Plethora Ministries

Monday, March 06, 2006

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LORD TOLD ME

Plethora Ministries

WORD WEEK 03-05-06

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LORD TOLD ME!

GENESIS 7:1 KJV

And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

ISAIAH 55: 11 KJV

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The year 2006 is underway and ushers our hopes, aspirations, and dreams like the flutter of birds wings in early Spring upon the breath of GOD! Many of GOD'S people have renewed their the commitment and covenant to the LORD in anticipation of a deeper experience with THE HOLY and THE DIVINE. Moreover, our sense of renewal provokes the reignition of our hopes as we surge forth into a year of the unknown; a year in anticipation of new beginnings; a year of answered prayers for deliverance.

Ironically, commensurate with our desire for renewal, peace, and joy, the world, the nation, and our communities have been severely impacted by suffering, despair, brokenness, woundedness, and catastrophe. As many of us allow ourselves to be present to this reality, we can still hear the echoes of winter winds sing of the imminence of difficult times and divine danger in the air. Already in the year 2006, we have witnessed pandemic suffering, moral decay, and the physical, economic, spiritual, emotional, and psychological slaughter of many innocent people in the infancy of the New Year! It is only March and so many persons' lives have been radically altered as a consequence of no volition of their own implementation, but by the hands of those who abuse and inappropriately dislodge power. Have mercy upon us LORD, we pray!

As the events unfold in the Narrative of Genesis 7:1, The LORD rendered guidance to Noah who had witnessed the moral decay and the psychospiritual erosion of GOD'S people. Circumstances of despair and the proliferation of human pathos had become so pandemic in the land that it would not be long before GOD'S people would eat their food in anxiety, drink their water in despair, and recline upon their beds of affliction, for their land would be stripped of everything in it because of the presence of violence, a lack of love, a lack of tolerance, and the malignant narcissism of many persons who resided in the land. The inhabited towns were destined to become an utter wasteland like that of the "Slough of Despond" in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. Suffering was on the agenda. Only then would humanity come to reckon with the sovereignty of the LORD. Consequently, Noah's instructions and actions in the construction of an ark functioned as a metaphor of GOD'S invitation to grace and love to all of humanity.

An amplified view of the text enables us to learn that the embrace of "TRUTH" tempered by both "LOVE" and "WISDOM" is available to all who are amenable to hear. What might we do if we had to dislodge our baggage of fear, uncertainty, and pseudo-control? Who would we become? Where would we go? How would we face ourselves, not only in our mourning, but in the morning as well as throughout the day many of GOD'S people muse? Importantly, we do not know quite where to begin, much less fathom or integrate the coexistence of "LOVE" and "TRUTH" of this caliber as we are invited to embrace a deeper awareness that no one has ever loved us, protected us, not cradled us like GOD! Significantly, while unquenchable anticipation and unrestrained hope have now come to cosmically divine fruition, "LOVE" has come to each of us as we intimately encounter the presence of "The Holy" in the air.
Consequently, while the marriage and the manifestation of prophetic fulfillment and the eschatological incarnation has embodied itself in the logos, "reason" evades our consciousness as the boundary of "LOVE" knows no depth, no height, no breath, nor scope for which "anything that was," "anything that is," and "anything that shall be" can elude its presence.

An amplified look at the Flood Narrative provides us with a compelling glimpse of the intertwined nature of the coexistence joy and solemnity as the Wise Old Man, Noah, and, significantly, his family became the catalyst for GOD'S love covenant with humanity and salvific hope for a brand new day! As Christians, we become witnesses to both death and life. As Christians, we become witnesses to destruction and construction. As Christians, we become witnesses to annihilation and preservation. As observers, we become witnesses to the psychology that functioned as the buttress for both the community and the world by and large. Moreover, on some level, we become observers and co-members of the human condition who struggle with the compelling invitation to radical self-transformation, deep introspection required both by compassion and the petition for a deeper altruistic expression of love for such a momentous event as the onslaught of a flood. The Flood Narrative offers the community of faith an anchor in stormy times which suggests that subsequent to the proclamation of the logos, a spirit of change was imminent for humanity as life was about to radically change in the manner in which it was once experienced! While the chosen, Wise Old Man, Noah, was given the news of GOD'S divine favor, he was not initially cognizant of the implication of being chosen; neither was humanity then, nor in subsequent light years. In essence, life happens! Floods do also! However, rainbows follow, if one dares to look!

Nevertheless, as PEOPLE of GOD, we must reckon with the reality of floods in our lives! Floods in and of themselves may cause one's perspective to change or might represent a myriad of challenges and invites for GOD'S PEOPLE: For some, Floods might represent a lineage of strong family ties and/or tradition that prohibits genuine growth and spiritual autonomy; for others, Floods might represent a desire to maintain the status quo, a rote existence, or one's acceptance into the circle of the elite; still for others, Floods might represent the desire to remain connected to a relationship that is unhealthy and unproductive, a friendship that is barren, but perfunctory, a self-concept that perpetuates the illusion of self-importance as it has become confused about the owner of such unclaimed and displaced baggage; even still for others, Floods might represent one's investment in rejection, depression, loneliness, failure, shame, co-dependence, anger, grief, guilt, self-entitlement, and placing others on probation to vindicate and/or ameliorate one's own woundedness. FLOODS! Floods, they are powerful and quite real! When we are not spiritually anchored, floods have the capacity to wash away all that we deem valuable. If the truth were told, Floods have the capacity to sweep us away with them if we are not anchored to the love of GOD!

Despite the occurrence of floods, which we know from the Holy Text as well as the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in contemporary times, GOD'S PEOPLE must attune their ears to hear HIS voice as it is GOD whose voice can still winds and calm storms. Noah offers us hope and petitions us to remember what GOD has told YOU! The aforementioned statement is critically significant, because circumstances have the propensity to cause even the most grounded Christian to call into question the fruition of GOD'S word amidst the onslaught of a flood. Flood-impact is undoubtedly daunting and devastating to say the least. The onslaught of floods appear virtually inescapable by any human being, yet have the potential for healing and recovery with care, insight, attention, safety, deep love, abiding empathy, and the presence of The Holy Spirit. The opportunity to be a servant of the LORD has afforded me myriad opportunities to visit the sacred ground of men, women, and children who are hurt; deeply hurt; some even beyond there own recognition. Consequently, false recovery from flood-impact may disguise itself as bravado or overconfidence. Flood-impact may produce a malignant distrust of those who are benevolent. Flood-impact may cause many persons to shut themselves off from genuine love. Flood-impact may cause others to be on the fast track to achieve euphoric frenzy. Flood-impact may cause still others to neglect the painful truth of acknowledging and doing something about their own woundedness. Flood-impact may cause even others to be defended and consequently push away those persons/things that they desire the greatest level of intimacy.

Despite the discouragement, despite the lack of support, despite the exclusion, despite the shut doors, despite the limitations, despite the presence of fear, despite the forces of darkness, and despite the infractions, Noah kept building and so must you as child of he who specializes in the construction of lifeboats, whose name is GOD!

Consequently, Noah's narrative offers each of us a reminder to hold fast; to cling to the unshakable promise of GOD! You might be wondering if you have heard correctly when circumstances or the opinions of others have caused you to stop in your tracks or even call yourself into question. The response to this type of thinking is to reply: "You don't know what the LORD told me!" When requested to elaborate about that which you have stated, summons the promises of the LORD.

THE LORD HAS TOLD YOU:

To remain in his word that you cannot fail

To remember that He is a GOD much stronger then Baal

To remember by HIS stripes you are healed

To remember in a sepulcher they tried to seal

To remember that He knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb

To remember in HIS divine kingdom that there is plenty good room

To remember that the land you will possess

To remember that in HIM that there is joy and rest

To remember that you are blessed and not cursed

To remember that He has given you power that will be dispersed

To remember that you have power over your enemies

To remember that He promises you lands that you have yet to see

To remember that HE will supply your every need

To remember that we are the inherited from Abraham's seed

To remember He is a GOD who cannot lie

To remember that He is the JEHOVAH-JIREH, JEHOVAH-NISSU, THE GREAT JEHOVAH EL SHADDAI

(c) K. Mason 2006

As we approach the manifestation of the promises of GOD, let us do so with a greater degree of reverence and intimacy to GOD as we are compelled by our potential under the light of the brilliance of the CHRIST, convicted by "TRUTH" and transformed by "LOVE" to which we have tenaciously cleaved, and enraptured in the presence of GOD'S healing love!
ISAIAH 55: 11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

K. Mason
(c) 2005

For your convenience, all of the links to Plethora Ministries sites are listed below. All you are required to do is "click" and be blessed! Please pass this on family members, friends, co-workers, and other travelers on their journey to spiritual integration and wholeness.

Blessings
Plethora Ministries
Plethora Ministries Click here for Web log Page

[contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

Click here for "IT IS WELL" Musical Midi

plethoraministries@yahoo.com
Plethora Ministries
Please spread the word to others you know and if they are interested in receiving the WORD Of Reflection Devotion weekly , please have them send an email to plethoraministries@yahoo.com and state in the subject line: "Request for WORD." Please feel free to write Plethora Ministries with your comments:

K.Mason

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

WORD WEEK 01-15-06 RELEASE YOUR BAGGAGE Part 2

HAPPY NEW YEAR

WORD WEEK 01-15-06

RELEASE YOUR BAGGAGE PART II

EZEKIEL 12:7 KJV

And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my baggage by day, as a captive's baggage, and in the even I digged through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and bore it upon my shoulder, in their sight.

The reflection of the previous week addressed the issue of the ownership, identification, and claiming of one's own baggage [Part 1]. In continuation of the same theme, this week's reflection will address the Release Your Baggage [Part 11].

A summary of the previous reflection is as follows: The year 2006 is already upon us and our sense of destination is a critical part of what it means to be alive, whole, and human! Christians around the world celebrated the season of Advent just shy of a month ago. During that time, we witnessed the journey of life and death which The Holy Family were required embrace; a journey fraught with excitement and anticipation; expectation and anxiety; approach and avoidance; hope and fear as well as a plethora of human emotions from which we draw inspiration and meaning presently and in millennia to come.

Moreover, we learned that The Holy Family packed only that which was essential and were required to leave behind both the comfort and familiarity of loved ones, family, friends, community, safety, and treasured material possessions that had helped to render meaning to their existence. In essence, they had to relinquish familiarity and embrace that which was clandestine, except to the sovereignty of GOD!

Significantly, There are four ways in which we carry baggage: 1] Physically; 2] Emotionally; 3] Psychologically; 4] Spiritually. Sometimes, when one travels, there are instances in which the transport of baggage is essential. At other times, no transport of baggage might be required at all.

Nevertheless, far too often, too many of GOD'S people have become increasingly acclimated to carrying baggage, that they are no longer cognizant that they are carrying baggage as this baggage has become a critical aspect of their self-definition as well as their worldview. Consequently, they are no longer aware of the degree to which the weight of that baggage weighs down their hope, healing, transformation, happiness, insight, empowerment, development, joy, peace, deliverance, and impedes their ability to meaningfully connect to others.

As the events unfold in the Narrative of Ezekiel 12:7, The LORD rendered guidance to Ezekiel who had witnessed the moral decay and the psychospiritual erosion of GOD'S people. Circumstances had become so pandemic in Jerusalem that it would not be long before GOD'S people would eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land would be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who lived there [All of which we are doing at the present time]. The inhabited towns were destined to become a wasteland. Suffering was on the agenda. Only then would humanity would come to reckon with the sovereignty of the LORD. Consequently, Ezekiel's actions functioned as a metaphor to Zedekiah's flight from the city commensurate with its conquering by the Chaldeans.

As many of us allow ourselves to be present to this reality, we hear the swift winter winds sing of the imminence of difficult times and divine danger in the air. Already in the year 2006, we have witnessed pandemic suffering in the infancy of the month of January! Have Mercy Upon Your People, Gracious LORD!

We learned that the embrace of "TRUTH" is available to all who are amenable to hear. What might we do if we had to dislodge of such baggage? Who would we be? Where would we go? How would we face ourselves, not only in our mourning, but in the morning as well as throughout the day many of GOD'S people muse? Importantly, we do not know quite where to begin, much less fathom or integrate the coexistence of "LOVE" and "TRUTH" of this caliber as we are invited to embrace a deeper awareness that no one has ever loved us like GOD does!

Nevertheless, the PEOPLE of GOD must reckon with their baggage! Carrying baggage might represent a myriad of challenges and invites for GOD'S PEOPLE: For some, carrying baggage might represent a lineage of strong family ties, tradition, a regal blood line, or a lucrative inheritance; for others, carrying baggage might represent status quo, a rote existence, or one's acceptance into the circle of the elite; still for others, carrying baggage might represent the desire to remain connected to a relationship that is unhealthy and unproductive, a friendship that is barren, but perfunctory, a self-concept that perpetuates the illusion of self-importance as it has become confused about the owner of such unclaimed and displaced baggage; even still for others, carrying baggage might represent one's investment in rejection, depression, loneliness, failure, shame, co-dependence, anger, grief, guilt, self-entitlement, and placing others on probation to vindicate and/or ameliorate one's own woundedness.

In essence, there are far too many of GOD'S people are in the baggage carrying business! Becoming cognizant of our baggage is like that of going to the Baggage Claim Department in the Airport. As each of us stands around the conveyor belt, we look for the baggage that has our names. Ironically, have you ever been in an airport and observed someone grabbing the baggage of someone else? Have you ever been in an airport and not notice your own baggage and believing it to be the baggage of another, dismiss your own baggage?

Consequently, For some persons, a trip to Baggage Claim this time of year will bring the unexpected closeness and love of family and friends and security, yet for other persons, this same trip to Baggage Claim will heighten the lack of closeness, potentially fuel exclusion, recapitulate loss, and deflate hope. Nevertheless, Beloved of God, you must claim your baggage as the failure to do so will result in a cosmic threat on either your life or the quality of your life!

In order to claim our baggage we must learn to identify the kinds of baggage that we carry. In order to release our baggage we must own and name such baggage first. Now appears the time to pose a question: How or why would one release what he/she believes in not there? The four types of baggage are as follows: 1] Emotional; 2] Physical; 3] Psychological; 4] Spiritual.

Emotional Baggage

Emotional Baggage consists of those things that we feel. It is the full range of what we call in the field of Psychology: Affect! It is something that appears virtually inescapable by any human being, yet has the potential to be healed with care, insight, attention, safety, and the presence of The Holy Spirit. The opportunity to be a servant of the LORD has afforded me myriad opportunities to visit the sacred ground of men, women, and children who are hurt; deeply hurt; some even beyond there own recognition. Emotional Baggage may disguise itself as bravado or overconfidence. Emotional Baggage may produce a malignant distrust of those who are benevolent. Emotional Baggage may cause many persons to shut themselves off from genuine love. Emotional Baggage may cause others to be on the fast track to achieve euphoric frenzy; Emotional Baggage may cause still others to neglect the painful truth of acknowledging and doing something about their own woundedness. Emotional Baggage may cause even others to be defended and consequently push away those persons/things that they desire the greatest level of intimacy. In essence, Emotional Baggage is invested in the art of sabotage, isolations, despair, and stagnation!

Physical Baggage

Physical Baggage affects our body. The transport of baggage of this caliber may cause insomnia, inconsistent and poor eating habits, and low energy level. Moreover, Physical Baggage may manifest itself in destructive behaviors that one does to his/her body. Physical Baggage, oftentimes, may cause one to experience lethargy when awake and insomnia when sleep is required. Physical Baggage may contribute to an increase in the desire to consume excessive sugar, carbohydrates, alcohol, and tobacco. In essence, far too many of GOD'S people attempt to apply temporary fixes to alleviate the strain of Physical Baggage as it appears to quiet the baggage of the Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual when the physical self is under duress.

Psychological Baggage

Psychological Baggage is a mind construct that affects the way one sees himself/herself, others, and the world. In essence, it is the schema or the mantra by which one lives and it has a conscious and/or an unconscious commitment to keep in place its attempt to avoid emotional and what is believed as intolerable pain. Moreover, it is argued by scientists that the largest organ of the human body is the brain. Yet, ironically, far too often, even among spiritual persons, it is the one that receives the least of much needed exercise. Psychological Baggage makes it increasing difficult for one to forget hurt, blame, shame, guilt, and suffering to the degree that recapitulation of previous hurtful events causes one to relieve trauma associated with suffering. Moreover, Psychological Baggage may cause one to place another on probation, thereby, renting space in the head of him/her who is functioning as the Gatekeeper of the Probation Office.

Spiritual Baggage

Spiritual Baggage embodies the emotional, psychological, and physical domains. In many instances, it functions as the life force, glue, water of life, and manna from heaven, from which the enlightened draws strength, insight, hope, connectedness, and immortality verses extinction. When one's spirituality is out of sync and becomes that of Spiritual Baggage, a catharsis is often warranted and healing unquestionably essential. Spiritual Baggage encompasses our "is-ness;" i.e., our being and is intrinsically linked to the heart of GOD.

The Release of Your Baggage

As we approach the counter of the Baggage Claim Department in GOD'S AIRPORT, let us do so with a greater degree of reverence and intimacy to GOD as we are compelled by our potential under the light of the brilliance of the CHRIST, convicted by "TRUTH" for the baggage to which we have tenaciously cleaved, and enraptured in the presence of GOD'S healing love!

In order to Release Our Baggage: We must be willing to Let Go! We must be willing to Heal! We must be open to Self-examination! We must be committed to the act Attitude, Action, and Altitude, which equals CHANGE! We must be willing to Forgive! We must be will to embrace

all of the facets of LOVE that exceeds the acquisition of getting what we want, but giving all that we have instead!

The Release of baggage is the Reaffirmation and Empowerment of GOD'S Love that Empathetically Alleviates Suffering Eternally!

Reaffirmation

Empowerment

Love

Empathetically

Alleviates

Suffering

Eternally

In essence, the presence of light and truth not only exposes us to our baggage, but to GOD'S love, mercy, and grace which sustains us while we heal from the weight of carrying such baggage!

As we enter the Baggage Claim Line we hear the following:"Welcome to the Baggage Claim Department Sir/Madam: Your name is____________________? My name is JESUS and I will be assisting you with the alleviation of your baggage with the accompaniment of My FATHER and The HOLY SPIRIT! Your baggage is safe with me and will never weigh you down again when you entrust it to me!"

K. Mason
(c) 2005

Click here for Web log Page

[contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]

Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

K.Mason

WORD WEEK 01-06-06 CLAIM YOUR BAGGAGE Part 1

HAPPY NEW YEAR

WORD WEEK 01-08-06

CLAIM YOUR BAGGAGE PART I

EZEKIEL 12:7 KJV

The gifts have been opened, the tree trimmings have been removed, the splendor and radiance of sparkling lights have gone on sabbatical until Advent 2006, the New Year is now in full swing, and many of GOD'S people have already implemented travel plans for the season of Spring and Summer. Whether one's destination is near or far, travel ignites a sense of excitement and anticipation; expectation and anxiety; immediacy and delay. Whether one travels by foot, automobile, train, ship, bus, or an airplane, the one feature that travel has in common in all six modalities is the necessity of packing; i.e., the transport of baggage.

One month ago, Christians around the world were witnesses to the season of Advent. During that time, we were witnesses to the journey of life and death which the Betrothed Virgin, The Wise Old Man, and, significantly, the Christ-Child were required embrace. The journey that they were required to take consisted of excitement and anticipation; expectation and anxiety; approach and avoidance; hope and fear as well as a plethora of human emotions from which we draw inspiration and meaning today now and millennia to come. Significantly, we learned that The Holy Family packed only that which was essential and were required to leave behind both the comfort and familiarity of loved ones, family, friends, community, safety, and treasured material possessions that had helped to render meaning to their existence. In essence, they had to relinquish familiarity and embrace that which was clandestine, except to the heart, soul and mind of GOD!

In essence, The Holy Family were required to travel, for in doing so, they were destined to deal with the issue of carrying baggage. Importantly, There are four ways in which we carry baggage: 1] Physically; 2] Emotionally; 3] Psychologically; 4] Spiritually. Sometimes, When one travels, there are instances in which the transport of baggage is essential. At other times, no transport of baggage might be required at all. Nevertheless, far too often, many of GOD'S people have become increasingly acclimated to carrying baggage, that they are no longer cognizant that they are carrying baggage as this baggage has become a critical aspect of their self-definition as well as their worldview. Consequently, they are no longer aware of the degree to which the weight of that baggage weighs down their hope, healing, transformation, happiness, insight, empowerment, development, joy, peace, deliverance, and impedes their ability to meaningfully connect to others.

As the events unfold in the Narrative of Ezekiel 12:7, The LORD rendered spiritual direction to Ezekiel who has witnessed the narcissism of GOD'S people. Circumstances had become so horrific in Jerusalem that it would not be long before GOD'S people would eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land would be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who lived there. The inhabited towns would be laid to waste and the land would become desolate. It would not be until such a time that humanity would come to know and reckon with the sovereignty of the LORD. Consequently, Ezekiel's actions would function as sign/metaphor to set forth Zedekiah's flight out of the city when the Chaldeans took the city. The text reads as follows:

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people. 3 "Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4 During the daytime, while they watch, bring out your belongings packed for exile. Then in the evening, while they are watching, go out like those who go into exile. 5 While they watch, dig through the wall and take your belongings out through it. 6 Put them on your shoulder as they are watching and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel."

The LORD petitioned Ezekiel to pack his belonging for exile by day as others watched and during the evening to go out like those in exile; i.e., cover his face so that he could not see the land. The logos of GOD was in fulfillment phase at this time and Ezekiel's actions; i.e., that of packing his baggage and leaving in the manner and at the times aforementioned were designed to get the attention of GOD'S people who no longer viewed their self-preoccupation and extreme self-indulgence as a form of baggage carrying. As many of us allow ourselves to be present to this reality, we can still hear the swift winter winds sing of the presence of difficult times and divine danger in the air. Already in the year 2006, we have been witnesses to pandemic suffering in the divine infancy of the month of January! Help us GOD!

Moreover, what is so compelling about baggage carrying is that God requires that we carry it out into the opening before we move to action and to a place that we might obtain relief. GOD requires both our attention and surrender in this endeavor. Ezekiel states:

Significantly, while unquenchable anticipation and unrestrained hope have now come to cosmically divine fruition, the embrace of "TRUTH" has become available to him/her who are amenable to hear. What might we do if we had to dislodge of such baggage? Who would we be? Where would we go? How would we face ourselves, not only in our mourning, but in the morning as well as throughout the day many of GOD'S people muse? Importantly, we do not know quite where to begin, much less fathom or integrate the coexistence of "LOVE" and "TRUTH" of this caliber as we are invited to embrace a deeper awareness that no one has ever loved us like GOD does! Moreover, while the marriage and the manifestation of prophetic fulfillment and the eschatological incarnation has embodied itself in the presence of the Christ, "REASON" evades our consciousness and our grasp as the boundary of GOD'S LOVE knows no depth, no height, no breath, nor scope for which "anything that was," "anything that is," and "anything that shall be" can elude its presence.

Reluctantly, the PEOPLE of GOD must reckon with their baggage! Carrying baggage might represent a myriad of challenges and invites for GOD'S PEOPLE: For some, carrying baggage might represent a lineage of strong family ties, tradition, a regal blood line, or a lucrative inheritance; for others, carrying baggage might represent status quo, a rote existence, or one's acceptance into the circle of the elite; still for others, carrying baggage might represent the desire to remain connected to a relationship that is unhealthy and unproductive, a friendship that is barren, but perfunctory, a self-concept that perpetuates the illusion of self-importance as it has become confused about the owner of such unclaimed and displaced baggage; even still for others, carrying baggage might represent one's marriage to rejection, depression, loneliness, failure, shame, co-dependence, anger, grief, guilt, self-entitlement, and placing others on probation to vindicate and/or ameliorate one's own woundedness.

In essence, there are far too many of GOD'S people are in the baggage carrying business! Far to many of those of the faithful community have no movement in their lives as a consequence of their own complacency and unwillingness to look on the inside to not only see what is hurting, but why as well as the source of such hurt? Becoming cognizant of our baggage is like that of going to the Baggage Claim Department in the Airport. As each of us stands around the conveyor belt, we look for the baggage that has our names. Ironically, have you ever been in an airport and observed someone grabbing the baggage of someone else? Have you ever been in an airport and not notice your own baggage and believing it to be the baggage of another, dismiss your own baggage?

Consequently, claiming one's own baggage enables him/her to live a liberating life when it is claimed with openness, acceptance, tenderness, grace, love, and awareness of its impact on others who might be bumped, intentionally or inadvertently, by our baggage when we are passing through GOD'S AIRPORT. Significantly, a word of caution must be expressed here: It is not a life-affirming option to abandon one's baggage without self-inspection and the inspection of others.

Consequently, For some persons, a trip to Baggage Claim this time of year will bring the unexpected closeness and love of family and friends and security, yet for other persons, this same trip to Baggage Claim will heighten the lack of closeness, potentially fuel exclusion, recapitulate loss, and deflate hope. Nevertheless, Beloved of God, you must claim your baggage as the failure to do so will result in a cosmic threat on either your life or the quality of your life! As we approach the counter of the Baggage Claim Department in GOD'S AIRPORT, let us do so with a greater degree of reverence and intimacy to GOD as we are compelled by our potential under the light of the brilliance of the CHRIST, convicted by "TRUTH" for the baggage to which we have tenaciously cleaved, and enraptured in the presence of GOD'S healing love!

In essence, the presence of light and truth not only exposed us and others to our baggage, but GOD'S love, mercy, and grace sustains while we remain and heal from the weight of carrying such baggage!

As we enter the Baggage Claim Line we hear the following: "Welcome to the Baggage Claim Department Sir/Madam: Your name is____________________? My name is JESUS and I will be assisting you with your baggage with the accompaniment of My FATHER and The HOLY SPIRIT!"

Next Week: RELEASE YOUR BAGGAGE Part 2

K. Mason
(c) 2005

Click here for Web log Page

[contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

WORD WEEK 01-01-06 NEW YEAR: NEW LENSES

HAPPY NEW YEAR

WORD WEEK 01-01-06

NEW YEAR: NEW LENSES

MARK 8:22-26 KJV

The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida

22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village.

MARK 10:46-52 KJV

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." 52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

The New Year 2006 is here! You have really made it via the blessings and

challenges of the year 2005! Congratulations!

God be praised!

Beloved of GOD, now that you are standing on the precipice of a brand new Year, what do you see? How do you see this perspective differently? In what ways do you see the divine horizon with new eyes and a fresh perspective? What work are you willing to do with "self" that compels you to be a more loving, open, empathic, patient, and an unconditionally giving human being? While many persons have recommitted themselves to ongoing improvement, some persons have revised their itinerary for the New Year, others have pledged to turn over a new lease on life, and still others have carried the same weights that have denied their joy, peace, happiness, health, wholeness, and connectedness from prior years into the year 2006.

Over the past several weeks as we journeyed with Joseph and the pregnant Mary into the night in pursuit of safety, we were required to flee a place of the familiar and predictable in exchange for a place of the unfamiliar and the unpredictable; i.e., from Jerusalem to Egypt! While on this journey, many of us quietly inquired about the veracity of GOD'S plan given Mary's condition. During this journey, our conversation with both Joseph and Mary provided each of us with an opportunity and a point of reference to become more intimately acquainted with their pathos as well as the requirement of an exodus in their narrative and as well as our own personal narrative.

Moreover, we learned, as the journey continued to unfold and the landscape of Jerusalem and all that was familiar to Joseph and Mary began to fade into the background becoming a silhouette of gray and memory in the background of their existence commensurate with the landscape of Egypt that was quickly becoming magnified in the foreground of their approach and anticipation, that the spiritual journey is fraught with the requirement of change and necessary losses; i.e., repeated arrivals and departures.

Significantly, we learned that The Holy Family packed only that which was essential and were required to leave behind the both the comfort and familiarity of loved ones, family, friends, community, safety, and treasured material possessions that had helped to render meaning to their existence. In essence, they had to relinquish familiarity and embrace that which was clandestine, except to the mind and soul of GOD! As Mary, Joseph, and the Christ-Child escaped into the darkness of the night, they were about to embark upon a new day! All three were about to encounter the Divine Dynamic of GOD which implies that freedom scares and slavery secures; i.e., when the LORD does work in each of us, with each of us, and through each of us, oftentimes, we must shift from the familiar and predictable to the unfamiliar and the unpredictable. In essence, we are frequently provoked and invited to leave our Jerusalem and flee to that which is to become our Egypt!

The Divine Dynamic of GOD requires that one not only shifts his/her location [within context or beyond context], but requires that one must shift his/her perspective for a shift in location only means that we are taking the same baggage with us, but changing the place that we sit it down. In essence, wherever we go, we take ourselves.

Consequently, an amplification of the two aforementioned narratives; i.e., one in Mark 8:22-26 and the other in Mark 10:46-52 both deal with the perspective of blindness, perspective, and the requirement that he/she who desires sight be amenable to spiritual intimacy and receptive to change in order to be granted sight.

First, as we journey through the narrative of Mark 8:22-26, we become the witnessing faith community to Jesus who arrived at Bethsaida. We are pushed along with the crowd who brought the Blind Man to Jesus. The Blind Man pleaded with Jesus to touch him. Jesus responded by taking the man by the hand and led him outside of the village. Subsequently, Jesus used spittle and placed his hands over the Blind Man eyes who responded that he saw people, but they looked like trees walking around. Jesus repeated a second time what he had done moments prior and the Blind Man is no longer blind but has his sight restored.

Secondly, as we journey through the narrative of Mark 10:46-52, we become the witnessing faith community for a second time to Jesus and the disciples who were leaving the city of Jericho. Our attention is interrupted as we hear the echoes of a man who appeared homeless and blind. His name was Bartimaeus. The faith community made repeated overtures to encourage Bartimaeus to refrain from making what they believed a spectacle of himself and the community. Jesus implored to the community to cease its discouragement. Consequently, Jesus called the blind man to him who made a request for sight. Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

While both narratives clearly illustrate that intimacy with GOD undoubtedly results in the manifestation of healing and transformation in a plethora of forms, both narratives illustrate that anything new in which we as the Beloved People of GOD must embark, requires both an external and internal paradigmatic shift commensurately. The paradigmatic shift that one is invited to embrace requires NEW LENSES!

As we revisit the Advent events as well as the events that are subsequent to Advent, GOD'S People are repeatedly invited to adjust their perspective; i.e., lenses. We witnessed circumstances quickly change with the recognition of GOD'S favor as what we as a witnessing community thought that we wanted, we really did not, because far too many of us felt that the requirements petitioned more then we desired to render. An amplified look at both Sight Narratives in the text of Mark illustrates that The Divine Dynamic of GOD requires that there are three dimensions of lenses adjustment to which we must ascribe in order to see; to become empowered; to become whole. The three dimensions are like that of trifocal lenses. The three lenses are as follows: 1] Site, 2] Sight, and 3] Insight.

First, Site deals with the physiological arrangement of circumstances and our "isness." Site encapsulates the places that we live, work, worship, rest, and play. Site is our backdrop/schemea. Oftentimes, even the people of GOD can become enslaved by their relationship to site. Site is important as it sets the tone and the action for the events of our lives to unfold as well as provides a backdrop to the manner in which we ascribe meaning and understanding to our existence. Life is a journey full of beauty, joy, anticipation, surprise, paradox, and pain. During the course of our lives, many of us have witnessed joy as well as a those things that have caused us to experience profound suffering. Over the past 40 years, many of our lives have been radically transformed by such events as the Vietnam War; starvation in Somalia; 911; the War in Iraq; numerous terrorist attacks; Tsunami; Hurricane Katrina; the lists continues. Site provides us with a reference point to understand the world.

Secondly, Sight deals with that which we see and sense. We are undoubtedly impacted and inundated by the suffering and injustice that we see in the world. Marked tradegies such the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and President John F. Kennedy; the HIV epidemic; the explosion of the space shuttle are examples of the kinds of events to which we have been involuntary witnesses.

Thirdly, Insight deals with the manner in which we integrate the experience of site and sight and allow these experiences to open us to the movement of The Holy Spirit in our lives. Insight is an ongoing process, some of which can be painful, yet greatly liberating and empowering causing us to truly live!

In essence, the three dimensions that are evident in the two Sight Narratives are that of Site, Sight, and Insight. Our connection to GOD in a life affirming manner requires that we embrace all three. Both The Blind Man and Bartimaeus had to be willing to shift their physical location [Site], change their perspective of "self," others, and the world [Sight], and integrate those experiences [Insight] in order to live and become more loving! Their capacity to live was enhanced by a trifocal lenses adjustment! Have you adjusted your lenses for the New Year? The three Sights/Sites are significant as their integration in our lives affects our Attitude, Action, and Altitude like that of the interrelatedness of the Father, Son, and The Holy Spirit.

Site = Father = Attitude

Sight = Son = Action

Insight = Holy Spirit = Altitude

SEASON'S GREETINGS

K. Mason
(c) 2005

Click here for Web log Page

[contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]

Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

WORD WEEK 12-25-05 A BRAND NEW DAY: FROM JERUSALEM TO EGYPT

MERRY CHRISTMAS

WORD WEEK 12-25-05 A BRAND NEW DAY: FROM JERUSALEM TO EGYPT

MATTHEW 2:13-15 KJV

13 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." 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 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."

Advent has transpired, the logos has manifested itself incarnate, and during this season, we, GOD'S beloved people, are reminded of the LORD'S divine and precious promises for renewal and salvation to a wounded world as the Christ-Child, JESUS the SAVIOR, is born! The season of Advent is a time of intentional reverence to the LORD, deep peace, unquenchable anticipation, glad tidings, renewed hopes, holy regeneration, and the fragrance of evergreen, balsam, frankincense and myrrh in the air, and the bearing of gifts.

Significantly, while unquenchable anticipation and unrestrained hope have now come to cosmically divine fruition, "LOVE" has come to each of us as we intimately encounter the presence of "The Holy" in the air. Importantly, we do not know quite where to begin, much less fathom or integrate love of this caliber as we are invited to embrace a deeper awareness that no one has ever loved us like GOD does! Consequently, while the marriage and the manifestation of prophetic fulfillment and the eschatological incarnation has embodied itself in the birth of the Christ-Child, "reason" evades our consciousness as the boundary of "LOVE" knows no depth, no height, no breath, nor scope for which "anything that was," "anything that is," and "anything that shall be" can elude its presence.

An amplified look at the Advent Narrative provides us with a compelling glimpse of the intertwined nature of the coexistence joy and solemnity as the Betrothed Virgin, The Wise Old Man, and, significantly, the birth of the Christ-Child becomes the catalyst for a brand new day! As observers, we become witnesses to the psychology that functioned as the buttress for both the community and the world by and large. Moreover, on some level, we observe members of the human condition struggle with the compelling invitation to radical self-transformation and deep introspection required both by compassion and empathy for such a momentous event. The Advent Narrative informs the community of faith that subsequent to the proclamation of the annunciation and the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, a spirit of movement was pandemic as life, for many, was about to radically change in the manner in which it was once known! While the chosen Betrothed Virgin was given the news of GOD'S divine favor, she was not initially cognizant of its implications; neither was humanity then, nor in subsequent light years.

As we journey with Joseph and the pregnant Mary into the night in pursuit of safety, we are required to flee from one city to another; i.e., from Jerusalem to Egypt! How or why should this be given Mary's condition and GOD'S plan many ask? During this journey, our conversation with both Joseph and Mary; i.e., from Jerusalem to Egypt, provides each of us with an opportunity to become more intimately acquainted with the pathos of their encounter and the requirement of an exodus in their lives and as well as our own lives. Significantly, on one hand, Mary's credibility and her reputation as a virtuous woman were called into question as she was with child and without verification of an earthly father nor being married at the time of the conception. Yet on the other hand, Joseph was a respected and revered man of many years and "wisdom" whose sanity and reputation were called into question when he accepted the betrothal of Mary who he had not known, both of whom were cosmically intertwined by the birth of the Christ-Child whose life was already at risk by Herod for fear of the fulfillment of prophecy. As many of us allow ourselves to be present to this reality, we can still hear the swift winter winds sing of the presence of goodness, good will, anticipation, tidings of joy, and divine danger in the air.

The journey continues to unfold and the landscape of Jerusalem and all that was familiar to Joseph and Mary begins to fade into the background becoming a silhouette of gray and memory in the background of their existence commensurate with the landscape of Egypt that was quickly becoming magnified in the foreground of their approach and anticipation. They packed only that which was essential and were required to leave behind the both the comfort and familiarity of loved ones, family, friends, community, safety, and treasured material possessions that had helped to render meaning to their existence. In essence, they had to relinquish familiarity and embrace that which was clandestine, except to the mind and soul of GOD! Mary, Joseph, and the Christ-Child escaped into the darkness of the night as they were about to embark upon a brand new day! All three were about to encounter the Divine Dynamic of GOD which implies that freedom scares and slavery secures. When the LORD does work in each of us, with each of us, and through each of us, oftentimes, we must shift from the familiar and predictable to the unfamiliar and the unpredictable. In essence, we are oftentimes provoked to leave our Jerusalem and flee to that which is to become our Egypt!

Jerusalem might represent a myriad of challenges and invites for GOD'S PEOPLE: For some, Jerusalem might represent a lineage of strong tradition, a regal blood line, or a lucrative inheritance; for others, Jerusalem might represent status quo, a rote existence, mediocrity, or complacency; still for others, Jerusalem might represent the desire to remain connected to a relationship that is unhealthy, a friendship that is barren, but perfunctory, a self-concept that perpetuates the illusion of self-importance that believes its own "hype," but is toxic to others; even still others, Jerusalem might represent one's marriage to fear, depression, loneliness, failure, narcissism, shame, co-dependence, anger, grief, guilt, and betrayal all of which causes unremitting anguish and pandemic suffering. Significantly, as familiar and/or painful our connection to Jerusalem might be, oftentimes, we cling to this place which has the potential to be our destruction because we rather remain with familiar suffering, rather then deal with that which is clandestine.

In essence, there are many Jerusalems in our lives from which we must immediately flee in route to the Egypts that await each of us. Sometimes, we become acclimated to the trauma drama of an existence defined by the schema of Jerusalem, because the fear of serious self-reflection and vulnerability has caused far too many persons to abort their psychospiritual developmental process. Moreover, the reason that we must flee from our Jerusalem is couched in the same reality like unto that of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, namely, safe in Mary's arms, Jesus is taken into Egypt where he escapes Herod's massacre of the innocent children of Bethlehem! Plainly stated, Herod desires to destroy the story in you that GOD desires to get lived out in your submission to the Holy Spirit. Beloved, Flee Jerusalem; Go To Egypt! Significantly, a word of caution must be expressed here: Running away from one's problems or running away from oneself is not the same as one taking an exodus from Jerusalem to Egypt!

Consequently, Mary, Joseph, and the Christ-Child offer us hope and inspiration during the Christmas season because they surge forward in faith. For some persons, this time of year will bring the closeness and love of family and friends and security, yet for other persons, this time of year will heighten the lack of closeness, potentially fuel exclusion, recapitulate loss, and deflate hope. Nevertheless, Beloved of God, you must flee from Jerusalem and journey to Egypt because there is a cosmic threat on either your life or the quality of your life should you decide to remain! As we approach the landscape of Egypt, we do so with a greater degree of reverence and intimacy to GOD as we are compelled by our potential under the light of the brilliance of the CHRIST-CHILD as well as convicted by "TRUTH" in the places where we have tenaciously cleaved to Jerusalem when GOD urged us to journey to Egypt!

In essence, the presence of goodness and grace not only safely escorted Mary, Joseph, and the Christ-Child into Egypt, but GOD'S love, mercy, and grace sustained them while they remained there until the death of Herod! Despite the presence of divine danger, which is a critical part of the spiritual journey, GOD was expressing himself in love when he sent an angel and urged the Holy Family to leave their familiar surroundings. Significantly, there were lessons in Egypt with which the Holy Family had to encounter that would assist in the cosmic development and the mission of the Messiah.

Significantly, GOD sends the Christ-Child to Egypt and GOD calls the Christ-Child out of Egypt for in doing so, GOD grants his beloved creation the gift of A Brand New Day! During the Christmas season, may the LORD GOD envelop you in HIS presence and in this sacred and holy place may you find Love, Peace, Joy, Contentment, Safety, Renewal, Release, Hope, and Security in your exodus from Jerusalem to Egypt!

Blessings and Peace for a Prosperous and Spiritually Transformative New Year!
[I will dedicate two weeks of WORD in the forthcoming two months to the dynamic of DIVINE DANGER].

MERRY CHRISTMAS

K. Mason
(c) 2005

Click here for Web log Page [contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

K.Mason

WORD WEEK 12-18-05 NO ROOM AT THE INN

MERRY CHRISTMAS
WORD WEEK 12-18-05 NO ROOM AT THE INN

Luke 2:7-14 KJV7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

CHANGE: it appears is the most constant dynamic in a world that is fraught with wonder, beauty, hope, fear, anxiety, sadness, and devastation. While wisdom literature, our spirituality, and time teaches us that none of us has the power to CHANGE another, each of us does have the power to change oneself. Nevertheless, this does not imply that the actions that we take or the behaviors that we exhibit do not impact others, because they do in fact, oftentimes, in as cosmic manner as they create a ripple effect that gets lived-out, for many, many years subsequent to our mortal return to the dust of the universe.

Ironically, while CHANGE does usher in a sense of reprieve, renewal, and reignited hope, CHANGE may also heighten anxiety. Though CHANGE is a critical element in our development as human beings, it becomes increasingly difficult to embrace CHANGE when many persons are excluded or "shut out." As we approach the season of Advent with a greater degree of reverence and intimacy, we are compelled by our potential under the light of the brilliance of the CHRIST-CHILD as well as convicted by "TRUTH" in the places where we have excluded or "shut out" others or even in some instances have "shut out" or excluded ourselves.

As we take an amplified look at the Advent Narrative, we are given a compelling glimpse of the intertwined nature of the coexistence joy and solemnity as the Betrothed Virgin, The Wise Old Man, and significantly, the imminent birth of the Christ-Child inadvertently becomes the catalyst of their exclusion and the dynamic that fuels their being "shut out." As observers, we become witnesses to the ways in which both community and the world by and large, on some level, abort both compassion and empathy. The Advent Narrative informs the community of faith that subsequent to the proclamation of the annunciation and the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, a spirit of exclusion was pandemic and prevalent throughout the land. While the chosen Virgin was given the following news, she was not initially cognizant of its implications. The Angel of the LORD said:

And the angel having taken the figure and the form of a man, came into the house and said to her "Hail Mary, full of grace to whom is given grace, favored one, the Lord, is with thee, blessed art thou among women." Mary having heard the greeting words did not speak; she was troubled in spirit. Since she knew not the, nor the cause of his coming, nor the meaning of the salutation. And the angel continued and said; "Fear not, Mary, for thou has found grace with God, Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus." LUKE 1:28-31

As we journey and take flight from one city to another; i.e., from Jerusalem to Egypt [there are many Jerusalems and Egypts in our lives], in pursuit of safety with Joseph and the pregnant Mary, we are given an opportunity to become more intimately acquainted with the pathos of their encounters in their exposure to exclusion and that of being "shut out." On one hand, Mary's credibility and her reputation as a virtuous woman were called into question as she was with child and without verification of an earthly father nor being married at the time of the conception, yet on the other hand, Joseph was a respected and revered man of many years and "wisdom" whose sanity and reputation were called into question when he accepted the betrothal of Mary who he had not known, both of whom were cosmically intertwined by the birth of the Christ-Child whose life was already at risk by Herod for fear of the fulfillment of prophecy. As many of us are allow ourselves to be present to this reality, we can still hear the swift winter winds sing of the presence of goodness, good will, anticipation, and divine danger in the air.

In essence, the presence of good will and goodness were by-products of the birth of Christ and the divine danger was that Christ's entrance into the world would revolutionize humanity for eternity through love, mercy and grace! Consequently, Joseph and Mary where excluded; they were "shut out!" They were "shut out" by their communities, perhaps by others whom had professed their faithful friendship and or love, and still by others who dared to be associated with those who were the recipients of negative press and bad public relations. As they flee for fear of their lives and the life of the soon to be born Christ-Child, they encounter one exclusion after the other, door after door being closed, opportunity after opportunity being denied, repeated displacement, and the stinging rejection of others! They were indeed "shut out" and it appeared "shut out" by safety, hope, life, and perhaps love!

Moreover, far too many of GOD'S BELOVED PEOPLE continue to experience exclusion and a sense of being "shut out." Some persons are excluded because they speak differently, some because they look differently, others because of their class, financial status, gender, or areas in which they are geographically located, and still others because such an exclusion is self-imposed as a consequence of complacency, mediocrity, and an unwillingness to be stretched, self-examine, and become less self-focused and self-centered. In other words, some persons have removed themselves from the invitation to be embraced by the love, fellowship, unconditional regard, and the community of others, sometimes, by their attitudes and other times by their deeds and actions.

Significantly, Mary knows that the time is rapidly approaching and it appears that the only place that could function as a maternity ward is that of a makeshift stable. Consequently, Mary, Joseph, and the unborn Christ-Child offer us hope and inspiration during the season of Advent because they surge forward in faith. For some persons, this time of year will bring the closeness and love of family and friends and security, yet for other persons, this time of year will heighten the lack of closeness, potentially fuel exclusion, recapitulate loss, and deflate hope. Mercy request For Your People O' Lord!

In other words, people greatly suffer when there is No Room At The INN! Perhaps the INN to which you are attending is physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual. Perhaps, the INN to which you have attempted to gain access appears closed, shut down, or even barren. In essence, Closed Inns hurt others. Beloved, GOD'S people have walked away from service because There Is No Room At The Inn; they have walked away from love because There Is No Room At The Inn; they have walked away from tolerance because There Is No Room At The Inn; they have walked away from a genuine desire to understand because There Is No Room At The Inn; they have walked away from openness as it requires too much authentic introspection because There Is No Room At The Inn; they have walked away from passion because There Is No Room At The Inn; they have walked away from integrity because There Is No Room At The Inn; they have walked away from power because they feel, far too frequently, defeated by the daily malaise of making it from one moment to the next because There Is No Room At The Inn! Significantly, GOD'S BELOVED PEOPLE have walked away from hope without realizing that when There Is No Room At The Inn, that eternity meets our "NOW-HERE-NESS" and that the HOLY SPIRIT provides each of us with a place of refuge that will never exclude anyone from THE INN OF GOD. Nevertheless, when one is "shut out" of the INN, or when There Is No Room At The Inn, he/she must rely on the love and mercy of the LORD!

Beloved, the GOOD NEWS is, though you might be the recipient of the exclusion of others, though you might be told that there is No Room At The INN, though you, because of your woundedness, might exclude yourself from the acceptance, invitation to deepen, and the fellowship of others, or though you might emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, or physically shut yourself off from others, with and in GOD, there is always ROOM AT THE INN OF GOD! God does make provisions as he specializes in transforming a barren stable into The Stable Divine!

Trust GOD!

During the season of Advent, may the LORD GOD envelope you in HIS presence and in this sacred and holy place may you find Room In The Inn Of Love, Room In The Inn Of Peace, Room In The Inn Of Joy, Room In The Inn Of Contentment, Room In The Inn Of Safety, Room In The Inn Of Renewal, Room In The Inn Of Release, Room In The Inn Of Hope, and Room In The Inn Of Security that surpasses all understanding through Christ the Lord!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

K. Mason
(c) 2005

Click here for Web log Page [contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

K.Mason

WORD WEEK 12-11-05 THE MANGER MIRROR

MERRY CHRISTMAS

WORD WEEK 12-11-05 THE MANGER MIRROR
Luke 2:7-14 KJV7

The season of Advent is a time of intentional reverence to the LORD, deep peace, unquenchable anticipation, glad tidings, renewed hopes, holy regeneration, and the fragrance of evergreen, balsam, frankincense and myrrh in the air. During the season of Advent, we, GOD'S beloved people, are reminded of his divine and precious promise for renewal and salvation to a wounded world. As many of us are nestled inside and feeling the warmth of the hearth, we can still hear the swift winter winds sing of the presence of goodness, good will, anticipation, and divine danger in the air.

As many of us reflect over the challenges of this past year, our faith has been challenged; our capacity to forgive others has been stretched beyond its limits; our holy invitation to love others has been a constant commitment, some of whom are not loving toward themselves nor others; our call to deeper service has been one of repeated self-sacrifice, our openness to renewed hope has been enveloped by the luminous presence of disappointments. Nevertheless, Advent is here!

During our journey over the next couple of weeks, as we approach The Stable of GOD, we will bear witness to a spectacular event! An event from a distant that appears ordinary, but upon closer contact with this spectacular event, a life transforming event that is, in fact, extraordinary! As we approach The Stable Divine, we bring our hopes and disappointments, we bring our strengths and weaknesses, we bring our insights and oversights, we bring our joys and suffering, we bring a sense of integration and brokenness, we bring our gains and losses, we bring our families and communities, we bring our nation and the world, we bring our boldness and trepidation, we bring our alcaldes and shame, we bring the acceptance of our perspective and the rejection of the perspective of others, we bring that which is known and that which is unknown, we bring our connectedness and our sense of being disconnected, we bring recovery and sickness, we bring success and failure, we bring clarity and mental illness, we bring the excitement of opened doors and the lament of closed doors, we bring our wisdom and ignorance, we bring our friends and those who seek to unintentionally and intentionally harm us, we bring our humility and arrogance, we bring our healed wounds and our woundedness, we bring the release of our burdens and the weight of those who have carried burdens for the past twelve months, we bring gratitude for those who have homes and the agony of those who have no place of refuge, we bring the excitement of the season of Advent and the pain that the season summons for many for whom life has been very difficult, we bring our traditions and the potential to embellish the tradition, we bring our songs and silence, we bring our prayers and utterances, we bring our truth and self-deception, we bring our wholeness and brokenness, we bring our resolution and our trauma, we bring our power and powerlessness, we bring patience and intolerance, we bring our competence and insufficiency, we bring ourselves and our unclaimed baggage, we our celebration of life and the solemnity of death, we bring all that we are GRACIOUS LORD and everything that we are not HEAVENLY FATHER! We bring the act of BRINGING! Bringing it all to The Stable Divine!!!

It has indeed, been a very dynamic and tumultuous year! So many of GOD'S beloved peoples' lives were claimed and changed by sickness, natural disasters, separation, unemployment, and war. Even now some of the LORD'S beloved people have just exited through the door of eternity to be reunited with the BELOVED SAVIOR! Through many dangers and toils, we have laughed a great deal; we have cried quite often; we have learned much; yet little as we have not allowed life's lessons to transform our hearts nor our perspective. Consequently, it is likely that a repeat is on the horizon.

Nevertheless, we approach The Stable Divine, some with anticipation, some with trepidation, others weary, some by self-righteousness, some driven by curiosity, and still others not by any volition of their own! Many come to The Stable of GOD with a prewritten script, and others with no script at all! Nevertheless, we approach The Stable Divine! Even still, others approach The Stable Divine as a consequence and commitment of tradition and others, because there is no room at the INN! Significantly, when we enter The Stable Divine, we discover that the LORD invites a Betrothed Virgin, a Man wise in his number of years and empathy, Shepherds, Three Wise Men, and a stable of animals to bear witness to the DIVINITY OF GOD, A BABY WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHING LYING IN A MANGER!!! We are perplexed as we are catapulted into the divine sphere as we see the face of TRUTH, HOPE, GRACE, LOVE, and a MIRROR that reflects who we are and the pristine beauty of what we shall be! We, upon bearing witness to the CHRIST CHILD, get a glimpse of the perfection of perfection! Yet as we look on the presence of the BABY WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHING LYING IN A MANGER, LORD, we did not know that we would encounter a MANGER MIRROR!

Commensurate with this act of witness-bearing, we are invited to become more intimately acquainted with the invitation for each of us become more loving, more understanding, more forgiving, more empathic, less judgmental, less self-centered, more tolerant, more CHRISTLIKE in our interactions with each other! O' Blessed Divine Redeemer we thank thee for thy grace and love of restoration! The beauty of the MANGER MIRROR resides in the fact that while it casts a truthful reflection of our image, it does not cast shame nor blame for when we look into the CHRIST-CHILD'S eyes we see our shortcomings and we see our potential! The BABY lay in the manger awaiting for each of us to pick him up and cradle him close to our bosom for in doing so, we become one in the bond of eternal love and at one with the LORD!

Consequently, GOD everpresently avails his presence to us. As we approach the season of Advent, we are required to avail presence to the season of Christmas as well as avail presence and bear witness to one another. The LORD reminds us and emphasizes the depths of his sacrificial love to his beloved creation in our observance of the sacred and profound holiness of CHRIST'S birth. A birth of spirit and flesh and a birth of blood and water! Advent compels us to never give up but to expect the miracles as they are new each and everyday and that the presence of the CHRIST-CHILD reminds us to access our unparalleled greatness in JESUS! As we enter the season of Advent, we are invited to reexamine and recommit ourselves in deep gratitude to the LORD for GOD'S rich grace throughout the year. May we rejoice that "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Thank you LORD for the MANGER MIRROR!

K. Mason
(c) 2005

Blessings
Plethora Ministries
Plethora Ministries

Click here for Web log Page [contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

K.Mason

Thursday, December 08, 2005

WORD WEEK 12-04-05 IT IS WELL

WORD WEEK 12-04-05

IT IS WELL

PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14

12 I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

What a year this has been! We have laughed a great deal; we have cried often; we have learned much! Though tumultuous overall, this year has been illuminated by the presence of joy as well as by the presence of pandemic suffering in so many of our lives. As people of GOD, we have been inundated by the breath, presence, power, and scope of the complexities of communities' and countries' attempts to achieve understanding, ascribe meaning, ameliorate hope, and alleviate suffering in a world that has achieved unparalleled greatness, yet appears to have lost its conscience.

As we enter the season of Advent, we are deeply grateful to the LORD for the opportunity to reflect, pause, and render gratitude for GOD'S rich grace throughout the year. However, as we approach this season, we do so with a sense of expectation as well as a sense of solemnity. Expectation, because the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child reminds us that the LORD's mercies are new daily and that hope regenerates hope. Solemnity, because people are still hurting, dying, struggling, sick, complacent, despondent, shamed, ostracized, unemployed,self-focused, misrepresented, excluded, and disempowered! Life is very much a gift that is to be held sacred by all. We are all connected in the spirit and in the bond of love and must be mindful in this regard.

While many of us have sincerely given our lives to the service of others, we cannot refrain from asking the quiet question: "How different and whole could the world become if all of humanity were rendered their basic needs?" Too often, we are witnessing, at an alarming rate, the dichotomization of humanity; i.e., a distinction between and a propagation of the "HAVES" and the "HAVE NOTS."

Subsequently, as the days pass into weeks and the weeks into months, many of us are still struggling with significant concerns and issues to which no resolution nor reprieve appears apparent; concerns that are nothing short of life-threatening and that cause so many dimensions of our lives to hang in imbalance. Many of us still have concerns about our family members, while others are confronted with the challenges of staying financially solvent and/or employed, and still others are challenged with the residue of brokenness, grief, depression, loneliness, isolation, abandonment, rejection and victimization of numerous levels.

Consequently, Paul, in the text of Phillippians 3:12-14, offers us recourse and direction when we fathom and struggle with the vastness of GOD'S divine harvest; i.e., humanity. He reminds us to keep our eyes upon the goal and to press through every difficulty to reach it! Paul exhorts GOD'S BELOVED PEOPLE to forgot the things which were behind, so as not to be content with past labors or present measures of grace. In other words, thank GOD for past accomplishments, while reckoning with the ongoing invitation that the necessity to surge forth is ever-present. He reminds the BELOVED, that we must reach forth/forward in our expressions of love and have a great desire to become more and more like Christ. Paul states, "I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead." In essence, he/she who runs a race, must never stop short of the end, but press forward as earnestly as possible in heavenly and holy hope and terrestrial manifested joy.

In other words, despite the accomplishments that we can attribute to our work and despite the challenges that lay before us, we, THE BELOVED COMMUNITY OF GOD, must take both consolation and refuge in the unmistakable reality that GOD, our HEAVENLY FATHER, knows all and is able to change the destructive path of a nation, the excessive pride of a community, or the insignificance of those not deemed important in a twinkling of an eye! In some instances, we have witnessed the emergence of natural catastrophes and at other times unexpected devastation in our communities. During such times, we have been able to forget the superficial and band together as an earthly people. Consequently, we must refrain from allowing ourselves to be restricted by the past, but must garner the courage and the strength to press forward entrusting ourselves to GOD who will lead and direct our paths. What do we then say to such? We say, LORD, "IT IS WELL!" It is well with our soul!

READ BELOW FOR THE WORDS TO THE HYMN

"IT IS WELL"

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!

Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

K. Mason
(c) 2005

Click here for Web log Page [contains additional reflections not sent via mail and pictures]Comments may be entered in any entry of your choice

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm