looking back

It is good to look back and give thanks to the Lord, for all of his goodness to us in the past year. I believe in calendars, and increasingly in the church calendar. I think these help us keep on track; after all we are creatures of time and space.

Looking back on this past year I have seen some amazing breakthroughs, small and not so small in my life. We've seen the birth of our first grandchild, Morgan. God has provided for us. And God is giving us more and more the passion and resolve to put him first in both seeking and serving him.

God is good no matter what. In the end in Jesus this faith will be fully vindicated, even though we live with unresolved questions now. We need to simply remain true in living by faith as those dependent on God and interdependent on each other. As we seek to let our light so shine before others that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father in heaven.

What about you? Is there anything you'd like to share about your past year, or any thoughts on these thoughts?

see the whole

Being reminded by Scot McKnight that the Bible is Story (the way I'm understanding him) helps me see how we need to see our lives in that context. Of course it's not about fitting the Story into our lives, but finding how our story fits into God's Story.

There are times during most days when if I'd just focus on those times I'd throw in the towel and give up. But there are normally times each day when my faith in God through Christ is reinvigorated and strengthened in one way or another.

We need to see the whole also in terms of the entire world God created and reconciled to himself in Christ. This includes all people and all creation. It's not just about our own little worlds or how we're doing in them. It's so much bigger than us. But in God's great plan, it includes us.

We need to learn to see the whole, and not get bogged down in thinking it's all about ourselves, or our church, even our nation. It's about the greatness and goodness of God who is love. A love that will not let us go, and will not let what he has created go. And we have our part in this great whole of God.

For me this is helpful especially during this political season in the United States. I generally steer away from conversations on politics, but yesterday while working with a good friend at work he patiently bore with some of my thoughts, and we had our laughs outside of that. Then I later continued on a thread on Scot McKnight's blog, Jesus Creed, a good posting on politics.

Anytime of one's life, but particularly when certain important matters can be blown out of all proportion, we need this reminder to see the whole. God is over all, and we can trust him entirely. We must be careful to look at the parts of our lives and of the world as not the whole. We must seek to see beyond them to what God is doing and what he's about in our lives and in the world. In light of God's revelation to us in Scripture and in Jesus Christ. So that we can better learn to live with God's priorities in view.

What thoughts might you like to share on seeing the whole?

Tomorrow: The final chapter: Blood from a Stone - completion, from L.L. Barkat, Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places

outlook

Outlook involves our perspective. While I don't like heights, I do like high elevations which feel safe to me. It's fun to look down and see for miles around. No matter where we are, we see things from that vantage point. Where we live I miss seeing the horizons, blocked by houses. But what we do see is interesting, as in trees, flowers, grass, houses, etc.

In life we need nothing less than a change of outlook which comes from a perspective only God can give us. "In Jesus" is key for this, because by faith we can attain a new outlook through Jesus and his redemptive work for us. I use the word attain because I believe this faith requires some ongoing effort on our part. And that we don't ordinarily just arrive to a higher, godly perspective and outlook.

This is part of what I'm working on in my life. To have more and more of the outlook and perspective that God wants for us in Jesus. This comes by the work of God's Spirit in us for change through the word of God, in community in Jesus, as those living in the world in mission to the world. And this comes over time.

At certain points I believe my outlook and perspective can be weak and lacking. I am tempted at those points to give in to a mediocre kind of life, not the life God calls us to in Jesus. But in Jesus God calls us higher and higher, towards a heavenly life even in our present lives, to press on to fulfill nothing short of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus for us. Realized in that context in Philippians at the end of the race, but changing our outlook and perspective even during our present lives -evident in that passage- as well.

What would you like to share on this?

perspective

Perspective for us is easy to lose. I find this particulary so when I'm tired. It is best for me to take myself less seriously then, and to avoid as much as possible, any heavy duty discussions, or debating.

In Jesus we live and speak from the grace and truth inherent in him. It is a matter of faith, oftentimes, just to leave our life entirely in God's hands. And I'm reminded of what Martin Luther learned in the past: to go to sleep and let God take care of the world. Only God can do it. And we are included in that, in Jesus.

Any thoughts to this thought on perspective?

Tomorrow: Chapter 10: "Old Stone Church - love" from L.L. Barkat's book: Stone Crossings: Finding God in Hard and Hidden Places