Story Time

Once upon a time, there lived a college student in Virginia. On one Tuesday afternoon he had some time to kill before class, so he decided to check his mail. There was something in the box, but that wasn't anything special. It was probably just another paper to read quickly and toss in the recycling. Not quite. It was a stamped envelope with his address neatly written in the center and no return address in the corner. Suspicious.

The note was almost a full page long and written in pencil. His first observation was the tiny print. Most of the capital letters didn't even reach up halfway up to the line above! And it was college ruled too! Still the print was very legible and the letter very easy to read. A date was written up in the top corner, "March 19, 2009," last Thursday. And the signature at the end was simply: "Someone who believes in you." Very suspicious indeed.

He began to read it: "I don't mean to scare you by writing to you out of the blue, but I've been watching you." Wow, that's just great, he thought. At least the mysterious writer knows that this is weird and hopes they don't come across as a creeper. Well intended, but this first sentence fails.

The note continued to tell him that although the writer doesn't know him all that well, what can be seen has been appreciated. It reassures him that he makes a difference and that people admire him and value what he says. It lists a few observations of his traits that other people wish they had, ending with "your desire for God." Following that is a quote from the book of Ephesians. It's Ephesians 1:15-19 from the Message. And the writer of the note insists that Paul is writing directly for him.

"That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—-every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask-—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!"

Woah, really? I don't deserve this, he thought. Someone thanks God for me? And they ask for all of these things for me? I'm a broken sinner who is filled with questions and doubts. These traits that others see rarely show themselves to me.

The end of the note was simple and encouraging. "Don't be discouraged--God is doing a good work in you! He is using you and people are noticing. At least I am." Again with the creepy last sentence, but thank you. Now I have no idea what to do, but it's nice to know someone would go through this effort to encourage. Someone loves me and cares for me and wishes to show it, even if it is anonymously. I'm sincerely grateful.



The world needs more of these stories. It needs more people with the boldness to get out there and encourage others, especially people who don't think they need or deserve encouragement! We need people to pray and care and love, no matter what reaction they receive in turn. We need people who believe in us that don't remain silent. Thank you, whoever you may be.

Thoughts

Thoughts drift
to be lost
and to be caught--
To be claimed
and chained
and ingrained
in my soul.

Choices

I read Jeremiah 26:14 tonight and I asked myself at what point does submission lead to passive apathy. Skipping a lot of what I wrote, this is what I ended with. I know I haven't posted for a while, but this seemed worth posting.

It's better to choose not to choose than to just not choose at all. It's better to submit or surrender your choice than to deny or ignore the fact that you have one. Basically, the outward actions of submission and apathy look very much the same. It's the hidden attitudes behind those actions that are different. Like in most situations, forgetting the attitudes behind actions can lead to false assumptions about the meaning of those actions. Watch your choices and be careful not to judge others for their choices too quickly.

Questions? Am I making any sense? I could write more.

I should be working on an essay

If slavery is not having control over your own life, then freedom is having control over your own life. Ultimate freedom would therefore be to have control over what you ultimately give your life to. Living freely is living in the knowledge that your life is and will be given to what you choose no matter when or how it ends.

I live freely now because of the knowledge that my life will ultimately be given to an eternity with God no matter when or how I die.


John 15:13

2 Timothy 2:13

You know what I love? You know why I can get up every morning? You know why I can make time to journal every night? It's verses like 2 Timothy 2:13:

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful ---
for He cannot deny himself."


God cannot not be God. I can falter and fail and fumble and fall, yet God will still be faithful. I don't deserve that. No one does.

Companion

I haven't posted for a while and I should have. A few weeks back, I wrote an article for the school paper and then last week it was published in the WeatherVane. I meant to post it, but in the busyness of college life I never remembered to. Today I was told that the word "companion" literally involves people who share bread together. It's people with bread. That reminded me to post my article. So, now I have!

An Invitation to Remember Jesus’ Humanity, Communion

By Daniel Miller, Contributing writer

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:19). How common is bread? It was a staple of the rich and the poor. It composed the simplest meal and complemented the most bountiful feast. Those who had it lived; those that lacked it starved. As Jesus spoke these words at the Last Supper, God dared to transform the most commonplace food into a symbol of divinity in human flesh. Jesus’ parting gift was a tool for the disciples gathered around him to come together, share in a meal, and know that he is always present. God invited everyone to remember all of Jesus’ life in the simple, daily, mandatory act of consuming bread.

A few days later, two men walked away from Jerusalem to a small village called Emmaus. They were discussing all the events of the past days, of Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion and the latest story of his resurrection, when Jesus himself came up and walked beside them. The two did not recognize the man and proceeded to tell him all about his own life. Jesus walked along listening and teaching them the deeper meaning of the prophets’ words as they recalled all he had done and all he had said. When they reached their destination the two men invited Jesus to share in a meal with them. “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them” (Luke 24:30). At this, the two men recognized him and he disappeared.

It was as if the memory was enough. The men knew plenty about Jesus—his life, teachings, death—but when walking with him at their side for miles they could not remember him. It was as if they forgot that Jesus was one to walk and talk with his disciples. It was as if they forgot he grew tired and hungry, weary and worn. It was as if they forgot he was indeed fully human! He accepted their invitation to eat bread with them that they may accept his invitation to remember him. And once their eyes were opened and they realized what kind of God they served, he was needed no more. They knew their God dealt with people, not positions. They knew their God cared for relationships, not regulations. In walking and talking among friends, in sharing in a meal—He would always be with them.

When you sit down for a meal, when you share time with friends, stop. Stop and look around at those with you. Look at them and see who they are—not random people, but friends. They are brothers; they are sisters. They are loved by God. Remember that. Remember them. Then eat and share in the memory of the meal; partake of the fellowship that our God demonstrated for us and encouraged us to have. Remember our God that, as a human, partook in this same action with those He knew. Accept His invitation to remember.

Sunday notes

I wrote some stuff down during church at the Table today and I want to post it. I thought about fleshing out my scribbles, but I won't. I'll let you come to your own conclusions from something God talked with me about this morning. Enjoy!



Space of lament:
What do I deserve?
What do You give?
forgiveness, mercy
blessings, grace
hardships, trials
What do I deserve? -- nothing. What have I earned? -- nothing.
What do You give? -- everything, good and bad. Then You make it good.
suffering, starvation, disasters, death -- can they be good?
Can even God make them good?
Yes, but I can't believe it.
I can't see it; I can't understand it.
I must trust.