“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will”

So said Rev ML King to the ‘white moderates’ whose desire for peace frustrated him. Peace like they wanted, was no peace at all…was Kings contention. And he was right. The plight of King’s community was so wrong, that even if they had played nice, that would not have made the situation tolerable. Like someone in an abusive situation, you want them to create a fuss, and get out of that situation. Sometimes complacency needs to be shaken…hard!

In a similar way, it is frustrating to me that ‘people of good will’ don’t understand the necesity, the urgency, the paramount importance, of discovering their Creator, being discovered by Him, acknowledging Him. Maybe the frustration is even with myself. I am not all I should be, when I consider all He is…..

Passionate people, that is what I know God wants….and that is what this world needs.

Proverbs One
24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. 25 You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. 26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you— 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

Woh…..don’t ignore God’s wisdom…ignore it at your own peril.
Ignore it, and the wisdom will cry out at you, why did you ignore me?

Reflecting on a friend who recently left the ministry….
People have deleted links to his blog, stopped talking about him…he is suddenly not that relevant any more.

I think about the stories of people in the bible….how much of it is about what they did, who they were or thirdly, what God did in their lives?

No conclusions, just some Monday morning thoughts.

Being as opposed to doing.

“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’

We associate fear as a negative emotion.
Fear has no place in the life of a victorious, fully actualised human…we are told.

But fear is natural, and can be helpful, nature teaches us that.
Try telling a deer running from a wolf that fear is not helpful, it is…it provides energy!

Fear of God? Well that can be associated with negative connotations. Because none of us post modern, gen x’ers want to believe in a God who judges, condemns, hurts…
We want a nice God who loves and cuddles us.

But what we need…is a God who is strong.
If your father was not at least a little scary, then he was probably weak, and none of us, when the tough times come, want a weak father.
Nor do we actually want a weak God…we want a strong God.

That means, He is a little, maybe a lot, scary.

He is awesome…frightening, strong…to be obeyed.
He is the strong wind, the fire, the thunder….

Perfect love drives out fear…but what if God, who is love, is the one to be feared? What then?

Well…I am afraid of God, but I am also loved by Him, and I love Him.
This is a paradox……

Things that make you go mmmmmm.
What do you think?

With Schuller now bringing in guest speakers every week to the Crystal Cathedral, the guest speaker this week is straight talker ‘Mark Driscoll’.

I think the most interesting aspect of this is not what Mark will say, nor how the predonimantly senior congregation might cope with the cussing, direct language and content of Driscoll’s message…but what Mark will wear in the almost entirely suit wearing church….

Who remembers the infamous incident when Brad Hardie threw his jumper off…one day playing for Footscray…when Mick Malthouse dragged him.
Now Mick has brought out his best team from Footscray, West Coast and Collingwood.
Brad, despite being a Brownlow Medalist, and one of the best pocket players…ever…did not make the list.

It is pretty obvious that Brad was not included because Mick does not like him.

Brad does not like Mick, and let the world know it on 6peagle last night.

Bitterness, unforgiveness….lack of communication.
It makes us unhappy…it does not help anyone, it causes us to stew and foster bad thoughts and feelings….

Forgiveness…such a better option…for everyone.