Descend From Your Thrones (Mar. 19, 2019)

You who are haughty and make great brags,
you should be humble.
It is not good that a man
should think too much of himself.

Jehovah sets the example,
for he has given us the privilege
of working with Him,
making us "fellow workers."

And what is more, it is written:
"the tent of God is with mankind."
If the Almighty does not refrain
from coming down from heaven to be with us,
then should we not all descend from
the thrones of our own making
and bow before Him?

I am a solitary bird (Mar. 2019)

I am a solitary bird, watching from a roof.
I am a young raven, cut off from the flock,
and crying out to you for food.

When you open your hand, all are satisfied.
But when you hide your face, the growling of their bellies
reaches clear to heaven.
My God, my God, I seek my food from you,
for to whom else shall I go?
All things are from you.
I brandish my wings and croak out a song of praise,
that you may know what is in my heart
and that you may look kindly upon me.

This roof is all that I have,
for my wings no longer lift me into the air,
and your thermals you have denied me.
I have done wrong,
and this is why I am all alone,
with no one to kindly preen me
(for I preen myself in the night, with tears)
and no one to lovingly nuzzle me with their beaks.

When you send out your spirit, O God,
then it means life to whomever you choose.
May you show mercy upon me
and not allow me to be without a flock forever.
May the day come when you reinstall me
unto the congregation, to be with my brothers and sisters,
knowing the depths of your undeserved kindness.

The Path of L(ov/if)e (2017)

The Path of L(ov/if)e

Oh Jehovah, limitless and Lovemore,

stationed upon an indestructible throne,

your feet pushing through the heavens

and coming to rest on the earth,

clothed in the most brilliant white

and dazzling electrum,

knowing everything and being ignorant of nothing,

your eyes scanning all,

peering into the deepest depths of every heart,

seeing the person and preparing their healing,

offering medicine of spirit and tinctures of Love,

offering and being turned down by the proud,

offering and being accepted by the meek,

giving every good gift and every perfect present,

giving and giving and never stopping,

flooding us with blessings,

blessings that only the righteous will notice,

for the unrighteous call you stingy

and accuse you of being ever far away,

when in reality you have descended from the heavens

and appear before our face,

you surround us on all sides and besiege us with Love,

you entreat us, getting up early and going to bed late,

sending your prophets, declaring messages of peace

and of hope, messages of a beautiful future,

never tiring, never giving up,

for you do not delight in the death of anyone,

you who wish for all to live,

you who are Love, you who exemplify Love

so much that it might as well be your name,

Oh Jehovah, you are my father,

you are the one who caused my birth

and who filled me with breath,

you are the one who has sustained me

and continues to sustain me day by day,

you are the one who made me possible,

you who took a measure of your great Love

and fashioned it into a man,

living, breathing Love,

and if I remain in the statutes of Love

then I will endure forever, because ‘Love never fails’.

Oh Jehovah, guide your child, your son,

and do not allow me to leave the path of Love,

which is the path to life, endless life,

Life Everlasting in the New World,

a World that will be pure and right,

joy like a never-setting sun,

peace like a lover’s warm embrace,

patience like the river carving a mountain,

kindness from hearts trained in selflessness,

goodness from those taught by you,

faith that cannot be shaken but that can shake all things,

mildness like the babbling brook under a cool moon,

self-control from those who have conquered their bodies

by means of Love, Love for you and your son, Jesus,

and, last but first, last but the greatest,

Love that will never be put out,

Love that made the world and everything in it,

Love that cares for and tends to it,

Love that is everything anything allthings.

Words of the Spirit 05/16/17

Words of the Spirit 05/16/17

I.

Waste away this fleshly form

Spirit within in goodness reborn

Inward look and outward act

Change wrong opinion to righteous fact

Empty the house of earthly goods

Minimal, simple, living should

That which the hands can hold

is nothing beside His immaterial gold

Mind and heart, the seat of self

Direct your life, and nothing else

Physical power will gradually wane

but the inner servant will always remain

II.

Do not ask what the word of Jehovah is

and then proceed to go your own way.

Do not seek his counsel only to reject it.

Is He not the source of wisdom?

You spurn wisdom and embrace foolishness,

and your end is assured.

His word is great, and the hearing of it

will bring weary men vigor;

the wisdom of Jehovah is power itself.

When He speaks, do not fail to listen,

for by your obedience you will live anon.

We are all a family under one Father,

brothers and sisters!

If one falls, the rest can raise him up.

If one soars, he will drag others in his wake,

and they will not fail to sing out their joy.

III.

I have no strength;

Jehovah is my strength.

My eyes grow dim;

Jehovah opens new eyes within my heart.

My feet plod along the roadway;

Jehovah does not let my feet strike stone.

I tremble and weep; Jehovah encircles me

and carries me to the gathering of my brothers.

IV.

The more of this world that I give up,

the lighter I feel.

And yet I am not without possessions;

in fact, my coffers are filled with knowledge and spirit

ever more day by day,

and I end up with more than I had before.

No matter what Jehovah gives me,

I am not crushed under the weight of it all,

for His yoke is kindly and His load is light.

V.

When our enemies increase, brothers and sisters, let us rejoice!

For the day draws ever nearer.

When the armies grow and their hatred for us seethes,

we will smile and remain ever in prayer.

Their burning missiles will fly,

but they will not touch us.

No weapon will harm us,

for this is our inheritance from Jehovah.

VI.

Before the older ones, bow your head;

be respectful to the gray-headed ones,

for they have come before you

and know intimately the path.

Let them walk ahead of you,

and do not grumble about their slowness of step,

for they will lead you into their treasure houses of wisdom.

VII.

If you have fallen, give me your hand.

I will lift you up, and I will bring you

into the house of Jehovah.

If I have fallen, I give you my hand,

and you will lift me up,

and together we shall go into the inner chambers of Jehovah’s house,

where the fire of righteousness resides, warming all.

Love is the Miracle (2017)

Love is the Miracle

Love is a miracle. Love is the miracle. Because of Love, Jehovah created the universe. Created the earth. Created all life. Created us.

Because of Love, Jehovah did not abandon his purpose when Adam and Eve sinned. He did not destroy Satan and Adam and Eve and start over again, but instead put plans in motion to answer the question of his sovereignty and prove that he is our rightful ruler.

Because of Love, Jehovah again and again forgave his people, who tested him and hurt over the course of thousands of years.

Because of Love, Jehovah held back destruction from repentant ones and upheld his judgments against the lawless ones. Because of Love, he is a God who is ready to forgive. Because of Love, he does not lie, but keeps his word and carries it out.

Because of Love, Jehovah gave his own-begotten son, Jesus, for us. He sent him to earth to teach us, then slew him upon the stake so that Jesus’ righteous blood could free us with ransom from sin and death.

Because of Love, Jehovah is patient, “because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9)

Because of Love, Jehovah holds out for us “a future and a hope”, a Paradise in which we can live forever in perfect health and in peace (Jer. 29:11). Jehovah will be with us. “Death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things [will] have passed away.” (Rev. 21:3,4) There will not be “any harm or any ruin in all [Jehovah’s] holy mountain, because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)

Because of Love, there is you, and me, and all.

Because of Love, Love.

Jehovah, our God, is Love. And in the new system, in the Paradise, “when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.” (1 Cor. 15:28) God is Love. He will be all things to everyone. Love will be all things to everyone.

Love is a miracle. Love is the miracle. So let us love the one who loves, and love others, and love all. Love will not fail. It never fails. And wherever love goes, it leaves miracles in its wake. Love is the true power, the power from which all other powers arise. Nothing can exist without Love, for all exists because of Love.

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and understand all the sacred secrets and all knowledge, and if I have all the faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my belongings to feed others, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I do not benefit at all.” (1 Cor. 13:1-3)

Without Love, I am nothing. To deny Love is to deny myself, to destroy it is to bring myself to nothing, to reduce myself to dust. Without Love, there is no seeing, no hearing, no speaking, no knowing. Without Love—

What We Can Learn From The Rechabites (2017)

What We Can Learn From The Rechabites

In the 35th chapter of the book of Jeremiah, we see Jehovah asking Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites into the house of Jehovah and give them wine to drink. Just what is going on here? What was Jehovah up to?

Jeremiah did as he was told, and brought the Rechabites into one of the dining rooms of the house of Jehovah, sat them down, and gave them wine to drink. But, instead of drinking, they respectfully refused. Why? Here is the explanation for their refusal in their own words: “We will not drink wine, because Je·honʹa·dab the son of Reʹchab, our forefather, gave us this command, ‘Neither you nor your sons must ever drink wine. And you must not build a house, sow seed, or plant or obtain a vineyard. Instead, you must always dwell in tents, so that you may live for a long time in the land where you are residing as foreigners.’ So we continue to obey the voice of Je·honʹa·dab the son of our forefather Reʹchab in all that he commanded us, by never drinking any wine—we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters. And we do not build houses to dwell in, nor do we have vineyards or fields or seed. We keep living in tents and obeying all that Je·honʹa·dab our forefather commanded us.” (Jer. 35:6-10)

Jehovah then speaks up and tells Jeremiah his reason for this test: to make a point about the Israelites’ utter lack of obedience. The Rechabites were loyal and obedient to their earthly father, and this pleased Jehovah to see such obedience. On the other hand, the Israelites flagrantly disobeyed their heavenly father Jehovah! Jehovah then tells Jeremiah to relay these words to the unfaithful Israelites: “Were you not continually urged to obey my words?...Je·honʹa·dab the son of Reʹchab commanded his descendants not to drink wine, and they have carried out his words by not drinking it to this day, thus obeying the order of their forefather. However, I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not obeyed me. And I kept sending all my servants the prophets to you, sending them again and again, saying, ‘Turn back, please, each of you from your evil ways, and do what is right! Do not walk after other gods and serve them. Then you will keep dwelling in the land that I gave to you and your forefathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.” (Jer. 35:13-15) Jehovah was upset and extremely disappointed in his people.

But what of the Rechabites? How did Jehovah view them? He viewed them favorably, and he made this promise to them: “There will never fail to be a descendant of Je·honʹa·dab the son of Reʹchab to serve in my presence.” (Jer. 35:19) For their course of faithfulness to their forefather, Jehovah would make sure that their family line would continue.

This is a powerful lesson in obedience. The prophet Samuel, when rebuking Saul for his disobedience, had this to say: “Does Jehovah take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice, and to pay attention than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam. 15:22) What Jehovah wants from us most is obedience: obedience to him, to his word, to his son Jesus. We are no longer required to offer up animal sacrifices, but we are required to offer up a sacrifice of obedience.

While this is the main point to be learned from this passage, I wonder if we could dig a little deeper. To that end, I would like to take a closer look at the proscription that Jehonadab placed upon his descendants.

First off, what was the reason behind the proscription? Jehonadab laid a command on his family to live in tents, not sowing seed, not planting vineyards, and not drinking wine, because they were alien residents in the land. By building a house, sowing seed, and planting and obtaining vineyards, they would be settling down, putting down roots...becoming as a natural resident of the land. The exact reason why he gave this command is not explicitly stated, but it is possible that he wanted them to have lives that were simple, not being tied down by houses, land, or possessions, able to move when necessary and to focus more on spiritual things.

Today, life has become anything but simple. Thanks to progress and technology, the world is moving ever faster, rushing headlong into the future...and into destruction. Like the Rechabites, we should do our utmost to be “no part of the world” (Joh. 15:19). Let us not build houses, sow seed, plant and obtain vineyards, let us not put down roots in a system of things that will soon be wiped out. Let us dwell in tents, let us not be weighed down by the things of this world, so that we may flee from the coming destruction, fleeing to the safety of Jehovah’s wings.

But then, what of the last commandment, namely, for them not to drink wine? Jehovah has not barred us from drinking wine. In fact, the Psalmist said that wine “makes man’s heart rejoice.” (Ps. 104:15) Wine is a gift from God. As long as it is consumed in moderation, and we are not drinking to drunkenness, then there is no harm in enjoying it. So why did Jehonadab tell his descendants not to drink it?

Wine is a type of alcohol, and alcohol is a depressant. While it often does invoke merriment, it also dulls the senses. Living in tents, as alien residents of the land, the Rechabites were better able to keep their senses. Avoiding wine would also help them to keep their senses and their focus. Jehovah does not ask us to refrain from drinking wine, but could we figuratively abstain? Could we avoid becoming drunk on the influence of the world around us? Could we become spiritual teetotalers, our focus squarely on Jehovah and his Kingdom?

To be as alien residents in these last days, to keep ourselves free from the intoxication and taint of the world and keep our wits about us...this is something we can all do, and something we should do. Let us therefore make up our minds to remain separate from the world, and to reflect again and again on the Rechabites’ course of obedience and how we can imitate it.

Living in the Moment (2017)

Living in the Moment

The three major temporal tenses are past, present, and future. The past has happened, the present is happening, and the future has yet to happen. Which of these is the most important? Is it the past, rife with lessons that we can learn from those who experienced those things the hard way? Is it the future, filled with promise and possibility?

Or is it the present, the happening, the now? What happens now will become the past, and whatever the future holds for you will become the present. Of the three tenses, it is the hub, the central tense, with influence over both. Can you change the past? No, but you can add new and better things to the new-past by your actions now. Can you change the future? Definitely. What you do now plays a big part in deciding what will come of you in the future.

The power of the present is that it cannot be affected by either the past or the future. What has happened has happened, but it is not now: “The past has no power over the present moment,” says Eckhart Tolle. Those events cannot act on you now...unless, of course, you focus on the past and let it poison your heart. It only has as much power as you allow. The past can be a useful tool, to be sure, but do not let it be your life.

And what of the future? Can you know with absolute certainty what will happen? No, you cannot. So why allow what has not occurred to overcome what is occurring now? Jesus told us to “never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties.” Why? “Each day has enough of its own troubles.” (Matt. 6:34) Why tackle problems of the future when you’re already struggling and dealing with the problems of now?

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present. -Alice Morse Earle

Have a look at that quote there. Let’s break it down. Yesterday is history. The past is history. Everything we do becomes history. It happens, and then it is done. Closed. Finished. History is a chronicle of events, a narrative, a story. A story can be true, of course, but what you have to take in account is that it was only completely true when it was happening. It isn’t true or factual about the present moment, so why let it interfere with now?

Tomorrow is a mystery. The etymology of the word ‘mystery’ shows that it refers to secrecy. Secret rites, secret worship, ‘only those in the know’. Secrets are things that are shut up, that are closed off, from someone. This is true of the future. It is shut off from us, because we inhabit the present. And before you say “but if I sit here for a minute, I’ll be one minute into the future!”, let me tell you that that line of thinking is wrong. One minute has been added to the past, and you are still in the present moment. The future is closed off to us. Having hopes and dreams and promises of the future can help your mind in the present day, but you cannot make those things happen any faster, you cannot move towards them, nor can you decide that everything you hope for will happen with absolute certainty. Your actions now can decide some things yet to happen, but you will not know the outcome until those things come into the present. You can create the past and slightly affect the future, but you cannot escape the present.

The present, however, is nothing to be feared or to be looked down upon. Consider the rest of the quote: Today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present. When you wake up in the morning, your eyelids fluttering open to see the sun shining in through your window, breath slowly filling and leaving your lungs, are you not happy to be alive? Are you not happy to be, to exist? Existence cannot escape the present. Being is the present tense. You are a human being, not a human been or a human will-be.

You exist, you are, you are a being, thanks to Jehovah. Life is a gift from God, and, aside from the ransom sacrifice of his son Jesus, it is the best and most wonderful gift he has given us. Ralph Marston said that “life does not owe you anything because life has already given you everything.” Being alive is enough. Inhabiting today is enough. Yesterday is done, and tomorrow has not yet begun. All that remains is today, is now. Yesterday was a today, and tomorrow will become a today. All there is is today. And that is everything.

I have loved you, I love you, and I will keep loving you. But the greatest of these is I love you, for the others owe their existence to it.