My latest sermon

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In keeping with this year’s talks I’ve been giving at church, I’m being challenged all over again.  Tomorrow reflects on eating the meat of the Word of God. 

For many years I’ve tried out a myriad of ways to hear God’s Word.  All sorts of different food have been on the table!  The more the merrier – suits my penchant for risk, research and development. 

But lately I’m wondering if there may be a only a very few ways, perhaps just one, that burrows me deep into what God is saying to me and through me to others.  If this approach were to take up a majority of my time in the pursuit of God, what would that look like?  What would it look like for you?

Christmas

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I’m listening to one of those Christmas songs that do well year round.  This song was written by a Saskatchewan boy a few years ago.  Talks about listening to the story of Jesus regardless of time or place.

Instead of gearing up for Christmas, sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t stay in gear the whole year around!!

Freedom 55

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Yesterday I phoned our optometrist.

I had had some blurring of vision and haziness around lights during the day.  Two months ago I had gone for an eye test.  At that point the change in prescription was negligible.

Today, the change had become significant. 

I’ve been noticing an inability to focus my right eye.  And often finding that there were shadows in my vision.

The suggested solution?  Cataract surgery.  As soon as possible.

So, I’m headed off for further testing and consideration of what needs to be done on May 31st in Saskatoon.  There we will discuss surgery and I expect something to move forward by the end of the summer.

I have a new perspective on “Freedom 55.” 

At 55 I had total knee replacement in both knees.  Now my eyes are going.  I am now “free to fall apart!”

Freedom 55

Passionate Spirituality

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Natural Church Development (NCD) author, Christian Schwarz, has written a book on passionate spirituality.  In this book he talks about the idea that all of us approach God from our own unique aspects.  I’ve been testing this out on a few people, and I think there is a ring of truth to this.

My own approach is one of discipline in reading and studying the Bible and related theological works – that naturally leads me to God.  Others love to enjoy nature.  Still others get involved with people and find God in the midst.  Others systematize the Bible to create a systematic theology.  Others are mystical.

With all these approaches, and others, there is still a need to express this spirituality to others.  My understanding is that all of us who are Christians are a part of one body.  In that sense, we all work together.  We fight a common enemy, we encourage one another and we hold each other accountable.  It’s that part of accountability that makes it imperative that we have a way of showing others how we are doing in our pursuit of God.

And for that reason, we may find a poet who quits writing is in a dead space in their life.  A theologian who abandons his desire to write or expound or explain God is also in the midst of abandoning the pursuit of God.

For each of our own sakes, may we strengthen our approach to God and may we seek to help others to do the same!