In the past couple of weeks, I have had several interesting conversations about "church" and God which reminded me of this scene from John's Gospel (click the title to read the passage).
For some of the people we meet, a traditional church just never worked for them. They went, but felt nothing, experienced nothing. Many are not interested in placing a value judgement on those who are church goers but they struggle with a basic problem: what if their experience of God or Jesus differs from the one that is being proposed within the walls of the building they went to each week? What if they caught some glimmer of God somewhere else, perhaps in their work life, or while at the beach? What if they saw some aspect of God present in a place they never expected to see it because no one else saw it there before?
This is the dilemma that faces the person that encounters Jesus in John 9. Everything about this encounter parallels the way many of us discover Jesus in our own lives. This man has been "blind" since birth. It is obvious later in the passage that his parents are religious, or at the very least, thought they brought their son up according to the proper traditional ways. Jesus encounters this man and cures him of his blindness! What an amazing thing to have happen.
Or is it? Now this man, who was practically ostricized before, faces the religious leaders of his community who want him to explain what has happened. They want to know how it is possible for this man, born blind, to now suddenly receive his sight. You would think that if they had all the religious understanding they claim to posess that this should have been simple. They would either need to rejoice that God had somehow entered into the world to cure this man, or that a faithful praying community had somehow led to a healing unlike that seen anywhere else.
The problem for these leaders is that if they admit that Jesus heals the man, they have to rethink what God might be up to in the world. God may not be contained in the synagogue. God may belong to more than just the intellectual religious leaders. Jesus' healing of this man means that God comes to us; that God's grace opens our eyes in ways we never expected.
What has always fascinated me about this story is the fact that a man regains his sight and no one rejoices...save him. His parents disown him. In fact, they are cautious about even claiming that this person who can see is their son. "We know he was born blind, but ask him how this happened. He's old enough to answer for himself," they say.
When we discover God's presence around a table of friends enjoying coffee, or when we offer a helping hand or listening ear to another, others may find that this is just not "churchy" enough. Seeing God working in our community in new ways, or pulling away our own veil to truly see God's presence all around us can be dangerous to those who have contained God in a little space to be experienced one a week.
Following Jesus, means that once our own eyes are opened, we may not even be able to explain the "why" behind what it is we are doing. We just know that there was a way of living before we discovered Jesus, and a new direction now that we see the holiness that exists around us. Reconnecting to that sense of the holy in our daily walk, wherever you are, is what By the Way is all about.
The religious leaders in this story get all caught up in the "polity" of what has happened. They need to know the how, what , and who. The answers will not change what they do. In fact, they seem to even get a bit incensed with the man's challenge that the things he has experienced must have come from God. The Gospel works a little bit differently. We do not give up one set of laws, only to have new ones. The Gospel is for people like you and me, often blind to what God is up to, but open to discovering and being a part of whatever that is on a daily basis. It's about believing that Jesus goes ahead of us to show us just what a world could look like, if we listen carefully to what he is calling us to be.
In a way it is like telling people you are expecting a baby and instead of rejoicing in the new birth, they ask questions like, "Where will they go to college?", "What kind of car will you let them drive?", "When will you let them start dating?"
The kingdom of God allows us to worry less about these truly unimportant questions, and calls us into a relationship that invites us to become the people we were created to be. It is all around you if you look. Do you see it?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Mission and Prayer Partners
Taking a moment today, to thank the many prayer partners for By the Way. To become a prayer partner all you need do is drop us an email at bytheway.nashua@gmail.com. We send out updates inviting prayer for the ministry and our mission here in Nashua as well as occassional requests for prayer from the people we meet.
We also welcome to new mission partners who made a financial offering towards our work here in Nashua. Thanks! Mission partners are generally congregations and organizations that wish to assist in financial support of the mission.
Our latest mission partners come from Amherst and Enfield, NH. We also give thanks for the prayer partnership of Calumet Outdoor Ministries in West Ossipee, NH.
We also welcome to new mission partners who made a financial offering towards our work here in Nashua. Thanks! Mission partners are generally congregations and organizations that wish to assist in financial support of the mission.
Our latest mission partners come from Amherst and Enfield, NH. We also give thanks for the prayer partnership of Calumet Outdoor Ministries in West Ossipee, NH.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Journey to Somewhere
It's the season here for winter or ski breaks. It is a time when people decide to take a few days and sometimes head off into the wilderness to ski, or relax and just get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. There have been a few times in my life when I too have headed off into the wilderness. There is something about being out in nature, amidst an almost deafening silence, where one discovers a little bit about themselves and their place in the world. I know that seems cliche these days, and we could probably point out a number of movies and TV shows that play up those very same narratives. But there is something about being in a group that discovers these things together.
When the Israelites were carried away by the momentum of leaving slavery behind them, they headed off into the wilderness without much of a plan (the passage is linked in the title of this blog). Moses, their leader, was assumed to be fulfilling God's plan for all of them by breaking the bonds that had kept them from being the people God had intended them to be. So they head off into the desert without much of a direction. They were out there for 40 years...which if you think about it allows one whole generation to be born into a "seeking" culture and the generation that remembered what it was like to be a slave to die off.
It could not have been an easy trip. And having almost blindly followed Moses, the people sometimes forgot who ultimately was taking them on this journey, God. Being people, they soon lost interest in the wandering, and began to find plenty to complain about. "Where are we supposed to get food?" "Where is there water?" "Why did you bring us out here, anyway--to let us die?" How soon we lose sight of where we are headed or why we headed in a direction once the journey has begun.
I had an opportunity to take a wilderness hike through the Cascade Mountains in Washington. A couple of older friends of mine (and by older I mean in their 70s!) invited me a long on a "friendly" hike on one of the longer trails. We packed our lunches since we would eat after the 2-3 hour walk and then headed out. Now, being a bit naive about wilderness hiking, I had no idea that there were these things called "switchbacks". While walking straight up the side of a mountain seems like it would be the best route, it would be near impossible and so the trail zigs and zags back and forth across the face of the mountain with gentle slants to make the walk "easier."
Needless to say, as we walked about halfway up the mountain I began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, this was not such a good idea. I had been told how beautiful the lake at the end of our journey would be, how much cooler the temperature would be, thus refreshing us when we arrived. But I began to wonder why we could not just enjoy the lake we could get to by bus, and if it was really worth the trip. My companions kept talking away while I just managed to breathe. I could not believe their energy, and was truly embarassed that I at 20 was in worse shape than a 70+ year old person. "Surely," I thought, "I will die here. Someone will have to go back to the village and call for a helicopter to airlift my body out."
Soon though the switchbacks gave way to a straight path with tall trees overhead. The temperature dropped once we got out of the sun on the side of the mountain and the thump of our footsteps punctuated our conversations. Mountain berries provided a little needed sugar and sweetness to the walk as we paused to sample a few on our way. How did God know we would need such refreshment?
We did make it to the lake. It was gorgeous and provided a view that was worth the effort. The quiet was broken by the appearance of curious and hungry marmots that were fascinated at these sweaty laughing people. The breeze was refreshing, our lunches the perfect accompaniment to the journey's end. And the time spent limited only by the need to head back with plenty of sun to guide us.
Now, why share these two stories? Well, in the case of Moses, the people wanted proof that God was there for them. They needed some signs and wonders. They were becoming a generation of seekers unsure of where they could discover God, assuming that God had instead simply abandoned them altogether. Seekers looking for someone to blame for having had the audicity to hope that there was more to life than simple drudgery and bondage to a directionless life.
On my journey, there were signs of God's presence everywhere, but more so in the holy laughter of the three of us as we enjoyed the simple conversations and knowledge that we were headed to a specific place. There was holy conversation, the three of us never talked about "God" or "Jesus"...the signs of God's presence were all around us...in the forest, on that mountain, and in the Spirit that existed in the time shared together.
Indeed, the Israelites were so busy quarreling and fighting with one another that they had completely forgotten God was there. In fact, God's presence was no longer important for them, they were seekers who had forgotten their direction and cause for living. Moses asks them, after God provides them with water, a simple question, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
That question is one that we at By the Way answer constantly as we meet you at our conversation times. Often people wonder where God is in their lives, and together we discover that God is very present and abounding in grace all around us. Perhaps, we just need to be reminded once in a while that we may be seeking, but that we are on a journey to somewhere, trusting that God is there with us providing what we need. Re-connecting with one another at By the Way affirms, the Lord IS with us!
When the Israelites were carried away by the momentum of leaving slavery behind them, they headed off into the wilderness without much of a plan (the passage is linked in the title of this blog). Moses, their leader, was assumed to be fulfilling God's plan for all of them by breaking the bonds that had kept them from being the people God had intended them to be. So they head off into the desert without much of a direction. They were out there for 40 years...which if you think about it allows one whole generation to be born into a "seeking" culture and the generation that remembered what it was like to be a slave to die off.
It could not have been an easy trip. And having almost blindly followed Moses, the people sometimes forgot who ultimately was taking them on this journey, God. Being people, they soon lost interest in the wandering, and began to find plenty to complain about. "Where are we supposed to get food?" "Where is there water?" "Why did you bring us out here, anyway--to let us die?" How soon we lose sight of where we are headed or why we headed in a direction once the journey has begun.
I had an opportunity to take a wilderness hike through the Cascade Mountains in Washington. A couple of older friends of mine (and by older I mean in their 70s!) invited me a long on a "friendly" hike on one of the longer trails. We packed our lunches since we would eat after the 2-3 hour walk and then headed out. Now, being a bit naive about wilderness hiking, I had no idea that there were these things called "switchbacks". While walking straight up the side of a mountain seems like it would be the best route, it would be near impossible and so the trail zigs and zags back and forth across the face of the mountain with gentle slants to make the walk "easier."
Needless to say, as we walked about halfway up the mountain I began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, this was not such a good idea. I had been told how beautiful the lake at the end of our journey would be, how much cooler the temperature would be, thus refreshing us when we arrived. But I began to wonder why we could not just enjoy the lake we could get to by bus, and if it was really worth the trip. My companions kept talking away while I just managed to breathe. I could not believe their energy, and was truly embarassed that I at 20 was in worse shape than a 70+ year old person. "Surely," I thought, "I will die here. Someone will have to go back to the village and call for a helicopter to airlift my body out."
Soon though the switchbacks gave way to a straight path with tall trees overhead. The temperature dropped once we got out of the sun on the side of the mountain and the thump of our footsteps punctuated our conversations. Mountain berries provided a little needed sugar and sweetness to the walk as we paused to sample a few on our way. How did God know we would need such refreshment?
We did make it to the lake. It was gorgeous and provided a view that was worth the effort. The quiet was broken by the appearance of curious and hungry marmots that were fascinated at these sweaty laughing people. The breeze was refreshing, our lunches the perfect accompaniment to the journey's end. And the time spent limited only by the need to head back with plenty of sun to guide us.
Now, why share these two stories? Well, in the case of Moses, the people wanted proof that God was there for them. They needed some signs and wonders. They were becoming a generation of seekers unsure of where they could discover God, assuming that God had instead simply abandoned them altogether. Seekers looking for someone to blame for having had the audicity to hope that there was more to life than simple drudgery and bondage to a directionless life.
On my journey, there were signs of God's presence everywhere, but more so in the holy laughter of the three of us as we enjoyed the simple conversations and knowledge that we were headed to a specific place. There was holy conversation, the three of us never talked about "God" or "Jesus"...the signs of God's presence were all around us...in the forest, on that mountain, and in the Spirit that existed in the time shared together.
Indeed, the Israelites were so busy quarreling and fighting with one another that they had completely forgotten God was there. In fact, God's presence was no longer important for them, they were seekers who had forgotten their direction and cause for living. Moses asks them, after God provides them with water, a simple question, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
That question is one that we at By the Way answer constantly as we meet you at our conversation times. Often people wonder where God is in their lives, and together we discover that God is very present and abounding in grace all around us. Perhaps, we just need to be reminded once in a while that we may be seeking, but that we are on a journey to somewhere, trusting that God is there with us providing what we need. Re-connecting with one another at By the Way affirms, the Lord IS with us!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Nicky D Redux
It was not easy to catch Jesus if you wanted to be a follower these days. Nicky D (saving his last name to protect him) was a respected religious leader. He wanted to understand something about this Jesus he kept hearing about. Jesus whole ministry seemed to be paradoxical to Nick. Everytime Nick heard about some miracle, a miracle or sign that God was truly "in the world," Jesus would break some religious law. Where did this guy fit into God's vision for the world?
Nick knew that these things had to be of God. He had to ask Jesus how this was possible. What kind of person was this Jesus, Nick wondered. Nick snuck around at night seeking out Jesus. He could feel a pull towards all that Jesus was saying and doing, but perhaps just a little afraid at what the cost would be to someone like himself.
..................
This little exchange between Nick and Jesus has received a great deal of attention. It comes early in John's Gospel. It introduces the phrase "born again"--perhaps one of the most misunderstood teachings of Jesus. And it includes the oft-quoted John 3:16.
Jesus talks about being "born of water and Spirit" in this passage in reference to "entering the kingdom of God." There is something in that statement with some imagery that rings true. This image of water "rebirthing" you has deep implications. Perhaps in order to experience God's kingdom here on earth, we need to wash away our expectations, the dirt of our lives that clouds our vision of God. Baptism is a symbol of that washing away and it takes the first time it happens...if we believe that second piece of the Spirit's presence in the world. When we are gathered together, we discover that amazing presence of Spirit among us. The Spirit's presence allows us to remind one another of God's kingdom here on earth now. We see God revealed around us when we gather and this provides the hope that is needed.
Knowing that this might not be enough, Jesus reminds Nick, and us, that we experience wind daily but do not know where it comes from or where it is going. When we open ourselves up to the Spirit's movement in our own lives, we are carried away into an amazing adventure of living, discovering the interconnectedness of God's creation all around us and the need for reconnecting to that spirit and presence for so many people.
But, here is the problem. Most of our contemporary religious conversation stops right around John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
That is a wonderful encouraging statement, unless you are still struggling along trying to make sense out of this Jesus stuff. And this is why we MUST read Jesus' following, concluding statement. If so many Christians had the courage to live out John 3:17, the world might look a little different. If we embraced all that God has created and provided us as gift, John 3:17 would be etched in our minds perhaps a little bit more. For having Jesus, believing in Jesus, following Jesus is one thing. But our actions are so much more important if we want to understand what it means to walk the path that Jesus walks. Nick discovers this as Jesus reminds him why sometimes law is not as important as grace.
John 3:17 reminds us that God did not send Jesus here to condemn the world. God sent Jesus into the world to remind us how loved this creation is to God. God sent Jesus to help us remember how precious we and all of creation need one another to save it, keep it, share it.
If only we took a few moments to find ways to lift up those different from ourselves, learn to embrace the person we hate, call one another into healing and wholeness for the brokenness each of us undoubtedly experience...well, then believing in Jesus will keep us from perishing in the swirl of anger, hatred, disatisfaction...things that distract us from being who we were created to be.
Nick comes with the thought, "God loves me, so what?" And is encouraged to leave with this thought, "God loves you, now what?"
If you are still asking that first question, stop by some time at Barnes and Noble or Unos. Drop by for coffee at the Panera. Reconnect to a life that will have meaning and direction, a life filled with amazing grace.
Nick knew that these things had to be of God. He had to ask Jesus how this was possible. What kind of person was this Jesus, Nick wondered. Nick snuck around at night seeking out Jesus. He could feel a pull towards all that Jesus was saying and doing, but perhaps just a little afraid at what the cost would be to someone like himself.
..................
This little exchange between Nick and Jesus has received a great deal of attention. It comes early in John's Gospel. It introduces the phrase "born again"--perhaps one of the most misunderstood teachings of Jesus. And it includes the oft-quoted John 3:16.
Jesus talks about being "born of water and Spirit" in this passage in reference to "entering the kingdom of God." There is something in that statement with some imagery that rings true. This image of water "rebirthing" you has deep implications. Perhaps in order to experience God's kingdom here on earth, we need to wash away our expectations, the dirt of our lives that clouds our vision of God. Baptism is a symbol of that washing away and it takes the first time it happens...if we believe that second piece of the Spirit's presence in the world. When we are gathered together, we discover that amazing presence of Spirit among us. The Spirit's presence allows us to remind one another of God's kingdom here on earth now. We see God revealed around us when we gather and this provides the hope that is needed.
Knowing that this might not be enough, Jesus reminds Nick, and us, that we experience wind daily but do not know where it comes from or where it is going. When we open ourselves up to the Spirit's movement in our own lives, we are carried away into an amazing adventure of living, discovering the interconnectedness of God's creation all around us and the need for reconnecting to that spirit and presence for so many people.
But, here is the problem. Most of our contemporary religious conversation stops right around John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
That is a wonderful encouraging statement, unless you are still struggling along trying to make sense out of this Jesus stuff. And this is why we MUST read Jesus' following, concluding statement. If so many Christians had the courage to live out John 3:17, the world might look a little different. If we embraced all that God has created and provided us as gift, John 3:17 would be etched in our minds perhaps a little bit more. For having Jesus, believing in Jesus, following Jesus is one thing. But our actions are so much more important if we want to understand what it means to walk the path that Jesus walks. Nick discovers this as Jesus reminds him why sometimes law is not as important as grace.
John 3:17 reminds us that God did not send Jesus here to condemn the world. God sent Jesus into the world to remind us how loved this creation is to God. God sent Jesus to help us remember how precious we and all of creation need one another to save it, keep it, share it.
If only we took a few moments to find ways to lift up those different from ourselves, learn to embrace the person we hate, call one another into healing and wholeness for the brokenness each of us undoubtedly experience...well, then believing in Jesus will keep us from perishing in the swirl of anger, hatred, disatisfaction...things that distract us from being who we were created to be.
Nick comes with the thought, "God loves me, so what?" And is encouraged to leave with this thought, "God loves you, now what?"
If you are still asking that first question, stop by some time at Barnes and Noble or Unos. Drop by for coffee at the Panera. Reconnect to a life that will have meaning and direction, a life filled with amazing grace.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Do it this way....
This will date me a little, but I loved the Far Side cartoons. One of my favorite panels was of a kid pushing hard against a door with a sign that reads "School of the Gifted." Problem is, he should be grabbing the handle and pulling the door open since it obviously swings outwards.
There are times in all of our lives when we are that little kid. Pushing hard to do things one way even when all our senses say we should be doing something else. A popular Christian t-shirt even had a variation on this. A bunch of fish are swimming in one direction while a small little fish is facing the opposite way. The slogan: "Go Against the Flow."
So here are two images for us. One calling us to pay more attention to our surroundings and the other inviting us to be countercultural. It is odd that for many of you experiencing traditional faith communities that you may feel like you are in the midst of people trying to do both. Fortunately we are entering a season of the church year that calls us all to rethink our place in our surroundings and calls us to go against what everyone else's expectations are: "Lent."
I'm a musician so I always think of the tempo designation "Lento" which means "slow." Lent is a faith community's chance to go slow for a little while. It is a chance to reflect and discover what God is calling us to now in our lives.
As Jesus walks around the countryside, his disciples, caught up in the moment, want to know how to do lots of things. They know Jesus is calling them to something different, but they have not quite recognized how difficult the path will be that they will, and are, taking. "Let's start with something simple," they say. "How are we supposed to behave? How are we supposed to worship God? What about our money and how we give it?" These and more questions are answered, sort of, when Jesus lays out for them a simple prayer.
You can see it laid out in Matthew 6 (click on the title above to go to the scripture reading). Essentially there are a few things we are invited to do as we pray. Notice Jesus does not say how we do it (on our knees, on our heads, sitting, standing, etc.) just what we are to pray.
Pray to God, and acknowledge the holiness of this conversation.
Remember that it is God's kingdom here on earth that we are desiring, so ask that this be a reality even as we acknowledge God's presence in that discovery and accept that there is an underlying rhythm to the way things are in the world. Give thanks that the food you have. Ask to be forgiven for the many things you hold against others, and forgive those who have wronged, borrowed from, or hurt you. Ask that God intervene against the evil that is present in the world and expect God to do so. Forgive people who have broken your own boundaries and know that when you have broken a boundary set by God that you are also forgiven, however, remember to expect God to treat you the way you treat others.
There are a few more suggestions as well. My favorite one, at least the one that I often realize I am irritated about, is where Jesus pretty much says if you have chosen to follow me and it turns out to be more difficult than you thought, well, don't mope around complaining...it's part of the way things are when you follow me.
But after all of this comes a powerful statement: wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Wow. Now that is something to pause and slowly come to grips with in our lives. In the next few weeks, as you look around your apartment or home, take a moment to see what you are spending time on, or what you are spending money on, or whom you are spending time with. In the midst of all those things, you will perhaps see what your treasure is. The challenge is to consider entering into a relationship with God that supercedes all those things.
Remember that kid in the Far Side. Well, what if that were us pushing the door tight so that God would stay stuck in the building we think God is in? What if instead, we take our hand away from the door and discover God is already there all around us? Remember the fish? What currents are dragging you under so that you cannot enter into a connection that can change your life?
Thoughts worth pondering...are you ready to re-connect?
There are times in all of our lives when we are that little kid. Pushing hard to do things one way even when all our senses say we should be doing something else. A popular Christian t-shirt even had a variation on this. A bunch of fish are swimming in one direction while a small little fish is facing the opposite way. The slogan: "Go Against the Flow."
So here are two images for us. One calling us to pay more attention to our surroundings and the other inviting us to be countercultural. It is odd that for many of you experiencing traditional faith communities that you may feel like you are in the midst of people trying to do both. Fortunately we are entering a season of the church year that calls us all to rethink our place in our surroundings and calls us to go against what everyone else's expectations are: "Lent."
I'm a musician so I always think of the tempo designation "Lento" which means "slow." Lent is a faith community's chance to go slow for a little while. It is a chance to reflect and discover what God is calling us to now in our lives.
As Jesus walks around the countryside, his disciples, caught up in the moment, want to know how to do lots of things. They know Jesus is calling them to something different, but they have not quite recognized how difficult the path will be that they will, and are, taking. "Let's start with something simple," they say. "How are we supposed to behave? How are we supposed to worship God? What about our money and how we give it?" These and more questions are answered, sort of, when Jesus lays out for them a simple prayer.
You can see it laid out in Matthew 6 (click on the title above to go to the scripture reading). Essentially there are a few things we are invited to do as we pray. Notice Jesus does not say how we do it (on our knees, on our heads, sitting, standing, etc.) just what we are to pray.
Pray to God, and acknowledge the holiness of this conversation.
Remember that it is God's kingdom here on earth that we are desiring, so ask that this be a reality even as we acknowledge God's presence in that discovery and accept that there is an underlying rhythm to the way things are in the world. Give thanks that the food you have. Ask to be forgiven for the many things you hold against others, and forgive those who have wronged, borrowed from, or hurt you. Ask that God intervene against the evil that is present in the world and expect God to do so. Forgive people who have broken your own boundaries and know that when you have broken a boundary set by God that you are also forgiven, however, remember to expect God to treat you the way you treat others.
There are a few more suggestions as well. My favorite one, at least the one that I often realize I am irritated about, is where Jesus pretty much says if you have chosen to follow me and it turns out to be more difficult than you thought, well, don't mope around complaining...it's part of the way things are when you follow me.
But after all of this comes a powerful statement: wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Wow. Now that is something to pause and slowly come to grips with in our lives. In the next few weeks, as you look around your apartment or home, take a moment to see what you are spending time on, or what you are spending money on, or whom you are spending time with. In the midst of all those things, you will perhaps see what your treasure is. The challenge is to consider entering into a relationship with God that supercedes all those things.
Remember that kid in the Far Side. Well, what if that were us pushing the door tight so that God would stay stuck in the building we think God is in? What if instead, we take our hand away from the door and discover God is already there all around us? Remember the fish? What currents are dragging you under so that you cannot enter into a connection that can change your life?
Thoughts worth pondering...are you ready to re-connect?
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