Godgrown

Updates from January, 2012 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Mark 10:01 am on January 10, 2012 Permalink | Reply  

  The Mission of Gardening 

  One house church in the Underground Network has made it their mission to reclaim an abandoned space in a Chicago city park. This plot of land was used as a literal trash dump for anyone passing by, making the quarter-acre of land a blight on the entire neighborhood in which the house church was located. The project was started February 2011, where a few folks in one house church drew up some plans for a vegetable garden in this space – and in April they picked up the trash and filth, and built a raised-bed garden – with fresh, rich top soil.

  Their goal was to follow the spirit of 1 Cor 1: 28, 29 – “For God chose things despised by the world, things considered as nothing, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers to be important…” They invited the entire neighborhood to participate, including several gardeners, many of whom were skeptical of the project’s success. Over the year, more and more volunteers contributed their efforts. There was a good sized harvest (for first time gardeners!) and all the grown produce was enjoyed by neighbors and during the house church gatherings. It was beautiful.

  In November 2011, that house church gave birth to another house church, which brought in the neighbors who had worked on the garden – now they knew that there was a Christian church behind the garden, and they wanted to be a part of that kind of church – so this new house church is planning in 2012 to expand the veggie garden, and they are dreaming of opening up a new farmers market to invite regional farmers to sell their produce alongside this little urban garden’s yield.

  All this, from an abandoned lot.

  “God chose the things despised by the world, the things considered as nothing, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important – so no one can boast in the presence of God!”

  

  Jay Abels is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    Jay Abels 12:30 pm on February 1, 2012 Permalink

    There are many ways to sow.   It is always awesome to see the harvest.

  Reply Cancel reply

  Required fields are marked *

  Name *

  Email *

  Website

  

• 

  Mark 9:25 am on January 4, 2012 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Libya, Syria   

  Stay Soft 

     I’m reading Exodus 8 alongside 2 Corinthians 3 today — In Exodus, its the story of the 10 Plagues – exhibiting the hardness of Pharoah’s heart toward letting the Israelites go – he just couldn’t see the obvious evidence right there in front of him – he couldn’t understand that it was him doing the harm to the country!  He was torturing his own people by refusing to listen to to the will of God.

  It reminds me of Libya’s recent dictator, and Syria’s current debacle where the leaders of the country were obviously insane for destroying their own nation.  It was a classic example of the leader becoming obsessed with their own power, and end up eroding that power by trying to hold on to it.  In Pharoah’s case, as in Gaddafi’s and so many others, it led to the end of their very lives.  Power has such compelling, addictive qualities, and trying to relinquish it is eternally difficult.  

  But I am reminded of a “hardness of heart” far more sinister than even Pharaoh’s or Gaddafi’s.

  In 2 Corinthians 3, The hard heart is not in a single person, but an entire nation.  What started with an ecstatic worship experience at Mt. Sinai, where Moses was so close to the glory of God that his face had to be covered with a veil, as it was shining with glory!  Such was God’s glory that the Israelites asked not to be put it it’s presence for fear that they might die.  After all, look what happened to Pharaoh!

     Overtime, however, the hardness of heart creeps in like plaque, undoing the raw, beautiful experiences that brought us to the convictions we hold to today.  The hardness of heart in Israelites case feels more like the ebb and flow of the ocean on the rocks – at first it’s effects are imperceptible, but overtime, it’s power over stone is undeniable.

     In my life, the “hardness” I experience looks more like the Israelites’ picture of the problem, rather than Pharaoh’s.  It is the slow erosion of previous joyful worship experiences, of my earliest convictions, and sense of orientation.  It amounts to a casual walk through the woods- where the paths continue to wind and turn; at first the journey is light and enjoyable, but soon becomes a frightening, disorienting maze without end.

  So!   Hold on to your heart.  Hold on to hope!  Cynicism and doubt are a relentless downpour in our world.  Check your sources of input – do you watch nothing but the news?  Do you read anything but doom-and-gloom?  Then pick up a book of poems!  Pick up the Gospels!     Keeping your heart soft is possibly the most important task on earth, and its a daily habit.

  

  Mark W, and Jay Abels are discussing. Toggle Comments

   
  • 

    Jay Abels 12:33 pm on February 1, 2012 Permalink

    Have you ever wondered why we always call them “The 10 Plagues”?   In the biblical text, they are more often referred to as marvels and wonders.  I think we may identify more with the Egyptian slave holders than we do with the slaves that God freed through the wonders that he did in Egypt.

  • 

    Mark W 1:27 pm on February 1, 2012 Permalink

    Wow, very true!

• 

  Mark 8:20 am on October 10, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

  “Slow Cuts” Over Short Cuts 

  

  This is a great time of year to take the “slow-cuts” over the “short-cuts” on our ways to work, errands, etc — the leaves are changing, the final climax of 2011′s symphony is upon us!

  In our day, there’s little respect given to the longer, sometimes meandering, but always intentional paths that lead us to our destination.  We’ve devised GPS systems and shot things into space in hopes of finding the quickest, most fuel-efficient way from A to B.  The least amount of time and energy from where I am to where I want to be.  That’s the generally accepted path.  But Jesus had another route he took…

  Matthew 12:1-21 is an amazing fulfillment of the entire Old Testament – it reminds me of a mountain climber after several days of hard work, finally reaching the summit.  Or an engaged couple after months of waiting, finally hearing wedding bells.  In Jesus’ day, Jews and Gentiles alike were awaiting a traditional form of kingship – uprising, rebellion, and more – but Jesus instead quotes Isaiah 42; and remind us that the King Isaiah anticipated was different – “he will not fight or shout” –

  The route to power through force and might has been tried, time and time again.  Its the quickest and easiest route to power in our world.  It works too!  Revenge, abuse, murder, cheating… they are all names for the same boulivard in the human heart – the highway that leads to “what I want.”  Trouble is, we end up in the ditch.

  The way Jesus points to through his life (and specifically in Matthew 12) describes a new way.  Not another short-cut or get rich-quick-scheme; his is the only way not to trample over the weak and the outcast in your establishment of power.  Some people think that power is inherently bad - I disagree.  Power is like currency – it is amoral, it is the wielder of that power that invests himself into that power and through that power he becomes more of who he already is.  If you are a jerk, then with power, you will be an even BIGGER JERK!

  But Jesus saw that his power was displayed through weakness, through healing the poor on the Sabbath, through dying on the Cross, and being raised by the Power of God.

  — Jesus, I believe that you will eventually see the final victory – “Finally his cause for justice will be victorious.” I wait for that day – when we don’t have to take the compromised shortcuts in life, but all of us will be on the pathway you showed us – to the relational Kingdom of God.

  I choose today to participate in that “slow-cut” toward freedom.

  I want to find a way to cut out all my power grabs, personally, and in society. Help me Father to learn what areas of my life need a “lower-archy” introduced, so that I do not “crush the weakest reed, or put out a flickering candle…” You spoke out of a confidence of who you are as a Messiah. Let me be just as confident in my practices.