Another Step On The Journey

As much as I want to ignore the goings on of this particular time of year I don’t need to on this occasion – it plays into my favour.

My dad was never one for these kinds of thing – not a party man, not one for the big festivities and all that kind of jazz. He is a man who takes most things in his stride and takes every day as it comes. Each day was another day to him – another day to do things and enjoy his day as he does regularly – whether that’s working hard, or enjoying his church or really enjoying his allotment. It was just another day – each filled with the potential to be a good one and for each day he would find contentment. Even when it came to birthdays or anniversaries it was hardly a big deal to him. That level of equanimity really puts the fuss that people can make of days into perspective.

I really value those priceless times of life, and as I’ve written elsewhere, I’m a big believer in landmarks and milestones. It’s important to celebrate these things and mark them as steps along the journey of life. I like the thing we do for Lord’s Supper annually in getting to know the story behind the festival – why it’s a big deal not just from Jesus’ position but where it was coming from in the Exodus and how it was foreshadowing the great work to come.

That’s brilliant – that whole symbolism and involvement in the story of what has been that defines you and what that means for your identity as you go forward. It’s all very encouraging and to note that that is what certain times of year means for people males it fine with me to see people celebrating and having fun at this time of year.

For me, though, it’s not that big a deal because nothing significant has ever happened on the 31^st December or 1^st January. The year might be celebrating a birthday, but I’m not. Lots of things have happened over the year, but they in themselves will be things worth celebrating in themselves as the year comes around. For example, April is a special time for me, because I remember that as the real spring of my spiritual renaissance in 2006. December, as you know, is special because of the birth of my firstborn. August is precious as it marks the birth of my beloved wife. September is special as that is when my sister and my dad were born. My second daughter came along in the same month as my mother, so that’s special.

On it goes, special times to remember special things that have happened in life that are worth celebrating and rejoicing over and over. They provide the opportunity to remember the story of how it came to be, what it has come to mean and where it can help shape the future expression of the identity that it has established.

So it is on this evening I’m chilling in me crib with Abigail. We’re sorting out the washing and drying for most of the laundry that has clogged up over the last week or so. We’re catching up on some Dr. Who from the end season 3 with Martha and Captain Jack joining the Doctor in fighting the Master who has become the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Other than that there’ll be plenty to keep me occupied for the rest of the evening (you should see the laundry!) and then I’ll retire to sleep at the end of what my dad would tell me is just another day. Just the end of another day, at the end of another month, at the end of another year.

Oh but it’s more than that – it’s the end of another step in the journey. God has allowed you and me to see the end to another step and for whatever was in that step and however we viewed it, that we have made it here is worth being thankful for. It is not guaranteed that we’ll make another step and for some of us in some shape or form, just as it has been for us in life, it will be journey’s end. While there’s breath in the body, though, for all the highlighted special times, let us appreciate every moment of every day as another opportunity to enjoy another step in this mysterious, fabulous, frustrating and glorious journey of life.

Speaking of the end of journeys, this entry spells the end of the journey of blogging ... on Blogger. I’ve really enjoyed blogging on this and will always be grateful for the platform they’ve given – hey it’s free – to be able to put these witterings and wonderings for the past four years. As I’ve hinted at here and there over the year I’ve been thinking about alternatives and as you may have gathered, I’ve been blogging through WordPress for both Life Journey Notes and Among Friends and have found it to have a few advantages to Blogger (as well as one or two drawbacks). After wrangling over it for months, I came to the conclusion that it was time to give it a test run for this main blog. It’s a work in progress and obviously a few things will have to be ironed out over the time, but like a number of things occurring in me life it’s a time of new beginnings and so it should be for me blog.

I’ve been really grateful for the improved prolific writing this year on the blog. I think there’s been more good than bad over the year and hopefully in the year to come I can step up the level of consistency especially with the written material, accompanying the YouTube posts. To maintain this level of posts and have a level of consistency throughout the year, is my desire not for my own sake as me tagline suggests. I want to build on these things and see where we go from there. I didn’t have a clue just what would emerge in 2009, but overall I’m grateful to God for some good things that have come up with. So who’s to say what will happen in the time to come – whatever may come I hope to enjoy what happens and take it in some ways better than I have this year.

God bless you in whatever steps along the journey you make – hope you at least get to see His presence in them and like one writer be able to say, whatever your lot He has taught you to say ‘it is well with my soul’.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Power of the Story

I enjoy spending some time reflecting on the issues of life. It’s good for me. It keeps me sane when I want to go berserk. So anyway, today I was given that opportunity to do some reflecting and it occurred to me that the story has a lot to do with whatever success I have in life. I do like a good story. I enjoy a good story whether it’s true or not. Indeed some of the best stories are true and are good for helping me along in life and even some of the ones that don’t relate to reality.

When I think about the steps in life that I’m taking at the moment, it is amazing how they fit well with concepts of the story. It is fascinating how they work well in fitting in with so many things. So for example the story of the Beatles and their rise and fall up until that whole 1969/1970 fiasco is just so intriguing. Why did they fall apart the way they did? Why didn’t someone do something earlier to ensure the parting of the ways would be amicable? But in all those questions, what a story!

Then there’s the story of Manchester United. Now I’m not a United fan as you know only too well, and you’re also aware that as a Liverpool supporter, they are meant to be the enemy. Still, I like a good read and I like football so it’s only fair that I read up on some good stories. The story of Manchester United as written by Jim White is a really gripping insight into how the club that started off as a form of recreational relief for workers went onto become the multi-million pound going concern of the early 21^st Century. The ups and downs, ins and outs, figures and personalities, principles and power-plays are not just about football or a city, but relate to elements of life to which we can all relate in some sense. Not only is it about where we were, it informs where we are and where we could go. All imaginatively and creatively outlined for us in the power of a story.

Lets face it a lot of people get concepts better through a story than they would through it being logically outlined and explained in a matter-of-fact way. Even lectures can rise above slumber-ville when inhabited with the characterisation of someone in a story form.

My own love for the word of God was not through the passionate preaching of our church pastor, or through the insistent children’s classes we had to endure back in the day. It all came about reading those interesting stories and even seeing them in comic form about this relationship between God and man, through the story of God and Israel. Then the widening of the relational picture through the mission of Christ and subsequent spreading of the gospel and the stories we read of the bigger pictures in the letters of the New Testament.

Now as I walk through life these stories inform aspects of it and help me to at least appreciate it in the light of a larger story. After all that is all that history records – what role we play in the story and we know that if we don’t learn from the lessons of history in some sad cases we can be in danger of repeating it. Who wants to live a bad ending?

So that’s the story of the story for the day and as you can see I’m glad to be back and blogging on a regular basis. As you also know I’m intrigued to keep on going with the blogging as an exercise in writing and bringing it together in whatever way I can. In the light of these passions and interests expect some more changes in the upcoming future ... but that’s another story!

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Be Careful What You Blog For

You remember me talking about needing nothing but a relationship with Jesus even at the detriment of my creature comforts like dear relationships and connection to me laptop. Well would you believe that today me personal laptop is currently undergoing some technical difficulties which means it is not available to me at this moment. Inconvenient? Yes. Pain in the neck? Definitely. Refreshing, liberating and challenging in a stimulating way? Absolutely.

Life goes on and you get on with it somehow. At present the wife is allowing me to use her machine, which is very generous of her, even if like her it’s a cute little thing with keys far too small for my fingers!!

So I be just blogging in gratitude to the fact that sometimes God gives an insight into foresight that we appreciate in hindsight and it remains all good

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

September Update

Do you think I enjoy these gaps? Really? I mean back in the day when I wasn’t so fussed about getting stuff done on the blog it wasn’t such an issue. Now, in the light of a good run in July and August I was all set for September to continue the trend. Yet with a number of pressing assignments and engagements I’ve not even had the opportunity to make as many notes as I’ve been used to making anyway.

With that in mind there have been a few thoughts brewing to blog about. There were some that I could have considered blogging about like – what is the difference between Christians and non-Christians in an age where the behaviour of both doesn’t differ that much? What would a church look like if people knew what it was to be submissive to each other? How has America affected the way we live?

I finished reading the Diana Ross biography on Friday and it made for fascinating reading. Today in fact I was all caught up her most memorable song of my lifetime; the Barry Gibb inspired Chain Reaction. I’m Coming Out has also been in my head for the majority of the day today. I know it’s been adopted by the non-heterosexual community to express their freedom of sexuality. I hear it in a completely different way where it is actually the emergence of the finished product from the cocoon state. From a theocentric perspective it is good to be in the position where after so many years of living within yourself you’re able to discover what you’re meant to be and flourish in expressing it.

Currently the books I’m working through are an analytical view on Hugh Hefner that I’ve had from the library for at least three months now and I haven’t got round to making my way through it, the Oona King diaries and of most interest to me is Stuart Murray’s Post-Christendom. What Murray proposes really has some serious implications for our perspective on life as Christians today. I am looking forward to making a more detailed review of the book on completing it.

Still, just a short one for today to let you know I miss you and I’m glad I’ve posted today.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Just Another Late Night Update

Blogging is a bit like talking to an old trusted friend. Who has nothing to say in return. Instead just takes on board what it says and keeps it carefully.

As you’d have read I love putting stuff on here and have been a bit more prolific of late, but in the last few days I haven’t been blogging and you can ask why’s that then Chris? Well go on then. There, and in answer to your question I’ve just been really busy of late. There’s someone staying with us at the moment who was pregnant and has given birth, so that took out Friday and yesterday was a really hectic day as well with hospitality and stuff. As well as that the wife has not been well and I’ve taken some time to look after her – time admittedly that could have been invested in writing, but apparently my wife is more important than blogging. (Shocking, I know, but that’s what the good book says).

Yesterday was actually a good example of what a busy day is all about. Lots of things to do, people to see, stuff to sort through and guests to entertain. By the end for the first time I can recall I actually went to bed and sleep before 10pm! That’s right before 10pm my bed saw me inhabiting it!

It was a surprise to me too, so it was no surprise that this morning I woke up astonishingly early – like just after 5am. It was no time to be up and about blogging or stuff, especially next to me wife. So I managed to make the most of the time texting people and enjoying good company (sure she was asleep, but sometimes that’s the best time to catch her).

Later on I get to go to a party – voluntarily – thankfully I get a good few games of pool in and some fancy grub as well before engaging in a wonderful walk and talk with a precious friend. Hence blogging this so late on. So you may be a bit confuddled at the reference to yesterday as Saturday and not Sunday when you check the date of this post, but when you look at the time like Hercule Poirot you will deduce that the day today was more Sunday than a Monday that has barely just begun.

Lots of stuff going on in general with me life, mostly good at present, but all busy and keeping me occupied. In all that I am still endeavouring to remain focussed on Christ. The reading is trucking along at a good rate as well. I hope to post some reviews especially on the Richard Foster book that I’ve just completed on Streams of Living Waters. I even got something from a Roy of the Rovers special covering the 1980’s which I read in one sitting (or lying-down as I was in the bath at the time). Just started a biography of Sir Alf Ramsey by Leo McKinstry. Fascinating reading so far and I hope to share some of the finding with you over time.

Keep on praying for dmcd with the family and work and other transitions and the like it can be easy to be distracted, but I love Jesus and more importantly am aware that He loves me and has called me to Himself to get His business done. So I want to be getting on with that. Hope to slap on another blog before the end of Monday to maintain a good rate of blogging until then keep on experiencing the shalom offered in relationship with the God of Shalom.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Fast and the Curious: A Grace Expression

I was thinking – yeah shock I know – how the blogposts give an insight into what I’m thinking at a given time, but don’t really offer that much insight into who I am and what I do, which is cool in some cases, but not in all. Then remembering the series on fasting and a current theme on grace expressions everything coalesced neatly into today’s blog.

I walked home from the YMCA this evening from the Chill, Chat & Connect session I help to run on a Monday evenings. As I made my way down Watkin Street, the street on which I live, I began thinking to myself what I would probably blog this evening.

I was reflecting on the life I live and the blessings to which I am afforded at this time and the following concept came to mind. - Fasting in the Feast and Feasting in the Famine. I noticed that this has been a rich season for reading and writing – being able to do things I enjoy and feel gifted at. I considered the fact that Hughie’s invitation to use the upstairs office at Phase 1 or even use an office at NORSACA as a base of operations until my area in the main hall was sorted was part of a wave of good feeling.

So this was about giving me the space and the time to continue the one-to-one conversations as well as reading online material and more Bible study that would inform and shape the writing that would emerge from that.

I then reflected how that would help me work towards the scene of producing writing material for different organisations – COG, NORSACA and the YMCA chiefly and then also from that developing those audio recordings and projects that spin off from that.

Reflecting on such a time of plenty in terms of opportunities and creativity made me more aware of the need to be grateful to God for opportunities. As I put this in the context of making copious notes on the notepad as well as electronically and yet that didn’t cover all that I think and consider made me all the more thankful.

Then I thought again about that episode in Genesis when Pharaoh is bothered by a dream that he cannot understand. Then an imported foreign slave who was also a convicted rapist was discovered to also have a good way with these dreams. What he was about to divulge to the Pharaoh would contribute to the country being an economic superpower in a global downturn. The principle behind the success was relatively simple – in times of plenty as you enjoy remember to store up because days of famine are around the corner and how you deal with the feast will determine how you cope in the famine.

It doesn’t take a genius to see that this is a great life principle. Not every day is sunshine and not every day sees it dull and overcast. Some days are better than others, but all days can be fruitful and productive days however bad it may appear when the attitude is to make the most of every situation so that it benefits the good and the bad that comes.

It is something that has been stressed in our church that we need to make the most of the time that we have to seek God now and develop a passionate relationship with Him. We really have to soak in and retain as much as we can of the good experiences we have now. These will sustain and keep us connected to the generous Father who allows us to have all good things. It will allow us not to make the mistakes of history where a people delivered from soul-crushing slavery by mighty acts of God were only too quick to complain when bad things rather than believe that the same God who did those tremendous acts would sustain them even in time of lack and indeed the very knowledge that it is on Him they rely should not develop a complaining culture but a thankful people.

The script of God’s relationship with people is Him being gracious, loving, merciful and forgiving while we only remember Him when we reap the harsh consequences of our neglect of Him. Sometimes even this memory of Him is short term and convenience based rather than relationally dependent.

So I look at my wife and children, consider the job I have and the people with whom I work and whom I serve, the church that I am a part of with the benefits we currently enjoy and endeavour to savour these times. These are not deserved for I have done nothing to merit them, my own failings and struggles constantly disqualify me from the abundant generosity and love of God.

Yet the reality is that I am witness of His grace and genuinely believe by His grace slowly but surely as Paul and John wrote I’m getting better all the time. Better than that is that the grace of God and His character remain the same – His love endures forever, blessed be His name.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Right Thing At The Right Time In The Right Place

So as you’re aware I’m enjoying writing at the moment and I want to keep doing it on a more consistent basis. Unlike the other blogs on this one I can just about post anything and it will be fine because this is me personal blog where anything goes … within reason of course.

So here I am this evening and I’m dressed in one of my favourite outfits – black trousers, white shirt, black waistcoat and earlier on I had a cool grey and cream tie to go with the outfit. Sometimes I make the effort for church on the Sabbath – it’s all for God at the end of the day and I tend to find that the more relaxed I dress the better I am at church, but I’m sure that’s a mental thing.

In any case I’m dressed here listening to a playlist of five versions of EWF’s In The Stone and I’m reflecting on how important it is to be in the right place at the right time doing the right thing, because if you’re not then things don’t happen. As you know it’s just as bad to actively engage in the wrong thing as it is to not do the right thing. Indeed one of the biggest things that have helped in my relationship with God lately is that reassurance that it’s about overcoming evil with good, that is to say it’s not about stop doing something, but actually re-direct your energies elsewhere. It can get really frustrating being told what you cannot do, but it is of great benefit when you’re pointed to a healthy alternative that will eventually redirect your passions from the wrong you did to the right that you now do.

The next trick, however, is to be clear that you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing. Sometimes I am guilty of getting caught up in things that appear noble at first and indeed on paper they are good things, but the thing about life is the time and energy you take doing something noble and wrong is time and energy that should have been applied to doing what’s right. That’s a tricky thing when so many things are demanded of you by well meaning people, but in the long run with things at stake like eternal values it is far better to be able to say about your time that it was used to take pleasure and delight in doing the right things, rather than just pleasing people and sentiments but not fulfilling that which you’re called to do. It makes sense in the long run.

It’s a fairly hectic season at the moment and tomorrow is a highlight of that with the citywide carnival Six Towns – One City event taking place in Hanley Park. I should be there for most of the day and am believing it will be a beneficial time for everyone there – remind me to write about prayer walking – fascinating feature of life that is. Until then, the fasting series will come back online in the week to come as we address a few more issues before we wind it up. Some book reviews are scheduled in the next few weeks, so look out for that and at some point I’ll have to develop on the theme Audio August. Keep praying for dmcd so that I may be consistent in fulfilling my passion of disciplined writing.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Month In, Month Out

So there we go. Month in, month out. End of July and the beginning of August is upon us. August is an interesting month isn’t it. Thankfully now I’ve finished academia and have done for ten years this month I can look at August differently. Back in the academic days August was the black hole of academic months as there was no education to be had. Rather I recall this month being about work placements. Now it’s more a case of negotiating around others who use this month to take their vacations. I have no plans to do so this month, there are quite a number of things to attend to. Before I hint more on that a word on July.

As I stated at the beginning of the month the previous three months had not been that prolific in terms of blog entries, especially ones with just me written word. I wasn’t too pleased about that, but it was understandable from the perspective of settling into the new home and the trauma that caused in the context of making some clear life decisions as well. So to put in 20 entries over a 31-day month and all of them to be original dmcd material with no reference to video clips or the like is a fair outing.

You’ll note that I inch ever closer to the record number of blog entries I’ve put in a year already and it’s fair to say I should exceed that this month leaving the remaining four months to set a proper reflective record of entries to this here blog. July has been a good month in many ways including getting a clearer direction at work and also completing some writing assignments for which I was excited. It contributes to the feeling I have that the clarity of purpose is allowing me to invest the time appropriately in pursuits in line with the purpose at the same time ditching other things that don’t match the call. I’m still very much in the early stages of the process so this is by no means a final hurrah to all the issues, but it is a progress report to thank God that so far His grace has seen me accomplish a bit more in July.

Understandably I am hoping those developments will act as a platform for more consistent outputs and even further accomplishments in certain areas this month. Moving onto that subject August presents its own quirks and challenges in being a holiday month overall. Thankfully football is back on this month so there’s that to get me teeth into, but to all intents and purposes things are running on a skeleton basis where I work and stuff like that. This means August is a month to commit to some listening. Yes that’s right, listening. Indeed I hope to be doing a special blog entry, perhaps on the StokeCOG Life one, about new series that’s been launched in our church circles about Audio August based on the premise of listening.

I’m aware that often I can be activity driven and to some extent that makes me ill. I gather, my temperament is more suited to a more contemplative and thoughtful approach than with all the hectic to-ing and fro-ing for this project or event. One thing I discover about the concept of being responsible is that there is something implicit about listening to someone and responding in kind. This is something we can do because we are able to respond – hence being responsible. The trouble comes in though when I’m not listening to that to which I’m meant to be responding. So how can I respond when I’m not listening? This question naturally leads to another about how can I listen? To whom do I listen?

Well on that last question I’m on safer ground because I’m ultimately listening to God. Primarily my purpose is to be pleasing to Him and it does not matter if I endeavour to be a good husband, father, employee, brother and friend if my relationship and ability to listen to God is seriously impaired then things go awry. So the premise for Audio August in a world that gets too noisy for its own good, is to settle meself, reflect on those things that lead me to hearing the voice of God and learning to treasure and passionately pursue the practice of listening to God in an even greater way by His grace.

Even today whilst at church there was a number of things that happened that gave me the impression that me ears were cleaned out proper and I heard the Word with a clarity I had not heard before. I’d love to share what I learned, and maybe I will, but for the time being here’s a clue as to one thing that’s been bugging me. Luke 1 records the miraculous story of how two old biddies got themselves a child for the first time. Also in the middle of it is how some virgin gets a special call from Gabriel as well. The focus is back on the old couple and my question is about Zechariah. Is he deaf as well as dumb after his encounter with Gabriel? Imagine not being able to speak for at least nine months and all you’ve got to work on is the last word you heard? That should sharpen your listening skills considerably and by listening I mean internal listening – that of pondering the word you’ve heard for the benefit of a clearer life.

Anyhow that and plenty of other stuff are to come in the next 30 days and hopefully I’ll be blogging with as much if not more consistency as July not because I feel obliged to, but because I love to and offer it as my effort for growing in the knowledge and grace of Christ! I won’t be as prohibitive about video blogs as I was last month so don’t be surprised to see one or two pop up now and then, but with the fasting series to conclude and the audio August series to look at, there’s enough to keep me writing! Just pray that I will let the words of this blog and the thoughts behind it to be acceptable in the sight of my Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Jesus Knows What We're Like

Thanks for your prayers. It was a pressurised five days from Thursday to Monday but through it all with the love of Jesus and a good supportive family around me as well as a gracious church leader I managed to pull through. One of the writing assignments is scheduled to be published later today and I hope to be able to give the link. Another one is due to be published on Monday and there maybe a link to that as well. The third one may never see the light of day, but that’s all good as it fitted the purpose for which it was set out.

Now onto today’s blog. I have wanted to blog for two days at least, but felt time invested in the family would be better especially in the light of the sacrifices they’ve made for me. Here I am though and unusually I’m blogging in the morning, although what follows after this paragraph with an edit here and there was written last night. I just wanted to share what was on my heart on this particular issue. I think I’m of the mind that the fasting series will continue as of next month and use the remaining days of this month to just release some loose thoughts.

Here’s something you don’t read that often on this blog – a quote from scripture, KJV style!

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. – (John 2:23-25 KJV)

This came from a conversation I had with Authrine on Tuesday morning where I crossed on the nature of man being to not necessarily do as well for the common good as he should. So for example, I am convinced that there are people who know enough about technology to be able to have better energy efficient resources utilising natural resources like wind, sun, water, etc. That they do not invest in this is because of how it would upset the capitalist and fundamentally humanist (in the selfish sense) status quo.

The same thing is applicable with the reason for wars, maintenance of heavily flawed systems of government and finances and other related issues. The remedy isn’t far from reach but the effect to how things run would be too scary. As well as that although we like a quick solution and the signs and wonders, when the tide turns we’re quick to blame that which was meant to be our saviour into that which makes us a sucker. At heart despite our desperate desire to love and be loved there is something fundamentally self-serving about our natures that actually negatively impacts our other relationships.

This human nature issue led me to recall this very brief episode in the Bible and so I thought it was worth exploring it further. It’s quite an incredible statement to make in a world where people are so wanting to have their faith reciprocated by others to hear Jesus the one who apparently loves all actually not trusting Himself to people. Not committing Himself. Not getting caught up in the acclaim. Not loving the attention and setting up the Jesus of Nazareth fanpage on Facebook.

Not being specious or facetious but I don’t reckon Jesus would have a Facebook profile if He were around today. I don’t think He’d necessarily have a Twitter account either. I can barely see Him with an email account let alone blogging.

Don’t get me wrong, I reckon Paul would have had a laptop and a regular podcast on iTunes and Luke would have had a blog, Twitter account and a Facebook account. I dare say Timothy would even venture to have a MySpace and Bebo account. I just don’t think Jesus would have the time for these means of distant communication.

I think His energy would have been focussed on personal work in the flesh and time away to consult with His Father as to the way to go. In line with the scripture He would actually commit His life to those who were assigned to Him as His responsibility, i.e. His disciples. Even here as we’ve noted in scripture, this is only to a few, not to many. It’s one thing to serve others, but committing your life to others is something that you only do when specifically led by God.

As for a reality TV show, you can bet your bottom dollar He wouldn’t be seen anywhere near those things, let alone having a documentary team following Him as He walked the streets. He may not have allowed one to follow Him, but one would definitely follow just to get footage of the signs and wonders. I imagine Channel 4 doing one of their usual stitch up jobs in imperiously declaring this travelling talker as a charlatan and a harmless freak at best.

I only say that in considering what things are important to life today. Nothing wrong with social networking applications anymore than there’s something wrong with the TV, radio, mobile phone, regular telephone, computer, pen, paper, tablets of stone, smoke signals and the like. Just to say that when it comes down to it in as advantageous access to thousands of others around the world appears, there is nothing that beats one to one contact with no frills and spills. That way we can get to know people and hopefully know to whom we are to commit ourselves as. We can also be the beacon of compassion to see broken people made whole, bound people released, imprisoned and addicted people set free and those who are poor embrace the good news of God’s imminent Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

This is not a critique of social networking developments or of modern communications. It is just to say that for all my love of writing and making the most of the modern technology to explore it more, I desire everyday to have those encounters with people. I desire everyday to have those holy moments that bring people closer to recognising God for who He is by His grace and mercy. Those sacred times of the realisation not only that there’s more to life than this, but that this something more is all there is to life and is worth so much that life should be forsaken in exchange for this life. Those reverential experiences when the mundane, trivial and mediocre fade into nothingness in the light of the love, holiness, wisdom and majesty of the Creator of the universe made flesh.

In the meantime I reflect further on a man who knew what was in the heart of man – knows what we’re like and still calls us unto Himself.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Nothing Personal Part 1

Now you’re probably thinking that I’ve gone off the boil on the whole fasting topic with the lack of new material on the issue. That thought is wrong. I am keener than ever before to continue on the topic. There’s a whole backlog of stuff waiting to come tumbling out on the issue as it regards to seeing wider than we do and what happens when the level of intensity increases in approaching the subject. All of that just waiting to burst forth and indeed some of it may have burst forth today if it weren’t for a significant occurrence today that sparked a range of thoughts and triggered the need for today’s blog entry.

Now as I sat to write, this evening, I had an onrush of words to the head and wrote those out. To give you a bit of insight into some of my writing processes I write a Word document almost every day called CD Notes. This will have on some of my things to do for the day and a scripture of encouragement. It will then note ideas, thoughts, reflections, web- stuff and other stuff that I get over the day. More often than not this will be the first place that I write the nucleus and sometimes the entirety of what will be the post for this blog. From here I’ll detach the text for the blog and put it in a separate Word document. Then I’ll look at the text and make any alterations, additions and amendments as necessary. Recently such was the extended nature of the notes I was making on the subject of fasting that it formed the basics of the series that you’ve been enjoying. This actually gives me something to look forward to when I write the blog for the day because I have the day’s reflections and the basis for what the entry is meant to be developing the thought. It’s not unusual that I’ll have a paragraph on the basis and the direction of the day’s thoughts will take a life of its own.

So as indicated I was of the mind today to continue with the series on fasting and have had the material building up in the notes from the days since the last post ready and waiting to publish. Yet today was different because of a number of strands of thought conspiring to trigger off what was meant to be a one off post. Yet after the initial writing on the CD Notes document as I transferred it to a document on its own it became quite clear that one posting on this subject would be insufficient. So the plan is that I’ll provide a brief detour from the current series with a four-parter on the topic Nothing Personal. I’ll endeavour to be disciplined – the two parts should be sorted with no need for further expansion. There maybe some connecting points between this and the ongoing series which I’ll make when we resume the series in the very near future.

I need to put this disclaimer on this article more than any other I’ve written and posted. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the denomination to which I belong, the local fellowship of which I’m a part or indeed the family of which I am the head. Also the views expressed in this blog may offend people of a particular philosophical or political disposition. Depending on who reads it will determine the level to which people agree or disagree with my perspective stated here. I can state clearly that I have not written this post deliberately to offend. It is not a provocative blog for the sake of it at all. I have endeavoured to make the entry as considered and careful as possible, but I have also sought to say what I’m saying without varnish or covering up the truth of how I feel on the issue. As well as that the views also come from my understanding of being a follower of Christ at this time. I am open to further teaching from scripture and illumination from the Spirit. Words printed here are not to be taken as my stance forever, amen. They are relatively subject to change. Yet I do feel very strongly about the issue in question.

OK with that in mind, as ever context is important to frame the topic for ‘brief’ perusal. My beliefs and faith has been stretched considerably in the three years that I’ve worked for the YMCA. As groundbreaking as the eye-opening time at university, my time at the YMCA has challenged, informed and recalibrated a lot of areas of my understanding of walking with Christ. I acknowledge the limited and rather close-minded approach I had to Christianity before university and it was still pretty evident when I started at the YMCA, but you cannot survive working for the YMCA unless you’re prepared to have your beliefs challenged.

One of the reasons for that is because the YMCA is an ecumenical organisation, that is although there are some YMCA’s that are strongly affiliated to a denomination because of locality and influence the organisation ethos is not to subscribe to one particular stream of Christian expression in the hope of being broad enough to embrace all as it fits the mission of the organisation. Now, such a stance actually swings the organisation in one way rather than another when it comes to the aforementioned streams of Christian expression. That is to say it is prone to be part of the liberal, open-ended, quasi-emergent end of the Christian spectrum. This is because such a part of the brotherhood is easier going about different forms of Christianity and as with most liberal expressions the only reluctance is with forms that are not inclusive and too heavily prescriptive.

This is somewhat of a caricature of the YMCA’s Christian position, but is not too far from the truth where people like Malcolm Duncan, Brian McClaren and Rob Bell would be more than welcome. Dudes from the conservative evangelical end of the market would not be given the rule of the ranch because of their perceived compressing and depressing version of following Christ.

Now I am not comfortable with this end of Christian expression part of it is the ties to the upbringing I have and part of it is because of how destabilising I think it is with regard to the role of scripture and the mission of Christ. There’s also a reluctance to embrace something that appears to be more designed by the cultural trends of the time and shaped by the popular philosophies of the time at the cost of faithfully sticking with a gospel that in no ways seeks to be cool, trendy, in-vogue or in tune with the times.

Those reservations apart, one thing I am glad for about the YMCA is the role grace plays in negotiating those areas of disagreement around the shared ultimate value of Jesus Christ. So whereas in time past I would not only sniff and huff at some stuff that I might not necessarily agree with but outright remove myself from such heathens, now I make an effort at least to have an understanding of what’s going on. Indeed as I consider some of what they have to say I find myself nodding my head in agreement, confirming it with scripture and further broadening my understanding of this incredible God who goes beyond human comprehension and methods of definition. This process is as much down to relationships as it is exploring writings and teachings on doctrinal positions.

Again with the power of relationships and a particular example of that will be shown in the second part of this three-parter. It highlights again that this journey with Jesus is as much about people as it is about Jesus and failing either part of the relationship leaves things incomplete. Be sure to find out more in the next blog entry now.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd