One of my favorite quotes about faith is, “All truth is God’s truth.” Saint Augustine said it. It gives joy to discovering the realities of some truth in various religions. For example, the focus on inner peace in Buddhism is a real asset. I don’t agree with Buddhism as a whole, but I cherish the appreciation for peace. There is something to be learned there. Anyhow, Buddhism now has a temple with room for a million people! Check it out!
Dhammakaya Temple by Constantinos Catsoulis on 500px
Iraq had national elections last week. Prevailing through the pain of disillusionment, death, and destruction, people arose and shared their voices – putting votes of possibility into the collective POT-ential. This is crucial. In times of uncertainty, sharing one’s voice is key. Yet, it is not easy to do so in a nation belabored by official and unofficial war. Much is shifting since the end of the official war in Iraq in 2011 (the war ended the same month I returned to America from a visit to precious Baghdad).
If you’d like more perspective on Iraq these days, here’s a great article from The New Yorker.
“What We Left Behind” by Dexter Filkins
As you consider the staid countenance of Prime Minister Maliki, send him some loving thoughts. Point your mind toward “What would it look like for Iraq to move past its conflict and flourish?” Imagine that world. Dream with Iraq and for Iraq.
If you want, pray that Maliki receives an infusion of courage today straight from the heart of God. Pray that he feels safe, peaceful, and appreciated. Pray that he comes to a full revelation of how loved he is by God. Pray that he arises as a model of courageous vulnerability in Iraq. In a schema of self-protection, mistrust, violence, threats, assassinations, and power-play after power-play, CREATIVITY and VULNERABILITY can bring healing. When people are scared, they hole up. They lash out. They use might to establish power, instead of leading through humility and love. Iraq is stuck in this cycle of fear. Yet, the nation can be un-stuck! We can collectively use our hope and resources to invest love in Iraq. Consider today how you can help Iraq, or your next door neighbor, experience more freedom from fear-cycles. Get on the hope-cycle.
Yesterday was day three of Advent.
I thought about light.
You see, there is truth everywhere, but we must allow ourselves to see it. We must allow the light of God to reveal it to us. There are truths about how to serve. There are truths about healing. There are truths about getting out of our powerless mindsets and into the authority we have in God. Yesterday, I brushed off some of the dust of bad perception, and re-welcomed God’s light to show me true reality. And in our friends’ house, in worship, I felt the warmth of that light. Ahhh… it feels great.
Today, let there be light. “LIGHT!”
1 John 1:5
“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.”
“If our hearts are filled with the presence of God, then our minds will also find enlightenment.”
-Sadhu Sundar Singh
“If our hearts are filled with the presence of God, then our minds will also find enlightenment.”
-Sadhu Sundar Singh
THIS video is one of my all-time favorite representations of the great freedom Jesus brought and the great freedom-bringer God is. There is a lot of revelation in this video. You may want to take notes as you watch it.
A Truer Look at Manhood – by Ann Voskamp
This is reeeeeeeeeeeeeally good. God’s blueprint for men and women is much more beautiful, respectful, and powerful than we typically experience. Let’s raise our standards and invite the the true view.
“The cynics, they can only speak of the dark, of the obvious, and this is not hard. For all it’s supposed sophistication, it’s cynicism that’s simplistic. In a fallen world, how profound is to see the cracks?
The sages and prophets, the disciples and revolutionaries, they are the ones up on the ramparts, up on the wall pointing to the dawn of the new Kingdom coming, pointing to the light that breaks through all things broken, pointing to redemption always rising and to the Blazing God who never sleeps.“
– Ann Voskamp
Come believe with me. 