Comments for celestial counterpoint

Comment on Lent I – Feb 21, 2010 by daveboss

daveboss — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:07:30 +0000

Struggling in the wilderness has its painful and discomfiting and even miserable moments and days but it does focus one’s attention on the most central issues.

At times, the lessons I learn in the wilderness even makes the misery seem worth it.

We might talk with each other more about our wilderness learning.

Comment on Pentecost XXI – Oct 25, 2009 by daveboss

daveboss — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:02:15 +0000

The book of Job seems, at least partially, to be about a man who thinks he understands who God is. Job’s view of God is that He blesses “good people”. After all, says Job, I’m good and he is blessing me. This is a view he holds for the first partial chapter of the book.

Then Job’s suffering begins. Now he either needs to believe that God can be strong and present even during suffering or (and this is the viewpoint that Job takes) God must think that I’m not a good person when I really am…..and all I need to do is convince Him that I’m really good.

In the book, Job changes from a person who believes in prosperity theology to one who admits that there is a lot about God that I have yet to learn. And yes, God can be present even in suffering.

I think we all wish for a God who blesses us when we are “good” but are confronted by a much more complex conception of God.

However, when we discover God in suffering, we can indeed say “Taste and see that the Lord is good” in an altogether new way.

Comment on Pentecost X – August 9, 2009 by daveboss

daveboss — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:07:14 +0000

In the passage in 2 Samuel, I am disconcerted by David’s response to Absalom’s death because it is so UNlike what mine would have been. David was driven out of his home and city and almost killed by his son and Absalom was the cause of the death of 20,000 Israelite soldiers. Yet David mourns the death of his rebellious son.

Talk about unconditional love, love despite horrible circumstances, love in the face of spitting in David’s face. I am ready to say “Good riddance” but David mourns his son’s death.

One member of my family stopped me in my tracks when she said, “That’s how God loves us”.

Comment on Pentecost II – June 14, 2009 by daveboss

daveboss — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:06:16 +0000

I love the book of Jonah.

God so persistently pursues Jonah not only to get the Ninevah job done but also to change Jonah’s view of the Almighty. God continues to pursue me despite my hestitation to get involved and he continues to refine and redefine the ways I view him. Whales don’t figure as prominently in God’s work with me but many other influences frequently weigh in….my wife, my children, my friends, my pastor, my reading of scripture and other books, etc

“Open my eyes that I might see, visions of truth you have for me…”

Soli Deo Gloria