heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ, these stressors do not find us discouraged; that rather, His comforting light and love shines through them invigorating our spirit. Utmost For His Highest March 9
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice! Phil. 4:4 The scriptures below from the April 1 “dailylightdevotional.org” reflects how Easter changes first the FOCUS of our brokenness into joyful worship; and second, the FUTURE of our death & destruction was redeemed
beginning by His forgiveness on the Cross into His purpose by His Great Commission, Ascension, & Holy Spirit Empowerment, and thirdly, culminating ultimately in our FOREVER home residency, no longer condemned to eternal separation from God in the depths of Hell.
Morning:
The fruit of the Spirit is joy. Gal. 5:22
Joy in the Holy Ghost. Rom. 14:17
Unspeakable and full of glory. I Pet. 1:8
Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; … exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. II Cor. 6:10; 7:4
We glory in tribulations. Rom. 5:3
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; … for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame. Heb. 12:2
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. John 15:11
As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. II Cor. 1:5
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Phil. 4:4
The joy of the LORD is your strength. Neh. 8:10
In thy presence is fullness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psa. 16:11
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. 7:17
We all live our lives based on a conception of importance; either our own importance, or the importance of someone else. Jesus invites us to come and live our lives TODAY TOMORROW & BEYOND based on the empowering revelation of His importance; teaching “All power is given unto Me.… Go ye therefore ….”
April One My Utmost For His Highest
Do crises which affect us or others in our home, church, business, country, or elsewhere, seem to be crushing in on us? Are we being pushed out of the presence of God and left with no time for worship? If so, we must put a stop to such distractions and get into a living relationship with God such that our relationship with others is maintained through the work of intercession, where God works His miracles.
Beware of getting ahead of God by your very desire to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, becoming so burdened with people and problems that we don’t worship God, and we fail to intercede. If a burden and its resulting pressure come upon us while we are not in an attitude of worship, it will only produce a hardness toward God and despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people in whom we have no interest, and unless we are worshiping God the natural tendency is to be heartless toward them. We give them a quick verse of Scripture, like jabbing them with a spear, or leave them with a hurried, uncaring word of counsel before we go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to our Lord.
Are our lives resting in His Presence so that we may participate in the intercession of our Lord and the Holy Spirit? Have we already forgotten our vibrant resounding responses “He is risen indeed” at yesterday’s Easter services? Worshiping the Son TODAY TOMORROW & BEYOND is key for dealing with those lingering unresolved distasteful devastating distractions destroying yesterday’s peace this morning. Choose to Wake Up Worshiping!
Warning! This Post is 1820 words in length. I do believe it is the best ever post that I’ve written yet. I’m speaking from my heart. Schedule accordingly.
Thursday evening I viewed Episodes 1-2-3 of Season 4 of The Chosen. Although the jury may still out on the effectiveness of this monumental spiritual film project, I’m embarrassed to admit I’d not seen even one episode prior. I suspect that fact is connected somehow to my lifelong aversion to theaters, movies, sitcoms, even today’s media deceptive narratives, etc., likely stemming from my childhood being devoid of Hollywood’s visual stimulations during the fifties, sixties and even into the seventies, causing me to focus, since my first six grades were spent in three one room township schoolhouses since ‘54, and until college, I existed entirely on library books, magazines such as the Gospel Herald, Christian Living, Readers Digest, Farm Journal, radio, and absolutely, no television.
It is understandable then, that blogging now best serves me as my public medium of communication, and especially so during my wanning years of any mental and physical presence I may have once possessed. However, in contrast, the Apostle Paul was physically and mentally in his prime (though possibly with limitations) when he dialogued with the men of Athens at the Areopagus on Mar’s Hill.
Yes indeed, I understand The Chosen is just a movie, but Thursday night, my heart, soul, and mind so fully resonated with Jesus firmly speaking truth in love while fully engaged with the Pharisees, that those sights and sounds somehow did a system reboot amongst all my spiritual circuitry, replacing the old benchmarks, installing new protocols, all of which, deposited me fully alive in the presence of God, both ready and desirous, to only do His bidding. The film even awaken past public experiences as a child when the Spirit’s presence was every bit as real as John Burke’s book “Imagine Heaven” interviews of 1000 NDE”s (near death experiences) with one being Howard Storm, a former ardent atheist, Northern KE University, professor and chairman of the art dept, more recently a television director and actor, writer (publishing in 2000 his book My Descent Into Death), painter, and now a Christian minister in Covington OH, graduating from Union Theological Seminary with an MDiv. He is described on pages 217-222 What about hell; 232-233 Hell’s welcoming committee; and 239-241 Life Review. I have copies to loan you if interested in reading the book.
Today it is appallingly apparent that the skill set, or the art of creatively engaging dialogue while in dissension, whether it be with those in the next pew, OR perhaps, even with the vilest atheist available, such as Howard Storm mentioned above, or whomever you can imagine, such skills are sorely missing today judging from our empty spiritual-go-to-battle toolboxes or arsenals. I choose to remember that even as our most exquisite genetically endowed gifts lavishly received at birth, can be wasted, even annihilated, so too can be our acquired spiritual battle tools; especially when they are just ignored for decades, and are now, even scorned and ridiculed. May God forgive us on many fronts; perhaps even for such as thinking we’re too intellectual for reading Psalms, such as the one below.
After three plus hours of such visual and verbal stimulation; I compare it to like drinking from a pressurized fire hose. I was at a loss to describe it. I slept really well that night but minutes after awakening and reading Utmost for March 29 (Our Lord’s Surprise Visits), and then while riding the stationary bike to get my blood moving, I had an understanding summarizing my visual overload from The Chosen.
And it was solely centered on the encounter Jesus had with the Pharisee’s after restoring sight to the blind man, encapsulating the pain and frustration of the masses, the evil driven self-protecting totally misdirected destructive agendas of both the religious and political powers of that moment, thwarting any possibility of a peaceful resolve in such chaos….
And, then I realized like by a lightening bolt, oh my goodness, this is us TODAY! Just Stop, Look, Listen to the media noise about us that we’ve become so accustomed to continually unconsciously absorbing this evil, (totally opposite of abiding in Christ) that we no longer even detect warnings for us to seek safety, by turning off our bodies fight or flight responses! Today when we’re confronted with such snippets of truth from our present realities, perhaps even from scenes such as The Chosen, do we simply continue to yawn seeking comfort from our favorite soothing camouflaging addictive whatever? And if we are so tempered, it seems we only resort to speaking our mind when our “peace and prosperity” is threatened, perhaps then even ridiculing or threatening those in disagreement. Both the Romans and the Pharisees in The Chosen were exemplary in their depictions of being ruled by hate.
The final realization given me this morning was a mere wisp of greater understanding that may well perhaps be developed in the remaining episodes; and that is simply this: what is our response to be to this man Jesus, and His teachings? It was the tension of the subtle undercurrent connecting all the scenes that I witnessed in the three episodes. It was their struggle then. It is still ours today. And it will be yours and mine tomorrow.
And so, it will continue to be for each of us, from the very first time we open our heart’s door to allow Him entrance, thus bringing us initially salvation, then continuing on with His gift of a full Life, and after that, for as long as we live in the Spirit, our daily opportunity to live in the moment whenever we hear His knocking.
This all reminds me of the world-famous allegorical painting by the English artist William Holman Hunt titled “The Light of the World,” commonly known as the “sermon in a frame” where Jesus, carrying a lantern, is depicted at a door with no handle on the outside. The door is overgrown with weeds, and the nails and hinges are rusted, implying the door has never been opened. The message: it is up to the person on the other side of the door to let Jesus in.
Bottom line for us today, before we part, besides further contemplating the significance of His death and resurrection, is asking ourselves where on this planet TODAY are those Christ Followers bold enough to positively engage with the religious and political establishments and their assorted affiliates? And to do so in the manner Jesus demonstrated so well on the screen, providing us a greater dimension for understanding His message, but I still believe, perhaps I’m old-fashioned, such understanding is still unrivaled by the Holy Spirit’s capable activation within us from the Holy Scriptures.
The boldness of Jesus during the film declaring truth to the demonstrated evil of the Pharisees, while playing games with the Romans, poignantly reminds me of Eric Metaxas in his book,” Letters to the American Church,” and its theme of declaring truth in the German Lutheran Church while facing the impending evil arising from the Nazis during the thirties, not at all unlike our situation of being salt and light in our nation’s chaos. I do believe the church and its remaining constituents, have never been more deceived since its inception, than we are today. Your take?
In closing, may I quote Warren Wiersbe from his book The Strategy of Satan for you to consider. “Satan enjoys seeing Christians get a head knowledge of victory without a heart experience, because this lulls believers into a false security, and Satan finds them an easy prey. (Seriously, doesn’t that aptly describe us humanly?) It is not the reading of truth, much less the enjoying of truth that brings the blessing. Rather, it is the doing of the truth. Therefore, determine with the Spirit’s guidance how to put these truths into practice.”
Personally, I find Psalm 40 from The Message paraphrase particularly comforting as we especially prepare mentally for these last day events already in process; such as the signs for the “falling away.” See I Timothy 4:1 … “in latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.”
Psalms 40:1-17 (MSG) A David Psalm
- I waited, and waited, and waited for God. At last, he looked; finally he listened.
- He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
- He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.
- Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships;
- The world’s a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you.
- Doing something for you, bringing something to you— that’s not what you’re after. Being religious, acting pious— that’s not what you’re asking for. You’ve opened my ears so I can listen.
- So, I answered, “I’m coming. I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
- And I’m coming to the party you’re throwing for me.” That’s when God’s Word entered my life, became part of my very being.
- I’ve preached you to the whole congregation, I’ve kept back nothing, God—you know that I’m not a hoarder of your bountiful gifts!
- I didn’t keep the news of your ways a secret, didn’t keep it to myself. I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough. I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth for myself alone. I told it all, let the congregation know the whole story.
- Now God, don’t hold out on me, don’t hold back your passion. Your love and truth are all that keeps me together.
- When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting, I was so swamped by guilt I couldn’t see my way clear. More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.
- Soften up, God, and intervene; hurry and get me some help,
- So those who are trying to kidnap my soul will be embarrassed and lose face, So, anyone whom gets a kick out of making me miserable will be heckled and disgraced,
- So those who pray for my ruin will be booed and jeered without mercy.
- But all who are hunting for you— oh, let them sing and be happy. Let those who know what you’re all about tell the world you’re great and not quitting.
- And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it; you’ve got what it takes— but God, don’t put it off.
Consider today, Good Friday, the “righteous man” bookends of Jesus’ life….
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who, though he was a member of the council, had not consented to their plan of action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea and was awaiting the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. (Luke 23:50-52)
From now to the end of Luke’s passion, not a word will be spoken. Silence.
At the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, we read of Simeon, a “righteous and devout man… awaiting the consolation of Israel,” who took the child Jesus in his arms.
Now, at the end, I hear of Joseph, “a virtuous and righteous man… awaiting the kingdom of God” who goes to Pilate on Jesus’ behalf, and takes the Lord’s Body in his arms. (Luke does not say that he was a believer in Jesus.)
“After Joseph had taken the body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in which no one had yet been buried. It was the day of preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin.” Luke 23:53-54
So, at the bookends of Jesus life, both shortly after His birth and again after His death, there was a righteous man on the scene ministering… During the latter instance though, was the only time recorded since Jesus began his ministry that he was totally dependent on someone else’s help.
Normally the corpse would be washed and rubbed with oil before being wrapped in linen. This especially ought to be done when a body is covered with blood. But Joseph had to bury Jesus quickly, because the Sabbath began at sundown. Luke says that he simply wrapped the body in a linen cloth and laid it in the tomb.
What was it like for Joseph? Perhaps it was an interruption in his day that took him away from something else he had to do, something he may have considered more important.
It sets me to thinking about Jesus’ words in the Last Judgement in Matthew: “Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least ones, you did for me.” That’s easy to believe in theory, but hard to believe in practice.
Perhaps this scene when Joseph takes care of Jesus’ body should be the one I contemplate when I’m prompted to go out of my way to help someone.
Adapted from the Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw.
FYI merlin thinking you may enjoy the April 9 2023 post titled “Really Now… Containers, Cracked Pots, Cradles & Caskets.” The latter two, cradles & caskets are, or will likely be, the bookends of our lives; not a temple, not a tomb…
Because He Lives…
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal, and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!
Bill & Gloria Gaither
AN ANABAPTIST LAMENT….
Today, while considering the perspective of our impending futures as outlined in biblical prophecy, I chose to send you all some light, love and hope, to replace today’s media’s prevailing narrative designed to camouflage the truth realities of our nation and world.
For example, I offer you this uplifting quote in Jamie Winship’s book “Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God.” Page 40. Know there are people groups TODAY being truly LIBERATED!
“There are 69 worldwide movements of Muslims coming to Christ. A movement is defined as being more than 2000 in number with at least 1000 baptisms, three generations wide, 100 new churches, and totally voluntary.”
David Garrison, “Muslims Turning to Christ – A Global Phenomena,” Premier Christianity, May 11, 2016, https://www.premierchristianity.com/home/muslims-turning-to-christ-a-global-phenomena/2056.article.
I suggest we practically contrast the above clip to our evolving track record the past decades as anabaptists, especially on the eve of we celebrating next year our five centuries as a movement. Sadly, I admit the words “hospice care” or “last rites” comes to mind when considering our diminishing Mennonite membership since the ’95 merger, but perhaps the ‘fence-jumpers,’ hopefully are now in another fold grazing in more nutritious pastures, and not wandering about aimlessly in their own wilderness. Perhaps our form of “living in denial” as anabaptist Christ followers does parallel the west’s similar denial of their culture’s demise? Question? Are we are giving our cultural expectations greater preference and prominence than we do from scripture and the Spirit?
I recall the lament of an anonymous European Anabaptist brother centuries ago astutely observing “when our houses were wooden, our hearts were golden; but now as we’ve prospered, our homes are golden, but our hearts are wooden.” Read Deuteronomy 8:1-20 for additional perspective.
And also, what is the significance of the clip’s “totally voluntary?” The Amish and some of their conservative cousins choose to operate without budgets or buildings in their communities. See John 4:35 as the fields are ripe and ready for harvest. I ask myself in regard to living my faith, am I perhaps more taken up with my “form,” or my faith’s outward appearance, rather than on its “substance,” such as the Spirit’s empowerment while resting in the presence of God?
Oswald Chambers says it well in his March 25 reading in Utmost “Yet most of our life is not spent in trying to be consciously obedient, but in maintaining this relationship – being the ‘friend of the bridegroom.’ Christian work can actually be a means of diverting a person’s focus away from Jesus Christ. Instead of being friends ‘of the bridegroom,’ we may become amateur providences of God to someone else, working against Him while we use His weapons.” OUCH!
Actually folks, the above paragraph sums up too much of my life; hopefully, not yours!
Simply my two cents in 518 words before the lights go out… Or perhaps better stated, before THE LIGHT comes on, when Christ returns and ALL WILL BE REVEALED! Truly, time is of the essence, for me and all of humanity. How about you?
Only as I see it…. merlin
Am I getting nobler, more loving and helpful, even more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the sacrificial life of Christ to those in my sphere of influence, OR AM I GETTING…
more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth. oswald chambers “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” Acts 26:19 Utmost For His Highest March 11
It is not what a person does that is of final importance, BUT WHO THEY ARE IN WHAT THEY DO. The atmosphere produced by a person, much more than their activities, has the lasting influence…. oswald chambers
…perfecting holiness in the fear of God. II Corinthians 7:1 Utmost For His Highest March 18
Need A Jump Start? Heaven’s Declare is like kindling to start the fire God wants to ignite in your heart every day!
Heavens Declare: Prophetic Decrees to Start Your Day Hakeem Collins 2016 Destiny Image Publishers, PO Box 310, Shippensburg, PA. 17257
“Heaven’s Declare is like kindling to start the fire God wants to ignite in your heart every day!” Jennifer LeClaire, Senior Editor of Charisma magazine
DAY 62
PSALMS 33: 18-19 “But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.”
GOD’S LOVE WILL RESCUE YOU
Stand at attention, My child. This morning, I am giving you new marching orders. Prepare yourself, lace up your boots, and get ready for a new day and great adventures. Instead of panicking or trying to figure things out on your own, trust Me. I will show you the way to take and what to do so that you will come out on top. I have instilled in you a spirit that will not settle for less and that possesses a willpower to conquer all your fears. The anxiety, cares, and stresses of life will not suffocate you or squeeze you into surrendering. The desert places in your life will soon spring up as well-watered gardens. You are not one to compromise or conform but to overcome and conquer. You are My special agent on the earth. I desire to unveil your innate gifts to bless many souls. Live every day as if it’s your first time. My child, you have what it takes to change your environment and others are looking to you as the model of destiny. I am not an absentee father who goes in and out of your life, but a loving Father who is fully committed to your development and success.
SCRIPTURES
2 Timothy 4: 2; Hebrews 4: 12; Deuteronomy 31: 6; 1 Chronicles 28: 20; Psalm 27: 1, 56: 3-4; Ephesians 4: 6; John 16: 27; Romans 8: 15-16
PRAYER
“When I am drowning in decisions, problems, and circumstances, I know that You watch my every move and keep me from losing my footing. Jesus, You keep me afloat. When I go too far without Your direction, You call me back. If the sharks of life come, You run to my rescue. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
PROPHETIC DECREE AND DECLARATION TO START DAY 62
I DECREE AND DECLARE that I will not abandon my original assignment.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that nothing stresses me out and causes me to be unproductive.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that I shall tread upon serpents and scorpions.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that my life is in the hands of the Lord.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that I will not be deceived but the truth will always prevail in my life.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that I will not sink but sail.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that when I am overwhelmed, the Spirit of God comes to soothe me.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that I will not drown or lose my footing but swim to the top.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that the Lord has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that there is no fear in love but perfect love shall cast out all fear in my life.
I DECREE AND DECLARE that God is my Lifeguard and will keep me alive in His presence in Jesus’ name.”
“A worthy read and daily routine to annilate ruts!” merlin
Met Any Jeremiah’s Lately?
April 9 post titled “Really Now?” introduced Eugene Peterson’s commemorative 25th anniversary edition of “Run With the Horses,” based on Jeremiah 12:5 “So Jeremiah, if you’re worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses? And if you can’t keep your wits during times of calm, what’s going to happen when troubles break loose like Jordan in flood? Or planet earth disintegrates below us, and our scientists invent new words each week to describe the never seen prior activities about our sun? These selected paragraphs from Peterson’s Chapter One are appropriate to prepare us for the inevitable disintegrations some of us may witness. Take heart. Prepare your lamps.
QUEST FOR THE BEST
We live in a society that tries to diminish us to the level of the ant heap so that we scurry mindlessly, getting and consuming. It is essential to take counteraction. Jeremiah is counteraction: a well-developed human being, mature and robust, living by faith. My procedure here is to select the biographical parts of the book of Jeremiah and reflect on them personally and pastorally in the context of present, everyday life. More is known of the life of Jeremiah than of any other prophet, and his life is far more significant than his teaching. It is noteworthy, I think, that when people were trying to account for Jesus, Jeremiah was one of the names put forward (Matt. 16: 14). By enlisting the devout imagination in meditatively perusing these pages of Scripture, I hope to stir up a dissatisfaction with anything less than our best. I want to provide fresh documentation that the only way that any one of us can live at our best is in a life of radical faith in God. Every one of us needs to be stretched to live at our best, awakened out of dull moral habits, shaken out of petty and trivial busywork. Jeremiah does that for me. And not only for me. Millions upon millions of Christians and Jews have been goaded and guided toward excellence as they have attended to God’s Word spoken to and by Jeremiah.
COMPETING WITH HORSES
Vitezslav Gardavsky, the Czech philosopher and martyr who died in 1978, took Jeremiah as his “image of man” in his campaign against a society then, not unlike ours, that carefully planned every detail of material existence but eliminated mystery and miracle, and squeezed all freedom from life. The terrible threat against life, he said in his book God Is Not Yet Dead, is not death, nor pain, nor any variation on the disasters that we so obsessively try to protect ourselves against with our social systems and personal stratagems. The terrible threat is “that we might die earlier than we really do die, before death has become a natural necessity. The real horror lies in just such a premature death, a death after which we go on living for many years.”
There is a memorable passage concerning Jeremiah’s life when, worn down by the opposition and absorbed in self-pity, he was about to capitulate to just such a premature death. He was ready to abandon his unique calling in God and settle for being a Jerusalem statistic. At that critical moment he heard the reprimand: “So, Jeremiah, if you’re worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses? And if you can’t keep your wits during times of calm, what’s going to happen when troubles break loose like the Jordan in flood?” (Jer 12: 5).
Biochemist Erwin Chargaff updates the questions: “What do you want to achieve? Greater riches? Cheaper chicken? A happier life, a longer life? Is it power over your neighbors that you are after? Are you only running away from your death? Or are you seeking greater wisdom, deeper piety?”
Life is difficult, Jeremiah. Are you going to quit at the first wave of opposition? Are you going to retreat when you find that there is more to life than finding three meals a day and a dry place to sleep at night? Are you going to run home the minute you find that the mass of men and women are more interested in keeping their feet warm than in living at risk to the glory of God? Are you going to live cautiously or courageously? I called you to live at your best, to pursue righteousness, to sustain a drive toward excellence. It is easier, I know, to be neurotic. It is easier to be parasitic. It is easier to relax in the embracing arms of The Average. Easier, but not better. Easier, but not more significant. Easier, but not more fulfilling. I called you to a life of purpose far beyond what you think yourself capable of living and promised you adequate strength to fulfill your destiny. Now at the first sign of difficulty you are ready to quit. If you are fatigued by this run-of-the-mill crowd of apathetic mediocrities, what will you do when the real race starts, the race with the swift and determined horses of excellence? What is it you really want, Jeremiah? Do you want to shuffle along with this crowd, or run with the horses?
It is understandable that there are retreats from excellence, veerings away from risk, withdrawals from faith. It is easier to define oneself minimally and live securely within that definition than to be defined maximally (“little less than God”) and live adventurously in that reality. It is unlikely, I think, that Jeremiah was spontaneous or quick in his reply to God’s question. The ecstatic ideals for a new life had been splattered with the world’s cynicism. The euphoric impetus of youthful enthusiasm no longer carried him. He weighed the options. He counted the cost. He tossed and turned in hesitation. The response when it came was not verbal but biographical. His life became his answer, “I’ll run with the horses.”
Skipping to the final chapter, 16, titled “No One Will Escape the Doom,” we read “people go to religion the way I go to a baseball game – to escape the muddle, to have everything clear, to find a good seat from which they can see the whole scene at a glance, evaluate everyone’s performance easily and see people get what they deserve. Moral box scores are carefully penciled in. Statistics are obsessively kept. The world is reduced to what can be organized and regulated; every person is clearly labeled as being on your side or on the other side; there is never any doubt about what is good and what is bad. We must get retooled to thrive in today’s ambiguity and chaos, with its absurdity and untidiness. If we refuse to live with it, we exclude something, and what we exclude may very well be the essential and dear – the hazards of faith, the mysteries of God.
Accept His Love. Share His Love. Live His Joy. Grow His Fruit. Embrace His Peace. Share His Hope. Refute Satan’s Evil