The Beautiful and the Sublime

So yesterday I went to an interesting seminar for my music history class called "Music and Madness". It was about the relation of psychopathy to music arts over the years, and the different panelists addressed the issue in a bunch of different ways. There was a psychologist who talked about the relative rates of psychopathy in composers and the affects of psychopathy on the overall production and quality of a composer's work. There was a musicologist who talked about different methods for portraying insanity in music - tonality, rhythm, etc.

But the one that really interested me was the last one - the professor talked about the contrast between "the beautiful" and "the sublime". The beautiful includes any thing that is aesthetically pleasing, whereas the sublime is that which is not necessarily initially pleasurable, but nonetheless compels us and draws us in. One of the philosophers he quoted described a mountain scape this way - "as music is to the ear, but mingled with horrors, sometimes almost with despair." And his argument was that there has become a preference for the sublime in art in the past century or so because, for whatever reason, we seem to value those things which are difficult at first and require a higher level of cognition to appreciate.

So that being said, when I started reading about beauty this morning, this talk was the first thing I thought of. Especially lines like this: "If the Earth is full of God's glory, why is it also so full of pain and anguish and screaming and despair?" We see the beauty in the sunset, but somehow we are also draw to the sublime of a bleak landscape or a graffiti-covered ally. Maybe one of the reasons that we are drawn to the sublime - to that which is difficult and at times initially repulsive - is because we see the truth of it. We see the truth of the brokenness, but we are also drawn to it because we see the hope for restoration and the shadows of creation's original perfection.

Again, N.T. Wright says this: "beauty is both something that calls us out of ourselves and something which appeals to feelings deep within us." So maybe the things that 19th century philosophy would call "sublime" are things that appeal especially to the feelings of brokenness within us, and we are strangely drawn to them because they remind us of the beauty in the fall and the hope of restoration.

Sorry for being so wordy and school-like on that one! I hope it at least made a little sense.

What do you guys think? Is the philosophy of the beautiful/sublime contrast compatible with N.T. Wright's ideas? Completely different? A little of both?

For the beauty of the earth!

In todays reading it was hard not to think of all the things we see, hear, taste, and drive during the summertime that we call "Beautiful". I was waiting for N.T. Wright to list "Ski Nautique" in his ongoing list of things. I really enjoyed the chapter today. I want to encourage you to continue blogging and sharing in your discoveries. A few of you have dropped off over the weeks and i want to give you a kick in the butt to get back on the horse!

To the degree that you live this new life Jesus offers is the degree you will experience this new life that Jesus offers!

Stay Blogging my friends!

Why Beauty?

"The story they tell, which we shall expore further in due course, indicates that the present world really is a signpost to a larger beauty, a deeper truth." - Page 47. I have too much in my head to address this chapter.

On the surface ---
Aside from the wholly insane in the planet (notice the word "wholly" - we all suffer from temporary bouts of insanity) we/I/everyone constantly attach ourselves to beauty, knowledge, truth, reason, life, and love.

Purusuing these things makes no sense. Why?

Well, no rational/logical/reasonable explanation exists for beauty, knowledge, truth, life, and love. Even light by nature is somewhat illogical (if I remember correctly its both a wave and a particle -- what? No. What? No. What? --aaaaah - it doesn't make sense.)

Just about every song, political speech, opinion, conversation, philosophy invokes at some point beauty, knowledge, reason, truth, life, and/or love.

The mind-bending connection (for me at least) is that each of these are the essence/core of Christ's revelation. "I am the truth. I am the life. I am the logos, reason, knowledge. I am glory (beauty.) I am love." By the way - love is the most bizarre, especially sacrificial love. I'm sorry but the pros and cons of sacrificial love rule it out as a reasonable course of action. And if you list the reasons it doesn't then you appeal to reason which in a pro/con analysis is unreasonable.

I've heard people describe their spritual journey as moving to a point of discovery where they are so much more aware that God is speaking and communing with them constantly.

In a similar way, I am in awe and wonder sometimes at how often and in how many bizarre ways that I hear conversations everywhere and in everyway confessing gospel.

Weird stuff.

Eternal 7th Day Love Flood

"The love which he incarnated, by which we are saved, is to become the love which fills us beyond capacity and flows to heal the world."

"The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes (blood red fruit that hangs on wood) and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city (Golgotha) and blood flowed out of the press (from the cross) rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia." Revelation 14:19-20.

This image is in between a series of SEVENS in Revelation. SEVEN seal, SEVEN trumpets, SEVEN plagues, SEVEN trumpets.

And on the 7th day of John's gospel, the eternal sabbath day, (which is also the third day after declaring you shall see heaven open) Jesus turns water into wine in John Chapter 2 and. . . .

"The love which incarnated, by which we are saved, is to become the love which fills us beyond capacity and flows to heal the world."

Thinking of I am statements -- I love John's identity - "I am the disciple whom Jesus loved." I read that and I can feel John nudge me on the shoulder and say with a grin, "And guess what, you are too."

So much blood. So much love. Thank you Jesus.

Day 18

"The Father's will is that we be filled with his life. The will of God, the good pleasure of God, is that his very life be in us." - 57 Words, page 61

Like Trevor posted below, we need His ways. So true! His way, His culture, His will is freedom and life, our way, our culture, our will is slavery and death.

I saw video today of a currently unreleased song by Switchfoot called "Thrive." Here's the chorus:

No I'm not alright

I know that I'm not right

A steering wheel doesn't mean I can drive

A warm body doesn't mean I'm alive

No I'm not alright

I know that I'm not right

Feel like I travel but I never arrive

I wanna thrive, not just survive"

God, may we not be easily pleased. Instead, may we thrive.

Thrive in being as creative as You.

Thrive in being blessed by You and then blessing others.

Thrive in freedom.

Thrive in the Law.

Thrive in knowing You.

Thrive in Your life.

Thrive in Your Son.

Thrive in the Creator.

Thrive in You.

Prayer

Not quite along with the books or sermons but a question I heard we all need to ask?

What would you say when you first actually see God?

What would the first words out of your mouth be?

Now in consideration, aren't we really seeing God when we pray? So what would we say when we see Goad as we pray? Think of all the images given to us by John, Moses, whoever.

For me I realize I'd be much more speechless. To see the God that everyone thought they should be dead by seeing is a much huger deal obviously! With that... It's so hard to picture THAT God as the same God who is this prodigal's father. So much of it doesn't align with how I, we, anyone knows things to be or is supposed to be. That's when I realize it's Jesus culture that makes is the way it is. Yes it is foreign but it is totally God's nature.

Jesus culture! Something I need more of to change my own culture and lifestyle. I need His aboriginee ways. His raw natural everythingness that fills and is beyond all culture sense of this world.

Joyful Anticipation

"..If we understand the will of the Father in the way that Jesus does, we should pray the petition with joyful anticipation."

This helps me understand that feeling right before campers come. A nervous-joyful-anticipation that the fathers will might explode on the scene any second now and I dont know what to expect. We have prepared all weekend and prayed all year asking God to do what only God can do!

The Fathers will is that we be filled with HIS life.

Last night at College Life we sang "God of Justice" by Tim Hughes. It put an exclamation point at the end many of my thoughts and meditations of the day.

"God of justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken, we must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action, we must go

To act justly every day
Loving mercy in every way
Walking humbly before You, God

You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out, Lord"

Darrell bazinga-d me SO much this morning. It really gives a whole new meaning to "It is finished." What is finished? God's ultimate saving act? Yes. My redemption? Yes. But really, truly, what is finished is the full manifestation of the character of YHWH in the person of Jesus Christ.

What? Who does that?!

At the moment of the cross, His character is finally fully revealed. It was one thing to be born human. It was one thing to love on the unlovables of the world, or one thing to get on His knees and wash our feet. But to die and suffer separation from the Father - that is another thing entirely.

And it's all a part of His character! This is what He does as YHWH.

Abba, you are so crazy good.

Day 17

"For the gospel writers, the passion of Jesus is not His human misfortune, the passion of Jesus is His decisive manifestation of His divinity." - Darrell Johnson

He knew exactly what He was doing. He came for the cross. He came to empty Himself. He came to glorify His Father. He came to be about His Father's business. He came to do what He saw His Father do.

"If being God does not mean something to take advantage of but emptying himself, can being human mean anything less?" - Darrell Johnson

"Rise, rise, people of love rise

People of love rise

Give yourself away"

Lordship=Foot Washing

Jesus did not begrudgingly take on the form of a doulos (slave), it is the natural expression of His lordship. My spirit testifies that this is true, and that our response follows suit. Below is the beginning of a prayer I journaled just before this last summer began, it acts for me as a reminder of what the natural position of our heart is.

5/28

"Lord,

I truly praise you for the opportunity of service you've given me here. Every time I surrender myself for your kingdom in service, I find myself feeling more fulfilled, encouraged, compelled, loved, and accepted. May I never forget what service and sacrifice feels like, may I never walk away from a heart that desires to release my own desires and replace them with your own... "

Live From Victory

So glad the final assualt of the Alpha/Omega begins with "forgive them." So glad His gracious heart is the beginning and end of me.

Day 16

"The cross is the moment when the monsters finally close in on the Son of Man; the forces of evil vent their wrath on him, pour it all out until there is none left. The cross is the defeat of evil" -Following Jesus, page 29

"Which means humanity does not have to bow down to or cooperate with the powers. We do this, but we do not have to" - It is Finished, page 62

Evil is defeated. We do not have to bow to it any longer. Sounds a lot like freedom to me.

And yet I still believe the deceiver when he says "that to live independent from God means freedom and life." FALSE!

When I work from the victory, there is hope, joy and peace. When I work towards the victory, it only end in frustration, disappointment and ultimately failure. I mean, when you think about it, the only one who could possibly claim victory already has! Now all that is left is to stand in that victory! His victory! To trust it really was what it really was. All of the powers and principalities, pointing all of their weapons, everything they had, crosshairs centered on the cross. And it wasn't enough. But He is enough. He is victorious. He is the Name above all names. He is our King. He is everything.

"It's all God's children singin'

Glory, glory, hallelujah

He reigns, He reigns

And all the powers of darkness

Tremble at what they've just heard

Cause all the powers of darkness

Can't drown out a single word"

-He Reigns by the Newsboys

All the powers of darkness can't even drown out this blog!

Sin has lost its power!

Sin has lost is power,
Death has lost its sting,
At the moment of the cross you've been decisively victorious!

I was so impacted today by the fact that the cross is truly the paradox of paradoxes! On the one hand, it seems so contradictory to have such victory in the midst of crushing defeat, but on the other hand, it makes perfect sense. The more I think about it, the more it's clear that the cross is the only possible way.

I wish I lived in light of the power of the victory of the cross more often. We have freedom from fear! Why don't I act like it? I can just hear Him saying "Oh you of little faith." If only we opened our eyes to see the victory on Friday instead of on Sunday.

In the Cross Of Christ I Glory, Towering Over The Wrecks Of Time

"Towering Over The Wrecks Of Time" . Towering over even time itself! Love the reading today. Continually reminded that we move from a place of victory not towards a victory. It is finished. This weekend we sold the 2 sonshine houseboats....finally! They looked old, beat up, trashed, rusty, FOOLISH. Oh how foolish they LOOKED! One "Houseboat Expert" actually told Steve and I, "Good luck...you will be lucky if you can give those things away". They looked so foolish, however those 2 boats towered over the wrecks of the fleet for 30years! Every few years the marina would give us "new" boats in the fleet but the old Sonshine's would remain towering! Now, i know it is a loose comparision to the reading, but walking away from #9 on saturday and sitting on the levy watching the new owner take occupancy with the rain falling i was reminded of how many people came to a knowledge of God on those boats and how many left those boats walking from a victory rather than to one! Worthy is the LAMB!!!!! The Lamb!

Trust Wars

"Even when communities are functioning well in terms of their own inner dynamics, there is no guarantee that the results will be healthy." - Simply Christian, Page 32.

Reid and I were just sharing at lunch today how as Christ's disciples we should expect Christ to enter our micro-communities at church, Sonshine, and small groups and interject the same question he uttered to his disciples in John 6:63 "Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "does this offend you?"

Christ offends my communities by continuing to pushing me to (John 6) a position of body broken and blood shed. He offends me into a healthy community by humiliating me into humility through His model (the cross) and His appeal to me to follow His example (the cross) in relating.

Like Abraham, God delicately and insidiously haunts me with His promise to lead me to Mt. Moriah. The stench, the terror, the gore of slaughter and sacrifice weighs heavy on my heart. With chest heaving I'm pushed.

He nudges me to the threshold of mental insanity and moral chaos.

The blade is in my pocket. I'm fidgeting the steel. My son is helplessly sprawled before. I'm desperate. Defeated. I've surrendered all knowlege of the good. No moral code remains. I've abandoned all knowledge of good and all knowledge of evil. Self-trust is annihilated. God kill me. Crucify me. Do anything.

God's trust, redemption, body broken, and blood shed explodes from the cross (and from the Father's own heaving heart) through space and time and fills my despondent heart with life, light, truth, and grace.

For a moment, I've trusted THE GOOD over my knowledge of the good. For a moment, I've been offended into gospel.

Phew. I'm tired. I feel dead. Recreate me Jesus. Please put your Faith in my heart. I can't do this. Live in me. By grace give me the power, wisdom, and compulsion to trust you always.

The Restless Heart

Man..... I feel punched in the face by the prodigal son! No matter who I try to relate in the story... either of the sons... there is still something missing. The young - made shameful mistakes - and expects what he deserves. The old - has done all very well - did not "turn away from father" but is expected to beat his younger brother. He would do so as well if the father did not reach him first. Meaning - how shameful to put judgement on another brother against the father's compassion. Neither brother, no matter how apparently righteous or shameful, are all nothing with out the father's compassion. My father, my Jesus, my King has compassion for me in which he pays shame no attention.

Father make me more like you. There is none else that is just or righteous. All else really brings shame and sorrow and anger and all sorts of sin. But you bring compassion, love, comfort, and a sweet reckless reliant life...

This is your story and this is not about how we may be shameful or prideful or lazy; it's about how you are forgiving and humble and active. This all about you and how you love and seek us.

"oh how He loves us oh"

Not how we love! We are extras that even get to benefit from the glory of the main actor - God! Yehweh! Messiah! Lord! Almighty!

How can we ourselves even so selfishly notice our own shame in the picture of God's glory? All of it is a speck of sand of all the beaches as God's glory is more than the universe. He has tore the curtain. God, you have defeated our chains and boundaries and have granted us access to your life.

You are too good. Humble me. Focus my eyes purposefully on you. Shame and sin has no place in your image.

Older brother's service

This is a couple of days late, but it has stuck with me for the last couple of days, so it must be worth sharing. I have found myself dwelling for the last couple of days about the older brother's cultural obligation to serve the honored guest, serve his younger brother! The brother that was lost but now is found. My mind goes immediately to houseboats (as I'm sure a lot of ours do) and how we, the older brothers who have walked faithfully with the father, are called to be the servants of our younger brothers and sisters (campers, barnies). The natural response of a follower of Christ is to give of one's self in self-giving sacrificial servant love. For if we "truly love [Jesus] more than these", we are called to "feed [His] lambs", "take care of [His] sheep", and "feed [His] sheep".

May the Glory of the Lord, rise among us

Each time I read through or hear the story of the prodigal son, it allows me to remember how much I am like the older brother, constantly focusing all my energies on following the rules, attempting to earn my way into the Kingdom and justify this gift of grace on my own terms, rather than just coming all the way into the fathers house.

Quite honestly, I am reluctant to enter the house because I don’t like the junk drawer of my life being exposed to Jesus, because that junk drawer is full of shameful things that I just don’t want to talk about or allow people to see. Tonight at my small group we discussed this “junk drawer” concept, and how allowing Christ to pick up that junk drawer and take care of it is essential to us coming into full and right relationship with him. At one point my leader said that we don’t wake up in the morning expecting to live this full life and experience a measure of death at the same time, and that we go into things expecting life to lead to life. However, the death that I experience daily is giving up that lifestyle that demands that I earn my way into the Kingdom, and that death leads to full and abundant life. I spend so much time doing that I don’t spend a whole lot of time being the daughter of the Most High. I don’t live in the kingdom because of what I have done or how good I have been, but because the Father came out of his house and picked up my junk drawer full of my scandalous shame and cleaned it out, and all that is required of me is to walk through that front door and enter in.

Day 12

Two points in Part 2 of the Prodigal Father took my breath away, and one more brought me to tears.

First, in Luke 15:28 (ESV) "But [the older son] was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him." The TNIV says "His father went out and pleaded with him." Pleaded with him to see life from the father's perspective. Through his eyes. From his heart. See his brother through his father's eyes and from his father's heart. Everything changes when you see life, people, situations through His eyes and from His heart.

Second, about that wretched Part 3 of the younger son's speech. "The older son has been living part 3 of the younger son's speech his ENTIRE LIFE!" Shoot! In my heartless, selfish, religious, justification by works, shameful lifestlye, I deny the Father's acceptance of me as a son (refuse to see life from His perspective, through His eyes and His heart) and live as though I am a hired hand and instead find my worth in what I can bring to Him. This means that often, like the older son, I do not "approve" of the grace my Father shows the younger son, since he brings literally nothing. But how much more do I not accept that grace myself? How often do I work to try and find acceptance as a hired servant. That's all I could be, right? I need to do it all, right? I need to serve here, build relationship there, attend this, read that, right? I don't belong otherwise, right? False.

Lastly, oh boy. This ripped me apart. By His grace I've known from a young age that He spilled His blood on the cross to wash away my sins. But wow. My sin, my religion, my self-righteous desire to honor His name, also put Him there? I beat Him, whipped Him, mocked Him, crucified Him. Mocked a God that shows mercy because it looks weak. Mocked a God that loves because it looks undignified. Mocked a God that shows grace because I don't think I need it.

Brings to mind the song "In God's Name" by Dakona. The last lines go like this:

And we all got our ways to justify the things we hate

We all got our ways of throwing the first stone

But if you wanna hate, then please leave God alone

How often do I justify hating/ignoring/abusing/disregarding/belittling/discouraging "younger brothers" because they bring nothing. And as the song talks about, I do it in God's name!

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."