Surrendered Love

The next several weeks of posts will be based on our most recent devotional poem, “Light Hand or Tight Hand?” Click here to see the full text.

Light hand holds as only a steward. Tight hand in idolatry grasps.

There is no pain deeper than lost love and no joy greater than its acquisition. When we unselfishly love, we become more complete for we partake in the very nature of God (I John 4:12). Wars have been fought, fortunes forsaken, and unspeakable suffering endured all for the cause of love. So, to find love is to find the greatest of all gifts. And when it’s found who would dare let it go? We should and we must if we hope it might be what we dream that it could; for this is exactly what God asks us to do. Continue reading “Surrendered Love”

Devotional Poem: Light Hand or Tight Hand?

This week we launch our tenth devotional poem. The next five weeks of blog posts will draw from themes in this poem, applying Christian faith to relationships.

Light Hand or Tight Hand?

Light hand holds as only a steward.

Tight hand in idolatry grasps.

Light hand loosely holds, relaxes.

Tight hand fearfully grips, trembles. Continue reading “Devotional Poem: Light Hand or Tight Hand?”

Losing Control

Change, I do not need you! Alteration, variation, transformation, you are not my need!

Human life has an interesting relationship with change. When life is good, we fear it. When life is bad, we earnestly seek it. Change is uncomfortable and often inconvenient but life would literally cease without it. And in our most difficult times, it is change we tend to focus on as our life-line from troubled waters. Yes, as long as we are alive we can be sure that change is here to stay. Continue reading “Losing Control”

Faith’s Defining Moment

I now see your ever-present love, and not just now but always before.

One of the greatest challenges to Christian faith is learning how to overcome the disappointment of unanswered questions. Here the Christian faces the glaring interrogation, “Will you believe even if you don’t understand?” This question strikes at the very center of our faith—choosing to believe in spite of rational certainty. Such resolution is, itself, necessary for taking up the call to Christian surrender. Continue reading “Faith’s Defining Moment”

The Cost of Vision

When I see me honestly, I see Him accurately.

It is not very often today that we hear people talking about having visions of God . . . at least not without having their sanity questioned! Such talk, however, used to be a normal part of the Church’s vocabulary. The Christian tradition speaks of the “beatific vision” as seeing and experiencing the glory and light of God. While it is common for Christians to anticipate such a vision in heaven (I Cor. 13:12), many have grasped such an image this side of glory. Continue reading “The Cost of Vision”

Seeing With the Eyes of Faith

I now can see, I have new eyes.

Faith is a mystery, plain and simple. It is not dependent upon what is seen yet it is able to influence what we see. As human beings we tend to believe what we see but as Christians we are called to believe what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). So what exactly is the relationship between faith and sight? Continue reading “Seeing With the Eyes of Faith”

The Rich New World of Holy Surrender

The next several weeks of blogs will be based on our most recent animated reading, “Nothing Changes but Everything is Different.” Click here to see the full text and watch the video.

Nothing changes but everything is different.

The service was charged with excitement as the preacher man picked up the microphone and yelled, “God is good!” Then raising it towards the crowd, they all screamed back, “All the time!” Upon which the preacher repeated, “All the time!” And the crowd returned, “God is good!” Continue reading “The Rich New World of Holy Surrender”

Animated Reading: Nothing Changes but Everything is Different

This week we launch our ninth animated reading. The next five weeks of blog posts will draw from themes in this poem.  If you like the video, please share with others.

Nothing Changes but Everything is Different

Lord, You’re so amazing!

How do You do it? Continue reading “Animated Reading: Nothing Changes but Everything is Different”

Rethinking Surrender

Desperate for God. This has been the theme we’ve focused on since the very first blog and we have done so through the notion of “postures” or attitudes of holy desperation. So far we have talked about the postures of spiritual brokenness and stillness and this week we introduce the third posture—surrender. To speak of surrender is to consider the ultimate purpose of Christian faith. It’s easy to give lip service to this self-denying virtue but another to actually live it out. Continue reading “Rethinking Surrender”

The Mystery of Happiness

And still I cry, “Change me, change me, change me.”

I believe the vast majority of unhappiness and disillusionment among Christians can usually be traced to one common yet thoroughly un-interrogated assumption—happiness comes from getting what we want. While such logic seems sound it’s utterly contradictory to Christian faith because it lead us to think that Jesus is good for saving our souls but his blessings are needed for our happiness. In so doing, we separate the blessings of Christ from the person of Christ. Continue reading “The Mystery of Happiness”