Reflection

All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone.

Repentance

Repentance is the renewal of baptism. Repentance is a contract
with God for a second life. A penitent is a buyer of humility.
Repentance is constant distrust of bodily comfort. Repentance is
self-condemning reflection, and carefree self-care. Repentance is
the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair. A penitent
is an undisgraced convict. Repentance is reconciliation with the
Lord by the practice of good deeds contrary to the sins.
Repentance is purification of conscience. Repentance is the
voluntary endurance of all afflictions. A penitent is the
inflicter of his own punishments. Repentance is a mighty
persecution of the stomach, and a striking of the soul into
vigorous awareness.

St. John Climacus

We are Ready to Listen

Healing, sovereign God,
overmatch our resistant ears
with your transforming speech.
Penetrate our jadedness and fatigue.
Touch our yearnings by your words.
Through your out-loudness, draw us closer to you.
We are ready to listen.
Amen.
-Brueggemann, 1992

Grappling with the mental transition of grad school to starting ministry work in August, I ask God to bring cohesion between what I have learned and how to make this accessible to the church. If there is lack of clarity of how higher education benefits the larger church then the church is unedified and uninstructed, and then I have failed at bringing what I have learned down to a practical level. It is the job therefore to bridge gaps and help God loving people find a sharper, keener, and more intense relationship with the sovereign Lord. I pray that I would have circumcised ears to hear, and a circumcised heart to act.