A couple posts of mine today that are related (at least in my own mind and heart)? Throughout the week and at different times and places, I’ve been trying to “listen” more intentionally to what I’m hearing from others, both the words themselves and the “sense” they convey from hearts. From people that are “sold out” for Jesus and living in that “freedom”, from those who are troubled by the world and their own circumstances, from still others who are “self medicating” (buying things, taking vacations, etc.) to numb the pain and brokenness of the world. It all causes me to “examen” (that ancient prayer form) my own life and path, seeking God’s Truth and direction in this season. I’m concluding that the truth of Scripture, lives as living sacrifices, sets apart those truly following Christ; they seem content regardless of circumstances, they exude a “peace” that it is at once contagious and also mysterious, they convey a HOPE that transcends this world and speaks of Heaven itself. I want that, I want what the ancients discovered for themselves and tried as best they could to express in words, while still falling short of the divine voice. I want communion, even union, with the sacred Three in One, here and now.
From Facebook, March 27, 2012:
Mortality wake up call . . . just found out another of my former soccer players' fathers has passed away from a heart attack . . . that's two deaths and one emergency bypass in a month . . . heaven come near, remind us there is more . . . even Eternity . . . LORD have mercy.
prompting a prayer of examen - am I truly living this life or just wasting it?
"Send forth Your Light and Your Truth, let them guide me." May I make a difference for You in this life.
Retirement: a time to indulge in hedonistic pursuits and materialism, OR a new season to seek and serve God like never before.
the "choice" of course is always ours, but the flow of blessings to and from always His . .
I’m certainly no “saint”, but I’m amazed (puzzled?) by the older (“retired” like me) Christians I meet who regularly attend worship services on Sunday, only to drive off in their status symbol vehicles for another week of retreating into gated communities, to status symbol homes, to buying the latest “toy” to appease desires for happiness. When the opportunity occasionally arises for dialog on discipleship, especially the “going” that Christ commanded, I’m further shocked that so few are doing anything in their communities or neighborhoods, even just spending time mentoring another younger person along the journey. It’s as if they feel entitled to this season of hedonism, of pleasure-seeking, like it’s their reward for raising their children or whatever? They’ve finally arrived at a season where they have the freedom and time to really make a difference for the Kingdom and the King, but choose to live shallow, meaningless (at least from a Kingdom perspective) lives. I hear justifications like, “Well, we travel too much to commit to anything,” or similar weak excuses. How sad that those with valuable life experiences, (and supposedly years of discipleship training), choose lives of “seclusion” from the world and those who could benefit from their experience. Lord have mercy indeed on us sinners.
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