Something I long for, but seem to too rarely experience is communion with other people. I would define communion as being in fellowship with others on a level that touches the deepest and most significant part of who we are.
On some important human levels we can have communion potentially with any other human being. And that's important, and not something we should despise. We are all made in God's image, even though broken or cracked through sin. We have much in common with others.
But what I'm thinking of today is the communion we're to have among those of us who are "in Christ": in union with God through Christ by the Spirit. Having a common purpose as Christ's Body in this world.
I do enjoy the communion I have daily with my wife, Deb. We share as those who are one flesh. So we can share with each other what is in our hearts and thoughts, and just be together in loving companionship and communion. Learning to see and let our differences complement rather than divide each other. And blessed in that we are also one in Christ.
I also enjoy the communion I find weekly at our church gathering. All kinds of people gather, with all kinds of differences. Some of those differences that can be, and in this world are divisive by nature. Yet we are one and in communion because of Christ. The Spirit in love brings us together, and we find the basis of our fellowship to outweigh any and all such differences.
Communion with God through Christ by the Spirit is what I long for more of. And this includes communion with God's people. We remember this monthly, and for those who want to, weekly at our church gathering, as we gather around bread and "wine", in remembering and proclaiming the Lord's death by our participation together, of this "meal." This ends up being not only a personal matter between ourselves and God, but a matter between each other. Indeed this practice is called "communion" for good reason. As we recognize and acknowledge the Body of our Lord in both the elements used, and in our union together in Christ by the Spirit.
We were made to live in communion with God and with each other. Nothing less will satisfy us. And by the Spirit through Jesus we need to learn more and more about our life together in God. Being taken up into the love life communion of the Trinity, as participants by grace in that.
What other words might you like to share on communion? Or whatever else you might like to say here.
Showing posts with label communion with God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label communion with God. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, July 26, 2008
being quiet
I tend to want my mind filled with something, whether it's reading Scripture, reading a good book, listening to good and especially spiritually edifying music, catching some NPR, listening to a good lecture or message, ...whatever.
Sometimes I rush from one "noise" to another, with just some praying in between and throughout, but no silence to speak of. Not so until I get to work and with the ear plugs drowning out the worst of the ongoing droning of the large vacuum system and clicking of the machines, in between visiting, I rather silently meditate on a passage in Scripture.
Lately it seems the Lord has been impressing on me the need to be sure to spend some quiet before him. Yes, after reading Scripture and praying, but just to be still before him. And sometimes to remain in that stillness. To leave the radio off, with just that sense of needing to commune with God. And being refreshed afterwards because of that.
I'm still learning. But I think the Lord wants more of this from me. I sense that at times I just need to quit reading, praying or doing anything else, and just seek to be still in God's presence. And ready to hear his voice, or just be present before him.
What have you found in your own life about being quiet before God? Or what thoughts would you like to add here?
Sometimes I rush from one "noise" to another, with just some praying in between and throughout, but no silence to speak of. Not so until I get to work and with the ear plugs drowning out the worst of the ongoing droning of the large vacuum system and clicking of the machines, in between visiting, I rather silently meditate on a passage in Scripture.
Lately it seems the Lord has been impressing on me the need to be sure to spend some quiet before him. Yes, after reading Scripture and praying, but just to be still before him. And sometimes to remain in that stillness. To leave the radio off, with just that sense of needing to commune with God. And being refreshed afterwards because of that.
I'm still learning. But I think the Lord wants more of this from me. I sense that at times I just need to quit reading, praying or doing anything else, and just seek to be still in God's presence. And ready to hear his voice, or just be present before him.
What have you found in your own life about being quiet before God? Or what thoughts would you like to add here?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
being in the word
Lately, while I've been in the word daily, I really haven't been in it like I've been in the past, at all. Though I had been reading alot (relatively for me) of Scripture, I had often been just wanting to get it done. I had developed a rut in which while I was reading Scripture, which is good, I was not relishing it as God's word, as I should.
I don't know if my recent blogging through John Frye's book, Out of Print, had an impact here; though I don't doubt it. But for awhile I essentially stopped reading Scripture altogether (like a couple weeks and a few days) except for the passages I would get into most every day, as well as my listening to The Bible Experience.
It was refreshing yesterday to get back into a renewed meditative reading in Scripture, and I know this is important for me. Of course I need to hear it in our worship gatherings, and apply it to life. But I also need to regularly, "day and night" be in it. After all, since it is God's word (or for any sceptics out there, if it is God's word), I need to make the effort to be reading/hearing it, so that God can do his work in me, and so that my life can be changed by it, and according to it. Changed by God of course.
The difference for me from the past is that I no longer have rigid set times daily that I keep, which I did keep for some time. But that I do so regularly, because I want to do so, and because I love God and God's word. And because I want to really meet with God during special times in a shorter passage, for prayer in waiting on God in giving him my praises (I need to improve there) and requests, and looking to God for his answers or working.
What about you? What does being in the word mean for you as one in Jesus, and what might help us that you've learned in this endeavor?
I don't know if my recent blogging through John Frye's book, Out of Print, had an impact here; though I don't doubt it. But for awhile I essentially stopped reading Scripture altogether (like a couple weeks and a few days) except for the passages I would get into most every day, as well as my listening to The Bible Experience.
It was refreshing yesterday to get back into a renewed meditative reading in Scripture, and I know this is important for me. Of course I need to hear it in our worship gatherings, and apply it to life. But I also need to regularly, "day and night" be in it. After all, since it is God's word (or for any sceptics out there, if it is God's word), I need to make the effort to be reading/hearing it, so that God can do his work in me, and so that my life can be changed by it, and according to it. Changed by God of course.
The difference for me from the past is that I no longer have rigid set times daily that I keep, which I did keep for some time. But that I do so regularly, because I want to do so, and because I love God and God's word. And because I want to really meet with God during special times in a shorter passage, for prayer in waiting on God in giving him my praises (I need to improve there) and requests, and looking to God for his answers or working.
What about you? What does being in the word mean for you as one in Jesus, and what might help us that you've learned in this endeavor?
Thursday, June 19, 2008
silence
I'm finding that I need silence more and more. I'm afraid my life was too full of wall to wall noise, in my past.
For years I either had music on, or was listening to the Bible being read on recordings. Alot of good stuff, but constant noise. I know of times if my wife wasn't home, I'd even have noise on at night as I was going to sleep.
That did change over the years as I became a person of alot less noise, yet relatively still more than was perhaps healthy. Now "noise" for me can include too much reading, though reading more meditatively, especially Scripture, in silence I think doesn't necessarily count as noise.
But I find that more and more I value silence. It makes me more keen for when I do read or listen to something. And in the silence I often get the sense of God which I need. I get a sense of trying to listen to God, draw near to him, and pray.
I need to listen, be still, and wait on God. In the silence, in the stillness, while in the word of God, or in a good book. This seems important to me, and maybe it's just a needed escape from the noisy culture in which we live, good at drowning out what we most need to hear.
What do you think about silence? Do you like it? Why or why not?
For years I either had music on, or was listening to the Bible being read on recordings. Alot of good stuff, but constant noise. I know of times if my wife wasn't home, I'd even have noise on at night as I was going to sleep.
That did change over the years as I became a person of alot less noise, yet relatively still more than was perhaps healthy. Now "noise" for me can include too much reading, though reading more meditatively, especially Scripture, in silence I think doesn't necessarily count as noise.
But I find that more and more I value silence. It makes me more keen for when I do read or listen to something. And in the silence I often get the sense of God which I need. I get a sense of trying to listen to God, draw near to him, and pray.
I need to listen, be still, and wait on God. In the silence, in the stillness, while in the word of God, or in a good book. This seems important to me, and maybe it's just a needed escape from the noisy culture in which we live, good at drowning out what we most need to hear.
What do you think about silence? Do you like it? Why or why not?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
a time to work, a time to play/rest
Yesterday's post pointed out the need to slow down. In it I was not primarily thinking of needed sabbaticals or rest stops which we all need, and often don't get enough of. I was thinking of how we work.
Rest is important. We need those times where we kick back, relax and do nothing. Nothing at all. Maybe read from a book we really want to read from, get some extra sleep, best case: get away and enjoy some of God's good creation somewhere (and here), or maybe a place less strenuous like here (or more likely for us- here- here).
Today I want to remind myself and any reader of the importance of good old fashioned work. I may need to slow down in it, but I also need to be reminded of the goodness and value of work.
Work is not post-fall, but pre-fall. God put Adam in the garden to work it, and made and brought Eve alongside him to be his helper in doing so, as well as for the procreation of more humans to inhabit and rule over the works of God's hands. Work is a big part of who we are, made in the image of God. And it will go on forever.
Of course work now is bereft with problems that are the result of sin and the fall. It's now by the sweat of our brow and with thistles and thorns (Genesis 3). It seems like no matter what we do, there's always something undermining it. It takes plenty of endurance and perseverance to see a work finished, and hopefully well done.
We must be careful in reacting to our American bent (over here) to work excessively so as to fulfill our version of "the American dream" that we don't throw work overboard in the name of our faith. Quite to the contrary we need to be known as good workers who are not negligent in their work.
I find that when I'm discouraged it's easy for me just to throw in the towel and do nothing. But in Jesus we're called to good work. We're callled to a work that will bring rest to our souls, a work in which we are side by side with our Lord himself!
To the title, balance is not such a bad word in all this. We need to have fun and play in the midst of our work. We need to know when enough is enough. And also when we need an extended rest, recreation and rehabilitation. I love to work hard on something I'm interested in. But I also love to enjoy something just for the sake of enjoying it. I don't see this as wrong, but as a part of living as one of God's children in our Father's world. And I believe that someday we'll have this down perfectly, forever. Of course not having the limitations we have now due to the fall. But what we do now in its imperfection carried along by God's grace, perfectly fulfilled in God's ongoing grace in Jesus then.
What would you like to add to this? And where would your dream vacations take you?
Tomorrow: "Palisade Cliffs - doubt", from L.L. Barkat's book, Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places
Rest is important. We need those times where we kick back, relax and do nothing. Nothing at all. Maybe read from a book we really want to read from, get some extra sleep, best case: get away and enjoy some of God's good creation somewhere (and here), or maybe a place less strenuous like here (or more likely for us- here- here).
Today I want to remind myself and any reader of the importance of good old fashioned work. I may need to slow down in it, but I also need to be reminded of the goodness and value of work.
Work is not post-fall, but pre-fall. God put Adam in the garden to work it, and made and brought Eve alongside him to be his helper in doing so, as well as for the procreation of more humans to inhabit and rule over the works of God's hands. Work is a big part of who we are, made in the image of God. And it will go on forever.
Of course work now is bereft with problems that are the result of sin and the fall. It's now by the sweat of our brow and with thistles and thorns (Genesis 3). It seems like no matter what we do, there's always something undermining it. It takes plenty of endurance and perseverance to see a work finished, and hopefully well done.
We must be careful in reacting to our American bent (over here) to work excessively so as to fulfill our version of "the American dream" that we don't throw work overboard in the name of our faith. Quite to the contrary we need to be known as good workers who are not negligent in their work.
I find that when I'm discouraged it's easy for me just to throw in the towel and do nothing. But in Jesus we're called to good work. We're callled to a work that will bring rest to our souls, a work in which we are side by side with our Lord himself!
To the title, balance is not such a bad word in all this. We need to have fun and play in the midst of our work. We need to know when enough is enough. And also when we need an extended rest, recreation and rehabilitation. I love to work hard on something I'm interested in. But I also love to enjoy something just for the sake of enjoying it. I don't see this as wrong, but as a part of living as one of God's children in our Father's world. And I believe that someday we'll have this down perfectly, forever. Of course not having the limitations we have now due to the fall. But what we do now in its imperfection carried along by God's grace, perfectly fulfilled in God's ongoing grace in Jesus then.
What would you like to add to this? And where would your dream vacations take you?
Tomorrow: "Palisade Cliffs - doubt", from L.L. Barkat's book, Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places
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