So i have been busy with college and really havent even had this blog on my mind. Well, in the back of my mind I guess but never really enough to sit down and let go. I am in between classes right now, just got done polishing off some strawberry ice cream loaded with sprinkles...addiction. For the first week really, I felt as if I was still at some summer camp just doing mixers and games and devos but as of this morning it has really kinda settled in, the whole college thing. I guess waking up on my own after living a hard week and an even harder weekend and having to go to class will do it to you. It really has been good despite. I am a night owl but I havent been one having to get up and walk to eat and then go to classes when I could so easily skip. I have already started to see glimpses of responsibility and self-discipline...and honestly it is quite nice, yet weird.
My biggest prayer for school was for me to able to drop into groups where the spritual was important. I am fortunate to have the 8:30 downtown service and if you have any clue of what that is then you know I need not to say more. It is so amazing to be there, but also I have already made close ties to devos and relationships that matter and that is key. I am beginning to see the idea of independence in college unfold, regardless of how close I am to home. I am constantly challenged socially, physically and due to the people I have already met, spiritually.
I see this page as an outlet for me and a place for me to let go of any thoughts that I have had or things I have noticed. I think that my approach to this blog will change and continue to change throughout this year. It may be sporatic and it may be consistent. I tend to think it will go through both phases more than once. It will be a much different take on everything, I think. I went to the same school for 13 years and knew everyone in the hall and every teacher in every room but this is a completely new experience.
God has plans for me, I know that. Currently, I am not quite sure what that is though with regards to my major. Typical college student problems of course, but I like to know what I am doing and where I am going. I pray that I may be able to just give it up, try hard in all the classes and just let God show me what to do, because really that is how all things are but sometimes they come easier so I tend to think I did something to make it apparant. I would be wrong there.
I expect many good things from college, I just dont know where or when they will come from. I know that the Lord has a will and I need not try to force it. Here is my hope to patience in my everyday life, may I simply let go of any worry and live this new phase of life. Why not, really? It seems simple to me but I cant help but worry so that is where I give up completely and turn it over to God. Hopefully this blog will continue to benefit me as I share thoughts and experiences and lessons from college.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Wilderness.Blog.II
There is a pretty hilarious video on youtube that is simply called “Jesus Video” and what it is is this collection of clips from an old timey video of Jesus and the gospel and is dubbed over with funny voices and dialogue. People say that the video is sacrilegious because of how people mock the story but I beg to differ. But that isn't my point. In one of the scenes, Jesus is sitting in the desert on a rock and a few of the disciples come up to him and announce they have been looking for him and how he isn't their friend. Jesus responds that he is their friend but he just doesn't have time for them. Now, this isn't true of course but I think it does shed some light on something that Jesus was all about. Reading through the story of Jesus, it seems to me that at the beginning of so many stories it talks of how Jesus went out on a hill or to the countryside or the other side of the lake. Then there are the instances when he goes to the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted and when he leaves the disciples to go pray in Gethsemane. Jesus constantly was getting away or attempting to get away, usually to a remote of isolated place.
I find myself needing the same medicine. Getting away from everything is such a peaceful and refreshing experience yet at the same time if can be a dangerous and uneasy time. The wilderness to me is any escape from the comfortable to that which is not guaranteed or easy so that you can either cleanse your mind, body and soul in a way that benefits you. God uses the wilderness in special ways for it is his stage, his playground that He has created. Why should we not use it for the same? He has given us this to enjoy and take in and to celebrate and to be afraid all at the same time. It like the Narnia quote: No, it isn’t safe but it is good. C.S. Lewis has a quote that I definitely can compare to: Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and infinite majesty. I had to learn that in other ways. But nature gave the word glory a meaning for me. Getting away from everything that we have come to know and for the most part things that we are able to so easily take for granted is a key to releasing the noise so you can open your life to God. That is how I feel it works, again not just a nature wilderness but a wilderness of any kind...simply an isolated, removed place where change can occur. God is constantly calling for us to change and, in my opinion, he uses the wilderness to allow us to release and connect, as Jesus did so many times. He has given us so much space...maybe so we never have an excuse to not get away, but to take on his wilderness in hopes of radical change.
I find myself needing the same medicine. Getting away from everything is such a peaceful and refreshing experience yet at the same time if can be a dangerous and uneasy time. The wilderness to me is any escape from the comfortable to that which is not guaranteed or easy so that you can either cleanse your mind, body and soul in a way that benefits you. God uses the wilderness in special ways for it is his stage, his playground that He has created. Why should we not use it for the same? He has given us this to enjoy and take in and to celebrate and to be afraid all at the same time. It like the Narnia quote: No, it isn’t safe but it is good. C.S. Lewis has a quote that I definitely can compare to: Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and infinite majesty. I had to learn that in other ways. But nature gave the word glory a meaning for me. Getting away from everything that we have come to know and for the most part things that we are able to so easily take for granted is a key to releasing the noise so you can open your life to God. That is how I feel it works, again not just a nature wilderness but a wilderness of any kind...simply an isolated, removed place where change can occur. God is constantly calling for us to change and, in my opinion, he uses the wilderness to allow us to release and connect, as Jesus did so many times. He has given us so much space...maybe so we never have an excuse to not get away, but to take on his wilderness in hopes of radical change.
Wilderness.Blog.I
I have been reading a book lately about finding God and yourself in the wilderness. I decided to keep a highlighter handy because I have a bad memory and for study purposes, decided it would be good to have some stuff colored for quick reference. I thought I was bad at highlighting at first because the intro was covered in bright yellow. The points that were introduced were just straight money, I couldn’t not highlight some of them. It is refreshing to read those because I feel like a lot of times I think things but really wouldn’t be able to tell someone what I am feeling and these kinds of points sum up my airy thoughts. To sum it all up though, the general point that this book wants to get across is that God is found in the wilderness, whatever wilderness that may be. Wilderness isn’t necessarily vacant, remote places in nature but it could be times or places or situations in ones life where it might as well be remote and you feel as if you are alone, ultimately seeking God out because he is the only thing you have in this wilderness, Its beautiful really.
One of the first points about wilderness made in the book is the idea that wilderness stretches our physical and spiritual boundaries, opening us up to the possibility of change. For me, it is knowing that I am away from all that is safe is pure wilderness. God definitely speaks in the wilderness. The story of John the Baptist comes to mind when I think of how God spoke in the wilderness. John wasn’t a normal guy, by social standards. He ate locusts and sported camel...prehistoric Bear Gryllis for sure. But God used him as his prophet, but not on the busy street corner of Jerusalem but out in the wild where it very well could be dangerous. He wasn’t your typical prophet of the times but that was the way God made it. Wilderness draws everything out of you that you may not know you have. It can pull emotions from deep within you, sometimes without you really realizing it but it is because in this state, you...have...nothing...else. That is how I feel sometimes, even in urban wilderness. I sit alone and just feel like I have nothing at that moment but God. It is an eerie feeling that I cant describe but only attempt to relate.
Next, a point that stuck out to me was the idea that in the wilderness you must be in the present. You cannot worry about what will happen at night because too much is at stake, too much to risk, too many possibilities that could occur before that time. You must always be alert as the what is going on in the current moment. I struggle with this because I believe God gives many opportunities and chances to people but so many are missed because people live for tomorrow, which is what I tend to do. I look ahead but don’t take into consideration what God has put on my plate for the very moment. His divine moment is hanging in front of my yet I impatiently move it aside for what I believe is more important...usually, distant. I find myself looking for some great experience and all the while that I look for that, I miss out on the beauty that God has given. I want to seek out a giant waterfall, or massive cliffs, or a rare animal when God has hidden them with his glory, yet I do not notice. All that He has created gets overlooked by my anxiety to look ahead and not slow down and take in the majesty that is all around me. I am not in the present, I am not taking into account what is going on right now and what divine moment God has put in front of me for the time being.
Another good point that I can relate to is this: When one finds themselves in a potentially uncomfortable or unpredictable place, God is put into a new perspective because He is all that you have. In the western culture today, the vast majority of people are control freaks and must be in control at all times. It is the moments when we stand over the edge or stand alone in our personal wilderness that we realize we must let go. As much as we thrive to control what goes on, God shows us that it isn’t possible and we must, at some point in the process of finding ourselves, let go. It is in these moments that a God that so many times we neglect is the only thing we know we have. The vastness is exposed to us in its entirety for we are at a point that is a true wilderness: not in control. For many, they have never experienced that and in turn have never truly experienced God. How can you say that you have experienced God from a comfortable bed and a happy go lucky life. You must be stripped to experience the fullness that he offers, because it is too easy to settle for a comfortable faith. A quote from CS Lewis’ Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe says it perfect: Peter asks Mr Beaver if Aslan the Lion “is safe.” Mr Beaver responds: “’course he isn’t safe...but he’s good. He’s the king.” I currently look to that quote as a foundation for my faith. Nothing about Jesus ministry was safe. He was killed due to it, if that tells you anything. Numerous people throughout history have followed him to martyrdom, a true testament to how precious this is. But it all must start with a renewal. That renewal must come in a place of wilderness and I say it again we must be stripped of all we know and experience God in his rawest form. In my opinion, nature. We must go out and experience God on his stage.
The wilderness demands us to push the limits, whether physically, emotionally, or mentally. Ultimately, by pushing these limits, the limit of our spirituality is tugged at and it begs to be drawn out more. It needs to be drawn out. When you have nothing left, when you are afraid and when your mind simply wants to quit, all you have is the spiritual because it is not of your nature and therefore doesn’t quit as do all your other earthly natures. Our comfort zone must be breached to allow any sort of transformation. A guide for this apparent need comes from Jesus himself. The gospels constantly talked of Him retreating to spend time in prayer. His 40 days in the wilderness is a prime example that we must get away, we must regain focus and we must be enlightened. You don’t have to go into nature and see how pretty everything looks because unfortunately some people just don’t have it in them to enjoy God’s oldest and most raw creation. It is simply the isolation from what we know, stepping away from the usual to allow change to happen. It is my personal opinion that pushing your bodily limits will allow to become vulnerable which is crucial. Vulnerability is the start of openness, which leads to reflection and can catapult a person to acceptance and realization.
There is so much to be said about God and his utilization of his creation in the lives of humans and I think some of these points can truly act as catalysts for many lives that are broken or are in need of something more. I will stop and say this is my first segment on Wilderness. I will attempt to discuss this same topic on a more personal level, sharing experiences and adventures that I have had that have shaped my view on the importance of God’s wilderness in the development of faith.
One of the first points about wilderness made in the book is the idea that wilderness stretches our physical and spiritual boundaries, opening us up to the possibility of change. For me, it is knowing that I am away from all that is safe is pure wilderness. God definitely speaks in the wilderness. The story of John the Baptist comes to mind when I think of how God spoke in the wilderness. John wasn’t a normal guy, by social standards. He ate locusts and sported camel...prehistoric Bear Gryllis for sure. But God used him as his prophet, but not on the busy street corner of Jerusalem but out in the wild where it very well could be dangerous. He wasn’t your typical prophet of the times but that was the way God made it. Wilderness draws everything out of you that you may not know you have. It can pull emotions from deep within you, sometimes without you really realizing it but it is because in this state, you...have...nothing...else. That is how I feel sometimes, even in urban wilderness. I sit alone and just feel like I have nothing at that moment but God. It is an eerie feeling that I cant describe but only attempt to relate.
Next, a point that stuck out to me was the idea that in the wilderness you must be in the present. You cannot worry about what will happen at night because too much is at stake, too much to risk, too many possibilities that could occur before that time. You must always be alert as the what is going on in the current moment. I struggle with this because I believe God gives many opportunities and chances to people but so many are missed because people live for tomorrow, which is what I tend to do. I look ahead but don’t take into consideration what God has put on my plate for the very moment. His divine moment is hanging in front of my yet I impatiently move it aside for what I believe is more important...usually, distant. I find myself looking for some great experience and all the while that I look for that, I miss out on the beauty that God has given. I want to seek out a giant waterfall, or massive cliffs, or a rare animal when God has hidden them with his glory, yet I do not notice. All that He has created gets overlooked by my anxiety to look ahead and not slow down and take in the majesty that is all around me. I am not in the present, I am not taking into account what is going on right now and what divine moment God has put in front of me for the time being.
Another good point that I can relate to is this: When one finds themselves in a potentially uncomfortable or unpredictable place, God is put into a new perspective because He is all that you have. In the western culture today, the vast majority of people are control freaks and must be in control at all times. It is the moments when we stand over the edge or stand alone in our personal wilderness that we realize we must let go. As much as we thrive to control what goes on, God shows us that it isn’t possible and we must, at some point in the process of finding ourselves, let go. It is in these moments that a God that so many times we neglect is the only thing we know we have. The vastness is exposed to us in its entirety for we are at a point that is a true wilderness: not in control. For many, they have never experienced that and in turn have never truly experienced God. How can you say that you have experienced God from a comfortable bed and a happy go lucky life. You must be stripped to experience the fullness that he offers, because it is too easy to settle for a comfortable faith. A quote from CS Lewis’ Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe says it perfect: Peter asks Mr Beaver if Aslan the Lion “is safe.” Mr Beaver responds: “’course he isn’t safe...but he’s good. He’s the king.” I currently look to that quote as a foundation for my faith. Nothing about Jesus ministry was safe. He was killed due to it, if that tells you anything. Numerous people throughout history have followed him to martyrdom, a true testament to how precious this is. But it all must start with a renewal. That renewal must come in a place of wilderness and I say it again we must be stripped of all we know and experience God in his rawest form. In my opinion, nature. We must go out and experience God on his stage.
The wilderness demands us to push the limits, whether physically, emotionally, or mentally. Ultimately, by pushing these limits, the limit of our spirituality is tugged at and it begs to be drawn out more. It needs to be drawn out. When you have nothing left, when you are afraid and when your mind simply wants to quit, all you have is the spiritual because it is not of your nature and therefore doesn’t quit as do all your other earthly natures. Our comfort zone must be breached to allow any sort of transformation. A guide for this apparent need comes from Jesus himself. The gospels constantly talked of Him retreating to spend time in prayer. His 40 days in the wilderness is a prime example that we must get away, we must regain focus and we must be enlightened. You don’t have to go into nature and see how pretty everything looks because unfortunately some people just don’t have it in them to enjoy God’s oldest and most raw creation. It is simply the isolation from what we know, stepping away from the usual to allow change to happen. It is my personal opinion that pushing your bodily limits will allow to become vulnerable which is crucial. Vulnerability is the start of openness, which leads to reflection and can catapult a person to acceptance and realization.
There is so much to be said about God and his utilization of his creation in the lives of humans and I think some of these points can truly act as catalysts for many lives that are broken or are in need of something more. I will stop and say this is my first segment on Wilderness. I will attempt to discuss this same topic on a more personal level, sharing experiences and adventures that I have had that have shaped my view on the importance of God’s wilderness in the development of faith.
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