easter... thoughts...

This morning... a sunrise service... at a lookout...
but no sunrise... the morning too gray... the clouds too dense...

Later... at church... for Sunday school...
no lights... in the sanctuary...
electricity... but no lights...
and only in the place we gather... for worship...

As I left... after Sunday school...
going upstream... from all streaming in...
surrounded by familiar faces...
but many not seen on Sundays...
I passed the dark sanctuary...
as people filed in...
an odd sight on Sunday morning...
a place... filled with light... every other Sunday...
now dark... no one able to figure out...
how... to bring light in...

Same at the sunrise service...
no one could make the sun shine through...

On the way home...
a storm stirred up...
about the time  worship services would be starting...
thunder... rain... dark clouds closed in...
my daughter... she noted...
It will really be dark in the sanctuary now...
no sunlight to illumine the stained glass...

This afternoon... cleaning up from lunch...
the thought... it came...
one that had been in my mind... most of the day...
Easter... is everyday...
We are to live Easter everyday...
celebrate it every Sunday...
gathering with other Believers...
living... serving... struggling...
as Jesus did... the week before the first Easter...
every week... then gather for Easter... each Sunday...

I thought of the gray...
the absence of light... on a Sunday... when the religious...
they come... dressed in new clothes...
bring their children for an egg hunt...
but only this one time each year...
and how do they live between...?

I thought... perhaps the darkness...
and gray... was His message...
to help us realize... we... don't live...
Holy Week... every week...

Perhaps He was saying...

You think you are following...

you think you have the Light... but you don't...

You... are... in... the... dark...

I don't know... but what I thought...

reflecting on suns that don't rise...

sanctuaries without light...

"...when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Luke 18:4

Father God... help me to remember... 

to live each week... as Holy Week...

remembering the struggle of Your Son... 

the Way... I'm supposed to follow...

gathering... each Sunday... as Easter... 

to joyfully remember... and celebrate... 

His resurrection... and the new life... 

and power... I have... because of all He did...

To use this life... to draw others to Him...

to bring His light... to a dark world...

I do not want to be... one... 

who Easters... just... once... a... year...

it is finished... (almost)...

The week that began full... filled with a panoramic view of my inadequacies... has come to the end... (almost)...

I completed... all that needed to be done... but I know... it wasn't me...

Today... on the treadmill... my current read... included an Oswald Chambers quote...

We must never put our dreams of success as God's purpose for us. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end. His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God. (emphasis added)

My process this week... was different... because of a spiritual discipline a friend shared... one she planned for her observance of Holy Week... her own version... of an ancient practice... The Liturgy of Hours...

A daily practice of... stopping... praying... seven times... a day...
dawn or upon waking...
between 9-10am...
between 11am-Noon...
around 3pm...
dusk...
bedtime...
midnight til dawn... (not with alarm... but by His gentle nudge...)

This week... busting records for full... walking a fine line between faith... and panic... considering whether I had committed to things that weren't mine... because as I looked... it was not physically possible... for me to complete...

This discipline of hours... entered life at just the right time... my friend... when she gave it to me... thought I would not attempt the practice... because she knew all I had to do... thought I wouldn't have time...

Well... without it... I don't think I would have done all... at least not without going nuts... and making everyone around me nuts...

This intentional stopping... even if it was just a couple of minutes... turning thoughts to God with purpose... helped me to recognize His presence... His power... His sovereignty in all things... kept me connected... held me together... with peace...

The process... pushed the envelope of faith... stretched the borders... of my spiritual tent... each prayer... a reminder... Without Him... nothing... gets... done... 

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

Lord Jesus... help me to remember... Your end... is the process... the growing of faith... not completing tasks... or achieving success... Truly... Truly...

thursday...

The Thursday... before... Good Friday...

a call to watch... The Passion...

the night of Jesus's arrest...

the time... when darkness reigned...

Then Jesus said to the chief priests,

the officers of the temple guard,

and the elders, who had come for him,

"... this is your hour --- when darkness reigns."

Luke 22:52-53

An emotional experience... the watching... a spiritual discipline...

Emotions... seen... journaled...

Anger... the chief priests and temple guard...

Anguish... Jesus at Gethsemane...

Assuredness... Jesus facing arrest...

Confusion... Peter... if he was not to fight... what was he to do?

Innocent... Jesus... He broke no temple law... He was the fulfillment of the Law...

Scorn... Jesus... He scorned the shame... 

Sadness... heartache... Jesus... for the priests...

Arrogance... the chief priests...

Liars... the chief priests...

Power struggle... Pilate... vs... the priests...

Fear... Pilate... facing civil unrest...

Brutal... the guards who scourged Jesus...

Love... Mary... His mother... who stood by...

Perseverance... Jesus...

Devotion... the women... John...

Obedient... a Son...

"...The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life --- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

John 10:17-18

This... the Son... we are to follow...

A hard lesson... in... obedience...

feeding babes...

Feeding a spiritual baby... it's challenging... there are several in my life right now...

This vision... it comes to mind... feeding spiritual babes... looks just like feeding a baby... when it's time to move to solid food...

Feeding a newborn milk... is easy... it's what they crave... they suck eagerly... latch on... without effort... but moving to solid food... toward maturity.... that's when things get messy...

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The spoon is loaded... sometimes the mouth opens wide... sometimes it clamps shut...

If you've ever fed a baby...you know that even if you get the food in... half of it squirts back out... when they close their mouth...

Then there are times... they don't like the taste...
food is spit...
thrown...
wiped off the tongue...

As a teacher... mentor... leader... mom... feeding an immature spirit... can be frustrating...

These spiritual babes... housed in big bodies... can deceive... make you expect more than they are able... to take in... understand... then comes the temptation... to throw up your hands... give up... walk away...

But it's important to remember... that with a baby... we don't stop feeding just because it's hard... we keep on... continually...  trying new foods... textures... meal after meal... because... if we stop... the baby will become malnourished... starved... and die...

So today... I choose to keep this reality in mind... as I prepare spiritual meals... for sixth graders... and others... who are hard to feed... those spiritual babes...

Lord... fill me with Your love... as I prepare... and serve... spiritual meals... to spiritual babes... I long for each to grow to maturity... to feed themselves Your Word... because they crave it... and value its deep nutritional content for their souls... and spirits... Fill me with JOY... to share... and serve... Your Word... remind me of the importance... of persistence... and patience... in feeding these babes... who belong... to You...

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,

is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use

have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5:13-14

grateful... for daily...

Our God... He is daily... in His provision...

Give us today our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11

in His mercies...

Great is his faithfulness;

his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Lamentations 3:23 NLT

in His bearing of burdens...

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,

who daily bears our burdens.

Psalm 68:10

Father God... thank You for dividing our days... 

into morning and night... 

Thank You for daily reminders... 

and evidence of Your grace... 

Thank You for each evening rest... 

and every morning... afresh... with Your mercies...

feeling finite...

A full day... at the beginning of a full week... reminds me that I am finite...

Feeling empty... and keenly aware... of every inadequacy...

I said to the Lord,

"You are my Lord;

apart from you I have no good thing."

Psalm 16:2

Father God... You are my good...

a garden reminder...

Yesterday... I spent time in a garden...

where I was reminded... that God... created... us... to work... a garden...

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden

to work it and take care of it.

Genesis 2:15

A creation... deemed... good... in its beauty... and... diversity...

Even the trials... in this garden... the plants tested... for future plantings... are spectacular...

The beauty... of this broken world... a reminder... that God's good... far outweighs... the bad... 

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory."

Isaiah 6:3

why to speak love... love... love...

My daughter... over lunch... she tells me about her friend... one with a new baby... a new house... and the process of redecorating... renovating...

She took her 5-month old to the house... ready to work... sweeping away... when... whack!... she accidentally hit her babe... in the head... with the broom...

Her friend tells her... He just looked at me... like... "Why'd you do that?"... and then he let out a wail...

She felt terrible... her friend... any who have parented... have had similar experiences... I know I have... unintentional woundings of my children... not only physically... but emotionally... words spoken without thought... looks given... that cut a heart... deep...

And here I thought... is where it begins... the enemy... will take this wound... even at 5 months... and begin to whisper... See... she's not safe... she doesn't love you... you are just in the way...

It starts early... this hate... this terror... this festering of wounds... ones the enemy uses... to harden... divide... destroy... devour... those created in His image... for His purpose...

How do we... combat... such an enemy... one insidious... unseen... devious beyond our understanding...?

Love... encouragement... never letting a wound go... without profuse apology... humbling before... even our child... at 5 months...

Don't tell them... toughen up... it was an accident... get over it... stop crying... recognize the wound... pray... for healing... of hearts... and spirits... Pray... for protection... from the enemy... who whispers... unseen...

Speak love... speak grace... speak worth... into your children... no matter how old...

Recognize... there is an enemy... and all the unseen... unintentional... wounds... he'll take advantage of to destroy...

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1Peter 5:8-9

(my emphasis)

I think of my own wounds... those inflicted by my parents... wounds I know were completely unintentional... yet my understanding... perverted and twisted... by the one who whispers in the dark... wounds... that I see changed my heart... and choices... setting me up for fall... after... fall...

But the One who is love... has spoken healing to many of those places... those He has revealed... 

In turn... I believe... that we need to be alert... looking for potential wounds... in us... in others... those we've inflicted... those others have inflicted... and begin... like Him... to speak healing... and love... into hearts... wounded...

Remember... all... are undergoing the same kind of sufferings... give grace... speak worth... speak love... love... love...

Be completely humble and gentle;

be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2

You never know... you might begin... a process... of... healing... in the life... of one wounded...

when plans change... quickly...

Knowing what's coming... a day planned... when husband calls with a change...

Readjusting... it's hard for me... to change gears... quickly...

I'm reminded... no one really knows anything... that's coming... to think things won't change is foolish... to be unprepared for a change... is not what Believers are called to do...

"... The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

John 3:8

(emphasis added)

Just a day... to practice... chasing the Wind...

reminded how much i'm not...

Amid a university setting... among people who teach... and students who compete... everything seeming so important... and me just... a kept woman... a housewife... mom... a line I read this morning came to mind...

...God reminded me of a simple truth: "It's not about what you can do for Me; it's about what I have done for you."

---Mark Batterson, Wild Goose Chase 

A freedom... in this truth... everyone small... no one anything... apart from Him...

"...I am the vine; you are the branches. 

... apart from me you can do nothing. ..."

John 15:5

wrestling

Wrestling... it's what God invites us to do...

Jacob... Israel... one in the same... the Patriarch of faith... whose name means... wrestles with God...

Today... I wrestle over self... and self-centeredness... feeling the words of Paul...

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners---

of whom I am the worst.

1 Timothy 1:15

(my emphasis)

Learning that love is completely other-centered... looks not at its own wants... but others's needs.... 

But me... I feel the epitome... of un-loving... so completely focused on self... wrestling... struggling... to put my wants aside... wondering why I can't look past me... see the needs... of those sheltered here... and find joy... and grace... to freely love...

Today... I'm the worst... entering the ring... to wrestle with Him... 

crawling on the cross... believing I have been crucified with Him...

have died... and He lives... in me...

only... ME... keeps resurrecting...

stirring thoughts... I don't want to think...

Today... I... am... the... worst... 

but in the wrestling... 

I see that He... is... here...

without Him... there would be no wrestling...

no challenge to love... with obedience...

different choices would be made...

ones that stray far... from the road that runs narrow...

So... I give thanks... for wrestling...

for the God... who loves... and invites...

us to wrestle... with Him...

God teaching grace

Grace...
it gives... time...
waits... for His transforming work...

Grace...
it gives... room... for growth...
trusts... His work... in the dark...

Grace...
it rests... in His promise...
to work... all things for good...

Grace...
it speaks... hope...
offering direction... for those who are lost...

Grace...
it believes...

"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace,

which can build you up and give you an inheritance

among all who are sanctified. ..."

Acts 20:32

(my emphasis)

Father God... continue to teach me grace... 

and how to give it...

thoughts on crucifixion...

The spiritual discipline... of writing a spiritual discipline... keeps my thoughts turned toward Jesus... His final days... His crucifixion...

Recently... spending a day in the woods... with family... where thorned trees grew... a thought occurred... gather branches... make a crown of thorns...

You know... you really have to want to hurt someone to make such a crown... it cannot be made without hurting yourself...

But as I thought of Jesus... forced to wear the thorns... it dawned on me...

Mankind (how kind are we really...? as a whole...?)... murdered the Son of God... forcing His sinless creation to participate in the process... the creation affected by sin... yet had no sin of its own... all creation afflicted...

Trees with thorns... did they even have thorns before the Fall...? ...used to humiliate... torture... their Creator... trunks... of trees... set up... crossed... used to lift Him up with nails...

No wonder creation groans in anticipation of redemption...

For we know the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Romans 8:19-21

These trees... who long to clap... and sing... at the coming of the King... were used to crown... and hang...

We can only use... what He gives us... to do... whatever... we do...

good... bad...

holy... evil...

Not only did He allow us to rebel... beat... crucify...

He gave us the materials... with which we abuse...

No wonder... creation groans... while waiting... for His return...

tired... upset... cranky...

A day outside...
with husband... and son on spring break...

A good day... but worn out... tired...
cranky... according to spouse...
A Mary... turned... Martha...

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things..."

Luke 10:41

Sometimes... things catch up... wear...
apologies given...
mood smoothed...

Father God... help me to remember to come to You...

when things upset... and worry... before I take it out...

on others...

stormy start...

What do you do... when the day starts with a storm...? a clash of wills... emotional outbursts... right under your own roof...?

Cry out to the Lord...

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of the sea were hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided them to their desired haven.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men.

Psalm 107: 28-31

Still groaning...
Thankful...
for His promise...
of guidance to the desired haven...

hope-blinders... wordless prayer...

Unexpected encouragement... from friends and family... a reminder that faith wears hope-blinders...

Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and

certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

So... I walk... being sure... certain... of what I do not see... praying without words...

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Romans 8:26

His promises pure... an anchor to hold on to...

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,

firm and secure.

Hebrews 6:19

Holding on...

walking blind...

groaning...

all the way...

an unexpected altar

Have you ever noticed how often people in the Old Testament built altars? It seems like they were building them all over the place all the time. Why? Because we have a natural tendency to remember what we should forget and forget what we should remember. Altars help us remember what God doesn't want us to forget. They give us a place to go back to.

---Mark Batterson, Wild Goose Chase  (emphasis added)

I read these words... and realized... Jeremiah's Menu... is an altar of sorts...

It may seem weird... or self-centered... to tell you... but I return at times... to read what I have written... to be reminded... what God has taught... where He's shown up... encourage my faith...

Each day's post... evidence that He has something to say... to me... hopefully to you too...

Mark Batterson... he goes on to say...

I honestly wonder if our lives seem more routine than they really are simply because we don't have any altars dotting the landscape. I wonder if many of us feel spiritually lost because we don't have any milestones that help us find our way back to God. We need altars that renew our faith by reminding us of the faithfulness of God. And every once in a while, we need to go back to those sacred places to repent of our sin, renew our covenant with God, and celebrate what God has done. (emphasis added)

...altars dotting the landscape... those altars don't only remind those who raised them... they have the potential to open the spiritual eyes of others to the reality of God... to see evidence of Him at work... and perhaps... become more open to a work He wants to do in them...

These daily posts... additions to an unexpected altar... raised as evidence of God's faithfulness to make His Word flesh... and place them in a wilderness cyber-scape... in hopes that others might see... be encouraged... or get hungry enough... to taste... and see...

What altars have you raised...?

Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place 

where God had talked with him...

Jacob called the place 

where God had talked with him Bethel.

Genesis 35:14-15

a date with the Maker...

What do you do... when the 92-years... firmly shakes your hand good-bye... and tells you he's going to meet his Maker...?

This is my final cup of coffee... he says...

I'll believe it when I see it...

What do you do...?

We pray... we wait...

Of course... none of us knows what day we will finally meet our Maker... but perhaps we should live... as if it could be... today...

So teach us to number our days 

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 ESV

grateful for grace

Provision unmerited...
time...
words...
patience...

Amazing... grace...

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,

along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:14

recognizing... the current ruler...

Knowing His Sovereignty... makes it hard to remember... who currently rules...

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, 

but against rulers, against the authorities, 

against the  powers of this dark world...

Ephesians 6:12

Jesus said... the prince of this world now stands condemned... yet he still rules...

This prince... he came as a snake in the garden... to him we surrendered... the dominion that was ours...

I see him ruling in the life of a loved one... 

I hear about his wreaking havoc in the life of another...

I feel him whisper lies in my ear...

Wounds abound... His creation deceived... darkness it reigns... even though the sun shines...

Only with His eyes... the eyes of the heart... do we recognize the ruler... see the dark for what it is... and stand to fight... to be light... where many don't even know it is dark...

"... This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." ---Jesus

John 3:19-21

Once we become His... we stand in direct opposition to the prince of this world... his darkness becomes evident... and He calls us to stand against it...

Each Believer... through Him... has the power to pierce the darkness... and take back ground from the enemy... making His Sovereignty visible...

Lord... help me to remember... recognize... the rule of the enemy... keep me on guard against deception... in my life... and those around me... give me the Words... with which to defeat him... bringing light to those who are lost... in the dark...

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,

who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.

Psalm 89:15

grafting in... the way of abiding...

I read it this morning...

There is no graft without wounding --- the laying bare and opening up of the inner life of the tree to receive the stranger branch.

--- Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ

Every graft... requires a wound...

The vine... and the branch... they are grafted together... each wounded...

The Vine... His wound righteous...

The branch... its wounds caused by sin... our own... and others...

Every graft... requires a wound...

He... willingly wounded... to make a place for us... in Him...

The wounds we receive... Satan intends for harm... but Father God... Gardener God... He intends them for good...

Every graft... requires a wound...

From before creation... He knew... every graft... requires a wound...

He knew... sin would enter... and wound...

He knew... the only Way... for union with His creation... was by way... of a wound...

He knew... He would wound His Son... wound Himself... for love of a Bride...

From the roots of Jesse... springs up a Branch... one ready to be prepared... to receive a graft...

"...I lay down my life...

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord."

John 10:17-18

This was... and is... the Gardener's first... and only plan... to complete His purpose... to increase the circle of His love... by creating... and making the Way... for a grafting in...

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,

so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;

by his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 2:24

(emphasis added)

Therefore... I rejoice in my weakness...

I humble myself before Him... that He might lift me up...

pride...

arrogance...

shame...

guilt...

self-loathing...

hate...

grudges...

vengeance...

unforgiveness...

each scar the wounds... and prevent grafting... abiding... healing... 

Only a fresh... oozing... wound... can be successfully grated in...

In the death of the cross, Christ was wounded, and in His opened wounds a place was prepared where we might be grafted in. And just as one might say to a graft, and does practically say as it is fixed in its place, "Abide here in the wound of the stem that is now to bear you"; so to the believing soul the message comes, "Abide in the wounds of Jesus; there is the place of union, and life, and growth. There you will see how His heart was opened to receive you; how His flesh was rent that the way might be opened for your being made one with Him and having access to all the blessings flowing from His divine nature."

--- Andrew Murray

Face your wounds... embrace them... as He embraced His... they are the Way... to fully abide in Him... for by His wounds... you are healed...

There is a fellowship between Christ's sufferings and your sufferings.

--- Andrew Murray

For even in the beginning... what Satan intended for harm... God intended for good... 

Lord Jesus... Father God... help me to see... what you have allowed... my own sinful choices... those of others' against me... You intend for good... not only mine... but the saving of many others... help me  bring each wound to You... that You might use it... to make me one with You... and be truly whole... 

exercising freedom...

A day filled... with plenty of opportunities... to exercise freedom...

For you were called to freedom, brothers.

Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh,

but through love serve one another.

Galatians 5:13 ESV

How did you exercise your freedom today?

a busy season... requires faith...

This current season... it just seems busy...
a busy that requires walking by faith...

Functioning by faith... feels like a fine line... at times...
a thin margin... between... peace... and... panic...

But He knows... each thing I must do...
each deadline is His...

So I continue...
moment by moment...
step by step...
breath by breath...
trusting...
Him...

When I said, "My foot is slipping,"

your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.

Psalm 94:18 NIV

blessed by His faithfulness

Today... God's faithfulness... again... just blows me away...

My vision filled with failures... to use my time wisely... to exercise self-discipline... feeling a living breathing picture of... the spirit is willing, but the body is weak... pressure of time... trying to crush...

But in His mercy... in His grace... He provides what's needed... beyond expectation...

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,

the Maker of heaven and earth,

the sea, and everything in them ---

the Lord, who remains faithful forever.

Psalm 146:5-6

seeing 3-d

Yesterday... I had a unique opportunity... a spiritual-life event led by two authors... whose books I've read... and learned from...

Teachers I've only experienced 2-D... through books... or DVD... yesterday I saw... 3-D... the word made flesh...

When our only experience with teachers... is ink on paper... or pixels on screen... additional depth is added by our own imagination... but live... in person... in all their dimensions...
you see they are not tall... or maybe they are...
you hear them speak... unedited...
walk into a bathroom...
drink water...
hear their laughter...
see them animated...
in all their humanness...
their previously flat words... made flesh...

This event... possessed an air of the ecumenical... an unusual recognition of the one Church... leaders on one stage... for one purpose... Quaker... Methodist... Baptist... Episcopal... Catholic... gathered... to bring glory to God the Father... through Jesus the Son... by way of the Spirit that's Holy...
A glimpse... a taste... of the Church... 3-D... different denominations... outside their one tradition... one understanding... coming together... to encourage the One Body...

The message... one He has been speaking to me... became a little louder... yesterday...

The Church... the Body of Christ... it's role is to make Jesus 3-D... to a world that is dark... hungry... lost... broken...
Unless we let Him fill us... deepen us... add depth to us... we are a flat... lifeless... representation... of Him... to the world...

Only when we surrender...
die to self...
allow Him to heal...
redeem...
restore...
by grace...
and fully live in... and through... us...
wherever...
whenever...
we...
are...
can we be...
the Word made flesh...

We are the light... in the dark...

the fruit... for the hungry...

the Body... that seeks the lost and broken...

Because the real dimension... that makes ALL real... is Jesus...

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church;

he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,

so that in everything he might have supremacy.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

and through him to reconcile to himself all things,

whether things on earth or things in heaven,

by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. ...

...the glorious riches of this mystery,

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:17-19, 27

Word without division...

Currently... one of my spiritual disciplines... involves preparing... spiritual disciplines for others...

50 Scripture passages... for 50 days of meditation... leading up to Easter...

The presenting of verse... typed out in the post... text only... no division of words by chapter... verse... or pericope (those extra title divisions smattered throughout most Bibles)...

The surprise has been... what a difference... the clean presentation of text makes...

Even though I've written each post... each meditation... I receive them via email... as daily posts for the church... primarily to review one more time... find any type-o's... awkward words...

But in this exercise of review... I become lost in the Word... seeing just the words... written as they once were... as letters... correspondence between Believers... no chapters... no verse numbers... no subtitles chopping up content... just a message... to share...

The chapters... and numbering of verse... added by scholars... help with the study of Scripture... mapping... making location of a specific text easier...

But sometimes... those additions... stop us from connecting one verse to another... where a break by a chapter... or pericope... was never intended... thoughts hard to process... because of a number that makes us unwilling to separate a part from a whole...

The insertions of man... can hinder a reading with the Spirit...

This new insight into Scripture... clean and undivided... has made the Word seem more real to me... a story... that comes to life... not just a text... to be studied...

For the word of God is living and active.

Hebrews 4:12

[Note: Have a look for yourself at GrowingAtFUMC.blogspot.com . These contributions are for Lent 2013... they are numbered Day 1 etc... and began on February 10, 2013...]