Spurge

Today I wanted to renew the whole idea of worship been an act in of care for Gods creation. He made  the environment in which I live, it is good, therefore we should be looking after it.

We went out as a family and joined the crew at the Red Rocks Coastal care group. We were pulling out Sea Spurge. Initially Jemima pointed out this plant and thought it colourful like a rainbow, then we were told this was the weed which we were aiming to eradicate as it comes from Europe.

Walking around just looking for the same plant was almost a form of meditation. Initially I found them hard to find, then after a while I could see them everywhere. My focus changed.

Bonhoeffer and his hymn

 

At Church today we sang a hymn by Dietrich Bonhoffer, The German Pastor who opposed the Nazis and was eventually executed. I have read a few of his books, but I never knew that he wrote hymns.

It was rather dreary the tempo and melody. Yet it was powerful. I couldn't help ponder where was he when he wrote this. In some Nazi gaol? Was it a prayer for him, his gaolers, his family?

It made me reflect on the place where worship Christian songs originate from. Certainly not the horror where Bonhoffer's came from? (I suspect most are to advance the profile of a Church or denomination, not out of total desperation.)

So yes I was moved: I sang, reflected the wonders of Bomhoffer's words and the Glory of God.

 

1 People draw near to God in their distress,

pleading for help and begging peace and bread,

rescue from guilt and sickness, nearly dead.

Christian or not, all come in helplessness.

2 People draw near when they see God's distress:

find God rejected, homeless, without bread,

burdened with sin and weakness, nearly dead.

Christians reach out to meet God's wretchedness.

3 And God draws near to people in distress,

feeding their souls and bodies with his bread;

Christian or not, for both he's hanging dead,

forgiving, from the cross, their wickedness.

 

(Interestingly the version we had at Church the 1st verse didn't have 'Christian or not' rather 'faith or not')

Dwell

One of the things that I constantly struggle with is singing worship songs which make me uncomfortable.
 I have never particularly felt great emotions. I can appreciate friends who have great passion, burst of anger, joy, love. I have these feeling as well, but they are mear bumps on the richter scale. Yet it seemed to me that the worship songs writen are for those who can reach these peaks of emotional highs. Take for example the Vineyard worship song 'Mercy is Falling'; It just left me wondering what it was all about. If there was anyone who could actually ascribe to the repetitiveness of these lines.

mercy is falling, is falling, is falling
mercy it falls like a sweet spring rain
mercy it falling its falling all over me

  It reminded me of the Paul Kelly song 'Summer Rain' which made more scene, were I could imagine, the taste and smell of summer rain. A real blessing from God.

Theologically worship was also was one of those things which I struggled with. While I could appreciate writers following a doctrine, for me; especially now, I don't follow a necessary black and white understanding. Often I felt I almost felt I was singing a lie. The mouth was opening, yet the mind didn't know or disagreed. You almost felt like it was a brain washing propaganda meeting.

On a positive note, there are songs where non of these things mattered. "Dwell", I heard this in Alice Spings under the shadow of the MacDonnell Ranges. We were at a pastors conference and Casey Corum was there and singing this song. There was something; it had to do with space and presence where the mind and heart collide. A rare occurrence, especially for me. Even now I can sing this whole heartedly, turning off my brain is not necessary.

NT Wright:: The tension of Worship and Mission

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This quote comes from "The meaning of Jesus; Two vision" by NT Wright and Marcus J Borg. The quote is NT Wrights::

I have come (not very originally) to envisage the two poles of Christian living in terms of worship and mission. The two flow into each other: worship without mission becomes self-indulgence (and might imply worship of a god other than the one revealed in Jesus); mission without worship degenerates into various kinds of do-goodery, following agendas that may be deeply felt but are by no means necessarily connected with Jesus.

Its interesting that I've seen this on both sides. Yet it is mainly my Charismatic/Evangelical heritage especially in the Vineyard denomination which I saw an extreme of 'worshipping' the god of worship.  I suspect it would have been this way if I went to Hillsong.

There is no doubt that good music/worship is an attractive influence on going to Church. I miss the "minors" of the Jesus is my boyfriend of worship music of the modern era. The new church which we attend the music is back a couple of decades in worship music style. But what I appreciate is the whole service is a call to worship. The lyrics are majestic in nature, aimed at God and his creation. Yet even though there is a different emphasis I think the balance of mission  is lacking. So its probably up to myself to balance the tension with mission....

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Jesus is my Hot Rod

Last weekend saw a tidal wave of Hot Rods in Cowes. They were all lined up along the Esplanade with there owners having a proud twinkle in there eyes.
I don't particularly like cars. They are more of a necessity than anything else. So I tried to imagine why you would be so enthusiastic about a car.
Power :: How much horse power.
Speed:: Over a quarter of a mile?
Asthetics:: Beauty, color, style
Head turner:: The ability of these attributes to turn someone like me to have a look!
All of these produce a passion with there owners.

I wondered what attributes that a male would like about God?

For me there are aesthetics, in nature,
There is power,
There is the quest to search and understand God, through a number of thing (the nature of evil, the beauty in restoration etc)

As in my previous post I want to write about the great commandment that Jesus gave in Mathew 22. The message also uses the word 'intellegence' as well as 'passion.' Important verbs to describe 'love'.

Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.

I think the Hot Rod owners by intuition have an understanding to 'love', holistically with their cars more so than we do with our understanding of Jesus.
Christian worship I would say has polarized our view of God, 'Jesus is my boy friend', has narrowed our understanding of the attributes of God to the Eros. The prominence of Eros has meant that, just as a teenage lover. We disengage our brain. We feel for the moment.
In my own denomination the Vineyard. 'Intimacy' is often equated with the first commandment. That 'presence' has been equated with the 'Eros' of intimacy. To the exclusion of the other meaning of love.
It is no wonder, that males are the minority within Church today....
Photo agknowlegement :bengt-re's photostream

At the beautiful gate

Christina who lead worship at Church the other week wrote a reflection which matched what I spoke on. Peter and John at the Beautiful gate in Acts. She put it up on her blog and I thought I would link to it!

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer. It is three o’clock in the afternoon. Imagine you too are going to the temple to pray. Perhaps you are tired, thinking of other things you need to do, or mentally replaying your day. Perhaps you bring a burden for yourself or someone you know, and you have been earnestly waiting for this moment to present it to God. Perhaps you are here without knowing why, or because you feel you must.

You notice Peter and John, and decide to follow behind them from a short distance. They had been with the mysterious man called Jesus, who performed miracles, spoke of great mysteries, ate with common people, and died horribly. There is a buzz around his former followers, they seem full of life, purposeful.

You see Peter and John stop, and notice they are outside a gate to the temple. Ironically called “Beautiful”, as it is a gathering point for people who are not. People broken in body and spirit. Waiting for something. Anything. You see a man being carried in on a stretcher. You recognise him, a man you have seen many times before. He is always at the gate looking for money. Today he is noteworthy because the followers of Jesus are looking at him. Talking to him.

“Look at us!” You hear. Look at who you wonder. The busy bustling line of the faithful going in to pray. The sea of infirmity clustered around the gate. Nothing out of the ordinary to be seen today. Same outstretched hands, longing hungry eyes. Weary faces lined with sadness. The lame man fixes his eyes on Peter and John. What is he waiting for?

“I don’t have any money” says Peter. Not surprising. Jesus’ followers were not known for their wealth. “But what I have I will give you.” What I have.

What does Peter have, you wonder, in the brief moments before he speaks again. What do I have? The question rises unbidden.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” In the name of a dead man, a lame man is told to do what has never been possible. The speaker reaches out a hand, not to give charity, but to grasp the hand of a man shunned. The crowd around the three hush, wondering if Peter is mad. They wait. You wonder if it is possible. As the man rises to his feet, the kingdom of God rushes in like blood to the head, ringing in the ears, minds and hearts of an estranged humanity. In this man, in this moment, weakness is replaced by strength. Sorrow gives way to leaping and dancing. Yearning by praising God. Beauty is given hands and feet outside the temple gate.

Jesus Creed

The other Sunday I used the Jesus Creed by Brian Mclaren a bit of liturgy in worship, which was nice:

We have confidence in Jesus
Who healed the sick, the blind, and the paralyzed.
And even raised the dead.
He cast out evil powers and
Confronted corrupt leaders.
He cleansed the temple.
He favored the poor.
He turned water into wine,
Walked on water, calmed storms.
He died for the sins of the world,
Rose from the dead, and ascended to the Father,
Sent the Holy Spirit......

You can read the rest over at the resources section on Brian's blog.