Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

I have been reading a book by Bill Elliot, who is a therapist But it’s not about psychology – it has the unlikely title, Falling Into the Face of God – it’s an autobiography of sorts • Bill felt called by God’s Spirit to go to the Judean desert • and , to spend forty days there like Jesus, only without fasting – on day 17, he was meditating on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness • then his thoughts went to Jesus and disciples in Philippi, and the moment when he called Peter “Satan” Will...

We’re going to reenact the story - this is what Jesus meant for us to do “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26) • in this ritual, there is the potential of a profound encounter • he has given us something: ◦ for our eyes to see ◦ for our ears to hear ◦ for our hands to touch ◦ for our mouths to taste ◦ for our minds to contemplate ◦ for our souls to receive - I am going to present this to you as a devotional th...

There have been songs, that I loved the first time I heard them There are others that I had to hear several times to appreciate - but the ones that I've loved at first sight had two qualities: • the sound of music (instruments and vocals) and the lyrics ◦ psychologists refer to this response to music as “emotional resonance” ◦ the sound waves and meaning of the music find a string that vibrates deep in the soul • for me, one of the songs that instantly moved me was Van Morrison’s When w...

On the days I spend with three of my grandchildren, I sometimes say to my thirteen year old grandson, “I’m going for a walk, do you want to go with me?” - he has never said, “Sure, Grandpa, let’s go” – never • and I know why – he’s convinced it won’t be fun ◦ he’d have to get unnecessary exercise, and ◦ it’d be difficult to stay on trail with eyes glued to his cell phone • this morning I’m inviting you to take a walk with me– ◦ through the book of Jude – it’s a short walk, ◦ and much of it is...

Prior to this moment, Abram was merely a name on a list Now he becomes a person; he’s given an identity - he emerges from the genealogy into space and time • he has a history and he is given a destiny where he is from and where he is going is what has defined him ◦ where he is from: “your birthplace and your father’s house” ◦ where he is going: “to the land that I will show you” • God is in the process of redefining Abram’s life ◦ he will no longer be the person shaped by family history ◦ he...