THE STUDIER

"What we are all more or less lacking at the moment is a new definition of holiness."   Pierre Teilhard De Chardin


Came home from church after the morning and afternoon meetings ready to curl up with a hot heating pad.  I was really chilled at the church.  Feeling like a grandma with my blanket, book and heating pad.

Interesting to get different people's view on things.  We have been learning that wisdom often comes through our struggles.  There are some very difficult questions in our study book which we struggle with.

We are changed by listening to one another.

I find reading different books helpful. 

"Seeing the sacred in nature   The trinity is like the waves that come crashing into the shore.  There is the force and the power that creates the waves and the winds, when the wave breaks another one comes it is like Jesus and finally the third wave is the Holy Spirit.  Then the cycle begins all over again.  One build upon the other and yet all a part of the fullness of life that mysteriously pulls us into this mystery."-   Barbara Brown Taylor

Revelation, the strangest book and the most controversial book in the Holy Bible,  was written in the aftermath of war.  It contains visions and dreams and nightmares and strange creatures and the threat of judgement upon evil.  The evil that rises up to fight good.  The  Holy Spirit is the one who seals us with the promise God will always be with us; not because of our goodness but because of our willingness to be servants.

Written in code Revelation uses Old Testament imagery because of fear of the Roman Empire at that time.  The writer writes as a Jew who has seen the glory of the Messiah who he describes as an image of Divine Light. 

Some preach a Christianity were there will be no more struggles but we all still go through difficult times.  Discipleship, a word that was once a big part of our faith, has been lost because discipleship calls for a radical obedience.  Am I willing to fight against injustice?  poverty?  prejudice? fight for the lonely and down cast?  How can the world change without using violence? 

I admit I do not read my scripture as frequently as I once did but have come to understand it was written by flawed human being just like me.  I will keep studying and hopefully learning.

One part of Revelation I appreciate is when angels address each of the seven churches.  Every church has it's own angel.  Some burn brightly while others flicker out slowly.  Many of our members are getting older but we have lively discussions and lots of laughter!

Later in the evening our neighbor came over to tell us his daughter had crashed into our hedge on the side of our house.  She was not hurt.  She is learning to drive.  I have not looked yet.  Had a good chat with her dad and reassured him we were not upset.

Milk shake day today!  I think it has stopped raining.