January 15, 2015

 

WAITING ON PROMISES

 
Waiting….
 
Much of life is waiting – on lines – for children – for supper – for love – for sleep – for the dawn.
 
Promises.
 
In order to be able to wait, to have the patience to wait, I need to have heard a promise or to believe in a promise.
 
Otherwise we wouldn’t get on the line.  We wouldn’t wait in the rain in hopes of getting the ticket.
 
Promises.
 
We wait for a loved one to return.
 
The father waited for the Prodigal Son to return – and he did return – to home, reconnection, family, the Kingdom underneath it all – even though he was bleeding, cut, hurt, needy,  humbled, less.
 
Resurrection.
 
We know there is resurrection - based on a promise by Jesus.
 
We know Jesus would return - based on a promise.
 
We know Jesus  is present – based on a promise.
 
Promises….
 
Waiting for the sun to rise – after a long night – after years of sin – after years of darkness – after years of refusing to wait.
 
Here I am Lord – standing on line – hoping to get home  - waiting for love, to feel the embrace of arms, hungry for the fatted calf, a washing, the garment, bread, wine, understanding, love.
 
Thank God, the line is so long. Thank God, the traffic is so heavy.  It means I’m not the only one. There are all these other people heading home – who are relying on a promise.
 
Waiting …. Learning how to wait – that’s a life learning.
 
So I guess that’s why the scriptures, that’s why the Gospels, are pointing out why all these people are waiting with the promise of the Bridegroom, the Messiah, to come.
 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022

January  15,  2022

 

 

 

Thought for Today

 

 

“Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice.”

 

 

H. L. Mencken

Prejudices

January  14,  2022 

A PERSONAL  RELIGION

 
I begin life with no say in the matter – a seed and an egg – planted in my mother’s womb.
 
It’s as simple as that.
 
I end life with little say in the matter – dust and bone – planted in the under-ground – in mother earth – in a tomb.
 
And in between those two moments – birth and death – I can become conscious. 
 
About: life.  About:  the gift of life.   Why me?
 
And I spend my life figuring -  chasing – and doing more figuring – about family, work, religion, relationships, commuting, weekends, sports, reading, education, exercise, etc., etc., etc.
 
Life.
 
Love.  The different people I have met.  Relationships…. Discoveries …. People I like…. People who have taught me so much…. People who are fascinating, different, interesting ….
 
Life. Love. Light.
 
I search for meaning – to become enlightened.  I look into religions for deeper understandings – turning corners – a second, third, and  fourth looks -  and many times – where I have been before seems  so, so different – than before  - the older I get.
 
Christianity …. Judaism …. Muslim …. Buddhism …. Hinduism …. Atheism ….
 
Ideas …. Nuances …. Challenges ….
 
I spend time thinking that religion is ideas, systems, theology, teaching, organization.
 
Jesus.
 
I discover Jesus as a person – not just a word or words in a Bible – but as word made flesh – dwelling among us – a person – a presence to wrap my life around.
 
“Religion” – as someone described it: “It’s what you wrap your life around.”
 
Jesus: Life….  Light….  Love,,,.
 
Jesus: the one who promises to be there after I become dust and disappearance – distance – when I am on  the other side of the tomb.

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022ection

January  14,  2022

 

Thought for Today

 

“Fiction reveals truths that realty obscures.”

 

Jessamyn West

 January 13,  2022

ANCHORS  AWAY

 

The anchor is a symbol of hope – hope that our ships will  reach shore – hope that we’ll get to our harbor.

 

Faith is the call to pull up anchor and launch out into the deep.

 

Faith is the call to leave all – lift our anchor – and our nets – and to  set sail with the carpenter.

 

Faith is a journey  - a voyage – to the other side – to what we can’t see – into the unknown – sailing through the eye of the needle – into the great unknown.

 

Then in the middle of trip – in the middle of a storm – Jesus is sleeping through it all.  Jesus is sleeping while we are afraid and awake. What about his promise to be with us all days – even to the end of the world?

 

Anchors away.

 

The history of the world for many is a history of migration and movement, pulling stakes and anchors – and seeing sail for newer shores.

 

Taking a risk – trying something new – entering a new field – that’s the stuff of adventure – discovery.

 

Leaving home for college – for the military – for a new job – in a far country – can be a scary question.

 

Death is the ultimate voyage.  We take nothing with us. We swim naked into the great unknown – plunged into the dark waters  - tossed by the great waves – surrounded by all those others who also died that day.

 

Faith is the only anchor.  Faith is our hope. Jesus went before us and in these days – this Jonah arrived on the shore of eternity – the Risen One – still with us all days.

  

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022

January  13,  2022

 

Thought for Today

 

“We are not bitter, not because we have forgiven but because there is so much to be done that we cannot afford to waste valuable time and resources on anger.”

 

Govan Mbeki

[Johannesburg Weekly

South Africa]

 

 January 12,  2022

PRAYER  AND  ILLUSION

 

 

Spending time in prayer can be a great illusion.

 

People who pray or people who don’t pray, as well as people who make inward fun of people who pray,  can  be involved with a great illusion.

 

People who pray have a unique opportunity to be in  touch with this illusion.

 

People can do that.  Better time with God can do that.  Better becoming  quiet, becoming still, becoming empty, becoming closer to God, can help me see who I am in comparison to God.

 

People who become close to God can say some strange and nasty things about themselves when this happens,  One reads words like “worm” or  “nothing” or “lowest of the low,” or “l am the greatest sinner”, etc.

 

A pebble looking at a mountain feels small. A drop of water falling into the ocean gets lost. A great violinist is not noticed.  It’s the music – the opening of one’s ears and eyes and hearts – becoming lost in the river of the music – as it flows – and we are all becoming one.

 

It's the same as being in the desert.  One can experience illusion … or maya or feelings that one is lost.

 

On a mountain, in the ocean, in the desert, one can become face to face with God.  One can also  become face to face with the devil. The fight is on.

 

Temptations are illusions – illusions to greatness and to grandeur -  to see rocks as bread or the ability to leap to greatness without any effort. The temptations Jesus was hit  with in the desert can hit us as well.

 

The desert tells us all. It’s death without  water.  Nothing grows.  Sand can become the stuff of silicone chips – but that takes work – work – and the cooperation of thousands. Sand can become soil for food – lots of food if we are willing to work and cooperate with nature.

 

Pausing to pray – to get away from it all, to be in the presence of God - can still turn us some of these things to reality – but beware: illusions can remain illusions – and we don’t even know it.

 

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022