John 1:1-18
The beauty of John's words give us pause. They are meant to be mystical and they are meant to be chewed on. I mean, thought on. Like on Christmas Eve where Luke tells us Mary pondered all these things in her heart. God's inbreaking into this world should make us ponder.
It's like storing up treasures for heaven, where each word means something more, more than just the common thing sitting on the page. Just like today, light and dark, word and flesh, knowing and not knowing it is all meant for us to pause and ponder. Its like taking part in a dance where the beauty and weight is on the emphasis put in a certain step or move.
Pondering is something we don't do much of these days. Yesterday I was looking at the post of a childhood friend on Facebook. In it they were apologizing for hurts they had caused another by posting thoughtless anger onto the web page. If the person had taken time to ponder instead there may not have been the offense in the first place.
Pondering is something important to do spiritually. It is something you can do to see what is in need of pruning and what is good and bearing fruit in your life. It is something we do intentionally in the Taizè prayer services we hold. Allowing a time of silence in which to listen to God and allow space for God to speak in the silence of our souls.
Allow yourself time to be still. To look back over the year and to find where you have encountered God and those places where you need the space to do so. Open your heart to the glory and splendor of the season in order to ponder anew what God is doing in your life. In this we may find the creative Spirit which moves us. Just as we find that same Spirit imbedded in John's words to us today.
I just finished reading the book True Places by Sonja Yoerg, in it the family she has is torn apart by the appearance of a girl from the wilds of Virginia. They try to explain the modern world and end up recognizing they have never pondered or thought about what they are doing, but just did things. With trying to find explanations they find themselves and each other in the end. Only because they took the time to ponder what was and what should be.
So as the New Year approaches let us, like Mary take the time to reflect and ponder on this past year. Has it been a good one? Are there areas we need to grow in? Are there areas we need to stop or get rid of things? Do take the time to listen and follow what may come.
The beauty of John's words give us pause. They are meant to be mystical and they are meant to be chewed on. I mean, thought on. Like on Christmas Eve where Luke tells us Mary pondered all these things in her heart. God's inbreaking into this world should make us ponder.
It's like storing up treasures for heaven, where each word means something more, more than just the common thing sitting on the page. Just like today, light and dark, word and flesh, knowing and not knowing it is all meant for us to pause and ponder. Its like taking part in a dance where the beauty and weight is on the emphasis put in a certain step or move.
Pondering is something we don't do much of these days. Yesterday I was looking at the post of a childhood friend on Facebook. In it they were apologizing for hurts they had caused another by posting thoughtless anger onto the web page. If the person had taken time to ponder instead there may not have been the offense in the first place.
Pondering is something important to do spiritually. It is something you can do to see what is in need of pruning and what is good and bearing fruit in your life. It is something we do intentionally in the Taizè prayer services we hold. Allowing a time of silence in which to listen to God and allow space for God to speak in the silence of our souls.
Allow yourself time to be still. To look back over the year and to find where you have encountered God and those places where you need the space to do so. Open your heart to the glory and splendor of the season in order to ponder anew what God is doing in your life. In this we may find the creative Spirit which moves us. Just as we find that same Spirit imbedded in John's words to us today.
I just finished reading the book True Places by Sonja Yoerg, in it the family she has is torn apart by the appearance of a girl from the wilds of Virginia. They try to explain the modern world and end up recognizing they have never pondered or thought about what they are doing, but just did things. With trying to find explanations they find themselves and each other in the end. Only because they took the time to ponder what was and what should be.
So as the New Year approaches let us, like Mary take the time to reflect and ponder on this past year. Has it been a good one? Are there areas we need to grow in? Are there areas we need to stop or get rid of things? Do take the time to listen and follow what may come.
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