Next dimension…..

 (to doing what we’re told)

Thinking like creative- committed- covenant- family- love does.

See’ng things as creative- committed- covenant- family- love does.

(Not being Ruled by My Desires, but) Responding to the will of creative-committed-covenant-family-love (what it wants/ seeks),

therefore in a way that is consistent with (in concert with, in tune with), the way that creative-committed-covenant-family-love wills/ wants those things for us (i.e. based on giving love, not desire to get).

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As Hanani the seer said to the King Asa, (king of Judah, in the line of David) :

‭“At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. [8] Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. 9For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.’ [10] Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people. (2Chron 16:7-10)

Or, as Jesus said to the unmarried- Samaritan- woman he met at a well outside a Samaritan town at an unusual time: 

“.. the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24) 

and that must mean also in body & soul; but definitely not only in body & soul).

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“changing priorities” ?

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(a difference between a sign-post and a name-tag)

The things that love deems precious, are made so,

in any universe that’s made by love.

And here we are - you’ve made us and you know

what we - deem precious, AND - hear from above.

Because of love’s endorsements things are changed.

Both ways that works, with knowledge in the mix.

There’s knowing how OUR feelings are arranged,

and also facts, are ordered, not just  “fixed”.

And if we love what’s true, and truely love,

there’s not much here that won’t be covered well*.

In order, as determined from above

us, here - in terms of all that’s anti-hell,

that we might grow up here to like him be -

both true and living in the way God is

(not visually apparent, so folk see),

but with integrity, and love like his.

You listen to our cries and hopes and dreams

and help us grow both strong and true like him

our master, who lived in this place that seems 

so solid, yet in fact is only dim-

ly like a shadow of a bigger some-

-place, as a babe in womb might catch  from out-

-side of “the curtain” of the flesh of Mum

some bumps, & bits of light, & sounds - like shouts.

So as a “mankie blankey” might be kept,

and washed and hung in sunlight not to ail

the two year old who’s precious, and has wept

for “blankey”; find some parents do avail… 

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° “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.” (Psalms 116:15 NRSVUE)

*  As Jesus’s little brother (James, speaking in the same spirit as his big brother) said “for Love covers over a multitude of sins” ().

#  “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, [20] by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, [25] not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25 NRSVUE)

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health

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Text 2 me: Can you guys please pray for Mary she's in a bad way physically mentally emotionally in hospital. 

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God, help this lady who wants (desperately?)

to learn to love with wisdom and insight.

And now she needs some help to stay alive, 

and think clearly enough to take a step forward. 

Thanks for sending your children to serve 

and help her to look up and accept help, 

and find out what more you want of good for her, 

and her children, and your world…

Amen.

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this year for me (2025 C.E. / A.D.)

 

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Some disciplines to grow like Christ alive

as disciplined disciple of himself

right here, right now (in twenty twenty-five

years from the time he tapped all heaven’s wealth

as man upon this Earth, which is God’s own).

I’m not the one to do the choosing here

as independent arbiter [I've shown

propensity to take over, which clear-

ly is against all goodness I know well,

to be the way that’s forward (and that’s fun).

That independence is my cancer cell,

of which, each instance must be quite undone].

So, God I’ve heard your voice that spoke to Pete

on mountain where he shone as heaven’s own.

The story entered me, to give complete-

ly diff’rent way of living. Peter’s shown

it in his life with fear of servant girl’s

attention, and her help from God to own

his Rabi as where his allegiance curls

and centres, as Pete claimed he’d really known

already, as the Father up above

had helped him see, and know within his guts. 

And similarly, your truth and your love

have been revealed to me. And that truth cuts

away bravado, so that new young growth

might come where I’m in very special need.

O God you said to Pete (& me), in trōth

of “your highness”, to “Listen up - with speed”.

And so I now must listen, not just spruik.

Please help me to recall what I have heard.

I'll write them in a kind of journal-book

and look at them each day, to do your word.

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Thanks to you God, through Julio’s example in various living arrangements, & in our LTG…

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A mate struggles with his own life story

Oh God, whom "Fred" does not believe still cares,

I'm glad you're helping him to own his story.

And face the facts. And maybe say his prayers.

And still consider true honour and glory.

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stepping out (& in)..

 

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So I invite you to participate

within my world, surrounding, & inside

my virtual reality relate-

-ing not as just my friend whom I’d confide

in; but also Creator of the lot.

For that story about this world and you

admits the worst, bring's out the best we’ve got,

and makes most sense of process, life, and truth.

And now I want to de-program myself

from living as my godless nature wants -

and I see your great grace in giving health

& insight, choice in how my growing’s gone

so, you let me participate within

your own creative project, this whole world,

and this one self within it where you hurled

me, what an honour. What about my “sin”?

(My “falling short”, my less than ideal ways,

my immaturity, self-centred-ness,

my lack of want to integrate, display

some more of your commitment just to bless.)

I know it's here within me, lurking still,

and trying by its weedling to control.

The leader that you picked has showed how will

I ever step out then take up what role

you have for me within your new cre-a-

-tion. And its stroke of genius does the job

of pointing out a new and living way:

take up - my cross, my king’s desires  (don’t rob).

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change room ..

 

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Oh God, I am so thick, & stale,

I’ve learned more how to get things done

by cutting options. Nothing fails

that has your love as Number One.

I see now that you like to go 

to places that I’ve never dreamed 

could be. There’s much I didn’t know

of. Should I be surprised? It seemed

like life was falling into place

or something’s getting lovely here,

my common, homely kind of face

has reproduced, and would appear

that evolution's sort of thing

does happen all the time if we

live in that kind of way, no sing-

ing from a joyful heart that’s free

as bird’s once were to celebrate

the “rising of the sun”, for we

would wrap that with more words of late,

and say “Earth turns”, and still not see

as sun streams through our window pain

that painful options we’d not thought

of yet, might be my turn, a gain

to see how far your love has brought

(and likes to go, to multiply)

your love to who is standing by,

I want you in me, here, says I.

Oh Christ, you teach me how to die

to self, as my best way to go

(What do I want? How can I know?).

And what might you, a god who’ll “show

not speak”, want here? I’ll act “in tow”!

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FOUN D OUbT

 

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Oh God, I love the way our brains and minds

connect up with our bodies. This your plan 

And you can bless us. And you do. I find

such help that’s coming on, more to this man.

It’s not so fair, it’s more “over the top”.

Because you can, & do, spread out your love.

It makes me think “one day this must all stop”!

But like the sun, that shines from up above,

on good & bad alike, your love is great.

And you made at the start, with end in mind.

You knew we’d have to move beyond our hate

and self centred advancement, try’n to find

our selves because they seem quite lost of late.

In fact the life & love of Jesus Christ

has warned that when we focus on our self

we’ll lose it, for we’re foetal not mature.

And self is not yet formed, we’re in the womb.

You know all of our insecurities

and aren't surprised that we’ve still got more room

for growth, because our immaturities

are part of your big plan, this is the way

of truth, that can be quite naive, yet “wise

as serpent, harmless as a dove”, he’d say.

I see my job is now not to despise

but as a child learns love and friendliness

from looking at their parents way of life

(in daily life that’s shared - that’s how they bless!)

My job is “share life” back. Both fun and strife.

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moving…walking…ON

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My God! There’s things in my life where I need 

some help to work out ways to do them well.

And not just one, but many, I concede.

But also there’s two tendencies from hell:

The one is to be lazy, in effect

to say it's up to you to make it work.

And often you have stepped in, and just swept

me up in your good purposes. You lurk

about the place, just trying to help out.

Supplying air to breathe, and often food,

some friendly face who smiles instead of doubts.

But sometimes my response has been quite rude:

instead of looking up, blessing your name,

instead of copying my father’s way

of seeing all the good that is to blame

for life continuing, then rightly say-

-ing something with my mouth to credit where

creative love has stepped in once again,

to be a kind of priest, who won’t just stare

zombie like, but look up, and disdain 

the kind of independence that won’t thank

someone for spreading goodness round the place.

My other tendency’s to “soldier on”,

not looking for my orders, “on my own”.

And you want neither. You want kids who’ll shine

out with your family’s spirit, like your Christ.

Oh, thank you for your gifts of love sublime:

his spirit, and his life - all sacrificed.

I love you, 

too.

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