What's The Problem?

I was sitting with a friend; enjoying a smoke of my favorite pipe tobacco, and the topic of atonement came up. Specifically we were talking about what occurred throughout the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

It appears that the cross takes absolute preeminence in the fundamentalist's understanding of atonement and eclipses  the 33 years of Jesus' life in the redemptive process. However, as a recovering fundamentalist myself, I see the cross as a part of the whole rather than the single efficacious act. 

In one view humanity has a legal problem; they are guilty sinners in God the Father's courtroom and someone innocent (I.e. Jesus) must suffer the punishment and take away God's wrath. (I realize this a simplistic view, but it basically represents the idea).   Hence Christ'a death on the cross accomplishes that If a person acknowledges by faith and accepts that they have a legal sin problem and that Jesus has paid the price. 

In my view there is no legal problem at all, but an organic problem. 

You see, from before the creation of the universe God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) have existed in a relationship of supreme love, joy & acceptance.  Their desire was that persons like them (not other gods, but beings made in their image) would be included, drawn into their life and enjoy supreme love, joy and acceptance in them.  Which is the reason we are alive!

However, even after mankind's creation, it was necessary that one from within their circle of life would become human; united with creation, and transform humanity from being "only creation" to a new creation united with God in Christ. 

Therefore, when the Eternal Son; in whom all things were created and in whom all things have their being, becomes man He joins himself; indeed He joins the entire Trinity to humanity.  To quote the early church father Irenaeus, 

“Therefore, as I have already said, He caused man (human nature) to cleave to and to become, one with God. For unless man had overcome the enemy of man, the enemy would not have been legitimately vanquished. And again: unless it had been God who had freely given salvation, we could never have possessed it securely. And unless man had been joined to God, he could never have become a partaker of incorruptibility. For it was incumbent upon the Mediator between God and men, by His relationship to both, to bring both to friendship and concord, and present man to God, while He revealed God to man. For, in what way could we be partaken of the adoption of sons, unless we had received from Him through the Son that fellowship which refers to Himself, unless His Word, having been made flesh, had entered into communion with us? Wherefore also He passed through every stage of life, restoring to all communion with God” (III, XVIII, 7).  and again

"He became what we are that we might become what He is in Himself"

Therefore our issue has never been to appease God or resolve a legal problem, but, to be transformed into a person capable of living in God's love!

Look around you. Isn't that how real life and relationships work?  Just because you solve a legal problem doesn't mean you are at one with the person you had the problem.  Think about your children. What is it you truly want in your relationship and how do you accomplish it?  What I want for my children is a true at-one-ness; the ability for them to "know" my love and care for them. I want them to experience my sense of pride and "liking" of them as a person.  What I want is to be able to take my heart and put it in their chest so they can feel for themselves what I feel for them. I want to take my mind and put it in their head so they can "know" about themselves what I know about them.   I know I'm explaining this badly but I hope you get the picture. 

This was exactly the goal of the triune God in the creation and atonement of humanity; that we would know Him as He is and know ourselves as He knows us.  And, this is exactly the what Christ is doing in His creation, incarnation, death, resurrection, giving of His Spirit and His containing ministry as the Incarnate Son. That through His union (truly organic & spiritual union) with us He would "take what is Hjs and make it known to us".  And what is His.....His relationship with His Father in the Spirit. 

The author also owns and operates an online web store at PipeLighters.net

Trinity Sunday

Today, in the liturgical calendar, is Trinity Sunday; where our prayers, readings and hymns emphasize the place of the doctrine of the Trinity in our faith.  The service, sermon, liturgy, prayers and readings were all very nice.  But to be honest, I really don't give a fig about the doctrine.  I'm not concerned with making sure I believe it right so that I measure up to any person, group or church's right way of believing or confessing.  There, I've said it, I don't care about the doctrine.

What I do care about is the reality of the Father, Son and Spirit and their loving activity in the life of the universe.  I yearn (I would use a stronger word than yearn if I could think of one) to have greater insight into the limitless pleasure in the Father's heart as He gazes upon His Son.  I would give away all that I have (which isn't much) to experience with the Son the confidence and sense of being He experiences when He hears the Father say to Him, "YOU are my beloved child in whom my soul delights", and just for moments to experience the mothering Spirit that enables both Father and Son to see each other as they really are.

I feel this way because it is the reality that is pressing its truth into life; we ARE the child in whom God's soul delights.  We are seen as we really are and loved and held close.  Woe to those who would tell us that God would love us IF; or God would accept us or forgive us or hear us IF we believed or repented or were baptized or did anything.  Before the foundation of the world we were chosen in Him to be whole and blameless before Him in love.  The last time I checked I couldn't do anything before I was born.  But God chose you and me to be His beloved child; loved, desired, accepted, forgiven and destined to grow into the dream that was in His heart and the desire that is in our own hearts, the person we most desperately want to be.

Actually, I do care about the doctrine.  But nearly as much as I care about you and me truly knowing the love of the Trinity being lavished upon us.

You are the child God has always wanted.

God Believes in Atheists

Today I passed a church marque that stated, "God doesn't believe in Atheists".  I have to laugh at some of the things that are posted on church signs.  But in this case the message hits close to the heart of faith.

The message on the sign was in response to the idea that atheists don't believe in the existence of God.  However, it would be silly to say that God does not believe in the existence of atheists as atheists do in fact exist.  The problem is deeper as it reveals an underlying perception among too many that "believing in" has to do with the acknowledgement of a fact rather than the true relational aspect of faith.  That is to say it is easy for a proclaiming Christian to say they believe in a God; even a personal God, but it is a very different thing to believe in God.  For example, in John 14 Jesus says to his disciples, "...you believe in God, believe also in me."  Few would argue that Jesus is asking his disciples to believe in his existence, but rather to believe or trust in him.  He was asking them to rely upon their personal knowledge and relationship they have experienced with him to enable them to trust him.  One might ask how can somebody trust in a person that they do not believes exists.  A fair question.  But the real question seems to me is how can you trust someone you don't know, you've never met or don't have any relationship with.

Jesus does not ask us to believe in one that we don't know.  Nor does faith have to do with accepting a reality without evidence of any kind.  He asks us to be conscious of the One who is already in relationship with us and is presenting Himself to us at every turn.  We all too often walk through life failing to recognize those who cross our path and failing to enjoy the relationship that is present to us in them.  A parent and a child can share the same house but not be present to one another so they can know each other and trust one another.  Christ's faith in the Father was one built upon his relationship with his Father.  The Father was present to Him and he was present to His Father.  He knew His Father and therefore trusted or "believed in Him".  He allowed Himself to be known by His Father and was obedient to Him because He knew His Father could be trusted.

This acknowledgment informs us that faith does not begin with us but with God.; that God is first present to us, revealing Himself to us as someone who can be trusted.  Someone can tell you to believe in God but this cannot be the impetus of your faith.  Your faith can only be in response to God's relational activity already preent in your life.

If your faith is weak I suggest you NOT to try harder to believe, but to relax and obervent to see how God may be presenting Himself to you.  Remember, you don't have to make God present, but only pay attention to how God is present and relating to you.  If Jesus' encouragement to us to "believe" is valid then God must be the one to make Himself known to us.  Remember "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.". I would be tragic if we interpreted his to mean that if we read the Bible we will generate faith.  But rather that God is speaking His "word" to us.  His word that "you are my beloved child in who my soul delights".  His word that "you are the child I have always wanted.". His word that you are desired, forgiven and accepted.

If these words move you or stir something inside of I you then maybe God is addressing you through them.  If not, don't worry.  Just be present to God speaking to you however He deems fit to reach you.  The first move is His.
Maybe you don't believe in God.  That's o.k. because God knows you, believes in you and trusts that one day you will be able to respond to His word to you.

Breathing

The Name of this blog, You Are The Child, is taken from the idea that each of us have been drawn into being through God's own desire that we would be His beloved child.  No matter the circumstances surrounding our physical birth or biological family, God has greatly desired to have a child exactly like you and me.  In this desire and love, He has drawn us into His relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.

I believe this is the central reality of our being and identity; our being desired and loved by God as His beloved child.

I am a newbie at meditation and have been focusing on my breathing.  As I sit I draw my attention to my inbreath and to my outbreath or exhale.  This helps enable me to to separate myself from the constant stream of thoughts that run through my mind; many of which distract me from my own identity.  Breath in; breath out.

I am adding to my practice the mantra that attaches specific words to the inbreath and the outbreath.  Those words are:

I am (inbreath)
The Child (outbreath)
You have (inbreath)
Always wanted (outbreath)
I am (inbreath)
The Child (outbreath)
You have (inbreath)
Always wanted (outbreath)
(breathing is slow and relaxed)

It is my hunch and my hope that these words (as I've expressed above-I believe to be the central realtity of my being and identity) will find their way into me and not only be my thoughts but my true sense of self.

“Give me a candle of the Spirit, O God,

as I go down into the deep of my own being.

Show me the hidden things.

Take me down to the spring of my life,

and tell me my nature and my name.

Give me freedom to grow so that I may become my true self –

the fulfillment of the seed which you planted in me at my making.

Out of the deep, I cry unto thee, O God.”   Amen

— George Appleton

The Personal Nature of God

What do you do when "know" something; that is you understand this "thing" logically and something beyond your understanding seems to support it; but, at the same time, your experience contradicts it. For me it is terribly frustrating. Specifically, I'm referring to the personal nature of God. I deeply hold the orthodox understanding of the Trinity; That is that God exists in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that they live together in the most genuine form of love, acceptance and self-giving. It is, in fact, this living that defines for me what it truly means to be a person. But in my experience, I struggle to realize this type of relationship with God. It is not without considerable effort, I might add, that I make myself available to know God in this personal way. Bible Reading, prayer, meditation, waiting and listening, reading, going to church services are some of the ways I attempt to hear and receive from God. But often God still seems so transcendent and afar off. I, as well, detect internal barriers in my mind and soul; something akin to a wall or dense fog that will not dissipate. My pray is frequently, "Here I am God, I wait upon You".... but silence. But there are times, when totally unsuspecting, I sense the presence of God watching me. It could be my imagination or self generated emotions, but I don't think so. It is enough for me to continue hoping and trusting that God is with me and for me. "Your word to me oh God is more precious than riches"

Chicken Cacciatore

I love to cook and EAT savory dishes.  I can pass up the sweet stuff, but I absolutely love savory, spicy, saucy dishes. 

Well, yesterday I did a favorite of mine; Chicken Cacciatore.  Anyway, it was my spin on Chicken Cacciatore.  It was amazing....a tad spicy...but at the end of the day...not even a little bit was left.  If you like savory and spicy, you may want to give it a try.  Here's my recipe; which, I'm sure, was someone else's recipe with a few tweeks here and there.

Chicken Cacciatore

1.5 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

3 tlbs. Oil

3 tlbs. Butter

1 medium Onion (chopped)

1 Bell Pepper (chopped)

3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)

2 14.5 oz. cans of petite diced tomatoes

1 serrano pepper very finely chopped

1 tlbs. Basil

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp oregano

½ lime (squeeze the juice)

½ cup white wine

½ bottle Corona (drink the other half)

¾ cup chicken stock

1 cup flour

1.      Cut the chicken breast into pieces and shake them in a gallon sized zip lock back of flour seasoned with some salt and pepper.

2.      Brown the chicken in a heavy pan with the oil; DON'T CROWD!  Add the butter half way through

3.      Set the browned chicken aside

4.      Cook the onions and bell pepper until translucent

5.      Add Serrano Pepper and Garlic and cook for couple of minutes

6.      Add tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes

7.      Add Basil, Black Pepper, Oregano, Corona, Chicken Stock, Wine, Red Pepper and lime

8.      Bring to a simmer and lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or so

9.      Add Chicken and mix well and simmer for 15-20 minutes

10.   Add Salt and pepper to taste

11.   Serve over Spaghetti or Angel Hair (your preference)....Yesterday I served it over parboiled rice instead.

12.   Top with Parmesan

Eat til it hurts!

I love the trees

I love the trees

And the way they move in the wind

The pines as they sway in the

dance of the breeze

They seem to know one another

And can stand very still without talking

The sounds of the wind moving across

 the branches Are the nods and voices

 of approving friends

They are like a congregation

A group of members together

in harmony

All in one place for a long time

Separated only by the space needed to grow