I'm a closet alcoholic.

John 2:10

Jesus knows how to make really good wine.  In His first miracle, He demonstrates not only his power to do miracles, not only a deep understanding of His culture, not only a passion for celebration, not only great compassion for people, but also good taste.  I am totally unqualified to make this statement, but I think the wine Jesus made at the wedding in Cana is the best wine humans have ever tasted.  We have been invited to taste it for ourselves at another wedding feast.  I can’t wait to taste it... But maybe I already have, only in a different sense.  Later on, near the end of His life and ministry, Jesus says that the wine is a symbol of His blood.  As we cast about in darkness searching for real life, we will find all kinds of things that almost taste right.  But there is nothing superior to the blood of Jesus, the Giver, Sustainer, and Healer of Life.

A post for posting's sake.

I'm terrible at this blogging thing.  I could blame it on the fact that I don't have internet access at my house, but really I think it's because I'm self-centered.  If I was less self absorbed I would share more... more of my thoughts, more of my time, more of my self.  I have learned this egocentrism from my culture and it's time for me to unlearn it.

Reaching Forward

I listened to a couple of sermons recently that dealt with the idea of the Kingdom of God.  I don't think I will ever be the same.  The thrust of the sermons was seeing the Kingdom, living in that reality, describing the Kingdom to those who can't see it or haven't yet seen it, and bringing that reality into this reality, or more specifically, their reality.  The one deal that I can't seem to get over is the idea of reaching forward into eternity and taking all of the qualities that we think we will possess there and pulling those qualities into this world.  This can't be done in the flesh.  This is completely a work of the Spirit.  So now, I am impatient.  

The thoughts that have been bugging me this morning are those dealing with bringing this kind of thinking and living into community.  What if there was a church that had a clear vision of the Kingdom and proclaimed that to the people around them and spent themselves and sacrificed everything that is valuable in this world to bring that reality here?

A New Effort

I have recently been encouraged, challenged and enlightened by my friends blogging so, here I go, starting my own blog.  I find that occasionally, I have thoughts that just seem to keep rolling around in my head and don't leave me alone until I get them out into the open.  I tend to think a lot about the Church, worship, and music, and occasionally something useful.  So I guess what I'm saying is that those thoughts will find their way here...