In Spirit and Truth

"The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; fathers tell their children about your faithfulness." —Isaiah 38:19 Life is busy. We all have places to go and people to see. It is easy to get caught up in the doldrums and monotony of life, but to do so we miss out on a hundred joys that each moment has to offer. There are any number of inspirational phrases that encourage us to live in the moment — "stop and smell the roses", "Carpe Deum." — Somehow we know that it is in these infinitesimal moments and not in the grandeur of our plans, that we will find joy. I have heard it said that the present is where time intersects with eternity. The past cannot be changed, and the future cannot be known. It is only in the present that we can make a difference. It is only right now that I can have the relationship with God that I desire. Yesterday cannot be changed, tomorrow cannot be known. It is only today that I can live for God. Only now, in thi

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast." —Psalm 139:1-10 Some days I feel like a refugee. I feel small and forgotten in an angry world. I feel far from home; nomadic in my spirit. When I find myself in these dry places, I reflect on the mystery of Emmanuel. What does it mean for me — for you — that

"I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies." —Psalm 18:1-3 Some days I feel like a refugee. Those days it feels like we live in a world torn apart by war. Perhaps it is in a tangible way as I watch the news and see the exploding bombs of the political landscape or the physical wars where our young men and women are actively engaged in combat. But sometimes that war torn life is a little more subtle. Sometimes we feel the war because of an unkind word, or a difficult circumstance. Sometimes we feel like political prisoners to someone else's opinion or whim. It happens all the time. One day you’re living your life, enjoying your community and family, and the next day the bomb has gone off, the company has been sold and you're out of a job. Eve