunities to say "Yes, Lord." One for every time he denied. For Thomas he was gracious enough to allow him to see his hand and side. Now not every relationship can be restored to its oringinal, but we can restore it. It may not be as good as it was before, but it can be better than nothing. So let us act in a way that brings glory to the King. For we are his hand and his feet. A Body should not fight against itself. May you do all that the Spirit enables you to do in restoring broken relationships in the body.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Writing on The Rock
I took this picture a while back with some friends in Laguna Beach. It is actually published in a lit. journal, I know it's kinda exciting. So as I look at this picture it reminds me of when a group of religious leaders back in Jesus day brought a women caught in adultery to him (found in John 8). These religious leaders were really good at the rules, or so they thought. When they bring this women to him they are trying to trap him into breaking the law or going back on other things they think he has said. They say to him "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They want Jesus to say something that they can use against him. But Jesus doesn't have it.
He doesn't say anything, he just starts writing on the ground. We don't know what he is writing on the ground, John leaves this out. It was common for a rabbi to teach while sitting down on the ground. Some believe he was doodling, others believe he was writing out their sins and others passages from scripture. What he is writing is irrelevant to the issue. They continue to bug him and he responds to the with an interesting proposal. "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
At this one by one the people walk away. Starting with the oldest, they have the most sin, and right on down till only Jesus and the women are left. For the first time in this story the women is addressed by Jesus and they have a conversation that will change her life. ""Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
The only person who has the right to condemn this women to death is the one who is standing before her and he does not. This text brings up some interesting thoughts in my head. Some questions for reflection. How often do we hold on to sins of the past? Either others or our own. How often do we allow our accusers to bring us down?
The truth of the matter is that we who have entered into right relationship with Christ have been forgiven. We simply need to walk in this truth. Walking in this truth means that we go on in light of our forgiveness. We who have been forgiven need to forgive. We also need to walk away from our sin, like she did that day. May we all have the strength to walk away from our sins.
He doesn't say anything, he just starts writing on the ground. We don't know what he is writing on the ground, John leaves this out. It was common for a rabbi to teach while sitting down on the ground. Some believe he was doodling, others believe he was writing out their sins and others passages from scripture. What he is writing is irrelevant to the issue. They continue to bug him and he responds to the with an interesting proposal. "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
At this one by one the people walk away. Starting with the oldest, they have the most sin, and right on down till only Jesus and the women are left. For the first time in this story the women is addressed by Jesus and they have a conversation that will change her life. ""Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
The only person who has the right to condemn this women to death is the one who is standing before her and he does not. This text brings up some interesting thoughts in my head. Some questions for reflection. How often do we hold on to sins of the past? Either others or our own. How often do we allow our accusers to bring us down?
The truth of the matter is that we who have entered into right relationship with Christ have been forgiven. We simply need to walk in this truth. Walking in this truth means that we go on in light of our forgiveness. We who have been forgiven need to forgive. We also need to walk away from our sin, like she did that day. May we all have the strength to walk away from our sins.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Hear, See and Speak No Evil
So I was looking through photos, while in class and I found this photo. It made me think about community and what it is capable of. It is capable of either great good or great evil. The primary question is what will your community be known for, good or evil. Now as a Christian I believe our community is to be known for good. And many times in history it has not been so. This is something I will challenge you all with: To make your community known for the good they do and not evil. (When I say community I mean the group you belong to, whether it is Christian, Muslim, Jewish or anyother community, maybe even a Sports community).
P.S. This photo was not taken by me or my camera.
P.S. This photo was not taken by me or my camera.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Flight Sequence
Hey everyone,
So I have been really overloaded with class and life. So I haven't been able to go out and take pictures as of late. I hope to get out soon. This picture is my favorite picture I have taken. I love how all the pelicans are flying together and that they are flying parallel with the wave. Reminds me of what a community of believers of Christ can look like when it is moving together. They are all moving in the same direction, with the same goal in mind. What would it be like if communities of believers moved together like this. The body of Christ would be a great force that would do great things for Christ. As Christians we should move together with the Christian community that we belong to. At times think to individually, we need to start thining in community. If you do not have a community that cares for your soul I encourage you find one. Now may you look to the community that you belong to find the direction in which you are moving.
So I have been really overloaded with class and life. So I haven't been able to go out and take pictures as of late. I hope to get out soon. This picture is my favorite picture I have taken. I love how all the pelicans are flying together and that they are flying parallel with the wave. Reminds me of what a community of believers of Christ can look like when it is moving together. They are all moving in the same direction, with the same goal in mind. What would it be like if communities of believers moved together like this. The body of Christ would be a great force that would do great things for Christ. As Christians we should move together with the Christian community that we belong to. At times think to individually, we need to start thining in community. If you do not have a community that cares for your soul I encourage you find one. Now may you look to the community that you belong to find the direction in which you are moving.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Missing Something
I took this photo the day after Thanksgiving. That night I was editing the photos I took and noticed something. Something about this photo was off. It was missing something. As I looked at it I kept thinking to myself "what is it missing?" And then it hit me, it is missing people. It needs to have a person or two in the picture, up agianst the wall.
Later this got me thinking. While I was taking the picture I couldn't see that it needed something more. I just saw it and took it. And then I thought about how when we go through life we sometimes can't see what we need. Sometimes we think we need something and it actually turns out being something bad for us. Or we think we need it and later we realize that it was better that we didn't get what we wanted.
Even Jesus thought he knew what was best for him, but the difference for Jesus is he let God make the choice about what was good. He asked God the Father to "Take this cup from me. But not my will be done, yours Father." (Jon's version, it gets the point across). Jesus was smart enough to know that God could see the best in the end. We need to start looking at life more like that. We need to start looking at life knowing that God can see the missing people in the picture. He knows where we will be in 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, even 40 years. Start trusting that God knows whats best for us. I say "us" because I too am on this journey of discovery. Each day we can pray that God will teach us how to pray and what to pray for. He knows what we really need.
Later this got me thinking. While I was taking the picture I couldn't see that it needed something more. I just saw it and took it. And then I thought about how when we go through life we sometimes can't see what we need. Sometimes we think we need something and it actually turns out being something bad for us. Or we think we need it and later we realize that it was better that we didn't get what we wanted.
Even Jesus thought he knew what was best for him, but the difference for Jesus is he let God make the choice about what was good. He asked God the Father to "Take this cup from me. But not my will be done, yours Father." (Jon's version, it gets the point across). Jesus was smart enough to know that God could see the best in the end. We need to start looking at life more like that. We need to start looking at life knowing that God can see the missing people in the picture. He knows where we will be in 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, even 40 years. Start trusting that God knows whats best for us. I say "us" because I too am on this journey of discovery. Each day we can pray that God will teach us how to pray and what to pray for. He knows what we really need.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Liquid Containment
So I was at Diedrich tonight with Jared and I was messing with my camera. As we were talking I threw a lid at him and asked "What's this?"
He responded "A lid, Liquid Containment."
That got me thinking about how often we put God in a box. But in this case how often we contain Him in little cups. He will fill the cup up all the way to the top, but still he is bigger than the cup.
Picture a child at the beach filling his bucket with sand and sea water, trying to take the ocean home with him. He may have part of the ocean with him, but in reality he does not have the ocean. Just some sand and salt water.
This is what we do to God. We put him in our buckets and we have elements of him; such as love or justice. What we need to do is set our buckets down and dive in.
He responded "A lid, Liquid Containment."
That got me thinking about how often we put God in a box. But in this case how often we contain Him in little cups. He will fill the cup up all the way to the top, but still he is bigger than the cup.
Picture a child at the beach filling his bucket with sand and sea water, trying to take the ocean home with him. He may have part of the ocean with him, but in reality he does not have the ocean. Just some sand and salt water.
This is what we do to God. We put him in our buckets and we have elements of him; such as love or justice. What we need to do is set our buckets down and dive in.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
