Attended Adult Sunday School at the United Church last Sunday morning where we discussed John 9 the story of Christ giving sight to the man blinded since birth.
We were all blinded spiritually at some point in our life until the Lord of Light commanded the light to enter our lives so we could see. We need to see reality as it is not as we want it to be. As Thoreau once said, "rather than love, than money than fame give me truth." What is truth? It is ultimate reality. Truth is the way things are.
We noted that Christ didn't come to this world to set up hospitals where all who came would be healed. Rather, he healed this blind man to show that the Kingdom of God had broken into human history and that one of the signs of this "coming" was miraculous works and healings. This was to show that when the Kingdom comes in its fullness...wholeness... or in the Hebrew "Shalom" would prevail and no one will get sick or be sick. Wellness will be eternal for all.
During Christ's tenure down here in the world where death, illness, alienation, fragmentation, demonic oppression reign the breaking in of the Kingdom began to reverse this situation. The Kingdom of Satan will eventually be overthrown and replaced by the reign of God.
Christ spoke in parables comparing the Kingdom for example to a man who upon finding buried treasure sold all he had so he could buy the field where the treasure was buried. It was an example of going for broke...for investing everything a person has to gain entrance into the Kingdom. The same goes for the merchant who sells all he has to raise money to buy the great pearl. Likewise, we need to "throw our lives away" for the Kingdom. He who seeks to save his life will lose his life. Those who lose their life will save their life. "Saving" in this sense means to be unduly attached to your life, to your dreams, to your reputation and the like. Paradoxically, those who are attached to their life will lose their life. So, let go! Throw your life away and it will come back to you!
It was all about the Kingdom of God for Christ. The Kingdom of God has little to do with the afterlife. It's about God's reign here on earth in the here and now.
He came down here to proclaim the nearness of the Kingdom... that's the "Good News" the return of the King. God would now come down in the flesh and make his abode with his children. That's where the cross points...ahead to the coming of the Kingdom and its King. Read Revelation 21 and 22 along with Isaiah 2 and 65.
The cross wasn't the end game it was the means to reconcile us to God and usher in the time when all wrongs and all injustice would be righted and this upside down Kingdom of Satan/Man would be cast aside.
That's the "Good News" that's the "Gospel."
After Sunday School, Joe the plumber picked me up and we drove over to the First Baptist Church for morning services. This was the first time Joe attended the Baptist Church. He I introduced himself to the church during the services.
Later I hiked over to the Frothy Cup to meet and greet, read and write. There were many tourists milling about town Sunday afternoon possibly due to Valentines Day and the long weekend.
Ran into the guy who asked me a few months ago to drive him to Golden to pick up his new car. We exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes and then I continued writing.
Today is Thursday so I will be attending evening services at the Clear Creek Neighborhood Church.
Jaime who works at the library bought me a 2016 Rand/McNally Road Atlas for my walk to the Pacific Northwest. I went to the library yesterday and she advised she just received the map via UPS. She handed it to me and wished me well on my upcoming journey. I cannot express fully what her gift means to me! A road Atlas is absolutely critical for me. My Google Maps us unreliable out in the vast expanses I will be crossing especially in Wyoming and Montana. Plus, my phones battery life is so short.
With the road atlas I can now determine my most likely route to Seattle which means I can make calls to the churches along the way and ask for permission to pitch my tent on Church property.
I am still of a mind to head north to Miles City, Montana on the same path as depicted in the Lonesome Dove novel. This means I will be transversing the great natural grasslands of North Central Wyoming where trees are very few and far between and where herds of antelope abound. There will be even fewer towns or camp grounds making it necessary to camp off the side of the road in the high grass.
As my time in Idaho Springs draws to a close many of my friends here are asking me to stay permanently. I have to admit that it's a nice feeling to have so many people want me to stick around. But, I know what my mission is and I know what needs to be done. I won't be done until I have reached both oceans. After that it's anybody's guess. But, then again I am not in charge. As the psalmist once said, "A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps." I discovered this truism long ago the hard way. So, with that in mind I remain receptive to the curves and turns in the road keeping my head down trusting the wind will be at my back.
As I ascend Jacob's ladder (metaphorically speaking)into the wide open blue skies of Wyoming and Montana in the next several months I will need no reminder that the vicissitudes and vagaries of life will kick that ladder away allowing me no more props and so once again I will live day by day moment by moment within the providence of God.
I can't wait to see what's up ahead and around the bend. So, staying put here in Colorado is not an option. I have many more adventures to experience and new people to meet before I'm finished.
See you all later.
BR Schoenbein
February 18, 2016- Thursday
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