Jon C. Swanson's Blog, page 14

Purpose

Rich Dixon helps us think about what to do.

+++

Concluding FREEDOM TOUR 2017, the team discussed “purpose.”

We read the story of Moses’ encounter with God speaking from a burning bush, focused on verses 10-11.

“So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

God called Moses to a difficult journey. Our teammates talked about whether t...

During the week before his death, Jesus spent time with people.

This week, it may be worth thinking about Jesus’ last week. The one we call “Holy Week.”

That week, Jesus lived in relationship.

He spent the nights in prayer. He spent the days in teaching. But he spent the evenings in Bethany. With Martha and Mary and Lazarus. With friends. At the house of Simon the leper. I’m guessing that the meals and the conversation were remarkable and normal. As normal as could be with a formerly dead man.

And he spent the breaks with the disciples. There wer...

Following the parade.

It’s holy week. I’m going back to archives for this week.

Sunday, following was pretty easy. Suddenly, Jesus was the popular one, Jesus was the celebrated one, Jesus was the one that everyone was cheering. After all those months of being misunderstood, of having regular attacks from all the religious leaders, now there is recognition.

It had to be interesting for the disciples. Was Jesus going to remember them now that he was a big star? Were they going to be recognized, too? Was this ...

A prayer for Palm Sunday

God-

We call this Holy Week.

We try to figure out new things to say, or new things to feel about all that happened during this week. Jesus was celebrated. Jesus turned over money tables. Jesus debated and won. Jesus washed feet. Jesus started what we call communion. Jesus gave the disciples a summary of the heart of his teaching. Jesus taught us about you, Spirit. And then Jesus was betrayed, was mocked, was crucified, was stabbed, was buried.

In this week Jesus gave up being in cha...

Planting the seeds of failure?

A guest post from a long-time reader and correspondent, Jim May.

+++

Praying is not always encouraging. It can seem like God takes forever to care for people we’re praying for, or does not hear or even care.

Since the cold, dark days of late winter, I have been sprouting seeds inside in preparation for planting them out in the garden. 

When I plant each seed in each small pot, I hope that it will grow. This spring most of the seeds I planted have not grown. I don’t know why. Some...

extravagant

There was a party to celebrate the resurrection of Lazarus. It was in Martha’s house, and she was hosting. Lazarus was there, talking to Jesus.

In the part of the dinner when people were talking and listening to Jesus and having a good time, Mary got up from her place and got a container of perfumed oil, and poured it on Jesus’ feet and, rather than using a towel to clean it up, got so low to the ground that she used her hair.

Judas gave voice to the thoughts of at least some others. Is...

BV Hope

Rich Dixon is back.

+++

BV Hope is a group of women from Buena Vista, Colorado, who decided to do something about sex trafficking.

They heard about our 2017 MOUNTAIN TOUR and insisted we stop in Buena Vista.

Geographically, Buena Vista just didn’t “fit” as an overnight stop. The compromise: we agreed to stop for brunch about 18 miles into our second day.

Our riders grumbled a bit, understandably, about this plan. Stopping for a meal after only 18 miles of a 65-mile ride isn’t i...

Love that draws us in

(Continued from yesterday)

Paul realized that his success had come working against God.

Paul realized that God didn’t want his hard work.

Paul realized that God wanted him. Relationship with him. Conversation with him. Reconciliation with him.

God wanted Paul to know him.

To know that the love of God isn’t measured out in scoops the size of our prayers, one act of God for each 100 or 1000 or million words from us.

Paul realized that the love of God was measured out, poured o...

On not being like we think we should be.

I always want to do the perfect sermon. I want to study enough and polish enough. I want to find the right words and the perfect story. I want God to be proud of my work. Or actually, I don’t want God to be mad at me. I don’t want to get in trouble with God for what I say to you.

And that freezes my thinking so much sometimes that I can’t do anything.

You know what I mean? I’m guessing that you might.

Because when I go from room to room, I hear things like, “I’m not praying like I sh...

A prayer for the fifth Sunday of Lent

God,

Can we call you that? Can we start that way?
Do we have to say, “Dear God” in order for you to hear us?
Or is it “Dear Jesus” or “Dear God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth”?

Do we have to tell you everything we have done wrong before we can ask you for something good?

Do we have to get the words right to get you to do something?

We confess that we’re not sure.

We confess that we want you to do a new thing, but that scares us.
We confess that we might not want to have to ch...