meme | the view from over here

Category: meme
- the view from over here
  
  Posted at 12:12 pm by derekmaul, on October 19, 2018
  God wanted everyone… to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. – Colossians 1:26-29
  
  I have a new title for my blog (the view from over here). I try hard not to impose change too often, but it is critically important to me that my writing reaches people in a way that is as inviting as possible. So, while having an eponymous header may have been accurate, “Derek Maul’s Blog” means absolutely nothing to probably 99.9% of the Internet.
  
  Because it’s not just about posting random stuff. I honestly see this as a calling and it is important that I understand what I’m about as a writer if I intend to reach people. I do tend to think out loud and quite often I figure things out as I go.
  
  Purpose:
  
  What I want to achieve, in terms of my message, is the offer of a clear and compelling perspective from which to frame our day-to-day response to the opportunity that is life. I want people to read me and consequently find themselves challenged to rethink, reevaluate, refocus, and renew.
  
  I want people to read me and consequently find themselves challenged to rethink, reevaluate, refocus, and renew.
  
  The View from Over Here is a view I want everyone to consider, and I believe I have some tools that are practical and important if we want to see clearly. These tools include the following:
  
  Inspiration, encouragement, grace, promise.
  - I want to inspire,
  - I intend to encourage,
  - I believe I am called to connect people to grace,
  - and I own this sense of promise that undergirds everything.
  Quite simply, I believe. And out of belief flows an orientation toward life – a view, a perspective – that is absolutely transformative in terms of how we live.
  
  The view from over here:
  
  I’ve got to tell you, the view from over here is beautiful, it is real, and above all it is hopeful.
  
  This view is both from and of my faith in God as a follower of Jesus. It’s a lot like that day our guide in Egypt asked who wanted to see the sunrise on Mount Sinai. I thought we were going to get up at 6:00, grab a cup of coffee, step outside and watch the mountain become soaked with morning light. Instead, we got up at 1:00 and (a hike, a camel ride, and a climb later) we watched the sunrise from the top of the mountain. The view was both of and from the mountain.
  
  In the same sense, the view from here is also the view of here.
  
  I hope and I pray that this will be both an invitation and an encouragement on your journey. Let me know how you’re doing.
  
  In love, and because of love – DEREK
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  Posted in faith, meme, message, Our home, writing life | 0 Comments | Tagged featured, follow Jesus, the view from over here, writing life
- Time Hardens to the Extent that We Become Slaves to Hurry
  
  Posted at 1:24 pm by derekmaul, on October 3, 2018
  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:5-7
  
  I am trying on a new mantra. I’m still working on the exact wording, but the general idea is along the lines of, Chill; slow down; take a long deep breath; decompress; stop and smell the coffee….
  
  What I’m talking about is – essentially – the idea of stretching time. Time is not, I believe, a predictable, linear entity, comprised of discrete, evenly-spaced, quantifiable increments. Time is better understood as flexible, malleable, pliable and tractable.
  
  Time hardens to the extent that we become slaves to hurry; it is more plastic when we give it space and listen instead to our spirits.
  
  Time hardens to the extent that we become slaves to hurry.
  
  Spirit in tune:
  
  I am not suggesting that we arrive late, keep other people waiting, or miss appointments. What I am talking about is cramming less in, in the manner that a 1,500 square foot home modestly furnished is actually more spacious than a 4,000 square foot home crowded to the gills with clutter.
  
  This morning, for example, I left ten minutes early to meet a friend for coffee in Wake Forest. I parked the other end of downtown so I could walk, without hurry, to our appointment. Then, rather than drive, I sauntered over to CVS to pick up a pharmacy order. By the time I made it home, I had less measurable time to complete my next writing assignment but more productive time because my spirit was in tune and relaxed.
  
  If I wake up in the morning so concerned about a deadline that I skip my devotional discipline with God, I may end up with more available minutes and seconds “on the clock” – but I am compromised in my connection to eternal time, and it is there that creativity and wisdom and fluency find their voice.
  
  From Clutter to Clarity:
  
  So I am determined to move away from clutter and into clarity. God is not honored in my ability to cram in quantity, but in my willingness to step into the Spirit’s flow.
  
  Of course, this is going to look different depending on who you are and how you are processing God’s call on your moment-by-moment living. As for me, I am trying on a new mantra. I’m still working on the exact wording, but the general idea is along the lines of, Chill; slow down; take a long, deep, breath; decompress; stop and smell the coffee….
  
  Peace, in every way – DEREK
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  Posted in commentary, culture, faith, kingdom of God, meme | 2 Comments | Tagged do not be anxious, featured, meme, Philippians 4, rush and hurry, slaves to hurry, time and eternity
- Called to be faithful, not comfortable…
  
  Posted at 12:11 pm by derekmaul, on September 27, 2018
  Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22
  
  So this morning I’m torn in terms of what to write. There is so much pushing in around the edges of my consciousness, seeping into my soul. Challenge, opportunity, promise. Assurance, disappointment, grace. Questions.
  - Will the church have the courage to actually live into promise (and I mean both The Church Universal and the congregation where Rebekah and I serve)?
  - Are the opportunities in front of us simply interesting to think about, or are they a clarion call to move forward?
  - Are we determined to be a clear word about Jesus in a world hungry for the unique witness to light that is a dynamic, enthusiastic, vital, mission-oriented Reformed community?
  - Or, are we simply going to be a popular destination on Capital Boulevard in love with what we have yet too cautious to risk more?
  As Rebekah said in her message this past Sunday (well worth listening to), “God does not call us to be comfortable, God calls us to be faithful!”
  
  Retreat This Weekend:
  
  At the same time, my number one task today is to prepare for a retreat this weekend where I am scheduled to be the speaker. I’ll be driving up to Virginia Friday to lead a group of men as we think about “Doing Life Together” in the context of the following questions:
  
  Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? What are my responsibilities as a follower of Jesus? How does being in community together help me to claim both the promise and the purpose? What is my relationship to those on the periphery or on the outside of the faith community? Do we have a clear role as men being men together?
  
  Well, okay, maybe I have to throw out some of the notes I already had prepared if I am going down this route. But at the moment, doing the thinking-out-loud exercise that always becomes my post for the day, these are important questions.
  
  In fact, coming back to where I started, I believe these are also a good set of questions for the church – The Church Universal:
  - Who are we?
  - Why are we here?
  - What is our purpose?
  - What are our responsibilities as followers of Jesus?
  - How does being in community together help?
  - What are our responsibilities (as followers of Jesus) to those on the periphery and/or the outside?
  At Wake Forest Presbyterian Church our mission statement reads, “Rooted in Christ, Growing together in Faith, Reaching Out to Others.”
  
  So I’m wondering, is it possible to honor a statement like that without stepping into tomorrow with a faith so deeply rooted in the love of Jesus that we’re not afraid to take a few risks? Since when did being faithful have anything to do with being comfortable?
  
  Stepping into tomorrow with a faith so deeply rooted in the love of Jesus that we’re not afraid to take a few risks?
  
  It’s a good question for each one of us… Derek
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  Posted in faith, God, kingdom of God, leadership, life, meme, Men's ministry, The Church | 0 Comments | Tagged faithful, featured, follow Jesus, God's promises, men's ministry, PC(USA), who are we?, witness to light
- but God said, “You fool!”
  
  Posted at 11:35 am by derekmaul, on September 26, 2018
  I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
      I refused my heart no pleasure.
  My heart took delight in all my labor,
      and this was the reward for all my toil.
  Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
      and what I had toiled to achieve,
  everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
      nothing was gained under the sun. – Ecclesiastes 2:10-11
  
  Let me point out I didn’t copy that from my personal journal! It’s from Ecclesiastes Chapter Two, and the text is remarkable for a number of reasons.
  
  First, the entire chapter is one hundred percent relevant to the values, aspirations, misunderstandings, confusion, fears, and failings of the modern Western World.
  
  Then, my Wednesday evening men’s group has just started an ongoing study of Ecclesiastes. That is why I was reading this chapter this morning.
  
  Finally – and one more reason I’m not sure there ever is such a thing as a “coincidence” – I opened a letter from an investment group literally 30-minutes before reading from Ecclesiastes. Here are a few quotes:
  
  It takes skill, perseverance and savvy to accumulate $500,000 in investments… It’s likely you’ve landed yourself among the wealthiest Americans… To have out-saved and out-invested your peers speaks to the kind of individual you are. It should also explain the exclusive nature of this communication.
  
  It’s “exclusive” because we select so carefully the individuals we invite…
  
  And it continues… blah, blah, blah….
  
  What were they thinking!!!!
  
  Here goes the obvious. Evidently, they don’t “select so carefully” as they think. Talk about barking up the wrong tree!
  
  And you know what “speaks to the kind of individual you are” – that I am? Rebekah and I may work hard but we live modestly, we tithe, we support a lot of charities, and we help whenever and wherever possible. We understand that any resources we may have are ours simply in trust.
  
  Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t invest wisely and take care to manage our resources properly. But I can’t help but note how the things we value as a culture and what we “chase after the wind” to acquire, secure, celebrate, and defend are as meaningless today as they were when the biblical wisdom literature book of Ecclesiastes was written around 2,500 years ago.
  
  Jesus was less subtle when he told the parable of the man who was so pleased with his material success that he kept building bigger and bigger barns to store his wealth when he could have used much of it to help those in need of encouragement.:
  
  Jesus said – “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
  
  And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
  
  “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
  
  “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
  
  “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” – Luke 12:13-21
  
  I love the phrase, Rich toward God. That Jesus! He could take the entire sum of the wisdom collected in Ecclesiastes and condense it into one sentence.
  
  Values Conflict:
  
  What do we value? We like to say we value family, and our relationship with God, and freedom, and the work of our church. But then we give up our freedom (in exchange for debt), we neglect our families, we give scant lip-service to God, and we fail to invest in our church.
  
  We have what I would call values conflict or values dissonance. What we espouse does not line up with how we actually live.
  
  Jesus can help us with this.
  
  The good news is that it is never too late to recommit, to redirect, and to rediscover – DEREK
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  Posted in commentary, culture, faith, meme, relationships, The Church, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | Tagged chasing the wind, ecclesiastes, featured, real value, rich fool, The Preacher, values dissonance
- on being glad, and grateful to live in this beautiful place #HurricaneFlorence
  
  Posted at 11:06 am by derekmaul, on September 12, 2018
  I absolutely love the community where we live. Oh, I love this world too, this lump of rock hurtling through space at a speed close to 67,000 mph. And I love the USA, we live in a spectacular country, this land is truly America the beautiful. Then within the USA North Carolina has to be one of the most varied and wonderful states, I am so grateful we live here. Plus, Wake Forest really is an ideal place to live – such a lovely town. And, finally, our home is situated in a gem of a neighborhood. I love, love, love the community where we are privileged to live.
  
  So this morning when I took my walk I noted how still and quiet it is here in Tyler Run. The trees were shrouded in a mist that muted not only light but sound too. The temperature was a pleasant seventy-degrees. My “verse of the day” read, “Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad!” (Philippians 4:4) Rejoice in the Lord… delight… take pleasure in him… be full of joy… keep rejoicing… revel in him…
  
  Be glad (in the Lord) even if there is a hurricane bearing down; rejoice in the face of profound difficulties; take pleasure in God whenever and wherever we are. And, probably my favorite turn of translation phrase – from the Wycliffe Bible – “Joy Ye!”
  
  “Joy ye in the Lord evermore; again I say, joy ye.”
  
  Doesn’t that just make you want to sing!
  
  Peace in the storm, whatever your storm, and joy, “joy ye!” – DEREK
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  Posted in faith, life, meme, photography | 3 Comments | Tagged #HurricaneFlorence, America the beautiful, featured, hurricane Florence, North Carolina, Philippians 4, rejoice in the Lord
- The Twin Towers of Integrity and Goodness
  
  Posted at 11:55 am by derekmaul, on September 11, 2018
  “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4
  
  (featured image found on the Internet – photographer unattributed)
  
  September Eleven is always going to be a date that is evocative, it’s always going to bring that day – images, memories, and feelings – into sharp focus. One, ten, fifty years on and I will continue to see clearly and feel again that tight knot in my stomach as the scenario unfolded over the surreal morning until the twin towers crumbled into clouds of dust and debris and we were all left stunned and reeling.
  
  I remember gathering for a prayer service along with the Lutheran Church down the street and the Episcopalians too. My friend Nathan and I were asked to do special music and we played “How Great thou art,” and then the classic Eagles tune, “Love will keep us alive.”
  
  Post-Nine/Eleven World:
  
  That was seventeen very quick years ago. That number is stuck in my head this morning because I remember that our daughter, Naomi, had just turned seventeen at the time. She has now lived exactly half her life in a post-9/11 world. Funny thing is I really don’t think of her as any older – just grown up with another lifetime of experience and wisdom on hand.
  
  The next day the Tampa Tribune published a commentary I had penned in response to the previous day’s series of attacks and it led to the first death threats I ever received as a newspaper columnist. People get testy when they perceive their entire way of life as being under attack. There was a lot of fear going around in 2001 but then there was a lot of unity too. We thought we knew where the threat was coming from and that common focus brought people together.
  
  In 2018 we face other threats:
  
  Today, September 11, 2018, I’m concerned that we as a nation are facing a more sinister and complex long-term danger than we were seventeen years ago:
  - the unwillingness of our leaders to work together for the common good,
  - the cynical and relentless assault on truth,
  - the undermining of the balance of powers in our federal system,
  - the unabated blitzkrieg of trumped-up accusations designed to chip away at the Fourth Estate,
  - the misuse of office to tip the scales of justice by attacking the integrity of potential opponents,
  - tapping into veins of ignorance and fear for political gain,
  - the encouraging of xenophobia, bigotry, prejudice, and mistrust rather than pointing to truth and facilitating reconciliation,
  - numerous other violations of trust…
  In my 33 years as a citizen I have voted for Republicans, I have voted for Democrats, and I have voted for Independents. And I will again in the future – all three. My concerns are not politically motivated but come instead from a place of commitment to decency, integrity, accountability, justice, love, light, liberty, goodness, and the freedom to speak.
  
  We must not allow ourselves to be manipulated for anyone’s political agenda or grab for power. This applies to both Republicans and Democrats, as well as the growing multitude of Americans who are disillusioned by party politics yet uncertain of how to proceed.
  
  Think. For. Yourselves. Research all sides of a narrative. Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions. Understand that the vast majority of journalists respect and uphold the ideals of their profession.
  
  Then, following the words of Paul in Philippians 4, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
  
  Words to live by… to vote by… to hold others to account by – DEREK
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  Posted in commentary, Current News, leadership, media, meme, politics, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged 9-11, civility and respect, featured, integrity and goodness, Philippians 4, think on these things, twin towers, worthy of praise
- God: “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
  
  Posted at 10:01 am by derekmaul, on August 2, 2018
  Yesterday evening, Wednesday, I paused by the church prayer garden for a moment to offer thanks. Its details were already receding into the diminishing light, leaving splashes of color dotted against a hazy greenness. I took just a few moments, but my heart was full and I needed to let God know that I was grateful – that I am grateful.
  
  I had just left one of the weekly men’s Bible-study groups I help to lead. There was nothing dramatically amazing about the evening, it was a fairly typical meeting; it’s not as if we crossed some new threshold either, or witnessed tongues of fire alighting on each head; I can’t even say anyone said anything so stunningly wise that I had to write it down for my next book.
  
  Yet, taken as a whole, each shared reflection, thought, prayer-request, doubt, testimony of praise, difficult question, banter, contribution to the discussion, shared understanding, open heart, insight, concern, and witty repartee contributed to a complete experience that was holy, and I feel blessed all the way through to the core of my soul.
  
  This week we were talking about “Christian Marriage.” Usually, we begin by going around the table with a “connect” question: “Imagine you have been invited to the Stumbling Disciples class as a panel of experts.” (the Stumbling Disciples are our Sunday morning group for younger parents) “The young dads want to tap your great wisdom and unique knowledge base as experienced married men. What would you say if you had just one piece of advice to offer, something you have learned that you wish you had understood when you were in your 30’s?”
  
  I love these guys. I so appreciate their honesty and the way they not only struggle out loud but invite one-another into their hearts and souls.
  
  I can’t share all the answers here; some were too personal and it wouldn’t be hard for people who know them to connect the dots. But here are a few:
  - “If there’s a disagreement and I’m right it really isn’t important. What is important is listening and respect.”
  - “Kindness is the most important thing we have in our husband toolbox. Kindness is seriously underrated and sadly underutilized.”
  - “Never hide anything from your spouse. You can get through pretty much anything when you face it together, but dishonesty is very difficult to recover from. Do not break trust.”
  - “When we do stuff together it’s beautiful when we encourage one another and lift each other up.”
  - “You have to know when to be quiet. Sometimes you just have to shut up.”
  - Then this: “I have found that groveling works really well!”
  So we talked, and we shared, and we read some quotes from the book we’re reading, and then we prayed for each other.
  
  Like I said, nothing dramatic. But the cumulative result was powerful – it always is. So I left that place, after all the deep one-on-one conversations that always keep us there another 20-30 minutes, filled with God, filled with grace, filled with these other men, filled with community, with Koinonia.
  
  Then God said, “Let us make humanity in our image to resemble us so that they may take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and all the crawling things on earth.”
  
  God created humanity in God’s own image,
  in the divine image God created them,
  male and female God created them. – Genesis 1
  
  And later – much later – God looked at Derek’s Wednesday evening men’s group at WFPC and said, “There you go. Take a look at that! Now that’s what I’m talking about. Now that is love-based community.”
  
  Like I have written before: We are moving forward, back to The Garden – DEREK
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  Posted in faith, garden, God, meme, Men's ministry, The Church | 1 Comment | Tagged creation story, featured, Genesis 1, in God's image, made for community, men's ministry, The Church
- contemplation without action is less than half a religion
  
  Posted at 12:06 pm by derekmaul, on July 12, 2018
  Critiquing the Examined Life:
  
  One of the benefits – and also liabilities – of being a writer is the constant introspection and self-examination. Writing is intrinsically contemplative. The risk, however, is to rearrange the words in the famous quote from Socrates and end up with the over-examined life is not living.
  
  Thought – no matter how deep – is a waste of time if it does not lead to participation in actual life. Faith is the same essential equation.
  
  My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs? In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity. – James 2:14-17
  
  But of course “faithful activity” is best when it comes out of a disposition that is spiritually rich. Hearts and minds that develop an ear for the voice of God are more likely to serve God, to live in light and to be guided by love.
  
  Purpose:
  
  My purpose in writing is to spend time in contemplation – in relation to the scriptures, to increase my own understanding, to examine myself, to deepen my relationship with God, and to hopefully challenge and encourage others (my readers) in their own journey.
  
  Make no mistake, this is always a journey. If you have already “arrived” then I don’t think we are talking about the same religion. This is a Christian blog, and Jesus stands as our invitation, our guide, our cheerleader, our encourager, our companion along the way, and our peace when we struggle.
  
  For me the thinking end of the equation is a huge part of the journey – understanding my faith, questioning and probing – this is a large part of what this blog is about.
  
  I like the way C.S. Lewis talks about doing in Mere Christianity, in reference to The Golden Rule (something he calls do-as-you-would-be-done-by): “I cannot really carry it out till I love my neighbor as myself: and I cannot learn to love my neighbor as myself till I learn to love God: and I cannot learn to love God except by learning to obey Him.”
  
  Even my contemplation of faith, Lewis reminds me, is something that – ultimately – I have to do. And how do I learn to obey God? Well, that requires an ever-deepening knowledge of scripture, an ever-growing relationship with Jesus, an ever-increasing dependency on the Spirit, a constant commitment to humility, a willingness to risk, to step out in faith, and – always – to listen.
  
  That’s where my head is this morning. Peace – always – DEREK
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  Posted in culture, leadership, life, meme, writing life | 0 Comments | Tagged #thewritinglife, c s lewis, do-as-you-would-be-done-by, featured, Mere Christianity, The Golden Rule, writing life
- do you dare to share? #click-bait
  
  Posted at 7:39 am by derekmaul, on July 8, 2018
  This is sad but interesting. I was talking with an expert about social media – someone with a strong web presence plus legit publishing credentials to back up their opinion, and they told me the following:
  
  “If you want to reach more people, if you want your posts to see more action, generate more juice – I’m talking likes, comments, and shares – then you need to be more controversial. Nobody wants to read stuff that won’t potentially upset them; nobody is going to share something if it’s not over-the-top or in someone’s face….”
  - First – What?!!!!
  - Then – You say people actually like getting upset?!!!
  - And – Are people really that shallow?
  - Finally – It’s not about like’s shares, it’s about getting inside people’s heads and trying to inspire them to think differently. But I guess won’t have the chance to be in the conversation if people aren’t first going to pass me on.
  So what to do?
  
  Here’s a thought, here’s something controversial. The good news about following Jesus is far more “share-worthy” than any opinion someone might hold (pro or con) regarding Donald Trump, or Kim Kardashian, or any of this week’s favorite train-wrecks du jour.
  
  In fact, if you agree that light and love are worth sharing far beyond today’s latest click-bait scandal, then share this! “Jesus could care less about your politics, what he cares about is you and if you have the courage to live love out loud.”
  
  “Jesus could care less about your politics, what he cares about is you and if you have the courage to live love out loud.”
  
  So today is another Sunday. Are you going to go about your business as if there is nothing special about the first day of the week… or are you going to take a couple of hours to attend church, and acknowledge that there is another way, and that this other way is Jesus, and that the Jesus-way is life-changing, and that this Jesus-way is the one thing, the only thing, the critical thing to be sharing… and liking… and talking about as you go along the road….
  
  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
  
  Hear, O people – DEREK
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  Posted in commentary, culture, Current News, media, meme, message, The Church, writing life | 2 Comments | Tagged click-bait, Deuteronomy 6, Donald Trump, featured, Good News, Hear O Israel, Kim Kardashian, share like comment, Social media
- Your God is too small and your heart is too cold. #GodNotAllowedinSchool meme
  
  Posted at 10:14 am by derekmaul, on February 21, 2018
  Author Derek Maul
  
  Where can I go from your Spirit?
  Where can I flee from your presence? – Psalm 139:7
  
  This week the Internet has been flooded with inflammatory memes, offensive comments, and outrageous ideas. The temptation to jump in and rebut, or argue, or yell, or worse has been strong at times. But I’ve held off because there is no value in tit for tat, especially when the truth of the Good News is so obvious to anyone willing to pay attention to the heart of Jesus.
  
  There is one message, however, that I can’t ignore. It’s been passed around before, and it’s doing the rounds again. I can’t believe some of the names I have seen attached to the “forwards” and “shares.” But I really shouldn’t be surprised, because one of the chief weapons of the enemy is deception and I believe he has half the country or more in his pocket at the moment.
  
  THE MEME: The meme in question has “A concerned student” asking, “Dear God, why do you allow so much violence in our schools?” The reply offered, on behalf of God, is not only cynical but deeply contemptuous to the victims of violence (children), to the United States Constitution, and to the love of God in Jesus Christ: “Dear concerned student; I’m not allowed in schools. God.”
  
  The meme – and its implication – is not only cynical but deeply contemptuous to the victims of violence (children), to the United States Constitution, and to the love of God in Jesus Christ.
  
  Believe me, God is present in and with every child of God who walks through the school doors. When I served as a teacher in Florida I sat at the desk of each student before school started and prayed for them. God was deeply involved in every lesson I taught, and every interaction I had with every child. That remains true in the public schools today, as literally tens of thousands of teachers and students live their faith the best they can while respecting the constitutional principle that proselytizing is not appropriate in the context of public institutions.
  
  You have searched me, Lord, and you know me… Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?… even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
  
  Even the darkness… even the depths… even despair… God is there. That’s the promise, that’s the assurance, that’s the truth about faith!
  
  God not allowed in school? Don’t believe it; not for a moment.
  
  Your God is far too small! And your heart is too cold.
  
  – DEREK
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  Posted in culture, Current News, faith, meme, message, Uncategorized | 5 Comments | Tagged featured, Florida shooting, God in School, offensive meme, Parkland High School, school shooting
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Category: meme

Posted at 12:12 pm by derekmaul, on October 19, 2018

Purpose:

The view from over here:

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Posted at 1:24 pm by derekmaul, on October 3, 2018

Spirit in tune:

From Clutter to Clarity:

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Posted at 12:11 pm by derekmaul, on September 27, 2018

Retreat This Weekend:

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Posted at 11:35 am by derekmaul, on September 26, 2018

What were they thinking!!!!

Values Conflict:

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Posted at 11:06 am by derekmaul, on September 12, 2018

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Posted at 11:55 am by derekmaul, on September 11, 2018

Post-Nine/Eleven World:

In 2018 we face other threats:

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Posted at 10:01 am by derekmaul, on August 2, 2018

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Posted at 12:06 pm by derekmaul, on July 12, 2018

Critiquing the Examined Life:

Purpose:

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Posted at 7:39 am by derekmaul, on July 8, 2018

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Posted at 10:14 am by derekmaul, on February 21, 2018

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