Today is Sunday,
and the week that is past I have been teaching life sciences (biology) to grade 9 & 10. The pace of teaching life science is much different from physical science (physics & chemistry), because there is less explaining, and more note-writing... added that I have to cover a year's curriculum in half the time, without enough textbooks for the learners... it sounds more like a survival situation.
Strangely I don't stress about impossible situations any more... maybe because I have faced quite a few before... so, now I take it one day at a time (come rain or sunshine), and I do as much as I can. More than that, I can not do :)
House
This week has been much better at home - having other people around - and not only me myself and I... and, some delicious food is always a bonus - cooked by Eben's mom :)
Thoughts
I have been thinking about the spirit again, and found something I found before... that the spiritual can only be understood with the spiritual. Or, the language of the spirit is spiritual. Or, the physical and intellectual does not comprehend the spiritual.
Well, I have been searching for answers (like I always do), and found that this is the door to the reality of the spiritual. If you re-interpret belief as looking onto the invisible, then you found the only action that is required of you as a Christian ("only believe in the one the Father sent").
In looking to the spiritual you both avoid being stuck in intellectual arguments about spirituality, and also you avoid being stuck in looking unto the physical to see some sort of proof of God's work.
God is spirit (as Jesus said), and to know Him is to know Him according to the spirit. It is neither to know of Him intellectually, or to know Him in the physical plane (like the disciples did), but to know Him according to the spirit. As is written, we no longer know Christ according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
Jesus said that His words are spirit and life. To get stuck in the physical written intellectual words of Jesus is also to miss Jesus. The Pharisees knew the letters of the law, but they did not know the spirit of the law. The same is true for today's Christians. If we know all the arguments - even the "New creation/Finished" theology - that in itself is letters. Jesus did speak words, but the words in themselves are not life.
In western Christianity intellectual arguments can take the place of life. If you believe a statement of faith, you are considered saved. But life is not within theology itself. Theology may carry life, but it is not life itself.
I know this sounds like splitting hairs, but the difference is subtle, but has major implications.
It is like seeing a poem for its structure and word use and context, but forgetting to enjoy its beauty.
The implications are that if we are to value the life of theology above the theology... well, then a whole different dimension opens up to us - one that is not based on arguments and counter arguments and sound theological systems - but rather one that is based on life - the voice of God - the inner witness.
Then we do not argue to win an argument - rather we speak the truth according to the love that we have towards the one we are speaking to. Then, there is no war to be won, or victory to enforce... but rather a message of reconciliation with no string attached. One of an open hand, being offered continually - not out of a heart of trickery - but a heart of pure compassion and acceptance.
And this is the God that I have come to know. He has spoken through His Son - not to condemn or to judge, but to offer peace - and that in abundance and joy. He has made the slates clean, and is extending His hands - asking if you want to be reconciled to Him - without any requirements - only pure free will on your part. The choice of reconciliation He has given to you. And that, not impatiently, but patiently and continually - all your life long.
This is the God I serve, and the one that offers me the same choice each morning - to draw close to Him, or to turn my shoulder away from His face. Regardless, He continues to offer me the same choice, not taking into account any of my actions or responses. Unconditionally offered continually.
Further than that I have not thought...
So I will leave it at that :)
Peace & grace.
and the week that is past I have been teaching life sciences (biology) to grade 9 & 10. The pace of teaching life science is much different from physical science (physics & chemistry), because there is less explaining, and more note-writing... added that I have to cover a year's curriculum in half the time, without enough textbooks for the learners... it sounds more like a survival situation.
Strangely I don't stress about impossible situations any more... maybe because I have faced quite a few before... so, now I take it one day at a time (come rain or sunshine), and I do as much as I can. More than that, I can not do :)
House
This week has been much better at home - having other people around - and not only me myself and I... and, some delicious food is always a bonus - cooked by Eben's mom :)
Thoughts
I have been thinking about the spirit again, and found something I found before... that the spiritual can only be understood with the spiritual. Or, the language of the spirit is spiritual. Or, the physical and intellectual does not comprehend the spiritual.
Well, I have been searching for answers (like I always do), and found that this is the door to the reality of the spiritual. If you re-interpret belief as looking onto the invisible, then you found the only action that is required of you as a Christian ("only believe in the one the Father sent").
In looking to the spiritual you both avoid being stuck in intellectual arguments about spirituality, and also you avoid being stuck in looking unto the physical to see some sort of proof of God's work.
God is spirit (as Jesus said), and to know Him is to know Him according to the spirit. It is neither to know of Him intellectually, or to know Him in the physical plane (like the disciples did), but to know Him according to the spirit. As is written, we no longer know Christ according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
Jesus said that His words are spirit and life. To get stuck in the physical written intellectual words of Jesus is also to miss Jesus. The Pharisees knew the letters of the law, but they did not know the spirit of the law. The same is true for today's Christians. If we know all the arguments - even the "New creation/Finished" theology - that in itself is letters. Jesus did speak words, but the words in themselves are not life.
In western Christianity intellectual arguments can take the place of life. If you believe a statement of faith, you are considered saved. But life is not within theology itself. Theology may carry life, but it is not life itself.
I know this sounds like splitting hairs, but the difference is subtle, but has major implications.
It is like seeing a poem for its structure and word use and context, but forgetting to enjoy its beauty.
The implications are that if we are to value the life of theology above the theology... well, then a whole different dimension opens up to us - one that is not based on arguments and counter arguments and sound theological systems - but rather one that is based on life - the voice of God - the inner witness.
Then we do not argue to win an argument - rather we speak the truth according to the love that we have towards the one we are speaking to. Then, there is no war to be won, or victory to enforce... but rather a message of reconciliation with no string attached. One of an open hand, being offered continually - not out of a heart of trickery - but a heart of pure compassion and acceptance.
And this is the God that I have come to know. He has spoken through His Son - not to condemn or to judge, but to offer peace - and that in abundance and joy. He has made the slates clean, and is extending His hands - asking if you want to be reconciled to Him - without any requirements - only pure free will on your part. The choice of reconciliation He has given to you. And that, not impatiently, but patiently and continually - all your life long.
This is the God I serve, and the one that offers me the same choice each morning - to draw close to Him, or to turn my shoulder away from His face. Regardless, He continues to offer me the same choice, not taking into account any of my actions or responses. Unconditionally offered continually.
Further than that I have not thought...
So I will leave it at that :)
Peace & grace.