What is Your (My) God – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

We all tend to embrace things in a way that is out of proportion.  We latch onto things that we think will satisfy us.  We neglect our real needs in favor of things that consume us.  I know that I can obsess over things that are not healthy.

We are not supposed to put anything before God.  We are supposed to acknowledge the Father first in all things.  If we do he promises to direct us.   We are to be in a constant conversation with him.  It is vital that we realize that he is there in every moment waiting for us to arrive.

All of the things we desire are echoes of Eden.  It is the abuse of them that makes them dangerous.  The pleasures and pastimes of the world are not forbidden.  They are to be held in proper perspective to Christ.

I must follow without carrying too much of the excesses in the world.  I must not follow anything else.  Three are distractions that will devour me if I do not follow Christ alone.

The Things We Leave Behind – Michael Card

There sits Simon, so foolishly wise

Proudly he's tending his nets

Then Jesus calls and the boats drift away

And all that he owns he forgets

But more than the nets, he abandoned that day

He found that his pride was soon drifting away

And it's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful of taking the tax

And pressing the people to pay

Hearing the call, he responded in faith

And followed the light and the way

And leaving the people so puzzled he found

The greed in his heart was no longer around and

And it's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

Every heart needs to be set free

From possessions that hold it so tight

'Cause freedom's not found in the things that we own

It's the power to do what is right

With Jesus, our only possession

And giving becomes our delight

And we can't imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

We show a love for the world in our lives

By worshiping goods we possess

Jesus has laid all our treasures aside

And love God above all the rest

'Cause when we say no, to the things of the world

We open our hearts to the love of the Lord and

It's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

And when we say no, to the things of the world

We open our hearts to the love of the Lord and

It's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

Oh, and it's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

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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What is Your (My) God - Sports

Greetings Dear Reader,

I realize that sports is a subset of entertainment although the reason for the specific attention is that sports have become much more than entertainment.  I have a lifelong love affair with baseball.  I also realize that it would insult the beauty of baseball were I to make it a god.

We have, however, turned athletes into demi-gods.  We worship at the vast cathedrals we call stadiums.  Most of it is a subset of our worship of money.  We lift up our sports entertainers and monetize their talents.  We put important things on hold to watch a few hours of entertainment.

I have seen worship services moved so that people could get to the game on time.  We engage with sports at an emotional level that is often unhealthy.  We wager, eat, and drink to excess surrounding sports.  It is not sport that is the problem.  It is us.  Almost every vice we have gets played out surrounding professional sports. 

We lose perspective when we worship sports.  We allow people to be less than they should be just to win.  We put our team ahead of our family, friend, and faith.  We were not designed to worship in this way. 

There is nothing wrong with good competition, a cold beer, and some chili cheese fries (well perhaps the fries are always bad even though they are so good.).  The problem is the way in which we replace the Father with this form of entertainment.  The issue is worshiping something that is entertainment.

I believe that Andy Griffith gave us some good understanding of the foolishness of our obsession.  Give a listen to his comments and ponder the proper place of sports in our journey back to God.  They Called if Football – Andy Griffith

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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What is Your (My) God - Entertainment

Greetings Dear Reader,

I think we have all noticed just how many celebrated people have died in the first few months this year.  The world grieves the losses in many ways.  I am always impacted by the death of singers and actors I admire.  My admiration usually comes from their art and occasionally from their character.

The death of every human diminishes me.  Mankind is my business.  I feel some losses more deeply than others.  That is not what matters.  The important thing is that every life matters to me and to God.  He gifts people whether they acknowledge him or not. 

This puts us in the position where we put on a pedestal people who are what they are because of God’s provision.  We worship the created rather than the creator.  We make celebrities and raise them up no matter how foolish it may be to do so.  It does not mean that the artist does not give us great things.  It does mean that we do not raise them up above anyone else.

We do grieve the loss but what we need to embrace is why we do it.  We don't grieve for artists because we knew them; we grieve because they helped us know ourselves.  The artists I value are not what changes me.  It what their work changes in me that I value.   A song, a painting, or some great acting touches places in me and it changes me. 

It is in that change that I find loss and gain.  When the person who creates that change leaves us we lose the source of that change.  We lose the potential for future input.  We lose something that connects to our inner being.  It is our nature to deify anything that touches us that deeply. 

I have lost some of those over the years and I grieve for that loss.  I will not, however, forget that the Creator is the one who gifted them.  He knows what he is doing and I will not abuse his gift by making the creation more important that the Creator.

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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What is Your (My) God - Nature

Greetings Dear Reader,

Happy Earth Day Dear Reader.   This will not be a rant about environmental crazies.   They exist but I think that they do because of Christ followers.  My brother pointed this out well earlier this week not knowing that I was approaching the subject as well.  You can read his excellent articulation here:  Environmentalists and the Character of God

What I am pondering today is something my brother brought up earlier.  As Christ followers we do a very poor job at planetary stewardship.  It is an aspect of our over-consumption  We neglect our home and consume its resources without true regard for the future. 

The Father’s first command to his creation was to tend the garden.  Caring for the earth was the first job humans were given.  It is our primary responsibility from both a relational and practical aspect.  We must not worship the creation over the Creator but we must be obedient in caring for it.

Like care for those in need this is an area where Christ followers should set the example instead of being a hindrance.  I must do my part to reduce consumption and hinder destruction of the natural world. 

We were made to enjoy the world and care for it.  We will never truly follow Christ until we see the glory that is creation and our place in caring for it.  Ponder this from Thomas Traherne.   

You never enjoy the world aright, till the Sea itself floweth in your veins, till you are clothed with the heavens, and crowned with the stars: and perceive yourself to be the sole heir of the whole world, and more than so, because men are in it who are every one sole heirs as well as you. Till you can sing and rejoice and delight in God, as misers do in gold, and Kings in sceptres, you never enjoy the world.

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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What is Your (My) God - Work

Greetings Dear Reader,

Almost all of us have to work.  Too many of us work at jobs about which we are not passionate.  Some of us fortunate few get to work at jobs we love.  Then there are the ones who make work their god. 

For a time I was obsessed with work and making money.  It was perhaps the lowest point in my journey with Christ.  There were other extreme contributing factors but I still chose to make work my god for a time. 

I recently had dinner with a friend who has made his work is god.  During the meal he was more in touch with his phone and afterhours messages than our opportunity to catch up with each other.  As I listened to his interaction about work I realized that he did not cover anything that could not have waited.

We create the expectation that work can consume all our time or we have it created for us.  It is a choice we allow either way.  I have made the mental choice to hang up work when I leave.  There are rare times when it must bleed over into the non-working hours but I guard that carefully. 

We work too much in our culture.  Ir is not that work is not important but we devote too much of our energy to it.  We use too little of our allowed vacation time.  We devote too much of our energy to things that do not serve who we are. 

We are to work but we are also to celebrate, vacate, and rest.  The Father has given us the ability to work.  We must always do so in balance.  Whenever I am tempted to pursue money over good work or put work ahead of other obligations I remember my Grandfather’s example.  He worked when it was time to work and rested when it was time to rest.  When it comes to what we do for work he also had some great wisdom.  “Do what you love and the money will come.”   

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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What is Your (My) God – Adult Beverages and the Like

Greetings Dear Reader,

When I first began to follow Christ I was taught that all consumption of alcohol was wrong.  Basically Jesus turned water into wine and the church was trying to turn it back to water.  I later realized that under the law the Jews were allowed to use money that belonged to God to purchase wine or strong drink if they wished.  (Deuteronomy 14:26)

Today is April 20, 2016 (420 day).   I think it appropriate to address the excesses that make things we can enjoy into a terrible life-stealing god.  First let me say that I think marijuana should be a legal controlled substance in the same way alcohol is.  I am not debating the merits of this but will listen if you wish to do so. 

We live in a vast array of uneven standards when it comes to controlled substances.   It is an excellent example of how the civil law cannot dictate morality to the masses.  It is why we need to assure that we use such things in proper moderation.   Any substance can become a god if abused.    

It is true that the alcohol and other drugs are abused in culture and become a god to others.  I live with the specter of that potential and so am very careful not to abuse drink.  This does not mean that we condemn it outright.  Building a hedge around religious liberty never gets us closer to God.

To follow Christ I must assure that I do not make a god of any drug or its prohibition.  I must embrace moderation in things that can control me.  On this day when many minds will worship a plant I choose to be moderate.  I choose not to make any crated thing displace the creator.

From the Inside – Def Leppard

I am bad, I am evil

I am winter, I am pain

I'll mess up your life

I'll beat up your wife

I'll lose all your friends

And I'll win in the end

So you play the Joker

And I'll play the Clown

And I'll laugh while you're up there

And I'll laugh when you're down

Though your screams break the silence

Oh, they won't make a sound

Na na na na na na naaa

I will rise, I will take you

I will break you, never let you go

I'll shoot through your veins

I'll drive you insane

I'll poison your breath

And I'll love you to death

So you be the Joker

And I'll be the Clown

And you'll laugh when you're up there

But you'll cry when you're down

Though your screams break the silence

Oh, they won't make a sound

Na na na na na na naaa

So you play the Joker

And I'll play the Clown

And I'll laugh while you're up there

And I'll laugh when you're down

Though your screams break the silence

Oh, they won't make a sound

Na na na na na na naaa

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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What is Your (My) God - Food

Greetings Dear Reader,

We all know that one of the seven deadly sins is gluttony.  I do not think that we all know what gluttony is.  It is not just that it is wrong to obsess over food.  The many facets of gluttony have to do with excess.

I have always loved good food.  I have often loved it to excess.  We need to eat to sustain our lives.  We also are allowed to celebrate with food.  What is not allowed is to have excess with food. 

I used to eat and over eat and eat again.  The consequences to my body are life-long.  The consequences to my spirit are healing.  I became insensitive to the needs of others.  I became dull to my own honest hunger and the needs of those in the world who are hungry. 

Food is not wrong.  Abuse of it always is.  The consumption of food falls under my need to be accountable for all I am given.  When I overeat I not showing proper care over what is provided for me by the Father. 

There is joy in the journey and it may be feasted.  There are hungry people and they should be fed.  I cannot follow Christ if I neglect this.  I cannot make food my god and live.  Besides, why worship something that goes bad if you leave it out too long?

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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What is Your (My) god – Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

We all serve something or someone.  We all give portions of our lives to attain or obtain.  Things become important to us because they fill a void or many voids in us.  We enjoy, become proficient, or even obsess over things. 

The enjoyment of things is a blessing that can become a curse.  It is a gift from the Father that we can enjoy things even in a broken world.  The difficulty is that we replace the Father with those things at times.  We use them to fill the void in us that is his space. 

No matter what it is we put in that void it will never completely satisfy.  I need to inventory the things that drive me.  I need to assure that I find joy in the things that are before me without obsessing over them in a way that displaces the Father.  Anything that displaces him is idolatry. 

It does not matter where I put my life and energy if it does not serve to help me follow Christ.  As I walk I must consider the things I carry in my spirit.  What do I really love?  As I ask these questions I hope to find balance and some deeper understanding of the Father and his love for me.  As always Dear Reader, I value your company and questions.

Gotta Serve Somebody – Bob Dylan

You may be an ambassador to England or France

 You may like to gamble, you might like to dance

 You may be the heavyweight champion of the world

 You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

 You might be a rock ’n’ roll addict prancing on the stage

 You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage

 You may be a businessman or some high-degree thief

 They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

 You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk

 You may be the head of some big TV network

 You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame

 You may be living in another country under another name

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

 You may be a construction worker working on a home

 You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome

 You might own guns and you might even own tanks

 You might be somebody’s landlord, you might even own banks

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

 You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride

 You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side

 You may be workin’ in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair

 You may be somebody’s mistress, may be somebody’s heir

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk

 Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk

 You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread

 You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

 You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy

 You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy

 You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray

 You may call me anything but no matter what you say

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

 You’re gonna have to serve somebody

 Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

 But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

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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