Reason for Hope (…with thanks to @TheParkForum…)

I’ve recommended 843 Acres: The Devotional Blog of The Park Forum in this space previously. I continue to be very impressed by the quality of thought which goes into these devotionals, especially considering how very concise they are. A typical post is two or three paragraphs, and a prayer.

One from this past week which I found particularly meaningful was entitled The End of Fatalism. The author introduces the subject like this:

“One of the worst feelings in life is fatalism–that is, the feeling of resignation that this is the way things will be forever and nothing will change. That this is the way that I am or my spouse is or my kids are or work is or our government is or our society is. That I am powerless to do anything about it. That it will go on this way forever and, most likely, it will just get worse.”

Wow, can I relate to that. There are many days when I read some news article or commentary and it fills me with despair for our country, and fear for my little granddaughter. 

Sonrise (Mark 16:1-8)

Too bad to be true.

That’s how it felt.  All a bad dream, a nightmare, and they’d wake soon.  But when two nights passed and they’d cried themselves dry, they got up and chose to be practical.  Feeling empty, needing something to do, they gathered up the spices.  On the road, with the first golden beams of sunrise in their faces, they worried about the stone.  “Is this trip for nothing?  What if we can’t get in?”

Looking up, they see the stone.  “That’s not the way it…is this a trick of the light?  It’s been moved already. Who’s been here so early?  Nicodemus, maybe?”  Slowly they peer into the dark interior and see a patch of white.  The body.  No!  It’s sitting upright.  Their hearts pound now. “Not more bad news.  They haven’t taken His body, have they?  Is there danger?  Should we run?” And yet their feet keep moving forward.

Lenten Thoughts, Week 5

Lent, like its cousin, Advent, is about waiting: forty days (more or less) of preparing for the biggest celebration of the Church year.  As with Advent, there is a strong element of anticipation, of longing for the joy of that celebration. For believers who live in personal relationship to Christ, this longing is not so much for an annual festivity but for its ultimate fulfillment.

A poem, five years old, but it still resonates with me. A blessed Sunday to you all.

Winnowing...sorting the wheat and chaff of my thoughts

Psalm 77: Suspending My Disbelief, Sustaining My Hope

When all that was vibrant and teaming with life

feels like pewter plate–heavy and dull;

When the duties of worker and mother and wife

leave me hollowed, a beaten-down hull;

Your Word is a light flick’ring fast in the gloom,

and Your Wind blows a life-giving breeze through my desolate room.

– – – – – –

The bow which caresses the string strokes a lingering tone,

and it trembles, sustained on the air, an invisible wave.

The Word suspends each spinning sphere on a track of its own,

and their circular dance shapes our seasons from birth to the grave.

– – – – – –

When I can’t feel my pulse for the numbness inside,

and my heart is a stone in my chest;

When I’ve run out of salt for the tears that I’ve cried,

and my sleep is…

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Optimism in the Face of Adversity – (w/ VIDEO)

Earlier, I did my best to remain upbeat & positive despite Obama’s swearing-in ceremony, marking the start of another 4 years as dictator El Numero Uno POTUS.

Admittedly, it wasn’t easy.

Thankfully, my family and I are spending the week watching our Special Extended Cut version of ‘The Lord of the Rings‘ trilogy, and this particular quote helped put me in the proper frame of mind:

“It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Now don’t misunderstand me: I’m not being Pollyanna-ish about our current difficulties. Only a fool could be aware of any of the following issues and not fear for our country’s future:

Weeping in Ramah

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”           Matthew 2:18 NIV

—

This has all happened before. Innocent children’s lives snuffed out at the hands of a madman in a small town. No warning; no mercy. Only savage slaughter.

We can piece together the reasons, after the fact. Jealousy, revenge, anger, irrational fear, despair. None of these words ameliorates the crime.

Explanations are not comforting and offer no acceptable excuse.

A Poem for the First Sunday in Advent

by: Godsbooklover

It’s the first Sunday of the season of anticipation that the Church calls “Advent”…which simply means ‘coming’.  We reenact the longing that Israel felt waiting for its promised Messiah, by counting down to our celebration of Christ’s birth.

But for Christians, Advent is never just about a reenactment or a birthday party for someone born 2,000 years ago.  It’s also our own true longing for our Savior’s SECOND coming, which will restore all things to their rightful place of subordination under the rule of Almighty God.

Finally, justice and mercy will flower, death will be swallowed up in life, and every knee will bow before the King, proclaiming, “Jesus Christ is Lord!” to the glory of God the Father (see Philippians 2:9-11).

Meanwhile, we wait here in a dark world, and we light our candles of hope anew each December.

Here’s a poem which echoes many of the themes this blog has been playing for the past several months. Thanks to Bob Myers over at his excellent blog, ‘Thots on Life and Worship’, for introducing this poem (and this poet) to me.