Forgetting Who God Is – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

God is so much more than I can pack into my meager scribblings.  I want to remember who he is daily.  I want to remember who he is in every moment.  I do not want to mistake the gift of free will for absenteeism or silence.

My life is a journey back to God.  We are all on the same journey whether we wish it or not.  Our lives belong to God whether we acknowledge him or not.  The internal war is to follow or merely arrive in his presence.  I do not wish to merely arrive.

God does not force us to him.  He draws us.  He does not demand our companionship.  He asks for it.  When we reject, deny, and disbelieve we are pursuing things for which we were never created.  We try to justify this by dismissing God, our creation, and the very value of human life.  We disavow the supernatural and miraculous. 

If we relegate God to the place of the puerile and uniformed it is much easier to ignore his constant call.  We can be dismissive of those who represent Christ honestly and humbly.  We can treat faith as a matter for children and the uniformed.

I, however, am required to love.  I am required to follow in faith and believe that God is who he says he is.  I believe he is so much more than we can grasp.  He is so far beyond who I dream him to be for my sake.  I must remember daily that he is who he claims to be and not some fairytale. 

It will become dangerous to believe.  Sometimes it feels like it already is.  I can no longer count on following Christ as a guide for the world in which I live both universally and locally.  I can only commit my heart to love for and faith in the God who is there.  I can be assured that God is with me.  I can count on him to show me my errors and enhance my good.  When the whole world turned against God he required his followers to love him, each other, their enemies.  Everything else is built on this.  That is who God is.

Lovers in a Dangerous Time – Bruce Cockburn

Don't the hours grow shorter as the days go by

You never get to stop and open our eyes

One minute you're waiting for the sky to fall

The next you're dazzled by the beauty of it all

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

These fragile bodies of touch and taste

This fragrant skin this hair like lace

Spirits open to the thrust of grace

Never a breath you can afford to waste

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

When you're lovers in a dangerous time

Sometimes you're made to feel as if your love's a crime

Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight

Got to kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight

When you're lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

Lovers in a dangerous time

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Forgetting Who God Is – With Us

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes when my Daughter has nightmares she just needs to be reminded that she is not alone.  She needs reassurance that she is in a safe home and not in danger.  She does not even need to wake up sometimes to be reassured.  My soft voice as a response to her cries in the night can be enough.  Reassured that she is not alone and safe can sooth her back to sleep.

God claims that he is with us.  Again, this is something that doer require my belief to be true.  Whether it is natural revelation, specific revelation, or both God has shown himself to us and assured us that he is present always.

We choose whether or not we will have faith in this.  Instead of choosing it based on who God claims to be for us we choose based on human circumstance, knowledge, and experience.  We avoid faith because we do not like needing faith.  It goes against our need to control things.  Faith requires a letting go of control.  Faith must be coupled with yielding to the object of our faith.

This understanding is vital to our ability to embrace that God is with us.  The incarnation is the ultimate statement that God is with us.  The presence of the Holy Spirit is the ongoing allegiance to that commitment.  God gave us his very best to show us he wanted to be with us.  

I must live my journey in faith that this will always be true.  I must step into every moment looking for and embracing the presence of Christ.  It through this that I will find the strength to do what is right.  I will gain the power to love selflessly and unconditionally.  It is only through this that I can become what God has designed me to be.  “Understand that I am with you, even to the end of the age.”

Immanuel – Michael Card

A sign shall be given a virgin will conceive

A human baby bearing undiminished deity

The glory of the nations a light for all to see

That hope for all who will embrace His warm reality

Immanuel our God is with us

And if God is with us who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel

For all those who live in the shadow of death

A glorious light has dawned

For all those who stumble in the darkness

Behold your light has come

Immanuel our God is with us

And if God is with us who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel

So what will be Your answer? Will You hear the call?

Of Him who did not spare His son but gave Him for us all

On earth there is no power there is no depth or height

That could ever separate us from the love of God in Christ

Immanuel our God is with us

And if God is with us who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel

Immanuel our God is with us

And if God is with us who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Forgetting Who God Is – Now Here/Nowhere

Greetings Dear Reader,

Recently several people felt the need to assure that I saw “story” in The Onion about God failing to write a new book.  It was one of the many things I have seen lately that posits the question of his silence. 

As I have been diving deep into the study of the letter Paul wrote to the Romans I have been reminded just how present God always is.  I am reminded that creation, moral law, and our own inner workings declare that God is there.  We have confused subtlety with silence.

I wonder how many other relationships we expect to work when we demand that the other person communicate with us on our terms.  We insist that God be what we wish him to be.  We demand that God speak our moral perspective instead of obediently speaking his. 

We deny his power and presence and use his image for our own purposes.  This is the true definition of taking God’s name in vain.  I must assure that whenever I think of God it is as he wishes to be thought of.  I must assure that I follow the Christ who is there not the image I wish him to be for my own purposes.

If I listen, he is speaking.  I if believe I will see.

My God – Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson - Lead vocals, flute, acoustic guitar

Martin Barre - Lead guitar, recorder

Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond - Bass, recorder

John Evan - Piano

Clive Bunker - Drums

Lyrics:

People, what have you done?

Locked him in his golden cage, golden cage

Made him bend to your religion

Him resurrected from the grave, from the grave

He is the God of nothing

If that's all that you can see

You are the God of everything

He's inside you and me

So lean upon him gently

And don't call on him to save you

From your social graces

And the sins you used to waive, you used to waive

From the bloody church of England

In chains of history

Requests your earthly presence

At the vicarage for tea

And the graven image you know who

With his plastic crucifix, he's got him fixed

Confuses me as to who and where and why?

As to how he gets his kicks, he gets his kicks

Confessing to the endless sin

The endless whining sounds

You'll be praying till next Thursday

To all the gods that you can count.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Forgetting Who God Is – Merciful

Greetings Dear Reader,

When my younger Son, Bezel was four he decided that the sugar bowl was his personal candy dish.  The first time I caught him eating the sugar I warned him that he should not do it.  The second time I caught I chose to teach him about mercy.  I sat him down and explained was that mercy was not getting the punishment we deserve from the person who has the right to issue that punishment.   The third time I caught him raiding the sugar he looked at me, smiled, and said, “Dad, I think I need to learn more about mercy.”

Mercy is defined as showing compassion and forgiveness to one over whom you have the power to punish or harm.  Whether we accept it or not we are all guilty before God of rejecting him and failing to love him as we should.  We do not understand the level of mercy we need.  We do not understand the level of mercy we are already shown.

Once again this is something which we have left behind in our journey away from and understanding of who God is.  As I journey back to God I see his mercy and the need for it.  It begins with an understanding of the depth of my failure to love him with all my heart. 

He extends mercy to us so that we can find our way back to him.  He gives us that way and an example to follow through Jesus.  I am not sure how all of this will work its way out in my life.  I do know that by faith it will. 

I do not just walk in faith.  I walk in the renewed mercy of God.  He may need to renew it every morning, every hour, or in my case every second.  He does.  He wants me every moment just like I am.  He is merciful to me just as I am.

Come As You Are – Crowder

Come out of sadness

From wherever you’ve been

Come broken hearted

Let rescue begin

Come find your mercy

Oh sinner come kneel

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You’re not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

There’s hope for the hopeless

And all those who’ve strayed

Come sit at the table

Come taste the grace

There’s rest for the weary

Rest that endures

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t cure

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You’re not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Come as you are

Fall in his arms

Come as you are

There’s joy for the morning

Oh sinner be still

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You’re not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Come as you are

Come as you are

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Forgetting Who God Is – Unchanging

Greetings Dear Reader,

We are mercurial in our opinions, moods, and loyalties.  We do not believe we are but it is true none-the-less.  We change our minds about things we have committed to do.  We have mood swings and mood tsunamis.  We put our wants above the things to which we have pledged our lives and loyalties.

God does not change.  He is the constant in the chaos.  He is our fulcrum and lever in the void.  His love for us is unchanging.  His desire to return things to good is unwavering.  His passion to redeem all that he created is immeasurable.  He gives us an inkling to that measure in his Son, Jesus. 

What we see in Christ is the God who was willing to travel to us when we could not travel to him.  We see the unwavering love and commitment of one who wishes for us to have all that we are created to have.

When we waiver on the things that show God’s love for us we represent a wavering God.  Since he asks us to follow in faith this cannot be the way he is represented.  He does not change and his compassion does not fail.  We see new aspects of his love and care daily but we ignore them.

I must see him in every moment.  I must see his consistency and compassion in every small thing.  I must acknowledge that God is unchanging in all my choices of faith and then he will direct my path.  The journey involves a guide who is constant, present, and communicating.  He is mine and I am his.  In every age it has been thus and so shall it ever be.

El Shaddai – Michael Card

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

El-elyon na adonia,

Age to age you're still the same,

By the power of the name.

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

Erkamka na adonai,

We will praise and lift you high,

El Shaddai.

Through your love and through the ram,

You saved the son of Abraham;

Through the power of your hand,

Turned the sea into dry land.

To the outcast on her knees,

You were the God who really sees,

And by your might,

You set your children free.

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

El-elyon na adonia,

Age to age you're still the same,

By the power of the name.

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

Erkamka na adonai,

We will praise and lift you high,

El Shaddai.

Through the years you've made it clear,

That the time of Christ was near,

Though the people couldn't see

What messiah ought to be.

Though your word contained the plan,

They just could not understand

Your most awesome work was done

Through the frailty of your son.

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

El-elyon na adonai,

Age to age you're still the same,

By the power of the name.

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

Erkamka na adonai,

I will praise yo 'till I die,

El Shaddai.

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

El-elyon na adonai,

Age to age you're still the same,

By the power of the name.

El Shaddai, el Shaddai,

Erkamka na adonai,

I will praise you 'till I die.

El Shaddai.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Forgetting Who God Is – Love

Greetings Dear Reader,

Let me say this without reservation:  God does not hate anyone.  No matter what anyone may say to you God does not hate you.  He does not hate gay people.  He does not hate any race of people.  He does not hate the people who do things Christ followers think are wrong.

He does hate some activities.  So do we.  When we proceed from the assumption that God hates anyone we create a barrier to faith for them.  We must proceed from the truth that God’s love transcends every barrier.  He loves everyone. 

We put requirements and standards on God based on our definition of what love is.  It is God that gave us the power to love.  It is God that defines love.  It is by his definition that we learn what love is.

The failure of Christ followers to live out the love of God in the lives of others makes seeing this difficult.  It is there.  It is available to anyone willing to accept it.  So many people who accept that God hates anyone have not worked through what God has to say about love. 

Jesus gave us two commandments to follow:  Love God with all your being and love your neighbor.  He also told us to love our enemies.  He did not tell us to hate anyone.  We are to avoid sin.  We are to hate sin.  We are to love every life that exists.

If I do not live out this in every encounter with every human then I dare not think that I am following Christ.  As I prepare my heart for Advent I must focus on the purpose for the incarnation.  “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, the WHOSOEVER (anyone, anywhere, anytime) believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.”

 I must love always.  I must love in a way that with what meager ability I possess I reflect God’s love for the world.  Jesus is God’s final word on the matter.

The Final Word – Michael Card

You and me we use so very many clumsy words.

The noise of what we often say is not worth being heard.

When the Father's wisdom wanted to communicate His love,

He spoke it in one final perfect Word.

He spoke the incarnation, and then so was born a Son.

His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one.

Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed and make a way Divine.

And so was born a baby who would die to make it mine.

And so the Father's fondest took on flesh and bone.

He spoke the living luminous word, at once His will was done.

And so the transformation that in man had been unheard,

Took place in God the Father as he spoke that final Word.

He spoke the incarnation, and then so was born a Son.

His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one.

Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed and make a way Divine.

And so was born a baby who would die to make it mine.

And so the Light became alive and manna became Man.

Eternity stepped into time so we could understand.

He spoke the incarnation, and then so was born a Son.

His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one.

Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed and make a way Divine.

And so was born a baby who would die to make it mine.

And so was born a baby who would die to make it mine.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Why I love Christmas – God with Us

Happy Christmas Dear Reader,

As I sit here in my writing room anticipation has me giddy.  I know that I have completed most of the tasks on my list.  I have been able to give significantly to the needs of others.  It has been a privilege to help some friends in genuine Christmas need.  A sea of gifts awaits around my gift tree so that I may bless my children and grandchildren.

I have found great joy in preparing for the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  I have moved among my fellow travelers the entire year attempting to live the spirit of this reality.  God comes to us. He chooses to be with us.  He wishes to reconcile with us. 

Even though we are the ones on the journey to God it is he that travels to us in every moment.  It is he that makes a way by being the propitiation for our sin.  He builds the bridge to us so that we can travel to him. 

Everything I wish to do at Christmas I hope to root in this hope.  As I turn toward the actual day I pray that my family sees God’s love for them in my gifts and preparations.  I hope that the things I dwell on are only connected to Christ and his love for us. 

The ebb and flow of the seasons always draw me to this time of year.  I think of Christmas Day almost every day.  I dwell on the incarnation and advent.  I savor that because of this day God is with us always.

A Hallelujah Christmas - Cloverton

I've heard about this baby boy

Who's come to earth to bring us joy

And I just want to sing this song to you

It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

The minor fall, the major lift

With every breath I'm singing Hallelujah

Hallelujah

A couple came to Bethlehem

Expecting child, they searched the inn

To find a place for You were coming soon

There was no room for them to stay

So in a manger filled with hay

God's only Son was born, oh Hallelujah

Hallelujah

The shepherds left their flocks by night

To see this baby wrapped in light

A host of angels led them all to You

It was just as the angels said

You'll find Him in a manger bed

Immanuel and Savior, Hallelujah

Hallelujah

A star shown bright up in the east

To Bethlehem, the wise men three

Came many miles and journeyed long for You

And to the place at which You were

Their frankincense and gold and myrrh

They gave to You and cried out Hallelujah

Hallelujah

I know You came to rescue me

This baby boy would grow to be

A man and one day die for me and you

My sins would drive the nails in You

That rugged cross was my cross, too

Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store." 

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