All people dream, but not equally.
Those who dream by night,
in the dusty recesses of their minds,
wake in the day to find that it was vanity.
But the dreamers of the day are dangerous,
for they may act their dreams with open eyes
to make it possible.
T. E. Lawrence
Thursday
Dreamers
Who Am !?
“Yet, as we read the Bible we uncover the source of both our dignity and depravity. As the mystic Thomas Merton rightly said, we are all angels and demons wrapped up in meat. Indeed, we were made in the dignified image of God. But we have descended into the depraved pattern of Satan. Therefore, we are simultaneously both great and wretched, which is the perplexing dilemma of human nature. Those who do not read the Bible and take it to heart are prone to ignoring the complex dilemma of our dignity and depravity by favoring one aspect of our nature at the expense of the other.” Mark Driscoll
Recently I was reading and posting on a thread on the Ooze (link) regarding spiritual formation and our identity in Christ and found the above quote by Mark Driscoll to be appropriate to the discussion.
So who am I? I am a son through adoption.
Ephesians 1:4-7 (NIV)
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.
Monday
Coming Attractions
A few evenings ago my wife and I watched an old B/W movie: Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House. Mr. Blanding (Cary Grant) is an advertising executive living with his family in a to small New York City high-rise apartment.
Through a series of events he and his wife (Myrna Loy) decide to buy an old farm in Connecticut, complete with an old house and barns.
What happens next is the reason we remembered and checked the film out of the local library: Dottie and I are in the process of moving into an old (1940’s) house in North Carolina. The house needs some TLC and hopefully nothing major.
Back to the story of Mr. Blanding, each new day brought more problems and more expense. Hopefully, our experience will not be the same.
BTW this film was remade in 1986 called The Money Pit with Tom Hanks. Guess we need to add this one to our need to watch list.
Mr. Blanding Builds his Dream House - Again?
It is good to have an end to journey towards;
but it is the journey that matters in the end.
--Ursula Le Guin
In the film, Mr. Blanding’s Dream House, (see previous post) Mr. Blanding attempts to drive from New York City to his new Connecticut home with his wife and lawyer.
Arriving at a covered bridge he decides that the correct route would be a left turn and after a long drive returns to the same covered bridge. This occurs two more times as poor Mr. Blanding can’t seen to find the right way.
I have been pondering this comic futility in regards to my own journey as a follower of Jesus Christ. I seek to arrive but all to often find myself returning to the starting point.
Yesterday, as part of our continuing “research” project my wife and a friend visited a predominantly Spanish congregation in the Kendall region of Miami.
The pastor spoke from Colossians chapter 3. One point he made has griped me. Verse one speaks about seeking those things which are above not things on the earth. The pastor illustrated how many he knew were simply advertisements for coming attractions but were not able to deliver the real deal..
Imagine yourself sitting in the theater, before the film there are trailers of “coming attractions. You know, appearing soon in the theater near you”. He made the point that many are simply that – “coming attractions” not the real thing.
Someday, I’ll get my stuff together, coming soon as a matter of fact. No, I get to be complete right now. Setting my affections on things above is not about the future but about my daily walk and my interaction as a representative of the Kingdom Jesus allows me both the live in and represent.
May I not be a “coming attraction” but may I demonstrate the grace and mercy of Jesus today to all.
but it is the journey that matters in the end.
--Ursula Le Guin
In the film, Mr. Blanding’s Dream House, (see previous post) Mr. Blanding attempts to drive from New York City to his new Connecticut home with his wife and lawyer.
Arriving at a covered bridge he decides that the correct route would be a left turn and after a long drive returns to the same covered bridge. This occurs two more times as poor Mr. Blanding can’t seen to find the right way.
I have been pondering this comic futility in regards to my own journey as a follower of Jesus Christ. I seek to arrive but all to often find myself returning to the starting point.
Yesterday, as part of our continuing “research” project my wife and a friend visited a predominantly Spanish congregation in the Kendall region of Miami.
The pastor spoke from Colossians chapter 3. One point he made has griped me. Verse one speaks about seeking those things which are above not things on the earth. The pastor illustrated how many he knew were simply advertisements for coming attractions but were not able to deliver the real deal..
Imagine yourself sitting in the theater, before the film there are trailers of “coming attractions. You know, appearing soon in the theater near you”. He made the point that many are simply that – “coming attractions” not the real thing.
Someday, I’ll get my stuff together, coming soon as a matter of fact. No, I get to be complete right now. Setting my affections on things above is not about the future but about my daily walk and my interaction as a representative of the Kingdom Jesus allows me both the live in and represent.
May I not be a “coming attraction” but may I demonstrate the grace and mercy of Jesus today to all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
