REFLECTIONS
from A DOWN TO EARTH GOD (Garry
Genser)
9.19.15 PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
1
Thessalonians 5:16-18 MSG
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all
the time; thank God no matter what happens.
This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
“God doesn’t want us to go around mumbling constantly to Him or anyone else. Hre wants us engage productively in this world. Remember, the Fourth Commandment isn’t just about rest. ‘Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work’…. (GG:159)
Genser ends his short book of devotions on
this note. To ‘pray without ceasing’ is
really more about listening than talking.
It is being in touch with God at work in our lives. It is recognizing God’s presence and action
in the events around us. Prayer isn’t
always something we DO; is it actively being aware of what GOD does.
“The Holy Spirit moves us to hear God’s still small voice through the circumstances of our lives; the scriptures offer us a way of measuring and comparing our insights with objective truth, both correcting and directing our minds toward a refined spiritual perception. This is a simple way of looking at things but not a simplistic way. It’s an integrated approach to a spiritual and physical life, an un-compartmentalized approach to spirituality.” (GG:160)
Every time I say thank you God for
that sunrise, that flower, that act of kindness; every time I draw a picture and
write names of those in need of God’s care; every time I simply stop and share a
glimpse of God grace…..I am praying. May
I continue to pray without ceasing, to love unconditionally, and live with
gratitude for the grace and gifts God bestows on a daily basis.
9.17.15
NOT TOO BUSY TO CARE
Psalm
36:5-7 MSG
God’s love is
meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, his verdicts
oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing
gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks.
“With the entire universe to rule, God’s mind
and heart are large enough to have a space just for me and just for you. Our hurts occupy His mind; He is not going
about business as usual and will not return to business as usual until we are
healed, until all his children who are willing, come out of their pain and out
of danger and darkness.” (GG: 149 Genser relates how,
during a major work commitment, his horse was injured and how divided his
attention and emotions were. He had a
huge group to manage, and yet his ‘child’ was hurting and he wanted to be there
for the young colt. He suspects that God
operates in much the same way. God can
control the universe while at the same time focus on our individual needs and
desires. I love the way Peterson
translates the Psalm here. He uses
universally colossal analogies to describe the reach of the Almighty and then a
mouse and a crack to show the focused attention of God. We are loved.
We are cared for. EACH ONE OF
US. Thank you, God, for that
blessing.
9.16.15 HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
Deuteronomy
33:12 MSG
“God’s beloved; God’s permanent
residence. Encircled by God all day
long, within whom God is at home.”
“The point is eventually I would have to
retire and rely on retirement plans, savings, and the like. I wouldn’t be able to rely on MYSELF anymore,
on my strength and ability to provide.
Since that realization, I have been forced to ask ‘how much is
enough’? Do I need enough savings so
that I can travel, enough to keep feeding my horses, enough so that I wouldn’t
have to worry about health expenses and emergencies? How much IS enough?...... How much do we need
so that if we are not working we will be able to afford to be active and generous
to our family and church? …… The more one relies on anything other than God,
the more insecure one will be and the more truly impoverished.” (GG:pp 114-116)
Needless to say, this chapter title caught my
attention because it is a phrase Rick and I have used frequently in the past
few years as we have entered retirement.
It is a phrase we uttered when we realized we could retire, we didn’t
need MORE, just ENOUGH. We were
comfortable, we never have desired all the bells and whistles of life, but we
had enough to travel and volunteer. More
importantly, we had enough to be generous with what we have. Do I rely fully on God? Not nearly enough. Maybe that is the ‘enough’ on which I need to
focus. Our Gypsy friend relies fully on
God through others and I something think too much so, yet it is a life-style
that works for her and God’s blessings have been abundant…in God time!
Working through the CAV
experience, we have the opportunity to see some pretty amazing RVs. I have to remind myself that for many this is
their primary home, not a temporary residence.
But I am comforted in our small trailer, perhaps a bit rustic, but
adequate for our needs and desires. It
is ENOUGH. As I write it is 32 degrees
outside and our little heater is struggling to get the interior temperature
above the 49 degree mark, but I am grateful.
I am not outside. I am not in a
tent. I am not homeless! But my fingers are cold! (A good reminder of all my fingers can do
with God’s help!) Time to draw some
prayers!
9.15.15 A PLACE FOR ALL
1
Corinthians 12:4-11
Each person is given something to do that shows who God is:
Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out
by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful…... All
these gifts have a common origin, but are handed
out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.
I spent the past week ‘rocking’
the front façade of the Habitat house in Kalispell. It was slow and tedious work, a giant puzzle,
as we worked to fit the stones as tightly together as possible, searching for
the perfect piece to put in place. I
would hold a stone and think….”this is such an odd shape, we will never use it”
and ultimately the perfect location would appear. On my hike yesterday, I began to see the
rocks on the trail in a different light, imaging where I would have put them on
the wall! Then I began to see the shapes
of all the states in the stones, but that is a whole other story!
It
occurred to me that the stones are very much like people. We often question the value or worth of an
individual who seems to lack purpose or the skills to achieve. And then….as Luke and the PYGS would say,
when we learn the “rest of their story”, we discover gifts and talents that add
to the total experience of us all. EVERYONE has a place in the puzzle of
life, we all ‘fit’ somewhere. God knows
where that special spot may be. As a
community we need to hold and view one another from all sides in discovering
how we fit together. We need to be in
relationship to see the gifts each has to offer. Even the odd shapes and souls fit in
somewhere and help make beautiful the wall….and the world.
(PS. This post is not derived from Genser’s book.)
9.8.15 Sharing Our Table
Isaiah
65:25 VOICE
But they’ll all eat together like friends—wolf and lamb, lion and ox…
Author Genser’s horse is known to
welcome another into the pasture and then demonstrate a definite frostiness
when the visitor begins to eat with him from his grass. He continues…
“Apparently it is one thing to be friendly to an overly eager neighbor across the fence, but it is another thing to be expected to eat with him….Sometimes we welcome new people into our churches, but then hold them at arm’s length. Those new people who find themselves invited to three homes for a meal within six months or so are likely to hang in there and remain members.” (GG:p66)
9.6.15 Building
Walls
1
Corinthians 12:26 GNT
If one part of the body suffers, all the other
parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its
happiness.
“Do you feel that way at times, like everything is being held up, waiting on someone else to either make a decision or to do their work so you can go ahead with a task or project? …… What forward momentum in the lives of your family, friends, or community is being held up waiting for action on your part? What part of the building of God’s kingdom is required of you and me for the work to move forward?” (GG:p.64)
This
chapter caught my eye in regards to our work building the Habitat houses. The construction is as strong as the weakest
volunteer in some respects. Every step
must be done to completion to a certain degree of expertise before the next
step can proceed. The siding crew waits
for the window framers to finish. The
framers must wait until the windows are installed! The roofers await materials. Everyone must do their part for the ‘body’ to
function. And when that happens, we can
all celebrate with the homeowner!
What
contribution to my church community is waiting for action on my part? Am I waiting for someone else to move
first? How can I help the Kingdom of God
proceed and flourish in Baker City and beyond?
Thoughts to consider for the day. …..
9.5.15 I Can Do It Myself!
Galatians 6:2 GNT
Help carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ.
I can do it myself! I don’t need help. Independence. The cowboy mentality of self-sufficiency. Oh, how prevalent this is in our culture. We are willing to help others all day long, but so unwilling to accept help FROM others. Sometimes that unwillingness creates all sorts of difficulties that eventually lead to our HAVING to relent and seek help. How much easier to have allowed another the privilege of helping us?
My mom has spent a lifetime of helping others. Now, when she is at the age of needing help herself, it is so hard for her to ask. I keep reminding her that others are so happy to assist, are waiting sometimes for that opportunity to give back. Don’t deny them! Independence in Christianity must be more of mutual interdependence on the gifts and strengths of all the community AND on God.
9.3.15 A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
John 3:8 VOICE
The wind blows all around us as if it has a will of its own; we feel and hear it, but we do not understand where it has come from or where it will end up. Life in the Spirit is as if it were the wind of God.
It has occurred to me that some people have the same effect on me. They are like a breath of fresh air. They make me glad to breathe and glad to be alive and being around them adds to my sense of well being. Young or old, it doesn’t matter; it’s their essence that revitalizes those around them…..We have to open up the windows of our soul to let in the fresh air. (p. 34 GG)
As soon as I read this section I thought of a few people in my life who have instantly struck me as ‘fresh air’. Genia! Positive people who laugh infectiously and tend to radiate the light they see in everything. (The bright side!) People who shine with God-light and kindness. It makes me want to be fresh air to others.
The author goes on to write:
Letting go of defensive thoughts about ourselves as well as negative thoughts about others, which we sometimes put up to insulate ourselves against the cold world, is like opening the windows to our souls to let God’s Spirit wash over us. (p.34 GG)
Friend Genia faces a major medical hurdle in her life, yet she is keeping the window wide open for God to flood her with the radiance of God’s healing love. Her positive attitude and upbeat spirit are an inspiration to everyone around. She is fresh air to us….may we also be a breath of God for her.
9.2-9.3.15 Little
Cracks Let in Big Storms
Matthew
23:23 MSG
“You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees!
Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you
get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and
commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it.
No big deal. Don’t sweat the small
stuff. We’ve all
heard it said. But sometimes the small
stuff IS important. Genser writes of a
cracked door left open that created a huge suction inside his house in a storm,
nearing breaking windows. He noted the
peace and tranquility that ensued when he attended to that small missing
detail. The Pharisees were big on the
public displays of faith, but neglected the small acts of daily kindnesses.
I
noted this devotion because I have spent the last two days putting up firewall
sheetrock and filling gaps. We can’t
have ANY little cracks when we are done that will allow a fire to penetrate
from the garage to the main house faster than an hour. These Habitat homes are built so ‘tight’ that
air penetration is a fraction of a standard home. This helps keep the heating costs down in a
cold climate. We will caulk and foam
every hole in the building! No little
cracks to let in the big storm here!
Lower heat costs means more money in the family budget every month,
money that allows the kids to play sports, take a class, be a part of the
community. I am proud to be a part of an
organization that attends to the details of building….that ‘sweats the small
stuff’ so that the big picture, affordable housing for all, can be attained.
Addendum….My
group spent all day today fixing errors made last week when a young worker,
with good intentions, didn’t attend to details.
It reinforced the lesson that big problems can arise from such a lack of
attention! Alas! Alas!
Genser notes that Sabbath means rest and the Fourth Commandment is the only one that begins with the word ‘Remember’. Not don’t, but remember. Rest and time for reflection is a necessary part of our lives. We can’t fill our days with do, do, do and fail to take a break. Genser overfilled a pressure washer and had to wait to remove spiders from his house exterior. He felt they were laughing at his folly, but letting the machine rest for several days took care of the problem. Sometimes that time of rest simply gives us a chance for a new perspective on problems or pressures.
8.31 Laughing Spiders
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.
I picked up this book several years ago….who knows where and decided it would be a good one to finally read while in Kalispell…and when I have limited internet resources at times. The author is a country pastor in the coastal mountains of Northern California and the short devotions focus on recognizing and listening to God in the ordinary events of Creation and the natural world.
Keep it holy. That doesn’t necessarily mean you MUST go to church every Sunday. There are other holy places. There might have to be other holy days of the week due to work constraints. But rest and God-time is important on a regular basis.
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