Everlasting God,
In whom we live and move and have our being:
You have made us for yourself,
So that our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
–Augustine of Hippo (Algeria/354-430)
Tag: Worship
Advent (start a new Ancient tradition)
As some of you know, I have been involved in the Tyndale Publishing, New living Translation, project: Holy Bible: Mosaic, through contributing a meditation on the Trinity called, Anointing Oil (pg. 264).
We are soon approaching the Season of Advent. Many of us in the Evangelical tradition have not experienced the richness of joining with so many Christians around the world who worship and enjoy God by observing the Christian calendar year. This begins at Advent, the first week in December, and in 2009, begins Nov. 29th. This is a time when we focus on God’s redemptive plan for us, and anticipate the birth of the Incarnation, the coming King, Jesus the Christ. (This calendar continues to other major events in God’s redemptive plan–including Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, and Pentecost.)
The Holy Bible: Mosaic begins weekly thought-provoking meditations at Advent, but Tyndale also provides a special Advent sampler of the first four mediations from the Mosaic Bible that make a thoughtful early Christmas card or gift, (and are small enough to fit in a envelope.) Another nice thing is that this Advent sampler it’s only $1.99!
I hope you will consider the celebration of Advent in your worship this year, especially if you haven’t in the past.
More interesting, in-depth info on Advent available here.
Thank you to Rick Warren (Ministry Toolbox), and to New Testament scholar, and author of The Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight who have been so positive in their support of this NLT Bible–a new tool to dive deeper toward the heart of God through this special presentation of God’s Word–adjacent to weekly God-centered meditations.
I will be doing a weekly reflection on the Holy Bible: Mosaic meditation of the week here, as we journey together.
Thanks for reading.
Feel free to leave your comments.
Jedi Training, coming in 8 weeks.
No, Mr. T is not officially endorsing my program, (which is really a focused learning group) but if he knew about it, he might.
If you’re curious, and ready to be a Jedi, click the tab at the top that reads “Jedi Training – Info.”
Only 10 people will be chosen, at a time. We begin in January.
May the Schwartz be with you.
Cosmic Hope
(a personal reflection from Gospel Virtues by Jonathan R. Wilson)
Cosmic Hope: For all times, for all places, and all people, and nothing can take it away.
This idea “hope as story” is not sourced in a human story.
It creates the circumstances by which we may endure, and serve each other. (not a will to power)
It is found in community, personally, with Person, and eschatologically.
It is transcendent…
Strangely enough—It can be started through worship.
How might you define it?
Get God and Get Rich Quick
Wouldn’t it be cool if God was a genie, and if you rubbed him the right way you could get your wildest dreams to come true?
Or maybe he could be like the Lotto, and you could hit the Jackpot with him, and a windfall of goodies could come your way, with no trouble at all.
Or God could be like a butler with supernatural body toning and skin enhancing skills to diminish the signs of aging and flabbiness.
Ah, God, the big vending machine in the sky…
Except-God asks us to be familiar in relationship to him like a spouse. He calls us his “Beloved.” Hum… conundrum…
Is the Get God-Get Rich idea perhaps a bit immature? Near-sighted?
Anyway, God is a Being described as a Person, right?
A friend of mine, Jon Acuff, has a hilarious post called “Secretly Believing in the Prosperity Gospel.” You’ll laugh out loud if you read it. His book, “Stuff Christians Like” is a great commentary on Christian sub-culture that will have you laughing non stop! (Especially if you were ever a preacher’s kid!)