some stories and thoughts
At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year, they have what is
called "Baptist Day." It is a day when all the Baptists in the area are
invited to the school. On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be
eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every "Baptist Day" the school
would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological
education center.
One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two and
one-half hours proving that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He
quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since
there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious
tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it
was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose
from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any
questions.
After about 30 seconds, an old, dark-skinned preacher with a head of
short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium.
"Docta Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward
him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began
eating it. "Docta Tillich ..." CRUNCH, MUNCH ... "My question is a
simple question," CRUNCH, MUNCH ..."Now I ain't never read them books you
read..." CRUNCH, MUNCH ... "and I can't recite the Scriptures in the
original Greek..." CRUNCH, MUNCH ... "I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr
and Heidegge..."CRUNCH, MUNCH ... He finished the apple. "All I wanna
know is: This apple I just ate - was it bitter or sweet?"
Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly
fashion: "I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted
your apple. "The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into
his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, "Neither
have you tasted my Jesus."
The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium
erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and
promptly left the platform.
Have you tasted Jesus? In Psalms 34:8 we read: "Taste and see that the
LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." If you have,
rejoice in the hope of the resurrection that your faith in Him brings.
The real Christian is an odd human being.
He feels
supreme love for one that he has never seen.
He talks
every day with somebody he can't see.
He expects to go
to heaven on the virtue of someone else.
He empties
himself in order to be full.
He admits that he is wrong so
that he can be declared right.
He goes down in order to
get up.
He is strongest when he's weakest, richest when
he's poorest, happiest when he feels the worst, dies so he
can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can
keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible and knows that
which passes knowledge.
Is it any wonder we don't fit in
this world?
-A.W. Tozer
"Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone -- to have a
deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and
exclusively. But God, to a Christian, says, "No, not until you are
satisfied and fulfilled and content with being loved by Me alone. I love
you, my child, and until you discover that only in Me is your
satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human
relationship which I have planned for you. You will never be united with
another until you are united with Me -- exclusive of any other desires
and longings. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to
give you the most thrilling plan existing - one you cannot imagine. I
want you to have the best! Please allow Me to bring it to you - just
keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things - keep experiencing that
satisfaction of knowing that I Am. Keep learning and listening to the
things I tell you...You must wait! Don't be anxious; don't worry. Don't
look around at the things that others have gotten or that I have given
them. Don't look at the things you want. You just keep looking off and
away up to Me, or you will miss what I want to show you. And then, when
you are ready, I will surprise you with a love far more wonderful than
any you would ever dream...You will see, until you are ready and until
the one I have for you is ready, I am working even this very minute to
have both of you ready at the same time. Until you are both satisfied
with Me, and the life I have prepared for you, you will not be able to
experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me...and this
perfect love.
"And dear one, I want you to have this wonderful love! I want you to
see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy
materially and concretely, the everlasting beauty and perfection, and
love that I offer you with Myself.
I love you utterly,
I am God Almighty,
Believe and be satisfied."
that's a great poem of sorts about love. it's so true. we can only truely love another until we first love God, and interestingly enough, love ourselves. sounds strange, but i heard it in some sermon. we got to love ourselves, so that our love for another has value to us. we've got to love ourselves so that we can go into the relationship giving, and not always wanting love. but this does not be selfish or conceited. but a healthy self-love, as one of God's children and creation. yup yup -andrew
