https://youtube.com/@brotherdogstudio?si=8FKxFwMp_IsLO4Bb
The same young man who takes nearly three hundred photos for his photography assignment, winnows them down to 25, prints out those 25, drives to the drug store to pick them up, tells me about
Petabytes
Too big for comprehension as
Hubble and James Webb hurtle on
Clicking selfies with Jesus in the dazzling
Night sky
Hebrews 10:33-39 KJV
[33] Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. [34] For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. [35] Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. [36] For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. [37] For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. [38] Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. [39] But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
https://people.com/mom-allegedly-called-police-chilling-confession-12182103
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/austin-bennett-tice
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawit_Isaak
Many of us shudder at the idea of imprisonment for even a few hours. The idea of the loss of freedom or being held by an untrustworthy opponent is chilling.
So then, what happened to countless victims of child abuse, Dawit and Austin and others is even more unbearable to think about.
We can forget that the entire history of this planet has been a hostage story.
Our ransoms, and the ransom of creation was paid and delivered on the Cross of Jesus the King.
He said, it is finished.
Soon we will all see what he really meant by that.
No stranger to public displays of affection,
I sit down next to the entwined and ask them
What is your favorite Jesus story?
The boy-man deflects
What is your favorite Jesus story?
I tell him a story about the Son of Man raising Lazarus from the dead after four days only to walk willingly into the maw of his own brutal crucifixion
Face the shame
Face the sin
Face the grief and
Wrath of the Holy God
3 days later—rise again
I ask them how I can pray for them and she says,
I’ve got lots of people praying for me! Don’t you worry about me!
It has happened several times now—so many that
Accident is impossible
1. A flock of leaves flew upward
Featherweights in unison
Flight
2. Flurry of them cascading downward in a strong wind (like)
Snowflakes in a storm
And three—
a solitary leaf
Even with the horizon becomes
A giant butterfly? A small bird?
Flying, not falling, defiant of physics and limitations
Each sent by the Holy Wind
Who goes where he wills
And will let the leaves speak for him when we
fall silent.
They rise at dawn
Balloon
Device
Telemetry
Parachute
Gas lighter than air
Pulls them
Up
And
Up
And up
Like a crazy near earth skydiver
Waiting for the moment when it all changes
The day
We become the weather balloons
Held aloft by the light
And the oil in our lamps
And the voice of the Bridegroom
We will
Rise
Whether permitting….
Matthew 16:1-3 KJV
[1] The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. [2] He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. [3] And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Matthew 5:3 KJV
[3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus was, is, and will be a physical reality of human history. His part in our story is so elemental that it cannot be said enough—Jesus means “God saves.”
By definition and reality, the Holy Spirit is more ephemeral. Our definitions of him are often more similes than portraits.
He is like a dove
He is like fire
He is the air in our lungs and our souls (not a metaphor).
Look for God, the Triune, interventional, rescuing God.
Ask him who he is
Ask him to show you
Ask him anything.
For an unspecified amount of time I have had a homework assignment I cannot complete.
How could you transmit the story of God becoming a man and living among humans to die for our ordinary and terrible actions, our helplessness and death? Then triumphing over death and rising again to rescue us and give us a home forever in a safe and wonderful place?
How would you do that in pictures? Without a common language? How would you send that message out to people far away who did not know you, have a common language and who had never heard about Jesus?
Whose name means
God saves.
Yesterday I wrote a sincere, non-resistant, genuine email to John “JL” Schellenberg about his long-held but fallacy-ridden philosophy that a group of fictional people refute the existence of God. I made it simple, personal, and I referred to my own experience and Sesame Street.
No answer.
I am experiencing Schellenberg Hiddenness.
I am pretty bummed. So much so that I will have to consign my thoughts to the philosophical non-existence of a benevolent, interventionist Schellenberg to a part 2 post.
If you can get him to respond or have evidence he is there, please let me know ASAP!!!
It is the blackest sea, no light, no sound, no air, no errant ships and it is night (of course) always night, but then there are the Sentinels—
Beacons, relentless beacons
Beyond human language
Still
Sending out words of vigilance
Nonetheless
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Lewis
https://www.topverses.com/about/stars
When I was in college I loved a boy who was very lovable but just wanted to be friends.
I wrote him a letter about elephants which seemed engaging at the time because I was so young, but now seems to have been cribbed from the movie Green Card.
Oh well, so much for originality.
Now that I am older, I have original stories, but the Boy-i-love calls stars into being and sees into my soul, what is the point of words and letters?
What can I possibly say that he doesn’t already…know…
(Psalm 139:3-4 KJV
[3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. [4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.)
(This screenshot I have of a child I want to raise) I would tell him that I am lost without him
I would tell him I will keep calling the number to get her to me
I will tell him I cannot stop looking for him
Like David in Ps 139, like the Shula…Shuna…mite woman
Here is my most interesting thing—I constantly long to see you
Face-to-face at last
Song of Songs 3:2-3 KJV
[2] I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. [3] The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
