point of view

the initial wound gapes numb unbleeding after the shock anguish pouring pain before too long faintness clots hope after a while scabbed triggers healing in time scar numb again breathe

Some say love is butterflies. Love is sparks. Love is falling, falling off a cliff into oceans of happiness or meaning or something indescribable. Love is finding the one you can't live without. But I saw Love, and it's a lot bigger than that. Love is giving up. Love is letting go. Sometimes love is allowing someone to let you go. Love is time. Sometimes love is money. Love is almost always inconvenient. Love can be letting someone in when you don't want to. Love can be persistently knocking when they won't let you in. Love is space what you don't want it and no space when you do want it. Love is almost always hard. Love hurts. Love sacrifices. Love does things it despises while knowing that, probably, no one will ever know you did it (or hated doing it) except God. Love bears burdens. Love weeps with those who weep and rejoices with those who rejoice. Love is 1 Corinthians 13. Love hung from a tree by nails through His palms and suffocated through multiple eter...

In a world where churches get locked and the lights never go off where we spend years of our life weighing our many options where "entertainment" is a culture in itself when people sell the gospel as comfort-food and ministry is about the wisdom of men's brain Jesus still says "be still and know that I am God I will be exalted" whether you try to help Me or not and listening at His feet is still the good part which will not be taken away He still says "seek MY wisdom" and He still tells us to obey and still doesn't tell us what will happen if we do. Life is not quite as complicated as we think.

Do you have a moment, sir; could you tell me a story? I can see at least one held captive in your eye If you have a moment, ma'am, I'd like to hear a little of the storms that traced the lines where my cheek is still smooth Tell me, sir, of a day that one white hair stands for and most of all I want to know what kept that twinkle in your eye Please tell me, ma'am, how you're still smiling though you've known pain and heartbreak so much longer than I have Was it easier to let go the tenth time? Do you ever get used to being lonely? When I've seen as much as you, I want to rejoice as well as you do. Will you teach me how to grow old?

from my sermon notes, on Luke 10 open our eyes to the need of our neighbor reach out our hands to span the distance unplug our ears to the call of compassion teach us the dance of the beautiful feet make our hearts bigger and break them for sin strengthen our shoulders to carry others' burdens breathe into our lungs the breath of life to sing the song of love Lord teach us how to love