to be a blessing to the few right there
That sounds very good... to strike while the iron is hot, & for you two to start with that mate…
God bless these two, and then the three, & more,
that afterwards will get infected by
the love & truth & grace of Christ (the law
of love), that makes up games to play, to sigh
& groan in utter self-forgetfulness,
or rather in that kind of trusting choice
to do whatever needs be done to bless
each other they encounter, & rejoice!
Go well dear brothers!
I think I need to here recall the kind,
the lovely & the true, the beautiful,
the praiseworthy, the hon'rable, that find
a place in human high-stories that pull
at heart strings such that "goodness was enfleshed"
and concretized, not mechanistic'ly
but given flesh & bones, somehow enmeshed
within this world, by choices to be free
to love, as love must only show itself.
To show a face of loyalty expressed
in ways not centred on its comfort, health -
though still aware of both. But when its pressed
it will do not its own desire or will,
or hope or plan; subjecting its self to
the source of good, creative love that's still
at work, and will work with dust brought by who
it would empow'r, to make their choices here
side with the loyal-love that seems to lose,
but simply will entrust itself & "fear"
(though not in surville way, in honest truths
once faced and then accepted as its ground
of being), then by choosing so to be
some further, clear extender of what's found,
and seen, in line with how the One-ness sees
who looks not just at part that's been uncov-
ered, but the whole big picture that it knows
quite pers'nal-ly & intimately loved
and given part to play, and ways to grow
somehow, but not just small-ly conceived by
a being who would jump out "on its own",
but one who would express, with groan & sigh,
not just in spoken word, but acts of bone
& flesh, that is empow-ered not by streams
of life just biological (that's all),
but by the will, the spirit, hopes and dreams
of that unseen but present wind that calls
out groaning, singing, sighing, we might say,
& hear ourselves, but never let the both
phenomena be understood the way
of letting objects not object to loathe-
some things, if once they understand the best
& highest has been fully con-sid-ered
& places, roles, distributed; now lest
the whole show be postponed, of be deferred
I'll play my part - "to the Director's health".
I will not let my genius be what
leads all of this, and try to make myself
stand out, to be the one who plays Good God!
The next step is to follow, not to shove.
To play the part that's given to me here.
Where biggest need's a story where there's love
extended to each person coming near.
Not gushy, but the kind and thoughtful truth,
clear spoken with some likenesses exposed.
Not playing games of power with folk who
think that's the game. God's story is supposed,
and chosen here to be performed fully,
by this actor, at least. I am one who
I can in truth control and make, as He
put self as one to act God's will, to do
all that Director's Script has outlined must
be seen, and could be followed by those who
were watching on, & following in trust
of this Director, & Producer too.
Such Actor is my model pioneer,
and I would listen to his clear wise words,
I hear his call, to follow, & come near,
and all other advice turns into turds.
I think I need to here recall the kind
of thing that you've been lately teaching me:
It started in one area. I find
it's spreading out more broadly. Now I see
that your good influence infects me more
than I could guess at first, and it is a
response to my requests, and good friends', for
the morning I learned this, a mate did pray
that God would help me out, he said, to not
be just reactive to deficiencies
that others show, when they think that they've got
God and his ways worked out sufficiently
so no more mys-ter-y is left. He's "solved!"
The arrogance of such a stance seems great:
they let themselves equate ideas evolved
within their mind, as they mature, of late,
with that creative love behind all things:
each proton added makes new element;
the double helix code, & the readings,
of DNA, & markers set & sent
to generations coming down the line.
We hardly know ourselves, or our own mate,
& mysteries, surprises, all the time
are popping up, to teach us not to hate
intrusions, which in true shenanagans
between good friends, are happ'ning all the time,
& then to love the person, much more than
a means to gain what I desire (as prime-
al - motives are equated with desires;
from animals, we learn to grow to rule;
instead of from a being that is higher,
some source of love & wisdom (not more fool
than me, but better than the best in town).
I'd like to follow, learn from such an one,
not use them as a ladder to put down
and walk up on. A friend 'sabove just fun
for me, or "turn & turn about", some rule
to help me in my immaturity.
Tho' that will happen, unless I'm the fool
who will not learn from who is more than me.
Well here is how it started off, before
it grew to cover all relationships:
Take someone's starting point, and be there for
them, as a friend "is there", not "gives the slips".
Forgiveness for ourselves, only received
when we forgive another, or show love
in ways that must be seen to be believed.
The next step is to follow, not to shove.
I see now that my problem-solving mode
is still, when used by immaturity,
helpful if I see that I am slowed
down, thoughtful, checking motives, not just free!
And then, I can move on to "playing game".
But habits must be built, by training well.
Admit my present skill-set, with my name,
UNTIL I'm moved to his heaven from hell.
Oh God, we like the way you give us tools
for doing all the jobs you've got for us1.
We like the way you clarify some rules
when what we need is "steps to take". No fuss2.
And use some bits of culture round about,
like not religious stuff at all, to aid3
the life within our flesh & bones, and shout
us out to dinner4. Other times we've bade
you wait, while we get ready and prepare
the meal, from slaughtering the calf, and bake-
ing bread, and you seem happy to be there
within our loungeroom, having wine & cake5.
And then there's times you train us in our risk-
assessment skills, to serve our people well6.
And help us see you won't just say "Tisk, tisk"
when we throw down the ball, & bring some hell
to Earth7. You look for grieving, mourning, wail-
ing - evidence that we are "back on track"8.
Yet finest of adventures in rough sail-
ing, emiss'ries of you get. We look back
& know you want to save us, give us "safe-
ty" - in adventures (where the ship's destroyed)
to destinations in your realm "Safe Hav-
en", was the name of town you'd see employed9.
When other folk, who will not trust, still choose,
their choices will still quite affect us too10.
Then is the time we know we cannot lose,
continuing to joy & trust in you11.
Footnotes
0. JESUS,..." to be my disciple at all you have to clarify: no rights, and a cross! And keep close, follow me. (LUKE 9:23-26, 14:26-27) And, then, I will be sending you out (from being with me physically) in such a way that you will be like lambs among wolves". In sending out the 12 (Matt 10:16-17) & again in sending out the 70 or 72 (Luke 10:2-4). [this may be an interesting fulfillment of the new creation prophecied by Isaiah (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25) and it may not (Ezek 22:26-27); but obviously in the spirit of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednigo, & Esther: "God is able to save us. But he has not promised to in this life, his plans go beyond it. So, if we perish, so be it."(Daniel 3:17; Esther 4:12-16; 2 Sam 14:14; Heb 10:39)]
Bodies with hands & feet, & stick, or axe, or vine-trimmers, language with vocab, grammar, syntax, (& sometimes... cars, rakes, computers, phones, etc & a society with mecanics, technicians, and programmers etc). Note the way he "gives" his children tools is often through his gift of DNA, and ideas, & he often involves his other children in the giving of these gifts to us e.g. parents in giving us the DNA and our language & education etc. In top of that, we get the chance to be God's hands & feet in giving such good gifts of tools to others around us.
"Till and care for it."(Eden, Genesis ch 2) "Multiply, fill the Earth and subdue it."(Gen 2) The Ten Commandments (Words), & a way to sum up all the Law & the Prophets in the first and great command: Love God with all! (& the second one 'like' it, as is man to God, "Love others as you love yourself".)
e.g. Abraham, asked God how he could know for sure that God would act in a certain way in the future. God's response was to use a social convention common in societies and people groups around Abram to bind himself by a covenant promise tied to a bbq (see Genesis 15).
e.g. in Eden God planted the garden of fruit trees and put the man in the garden saying you can eat all the fruit (..except one, that will kill you)
See Abraham and his three visitors…(Genesis 18:1-15)
Like the Jewish ceremonial food laws and rules about mould in houses and on garments, and diseases like leprosy, and building parapets around the top of houses in Israel…
I think of Moses not entering the promised land because he struck a rock in anger/frustration instead of simply speaking commandingly and giving the people around a model of the way forward. I think of Annanias & Sophira in the early followers of Jesus.
"But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic. Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil." James 3:14-16 GNBUK & "So then, submit to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites! Be sorrowful, cry, and weep; change your laughter into crying, your joy into gloom! Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:7-10 GNBUK
See Paul's journey as he was "taken to stand before kings and rulers" Acts 27:1-28:16
See Joseph's story (Gen 37:1-50:21) & the above mentioned story of Paul's journey to Rome to stand before Caesar (Acts 27:1-28:16)
From those two stories above we have these two statements:
"But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21 NIVUK
After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: ‘Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.’ Acts 27:21-26 NIVUK And later: "Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. ‘For the last fourteen days,’ he said, ‘you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food – you haven’t eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.’ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. Altogether there were 276 of us on board. When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea. When daylight came, they did not recognise the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. But the ship struck a sand-bar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely." Acts 27:33-44 NIVUK
And Peter summing up Jesus' example for us puts it this way:
"For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." 1 Peter 2:19, 21-23 NIVUK
(to the truth… that hesed/agape is all - motive, method, means & end*)
And as a child looks up to Mum, or Dad
they find their nurture in the love of them
(or else find nurture not, unless some tad
is spread around the world within the hems
of garments that are worn by others (sent
by that creative love), who do their job
and treat them as their children; who have rent
their hearts, and not just garments. They won't fob
them off, as unimportant, for as such
their hearts now beat as one, with one who made
a world of people, where folk matter much.
The one-ness grows from heaven in Earth's shade
- within the shade and cover of the flesh
of mother, as folk live within her womb.
So life on Earth, as we know it, will mesh
both parts of hell (that's life within a tomb),
and parts of heaven, "re-al-ized" inside
parameters that nurture life in young
(biology of blood, placentas hide,
yet function so to give, they are not stung!)
And life "as we now know it" quite depends
on maintenance of that togetherness,
that union, though through cord that has two ends
and will be done away with. We now bless
it for it is our lifeline, so to grow
till we come out, to where relationships
can start to be more, as good friends who know
each other well, and won't just "pass as ships
within the night", or if they must, they keep
a vigil of remember-ance themselves
to not forget, or live as though asleep
to their relationship, recall to health
their friendship, by some choice to look, or touch,
imbibe, reflect, their action is a sign
to them, if to no other very much,
a mem'ry, real-ization of design.
And he looked up1, and we might too, if we
would listen2, learn, and follow in his wake3.
A way of covenantal love4, to be
awake to his good leadership3, no fake!
Footnotes:
* Jesus Christ's raison d'etre: "For this reason I was born and came into the world: to bear witness to the truth" (John 18:37).
The greek word to-bear-witness is the word μαρτυρέω (martureo), from which we derive the English word martyr. That being, in the first Century Christian worldview, the ultimate way to bear witness to something, with your life.
Paul's comment that without love, no bearing witness (martyrdom) is worth anything, no faith is of avail, no communication in any language is worthwhile, and that prophecy and words of knowledge will pass on, faith, hope and love being greater, but only love, in the end, will remain/ abide/ live-on (1 Cor 13)
Looking up
Nebuchadnezzar… lived like a beast of the field for 7 years, then at the end of that time "He looked up to the heavens, and his sanity was restored to him" (Daniel 4:34)
Ps 121:1-2 "I look up to the mountains… my help will come from YHWH who made heaven & earth"
Ps 123:1 "LORD I look up to you. Up to heaven where you rule"
But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Mic 7:7 NRSV-CI
Strangely, according to the Septuagint; "Once when Jesus was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Jesus went to him and said to him, “Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?” He replied, “Neither; but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Jesus fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and he said to him, “What do you command your servant, my Lord?” The commander of the army of the Lord said to Jesus, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Jesus did so. Josh 5:13-15, GRCBRENT ,NRSV-CI (know that the Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, made before the time of Jesus of Nazareth (whom I take to be God's christened Leader of Humanity; and that the Hebrew name Joshua is said in Greek as 'Iesous, and that that ancient Greek name is normally translated into English as Jesus)
Jesus looked up… to heaven, gave thanks and broke the bread etc (Luke 9:16; 19:5; John 6:5; 11:41; 17:1)
Jesus looked up, gave a deep groan, or a loud cry, & said to the man "Open up!" (Mark 7:32-35)
"Don't look down" (Prov 4:25); "Look up" or "lift up your heads", (Luke 21:28)
The Greek word used in first Century Christian writings (μαθητής; pronounced mathētēs) means not simply "information learner", but in the context of either the Greek Philosophers or the Jewish Rabbis, a "way-of-life-learner, a follower, a sharer of life and their whole approach to life" ie following their leadership in life.
Jesus himself spoke of himself as a disciple or follower of the Father's will. Indeed his "family" were those who "do my father's will" (Mark 3:32-35). Isaiah sees the suffering servant of the Lord as morning by morning being wakened 'as a disciple', with opened eyes & ears. (Isa 50:4-5) And Jesus said he got his cues from what he saw his father doing, as well as what he heard from his father in heaven (John 8:26-28,38 etc.). God's example of covenantal/ friendship love with Noah (Gen 9:1-17), was to make a covenant with all living flesh, by stating to Noah, and linking his statement to a tangible, well at least visible object, that drew attention to itself, and committing himself to a course of remember-ance, linking his own recall to every time he saw that object. (Maybe he also hoped that his children would follow his example. I could bet that Jesus did!).
Abraham, asked God how he could know for sure that God would act in a certain way in the future. God's response was to bind himself by a covenant promise tied to a bbq (see Genesis 15).
Bibliography:
Recent Blog posts on www.appallinglife.blogspot.com: & see their Bibliographies [e.g. bearing wit'ness; to bear with-ness; apparently a parasite; Responding to HIS initiatives.; a mate travelling through God's world; & with God]
