Quips, Quotes & Questions 8/30/14

Things that I am reading and thinking about -- from this week...

Excellent post by my good friend Nancy on the events in Ferguson: 

http://www.therustylife.com/2014/08/misplaced-imagining/

"Our spirit should be quick to reach out toward God, not only when it is engaged in meditation; at other times also, when it is carrying out its duties, caring for the needy, performing works of charity, or giving generously in the service of others. Our spirit should long for God and call him to mind, so that these works may be seasoned with the salt of God’s love, and so make a pleasing offering to the Lord of the universe." John Chrysostom (4th century church father)

By committing themselves to meet regularly together, Christians become aware of those who are not gathering together—those who are absent. This is how the community develops the practice of pastoral care and evangelism, the skill of memory for those missing, the virtue of love for the lost, and the notion of the communion of saints. 
Samuel Wells

Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. 

Let all that you do be done in love.

(1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

I waited patiently for the Lord;

    he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the desolate pit,

    out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

    making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

    a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

    and put their trust in the Lord. 

(Psalm 40:1-3)

Outstanding call to the American church in light of the events in Ferguson:

https://time.com/3173810/multi-ethnic-churches-lament-americas-racial-injustice/

The renewal of the Church will be in progress when it is seen as a fellowship of consciously inadequate persons who gather because they are weak, and scatter to serve because their unity with one another and with Christ has made them bold.

Elton Trueblood

"The heavenly city, while it sojourns on earth, calls citizens out of all nations and gathers together a society of pilgrims of all languages. In its pilgrim state the heavenly city possesses peace by faith; and by this faith it lives." 
Augustine of Hippo


Happy are those who consider the poor;
the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
they are called happy in the land.
You do not give them up to the will of their enemies. 
(Psalm 41:1-2)



"Let us leave a little room for reflection in our lives, room too for silence. Let us look within ourselves and see whether there is some delightful hidden place inside where we can be free of noise and argument. Let us hear the Word of God in stillness and perhaps we will then come to understand it." 
Augustine of Hippo

(from Red Letter Christians)

Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and bring Him nearer to our own image. 

A. W. Tozer