Echo from the Heart of God

This past Sunday, I spoke about the Bible as “a window into the heart of God.”* By looking at what the whole of scripture reveals to us about God, rather than going at it in a fragmented way, we see that the impetus behind creation is the same as in the coming of Jesus born among us as well as in the new creation towards which or by which we are being pulled. That impetus is the deep concern for the other. We call that love but need to be careful in the use of that too often bandied about word. This is not a watered down romantic concern. Instead, it is what we see revealed in Jesus who did not grasp, did not cling, did not exploit equality with God, but emptied himself, poured himself out taking the form of a slave, a servant, humbling himself for the sake of others. It is here that we see the heart of God. It is in this ongoing action that we hear God’s heartbeat.

The heartbeat is the most basic detectable sign of life. I believe it is the basis of music. When we share music together, especially when we sing together, we are connecting the rhythm of our hearts with one another. In music as we share a connected heartbeat is where community is formed.

In communal music we pour ourselves out to each other and we receive each other. This is a sign and a foretaste of the community of living in relationship with our triune God. The melodies may be simple or complex; the rhythms may be straightforward or syncopated; the harmonies may be unvarnished or contrapuntal. All of this is a glimpse into or an echo from the heart of God.

Psalm 33:3

Sing to God a new song! Play your best with joyful shouts! [CEB]

[1] James Howell, “Jesus’ Church: Freedom,” May 30, http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Jesus--Church--Freedom.html?soid=1104220709083&aid=dgTzLTHo5gE

Coming Back Online

I took a somewhat unintentional break from my weekly post. Life has been going so fast lately that I have had trouble just keeping up. Two weeks ago, we were celebrating Falls Church Feeds the World and how we surpassed our goals for the event, having such fun making a huge difference in the world. Last week, we were mourning for the attack at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. With all God's people, we cry, How long, O Lord, how long, until we can see your face in the face of everyone we meet?

Last weekend, the people called United Methodists in Virginia held our Annual Conference in Roanoke. Brian Christoffersen, Jennifer Secki Shields, and I attended. It is wonderful connecting with people we don't get to see often. It was a relatively quiet session this year, with General Conference just past, and so much on hold from that global meeting. We celebrated with our Bishop Young Jin Cho who is retiring. We endorsed Ted Smith as a candidate for the episcopacy in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.

We also heard a couple of reports from the lay and clergy leaders of our General Conference delegation, Martha Stokes and Tom Berlin. Tom did an outstanding job of putting the issues concerning human sexuality into sharp focus as to how they affect our global church. I would recommend Tom's blogpost on this. You can see his spectacularly creative slides. And if you are on Facebook, check out his live presentation here.

At the close of Tom and Martha's report on Sunday morning, she asked us to take hands with those next to us to pray. It is only in deeply earnest, humble prayer that we can respond to God's call. So in spirit, I ask you to hold hands with me, with each other, and with others around the world to bathe our church in prayer.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Oh, The Places We Will Go

Have you ever decided to do something that was a major step out of your comfort zone—something that was risky? Of course, if it is risky that means it might not succeed. Oftentimes, when I contemplate an action like that I decide to stay comfortable.

Oh, the places we won’t go (apologies to Dr. Seuss) when we try to stay comfortable. I have spent far too much of my life avoiding those places of discomfort. The thing is that Jesus did not seek his own comfort, nor the comfort of others. He sought to bring people into life-giving relationship with the One who began it all.

And how do we participate in that—first, by looking into the eyes of another and seeing them for who they are; second, by listening to the voice of the other and learning their story; third, by matching your stride to theirs so you can walk side-by-side; fourth, by taking time to be with them; fifth, by learning what are their goals in life; sixth, by learning to sing with them; and seventh, by looking into their eyes and seeing Jesus.

Oh, the places we will go with Jesus when we decide to risk being in real relationship with our neighbor. Will you dare? Will you risk it?

Mark 2:17

When Jesus heard this, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’

We Are All Connected--From the Mountains to the Chesapeake

Just a few minutes ago, Max and I passed the highest elevation point east of the Mississippi on I-80. Just after that we passed a sign saying we were then leaving the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Keeping in mind that we are in DuBois, PA, for the memorial service for my friend's father, I was struck by how connected we are in life.

The folks who live and make their living along the Chesapeake Bay by fishing and crabbing are actually dependent on how the people who live just on the other side of this mountain tend the land and waterways up here. Separated by many miles, they could assume that their lives have no connection with each other, but as we have learned through the attempts to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay, we are intimately linked to people we have never seen and most likely never will.

The decisions we make in relation to our actions have lasting impact not only in our immediate location, but also in the broader world. This is true in our care of creation and in the ways that we act as the church, Christ's body of grace in the world. While it is tempting to focus on our own backyard solely, ignoring those downstream or upstream from us, what we do is vitally important to the health and well-being of everyone else. This is why our decision to host Falls Church Feeds The World is so significant to the people who will receive the meals that are packed. It is also meaningful to the people in our community who have sufficient means for their lives. We are all connected. 

 Sunday, June 5, 1-5 PM

We can all make a difference because we are all connected.

Let's join hands with our community

"Unanimity Is Not the Same as Unity"

“Unanimity is not the same as unity.” This was a statement I heard while watching the live-

streaming of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, in the context surrounding a statement prepared by our Council of Bishops as they responded to a plea from delegates for leadership in the midst of a difficult conference. Shortly before I heard this statement, I had read a blog post by Jason Micheli (http://tamedcynic.org/disunity-is-not-diversity-schism-is-sin/) reminding us that unity is not something we achieve; it is the gift given to us by our God who is Three-in-One. In these words, I heard echoes from my doctoral paper. The movement of unity within the Trinity is the continual, eternal pouring out of the unique selfness of each Person into the others, and the continual, eternal receiving of the other Persons into the self. In other words, to use traditional language, the Son pours out his self into the Father and the Spirit; the Father pours out his self into the Spirit and the Son; and the Spirit pours out her self into the Son and the Father—as each receives the gift from the others fully and graciously.

What a different way to look at our relationships in the midst of contentious issues. Unity is our starting place as the children of God—the unity of perfect concern for the other. So often we strive for a unity that seeks to make us exactly alike the other. This is a false unity. It stirs up fear, and arises out of fear, that anything not alike is not good, and even evil. We allow something other than the perfect concern for the other to shape our understanding of how we live together.

What does this have to do with me, with you, in our everyday lives? Imagine looking into the eyes of another and knowing that there is already a gift of unity between the two of you. The bars and walls around your hearts are melted away. Your hands can truly be open to give and receive. This is not about striving. It is about accepting; it is about giving.

Ephesians 4:1-3

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Set Your Hearts on Fire

In three days we celebrate Pentecost when the Holy Spirit blew open the closed doors of the room in which the disciples were gathered, and set them ablaze with purpose and courage. We mark this Sunday as the birthday of the Church, not as an institution but as the living Body of Christ set loose on the world to continue the work Jesus came among us to do. As Jesus was the face of God so are we now. We are the visible sign of God in the world.

On Monday, Andrew came to the commencement ceremony at the National Cathedral. He could not stay long since he had to be at his new job. He said he expected to come into a gathering of people who were mostly white. Instead, he was shocked at the amazing diversity. He later asked me if my school was connected with Howard University. I said no, that Wesley is independent from other schools. He was amazed. The family behind him was made up of Indian and Black (he prefers that term over "African-American") members. The faces ahead of him were of almost every hue possible among humans. What a sign to him and others that God is at work through the church, the Body of those who follow Jesus.

Out in Portland, Oregon, the elected delegates of the United Methodist Church from around the world have gathered to discern God's will at this time in history. While it is also a diverse body of many hues that can be seen and languages that can be heard, there is diversity that cannot be perceived simply by looking--that of gender identity and sexual orientation. This diversity makes some people uncomfortable. I can understand that. I confess that it used to make me uncomfortable. I have come to see and understand the persons with these identities and orientations far differently now. How much more rich is the Body at the Table when we are all there. How much more we can be the face of God in the world.

The winds of the Spirit blow open doors and windows; the tongues of fire set us ablaze with purpose and courage. May we be a part of setting the church on fire, building God's glorious Kindom here.

John 14:8-9

 Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”?