LOVE
Winter. The festivity and (sometimes) frenetic pace of Christmas has passed. Now, I wait for the More Waiting of Lent. Somehow, perhaps divinely, the season seems perfectly synchronized with my station in life: a still, quiet, cold - sometimes lonely and unfriendly - time of waiting. Waiting for kids to get off the bus, waiting for word from editors and agents, waiting for direction for the future. Waiting for new birth that comes in the sprouts of springtime's buds and chrysalises.
The silence and solitude of this winter sometimes gets to me. I have to fight against an overwhelming urge to clog this time and space by watching too much TV, even reading or sleeping too much. I know I need to stay in, honor my present limbo. All the while, I will listen carefully for Word, stay alert to motion; try to trust that somewhere 'Aslan is on the move.'
I have a deep sense that what my soul really needs is to sit in the stillness. I feel impatient, though. I hate waiting! I want to forge ahead, force things. No matter what I do, I can't change this frozen white-covered and motionless moment: my present solitude. So, I will try to embrace the stillness.
Thomas Merton, a Tappist monk and author of The Seven Storey Kingdom, helps me with his poem.
If You Seek . . . song
If you seek a heavenly light
I, Solitude, am your professor!
I go before you into emptiness,
Raise strange suns for your new mornings,
Opening the windows
Of your innermost apartment.
When I, loneliness, give my special signal
Follow my silence, follow where I beckon!
Fear not, little beast, little spirit
(Thou word and animal)
I, Solitude, am angel
And have prayed in your name.
Look at the empty, wealthy night
The pilgrim moon!
I am the appointed hour,
The "now" that cuts
Time like a blade.
I am the unexpected flash
Beyond "yes," beyond "no,"
The forerunner of the Word of God.
Follow my ways and I will lead you
To golden-haired suns,
Logos and music, blameless joys,
Innocent of questions
And beyond answers:
For I, Solitude, am thine own self:
I, Nothingness, am thy All.
I, Silence, am thy Amen!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Universe is Made of Stories
LOVE
Poet, Muriel Rukeyser writes, The universe is made of stories, not atoms. I couldn't agree more! Everyone loves a good story whether it's the latest Jodi Piccoult novel that we read this summer on the beach, or a piece of good children's fiction we read last night in a rocking chair with a child on our lap. Stories tell truth. They inspire. They let us know that we're not alone. They help us make sense out of a messy, painful world.
God is one of the world's best storytellers. The bible is a collection of God's most captivating stories. A few weeks ago - - inspired by one of my publishers, Terry Glaspey's new book, The One-Minute Bible Guide - - I wrote a Metanarrative which was read aloud at my church. A Metanarrative uses a theme to weave all of God's stories into one collective story. (I guess it is, to literature, what a medley is to music.)
The theme of a good Metanarrative could be anything from blood to love, from walking to the sun. It could be titled anything from God, Lover of Our Souls . . . to God, the Word Who Speaks . . . to God, the One Who Holds Every Story Together . . . My Metanarrative was titled God, The Author and Perfecter. It was an attempt to show that the same God who wrote Adam and Eve's story and the story of the Patriarchs is still writing our stories.
A Metanarrative Call to Worship
God, The Author and Perfecter
The Era of Creation & Early History (Genesis 1-11)
LEADER 1:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1
LEADER 2:
In the beginning was the Word. John 1:1
LEADER 3:
He was the firstborn over all creation. Colossians 1:15
LEADER 1:
For by him all things were created. Colossians 1:15
LEADER 2:
He was before all things and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17
LEADER 3:
He was – and still is – the beginning so that in everything he might have supremacy. Colossians 1:18
LEADER 1:
Since the beginning God has set eternity in the hearts of his people; yet we cannot fathom what he has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
LEADER 1:
God created man in his own image . . . male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27
LEADER 2:
The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the people he had made. Genesis 2:8
LEADER 3:
In the garden the man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:25
LEADER 1:
And the Lord God commanded, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:17
LEADER 3:
The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye . . . she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband and he ate it. Genesis 3:6
LEADER 2:
God’s children heard the sound of their Father walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Genesis 3:8
LEADER 1:
God called to the man, “Where are you?”
LEADER 2:
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid. Genesis 3:9-10
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
LEADER 2:
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Genesis 6:9
LEADER 1:
God saw how corrupt the earth had become. So he said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people. So make yourself an ark.” Genesis 6:12-14
LEADER 3:
The springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. Genesis 7:11
LEADER 1:
And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. Genesis 7:12 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out. Genesis 7:23
LEADER 2:
Only Noah was left and those with him in the ark. Genesis 7:23
LEADER 1:
God said to Noah and his family, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you, a covenant for all generations to come. I have set my rainbow in the clouds that never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” Genesis 9:12-13
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Patriarchs (Genesis 12-50)
LEADER 1:
The Lord said to Abraham, “Leave your country and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.” Genesis 12:1-2
LEADER 3:
But Abraham said, “O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless?” Genesis 15:2
LEADER 1:
God took Abraham outside and said to him, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars. So shall be your offspring.” Genesis 15:5
LEADER 2:
At the very time God had promised, Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age. Genesis 21:2
LEADER 1:
Abraham gave the name Isaac – meaning laughter – to the son Sarah bore him. Genesis 21:3
LEADER 2:
Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. Genesis 21:6
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
LEADER 2:
Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, wrestled with God in the night. Genesis 32:24
LEADER 3:
When God saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that the hip was wrenched as he wrestled. Genesis 32:25
LEADER 1:
God said to the maimed man, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
LEADER 3:
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
LEADER 1:
God asked him, “What is your name?”
LEADER 3:
“Jacob,” he answered.
LEADER 1:
Then God said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel because you have struggled with me and have overcome.” Genesis 32:26-28
LEADER 3:
Jacob, had twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. Genesis 35:23-26
LEADER 2:
These sons became the twelve tribes of Israel who settled in Egypt to avoid famine, but eventually became slaves in the land. Exodus 1:1-7
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Exodus & Wanderings (Exodus – Joshua)
LEADER 1:
Now Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock. He led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Exodus 3:1
LEADER 2:
There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.
Exodus 3:2
LEADER 1:
God called to Moses from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
LEADER 2:
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
LEADER 1:
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:4-6
LEADER 2:
At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:6
LEADER 1:
The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them into a good and spacious land . . . So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10
LEADER 2:
The Israelites set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea, as the Lord had directed. For a long time they made their way around the hill country. Deuteronomy 2:1
LEADER 3:
For forty years they wandered, grumbled, lost their way and found manna.
LEADER 2:
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab. There the Lord showed him the whole land – from Gilead to Dan . . . all the land of Judah as far as the western sea. Deuteronomy 32:1-3
LEADER 1:
The Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.’” Deuteronomy 32:4
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Judges & The Era of the Kings (Judges & 1 Samuel – 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)
LEADER 1:
God’s prophet Samuel served for many years. When he grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 1 Samuel 8:1
LEADER 2:
But his sons did not walk in his ways. 1 Samuel 8:2
LEADER 3:
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel. They said to him, “Appoint a king to lead us, such as all other nations have.” 1 Samuel 8:5
LEADER 1:
This displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him; “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king, as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.” 1 Samuel 8:7-9
LEADER 3:
The Israelites went to Gilgal and there affirmed Saul as king in the presence of the Lord. Deuteronomy 11:15
LEADER 1:
“Now here is the king you have chosen,” said Samuel. “If both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God – good! But if you do not obey the Lord and keep his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.”
LEADER 2:
Saul walked with the Lord half-heartedly.
LEADER 1:
The word of the Lord came to Samuel, “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” 1 Samuel 15:10
LEADER 3:
David was a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a brave man and a warrior who spoke well and was a fine-looking man. When he was thirty years old, he became king of Israel and reigned forty years. 1 Samuel 16:18 and 2 Samuel 5:4-5
LEADER 2:
David followed after God with his whole heart.
LEADER 1:
When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “Be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways so that you may prosper in all you do.” 1 Kings 2:2-3
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of Exile/Babylonian Captivity and Return (Ezra - Nehemiah)
LEADER 3:
After King Solomon, many other kings ruled including Johoshaphat, Jehu, Joash, Jeroboam, Zechariah, and Manasseh. Under their leadership Israel split into two kingdoms and sank into idolatry and immorality.
LEADER 1:
The Lord, the God of their fathers sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused.
2 Chronicles 36:15-16
LEADER 2:
He brought up against them the king of Babylon, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and spared neither young woman, old man or aged. 2 Chronicles 36:17
LEADER 3:
God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, and all the treasures of the king. They set fire to God’s temple . . . they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.
2 Chronicles 36:18-19
LEADER 1:
Everyone in Israel – whose heart God had moved – prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:5
LEADER 3:
They gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. Nehemiah 9:1
LEADER 2:
They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. Nehemiah 9:2
LEADER 1:
They stood and read from the Book of the Law for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshipping the Lord their God. Nehemiah 9:3
LEADER 2:
When the builders laid the foundation of the temple, with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord. Ezra 3:11
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of Jesus Christ (Matthew - John)
LEADER 2:
After 400 years of silence, a New Day dawned in Jerusalem.
LEADER 1: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2
LEADER 2:
In the time of King Herod, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a
Virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Luke 1:26
LEADER 3:
“Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever.” Luke 1:30-33
LEADER 2:
Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger. Luke 2:7
LEADER 1:
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. Luke 2:40
LEADER 3:
News about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, called twelve disciples, raised the dead, told parables, healed the sick, fed 5,000 and everyone praised him. Luke 3:14
LEADER 1:
It is written in the scriptures that this Jesus was crucified, that he was buried, and that he raised on the third day. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
LEADER 2:
He was the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy. Colossians 1:18
LEADER 3:
Through him God reconciled to himself all things. Colossians 1:20
LEADER 2:
And made peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Early Church (Acts - Revelation)
LEADER 1:
In the last days, God said, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:17
LEADER 2:
All the believers were together. Every day they continued to meet together.
Acts 2:44, 46
LEADER 3:
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Acts 2:46
LEADER 1:
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47
LEADER 2:
Then the end will come, when Jesus hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 1 Corinthians 15:24
LEADER 3:
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. 2 Timothy 1:9
LEADER 1: And from the beginning God has set eternity in the hearts of his people; yet we cannot fathom what he has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
LEADER 2:
God – who was and is and is to come – has made everything beautiful in its time. Revelation 1:8 and Ecclesiastes 3:11
LEADER 1:
In him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17
LEADERS 1, 2, and 3:
Therefore, trust in God at all times, O people! Psalm 62:8
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
Poet, Muriel Rukeyser writes, The universe is made of stories, not atoms. I couldn't agree more! Everyone loves a good story whether it's the latest Jodi Piccoult novel that we read this summer on the beach, or a piece of good children's fiction we read last night in a rocking chair with a child on our lap. Stories tell truth. They inspire. They let us know that we're not alone. They help us make sense out of a messy, painful world.
God is one of the world's best storytellers. The bible is a collection of God's most captivating stories. A few weeks ago - - inspired by one of my publishers, Terry Glaspey's new book, The One-Minute Bible Guide - - I wrote a Metanarrative which was read aloud at my church. A Metanarrative uses a theme to weave all of God's stories into one collective story. (I guess it is, to literature, what a medley is to music.)
The theme of a good Metanarrative could be anything from blood to love, from walking to the sun. It could be titled anything from God, Lover of Our Souls . . . to God, the Word Who Speaks . . . to God, the One Who Holds Every Story Together . . . My Metanarrative was titled God, The Author and Perfecter. It was an attempt to show that the same God who wrote Adam and Eve's story and the story of the Patriarchs is still writing our stories.
A Metanarrative Call to Worship
God, The Author and Perfecter
The Era of Creation & Early History (Genesis 1-11)
LEADER 1:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1
LEADER 2:
In the beginning was the Word. John 1:1
LEADER 3:
He was the firstborn over all creation. Colossians 1:15
LEADER 1:
For by him all things were created. Colossians 1:15
LEADER 2:
He was before all things and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17
LEADER 3:
He was – and still is – the beginning so that in everything he might have supremacy. Colossians 1:18
LEADER 1:
Since the beginning God has set eternity in the hearts of his people; yet we cannot fathom what he has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
LEADER 1:
God created man in his own image . . . male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27
LEADER 2:
The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the people he had made. Genesis 2:8
LEADER 3:
In the garden the man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:25
LEADER 1:
And the Lord God commanded, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:17
LEADER 3:
The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye . . . she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband and he ate it. Genesis 3:6
LEADER 2:
God’s children heard the sound of their Father walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Genesis 3:8
LEADER 1:
God called to the man, “Where are you?”
LEADER 2:
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid. Genesis 3:9-10
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
LEADER 2:
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Genesis 6:9
LEADER 1:
God saw how corrupt the earth had become. So he said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people. So make yourself an ark.” Genesis 6:12-14
LEADER 3:
The springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. Genesis 7:11
LEADER 1:
And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. Genesis 7:12 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out. Genesis 7:23
LEADER 2:
Only Noah was left and those with him in the ark. Genesis 7:23
LEADER 1:
God said to Noah and his family, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you, a covenant for all generations to come. I have set my rainbow in the clouds that never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” Genesis 9:12-13
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Patriarchs (Genesis 12-50)
LEADER 1:
The Lord said to Abraham, “Leave your country and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.” Genesis 12:1-2
LEADER 3:
But Abraham said, “O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless?” Genesis 15:2
LEADER 1:
God took Abraham outside and said to him, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars. So shall be your offspring.” Genesis 15:5
LEADER 2:
At the very time God had promised, Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age. Genesis 21:2
LEADER 1:
Abraham gave the name Isaac – meaning laughter – to the son Sarah bore him. Genesis 21:3
LEADER 2:
Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. Genesis 21:6
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
LEADER 2:
Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, wrestled with God in the night. Genesis 32:24
LEADER 3:
When God saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that the hip was wrenched as he wrestled. Genesis 32:25
LEADER 1:
God said to the maimed man, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
LEADER 3:
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
LEADER 1:
God asked him, “What is your name?”
LEADER 3:
“Jacob,” he answered.
LEADER 1:
Then God said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel because you have struggled with me and have overcome.” Genesis 32:26-28
LEADER 3:
Jacob, had twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. Genesis 35:23-26
LEADER 2:
These sons became the twelve tribes of Israel who settled in Egypt to avoid famine, but eventually became slaves in the land. Exodus 1:1-7
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Exodus & Wanderings (Exodus – Joshua)
LEADER 1:
Now Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock. He led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. Exodus 3:1
LEADER 2:
There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.
Exodus 3:2
LEADER 1:
God called to Moses from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
LEADER 2:
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
LEADER 1:
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:4-6
LEADER 2:
At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:6
LEADER 1:
The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them into a good and spacious land . . . So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10
LEADER 2:
The Israelites set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea, as the Lord had directed. For a long time they made their way around the hill country. Deuteronomy 2:1
LEADER 3:
For forty years they wandered, grumbled, lost their way and found manna.
LEADER 2:
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab. There the Lord showed him the whole land – from Gilead to Dan . . . all the land of Judah as far as the western sea. Deuteronomy 32:1-3
LEADER 1:
The Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.’” Deuteronomy 32:4
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Judges & The Era of the Kings (Judges & 1 Samuel – 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)
LEADER 1:
God’s prophet Samuel served for many years. When he grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 1 Samuel 8:1
LEADER 2:
But his sons did not walk in his ways. 1 Samuel 8:2
LEADER 3:
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel. They said to him, “Appoint a king to lead us, such as all other nations have.” 1 Samuel 8:5
LEADER 1:
This displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him; “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king, as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.” 1 Samuel 8:7-9
LEADER 3:
The Israelites went to Gilgal and there affirmed Saul as king in the presence of the Lord. Deuteronomy 11:15
LEADER 1:
“Now here is the king you have chosen,” said Samuel. “If both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God – good! But if you do not obey the Lord and keep his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.”
LEADER 2:
Saul walked with the Lord half-heartedly.
LEADER 1:
The word of the Lord came to Samuel, “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” 1 Samuel 15:10
LEADER 3:
David was a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a brave man and a warrior who spoke well and was a fine-looking man. When he was thirty years old, he became king of Israel and reigned forty years. 1 Samuel 16:18 and 2 Samuel 5:4-5
LEADER 2:
David followed after God with his whole heart.
LEADER 1:
When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “Be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways so that you may prosper in all you do.” 1 Kings 2:2-3
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of Exile/Babylonian Captivity and Return (Ezra - Nehemiah)
LEADER 3:
After King Solomon, many other kings ruled including Johoshaphat, Jehu, Joash, Jeroboam, Zechariah, and Manasseh. Under their leadership Israel split into two kingdoms and sank into idolatry and immorality.
LEADER 1:
The Lord, the God of their fathers sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused.
2 Chronicles 36:15-16
LEADER 2:
He brought up against them the king of Babylon, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and spared neither young woman, old man or aged. 2 Chronicles 36:17
LEADER 3:
God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, and all the treasures of the king. They set fire to God’s temple . . . they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.
2 Chronicles 36:18-19
LEADER 1:
Everyone in Israel – whose heart God had moved – prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:5
LEADER 3:
They gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. Nehemiah 9:1
LEADER 2:
They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. Nehemiah 9:2
LEADER 1:
They stood and read from the Book of the Law for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshipping the Lord their God. Nehemiah 9:3
LEADER 2:
When the builders laid the foundation of the temple, with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord. Ezra 3:11
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of Jesus Christ (Matthew - John)
LEADER 2:
After 400 years of silence, a New Day dawned in Jerusalem.
LEADER 1: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2
LEADER 2:
In the time of King Herod, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a
Virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Luke 1:26
LEADER 3:
“Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever.” Luke 1:30-33
LEADER 2:
Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger. Luke 2:7
LEADER 1:
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. Luke 2:40
LEADER 3:
News about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, called twelve disciples, raised the dead, told parables, healed the sick, fed 5,000 and everyone praised him. Luke 3:14
LEADER 1:
It is written in the scriptures that this Jesus was crucified, that he was buried, and that he raised on the third day. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
LEADER 2:
He was the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy. Colossians 1:18
LEADER 3:
Through him God reconciled to himself all things. Colossians 1:20
LEADER 2:
And made peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
The Era of the Early Church (Acts - Revelation)
LEADER 1:
In the last days, God said, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:17
LEADER 2:
All the believers were together. Every day they continued to meet together.
Acts 2:44, 46
LEADER 3:
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Acts 2:46
LEADER 1:
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47
LEADER 2:
Then the end will come, when Jesus hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 1 Corinthians 15:24
LEADER 3:
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. 2 Timothy 1:9
LEADER 1: And from the beginning God has set eternity in the hearts of his people; yet we cannot fathom what he has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
LEADER 2:
God – who was and is and is to come – has made everything beautiful in its time. Revelation 1:8 and Ecclesiastes 3:11
LEADER 1:
In him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17
LEADERS 1, 2, and 3:
Therefore, trust in God at all times, O people! Psalm 62:8
ALL:
You, O God, are the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Hebrews 12:2 a Stronghold in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9 the Beginning and the End. Revelation 21:6 Our times are in your hands. Psalm 31:15
Book Ends
Often, when I finish reading a book; I write a poem. This year, my sister-in-law convinced me to read Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. Here's the poem I wrote after that read:
Twin Poisonous Flowers
Written after reading
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Advent 2008
Two women, Taliban in their country
Endure private warring, a husband
Daily killing innocents caught in crossfire
Twin poisonous flowers: Hope and Love
Sprout in cracked kitchen floorboards of
Their war-torn land; uprooted by empty
Womb, lover lost, present torture, misogyny,
Thwarted attempts at escape, new life
Watered by memories shared, a baby girl and
Boy, mothers born (both of them), lost love found,
A shovel coming down hard and fast and mortally
With Herculean strength cracking cranium like
Farmer's soil furrowed to find meaning after death
And success, the sprout eternally green
From a friendship long ago rooted
Twin Poisonous Flowers
Written after reading
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Advent 2008
Two women, Taliban in their country
Endure private warring, a husband
Daily killing innocents caught in crossfire
Twin poisonous flowers: Hope and Love
Sprout in cracked kitchen floorboards of
Their war-torn land; uprooted by empty
Womb, lover lost, present torture, misogyny,
Thwarted attempts at escape, new life
Watered by memories shared, a baby girl and
Boy, mothers born (both of them), lost love found,
A shovel coming down hard and fast and mortally
With Herculean strength cracking cranium like
Farmer's soil furrowed to find meaning after death
And success, the sprout eternally green
From a friendship long ago rooted
Saturday, January 10, 2009
A Couple Quotes about Community
LOVE
What life have you if not life together?
There is no life that is not lived in community,
and no community not lived in praise of God.
-T. S. Eliot, Choruses from the Rock
Love the Lord your God with all your passion
and prayer and intelligence. This is the most
important, the first on any list. But there is a
second to set alongside it: Love others as well
as you love yourself. These two commands are
pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets
hangs from them.
Matthew 22:38-40
What life have you if not life together?
There is no life that is not lived in community,
and no community not lived in praise of God.
-T. S. Eliot, Choruses from the Rock
Love the Lord your God with all your passion
and prayer and intelligence. This is the most
important, the first on any list. But there is a
second to set alongside it: Love others as well
as you love yourself. These two commands are
pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets
hangs from them.
Matthew 22:38-40
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