Oct 23 Devotions

Sunday October 23-Resurrection appearances are a glimpse of heaven. it always strikes me as odd as people who claim great faith scurry to the next near death experience of supposed revelation of heaven, but they consistently ignore the resurrection appearances as biblical indicators of heaven. Personally, since the bible is so circumspect in describing heaven, I am leery of anything that purports exact, specific descriptions.

Monday-Presbyterian retreat leader Ira Kent Groff writes that we “wrap our truth in stories.” I think he means that it is hard for us to grasp or even speak an abstract truth. We need to put it into a story for us to grasp and more easily bring into speech. I have noticed that if I can get people to tell me stories of the deceased when I do a community funeral I get a much better sense of the person that when they throw out descriptive words.

Tuesday-should every annoyance be spoken? Part of me thinks that trivial things should just be shrugged off for the mosquitoes they are. On the other hand, if they are permitted to build and fester, how can that be a good thing? Scripture say to be angry but do not sin. We do know from social psychology that a focus on getting anger out routinely, instead of managing it, tends to feed the anger.

Wednesday-Being stubborn is not the same as being principled. Often we are merely being stubborn and we have the gall to lift it to the level of principle.What we often mean by principle is what we want, what we think is correct, without regard for the views of others. It is not the same as persistent activity toward a goal; it resembles more a passive resistance to a change that does not meet our standard or approval. It has a way of breaking relationships and their needed flexibility, so in that sense, it can well be sinful.

Thursday-I heard a young lady of the Occupy movement explain to a reporter that we were at the cusp of a new age, just as people used to say we were at the dawning of the age of Aquarius according to the song of the sixties. How different is that than Rev. Camping predicting that the end of the world was coming on Friday? (I write this section on Saturday, so wrong, again).We all want to try to predict the future. Scripture argues against it, for we act with a vision of the future; we act to build a future in hope, not certainty.

Friday-Years ago, I read a book Exit, Voice, and Loyalty-I’ve gone back to it in memory, as I see that one of its options, exit, has become more and more our first reaction to conflict. Instead of having the loyalty to stick with a group or relationship, instead of being content with having our say, if it is not our way, we decide to pack up and leave. To me exit is the last resort, after all avenues have been exhausted. It strikes me as the action of a child who takes their marbles/.

Saturday-Greek Orthodox Christians place a lot of stock in icons, images of a biblical scene or idea. They assert that they are aids to spiritual meditation, as we are visal beings to a large degree. In their view, they are gateways to the beauty of the Infinite One, the Creator of all, the redeemer and sustainer of all. do you have “holy things” items that help being you into deeper contact with god or are aids to your spiritual meditation?