I don't spend enough time in meditation and Bible study - that is absolutely for certain. I finally got around to picking up Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment book and I'd like to see if I can come up with some "food for thought" for as many days as possible. I'll do this by reading the entry each morning and then going back to contemplate it throughout the day. I can't promise that these thoughts will be coherent or follow any logical sequence. But that's okay.
Today's devotional is about the various names that God has, the roles that He plays. Here is a little excerpt from Lucado's book:
"The shepherd who guides
The Lord who provides
The voice who provides peace in the storm,
The physician who heals the sick, and
The banner that guides the soldier"
- Grace for the Moment, Vol. 1, Max Lucado
I wanted to play a little word association with this piece. Nothing forced, just letting it mule in my head and seeing what came up. Here are a couple of the things that I ended up with.
"The shepherd who guides."
We could do some fun random thought tangents with these kinds of things. Here is how mine went:
"Shepherd" --> Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd) --> Psalms!! --> Psalm 30 (my favorite psalm) --> "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning" (v. 5b)
Huh. Not really sure how to directly connect the guiding shepherd with Psalm 30:5, but it's a fun little tangent anyway. And I do love that verse.
"The physician who heals the sick."
To be honest, if we are trying to pull out Bible verses here, I am more likely to lean towards one of the ones that says "He comforts the grieving" or something like that. And I did some reflective thinking about why. It seems as though I'm more of an advocate for inner healing than external healing. I'd rather someone be at peace with their life than healthy. Now, I know that the two are often not mutually exclusive (how can you be at peace when you are in pain all the time?) but the counselor in me is still going to advocate for internal healing - and I can tell you from personal experience how often God gives that internal healing. The answer: ALL THE TIME.
"The banner that guides the soldier."
Hmm... this is something that I might have to do some more thinking about. There are some connections to be made.
I didn't used to relate to this line. I didn't now anyone overseas or in the army or anyone who knew anyone who was. But that has changed. My sister's long-time boy friend is currently in Iraq, and we're hoping to see him come home in February. And I have watched my sister go through all of the trials that any army "wife" goes through. It's definitely made the situation more real to me.
Once I made that connection to this line, I tried to think about a Bible verse. And you know what I came up with? You'll laugh. The first verse that came to mind was the one about the armor of the Lord. You know, with the sword or righteousness and stuff? Apparently, in my subconscious mind, the armor of God would not be complete without the banner of the Lord for us to rally at in the middle of the fight.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
An Except from Captive Hearts
I haven't visited Captive Hearts on this blog recently. For those of you who are new to this little Blog or have forgotten (it really has been that long), Captive Hearts is the story that I am co-writing with a friend of mine, just because. You can find a basic background to Captive Hearts in my opening post, here. It's a fantasy romance/adventure. Our fantasy world is watched over by four gods: Solarus, Lunos, Vulcos and Aquios. I love working with these gods and their mortal children because each one shows me a different face of our own Holy Father. And it's interesting how often we get to touch on issues that are as real in our world as they are in this fantasy one. Here's something that happened this week in the Heartlands:
((Elliod and Kyra have just discovered that their unborn daughter, Rena, has shamanistic sensitivities.))
Elliod swallows hard, "There have only been 3 shamans among the tribes for a long time... if one is born, then one has to die."
Kyra frowns. Of course she knows this, but... "You, Hanna... and who else?"
Elliod swallows, "Rebecca... she's a cousin in the nearby Holston tribes." He pales, "Hanna... Greatmother. She's the oldest of us... unless..." He bites his lip. "Vulcos is replacing the lost shaman."
"Lost? You mean, from... from the histories?"
Elliod nods, "Do you remember the story of the first male shaman? His greatmother was killed when Dracos broke free of his bonds. Vulcos never replaced her."
Kyra nods, "But Vulcos is sleeping. She can't have enough energy to create a new shaman, can she?"
Elliod takes a deep breath, "I don't know. When she was awake, I would ask her all sorts..." He pauses, "I wonder if I would be permitted to speak to Lunos."
Kyra blinks, then can't help a bark of laughter. "Speak to Lunos? Like, what, just request an audience? She's a goddess! And not even your goddess! You can't do that... can you?"
Elliod smiles, "But see, I have an in. I'm assisting one of her beloved sons... and she allowed me to see you pregnant and fighting. Vulcos doesn't give future visions."
"Still," Kyra shakes her head, "She comes to you when she wills it. You can't just order a goddess to appear before her so that you can interrogate her."
"I'm not going to..." He sighs and reaches up to touch his forehead. "She has to understand how important this is to me. If Rena is born what will happen to my greatmother and cousin!?"
Kyra lets out her breath in a huff. "Gods, Elliod! You are as egotistical as you are dense! The world doesn't revolve around you! And you aren't a god - you don't have to know what the future holds! You have to trust that the gods will care for us. If our child is a shaman, then there's a reason for that. Stop questioning Vulcos' intentions!"
Elliod opens his mouth and gasps, "I'm not!" He protests. "I'm..." He shuts his mouth and stands, walking over to the window and looking out into the darkness with his arms crossed.
Kyra scowls, "You are," she insists. "You just can't bear not to be in total control."
Elliod readjusts his arms and glances back at Kyra without a word. He humphs and shakes his head as he looks back out the window.
Kyra narrows her eyes and says, "Prove it."
Elliod knees the bed and kneels before his wife, "I worry. I think that's part of my job too, to worry."
Kyra snorts, "That's yet another stupid thing that you've said today. Elliod, the gods don't want us to worry. They want us to trust in them."
Elliod leans forward and presses his lips to Kyra's forehead, "I can't help it sometimes." He draws his wife close. "If I love someone, I want them to be safe."
Kyra nods, "I know." She kisses Elliod on the forehead. "But we're Vulcos' children first and formost. She will take care of her own, even asleep."
Elliod sighs and chuckles. "Since when is it the Protector's job to teach about faith, Kryanthia?"
Kyra scowls, "Since you never learned it right." Then her expression does soften. "You've been spoiled, Elliod. The holy child, the gifted one, the singer, the storyteller, the dreamer. You've always had Vulcos' ear. You don't have any idea what it's like for the rest of us who simply have to trust."
This concept is fascinating to me, and something that I think has a lot of meat to it. The idea that the poor will be rich and the last will be first all spirals around to this same idea. The idea that in order to have faith, in order to trust, you must first be uncertain. To say it with different words, you can't let God take control if you are still clinging to the reins. Wow.
((Elliod and Kyra have just discovered that their unborn daughter, Rena, has shamanistic sensitivities.))
Elliod swallows hard, "There have only been 3 shamans among the tribes for a long time... if one is born, then one has to die."
Kyra frowns. Of course she knows this, but... "You, Hanna... and who else?"
Elliod swallows, "Rebecca... she's a cousin in the nearby Holston tribes." He pales, "Hanna... Greatmother. She's the oldest of us... unless..." He bites his lip. "Vulcos is replacing the lost shaman."
"Lost? You mean, from... from the histories?"
Elliod nods, "Do you remember the story of the first male shaman? His greatmother was killed when Dracos broke free of his bonds. Vulcos never replaced her."
Kyra nods, "But Vulcos is sleeping. She can't have enough energy to create a new shaman, can she?"
Elliod takes a deep breath, "I don't know. When she was awake, I would ask her all sorts..." He pauses, "I wonder if I would be permitted to speak to Lunos."
Kyra blinks, then can't help a bark of laughter. "Speak to Lunos? Like, what, just request an audience? She's a goddess! And not even your goddess! You can't do that... can you?"
Elliod smiles, "But see, I have an in. I'm assisting one of her beloved sons... and she allowed me to see you pregnant and fighting. Vulcos doesn't give future visions."
"Still," Kyra shakes her head, "She comes to you when she wills it. You can't just order a goddess to appear before her so that you can interrogate her."
"I'm not going to..." He sighs and reaches up to touch his forehead. "She has to understand how important this is to me. If Rena is born what will happen to my greatmother and cousin!?"
Kyra lets out her breath in a huff. "Gods, Elliod! You are as egotistical as you are dense! The world doesn't revolve around you! And you aren't a god - you don't have to know what the future holds! You have to trust that the gods will care for us. If our child is a shaman, then there's a reason for that. Stop questioning Vulcos' intentions!"
Elliod opens his mouth and gasps, "I'm not!" He protests. "I'm..." He shuts his mouth and stands, walking over to the window and looking out into the darkness with his arms crossed.
Kyra scowls, "You are," she insists. "You just can't bear not to be in total control."
Elliod readjusts his arms and glances back at Kyra without a word. He humphs and shakes his head as he looks back out the window.
Kyra narrows her eyes and says, "Prove it."
Elliod knees the bed and kneels before his wife, "I worry. I think that's part of my job too, to worry."
Kyra snorts, "That's yet another stupid thing that you've said today. Elliod, the gods don't want us to worry. They want us to trust in them."
Elliod leans forward and presses his lips to Kyra's forehead, "I can't help it sometimes." He draws his wife close. "If I love someone, I want them to be safe."
Kyra nods, "I know." She kisses Elliod on the forehead. "But we're Vulcos' children first and formost. She will take care of her own, even asleep."
Elliod sighs and chuckles. "Since when is it the Protector's job to teach about faith, Kryanthia?"
Kyra scowls, "Since you never learned it right." Then her expression does soften. "You've been spoiled, Elliod. The holy child, the gifted one, the singer, the storyteller, the dreamer. You've always had Vulcos' ear. You don't have any idea what it's like for the rest of us who simply have to trust."
This concept is fascinating to me, and something that I think has a lot of meat to it. The idea that the poor will be rich and the last will be first all spirals around to this same idea. The idea that in order to have faith, in order to trust, you must first be uncertain. To say it with different words, you can't let God take control if you are still clinging to the reins. Wow.
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