Thoughts based on John 1
The sparkling Christian essayist Phyllis Theroux began one of her articles as follows: Many years ago I took a Civil Service entrance exam that contained certain questions designed to sort out the people who had “Messiah complexes” or thought that J. Edgar Hoover was giving them varicose veins. Those questions were easy to spot although the only one that still sticks in my mind is “Do you think you are a special agent of God?” I paused, thought about all the government benefits which hug upon my answer. I wrote “No” I would like to think that under the same circumstances, Mr. Hoover might have lied too
The sparkling Christian essayist Phyllis Theroux began one of her articles as follows: Many years ago I took a Civil Service entrance exam that contained certain questions designed to sort out the people who had “Messiah complexes” or thought that J. Edgar Hoover was giving them varicose veins. Those questions were easy to spot although the only one that still sticks in my mind is “Do you think you are a special agent of God?” I paused, thought about all the government benefits which hug upon my answer. I wrote “No” I would like to think that under the same circumstances, Mr. Hoover might have lied too
We are special agents of God
We are called, and empowered… to see the chaos,
and fight against it
To see the darkness and fight against it
To see hate and fear, and fight against them
To see God, and be God’s
voice
and presence
Children of God
Lights in the darkness
But even as I say that I realize
that it doesn’t seem to be the way it really is.
I have a little trouble, most of the time
Seeing myself as a special agent of God
But that is because I sometimes make the mistake of believing that darkness and light
Cannot exist together
But they do
We do not become as God’s people, all light
The darkness is not totally dispelled, not even by sacred love
John in his Gospel says that the light shines in the darkness
That is where the light is most powerful, most intense
That is where the light makes a difference
We are not told the darkness simply disappears
So we cannot despair because we don’t become
Perfect
Because we make mistakes, and struggle
And even fail
We are always a crazy, blessed mixture of
Everything
Love, hate, hope, despair, darkness light
That will never change
The true miracle is not that we become perfect
but that what is good in us
what is great in us
what is love in us
what is divine in us
cannot be overcome
but can, and does
live
even in the darkness
We can see God
Receive God
Be empowered by God
When we are at our best
And, when we are at our worst
For it is God’s light
and the darkness cannot put it out
so shine my friends
shine!
We are called, and empowered… to see the chaos,
and fight against it
To see the darkness and fight against it
To see hate and fear, and fight against them
To see God, and be God’s
voice
and presence
Children of God
Lights in the darkness
But even as I say that I realize
that it doesn’t seem to be the way it really is.
I have a little trouble, most of the time
Seeing myself as a special agent of God
But that is because I sometimes make the mistake of believing that darkness and light
Cannot exist together
But they do
We do not become as God’s people, all light
The darkness is not totally dispelled, not even by sacred love
John in his Gospel says that the light shines in the darkness
That is where the light is most powerful, most intense
That is where the light makes a difference
We are not told the darkness simply disappears
So we cannot despair because we don’t become
Perfect
Because we make mistakes, and struggle
And even fail
We are always a crazy, blessed mixture of
Everything
Love, hate, hope, despair, darkness light
That will never change
The true miracle is not that we become perfect
but that what is good in us
what is great in us
what is love in us
what is divine in us
cannot be overcome
but can, and does
live
even in the darkness
We can see God
Receive God
Be empowered by God
When we are at our best
And, when we are at our worst
For it is God’s light
and the darkness cannot put it out
so shine my friends
shine!
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