I am intrigued by this video book promo for a book by this title. Peter Rollins is suggesting that we reduce God to an idol when we turn God and faith and life into a system that works, that makes sense. He is urging us to embrace mystery, dissatisfaction and uncertainty, to admit that life itself as it is does not fit into a neat system. “Life is rubbish, we don’t know the secret.” Instead of be discouraging or defeating, he sees this as liberating, we can finally let go of our feelings of inadequacy and failure because our lives do not seem to fit, or measure up, to the system of God or faith.
It has been my experience that often people give up on God or faith or even life because they do not seem to fit, they cannot seem to make them work. Certain personality types prefer the systematic approach, and perhaps they have defined faith over the years, leaving a whole group of people feeling inadequate or like failures? Often I have appreciated those who struggled in life, who didn’t have the neat, orderly life, as being more honest more real.
I do find something compelling about this, and challenging to me and my ‘system’ of faith. But is there something missing? Is there order behind the uncertainty and mystery, that is beyond us because of our finite nature? How much of this is because we are finite, and how much of this is because we are fallen?
Tell me what you think?

When I was a teenager, I had a paper route. I remember one occasion when there was a vicious looking dog – a doberman pinser, normally in the back yard behind a gate – sitting on the front step, watching me approach with teeth bared, a barely audible growl coming to my ear. I had to put the paper behind the front door, but had to get past the dog. It was a scary thought, but… Continue reading ‘Peace in His Presence’ »

A.B.Simpson wrote this hymn entitled “Himself”, which reveals the shift from seeking spiritual blessings to seeking the Blesser Himself, and the resulting blessing that comes from knowing and seeking Him.

Sometimes I can get so busy, so focused on “spiritual things and activities”, that I lose sight of what they are all about, or where they are intended to lead. I want to know God, not just things about God!

HIMSELF
by A. B. Simpson
Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone. Continue reading ‘seeking God, not just the gifts’ »

The kingdom of God is this world as God created it to be, with all it’s beauty and order and purpose. In the beginning, God entrusted this world to humans, His appointed rulers (kings and queens, princes and princesses). The bible begins with this picture of the kingdom of God, of humans male and female ruling over and caring for God’s creation garden, loving and serving God’s creation family. Life in this world – all that we do in it – is life in the kingdom of God – eating, conversing, creating, working, dancing, copulating, dreaming, socializing, sleeping, drinking! We live this life under God, with God, like God, for God, for this is ‘eternal life’ we were created to enjoy. Continue reading ‘what is the kingdom of God?’ »

Some people think that spirituality is a dimension of life outside of ordinary reality.
We interrupt our normal activities to do something spiritual: pray, reads the bible, go to church, be still.
But this is not true, not real; every part of life has a spiritual dimension.
Walking, breathing, creating, imagining, copulating, parenting, conversing, eating, partying, dancing, dating, sleeping, crying…
Every day in every way involves a spiritual way of being. Continue reading ‘what is ordinary spirituality?’ »

Do you make new year’s resolutions? If not, why not? Is it because you are honest enough to admit that you will not see it through? Or is it because you are content with how you are, you don’t need to make any changes? Is it because you are already working hard at self-improvement, and you don’t wait for the new year to do it? Or is it because you’ve given up, that there’s no point in trying to be better, ‘this is who I am, deal with it!’ Continue reading ‘how will this year be different?’ »

In his book Stride Toward Freedom, Martin Luther King writes about non-violence:

First, it must be emphasized that nonviolent resistance is not a method for cowards; it does resist. If one uses this method because he is afraid or merely because he lacks the instruments of violence, he is not truly nonviolent. This is why Gandhi often said that if cowardice is the only alternative to violence, it is better to fight . . . while the nonviolent resister is passive in the sense that he is not physically aggressive toward his opponent, his mind and emotions are always active, constantly seeking to persuade his opponent that he is wrong. The method is passive physically, but strongly active spiritually. It is not passive nonresistance to evil, it is active nonviolent resistance to evil. Continue reading ‘MLK on non-violent resistance’ »

I did not read much Dr Seuss as a kid, but these are fun, and thought-provoking.
Click the image to read more.
Leave a comment, let me know which quote made you think the most.

Can you manage, can you succeed, or will you FAIL.
Click on this link and spend two minutes of doing nothing, just sit there.
Just relax and listen to the waves.
Don’t touch your mouse or keyboard.
Its funny – or sad – but I have yet to make it through two minutes.
But right now I am going to force myself to.
Give it a try.
And afterwards, post some comments on how it worked for you, and why it is so hard to just be still.