HOME Jim's Jottings
Welcome to "Jim's Jottings" - a monthly reflection of Dr. James Kerr's meditations.
God Is Annoying
[Monthly Jotting]
08/31/2010
By Perkins, Anne
God is Annoying
In an attempt to think and then write about God there are two opposite, but equally dangerous, errors that we can fall into. On the one side, we can attempt to over promote God. This is the very popular gimmick of making God sound all exciting and adventuresome and entertaining. Those who refuse this invitation, the promoters prattle, are idiots. But, as in any relationship, having an ongoing one with God is not continually exciting, thank God. On the other side is an attempt to relate too much with those who have no relationship with the Almighty, the “I get you” philosophy. Here I lean toward that side of the precipice, dangerous as it may be.
God can be annoying in his persistent silence. Like Job, there are times when we seem to do all things right. We live moral lives, we are surrounded by religious friends with endless religious advice (very annoying in itself, but that is another topic), we even heed the advice of the scripture, and cry out to God; “Lord hear my prayer, Lord listen to my complaint. Lord, O Lord, this hurts. Where are you? Please, please speak.”
Silence. Just annoying amounts of nothing. Nothing.
The silence can be explained. We are too accustomed to a noisy world. How much TV invades our silence daily? How much talk radio talks repetitive sameness endlessly into our heads? How many words are spoken at us on a daily basis that say so little? Our minds are crowded with words, and we do not understand the language of silence.
But that is not it. That is making excuse for God. There is a divine silence that is annoying, frustrating, even rude. Speak Lord, for your servant is listening. Please, please speak; because I am not even sure you are paying attention, I am no longer sure that you care, you have been silent for so long.
If the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, if the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, if this God does not care…. O my God, O my God.
And still there is silence. And sometimes I sink into this stillness, this absence, this abyss. Sometimes life requires more patience than I want (and sometimes God gives more patience than I desire) I do not want patience, I want God to say something.
And still there is silence, annoying stillness. But in peeking moments of grace sometimes the silent presence leaks through; a small trickle only. Sometimes the strongest sense of presence comes when no words are spoken. The living Word can speak in the stillness. But that is so annoying, sometimes. And frightening. I am too accustomed to shouting, and argument, and people making points.
I have probably said enough, be still my soul, be still.
Jim
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God Is Weighty
[Monthly Jotting]
07/06/2010
By Perkins, Anne
God is Weighty
2 Corinthians 4:17
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison.
2 Corinthians 4:17
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison.
The problems of our world are described as “weighty” and these heavy problems burden our hearts. Many of the metaphors we use to describe difficulties have to do with weight, and we all have a ton of problems.
The weight of modern sin is heavy. Sludge from the depths is slopping up on our shores. Youths yearning for attention yield to the worst temptations. Pornography permeates as perversion becomes normalized. And everywhere the weight of sadness squeezes on our hearts.
In modern imagination evil has all but disappeared. Evil has been reduced to nothing more than bad decisions as we ignore the reality that evil is a power that carries great seductive weight. But in ignoring this truth we do not eliminate the problem. The weight of sin still pulls. Our hearts are heavy, the problems are crushing, the issues pull us down, and we are bogged down by this load. We become so tired.
This weight becomes heavier because in modern imagination God is nothing more than imagined; God is a nice option that might work for some. If we have sufficient skills at unloading, at lightening up and relaxing then we can return to what, in modernity, is really important, having fun (which, from almost every perspective is a pathetic life goal- a goal filled with pathos).
But the weight of sin is not lessened because we have remembered how to laugh. We need a real savior from a real problem that is really heavy. We need Jesus, who has promised that his load is easy and his burden light.
As we give up this load to the very real and very present and very personal Jesus then all of life becomes transformed. Consider Paul’s very odd statement.
The problems of this world are “light and momentary” compared to the weight of glory that shall be ours.
In our un-transformed lives, we consider problems to be weighty, Paul considers them light. For Paul these light problems included floggings, ship wrecks, and unjust imprisonment. For Paul the Glory of God is weighty.
To be glorified means to stand in the light. In the Kingdom of God, light has weight. As we stand in the light of the glory of God, the sheer magnitude of this wonder is so weighty it pulls us in, up, nearer (weights carried always pull). The wonder is that this weight pulls us toward itself, upward, closer to the divine heart. Wonder of wonders, divine miracle, the weighty problems remain, but seem not so heavy. We have been captured in the weightier weight of the glory of God.
So we lighten up. We give our load to the One that can really make a difference. Jesus our Savior, who is the glory of God.
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God is Joyful
[Monthly Jotting]
05/31/2010
By Perkins, Anne
God is Joyful
God is joy, and it is a joy to be in the presence of our Lord. God brings joy, and fills the heart with joy. God is the one worthy of our joyful praises. God bring “good news of great joy to all the earth.” The most joyful joy of all is that “a savior has been born, Christ the Lord.”
But have we lost the art, the spiritual skill, the discipline, the grace, of being a joyful people. Have we replaced the deep joy of knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God, with thrills, adventure, excitement and fun? FUN.
A sad cliché too often lived by in our diseased modern times: When it (you define your “it”) is no longer fun, I will stop. Do we participate because we are entertained? Is success defined by the degree of fun? Is value measured in the good times? Have we become a people who simply bounce from one adrenaline filled excitement to the next?
I share with you an observation I have made in life, one that you are fully aware of. People smile when something happy or fun takes place (understand, I like smiles, I enjoy a good time.) But people weep over things that really matter. I wonder if in our pursuit of fun, we have missed the deeper joy of weeping over those things that really matter, like love, and forgiveness and grace. In our chase for a good time, have we missed the deep, deep joy of knowing that One gave (up) the only begotten son for us. Do we know the pain of a wounded heart, and the joy of knowing that in that very wound, God has poured out his love? JOY.
If I were to pursue only fun, I would give up writing these jottings (because writing is work, no fun). But I seek the deeper joy of knowing (in the words of Paul) “Christ, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Phil 3:10)
There is a joy that cuts to the core of our lives. And his name is Jesus.
Joyfully yours
Jim
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God Is the Champion
[Monthly Jotting]
05/04/2010
By Perkins, Anne
God Is the Champion
Butler wins the NCAA basketball championship, Cinderella triumphs, the little guy wins. (I wrote this Monday afternoon of the championship game, hoping, but alas….) I do not much follow basketball but I followed Butler after they beat Syracuse, and cheered and cheered. The game is won, Indianapolis goes wild for a week, and then it is over. Now coaches start rebuilding, rethinking and wondering about how to do it again. A school is only champion for a year, and then all start with a clean slate. At the beginning of the season everyone starts with a zero win, zero loss record.
Not in life. Everyone starts in deficit. The cutest baby grows old and gray and dies. The seed of death is planted in all, no escape; there are only ways of coping. The positive thinker positively refuses to ponder this reality (It is just too depressing). The hard worker exhausts himself with the load (there is so much to do). The busy person hustles through most urgent situations (“It” just cannot wait). The lazy person increases their slothful behavior with the tedium of TV (And names the tedium exciting, as in I cannot wait for the next exciting episode of….). The addicted person is numbed by the excess of their behavior (I deserve another….)
And everywhere followers of Christ are called escapists. It boggles the mind.
But......
In raising Jesus from the grave God has definitively won the victory; forever. No repeats needed, death is defeated; the celebration has begun, and it is eternal. It is not for us to repeat the victory, to play another game. Game over. Christ won; He is risen indeed. It is for us to join in on the celebration, and the only way to do that is by faith, to believe and trust in the One who won.
Nobody “wins” souls for Christ; the victory is already completely won. No one can win a won victory “more.” It is for us to invite souls into this celebration, regardless of whom they have been rooting for before. All are welcome into this celebration. Even the crucifiers are welcome, if they only will. So the question is, will they?
Will you, join the celebration this is? It is really a joyful place to be. Of course death still claims victory and attempts an attach at every opportunity. But that is all futility; Christ is risen, death lost. But death, that loser, is still moping about, and can be very nasty, vengeful and cause some harm. But as Paul, once a loser himself, has said, “I consider that the sufferings of this present age are not worth comparing to the joy that shall be ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:18)
Christ Jesus our Lord has risen. He has risen indeed. The victory is won, and the celebration will last eternally. Join the celebration? The price of admission is paid.
Yours in the struggle and the Joy
Jim
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God Is Calling
[Monthly Jotting]
04/01/2010
By Perkins, Anne
God is Calling
My brain seems sometimes to store up sad stories, and I do not know where to file them. Does the rate of tragedy become more rapid, or am I growing more aware of, and sensitive to, the evil. I read the news. A father kills his only son with a shot gun. A pregnant woman is raped. Teens are murdering teens; abuse on every level. The weight of the sorrow grows, and I increasingly find it difficult to make a place in my head to store this junk, a place in my heart that is not already too heavy.
Jesus, the Son of God, is crucified.
The instinctive reaction is to action. Do something. A noise within seems to scream that there is a way to out shout the shrill of evil. Perhaps we can redeem the wounded though harder work; or deliver the downtrodden by the sending of more dollars. And of course there is virtue in this. But we grow so tired, and we loose our attentiveness, and in the end we fail again, because there is always another horror, another cruelty, another tragedy, and in the end, cynicism; why bother.
But there is a deeper blessing. Through the noise of the darkness that resides in the heart, we can hear the silent call of our gentle Lord. Deeper within there is a stillness that remains untouched by the grating shrieks of this misery which seeks our attention; there is a lovely silence that attracts and demands nothing, only invites. To this presence, into this Spirit of Holiness, we are invited.
Jesus, the Son of God, is risen.
The disciplines of entering this calling silence are ancient: stillness, prayer, scripture reading, meditation, worship. The disciplines are essential tools needed to work our way through the noise. But at the heart, or rather in the heart, is the One that is essential, the living Presence of our dearest friend of all, Christ Jesus.
Jesus, the Son of God, has poured out the Spirit of Holiness to all who would receive
Christ is risen
Christ is risen indeed
And all the shrill of evil cannot overcome the silent beauty of this Holy truth.
Amen
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God is Encircling
[Monthly Jotting]
03/02/2010
By Perkins, Anne
God is Encircling
I have been feeling sorry for God of late, a strange place to be.
In one circle with which I run (figuratively), self-described spiritually sensitive people delight in speaking about their anger toward God; it is all the rage (so to speak). If you are not presently angry with God, it is important to identify a time in which you were. The longer the duration of the anger, and the more extreme the rage, the more interesting the story, it seems. Spiritually sensitive people delight in being angry with God.
In another circle in which I run (literally) overly busy secular people are wildly indifferent toward God; God is an interesting concept. This circle loves the concept of getting spiritual but without a personal commitment to or relationship with the Almighty. (There is a very clear relationship here between spirituality with no personal focus, and pornography, feeling good without commitment or relationship, but I do not want to think about that now). So, in this circle, God is mostly ignored.
Perhaps things do not change much over the centuries; perhaps there is no evolving relationally. When the Almighty got dressed down in flesh and walked with us for awhile (full of grace and truth) he was either ignored or hated; overlooked or crucified. Jesus had a tough time finding a circle in which he fit.
Having been both ignored, and experiencing that loneliness, and having experienced the brunt of people’s anger, and the pain of that rejection, I am feeling sorry for God; there are so many circles that are angry at him, or do not care much. I feel sorry for those who cannot find a circle in which they fit, the square peg thing. Jesus.
There is another path, of course. There is another circle of people; peculiar, called apart, called out people. A people who are different from each other in so many ways, but beneath the surface, these people are so very much the same. There is a circle of people who do not always agree theologically, doctrinally or politically, and who often speak in a different language, but who are oriented in the same direction. A group of people, called church, who perceive the beauty of the Almighty, the loveliness of the Lord, the depth of our Saviors friendship toward we who are so often lonely and broken, and who live out these wounded lives in gratitude and love and thanksgiving.
And there are several surprises. The group is not that small, deeply wounded grateful people are everywhere. Further, anger and indifference are marginal options: joy and thanksgiving and love are more powerful (although often difficult) options. And this. Our Eternal Friend penetrates all the circles, indeed he is a circle unto himself; Father, Son and Holy Spirit in eternal embracing relationship. We can invite the Dearest Friend into our little circle, but wonder of wonders, breath taking reality, we discover a life changing truth: We were always in His circle. We were always in his circle. Faith is simply waking up to a circle of love that already is embracing us.
Yours in the faith,
Jim
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February Blog
[Monthly Jotting]
02/10/2010
By Perkins, Anne
God Is With the Least of These
The light turned green while my mind was floating. The gentleman behind me must have perceived my distraction, reminding me by a prolonged beep on his horn and a wave of his finger. This was on Thursday. This was the day after the full effect of the Haitian earthquake was being reported.
In that very moment I understood even less. I became dumber. I had no answers. Why do poor people become even poorer? Why do angry people go into such a rage over so little? How could God ask Abraham to do such a thing to his only son (this was the week before I preached on that terrible passage)? How can brilliant people be so cruel, and uneducated people be so loving? How can a well dressed person in an expensive car be so enraged at a person he has never met (me), and who offended so little? How can a desperate people with no food, water, medicine or shelter gather together before a pile of rubble which used to be a church to pray, while an affluent people blame God for such minor wounds, and avoid worship at all costs?
I got nothing. I am out. No answers. I became in that split second much dumber.
And more loving, I think. I actually felt sorry for that angry man behind me who was obviously much more distracted than I. But I would not want to spend much time with him. Rage is not an endearing characteristic. But for those dear folk in Haiti with no food or water or medicine, and with a pile of cinder block for a church, I think maybe I could learn something about love and worship and dedication from such a people.
God is typically found in the wounded. Christ is known by his wounds.
And I do not really understand that either, and I am not sure I really want to. But I am ever more committed to following such a God that I understand less, but a God who shows his love in such peculiar places.
“Whatsoever you do to the least of these you do unto me,” speaks our Lord. As I understand less, I can identify more with the least, and somehow though dumber, closer to being real, I think.
Praise be to our Lord
Jim
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January Blog
[Monthly Jotting]
12/30/2009
By Perkins, Anne
God is Watching
We all have fantasies of being discovered. It is the motivation behind every reality TV show. The dreamers dream that, though hidden, underneath what is seen there really lives a…. a dancer, or singer, an entertainer; a star. (I confess, my sisters and brothers, I too have fantasies. Behind these slow fingers is the second Earl Scruggs, behind these slow legs is the next Jim Ryun… you get the picture). During small moments of day dreaming, this is both fun and healthy. But….
But it is not very mature. I think of second graders in group shouting, “Watch me, see me, pick me, notice me.” (In contrast I am reminded that in the Lord of the Rings Strider tried mightly to hide is true identity as the King, Aragon!)
Yet when I think of second graders I see a beautiful attitude that oft is missing in the mature. Children do not so much want to be stars as they want to be seen, and that makes all the difference in the world. A star seeks to be seen because of some deserved greatness, a child seeks to be in relationship; connected in a meaningful way.
God sees. God is watching, and God is watching with a kind of divine double vision. Holy eyes watch and know the games of humanity; the injustice, the cruelty the oppression, the indifference. Holy eyes see into the soul of every person, the reasons of the heart, the motives of the mind. The divine gaze pierces through. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)
Yet in the heart of the Divine is the resurrected humanity of Jesus. God sees us with compassionate eyes, loving eyes, connecting eyes.
There is a song I still retreat from time to time that was popular in my teen years in which the singer (can you guess?) repeats a refrain, “Can you see me now?” and the implied answer is, no. But God does, God sees deeply.
Jesus said that if we would enter the Kingdom of God we must become as children. I believe that this need to be seen is at least part of what is meant. Like a child we cry out to the Lord, “watch me, see me, pick me, notice me.” And God does. And in moments of pure undeserved grace we see God seeing us.
Joy
In his gaze, Jim
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God Is Revealed
[Monthly Jotting]
11/24/2009
By Perkins, Anne
Jottings
GOD IS REVEALED
In 1985 Robert Bellah and associates published what I consider to be a very important book, “Habits of the Heart.” One of the great insights this sociologist gave us is that in our world people have individualized and privatized faith. This they summarized by an interview they had with Sheila, who described her faith as Sheilaism. Sheilaism is a faith in which she listens to “her own little voice” and in which one tries to “love oneself and be gentle with oneself and take care of each other.” Sheila believes she came up with this on her own, and it makes sense to her. The interesting idea which Bellah points out is that there is the real possibility that there could be 235 million different religions in our country, the rough population at the time of his writing.GOD IS REVEALED
It is my observation that this privatization of faith has increased. Everyone believes what is right in their own eyes, and although this is seen as sin in the Bible, it is counted as virtue in our world.
But at Christmas all of this is turned. Although we might bring our stuff to Christmas, the real story is that God was revealing the fullness of the Kingdom (his stuff, if you will) in Jesus Christ. Our task is not to come up with a faith that makes sense to us at the moment, but to gaze at the person of Jesus and hear what God is revealing. Our task is not to find a spirituality that fits, but find where we fit in the Kingdom, and all, all is revealed in the gracious love of God born in a poor, simple place. Our task is not to occasionally look within and find the interior spirit, but to gaze upon the manger and see ourselves reflected in the love of Jesus.
In the peaceful gaze of our Lord,
Jim
Jim
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November Blog
[Monthly Jotting]
10/05/2009
By Kerr, James
November
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September Blog
[Monthly Jotting]
09/25/2009
By Kerr, James
God is with us
We hear out of our present experience. I heard an adult say to a group of High School kids, with very great seriousness (it was not a joke) “line them up and shoot them along the fence.” Context makes all the difference. It was a track meet, the chute is the area immediately past the finish line; the runners enter the finishing chute to have the order of finish recorded. Context makes a difference.
How do we hear the words “God is with us,” Emmanuel?
Emmanuel is the Hebrew word for God with us. Jesus is called Emmanuel, because Jesus came as God with us, and this is a very lovely thought, a very powerful reality.
But how do we hear this from the context of our world? Let me speculate.
1) We assume God is with us rather than praise God for his gracious presence. God with us becomes a casual acknowledgement, rather than a life lived in responsive praise.
2) We believe God is with us because we are special and deserve this presence, rather than living in an attitude of humility because we are so fragile that these broken vessels of our lives can scarcely contain the glory of the splendor of the Almighty.
3) We hear God is with US, but we understand God is with ME, and if there is a contest, political disagreement, or dispute between me and thee, God is with me.
4) We hear God is with US, but we understand God is with ME, so I can “do church” all by myself, with the god that I design in my own imagination, who happens to be with me because I am so special.
5) We assume that God is with ME to make my life’s path easy, rather than God is with us to give us courage and strength and the knowledge of eventual victory as we walk this very difficult and ultimately deadly path of life.
God is indeed with us, and this is very, very good news. But let’s make sure we are hearing this from the context of the Bible’s story, and part of that story includes the truth that in our lives we together as church are seeking to know, love and follow our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who happens to be, most graciously, right here.
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October Blog
[Monthly Jotting]
09/16/2009
By Kerr, James
God is very Serious
An experience I have had, along with virtually every clergy type person I have ever met. Someone will confess some fairly bazaar behavior. Later, that same person will tell a mildly off color joke (usually pretty funny) and advise me to “cover my ears.” Frankly, hearing a joke re-garding bad behavior is much prefer-able to actually acting badly, and I would rather have a good laugh, than pretend calmness as I listen to offensive deeds.
But most people want their clergy, and their other friends, to have a sense of humor. And I suppose leap-ing from that idea comes the very popular concept that God must have a sense of humor.
Must he?
In truth, I think that there is not much support for that in Scripture, and I am not sure I want God to be funny; a giggling god seems goofy, a smirking savior seems silly.
When I come to God in confession, bearing my soul to the temptations that burn within, I would rather have a God who hears, who accepts, who has paid the price for my failures by the very costly and deadly serious sacrifice of the cross. I prefer not to be laughed at; a giggling god is irrelevant.
When I think of God watching over the world he cares about so deeply, observing the violence of people, the irregularity of our relationship with our creator, I do not imagine a chuck-ling divinity casually commenting on the silly activity of the children. I perceive a God who is saddened because he loves his children so very deeply. When I hear the words of Jesus, in whom the fullness of the deity dwells, I do not hear a comedi-an making jokes about his people. I see a man weeping, calling for serious discipleship, laying down his life so that ours might be saved.
I am not suggesting that we, as followers of Jesus, give up on fun and laughter. I am saying that we need to carefully examine every cliché and stereotype that comes our way regarding our Lord and Savior.
Following Jesus is a very serious calling, and our Lord leads with great purpose.
Christ gave his life for us, not out of a sense of humor, but out of deep and abiding love, and we give our lives each day not to a God who sees the fun, but to a God who takes our lives very seriously.
Peace,
Jim
Jim
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Announcement: OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE RESUMES THIS WEEK!
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=133&content_id=...
Our regular worship schedule is now in effect. We will have two services each week, at 8:45 and 11:00 am. Nursery care will be available for both services.
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Blog: God Is Annoying
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=151&blog_id=13
God is Annoying
In an attempt to think and then write about God there are two opposite, but equally dangerous, errors that we can fall into. On the one side, we can attempt to over promote God. This is the very popular gimmick of making God sound
[Read More »]
Updated Page: Children's Sunday School
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=313
At the United Church, Sunday school is for everyone! Classes for children and adults meet between the worship services from 9:45 to 10:45, September through May. Check the calendar for special Sundays.
Rally Day!
Sunday, September 12
9:45
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Updated Page: News
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=306
Bring your rubber gloves and elbow grease….
Kitchen Clean-It Day!
Saturday, September 11
9am-noon
Before the start of our fall programs, the kitchen needs a good in-depth cleaning! Join a host of other cheerful workers
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Updated Page: Nursery Schedules
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=312
Our Nursery Schedules
SEPTEMBER - JUNE - Nursery care is offered during both our 8:45 and 11:00 services of worship.
Combined nursery care meets in the Preschool Nursery, room #11 during the 8:45 service.
Nursery care is also available
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Updated Page: Sunday School
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=300
At the United Church, Sunday school is for everyone! Classes for children and adults meet between the worship services from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., September through May. Check the calendar for special Sundays.
Children’s Time for children in
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Updated Page: Teens
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=303
The United Church offers several opportunities for our Teens in the age groups of 13 - 19.
These activities include:
The Cause
Youth Missions
Teen Cafe
Sunday School
The Cause is our mid-week teen program. Students in grades 9 and up me
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Updated Page: Welcome!
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=135
Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome Welcome W
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Updated Page: Worship
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=305
Welcome!
Our Church offers traditional worship services and
special music worship services.
The calendar contains the most up to date information on the worship schedules.
Normally, we have two services:
8:45 am
11:00 am
There is a
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Updated Page: Youth Club
http://unitedchurchcanandaigua.com/content.cfm?id=309
Youth Club is our after school program for children grades 2 through 8. We meet Wednesdays 3:15-6:30 ~ October through April. Through Snacks, Crafts & Games, Bible Study, Worship, & Family Time (dinner), children experience what
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