Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love. This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. – 1 John 4:7-9
People often ask me about sources of inspiration I tap into as a writer. I do read quite a bit, but mostly – for me – it’s about paying attention. Or, as Rebekah put it when asked how she prepares for her Sunday message, “I try to stay awake.”
Then sometimes I actually take notes during sermons. Yes, those little two-inch pencils in the pew racks turn out to be there for a reason, and I’ve been known to scribble all over my bulletin. Contrary to popular belief I do not get previews during the week, and the preacher does not do “dry runs” at home.
So she was speaking about the relationship between gratitude and belief (click here for the message). There’s some good science out there now that confirms some of what we already know, that a grateful spirit is demonstrably associated with benefits such as lower blood pressure, positive emotions, and general wellbeing.
Then Rebekah pointed out that – in a synthesis of the biological science, the social science, the theology, and the insight she brings to these messages – that “gratitude without purpose is simply a good feeling.”
“Gratitude without purpose is simply a good feeling” – Rebekah Maul
And good feelings, we know this, only get you so far.
On belief, Rebekah traced the word back through several layers of definition, meaning, origin, and etymology. It turns out that at the heart of the deepest places, “believe” carries the root “be-love.” Use that in context and we find ourselves saying “I belove in God.” “I belove this church and its ministries.” “I belove in what we are doing here.”
Love is the activating force that gives purpose to what we are grateful for, it is what turns our belief into action. I am deeply grateful for this life we embrace and enjoy, I belove Jesus and find that it is impossible to simply just sit there in church limited to feeling good, all warm and fuzzy inside with thanks and belief. No, love propels – compels – me into action. Love turns belief into service and purposeful change.
So, thanks Rebekah for preaching stuff that inspires this writer. Thanks for making good theology such a catalyst for change.
Come to think of it, I belove in us. I am grateful and I belove our life together.
In love, and because of love – DEREK
We don’t rely on a program, or a gimmick, or a benefit package for members, or a formulaic key to prosperity and easy living. We have Jesus.
So here’s the campus of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, where we lived and learned together while Rebekah finished up her M.Div. and prepared for the ministry. By the time we left (in the summer of 1982) we had the masters degree, a call to Pensacola, an 8-week-old baby, and hearts full of hopes and dreams -as well as the beginnings of a vision that has more than come into blessed fruition.
One of the great challenges of being “Official Photo Dude” for The Presbytery of New Hope is having so many usable images at the end of the day. All the good ones will be posted by the Presbytery, but here in my blog I have to pare them down to a manageable few.
With so much division in our nation right now, and with so much nationalism – along with hostility and rejection – being voiced when it comes to immigration and the rich cultural – and religious- diversity that makes America strong, the multicultural worship together was not only refreshing but demonstrative of deep theological truth.
One extra-special serendipity was running into Claire Chipman. Claire was one of our youth in Brandon, Florida, and part of one of my favorite families of all time. Today she is working on her doctorate over in Chapel Hill, serving as an elder at University Presbyterian Church. Claire was attending this meeting of Presbytery as a commissioner, along with a group of twenty-somethings. It does my heart good to see the quality work God is accomplishing with and through some of these young lives.
I rejoiced with those who said to me,
Walking around with a camera in hand reminded me that I typically don’t even see what’s immediately around me. I usually go in to the church through the same entrance, I tend to visit the same places, more often than not I am there at the same times. There is so much that I don’t even begin to notice.
Five years in and I’m still blown away by the excitement generated around here in response to “Promotion Sunday,” kicking off the fall “education and discipleship” schedule.
This year the youth introduced their adult leaders by giving them appropriately corny “Wrestler Names.” And the adults cooperated by showing up in capes and masks, strutting around, making faces, talking trash, showing the kind of enthusiasm, love, and commitment the gospel always brings out when we let Jesus be our guide.
There’s something deeply satisfying about attending church when it’s a real challenge for the ushers to squeeze everyone in. “If there are empty seats in your row,” Rebekah said during the announcements, “please move toward the middle to make room.There are still people waiting to come in.”
To me, unity among people is one of the most beautiful aspects of a positive, encouraging faith community.
The predominant conversation was around justice, and how we can better represent the love of Jesus for all people in and through the work of the church.
