Interesting Things To Know

Sunday 22 July 2012

Romans 12 Project Vs. 5

Verse 5
So we, who are many, are one body in Christ,
and individually members one of another.

If every 
Musician, singer
And composer
Used 
One note
To express
The message of the melody
One single note
Every player
Every blower
Every jammer
Used only
One

There would be 
No message
No melody
No harmony
No beauty

There would be
No notes
And rests
And clefs
And sharps

There would be
No arrangements
No voices
No symphonies

If every musician
Songwriter and singer
Used only
One note
There would be
No music
There would only be
One note
No matter
The passion
The purity
Or the intensity
With which
That note was played
Still no music
Just 
One note.

However with
Many members
All singing and playing
The same song
Different notes
And tones
And styles
And forums
Come together 
And agree

Music
Universally
Cannot be simply
One note
Played loud and long

Being a part
Of a bigger body
Makes us all
Connected
Gives us all a part
A bigger meaning
A grander scale
Simply one body
Weaving together

Like music.



Wednesday 18 July 2012

Romans 12 Project Vs. 4

Verse 4
For just as we have many members in one body
and all members do not have the same function

The intricacy
Of individuality
Presumes that

When the creation
Intention
Came into being
Every iota
Was significant
Every atom
Created 
In sync
In design
In deference to one another

The intricacy 
Of individuality
Presumes that

When the intention 
Of creation
Came into being
Every flutter
Every breath
Every movement
Was
Specific to
The individual

The intricacy
Of individuality
Presumes that

When creation
Was intended
Every single
Piece and part
All work in harmony

All together
To serve
The 
Intricate
Individual
Who is
The Creator



Tuesday 17 July 2012

Romans 12 Project Vs. 3

Verse 3
For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself then he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgement as God has allotted to each a measure of faith


An honest assessment
That's all
Simple
Honest


The tightrope 
Of honesty
Between the land of
Where we used to be
And 
The land of our promise


Between guilt and shame
And pride and vanity
Is where 
Our honest assessment
Lives
Simply honest


We aren't what we 
Used to be
Nor are we where we
Should be
We are somewhere
In between


Fighting doubt
And guilt
And shame
And self-promotion
And blind ambition
And pride
Even in the name of the faith


Our measure
Is only our measure of
Faith


The work done 
In us
The work still left
To do


An honest assessment
Of what grace
Has done
Of what victories
Have been won
Of what work
Mercy has wrought


Our measure of faith
Will help us
Make
An honest assessment
That's all
Simply 
Honest


No higher
And 
No lower
Than we really are


Honestly


Monday 16 July 2012

Romans 12 Project Vs. 2

Verse 2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.


There has to be a change
A change
     On the inside
A change
     In how we think
A change
     In what moves us
A change 
     In what we want

Otherwise
You, God, are unnecessary

Otherwise
We live for ourselves
Like we always have


There has to be a change
A change
     Of choices
A change
     Of dreams
A change
     Of desires
A change
     Of life itself

Otherwise
Proving Your will
Becomes unnecessary

Otherwise
We continue 
To drown in ourselves


There has to be a change
A change
     For good
A change
     For what is acceptable
A change
     Toward Your perfect will


Change begins
     In our choices
     In our habits
     In our lifestyle
     In our heart
     In our mind


There has to be a change
There must be renewal


Otherwise
We live for ourselves

Like we always have.


Sunday 15 July 2012

Romans 12 Project Vs. 1

Verse 1

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

The truth is
We all
Serve somebody
We all
Serve something

The truth is
We all 
Present
Our bodies
For service
Somewhere.

We present ourselves
In service
To what
Serves us best
To what
Fills our needs.

At the gym
At the restaurant
At the dealers house
At the store
At work
At home
At church

To be
Alive
And holy
And acceptable to God
As a sacrifice...

It takes
The mercies of God.

Because 
The truth is
Our natural 
Inclination
Is to 
Serve
Ourselves

The truth is
A spiritual
Service of worship
Is the very least
But the very best
We can offer

Because 
The truth is
Our natural 
Inclination
Is to
Serve
Ourselves.



Romans 12 Project Introduction

It is confession time.


I am an Old Testament woman. I am a 'picture person' which makes the Old Testament work really well for me. Stories and pictures of people and tribes and nations, kings and priests and travellers, ... well, the words jump off the page to me. I find myself in those people, those stories. I am drawn to those old friends time and time again to receive inspiration, to see myself, to see mercy, ... to see all the things I so desperately want to be evident in my experience.


These days I am finding myself drawn more often to the instruction of the New Testament. In my world, both  the Old and the New become the perfect balance. The balance of story and history and experience, with instruction and wisdom and guidance. It took me longer to warm up to the New Testament, but when I started reading them together, embracing the balance they both bring to my life, it all comes alive.


Apparently this writing project is not complete yet. With a couple of fairly clear confirmations, Romans 12 is the next passage that is burning in my heart. 


It will come the same way as Psalm 139, a verse a day.

Thanks for taking a look. Feel free to drop me a note, speak.timely@gmail.com if you like. I'd love to hear from you.


So this is how it speaks to me ...

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Psalm 139 Project Closing Thoughts

As I write this, it is early in the morning where I am. I have just posted the final verse of the chapter, and my thoughts (in verse) on the final verse.

When I began, when the idea struck me, I had no idea how it would take shape. To be honest, it was unlike anything I have done up to this point.

This is such a popular chapter. We quote it to ourselves to remind us of our security and our significance to God, our Creator. We quote the final verses in an attempt to have God search out the hidden areas, the trouble spots, in order to get rid of them. Those were interesting. I love those verses. Over many years, they have brought me and millions of others comfort. During these days, I found myself thinking of them in new ways. New thoughts about cherished passages.

And then there were the 'hate' verses. I'm smiling now as I write this because now that they are passed and posted, I can see the evolution in them, why they are there. When I stumbled upon them in the process of the individual verses, it was extremely challenging to wrap my head around. Such an intensely personal passage, what with God knowing us and creating us and weaving us before we were born. How does this intense hatred and loathing fit into that picture? It took some time to wrestle with those passages. As I remarked in my opening statement for this project, we all come to the Scriptures at different times in our lives, and the amazing thing is that it speaks to us all in different ways. I am grateful for that. Beyond words, am I grateful for that.

Thank you to anyone who has stopped by to read the writing here. Whether one time, or whether you've repeatedly come back, I appreciate that you have.

It is my prayer that something has spoken to the deep places inside you and left a mark.

You and I are His Grand Intention. On purpose. Every day.

Pam

Psalm 139 Project Vs. 24

Verse 24
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

My tomorrows 
Are set before me
The path I am
Set to walk
Lies ahead

I do not want to walk
My tomorrows
Flailing for 
Direction
And meaning
And definition

My tomorrows
Need to be on purpose
Destiny
Faith in
My tomorrows
And faith in the Love - the One
Who designed them

Anything hurtful
Inside me
Needs to go
Needs to be stamped out
Any injustice
Anything that is an enemy
Of love
If it is inside me
Then You must search it out
You must help me
Leave it behind

The everlasting way
Has no room
For the motives
Which trip me up
The excuses
The traps
The lies
I hand myself
To get by

My tomorrows
And my heart
Are already known 
By You

Grant me focus
When I become unclear
Grant me peace
When I turn the corner
To find myself facing fear
Grant me hatred
Of what goes against
The Love of forever
Grant me the security
Of knowing
You see me
You know me
You made me
And you love me

My tomorrows 
Are set before me

Walk with me
Ahead 
And behind me

My tomorrows
Are Yours

You are
My grand intention.



Tuesday 3 July 2012

Psalm 139 Project Vs. 23

Verse 23
Search me, O God, and know my heart,
Try me and know my anxious thoughts.

Contemporary English Version - Look deep into my heart, God and find out everything I am thinking.
Easy-To-Read Version - God examine me and know my mind. Test me and know all my worries.
The Message - Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about.

The biggest hurdle
The grandest gesture
For us
Is to be willing
To be known.


He knows anyway


It is our willingness
That sets it apart
Acknowledging His access
To the depths
And deep, dark corners
That no one else sees.


It is our trust
In what we know
To be true
About Him
In His love
In His grace
In His mercy
In His light


We have so much good
Inside
So much to be proud of
And He is
Proud to know us
Intimately


We have some
Not so good
Inside
So much to hand over
To the
Love
Light
And hope
Of who He is


Our grandest gesture
Is protected 
By the security and warmth
Knowing 
That He will
Steady our hearts and heads
And hands


Knowing 
That He will
Steady our fears
And insecurities
And weaknesses


He will steady us
On the solid footing 
That is security
In Him


All that He requires
Is for us to 
Jump the big hurdle
To
Make the grand gesture


It is for us
To be willing
To be known


He knows anyway.




Monday 2 July 2012

Psalm 139 Project Vs. 22

Verse 22
I hate them with the utmost hatred,
They have become my enemies.

Easy-To-Read Version - I hate them completely! Your enemies are also my enemies
Good News Translation - I hate them with a total hatred; I regard them as my enemies.

Injustice abounds
The news attests
Containers of people
Like cattle
Innocents slaughtered
Lives bought and sold
Commodities
To be owned
Children hungry and starved for
Food and attention

Injustice abounds
Enemies of
What Love stands for
What Love died for

Injustice abounds
And creates
A fire
Inside
A call
To respond
To stand up
To fight the enemies
Of Love

Injustice produces
A holy wrath
Which catches
My weakness
And strengthens
My weakest heart

Injustice abounds

Bringing injustice
To its knees
Requires a hatred
Of all that is against
Love
Requires a hatred
Of all that allows
Abuses and violations and
Purposeful oppression

That holy wrath
Fuels
Change
Fuels
Liberty and Freedom
Fuels
Light and Love
Fuels
All that injustice can never  be


Becoming an enemy 
Of injustice
Strengthens
Loves 
Resolve


Sunday 1 July 2012

Psalm 139 Project Vs. 21

Verse 21
Do I not hate those who hate Thee, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against Thee?

Amplified Bible - Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And am I not grieved and do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
Contemporary English Version - You know I hate anyone who hates You, Lord, and refuses to obey
The Message - See how I hate those who hate You God, see how I loathe all this godless arrogance?

I am not supposed to hate
I am supposed to love
And serve
And reach out


My head knows this
My heart, however,
Has difficulty
Reaching that end


For those who feel
They are above
You
Or for those 
Who pillage and plunder
In Your name
Or for those 
Who bring others down
To their level
           Misleading 
           Abusing
           Overpowering
Those who are weak
     Those who question
          Those in need.


Instead of preserving
And defending
They defile
And damage.


My head knows
I am supposed to
Extend grace
My heart, however, 
Has a harder time
Reaching that end


For those whose
Intention
     Is chaos
          And subversity
               And pain


Creating prisons of souls
Disabling freedom
Of spirit
     In those who trust
          In those who love
               In those caught unexpected.


I am not supposed to hate
My head knows this
My heart, however,
Takes its time getting there.


For those immoral ones
Whose conscience is
Non-existent


I am not supposed to hate
But my head
And my heart
Knows that
Sometimes I do.


Honestly.


Sometimes I do.