Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Here is a prayer for our children by Mike Shreve : "The death dealing elements of this world will not destroy our children. According to his promise, he will circumcised their hearts - cutting away the influence of the world -and awaken within them love for him and .LOVE for the truth. YES,I. claim it. He will pour out both his blessing and his Spirit on my seed."
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Spring Muslings 2013
Well, it is Summer, 2013. Not officially for a couple more weeks, but the cicaidas are singing in New England; the trees are in bloom, shedding pollen everywhere; and my cats are shedding. Everywhere. : )
A year ago this week I had my second hip replacement!! Cannot believe its been a year! In April, 2013 I had successful major eye surgery (my 38th) and am thankful for doctors, family and friends who helped me get through. The Lord is for me through those who help me.(Ps. 118: 7). Hopefully, it will be many years before I need any more surgery. My knees would like to be replaced, but we are not going to entertain that idea unless many other options are a no-go.
While Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons, I still like Summer. Here in the KY/Ohio region we have lots of humidity all summer, but with air conditioning almost everywhere, no one really minds. The temps have been cool this Spring, and with a fair amount of rain. So everything is greening up nicely. I just potted plants for my screened in porch which gets late afternoon sun. I hope that the plants take to the new pots alright. Unpredictable. Just like people. They do not always transplant well. My mom is struggling with being in the Nursing Center of her retirement
community, and longs to go home...to Heaven mostly, I imagine. You may be struggling with a transplant situation too.
In a way, our life here is a transplant situation after we are regenerated by the Lord Jesus. He moves us out of the Garden of Darkness into the Garden of Light and Love. Grace and truth become the two major nutrients that keep us going, much as sun and rain keep the plants going. With too much of one or the other, things go awry.
With too much truth and not enough grace, our garden begins to look like a huge bonsai factory. All that pruning has left little growth potential, and things begin to feel stunted. Too much grace, on the other hand, and everything gets wild and leggy, with lots of leaf and little fruit.
It seems that so few voices are speaking about a balance in this area. I do want to commend the team at my church Crossroads Community Church, headed by our pastor Brian Tome for the recent balance of grace and truth in the series called " Good Sex" . It is the best series for adults I have ever seen. You can download it by going to www.crossroads.net/media. I highly recommend it for parents of teens and college age students. Watch together and discuss. You will not be disappointed.
Our society is so grace oriented that anything goes. We are so open-minded I think our collective brains are falling out. Whether it is in politics or social issues or economics, we are running full tilt into the Windmills of Reality with no more sense than the Man from La Mancha.
Yet some in the community can be so strident and harsh and judgmental, that no one can hear what they are saying because of the tone. There is anger born of fear that seems to rule some people and their approach to the day's issues. If you disagree with a certain view,you are automatically a bigot. If you question something, you must be an infidel. If you want more information, you are a doubter. What has happened to tolerance? Tolerance used to be a good word. It meant 'live and let live'. It was a willingness to allow others to disagree agreeably; to not all have the same views; to have real dialogue in our democracy. We have lost that somewhere. Whether right or left, conservative or liberal, gay or straight, old or young the divisions seem more important than the things we have in common. Freedom has become license; guidance has become legalism; truth has been traded for relativism, and bondage has been substituted for discipline. Grace and acceptance of all sides has been neglected in favor of pushing our own agendas. God help us. I do not know anyone else who can.
So what about you? Have you or your ideas been transplanted lately? Do they need re-potting? Do you need some grace? or truth? or a bit of bot-h? Are you giving grace with truth and truth with grace? How's your tone? Can you listen dispassionately to someone you disagree with?
Jesus says we can come to him when we are weary of our own ways and tired of ourselves and our own thoughts. His ways are not ours. Thank Goodness. So come to him today. Let him point out the weeds, the dry spots, the sections of mold. Let him be the Re-Potter. He knows just what you need.
A year ago this week I had my second hip replacement!! Cannot believe its been a year! In April, 2013 I had successful major eye surgery (my 38th) and am thankful for doctors, family and friends who helped me get through. The Lord is for me through those who help me.(Ps. 118: 7). Hopefully, it will be many years before I need any more surgery. My knees would like to be replaced, but we are not going to entertain that idea unless many other options are a no-go.
While Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons, I still like Summer. Here in the KY/Ohio region we have lots of humidity all summer, but with air conditioning almost everywhere, no one really minds. The temps have been cool this Spring, and with a fair amount of rain. So everything is greening up nicely. I just potted plants for my screened in porch which gets late afternoon sun. I hope that the plants take to the new pots alright. Unpredictable. Just like people. They do not always transplant well. My mom is struggling with being in the Nursing Center of her retirement
community, and longs to go home...to Heaven mostly, I imagine. You may be struggling with a transplant situation too.
In a way, our life here is a transplant situation after we are regenerated by the Lord Jesus. He moves us out of the Garden of Darkness into the Garden of Light and Love. Grace and truth become the two major nutrients that keep us going, much as sun and rain keep the plants going. With too much of one or the other, things go awry.
With too much truth and not enough grace, our garden begins to look like a huge bonsai factory. All that pruning has left little growth potential, and things begin to feel stunted. Too much grace, on the other hand, and everything gets wild and leggy, with lots of leaf and little fruit.
It seems that so few voices are speaking about a balance in this area. I do want to commend the team at my church Crossroads Community Church, headed by our pastor Brian Tome for the recent balance of grace and truth in the series called " Good Sex" . It is the best series for adults I have ever seen. You can download it by going to www.crossroads.net/media. I highly recommend it for parents of teens and college age students. Watch together and discuss. You will not be disappointed.
Our society is so grace oriented that anything goes. We are so open-minded I think our collective brains are falling out. Whether it is in politics or social issues or economics, we are running full tilt into the Windmills of Reality with no more sense than the Man from La Mancha.
Yet some in the community can be so strident and harsh and judgmental, that no one can hear what they are saying because of the tone. There is anger born of fear that seems to rule some people and their approach to the day's issues. If you disagree with a certain view,you are automatically a bigot. If you question something, you must be an infidel. If you want more information, you are a doubter. What has happened to tolerance? Tolerance used to be a good word. It meant 'live and let live'. It was a willingness to allow others to disagree agreeably; to not all have the same views; to have real dialogue in our democracy. We have lost that somewhere. Whether right or left, conservative or liberal, gay or straight, old or young the divisions seem more important than the things we have in common. Freedom has become license; guidance has become legalism; truth has been traded for relativism, and bondage has been substituted for discipline. Grace and acceptance of all sides has been neglected in favor of pushing our own agendas. God help us. I do not know anyone else who can.
So what about you? Have you or your ideas been transplanted lately? Do they need re-potting? Do you need some grace? or truth? or a bit of bot-h? Are you giving grace with truth and truth with grace? How's your tone? Can you listen dispassionately to someone you disagree with?
Jesus says we can come to him when we are weary of our own ways and tired of ourselves and our own thoughts. His ways are not ours. Thank Goodness. So come to him today. Let him point out the weeds, the dry spots, the sections of mold. Let him be the Re-Potter. He knows just what you need.
Monday, January 17, 2011
It's been a while...
Here we are in 2011. So much has happened since the last time I checked in here. New teaching position; new office for FSC in Hyde Park/Oakley; first Great nephew born 3/1/10 Gunnar Briggs. Cassie, my cocker spaniel will be 17 in March; I will be 62 !! yipes...actually I am filled with gratitude to Jesus for all His blessings...healings, strength, patience, wisdom, the chance to participate in all HE is doing here in Cincinnati.
Sojourners Community has added a new friend, Cindy V. and welcomed back an 'old' friend, Teri S. Earl is in hospital as of this moment, with a dreadful kidney stone that will not pass...poor dear. First time in his life to be in hospital or have any medical procedures. God has answered and is answering many of our prayers this last season. Praise the Lord.
How about you? What has the last 18 months brought your way?
What are you looking forward to in 2011? Where is God stretching you? What are you thankful for in this new year?
Sojourners Community has added a new friend, Cindy V. and welcomed back an 'old' friend, Teri S. Earl is in hospital as of this moment, with a dreadful kidney stone that will not pass...poor dear. First time in his life to be in hospital or have any medical procedures. God has answered and is answering many of our prayers this last season. Praise the Lord.
How about you? What has the last 18 months brought your way?
What are you looking forward to in 2011? Where is God stretching you? What are you thankful for in this new year?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Praise God for the Praying Women Conference
Well, we held our Praying Women Cincinnati Conference this past weekend and it was great!! The Lord Jesus was very powerfully present in the worship time, and we had ample time to actually pray...which doesn't happen at some conferences because the emphasis is on teaching about prayer, not praying...two different things...but one seems to be less common...feedback has been positive, and some are asking when we will do it again. I am hoping to help people organize small groups in their homes by zipcodes to pray...we'll see... thanks for all who helped and prayed whether at the conference or not.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Life Events
Events have a way of overtaking us. Plans are set aside. Goals postponed. Hopes dimmed. Focus altered. It becomes difficult not to be distracted. The road we thought was fairly clear ahead, becomes clouded, obscured.
How do we proceed? We dare not become immobilized by events, by circumstances; though the temptation is strong. What then? To step out, like the Israelite priests, who carrying the Ark of the Covenant, stepped down into the Jordan River, (which river dropped off, not sloped to its depth), not knowing where solid ground lay? Right into the current they stepped. Gingerly perhaps, but moving forward nonetheless. And then the miracle- dry land appeared before them and they walked across dryshod!
We cannot see the miracle in the first steps of faith. We, like they, can only see the swirling waters, the tumult. Yet God, in Christ Jesus, remains faithful. There is no other. He alone is our sure foundation. He is the one who makes our feet like hinds' feet and makes us walk on our high places (Habakakuk 3:19).
How do we proceed? We dare not become immobilized by events, by circumstances; though the temptation is strong. What then? To step out, like the Israelite priests, who carrying the Ark of the Covenant, stepped down into the Jordan River, (which river dropped off, not sloped to its depth), not knowing where solid ground lay? Right into the current they stepped. Gingerly perhaps, but moving forward nonetheless. And then the miracle- dry land appeared before them and they walked across dryshod!
We cannot see the miracle in the first steps of faith. We, like they, can only see the swirling waters, the tumult. Yet God, in Christ Jesus, remains faithful. There is no other. He alone is our sure foundation. He is the one who makes our feet like hinds' feet and makes us walk on our high places (Habakakuk 3:19).
Sunday, April 5, 2009
ANOTHER change...for the good
We have decided to have the conference fee set at $10.oo per person, and trust God to provide the money we need to pay the expenses through the number of people who come. Our expenses are not outrageous, but real. So be in prayer that God will supply all our needs.
We are soooo excited at the team the Lord is gathering to lead our worship and our intercessors team. We hope everyone will come to the conference prayed up...
We are soooo excited at the team the Lord is gathering to lead our worship and our intercessors team. We hope everyone will come to the conference prayed up...
Friday, April 3, 2009
Raindrops
Water droplets on the window-like
God's tears streaming down
when He sees this broken world and all its broken people.
People- bent, twisted-
going against the grain of their creation;
becoming wise in their own eyes
while blindly following the Liar.
Tears pouring down like drops of blood;
Trickling, running, pouring, gushing
over the rough wood of the crossbeam;
Dripping, one drop at a time on me;
On my sin, on my brokenness, on my
twisted pride.
The snake no longer slithers away-
for his head has been crushed.
Crushed by the blood tears of God
shed one lonely day at Golgotha.
It's raining.
Raining tears.
Tears of joy. Tears that bring life.
Hallelujah !
MJRinck, 4/3/09
God's tears streaming down
when He sees this broken world and all its broken people.
People- bent, twisted-
going against the grain of their creation;
becoming wise in their own eyes
while blindly following the Liar.
Tears pouring down like drops of blood;
Trickling, running, pouring, gushing
over the rough wood of the crossbeam;
Dripping, one drop at a time on me;
On my sin, on my brokenness, on my
twisted pride.
The snake no longer slithers away-
for his head has been crushed.
Crushed by the blood tears of God
shed one lonely day at Golgotha.
It's raining.
Raining tears.
Tears of joy. Tears that bring life.
Hallelujah !
MJRinck, 4/3/09
Conference Change
Just a note to remind you that the WW Conference has had a change of Name, and date. go to www.prayingwomenconference.blogspot.com for details....
Monday, March 16, 2009
April 24th-25th Wailing Women Conference
Today in my quiet time, I was led to the following passage...it is a bit long, but I want to quote it in full...so you don't have to leave the blog and go grab your Bible...
Joel 2:12-19 (NASB)
" ' Yet even now,' declares the Lord, ' return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning [ wailing, deep grief] and rend your hearts and not your garments.' Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him? ...Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber. Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, weep betw. the porch and the altar, saying: " Spare thy people, O Lord, and do not make them a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the people, "Where is their God?". Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, and will have pity on His people, and the Lord will answer..."
My friend, and fellow minister, Maudine Walker brought another passage from Joel to my attention last week: Joel 1: 8, 11 about wailing before the Lord referring to Jeremiah9:17:
" Thus says the Lord of hosts, " Consider and CALL THE MOURNING WOMEN, that they may come; and SEND FOR THE WAILING WOMEN, that they may come ! And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may shed tears, and our eyelids flow with water. For the voice of wailing is heard in Zion...Now HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD, O YOU WOMEN, and let your ears receive the word of His mouth: "Teach your daughters wailing, and everyone her neighbor a dirge. For death has come up to our windows; It has entered our palaces, to cut off the children from the streets and the young men from the town squares....Let not a wise man boast in his [her] wisdom...but let him [she] who boasts boast in this that he [she] understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who execises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the Lord."
TODAY, NOW while it is still TODAY, I am calling for the wailing women, the weeping women, the mourning women - wherever you are- to gather, to pray and to weep before God to save our nation, our families, our children, Israel, the Middle Eastern lands, the whole world. God's hand is not shortened that He may not even NOW have mercy and send healing and revival to this broken world. Who knows if YOU have not been placed where YOU are for this very hour? Gather, pray, seek the Lord. Find your place, your plan, your mission.
For those of you in Cincinnati, Ohio I call us to gather on FRIDAY APRIL 24TH (7p.m.-9 p.m) and SATURDAY APRIL 25TH ( 9 a.m.-3 p.m.) to pray and fast and seek the Lord. I will be bringing a message from the Word of God, and we will have prayer warriors ready to pray with you and for you. Come armed with your Bibles and ready to pray. I know not everyone can fast, but I am going to ask that we at least try to do a liquids only fast from 7 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The place is not yet decided upon- I am hoping to rent a room at Crossroads or at Hamilton Christian Center...If you are willing to help with this conference or just attend, please contact me at this blog by replying or email me at mjrinck@hotmail.com
Joel 2:12-19 (NASB)
" ' Yet even now,' declares the Lord, ' return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning [ wailing, deep grief] and rend your hearts and not your garments.' Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him? ...Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber. Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, weep betw. the porch and the altar, saying: " Spare thy people, O Lord, and do not make them a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the people, "Where is their God?". Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, and will have pity on His people, and the Lord will answer..."
My friend, and fellow minister, Maudine Walker brought another passage from Joel to my attention last week: Joel 1: 8, 11 about wailing before the Lord referring to Jeremiah9:17:
" Thus says the Lord of hosts, " Consider and CALL THE MOURNING WOMEN, that they may come; and SEND FOR THE WAILING WOMEN, that they may come ! And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may shed tears, and our eyelids flow with water. For the voice of wailing is heard in Zion...Now HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD, O YOU WOMEN, and let your ears receive the word of His mouth: "Teach your daughters wailing, and everyone her neighbor a dirge. For death has come up to our windows; It has entered our palaces, to cut off the children from the streets and the young men from the town squares....Let not a wise man boast in his [her] wisdom...but let him [she] who boasts boast in this that he [she] understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who execises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the Lord."
TODAY, NOW while it is still TODAY, I am calling for the wailing women, the weeping women, the mourning women - wherever you are- to gather, to pray and to weep before God to save our nation, our families, our children, Israel, the Middle Eastern lands, the whole world. God's hand is not shortened that He may not even NOW have mercy and send healing and revival to this broken world. Who knows if YOU have not been placed where YOU are for this very hour? Gather, pray, seek the Lord. Find your place, your plan, your mission.
For those of you in Cincinnati, Ohio I call us to gather on FRIDAY APRIL 24TH (7p.m.-9 p.m) and SATURDAY APRIL 25TH ( 9 a.m.-3 p.m.) to pray and fast and seek the Lord. I will be bringing a message from the Word of God, and we will have prayer warriors ready to pray with you and for you. Come armed with your Bibles and ready to pray. I know not everyone can fast, but I am going to ask that we at least try to do a liquids only fast from 7 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The place is not yet decided upon- I am hoping to rent a room at Crossroads or at Hamilton Christian Center...If you are willing to help with this conference or just attend, please contact me at this blog by replying or email me at mjrinck@hotmail.com
Monday, February 23, 2009
blog reading comments writing
I send an email inviting Sojourners to blog as authors; you should be able to read or view the blog by going to http://sojournerscommunity.blogspot.com I believe you must respond or set up your own account on the site to be able to write (author) your own posts, but you can comment without an acct. Some of you have reported problems logging in...let me know if this continues...Meg
Friday, February 20, 2009
It's Feb. 20th and they are predicting more SNOW for tomorrow. I don't know about YOU, but I am SO DONE with snow...yipes...(my friend Anne recently returned from living in Alaska for 25 years, is laughing at me...). Really though, I am so done with winter...in my soul too...I am ready for God to do a new thing. Are you up for it? Sometimes I look back, hankering for the 'good old days' which if we are honest, weren't always so good...instead of looking ahead to what God is doing NOW. We are in a new place in history...things are changing all around us politically, internationally, spiritually. The Church is both more apostate and more faithful than ever. The Enemy is at work so powerfully wherever his lies are allowed to remain unchallenged. Yet the power of the Holy Spirit is at work all over the globe...healing, teaching, challenging, convicting of sin and of Righteousness. Justice is flowing down like a river in places in Asia where the International Justice Mission (and others) labor to set free young women who are caught in sex slavery, or families virtually enslaved in work camps by unscrupulous factory owners. Hundreds of people are coming to know or to seek Christ at my church alone, to say nothing of all the other wonderful places drawing unchurched people to the Lord. Praise the Lord !
What is God doing that is NEW with you?
What is God doing that is NEW with you?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Congratulations to Greg and Jen...they became engaged this past Friday morning the 17th of January, 2009...they plan to wed this coming summer. Pray for them about wisdom in plans as Greg goes back to China 2/10 and does not come home again until early July. They are deciding whether or not to go back to China next school year to both teach there, or to stay here in the States working at what ever jobs God provides. They hope to be involved in the Father's work wherever they end up. : ) (Greg is the son of my sister, Jan Briggs and her hubby, Andrew; Jen is daughter of Michael and Sandy Flynn of Maine; sister to Kim who is Lydia Briggs' roomate at Cedarville).
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Airplane Crash NYC
WOW!! did you see that ...amazing miracle...even the newscasters say it is a "real" miracle that the plane stayed afloat long enough for all 150 passengers, plus crew to get out. Praise the Lord. Any one know someone on the plane? Meg
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Welcome
In this new year, I need to do more writing...every day. So I thought this blog might be a place to start. Not that all my thoughts are worth preserving...but it helps me to get things down on paper/cyberspace????
Been reading/re-reading Arnold Fruchtenbaum's book Footsteps of the Messiah. I hear it is out in a newer edition than I have, with some 400 pages. Go Arnold!! ( I knew him and his wife in college). Anyway, I have been studying the Shechinah Glory in Scripture. The Shechinah Glory is the manifest presence of God which has historically taken a number of forms, but is "in this last day" revealed most fully in the person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man.
" Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says----powerful words!" (Hebrews 1:1-2 THE MESSAGE).
The Shechinah Glory has been an important concept since the founding of Sojourners Community. Our key or foundational passage comes from 2 Cor. 3-4 where the Shechinah Glory is the focus...the source of our transformation as we behold it in the face of Christ. His glory is what transforms us as we see HIM. Turning again and again to him is what takes the veil away. And we do not have to worry that the glory will fade, for the Spirit is within us...never to leave us or depart from us.
If the main point of life is to recieve his love and light, and let it transform us and flow out of us, then it is all rather simple. IN and OUT....with him as our source. What is my quest? my passion? my goal? Each day may be our last...we do not know if or when our world will blow up into a nuclear war. Each moment is the only moment I have. I want to live it openly and flowing in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. I want to receive his love and let it flow out of me. The world tells us to be in control, to be independent, and to be productive. Yet Jesus says "Without me, you can do nothing..." or " Today has enough trouble of its own. Don't worry about tomorrow."
I have felt discouraged since the election in that I believe we have lost our democracy. I wondered if it is worth it to fight in the political arena any more as Christ followers. Not that I would not vote, or write my congressman or senator, but I have lost hope that anything we do can ultimately stop the ship from sinking. A man on the radio today said he flies the flag upside down (an international sign of distress) as a symbol of how he is feeling about the state of our nation. It is clear to me that we cannot count on the USA to be of any use or protection to us as Christ followers any longer. Today on the radio show, Glenn Beck played the song "The Impossible Dream" from Man from La Mancha, as sung by Frank Sinatra. Wow. Talk about inspiration:
"I will dream the impossible dream; I will fight the unbeatable foe; I will reach when my arms are too weary; I will run where the brave dare not go; I will dream the impossible dream; I will fight for the right without reason or pause, I will walk into hell for a heavenly cause; And I know, that the world will be better for this, that one man, bowed and covered with scars, should fightwith his last ounce of courage, to dream the impossible dream...." ( I know I did not get all the words right...but it is close...). Our dream is NOT impossible ultimately, because it depends on Jesus, the Shechinah Glory Himself, not on us. We have hope, not in political powers, or even in fighting for the best or the good, but in HIM who is the Light of the World. It is honorable to fight for the right, for the good, for the truth even if we do not succeed in this present darkness. For we are keeping our eyes fastened on Jesus...the author and finisher of our faith...who for the joy set ahead of him (even our salvation) endured the Cross. Alleluia. Shaloam.
Dr. Meg
Been reading/re-reading Arnold Fruchtenbaum's book Footsteps of the Messiah. I hear it is out in a newer edition than I have, with some 400 pages. Go Arnold!! ( I knew him and his wife in college). Anyway, I have been studying the Shechinah Glory in Scripture. The Shechinah Glory is the manifest presence of God which has historically taken a number of forms, but is "in this last day" revealed most fully in the person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man.
" Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says----powerful words!" (Hebrews 1:1-2 THE MESSAGE).
The Shechinah Glory has been an important concept since the founding of Sojourners Community. Our key or foundational passage comes from 2 Cor. 3-4 where the Shechinah Glory is the focus...the source of our transformation as we behold it in the face of Christ. His glory is what transforms us as we see HIM. Turning again and again to him is what takes the veil away. And we do not have to worry that the glory will fade, for the Spirit is within us...never to leave us or depart from us.
If the main point of life is to recieve his love and light, and let it transform us and flow out of us, then it is all rather simple. IN and OUT....with him as our source. What is my quest? my passion? my goal? Each day may be our last...we do not know if or when our world will blow up into a nuclear war. Each moment is the only moment I have. I want to live it openly and flowing in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. I want to receive his love and let it flow out of me. The world tells us to be in control, to be independent, and to be productive. Yet Jesus says "Without me, you can do nothing..." or " Today has enough trouble of its own. Don't worry about tomorrow."
I have felt discouraged since the election in that I believe we have lost our democracy. I wondered if it is worth it to fight in the political arena any more as Christ followers. Not that I would not vote, or write my congressman or senator, but I have lost hope that anything we do can ultimately stop the ship from sinking. A man on the radio today said he flies the flag upside down (an international sign of distress) as a symbol of how he is feeling about the state of our nation. It is clear to me that we cannot count on the USA to be of any use or protection to us as Christ followers any longer. Today on the radio show, Glenn Beck played the song "The Impossible Dream" from Man from La Mancha, as sung by Frank Sinatra. Wow. Talk about inspiration:
"I will dream the impossible dream; I will fight the unbeatable foe; I will reach when my arms are too weary; I will run where the brave dare not go; I will dream the impossible dream; I will fight for the right without reason or pause, I will walk into hell for a heavenly cause; And I know, that the world will be better for this, that one man, bowed and covered with scars, should fightwith his last ounce of courage, to dream the impossible dream...." ( I know I did not get all the words right...but it is close...). Our dream is NOT impossible ultimately, because it depends on Jesus, the Shechinah Glory Himself, not on us. We have hope, not in political powers, or even in fighting for the best or the good, but in HIM who is the Light of the World. It is honorable to fight for the right, for the good, for the truth even if we do not succeed in this present darkness. For we are keeping our eyes fastened on Jesus...the author and finisher of our faith...who for the joy set ahead of him (even our salvation) endured the Cross. Alleluia. Shaloam.
Dr. Meg
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