Well, I guess I will lead it off. I really enjoyed this chapter, and got a sense of peace from realizing that Jesus is in everything around me. I could recall so many times, even times hanging around you guys that just felt a sense of awe like Rob was talking about. I tend not to think of those as spiritual times, but just as fun times. Becca is gone at Young Life camp this week, and I kind of got one of those feelings tonight, hanging out with my dogs. I just feel like everything is going to be ok. It is so awesome to just be still, and feel what I think is God. That feels good. The other thing that I thought was interesting was when he talked about tour guides, and that Jesus is everywhere and it is our job to see and point out Jesus in situations. I have met a lot of interesting people in my first 2 and a half weeks as a resident. Most people it is easy to find a few things that are going ok in their lives, and I can say, "see, that part if your life is going good." But there are a few that have been handed a really crappy hand, and even the most optimistic person would have a hard time finding anything good going on in their life. How can I talk to that person and say, "it's ok, I'm sure Jesus has done something good for you, right?" I think the most difficult thing for me is that I can't relate to that. I have so many things that I know Jesus has blessed me with. I got a lesson this weekend on the life of a cocaine addict. This lady had been smoking crack, meth, and pot for a week, and came in for chest pain. I was curious about what her lifestyle was like, and how she afforded all of her drugs. She told me I didn't want to know, and that I couldn't imagine the horrible things that happen to people that are addicts. She broke my heart, because I couldn't see any positive things in her life. She had seen, and done awful things, and had awful things done to her. It was hard for me to see Jesus in that situation. Then she started getting violent with the nurses, and I had to sedate her for the night. Happy ending. On a totally opposite note: I love the image that everything that I see that is beautiful is God, and everything that I know is true is God. Point taken.
Wow - it's gotta be eye opening to see those hard core addicts. A different world.
I really agree with the part of this chapter on "labels." We label so many things. Everything from republican to organic to christian.
Bell says: "The danger of labeling things christian (or anything else) is that it can lead to our blindly consuming things we have been told are safe and acceptable. When we turn off that discernment radar, dangerous things can happen."
That's the truth. Wow.
I also like how Bell says that christian experts are just "contributing to the discussion" and don't have it nailed down. What a great way to approach things.
Those were the high points of this chapter for me.
I totally agree with the label thing. We for some reason think something is good or bad because it has a certain label. Probably because we are lazy or busy or both. It makes things easier for us if we rely on someone else to label something, then we don't have to examine it and find the truth on our own. I think this is true across the board, like Ryan said.
I was filled with awe and wonder this morning as I saw our 1 1/2 year old walking around the house and I felt our unborn baby moving in mommy's tummy. Jesus made this and holds this all together with His powerful word. David said in Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God." He's everywhere at all times, we just need to recognize Him in every moment. On page 82 Rob criticizes the way the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been presented the last few hundred years. I don't agree with him. I agree that there is much more about Jesus than is typically preached about Him, but the ultimate problem with the world is sin (selfish ambition, rebellion, a belittling of the glory of God) and Jesus was slaughtered so we could experience full joy and know the ultimate reality in the universe. I just fear that this will lead to not telling others about Jesus and His death for our sin and His resurrection from the dead. Am I missing Rob's point? What an amazing story about Yvette's life being completely changed by Jesus. That brought tears to my eyes. Late!
4 comments:
Well, I guess I will lead it off. I really enjoyed this chapter, and got a sense of peace from realizing that Jesus is in everything around me. I could recall so many times, even times hanging around you guys that just felt a sense of awe like Rob was talking about. I tend not to think of those as spiritual times, but just as fun times. Becca is gone at Young Life camp this week, and I kind of got one of those feelings tonight, hanging out with my dogs. I just feel like everything is going to be ok. It is so awesome to just be still, and feel what I think is God. That feels good.
The other thing that I thought was interesting was when he talked about tour guides, and that Jesus is everywhere and it is our job to see and point out Jesus in situations. I have met a lot of interesting people in my first 2 and a half weeks as a resident. Most people it is easy to find a few things that are going ok in their lives, and I can say, "see, that part if your life is going good." But there are a few that have been handed a really crappy hand, and even the most optimistic person would have a hard time finding anything good going on in their life. How can I talk to that person and say, "it's ok, I'm sure Jesus has done something good for you, right?" I think the most difficult thing for me is that I can't relate to that. I have so many things that I know Jesus has blessed me with.
I got a lesson this weekend on the life of a cocaine addict. This lady had been smoking crack, meth, and pot for a week, and came in for chest pain. I was curious about what her lifestyle was like, and how she afforded all of her drugs. She told me I didn't want to know, and that I couldn't imagine the horrible things that happen to people that are addicts. She broke my heart, because I couldn't see any positive things in her life. She had seen, and done awful things, and had awful things done to her. It was hard for me to see Jesus in that situation. Then she started getting violent with the nurses, and I had to sedate her for the night. Happy ending.
On a totally opposite note:
I love the image that everything that I see that is beautiful is God, and everything that I know is true is God. Point taken.
Wow - it's gotta be eye opening to see those hard core addicts. A different world.
I really agree with the part of this chapter on "labels." We label so many things. Everything from republican to organic to christian.
Bell says: "The danger of labeling things christian (or anything else) is that it can lead to our blindly consuming things we have been told are safe and acceptable. When we turn off that discernment radar, dangerous things can happen."
That's the truth. Wow.
I also like how Bell says that christian experts are just "contributing to the discussion" and don't have it nailed down. What a great way to approach things.
Those were the high points of this chapter for me.
I totally agree with the label thing. We for some reason think something is good or bad because it has a certain label. Probably because we are lazy or busy or both. It makes things easier for us if we rely on someone else to label something, then we don't have to examine it and find the truth on our own. I think this is true across the board, like Ryan said.
I was filled with awe and wonder this morning as I saw our 1 1/2 year old walking around the house and I felt our unborn baby moving in mommy's tummy. Jesus made this and holds this all together with His powerful word. David said in Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God." He's everywhere at all times, we just need to recognize Him in every moment.
On page 82 Rob criticizes the way the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been presented the last few hundred years. I don't agree with him. I agree that there is much more about Jesus than is typically preached about Him, but the ultimate problem with the world is sin (selfish ambition, rebellion, a belittling of the glory of God) and Jesus was slaughtered so we could experience full joy and know the ultimate reality in the universe. I just fear that this will lead to not telling others about Jesus and His death for our sin and His resurrection from the dead. Am I missing Rob's point?
What an amazing story about Yvette's life being completely changed by Jesus. That brought tears to my eyes. Late!
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