Monthly Archives: April 2010

The Love of God

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This is an old hymn I recently rediscovered that speaks plainly about the major tenet of my faith:  that God is love.  Above and beyond any other statement I may make about God, that statement is central.  The words are below and you can access the sheet music by clicking on this link:

Please note:  I have changed a few of the words to make them more inclusive as well as understandable to folks today.

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The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave to Jesus to win;
The erring child God reconciled,
And pardoned from all sin.

When ancient time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When those who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race-
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every one a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure-
The saints’ and angels’ song.

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The Love of God

Words: Frederick M. Lehman, 1917
Copyright: Public Domain
Music: Frederick M. Lehman, 1917
arr. by Claudia L. Mays
Copyright: Public Domain

The lyrics are partially based on the Jewish poem Haddamut, written in Aramaic in the 11th century by Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai, a cantor in Worms, Germany. 

Parables of Grace – The Prodigal Son

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And Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.

Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. "

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."’ And he arose and came to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. "

Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’" (Luke 15:11-32 ESV)

 

  1. What does it mean for the son to ask for his inheritance from his father while the father is still alive?
  2. Do you think that the son is really sorry for what he has done?  Why or why not?
  3. What is the father’s reaction to his younger son’s return?  How do you think he feels?
  4. What is the older brother’s reaction to his brother’s return?  What is he feeling?
  5. In your opinion, did the older son ever join the party?  Explain.
  6. If you had to pick one character in the story you most identify with, who would it be:  the father, the younger son, or the older son?  Explain why.

Read The Father Who Lost Two Sons, a sermon by Robert Farrar Capon.

After having read Capon’s sermon, has your opinion of this parable and/or your understand of it changed?  If so, in what way(s)?

A New Solution to Illegal Immigrants: Bag ‘em and Tag ‘em

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The following is from an article in The Iowa Independent (see link below):

Instead of building a border fence to help stem illegal immigration, the U.S. government should implant microchips into immigrants before deportation, much like what is done with pets, Pat Bertroche, an Urbandale physician and one of seven Republicans running in the 3rd District Congressional primary, said Monday.

While speaking at a Tama County Republican forum, Bertroche made it clear that he wasn’t joking when he suggested treating undocumented immigrants like pets.

From the Cedar Rapids Gazette:

“I think we should catch ’em, we should document ’em, make sure we know where they are and where they are going,” said Pat Bertroche, an Urbandale physician. “I actually support microchipping them. I can microchip my dog so I can find it. Why can’t I microchip an illegal?

“That’s not a popular thing to say, but it’s a lot cheaper than building a fence they can tunnel under,” Bertroche said.

Wow.  Let’s treat illegal immigrants like dogs.  Let’s act as though this is a perfectly sane thing to say when running for political office.  And since Pat Bertroche is a member of a party which is supposed to stand against big government and governmental intrusion into our lives, how does this “bag ‘em and tag ‘em” approach to illegal immigration square with this idea?

Just when I think people cannot be more inhumane or less compassionate of others, along comes this guy who tells the world with a straight face that hundreds of thousands of people should be treated no better than some household pet.  And this guy is a doctor???

It makes me sick.

Install microchips in illegal immigrants, GOP candidate says

By JASON HANCOCK 4/27/10 10:00 AM

Praying With Augustine

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Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new,
late have I loved you!
You were within me, but I was outside,
and it was there that I searched for you.
In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
Created things kept me from you;
yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all.
You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness.
You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness.
You breathed your fragrance on me;
I drew in breath and now I pant for you.
I have tasted you,
now I hunger and thirst for more.
You touched me,
and I burned for your peace.

- from Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 27, as translated at www.feastofsaints.com

A Prayer All Pastors Should Pray

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I ran across this prayer in my internet wanderings and thought I would post it.  It is supposedly a prayer Martin Luther prayed in the church sacristy before each church service.  I think if more pastors prayed this, the church would be in much better shape than it is.

Lord God,
You have made me a pastor and teacher in Your Church,
but you see how unfit I am to meet so great and difficult a task;
and if I had been without Your help,
I would have ruined it all long ago.
Therefore, I call upon You:
I gladly wish to yield and devote my mouth and my heart to you;
I will teach Your people,
and I myself will learn and ponder diligently upon Your Word.
Use me as Your instrument in Your service.
Only do not forsake me,
for if ever I should be on my own,
I would certainly wreck it all.
- Martin Luther

I Couldn’t Make This Stuff Up If I Tried

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Stephen Baldwin, of the infamous Baldwin Brothers acting troupe (Alec and William and who knows how many others there actually are) , is broke.  He blames this situation on the fact that he converted to Christianity and that he is being punished by non-believers in the world of Hollywood for his outspoken faith.  Nevermind, of course, his own poor choices in making the films he has or his own lack of financial acumen.

So, a new website has been created which will allow Good Christians the world over to restore him and his bank account to their former glory.  As Mary Elizabeth Williams opines in Salon.com:

And so the creators of "The Restoration" ask for "the massive restoration of a Christian public figure," pondering, "What if 10 percent of the 159 million Christians in America gave a Token Gift? What if 10 percent of the worlds two billion Christians gave a token gift?" Why, he’d have a really nice house in no time, that’s what. Sure, you could give your money toDoctors Without Borders, maybe help some earthquake victims in Haiti or Chile or China. Or you could "be part of a historic movement of God that will literally rock the nation." Literally!

Now part of me wonders if this site, with its many pictures of a glowering Stephen, is some sort of prank or parody.  I looked for signs of this, but found none.  Of course, a good parody site wouldn’t have any, right?  But what if this is a legitimate effort on behalf of Mr. Baldwin.  Then. my friends, Christianity has sunk to another new low.

You can visit the website here, and watch the primary video from it’s home page below.

Let’s Read Our Bibles, Folks.

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And even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson’s, or Al Sharpton’s? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount – a passage that is so radical that it’s doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, let’s read our bibles. Folks haven’t been reading their bibles.

Barack Obama (via agirlcalledchris:robot-heart-politics:chos: abcsoupdot:selchieproductions)

via constantflux.tumblr.com

A Pause of Thought

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Have you ever wanted or even longed for something that always seemed to be out of your grasp?  If so, then maybe you can identify with this poem.

A Pause of Thought
by Christina Rossetti

I looked for that which is not, nor can be,
And hope deferred made my heart sick in truth
But years must pass before a hope of youth
Is resigned utterly.

I watched and waited with a steadfast will:
And though the object seemed to flee away
That I so longed for, ever day by day
I watched and waited still.

Sometimes I said: This thing shall be no more;
My expectation wearies and shall cease;
I will resign it now and be at peace:
Yet never gave it o’er.

Sometimes I said: It is an empty name
I long for; to a name why should I give
The peace of all the days I have to live?–
Yet gave it all the same.

Alas, thou foolish one! alike unfit
For healthy joy and salutary pain:
Thou knowest the chase useless, and again
Turnest to follow it.

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You can read all the poetry of Christina Rossetti and thousands of other books for free in your email.  Go to DailyLit here for more information.