may your will (even at the expense of my desires), be done!

...coming back to look and listen, to your poem/ recollection/ prayer...

It's almost overwhelming...

I see your recurring themes of loneliness, stepping out on a risky adventure, questions, and, that one I bounced off in my last email...
"Your will be done!" - even more than my escape from suffering.

“His final words guide faith today
Into YOUR hands I commit my spirit
Into your hands I commit my spirit
Thy will be done.”

---

Amen*.

Amen,

Amen!

God, may your will,

(in words learned from their captors, in the tongue
of Babylon, where they were sent to fill

the need of land to rest, to compost dung)

be done! - God's people learn to turn from sin,

and listen to, and weigh up, truth he sends,

and follow God's anointed when he's in

this world to teach us where the good way wends.

Until he brings an end to all that smirched,
transgression finished, and all sin undone.

D’ya think that wickedness must be researched?

It needs to be clean soaked up like a sponge!

And sealed against with righteousness that's tough,

and lasts as everlasting stuff can do.

God's will is not some static thing, enough

for older cov-en-ants, that were in view.

God, may your will not just be talked about,
but done - at the expense of comfort here.

And start in me that I will, without doubt,

now do your will, of thankful, prayerful, cheer!

So, may your new creation cov-en-ant

with you, and faithful be to such a one.

Until you fill the Universe which can't

contain you, though you'll love to have it done!

And though the wars and desolations grow,

an end will come, the sanctuary destroyed,

with God's anointed put to death below,

the chaos seemed to conquer, making "void"

the promis-sory note, the cheque he gave

to say that these resources could be the used.

But ev'ry time his resurrection waved

it gave us hope, and left us less confused!
...

---

* Amen (meaning Yes. Alright. Ah huh. Ok. I agree! May that be the case!), Is an Aramaic word. First Century Jewish people in outlying villages had grown to have Aramaic as their mother tongue, since their exile in Babylon >500 years previous. It was there in exile, that Daniel responded to God's revelation: “Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us,

yet we have not sought the favour of the Lord our God

by

turning from our sins and

giving attention to your truth.

…

‘Seventy “sevens” are decreed for your people and your holy city

to finish transgression,

to put an end to sin,

to atone for wickedness,

to bring in everlasting righteousness,

to seal up vision and prophecy and

to anoint the Most Holy Place.
...

“After the sixty-two “sevens”,

the Anointed One

will be put to death and will have nothing.

The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.

The end will come like a flood:

war will continue until the end, and

desolations have been decreed.”

Daniel 9:13‭, ‬24, 26 NIVUK

---

Jesus’ Parable of a Great Feast (Luke 14:15-24)

Another guest at table [who heard most

o' what he said about the use of “feasts”

and parties, for the invitees and hosts;

and 'bout repayment of the “greatest”/ “least”

at “End of Everything”; the Brand New Start,

the Party of all Parties, Celebra-

tion!] said to Jesus, “Happy true, are hearts

of those who’ll sit at feast where God partakes!”

And Jesus said to him, “..There was a man,

who giving a great feast, invited man-

y people. When the time came, he began

to send his servants out to tell the men

and women he'd invited, all his guests,

‘Come, everything is ready!’ Now's the time!

But they all then began, to make requests

for leave of absence, reasoning sublime..

And after one, another made excuse.

The first one told the servant, ‘I have bought

a field and must go look at it; don't use

this as a point against me, for I fought

quite long and hard to save, and gain this field.

And do not pity me, but know “I'm good”!

So, here are my apologies. Please yield.’

Another said, ‘I’ve bought a new car, should

I not now run it’s motor in? You see,

I'm sure, that I am bound to follow through

on such a big investment. Excuse me.

And please accept apologies - if due.’

Another said, “I’ve JUST got me a wife,

so for that reason I cannot come there.

You understand, this is a change of life.

So in apologies - accept our pair.”

The servant then went back and told all these

to his good master who was furious

and told his servant, ‘Hurry to alleys

& streets within the town, bring "spurious" -

the folk who're poor, and crippled, blind, and  lame.’

So soon the servant said, ‘Your order’s done, -

been carried out, sir, but if it's the same

to you, there is more room still, ain’t this fun?

So master said to servant, ‘Go out to

the country roads and lanes and help them come

in, so my house will fully be full. You

know, of “invited guests” who'll taste? NOT ONE!’”

---

*   Luke 14:1-14

Recalling the “lesson” at the end of Matthew's similar rendition of (this, or another of)  Jesus’ story(ies): “Many are called, but few are chosen”, I just understood the possible humour in Jesus’ way of using the common terms for God's "called out of the nations", and "chosen" people. In these two of Jesus’ parables, the called are the invited guests who were called on initially, - and they “miss out”.

“Called” are many.

“Chosen” not many!

In an ironical play on words and meanings (similar to ol' Jonah's, with his 5 word  sermon), the “chosen” are those who “have chosen” to respond to the King's will, above their own desires!

[Reminds me too of Jesus’ Ambassador, Peter's, words: “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body has finished with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for human desires, but rather for the will of God.”  1 Peter 4:1‭-‬2]

How does one "make disciplined learners"?

Thinking of a friend who has given gladly of God's life within her, and been betrayed by a friend as close as Judas who betrayed Jesus “with a kiss”. Continuing to learn to live openly and givingly, as God does with us, and to appreciate the ambiguity and un-knowingness which questions^ help lead us further into [while, at the same time not precluding that we can come to know^ more deeply, in the personal sense].

---

One, Carer, bearer of three children now,

had had a taste of that before somehow,

in giving living water (milk, sometimes)

to children of the God who loves these rhymes -

with sounds around some place, that “come again”,

in fashions diff'rent-ly, with diff'rent “when”.

They're “ordered”, but not “bossed” at all you see;

they're found, and were once lost, but they be free.

Authority origin'ly not come

from rule, but ruler; who, though Number One,

ain't just a “bust” of Architect who'll  think.

But more a door into a world, a drink,

or food (not rude, but intimate enough),

like mother feeding her own body’s stuff -

her milk (the ilk of food and drink in one),

in order to grow up her daughter/son.

But not for what she can be given  back,

to get some “slaves”, who'll help where she has lack.

It's true, ensuing things will come to be,

but some are goals*, and some desires*, see!

To name the same god, “El Shaddai”, might mean

“destroying pow'r, to overthrow" it seems
"and crush”; or else "the many breasted one"°,

it's ambiguity appears well done.

Thus he could be our sustenance and source,
in what we do, and other ways^ of course,

as Carer's giving of her living self,

in sharing life with friends - in sickness/health.

---

*  Using Larry Crabb's helpful distinction between “goals”, & “desires” outlined once again here.

°  "El Shaddai (Hebrew) explanatory sites one, two, three,

^  To share our selves fully is to share our UN-knowing, as well as our knowledge, our questions “as well as” our answers, maybe “more than”. e.g. from a Jewish writer (with my response to a few of his comments) :  The necessity of asking questions; from an educator, Chris Gribble's poems Thinking early in 2018, and When I Wonder, later in the year; and from a promo blurb for a Christian leadership author Todd Wilson's book on Questions.  A beautiful book that further explores this kind of knowing we long for is To know as we are known, by Parker Palmer. .

The God of the gods...

It turns out that the Greeks were not so wrong -

there ARE god's who are ruling over Earth!

And they are 'bout as fickle as they're strong,

at times you wouldn't guess: ‘divine by birth’,

for there are times they miss the mark quite well,

and don't live up to their nobility,

their rule is off’n fickle, bringing ‘hell’ -

but in that Hebrew sense, if you can see -

the sense of that 'gehenna^’ more than 'hades’.

Gehenna's like Jerus'lem's "rubbish dump",

where it could be both 40* in the shade,

and, there corruption was let ‘get the jump’

in breaking down and turning to compost,

the maggots and the centipedes, as well

as howling dogs who fought, and “won” or “lost”,

the stench of death, the breaking down, & smell...

was maybe just the picture of the sort

of life this Earth can really truly be-

come. Come what may be warnings which then caught

some folk's imaginations, yet sadly,

less often than folk move in Jesus’ way,

we make God's world a dump - that's hot, and stinks.

Our choice still stands, to follow him today,

or give that other ‘hellish life’ more wings.

But like Nathan’yel I would bow my knee,

and state that Yeshua's “my lord and god”,

my leader, who is leading me to be,

and live, and walk as he has always trod!

---

^ Gehenna's start in the days of King Manasseh gave it a cursed feel in the eyes of those protecting,  culturing and looking after humanity. Then in ~1200 CE a Jewish scholar Rabbi David Kimchi (alone) suggested that it may have become the city's rubbish dump, which may account for Jesus' use of it as an analogy for the untimely end of those who will not be brought into the family/ household/ city of God. But it may simply have been it's connection to Manasseh's use of it, and some Jewish thought of it being associated with the gate or portal of an after-world with the same name “gehenna”. Jesus' use of it in his context connects it with rebellion, its consequences, and God's predictions through the prophet Isaiah, in alluding to the burning of children (which was previously linked with the valley of Hinnom, that is Gehenna), and God's burning of his enemies, in the last (verse and) chapter of Isaiah regarding the (unclean, repulsive, unburied) corpses of rebellious people, kept out of the new creation. In short it was used along with, at least the association's of a city dump: "outside the city", "unclean", "worms", " fire", "decay". Another (blog) summarises research. In short Rabbi Kimchi's suggestion fits the bill as a pretty good metaphore that fits with the feelings of repulsion, waste, and unclean-ness  engendered at the end of Isaiah. A (metaphorically speaking) dump outside the city for human refuse, in this case (I'm suggesting that metaphorically, the rebellious people might actually be seen as) the products of spontaneos abotions or miscarriages, embyos and foetus’ that would not stay connected to grow to maturity.

*  degrees Celcius/Centigrade (= 104 ° Fahrenheit) if unshaded dump in middle east?

In the Judeao/ Christian scriptures Yahweh is depicted as the God of gods (Deut 10:17; Ps 84:7; Ps 136:2), - and Lord of lords, which title he shares with Jesus (Deut 10:17; PS 136:3; Rev19:16)

The statement  “My lord & god.” (Ps 25:23; Jn 29:28) The end of a psalmist's cry for help, and an exclamation at the start of recognition of the last of the first-apostles to see the resurrected Jesus personally!

When things get tough - Let's see ya stuff - can't thank enough!

Even when our livlihood fails. 
And with it our food supply.
While the economy ails,
and all the hotels are dry.

No wine to help sleep at night,
or to lose inhibitions,
and help lovers taste delight.
Economic conditions

no longer support people,
and all the crops and the meat
are dying, the sort people
relied on, not just to eat!

Yet in the middle of that,
I will rejoice in The Lord!!
(Even if I turn to fat
and even if I feel bored)

I will be joyful in God.
He's the one who does saving.
He saves me IN (but not from) 
all of my fears, and craving.

So, make a joyful noise to
Yahweh, The Lord of the earth. 
Serve The Lord with gladness!! Who
comes to His presence is worth

a whole lot more, 'cause his love
is the basis of value,
all good things come from above!
If you are "with us", God, you

the creator of singing,
will help us all so to do,
untill this place is ringing
with clebration, the new

Heavens and Earth will erupt,
when you let them, not before,
we don't want any corrupt-
ion to then ru-in all your

goodness that grows as we speak.
Help us acknowledge and see
goodness that's here, though it's weak.
The Lord God's the source, & he..

He made us, and, we are who's?
His people, his sheep - that's us; 
and it's his pasture we use.
We love 'cause first he loved us,
and his love we won't refuse.

---

Even when the fig trees have no blossoms and there are no grapes on the vines, even though the olive crop fails, and the crops in fields have all died, even though the sheep and cattle are dying. Yet I will rejoice in The Lord!! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18 (PM Version)

Make a joyful noise to The Lord, all the earth. Serve The Lord with gladness!! Come into His presence with singing!! Acknowledge that The Lord is God!! He made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100:1-3. (PM Version)

We love because God first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (PM Version)

--- another year eh?---

Well, “Mate-os” you are one great oaf, and yet
you're getting older ev'ry day you live.
Experience like yours can't just “forget”,
so wisdom grows, if mem'ry ain't a sieve.

There's those who think you live a life that’s charmed,
and then at times you see just what they means -
when “evil” has lashed out, you've not been “harmed”:
been punched, rammed, shot, hit, rolled, and stroked it seems,

an “endless” list of maladies hit you,
and though you're hurt and injured, still well healed.
But pain still lingers, sometimes you are blue.
You know that bitterness and hatred wheeled

like vultures over-head to take their “friend”,
they seemed to aid against being annealed
for you'd not s’often, bend to them at end.
So “good” ain't been the only thing you feeled.

But on the other side you know the pow'r
of what you give yourself to think upon,
The d'rection of your thoughts in ev'ry hour
effects the ending of your whole life's song.

For melodys of songs are the “high notes”;
the focus of it's end is not just “where”
upon a scale, or scales; it’s end connotes,
or is connoted by a stepping stair,

and “..whether it is going up or down?”,
and “.. at what pace?” might make a diff'rence too.
So “Mate-os” I am glad that you're around,
and thanks for all your thoughtfulness. Adieu.

a pizza deliverer is bashed - again!

Oh God, please help our friend now at this time,
and please give wisdom to 'is fam'ly too,
while things don't seem to have poetic rhyme,
or make much sense, they even smell of poo,..

insanity, and hatred, lying, spite,
and jealousy are growing round about,
as much of this world has shut out the light,
and only thinks of “feeling good”, as louts

that want to do whatever they would like,
want other folk to make their food, and bring
it to them where they are, even to hike
a distance to them. They would still not sing,

or grow more thankful, they would think "of course",
"folk should be doing this to me, their god,"
So now we need your wisdom to divorce

what man has glued together where we've trod:

our goodness and our comfort, in this world,

are not synonymous at all we see,

so here we are, and you can bet we're hurled

by God's own spirit, to shine out and be

a source of God's own life to who looks on,

another way, responding to our lack

with open hands, that will not beat upon

a person passing to cover our backs.

So as this culture falls apart, around

about our ears, we want to follow well,

our Leader, and to listen to the sound

of his voice, thus to save our souls from hell!

---

dream-time and the lamb

The Lord is my shepherd, 
I have all that I need
He lets me rest in green pasture. 
He leads me beside still water. 
He restores and gives life to my soul. 
He guides me along the right path to take, for His name's sake.
Psalm 23:1-3 (PM Version)

I am very well
looked after and too,
provided for. Shall
this not continue?

Since the one who does
this is bigger than
all the universe
- IT is just HIS DREAM.

A Prayer Carta

Tight fists, ..  to palms down, ..  to palms up;

---

In God's presence as a body-language prayer to God and expression of your own determination to identify our most valued things coming to us, and to change clutching, into letting go before God, and then receiving from God… Our Sensai unclutched, did not cling to, let go of glory, honour, and immortality; took on shame, dishonour, mortality, & death; & won! He is teaching us this new, and True Way of Life, which is anti-the-”reign”-of this-world.

(repeated as often as needed. We started with a minute for each.) cf Philippians 2:5-11

---

following the Leader


And looking out for one another's int’-
-rests, not just for your own. That’s just like him!
His attitude's becoming your eye's glint,
expressed in his own life in ways undimmed.

Thus he who was by very nature God,
did not think he must clutch it close to him,
and cling to be seen “equal” as he trod
this earth, entrusting self into God's whim.

And so, of his own will he gave it up,
he let it go, and then he took suff’ring
on up, the nature of a servant, cup-
bearer who must drink what's on the off’ring .

Un-erring like a “son of Adam” he
appeared on Earth and humble, walked the path
o’be-di-ence, and all the way to “D”
his Death- a death of shame, and a “blood bath”.

So FOR this reason God has raised him to
the highest place above, and given him
the name and title greatest, which can do
“much more”. Compared, all other titles dim.

And so, in honor of the name “Yeshu’”
all beings in the heavens, on earth too,
and in the world below will fall onto
their knees, and all will openly say you

were right in making Jesus Christ the Lord,
and god of all humanity, our Boss,
His attitude is like yours. He's no fraud,
and God the Father's glory isn't lost!

---

Philippians 2:4‭-‬11 GNTD
https://bible.com/bible/69/php.2.4-11.GNTD

What kind’a God?

---

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

(Words of Jesus, taken from the NIV Bible, “Luke”, chapter 13 verse 6 and 7. I have taken out the verse numbers, and added a heading that unlocked something for me.- Chris Uys)

---

What kinder god?

Some say their god’s a tyrant, who would rant

and rage from up above with lightn'ing bolts,

with leprosy and plagues to cast aslant

upon an unsuspecting world of faults.

With fault-lines strewn around from growing out,

the problems which entail will come along

for growth and change are difficult, no doubt,

as most of us have found when we're not strong.

The god of Jesus (whom he called his “Pa”),

at times was spoke of as a gardener bloke,

who's planting trees and shrubs and vines to start,

but knows “trimming & culling” is no joke.

He's quite aware of ecosystems, more,

I’d like to say than most of us have been.

He gave such plants to animals, then, for

their food and places they could live, and breed.

And fruit is more than seed - an excess, gift

to other forms of life that come around.

A kind of “help to live” for those that lift

and drop the seeds, or trim the trees, or ground.

The gardener gave his ground and garden to

his children, for productive work and care,

and food, accommodation that renewed,

and places where their fam'ly life could share…

the time and space, enjoy it all as friends,

and lovers could in such a paradise.

Not sure you could get kinder, nicer ends

to aim for, or that god could be more wise.