A while ago, I came back from work and parked outside of our neighbors house and walked up to say hi to them as they were on the porch. I got into a discussion with Rudy and Carlos--about my job, about God, about the Bible, and it was really cool. Just a cool Autumn night with two neighbors, in the "hood." Carlos talked with me about Luke 4, where Jesus preaches up a storm--"The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the POOR!" We shared back and forth, talking about how foolish it was to disbelieve in the existence of God when his handiwork is all around us!
As we talked, Rudy got out a beer and gave one to Carlos, but didn't give one to me. I realized that he probably thought I didn't drink (and that's partially true--I don't really like the taste or expense of alcohol, but I have no moral qualms about drinking responsibly), so I asked him for one too. He visibly brightened and handed me one, and offered me another one when I finished it (which I didn't take). In sharing this story, I'm reminded of a comment my internship director made about incarnational living. He shared that something as simple as letting people into your house with shoes on can be a way of not forcing your own cultural expectations on others (that is, if you are Asian-American and used to leaving your shoes at the door before walking into the house). So go ahead and have a beer with your neighbors--it can be alot of fun.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
4 cardinal rules in prayer according to Brennan Manning
1. You learn to pray by praying. There's no substitute for putting in time.
2. Pray as you can don't pray as you can't. Pray in the way that is simplest for you.
3. Don't just pray when you feel like it. "If you talk to your spouse only when you feel like it there might be long periods of silence."
4. ("the last and most important") Intensity of desire. How badly do we wish to see Jesus? How badly.
2. Pray as you can don't pray as you can't. Pray in the way that is simplest for you.
3. Don't just pray when you feel like it. "If you talk to your spouse only when you feel like it there might be long periods of silence."
4. ("the last and most important") Intensity of desire. How badly do we wish to see Jesus? How badly.
Rommel
Erwin Rommel was the only Nazi who had a museum dedicated to his person and career. He was known as the "Desert Fox," for his deft maneuvering of tank forces in North Africa during the Second World War.
Rommel is also the name of one of my coworkers in my Americorps program. Elliot (one of my fellow interns who is also working for Americorps Hope for the Homeless) and I were talking with him in between training meetings today, and he shared some profound things about his life. Our conversation moved from talking about the Lakers to his own personal life story. He grew up in a strong Christian family in south central LA and became a successful Christian minister at a large church. Nevertheless, his strong upbringing and commitment to follow Jesus as a servant of the church did not prevent him from getting involved with drugs, and his life went down in a messy spiral. For 15 years he was caught in drug addictions, until he gave up his life again to God and has been sober now for a while. Rommel made a statement that really stuck out to me--something that makes me question my own commitment to Jesus. He said that he never thought he would get into drugs--he thought he was immune to stuff like that. He took his Christian life for granted, and that opened up the door for Satan to tempt him and bring him down. He challenged Elliot and I to not take our holiness for granted--to continue seeking God and not to ever think that we are immune from sin. Quite a sobering word. I am looking forward to getting to know Rommel and my other Amercorps comrades better (most of the Americorps members with Hope for the Homeless have been homeless recently and are on their way to trying to find some stability).
Rommel is also the name of one of my coworkers in my Americorps program. Elliot (one of my fellow interns who is also working for Americorps Hope for the Homeless) and I were talking with him in between training meetings today, and he shared some profound things about his life. Our conversation moved from talking about the Lakers to his own personal life story. He grew up in a strong Christian family in south central LA and became a successful Christian minister at a large church. Nevertheless, his strong upbringing and commitment to follow Jesus as a servant of the church did not prevent him from getting involved with drugs, and his life went down in a messy spiral. For 15 years he was caught in drug addictions, until he gave up his life again to God and has been sober now for a while. Rommel made a statement that really stuck out to me--something that makes me question my own commitment to Jesus. He said that he never thought he would get into drugs--he thought he was immune to stuff like that. He took his Christian life for granted, and that opened up the door for Satan to tempt him and bring him down. He challenged Elliot and I to not take our holiness for granted--to continue seeking God and not to ever think that we are immune from sin. Quite a sobering word. I am looking forward to getting to know Rommel and my other Amercorps comrades better (most of the Americorps members with Hope for the Homeless have been homeless recently and are on their way to trying to find some stability).
Test of Spiritual Character
Just listened to a little interview online with Dallas Willard, author or Renovation of the Heart. He talks about some indicators of our spiritual maturity. One of them is how easy it is for us to be irritated. Irritation comes out of overconcern and lack of rest and trying to hard to make something happen, which are destructive things for the spirit.
Another indicator is in the form of a little story--If you're driving down the highway and you see an accident, what is the natural response of your heart? If it's to rise up to God in prayer and to invoke the presence of his kingdom and his angels, then you're in a pretty good place. But if you don't, then somehow you're mind is not in the right place.
Finally--your capacity to pay attention to the people you're dealing with is an indicator of where you're heart is at.
Interesting practical considerations. I'm increasingly convinced that what I need, and what we need, is not necessarily more good teaching about Jesus, but more living examples of people who are actually living like Jesus in our everyday lives.
"The spirit blows, but you must hoist your sail."
--Francois Fenelon
Another indicator is in the form of a little story--If you're driving down the highway and you see an accident, what is the natural response of your heart? If it's to rise up to God in prayer and to invoke the presence of his kingdom and his angels, then you're in a pretty good place. But if you don't, then somehow you're mind is not in the right place.
Finally--your capacity to pay attention to the people you're dealing with is an indicator of where you're heart is at.
Interesting practical considerations. I'm increasingly convinced that what I need, and what we need, is not necessarily more good teaching about Jesus, but more living examples of people who are actually living like Jesus in our everyday lives.
"The spirit blows, but you must hoist your sail."
--Francois Fenelon
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