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Feelings – Don’t Ignore Them

Growing up I’ve been taught – sometimes not on purpose, and sometimes to my face – to ignore my feelings. Even in the church. Feelings lead you down dark paths for which hell and/or hammering another nail into Jesus’ wrist on the cross would be the end result. Either option is scary. And feelings are for weak-willed and feeble-mined people. And you’re strong, right?

I see this kind belief and teaching still creep its head or be the basis for one’s relationship with God in Jesus. Oh that this were not that the case. See, quite the opposite is true. It takes a lot of courage to feel your feelings.

Have you heard Jesus’ emotionally-charged and compassionate Sermon of the Mount? Have you read about him weeping and being disturbed in spirit? Have you seen him sweat drops of blood before being arrested?

Perhaps our feelings are like spiritual antennas. If you hear them, stay and learn from them, instead of trying to ignore, you might find your feelings are an appropriate response to something going on in the world or in your life. To continue the analogy, you may find a connection with the Spirit of God even as a life-long Christian you have not encountered before.

Spiritual reservoirs open up to us when we aren’t afraid of our feelings. Your feelings may, thanks be to God, save you, and just as importantly save someone else from a particular form of hell on earth. Or maybe you will just stay true and pure of heart. “God has given you a heart of flesh, and not of stone.” Don’t harden your heart. Wade into the waters.

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Church and The WordHouse (End of Year Support)

Greetings, friends!

Many of us in the Church have heard that the “sky is falling.” Perhaps we’ve seen it in the dwindling attendance numbers and the low membership rolls, especially among younger adults and young families. Devotion to the church has seemingly become something of the past. Where did they go? Why do they not care about God, we may ask?

People are forming community among friends and neighbors, gathering in homes, coffeehouses, pubs and restaurants with others who are open, honest, and loving.

Many younger people are focusing their energy in civic areas of life, working for the good of all and caring for their city among those who respect and value their gifts and talents.

We’ve also noticed some people of all ages live without a Jesus-inspired community, because their church experience has not helped them journey in the way of Christ.

If you take a closer look, however, the sky is not falling. The skies are opening up.

God is in the neighborhood. The Holy Spirit is in the places people work and play, and surrounds the activities done for the good of all. Fresh visions of communal life and discipleship are inspiring God’s people to live like Jesus. God’s Spirit is pouncing upon cracked earth causing new life to sprout.

During the Advent and Christmas Seasons we not only wait for the Lord but we prepare the way, make his paths straight and then graciously see Christ humbly arrive. At The WordHouse, we are making a way for Jesus Christ and for many young adults to know him and experience Good News. Won’t you partner with us? Your support will help us provide places for voices to be heard and to make disciples who make disciples in this exciting, Spirit-filled day. To God be the glory.

Online: https://www.sacpresby.org/donationsForm.asp?id=7

Check: Presbytery of Sacramento, The WordHouse, 9983 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento CA 95827

Grace and peace,

Rev. Jeffrey O. Richards

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(Un)carnational

For me, this is the gospel: The incarnation, or an entering into and inhabiting, turning bad into good or proclaiming that what is believed to be bad is actually good. Hence the ancient spiritual phrase, the good news of Jesus Christ. So, I attempt to live out and embody this incarnational gospel.

But I’m not very good at it. Perhaps that’s because Jesus requires everything. Not just some of my time or effort or ability, but all of it. All of me. Yes, that’s probably why it’s difficult for me and perhaps for you as well. I don’t like anything that requires everything.

Now, bad might actually be bad or it could be something (or someone) understood as bad or even depending-on-the-context bad. You follow? It’s not enough, and it’s not right, to assume everything and everyone is bad. Particularly when the Judeo-Christian scriptures are clear that some (the bad) oppress others (those the bad think are bad or treat as bad). Am I still making sense? Is there bad we all – the oppressor and oppressed – experience even if it’s two sides of the same crap? I think so.

It’s a sticky mess, yet really simple. Some are bad and some are treated bad(ly). Perhaps many of us in a democratic republic feel, as I do, like we have bits of both or are equally able to deliver- as well as receive- damage from the wickedness of badness.

But I’m digressing, I think. Or at least getting carried away.

The incarnation declares all flesh, all people are inherently good, which includes our bodies and I’d say even our body’s needs. “For God created man…and called it very good.” “You are my beloved, in whom I am well pleased.” “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…not to condemn the world but to save the world.” “God humbled himself and took the form of a slave or servant.” “Creation groans.” “Jesus poops.” Oh wait, that last one could be a paraphrase.

See, it’s not bad it’s funny (I hope).

There is goodness, maybe even complete goodness in our bodies. It’s just the truth. God says so by creating it and then even being one like us. This is very good news. This is the incarnational gospel. Even news in the flesh.

I am participating in Uncosynchro, a blogging project started by UNCO 2014 participants. Check out all the blogs here.

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Inhale. Exhale.

I’m finding it hard to breathe.

There is so much to grieve. People of darker shades and dimmer family histories reporting they cannot go anywhere without being suspect; people like myself hearing a clanging noise telling me to judge, if not ignore and keep away at arms length.

I’m finding it hard to breathe.

The willingness to not be like Christ to others; the willingness to not see Christ in others. Am I like Peter sitting around the warm fire, saying I don’t know of this Jesus you speak?

I’m finding it hard to breathe.

Maybe if I stop breathing I can find new Breath to inhale.

I cannot let cries for mercy go unanswered. I cannot. No more. There is so much to grieve. It’s time to exhale.

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(Un)gratitude #uncosynchro

It’s a post-modern title, I know. “Alright, stop what you’re doing because I’m about to ruin the image and style that you’re used to.”

Apparently this is about to be a brain dump, but first: For over the next year, if I can keep up – have you seen this blog? – I will be participating in Uncosynchro, a project started by UNCO 2014 participants. We have been tasked, should we choose to accept it, to delve into the upside-down Kingdom values of Lord Jesus Christ and describe what we have found.

May you find the fruits of this exercise a fraction of what it will do for me.

I try to be grateful. I really do. It’s been drilled into me by my parents, teachers and my incessant belief that I should not think too highly of myself. Actually what I believe is much more striking. I’m supposed to think of others as higher than myself, which by itself isn’t too bad, but in order to do so I diminish myself instead. Then, whatever I receive, whatever goodness comes my way or just so happens to be expressed in my being is purely happenstance. Because nothing in me is worth being grateful for, so I believe, I downgrade the thought of my very self.

This is terrible.

There’s no celebration let alone acknowledgment that I am created in God’s image, “fearfully and wonderfully made,” as the Hebraic psalmist bellows. And it’s no wonder my sense of worth is shot.

Before you think I’m going to throw out the baby with the bath water, trust me I will not. Besides, what an awful thing to say. At any rate, I do not want to think more highly of myself than I ought. Lord knows I struggle with sin and putting God and Jesus’ ways first and foremost in my life. I am not tossing my human propensity to grievously err aside.

You see, my attempts at being grateful have been a sham. I’m not grateful. A lot of the time I’m sad, confused and angry. How could I not be? I don’t believe I’m worth much of anything.

But if God looks upon me as God’s own beloved child, with gifts and talents given me for the betterment of our world, and I believe it, than I might be full of gratitude. If Jesus is a “friend of sinners,” cares for the sick and sits at the dinner table with prostitutes and tax collectors and tells those the world says are important to give up their seat at the head of the table, and I believe it, than I might not only grateful but full of awe and wonder.

Through tears of joy, I actually may not be able to help but praise God, give thanks and be grateful. I pray it be true. Sometimes, I even believe it.

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A Wet Blanket & Freedom

If I’m not careful, and sometimes regardless, I give in to wickedness that covers me like a wet blanket I mistakingly think will keep me warm. Freedom from the cold weight comes when I realize even though I harbor and perpetuate, evil doesn’t originate with me, it’s in the cultural air I breath. Then I begin to feel relief. This, I am coming to know, Jesus teaches and embodies.

Now to give into love and nothing else. And change the culture. That too, I seem to be learning from the Human One.