Who, Me?

When it comes to personal responsibility and actually owning up to something, plenty of social commentators have decried our society's lack of ability. i was on the phone with a good friend living in Asia, who relayed a story about life there. The story was about how these Americans were immobilized by very ordinary, everyday activities. At the end of his story, my friend (who is an American) simply said: Americans are wimps; they're soft.

Picking up on that theme, Roberto Rivera at Breakpoint discusses our softness _ in body and soul.

Hymnody

Valerie at kyriosity challenged me some weeks back when i said that the tune for A Mighty Fortress is our God was taken from a pub song. She said she had heard it was a myth. i have done some checking and still i come up empty on a decisive ruling on that. Apparently, Luther was not the only one believed to have borrowed from tavern songs.

A story in the Washington Times discusses one man's attempt to set the record straight regarding the Brothers Wesley. In the article, Luther is mentioned; alas, not conclusively either way.

Being Real

In my very first post to this blog, i mentioned Esse Quam Videri, a Latin phrase meaning: To be, rather than to seem, which served as the true starting point. The phrase is the motto of a heart tired of playing at things and wanting to shed a false self which operates in shadows rather than being honest.

In The Curate of Glaston, a trilogy by Scotish writer George MacDonald, there is a similar cry from the heart of the title character. Thomas Wingfold is a curate in the Church of England who realizes through a series of events that he is not a Christian and has hidden his entire life. In fact, even the sermons he preaches on Sundays are stolen from the pens and hearts of other men.

But, he meets some people who lead him on a journey to find Christ, the God-Man, and in so discovering, Wingfold is changed. As i read the first book, called The Curate's Awakening, i am moved by Wingfold's earnest desire to have a real relationship with Christ. And in reading about the curate, i am inspired and encouraged as i proceed on my journey to know Him.

The Apostle Paul talks of knowing Christ, and throughout his writing he uses the phrase In Him, letting us know that only In Him is life and purpose and healing. By implication then, not being In Him is to be ill, aimless _ and ultimately _ dead.

Let us adore the Everlasting God,
And render praise unto Him.
He put out the heavens and established the earth;
And His Glory is magnified throughout the whole earth.

He is our God.
He is our God.
There is no one else.

On Target

It is so easy to shoot at the wrong target. Fortunately, scripture steers us toward the truth when it says For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 6:12).

How the Enemy would love for us to shoot each other, flesh and blood, while we believe his lie that he is really not operating at all.

Nevertheless, v.12 reminds us that all around us is the eternal cosmic battle of Good v. Evil. We are, by nature of the fact that we are His, caught up into this struggle. And sadly, so many times, we find ourselves casualties.

His armor is more than sufficient for the struggle, and elsewhere in Ephesians 6 we read that after we have fought in His Power, He will cause us to stand.

May His Spirit move mightily in all of us that His true children would, as I Pet. 5 tells us, Resist [the devil] firm in the faith.

i was thinking about the depth of God's grace earlier today based on some emails i have received recently. i find that Jesus' words in Luke 7:36-50 speak to me quite powerfully.

The sinful woman anoints Jesus' feet, and He tells us all that the depth of her love for Christ _ and by implication, her love for others _ is the direct result of having been forgiven much. in v. 47 Jesus says: But he who has been forgiven little loves little.

Without a doubt, the deepest experience i have had of God's love, mercy, forgiveness and work in my life are the result of facing deep and horrific sin within my own heart. By letting Him touch the wounds that are at the core of my being, i have direct knowledge and expierence of His Love. And now, God willing, because i know something of His Great Love _ because i really need a Great Savior _ i can love others and extend His Grace too.

It is a great point to come to when we no longer try to keep a facade of having it all together in the Christian Life and simply come into His presence in the mess of our lives that He might do His Work.

Well, i see there are no takers on the Bill survey.

For what it's worth, i will answer the questions anyway.

1. Well, duh, yes of course i listen to Bill.
2. i have seen him live roughly 16 times.
3. i own all of his albums, including all 3 versions of Audible Sigh.
4. i learned about Bill from a woman who used to live in Athens, Ga who as a co-worker of mine in campus ministry. She told me about VOL in 1989, when things were nascent, and she raved about Bill as a songwriter. It also turns out that she, her name being Melanie Wilson, did the cover art on Killing Floor and Welcome to Struggleville.
5. i have been a fan since i first heard his music, which was in 1994, sometime after the initial mention of the band by Melanie. Bill's music was hard to get, and it took that long.
6. i always hate trying to pick favorites, so i won't. i think there are a few notable performances and notable albums, though. As for performances, i have fond memories of a show by the Roof of the Sky ensemble which i planned and promoted in Feb. 1998; the show VOL did with Over the Rhine at the North Star Bar in Philadelphia; and a free gig in the student lounge at Eastern University, which at that time (Sept. 1998) was called Eastern College. In terms of albums, i truly like them all. however, there is a beauty to Slow Dark Train and Roof of the Sky which deserve mention.

I really appreciate Bill and his music. i hope others have a similarly positive experience of him.