Claude King's blog

Our flesh, our earthly bodies, are the most common way that we experience this world. We do so specifically through our sensory perceptions. Human DNA made from the physical union of two people, over a nine-month gestation period will produce a baby made of extremely cute and cuddly baby skin and baby bones. But, it only happens once in a lifetime. Our spiritual self is the most common way that we experience the extraordinary connections that we all know, or can possibly know, and depend on to inform us about who we are intuitively in God's love.

This week we prepare for Ash Wednesday and the end of Epiphany season. However, we first must stop to consider what the transfiguration of Jesus, in front of his disciples, on the high mountain does and consider the words that came from God in Matthew 17:5 that reads, "from the cloud a voice said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!'"

We all know that salt and light are essential to our daily life. We cannot live very long without either salt or light. What are the first images that come to your mind when you have heard or read that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world? Do you see images that show food, healing, warmth, and illumination, amongst other positive benefits, all of which give or sustain life?

God loves us and wants us to realize we are all a precious creation, God's children, and partners with Jesus in the caring, healing, teaching, and saving of this world. Identifying us as partners with Jesus is not how most of us see ourselves when we think about the work Jesus is doing to love and save humanity.

"O God, you made of one blood all nations, and, by a star in the East, revealed to all peoples him whose name is Emmanuel. Enable us to know your presence with us so to proclaim his unsearchable riches that all may come to his light and bow before the brightness of his rising, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen." - Laurence Hull Stookey (#255 UMH).

Advent is the waiting period before the return of Christ. Christmas is one of the greatest parts of its fulfillment as Mary and Joseph heard God's commands for their lives as people who God favored. Through their obedience, they each served as conduits of God's great love and favor for this world and for one another, yet I am sure there were times when they did not feel favored and loved.

During this season of Thanksgiving, we are drawn to the underlying structure of what we believe as people of God. We take part in the blessed and honored ritual of giving thanks to God for all that God prepares, protects, enriches, and preserves for our lives, which is not expressed nearly enough throughout the year.

I have read that "A saint, also historically known as a hallow, is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness or likeness or closeness to God." (Wikipedia)

I am interested in what we think about when we become committed to a belief that is foundational to our life? How much of our commitment to that foundational belief is experienced in our everyday lives? I have done some reading regarding commitment based on a foundational belief, and how it is demonstrated in the lives of the average person and I discovered there is a distinct difference between being an advocate of something and a witness to it. That is also true of how we express our commitment to a foundational belief that we hold dearly.

In what way should we live out our faith? In our Bible reading for this week from 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, we're returning to the teachings of Paul in his second letter to Timothy. We may have read this gut-wrenching scene as Paul writes from prison for the last time, or have seen it portrayed in a play, a film, or on TV, but for many of us it is not our favorite part of the Bible to try and model in our daily lives.