Haiku: December 24 - February 17

Mysteries abound
but I like well-worn sofas
for my ignorance.

Seven umbrellas

Shelter our heads to the bus

Laughing, relieved gasps

Running man to cross

Red man to draw me up short

Rain puddles, splatters

When the morning breaks

You turn your smile on me til

When dusk settles in.

Sketched for me to find, 

You draw worlds out from a phrase

Found at sentence depth.

 

Sleep on empty days?

I wish but there's more to do.

Let out a deep sigh.

The sound of footsteps

Either a mouse or a grown child

Just one is louder.

I can see blue skies

Through the gaps in tree branches.

Still yearning for leaves.

Week before New Year:
Left over Christmas regret

Mixed with unclaimed cheer.

Lights pulse with music.

Crowds pause to take their selfies.

Wander nighttime paths.

Change of the season.

Marked by the lengthening days. 

New Year starts slowly.

Grey skies and grey fog.

Obscured trees line the distance.

Birds are still sleeping. 

Trees like fragile sticks

Stand sentry along the road

With ragged salutes.

Hummingbird darts out

From between winter flowers. 

Seeking sustenance. 

Took the long road home 

(the short road is too scary)

But it was worth it.

Crossing morning grass

Birds peck through leaves for breakfast.

"Something must be there!"

Wind can't stir the trees.

Leaves fallen, bagged and removed.

Rain pushes the sky.

Which way should I walk?

Into the field or forest?

Its such a nice day.

Ember glow on hills

Silhouette of the morning

Foreshadows the dawn.

Leave the promised land.

Not so "promised" any more.

Move to "hopeful" place.

Oceans separate

And I can't afford to call.

I'll write a letter.

That my inmost thoughts

Are known is both comforting

And terrifying.

Sleepy eyelids droop.

My head nods over and falls.

Til a jerk brings it up. 

Smell of bread rises up

The stairs to where I'm working.

Soon I will descend.

Thoughts barely fitting

In the confines of my head

Wait! Now another!

Exalted on high

Neck aches and eyes are blinded

Anxious eyes look up. 

New course corrections.

Back on the previous track.

Try the next exit.

Birds splashing water.

Then check each ruffled feather.

Then fly fully groomed.

Heart's eyes cannot see

If they're not fully opened.

Lord, open them, please!

So deep and profound

The voice of God speaks across

Ages, to reach our days.

Cycle by cycle

Speaking across the ages.

Forming into words. 

Not stumble, fall, rise

But discover and explore

Further up and in.

Alas, it's fallen.

The city of the mighty

In which they trusted.

Lone flower waiting

Expecting in the morning

Winter sun's glow.

Gray looks good on you. 

Unusual vibrancy.

Sign before more years.

Coffee pours, fragrant.

Into the mug, my hand waits.

To lift for a sip.

Like plans without thought

Is the life without the Lord. 

Can't see, can't do well.

At the kitchen table

It is tough to determine

The shape of the world.

Birds under wet leaves.

Darting out to grab a bite

Dodging the rain drops.

Go to sleep one night

Wake to a whole new morning.

Were they connected.

Coming back to life

Temporarily on hold 

For a trip abroad.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11: All Fools Before Christ

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. - 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

"Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed." There is a foolish desire to be unique in what we believe-that somehow we are the one or among the few who have seen and believed the truth--but this is just foolishness. There were many smart people in Corinth--those who could parse ideas and grasp their implications with the best--and they took joy in exploring those big thoughts and in discussing them to find the jewels to be discovered therein--and they took pride in being able to do that with an ease that surpassed the others around them. 

I know that joy. I hear the echoes of my own pride when I read Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 11:5 where he said "I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” He was that guy who excavated the nuggets of truth and confounded his debate opponents. But when he encountered Jesus--the same Jesus whose church he had been persecuting--he found out what a fool he had been and how far he had missed the truth.  About himself he wrote, "For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."

And Paul saw that in the Corinthians--that same joy, that same pride, that same arrogance, that same...foolishness. To have been so smart and so wrong. To have been so close and yet missed the truth about Jesus, about his life, death and resurrection from the dead. 

And I see it in me--that same joy, that same pride, that same arrogance, that same...foolishness. I have been so smart and often so wrong. So I must return like Paul, like the Corinthians, to Jesus the Christ who, after he "died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared" The rest is a working out of the implications of these truths, which none of us worked out on our own, but which all of us need equally. That puts us on an even playing field, all fools before Christ.

Luke 5:1-11

Psalm 138

John 2:1-11: Seeing the Miracle and Generosity of Jesus

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. - John 2:1-11

"He did not realize where it had come from, thought the servants who had drawn the water knew." I think that we are put in the same privileged position as the servants in this story. What the master of the banquet took for generosity, the servants knew it was actually the miracle.  What Mary knew was a train wreck prevented from happening-running out of wine at a wedding--she then knew it was actually a miracle. It was incidents like this that Luke tells us that "Mary treasured in her heart." As they say: "when you, you know."

Sometimes God allows is a little glimpse into what is actually going on behind the scenes of the universe--when we get to see how God nudges things along through small acts of divine generosity to achieve his purposes. The servants had to play their part. The disciples had to tag along with eyes open. While everyone else just saw a joyous wedding, for the disciples it was "the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him."

Sometimes, when I am the most cynical, I only see a drunk party--I mean what was really going to happen when the good wine is brought out after the wedding reception is well underway? Maybe that's how it ended up--who knows? Like the younger brother in the prodigal son, maybe the generosity of God is wasted. Maybe I end up like the "master of the party" and the prodigal's older brother and miss out on seeing the miracle and seeing the generosity of God. Maybe I miss out on being generous like God.

 

1 Corinthians 12:1-11: Spectacular or Ordinary In My Time

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. - 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

 "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." I think that the working of the Spirit was against all expectations of the early church, just as it is today. While we are used to a mechanical view of the world, where everything can be traced by cause and effect, to natural causes, they were used to a supernatural view of the world which amounted to much the same except that there were "mute idols" to explain the parts of what happened that they didn't understand.

So when the Spirit of God started showing up miraculously within the Corinthian church, I think it was startling and quickly led to two sins (at least those sins that I would be tempted to). First, they would try to claim some sort of status because they got a working of the Spirit (and others didn't) or a "better" working of the Spirit than someone else. Second, those who didn't have a working of the Spirit or had a "lesser" working of the Spirit were tempted to fake it.

I have lived most of my life when the extraordinary workings of the Spirit are not common, for whatever reason. There have been moments, for sure, when I could point to some idea or bit of wisdom that was from God (certainly not from me). And that's ok. As Paul says, "he distributes them to each one just as he determines." He is under no obligation to gift me. Mainly because its not about me. Its about other people. Its about the "common good" Any time my selfish nature tries to take credit for something that God does or tries to fake people into believing that it was something God is doing, it is my sin nature acting up, just in a new venue.

I would like to see these manifestations of the Spirit, to see God working as he clearly did in the New Testament. But would I handle it well? If it happened, would I be cynical and dismiss it? Or be envious and be critical. Probably already have. But I pray that I would have my eyes open wide enough to just be thankful to be there to see what God is doing, spectacular or ordinary, during my time. 

Isaiah 62:1-8: Failures Can Be Fatal, But God...

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. 

The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled; - Isaiah 62:1-8

"No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate..." The name that people gave the nation of Israel were just temporary labels and not the end of the story. These names applied to Israel were labels that were short sighted, because they stopped with the way things looked right now. It is so easy for people to dismiss others because of a setback--the way they look now is the way they will always look because the defeat they have experienced is taken as a permanent description of who they are. That is: "failure is who they are", not "failure is what happened to them." It is true that many people are complicit in their own downfall--they contribute to their failure by action or inaction. They make choices that lead them into the worst case scenarios. But, past failures are not a necessary indicator of future performance.    

Why not? I mean, when I look at stocks, I look for good performing companies and that's where I put my money. And bad performing company stocks are usually an indicator of something systemically wrong with that company. The same goes for people and nations. Bad money after bad money just deepens the loss. 

But here in Isaiah, betting like that, whether on people or nations, must not forget one key factor: God. It is the genius of God to divert train wrecks into something beautiful. Not because the train wreck was inherently beautiful or salvageable, but because God is that good. As Paul says in Titus 3:5, "...he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." Getting used to being a redeemed train wreck is part of the humility of my life in the kingdom of God. 

Jeremiah 31:7-14: Protected From Our Bad Decisions

This is what the Lord says: “Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, ‘Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return. They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’ For the Lord will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord—the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty,” declares the Lord. - Jeremiah 31:7-14

"Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return. They will come with weeping..." Rough situation, full of the broken and vulnerable. The people ask God, "save your people!" God responds that he will save them. It is notable that in his response that the groups he highlights as returning are the "blind", the "lame", the "expectant mothers" and "women in labor". None of these seems like ready contributors to the restored Israel.

But Isaiah makes a point that the vulnerable and impaired are part of the 'flock' that God is redeeming. God isn't redeeming the strong. He is redeeming those whom he has chastised. It says that it was God "who scattered Israel" and it was God who redeemed them from the hand of those "stronger than they." 

That is: they were all among the vulnerable and impaired. They were all part of the "weak" and they are now all part of the "redeemed" and all part of the "blessed". 

There are many Christians who forget that they were also part of the weak, impaired and vulnerable and didn't make the transition to redeemed without God's help. There is a sort of spiritual amnesia that makes believers forget so completely what they experienced that they won't let others commit the same mistakes that they themselves made and, in many cases, still continue to make. The cross is the great place of level ground: we can none of us claim to be any higher that any other and therefore should not put on airs of pride. It just looks foolish. 

 

Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-20: Living Life With Eyes Open

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, - Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-20

 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened..." There is so much in this world that cannot actually be seen. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control to name just a few. They are real and we feel their effects every day. The problem with these is that we can be conditioned so that we do not recognize them and we are tempted to write them off as mere fantasies.

In these verses, Paul prays that the "eyes of our heart may be enlightened" to see three key intangibles--real but likely to be overlooked because of the default manner of our thinking. He wants that we should see "the hope to which he has called us" and the "riches of his glorious inheritance" and "his incomparably great power". We can't touch, taste, smell, hear or feel these but, for the believer, these suffuse reality. So we need a new sense--a new awareness--to what God is doing with his people.

Without it, we might be left with the depressing, limited reality of the senses we were born with. With  it, we find we are surrounded with the amazing, infinite, plentiful reality of the kingdom of God we were born again into. So I pray I can live life with eyes open, not shut.

Matthew 2:13-23: Sometimes We Can't Let It Go And Can't Get Closer To God

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. - Matthew 2:13-23

Maintaining your position is exhausting. Like Herod, you must always be on the lookout for competitors-peoples who might take away the position that you have fought so hard to obtain--and ruthlessly suppress them. When the magi showed up, saying they had a supernatural sign pointing them to the one who was destined for the very title that you yourself claimed, you use them to find out the truth in the matter and when they don't report back, you kill every possible future rival to your throne that they might have encountered.

Maybe we don't murder our rivals, but we can feel resentful when someone else starts getting the credit. When Guinness Book of World Records listed the kid with the highest IQ in the world, I remember feeling annoyed at that kid even though I never new him. Maybe he or she is socially awkward or had super geniuses for parents or the IQ tests were inherently biased towards people of a certain socioeconomic level. Some way to explain why they weren't listing my name.

When someone else has what we feel we deserve, we find some reason why they didn't deserve it, some way that they cheated, some way that they were unfairly advantaged or someway to remove them from being seen as a competitor. Or we feel they were right to win and the anger turns inward in remorse.

Saying that you don't deserve something and someone else does in front of a crowd is a tough path to humility--and we will often do almost anything rather than go down that path. Herod didn't. Joseph, bringing back Mary and Jesus from Egypt didn't want to settle where Archilaeus, Herod's son, was, because he would have not liked his father being shown up by a refugee, so they went to Nazareth.

One thing we can learn: even in the unfair jealousy of others, God still has a hand, since he used that very anger to get Jesus to exactly where he was supposed to be, per the prophecy.

Another think we can learn: we can't get closer to God if we don't see Him as more important than everything in our current situation. Herod was so tied to being "king" that he got literally and metaphorically farther from Jesus. He couldn't let it go. Sometimes, we can't let it go. Then we can't get closer to Jesus. Learning how to live without attachment to anything but God is the art.