Musings Along Life's Way: Beloved

At his baptism Jesus understood his life as that of "the beloved." The implications of this deep insight drove Jesus into the wilderness as he sought to discern what it is that "the beloved" does with his or her life. There he met "the temptations three:" turn this stone to bread; throw yourself off the temple letting God's angels save you; become the ruler of all. At each temptation Jesus set aside himself and his possible fame and glory. He chose instead to be willing for God's love in his life and ministry. Jesus learned, and then taught, that "being the beloved" meant to "Love God with all your heart, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself."

This Sunday is Palm Sunday. After spending most of his ministry in the villages and towns in the area, Jesus comes to Jerusalem -- the big city, the seat of Roman power, the seat of all authority, religious and political. It is Jesus' movement into the marketplace, into the hub of human activity. And here the question for him is the same: What does it mean to "be the beloved" in this worldly context? What does love of God, self and neighbor mean as one enters fully into life in all of its messiness - ambiguity, injustice, poverty, social stratification, power? As Jesus enters Jerusalem, he enters into a world of conflict, people with plans and schemes, a situation of deep political intrigue.

While Christians down through time to the present day watch, Jesus makes his choice: to be the beloved. He chooses not to grab the brass ring, not to cheat his neighbor, or to play politics. Instead, Jesus walks in God's way, not putting God to the test, not choosing to become a political leader. In choosing love's way, Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is not one of political calculation (though it certainly had its political implications), but one of profound compassion and love. Christ shows through his trials, suffering, death and resurrection that love does not die, that God's Way is eternal, not to be calculated or planned -- but simply to be lived.
Please join me this Palm Sunday as we enter Jerusalem with Jesus, as we walk along Love's way, learning with Jesus what it means to "be the beloved."


Blessings and Peace,
David

Musings Along Life's Way: Intimacy

I am learning that as I move through this life the more intimate I am with my life, God and others, the more fully I know myself. And there are so many ways into that Intimacy -- it is almost as if she calls me our of my smaller world into the larger life that is held in love, nay, that is Love itself. It is like spring.

Today it is plum blossoms that burst into my consciousness, that shock me with their beauty, the outrageousness of their display, clearing my mind, my heart, so that things just become wonderfully simple -- beautiful and simple. There were just these plum blossoms as I walked along -- nothing else. There are other ways of moving into this Intimacy. One way is through a formal worship service. Sometimes the music and the liturgy seem so beautiful, so reverent, that all the veneer is simply removed -- and there we are, hearts wide open to God -- to the love that will not let us go. With our hearts open, Spirit rushes in. And then, I have a close encounter with a friend, or attend a worship service that is less formal, one that celebrates the horizontal relationships in life (as opposed to the "vertical" relationship we have with God). In those close encounters, the eternal again breaks through. The question I constantly ask of myself: the plum blossoms, the friend, the formal worship all these lead me to this un-nameable Intimacy -- what is most real? I don't see God in the plum blossoms, the friend, or the worship -- IT is the Intimacy -- heart open, the Mystery of the Universe so close, so close.


This coming Sunday I am preaching on the story of Elijah's encounter with God on Mt. Horeb. A big storm comes, an earthquake, etc...but the writer says, "God is in none of these." Rather, God is encountered in the "Small still voice," or variously translated, "the sound of sheer silence." Maybe this is the Intimacy, that relationship that we feel ourselves into, the one that asks us to have a simple, open heart.
Love is the Way,
David

Musings Along Life's Way:

David's Musings on Life's Way


I was joyful this past Sunday. Andrew preached a wonderful sermon on Encountering God. Reflecting on Moses' encounter with God on Mt. Sinai, his reflections led us to ponder on the Mysterium Tremendum, the tremendous mystery that leads us to be filled with awe - an awe that is, in turns, aweful and awesome. He then told us of his own encounter with God in the '80's, a time when the AIDS epidemic was at its worst among the San Francisco gay community. The worship service itself was one of awesome encounter where we joined in song and in prayer pondering the Great Love of God that casts out all fear and gives us the blessed assurance of God's presence whoever we are or wherever we go. As our choir sang "Fear Not," and the Samoan Congregation sang about ever-lasting life as one congregation we entered into the blessedness of God's presence touched by the presence of the Holy. . What amazes me is that when we put together the worship service each week, we do so not really knowing how it will fit together. I guess that is up to the Holy Spirit. What a joy to say, "The Holy Spirit was in the house last Sunday!"


A quick set of reminders:


Wednesday morning Bible Study, 10 AM -- this is a group of 10 to 15 folks who gather each week to study the next Sunday's scripture.


Wednesday Evenings in March, Dale Webb and I are teaching a meditation and prayer class, "Entering the Cave of the Heart." We begin at 7:00 pm.


Next Sunday we continue our series, "Encountering God." The scripture will be Genesis 32:22-31, the story of Jacob wrestling with God at the Jabbok River. Our theme will be "Wrestling with God and Self." This scripture is one that stands out for me as truly reflective of our human condition as we Encounter God *and *reflect on our lives and the choices that we make in life. I look forward to seeing you all in worship.
Blessings,
David