there's something in the way, and I think it's me.
Curran and I watched Family Guy together last night, and afterwards, I had an idea, rooted in Philippians 4:4-9, especially verse 8. My idea then was of two parts, a question ("How far am I willing to go to know God?") and an answer ("Eh."). This is sort of a development of that.
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
Paul here seems to be in an encouraging mood. And the way I look at it, he's offering suggestions, encouragements, exhortations, on how to know God better; how to come more in line with the person of Jesus Christ. "Dwell on whatever is honorable, and right and pure and lovely..." because there is where the greatness of God is made manifest, meditate on these good things that only come from God, even if you see them in weird places. And don't bother wasting your time on stuff that doesn't evidence the presence of God, because knowing God is greater than anything else, better than temporal pleasure, better than entertainment.
Do I look for these things? No. And when I stumble across them, do I dwell on them, meditate on them, seek God through them? Hardly ever. Sometimes I'll thank Him, and just go on with my boring grey-colored day lit with the flashes of color He's sending me, reminding me that it can be better, it can be wonderful, it can be suffused with magic in every moment, despite pain and the like. Not that I'm expecting everything to be easy... or am I? I honestly can't tell you. I don't know what I expect, I don't know what I want. Except that I want to be a better me... God, let me not fall into the trap of focusing on the external to the extent that I forget that knowing You is the greatest thing. I want to change, but I'm not sure how and I'm not sure what to do to change. Paul provides the answer, doesn't he, in the passage I already quoted? Yep. It's the same one God used Dana to teach me a couple of weeks ago (obviously, I have to be taught more than once, probably many times).
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Praise God, I'm gone.
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
Paul here seems to be in an encouraging mood. And the way I look at it, he's offering suggestions, encouragements, exhortations, on how to know God better; how to come more in line with the person of Jesus Christ. "Dwell on whatever is honorable, and right and pure and lovely..." because there is where the greatness of God is made manifest, meditate on these good things that only come from God, even if you see them in weird places. And don't bother wasting your time on stuff that doesn't evidence the presence of God, because knowing God is greater than anything else, better than temporal pleasure, better than entertainment.
Do I look for these things? No. And when I stumble across them, do I dwell on them, meditate on them, seek God through them? Hardly ever. Sometimes I'll thank Him, and just go on with my boring grey-colored day lit with the flashes of color He's sending me, reminding me that it can be better, it can be wonderful, it can be suffused with magic in every moment, despite pain and the like. Not that I'm expecting everything to be easy... or am I? I honestly can't tell you. I don't know what I expect, I don't know what I want. Except that I want to be a better me... God, let me not fall into the trap of focusing on the external to the extent that I forget that knowing You is the greatest thing. I want to change, but I'm not sure how and I'm not sure what to do to change. Paul provides the answer, doesn't he, in the passage I already quoted? Yep. It's the same one God used Dana to teach me a couple of weeks ago (obviously, I have to be taught more than once, probably many times).
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Praise God, I'm gone.