Rated - Ecclesia (not for by-standers)

I.

 King David of Israel, a man after GOD's own heart. 

This is what 1Sam 16 establishes about King David, the place in Scripture where he is chosen and anointed to be King.  We are blessed to have not only this account in the Bible, but an ongoing account of David's heart towards God in the book of Psalms. The book of Psalms is as much a song book as it is like an open journal, while at the same time prophetic in nature. 

 I can count all my bones - they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. Psa 22:17-18

I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house. Psa 101:2

We see that these verses in Psalms prophesy, being fulfilled in John 18 and John 19, in the life of Jesus - David's descendant. In John 18, the person to whom Jesus is handed over, to be crucified, declares Jesus innocent.  This is no small thing, given that of all the ways Jesus could have met with death to take on our sins, He was first put to trial. 

JOHN 18 33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 

34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 

35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”

 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him.

 In John 19, Jesus' clothes are cast for lots and His bones are not broken with the rest of those who were put to death. 

JOHN 19 

23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 

24 so they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

They divided my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 

 

33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. 37 And again another Scripture says, They will look on him whom they have pierced.

Psa 116:7 is probably my favorite 'open journal' verse. 

 Return, O my soul, to your rest; for The LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 

Oft, when I read the Psalms I cannot help but wonder in the verses where King David is calling upon The LORD to deliver him - from mockery, from his own friends who betray him, from evil plots, from death itself - if I am looking at different prayers concerning the same thing .. the same issue, the same enemies returned before David for a rematch.

We know that God deeply loves David, if only for the equal number of Psalm verses that can be found about his victories and of God's unfailing love as there are about woes. But, why does David seem to remain in so much trouble that he has a whole book of songs to write about it? At best, we know those troubles do not deter David, but make him more deeply passionate .. that he could begin to work out something as bold as negotiating with God escaping death itself. 

This, all in love. 

What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it tell of Your faithfulness? 

Psa 30:9

How much joy David must now have, knowing that God answered every single one of his prayers so extremely over-the-top that each soul belonging to God would have eternal life - of course the only reasonable result from God coming to answer in person! We know from Scripture that God had it planned all along. Yet also, in the Psalms it can be seen that plan was poured out specifically on the life and forthgoing generations of the son who cried out for it .. on one after God's own heart. 

II.

Walk along with me now to explore the timeline.

I begin by letting you know, this is not a pep talk. 

In the United States Army, Soldiers are mobilized by receiving individual documentation of orders. Those orders list a time, date, and location for report. Once a Soldier receives these orders, they do not respond by thinking over when to report or if they should. Their enlist commitment determines their next course of action - they prepare their travel, their home, families, all necessary to report for the duty. The scenario does not exist wherein someone can just show up for them - nor that they not show up. Generally, the orders have been drawn up and sent out at the start with understanding enabled through the operation of the organization that the Soldier is fit for duty.

What I approach in this post is something like that. 

Can you imagine the Queen of England or the President of the United States announcing one day that they'd decided to relinquish their position, except they've chosen to maintain their stay in the palace or oval office.. because they find it quite comfortable to their tastes ? On both accounts, anyone hearing about such a thing would think that they were likely being toyed with. Along our timeline, King David is an excellent place to start because he represents the beginning of a rulership that God ultimately hand delivered to His people. At its best, this rulership is for multiplication - a restoration to the mandate given by God in Eden. 

At least, this rulership is for the crushing of an enemy. 'At least'  because God already finished that part for us.

    Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me will aslo do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to The Father.

 John 14:12

In Exodus 5, we see the first interaction between Moses and Pharaoh after God commanded Moses to deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt. Moses and Aaron request that the people be allowed to go three days into the wilderness to meet with God. Pharaoh refuses because it will take them away from their work. This interaction gives a first look into what Israel is actually being freed from. They are being delivered from a master that keeps them from communing with God. God spares nothing to see to it that they make it out of Egypt. 

When Jesus arrives as The Word made flesh, Rome is Israel's worldly master. Seeing Jesus' power, Israel does everything from wanting to force Jesus to be king (John 6:15), to crucifying Him. He came to give them the keys to a kingdom wherein they would live forever ... and with the message that the Kingdom was not of this world.  Jesus also explained that eternal life was to know God. Through the life of Christ, no ruler would be able to ever separate them from God again. This promise is for every single believer who is in Christ. 

And so, as the Apostle Paul confirms, we are now seated in heavenly places with Christ, Jesus (Eph2:6). We are fit for duty. 

This fit-ness includes place of rest.

The resting place of God is just like a beautiful and fruitful tree. A fruitful tree is likely in ideal conditions right where it's planted. The tree does not have to uproot itself to go and get a drink of water or shield itself away from a day too heavy with sunlight. And, one thing is for certain. Ideal conditions mean fruitfulness - ideal portends, is defined for a tree, as lending conditions for bearing fruit.  The two go hand-in-hand. 

The picture of such a tree is a picture of being in God. If there is any place the tree is putting forth effort, it's where none can see, growing its roots deeper - an excellent picture of eternal life. Bringing the picture together then, with what Jesus spoke to His disciples, there is a specific fruitfulness He identified for this day. 

  If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:7-8

Wow. So, you mean to tell me that all I have to do is ask? .. whatever I wish? And!, that THIS will mean fruitfulness as a disciple of Christ? 

Many have looked at this scripture in John, looked up at the world around them, looked back at this scripture and ended up sighing to themselves .. 

The picture of King David's asking is where we can re-visit now. King David asked of God what was on his heart, and his heart was after God's heart. John 15 is the guaranteed blueprint for having this same exact heart -- His Words abiding in us. 

Now. Let us go over and stop in Eden for moment or two. 

I'm convinced that many have not really thought through the whole snake in the garden incident. God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the whole earth. This included over that snake that met Eve in the garden. This was as much, as far as we know from the Scriptures, all that God felt it necessary to make Adam and Eve aware of for the assignment of being fruitful - that they had dominion. Furthermore, the only thing they were given to know about the nature of evil was in relation to a specific tree. 

In sum, everything that Adam and Eve were given to know was for accomplishing their mandate in the garden.  Nothing concerning an enemy of God was included in the plan outlined to them. If things had gone according to the first plan, Adam and Eve would have been warring against Satan without having even known, by being fruitful in the garden. Firstly, warring would have had to take place because Satan was an enemy of God entering into the territory that God had given to man. We do not know why Satan was allowed there, but we know it's a place that he didn't belong. 

Secondly, Satan revealed himself as that enemy by speaking contrary to the word God had given Adam and Eve when he tempted Eve. And, we see that God did not interrupt. He had given Adam and Eve everything they needed to subdue even an unknown enemy. Before the fall, we do not truly know what tending the garden looked like. But, we do know that it was not painful or by the sweat of the brow (Gen 3:17-19). I believe that tending the garden looked just like what God spoke to us in Matt 11:28-29, prophesying here in essence the restoring of what was lost at the fall - Rest for His people. Do we understand what rest He is speaking of?

  Come unto Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Jesus in Matt 11 is setting up a picture of what He describes is eternal life in John 17:3. 

  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent.

 

Matt 11:29 extends the picture of this rest as taking on a labor - a light labor - His yoke. This labor is knowing Him. This is the labor I believe that Adam and Eve would have been engaged in, there being no separation from God and so each labor therein bearing good fruit. I also think that this engaging would have been warring against Satan. The knowledge of God - Love, Goodness, Power - would be filling the earth through Adam and Eve's tending, leaving no room for Satan's arguments. 

Argument is the only means by which Satan could present himself as an enemy against God before the fall. Satan's horrible nature has only had space to manifest where he is given the room to make his argument. And, in what Yeshua accomplished at Calvary, Satan's every possible argument has been defeated for all of eternity. Satan's argument - that 'God is not good', which is a lie. 

Where does the imbalance seem to yet remain in the world around us, made so very evident in 2020, though Satan has been defeated and we have been given power and authority to bring Heaven into the earth? Many may be crying out like King David in this season, waiting for God to come and accomplish what He already has, for His children. The old covenant that God made with His people placed God within reach under conditions. 

King David was simply not satisfied with those limits, and God revealed to Him the New Covenant before its time (Psa 40:6-8). In knowing God's love for him, David understood that God's presence was the prize above everything else. When we pray for justice, for peace, for wisdom and understanding -- this is all a prayer for God's presence. God does not have these things - He IS these things. Knowing God bares the fruit of these things and, likewise, is the ultimate rebuke of Satan and everything that comes from him.

III.

With this picture, I view the concept of Ecclesia alongside the earliest deliberators - Adam and Eve in relationship with God. When God commanded that they be fruitful and multiply, I believe this command can be translated, Learn of Me together, in agreement.  After the fall, the mandate was not removed. Eve still was to bare children, Adam was to till the ground -- all a picture toward bearing fruit. 

Translation -- you still get to learn of Me, but the journey is not going to be all cupcakes and ice cream.

What was the reality of the weight in which they would have to carry? Wrestling with Satan's argument presented to Eve, the lie that God was not good, and all the fruit that lie would bring into the earth, including death. Adam and Eve couldn't argue their way out of it with Satan because they had disobeyed God. The relationship within which they would've had the authority to speak the truth, all the things they would've learned about God in essence being His Goodness, the proof to shut Satan up, was severed. 

    Still gotta bear fruit (I still desire you know of Me), but now you are wrestling My enemy along the way. 

Psa 23 gives a wonderful preview of the garden being restored to God's children.

   You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies... (Psa23:5)

For me it's an exact picture of what God did when He set Adam and Eve in the garden at the beginning. Satan was obviously allowed to be there, and from what we know of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, Satan likely would've kept returning to deter Adam and Eve from the truth they would grow in knowledge of about God Almighty. Unless they would've sinned, all Satan could do other than try and deter them was to watch their beautiful communion with God advance. 

In Isa 61, we are blessed with a prophecy about the labor of being severed from God, the weight of shame and dishonor, eased and being restored with double joy. In Jesus' coming, death and resurrection, we have the restoration King David cried out for.  The revelation David had came to him in a day things could arguably be considered a lot more intense. He had to take down a giant. This was not a cute story told in the Bible. Written record would've made Israel well aware that these creatures, the Nephilim were those birthed through interaction between fallen angels and humans. 

Yet, the written record also included God's continuous plans for Israel to walk in His Goodness right in the face of the enemy. God didn't say, 'I will give you this neighboring country that's just as beautiful, and if those giants come and bother you I will protect you.' No. God said, this land that the giants are standing in is YOUR land, Israel. And, I give YOU to take it. 

In so many ways, it seems we've arrived back to the beginning. That is, Satan is up to his OLD tricks and we are walking around as though they are new ones. Not only this, the Ecclesia seems to be standing around tilling the ground like Adam.. instead of taking it over.

King David cried what was on his heart. God has placed something on yours to take hold of when you are resting in, that is learning of Him. As He did for Adam and Eve, The LORD gave to us each other to operate with Him in agreement in order to bring His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. In obedience to the word that God had given him, Joshua saw fit to command the sun to stand still at Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon (Josh 10:12). And it was so. 

Jesus in John 15 spelled it out for us and made it as simple as could be; Abiding in Me, ask whatever you wish and it will be done. In His Word, we are fully fit to bear fruit as the Ecclesia of God in the earth. His Word to the disciples was not merely a dreamy going-away speech. Jesus, God in person, was arming them mightily! So, Ecclesia, let us see where this goes -- by looking on to His Word without relent.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22 - 23

  

If you have already been at work in it, thank you. You are greatly loved and appreciated . If you are just waking up, you are greatly loved and appreciated; thank you for all of the ways you are getting up and moving. 

I preach this mandate reminder to myself too, and pray that God Almighty cover you with favor as like a shield.  Amen 

 His divine power has granted to us 

all things that pertain to life and 

godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us to His own glory and excellence

2 Pet 1:3

Reference 

Psalms 

Galatians 5

Joshua 10  |ESV Bible

Gospel of John

John 14 |ESV Bible

John 15  |ESV Bible

John 18  |ESV Bible

John 19  |ESV Bible

#2020&Beyond

Check out this message from Steven at Elevation Church -- a great sum up for 2020 & Beyond, great for setting your VISION right through the New Year. 

          

LISTEN:    What It Means Is Up To Me

God Bless you! 

  Isie 

Reference 

Gal 5 

Galatians 5 | ESV.org

Phil 1 

Philippians 1 | ESV.org

Gen 50

Genesis 50 | ESV.org

Culture

Times are a'changin'.... 

I know -- that's something you probably heard an elder say when you were growing up. 

But, no matter how old you are today, it's a statement to look into ... one made by someone paying attention ...

Recently, after the same aim in which I started this blog, I went out hunting for evidence that someone is having the conversations that matter. Someone might call it observing the culture -- which must be done specifically and intentionally in an age where so many have space to make their opinion known .. and also weighed. 

It used to be that such broad access to culture, to influence the massive waves of people belonging to the various groups, happened around more specific causes -- music/art, good leadership/the topic of governance, religion/beliefs. There was a space when more of those who had a hand in making those large waves had paid a price, formed the character, were masters of their craft, lived and breathed the same thing they were dishing out. And, this tends to happen around things that matter, what our next generations will be able to walk and grow and build in.

Today, all you have to do to be (instantly) seen by millions of people is post a thought on a social media page. And, whether we like it or not (for those paying attention), although the value of such instant contribution may likewise not be the same as back in the day, it is yet helping to build the ebb and flow of what is making up today's culture. My question, is anyone talking about what matters?, the things that carve out what the next generation will be looking at? For, 

times are a'changin'.

An aspect of this dynamic I notice additionally, people WAIT to have these unsuspectingly weighty (instant feed) conversations with those millions of people they can't see. Having the weighty topics that progress the ebb and flow of culture as regular conversational pieces in our everyday lives with the people around us (at work, school, the grocery store, the park) are things we tend to not get too messy with until behind a screen and keyboard -- because that's the community, right? Within this dynamic, people groups are 'out there' somewhere. And, this is what I recently went a'looking into.

The truth is, there is an ebb and flow making up the culture, and it's formed by the conversations being had. 

They're just not in the same format that they used to be. On a scale like never before, the unseen mass influencing what your outside experience is - the experience outside of your own immediate world and comfort zone - may not necessarily be those who have any time invested in what they're talking about, or good reference even. What they do have is that they're getting together and agreeing. This is what forms culture. 

It is necessary to understand what people are agreeing about these days, to actually understand the culture we look up and find ourselves in as things rapidly change around us. 

News flash -- if you haven't figured it out in reading this post (or my blog) already -- I believe you cannot watch the news to find out what is going on around you. My strong opinion contribution. And, this is exactly why I started this blog. When doing so, having a degree of nerve to walk up to total strangers and ask them to share, I was convinced that there was a place to get the real news and that the way I'd dreamed of, making real connections with those around me, was that way. 

It was a task to get up and go on this recent hunt, to have to accept that mere opinion is helping to form the world I live in on an unprecedented scale in no less than 2020... and decide to go to where that opinion is being shared. 

But, I went ahead, praying God willing, I would come away with discovery that allowed some hope some of those discussions, which mark the commencement of a brand new era, are not mere instant opinion ... that groups somewhere are agreeing in some sense of what a future looks like outside of a trending feed, based more in real life experience and where life is actually occurring - and likewise valued...

I found great little nooks in my venture. 

As a Christian, one of those finds I appreciate greatly, led me to give a listen to a November podcast message from the lead pastor at Jesus Culture Church in California. The message was titled  A Counter Culture People. It's episode #330 and can be found on the church site at jesusculture.com.

I really appreciated the message, given by Pastor Banning Liebscher 

(leeb shur), because it helped bring the vision with which I started this blog into a new degree of focus. My vision - based on observing the best of humanity being revealed under pressure this year - to bring to light the everyday life narratives that are sprouting up to reveal this truth. Banning's message was rooted in Galatians 5, the well known place in Christendom for learning about the fruits of the Spirit. 

A Christian believes that those things I've been trying to describe via this blog aim, to tell an honorable story of humanity, are qualities deeply, solely rooted in the One Who created us, after His own image. 

In essence, as Galatians describes, God has the monopoly on everything that is GOOD. And, Galatians 5 has the list of what the treasure is. Banning went on to ask of his listeners the question -- how can we be sure we're manifesting the fruits of the Spirit? ... Answering, 'It requires that you pay attention'.

Boom. 

Listen to his full explanation here. 

One of the things that drew me to tell the story on this blog is complete fascination with how I could observe people in such a tense time as this being patient, kind, encouraging -- it not occurring in an observed environment, somewhere like at church on a Sunday, or while someone's boss is watching them .. but instead seriously as the evidence of what is rooted in a person. I speak of one of these encounters in my Patience post. 

Met with all the messiness of a year unlike any other, in all it's expected potential and legacy, 2020, I believed it was extremely important to likewise take a look at and tell the story of what is good about this space in time. 

Being a Christian and herein able to believe that the Galatian strengths I've seen around me this year are rooted in God Almighty gives me great hope for the future. And, moreover, having been able to observe these strengths in hidden nooks and corners from unsuspecting gems - people - gives me the vision that God can show up absolutely where ever He wants to. And does. 

GOOD News Flash -- it does take God to pay attention in this day and age. If you have found this space and do not yet know Christ, invite Him into your heart today. 

Jesus said to him, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. John 20:29 

Praying you have a wonderful holiday season, paying attention! 

Love, Isie 

Check out the next post for a further journey in Gal 5 and the Fruits of the Spirit . 

        #2020&Beyond 

References 

Gospel of John

John 1 | ESV.org

Galatians

Galatians 5 | ESV.org

A Counter Culture People

https://jesusculture.com/podcasts/show-episodes/a-counter-culture-people/

Additional 

The Heart Of A Shepherd

https://jesusculture.com/podcasts/show-episodes/the-heart-of-a-shepherd/

Patience

Patience is one of those virtues that has been more of a theoretical reality in my life, save for experiences growing as a Christian.

'Christian' may be interpreted these days as a relative term... On the surface, its a term that may be used to describe a school of beliefs to some, a group of mere practices to others, or some acceptable combination of these two to yet others. A notable condition to describe about the state of Christianity ... to be able to identify a clean separation between the labeled religion and the experience of knowing God. The two do not absolutely go together 2000 years after the coming, death, and resurrection of Christ. 

Knowing God (as the Christian I am) means experiencing Him as God -- as all knowing and just as He described Himself to us, incarnate in Jesus. Jesus described God as a Father.  He cares like a Father, He is The Father to His children. When I say I am a Christian, it is the description of a life of this experience, one personally learning of Him Who is the One true God , by experiencing it.

In my growing walk as a believer in Christ, I've come to know that He is always ready and able to reach us... And, reaching ... is for teaching. 

In the Bible, Jesus taught with parables.

When I read Gospel parables, I understand them as relevant in multi-dimensional ways. 

Jesus selectively formed His teachings with semantically relevant language, to speak directly to the hearts of those in the time and place before Him ... In the richness that storytelling provides, the meanings yet grab hold of us and blossom in their meanings thousands of years later. 

Recently, He's been reaching me about Patience. 

I describe the things about my experience as a believer in Christ to draw out the fact that the recent reaching is simply that experience of experiencing God as a Father.  He knows how to reach one in the most minutely detailed places ... that you're sure no one sees but you. It's a sure testament to the fact that you're seen and cared for in a world packed full with billions of people. 

This page space is indeed for detailing the stories that matter in no less than 2020, just as I shared in my intro post. As detailed in the intro, I believe these stories include the moments where the best of humanity has shined through during this historical year, shined in all the ways that times of crisis present special opportunity to show character and virtue. 

These moments all around me are like little parables being told in my own life.

 

I describe Patience as notably theoretical in my experience, save for the parable moments. I have heard about patience, I know what it looks like ... But, what of identifying the opportunities to Be it?  All around, 'high-speed' seems to be synonymous with the ideal of victorious advance. Futuristic visionaries saw a year like 2020 as advanced by defining an idealistic swifter culture -- like having instantaneous travel and an array of technologies that would make life most 'efficient'. Where does the time and place for Patience hold fast to witness her virtue? 

Well, much of 2020 has been an excellent exercise in Patience .. and for identifying all those who have this virtue stored up in their treasure chests. They have been my teachers ... Explaining my walk as a Christian is deeply appropriate here because it shines a light on the fact that God can speak to you, reach you personally however He feels. I look at all the Patience being practiced in those nooks and crannies this year and 

God has been saying to me, 'Look here... this is how.' 

And, this is God as a Father -- you're never past learn something He has to teach you.

 

So, two of those parable moments were packed within just this week. It's Monday guys  : ) ... 

I notice a whole lot when I'm driving on the road. Maybe because I draw some delight for looking out for those parable moments. There's hardly anything like what you can notice while driving. People are in their own little worlds and their character values become evident in split-second decisions. It's interesting just how many techniques I've seen for changing lanes ... Turn blinker on, get over when it's clear ... Turn blinker on and change lanes simultaneously .. 

Ok, so I know to look out for parable moments when I'm on the road because I like to stay close to God when I'm driving. He helps me to interpret what I'm actually driving through. 

That being said, something really, really simple reached deep on Patience while I was driving this week. While driving along an east and west flowing road, I slowed and stationed at a red light at the front of one lane while cars in the neighboring lanes did the same. To my left was a left turning lane in front of a light which allows the turning lane only to proceed onto a south/north road with a green arrow before the east and west receive their green light again. If you've ever seen one of these kinds of turning lanes, they're likely in place because they're needed to be able to turn from one busy main road onto another and doing so on the turning light is the best opportunity to do so safely. 

Likewise, if you're in one of these busy turning lanes, you're likely going to be waiting minutes for the next turning light to turn if you don't make it through when the turning light is green. As the turning light in the lane to the left of me changed to green, I remained stationary at the red light for my lane and wondered why the person to the left of me had not taken the green light in front of them. Being at the front of the lane, I could see there was no reason except that they were likely daydreaming or distracted -- the road was clear and they were at the front of the lane. 

Given the reasonable time to gather that they were likely daydreaming through the green light, I suspected that the vehicles behind that daydreamer may have had time to observe the same as I did.

There was an additional set of seconds where I also gathered that the driver may miss the green light all together, for themselves and everyone in the turning lane waiting behind them. Then I waited for someone to honk their horn ... and not one person did.

Like I stated before, it seems really, really simple. But, I was amazed.

It was not a coincidence that I was in that lane and had a front row seat for a lesson on Patience. 

And, I savor the wonder of it. I savor the reality that met me in those few little minutes. Patience is alive and well, and I discovered her on a busy road on a bright sunny day in Iowa.

Only a day later, I was on the phone on hold with the benefits office for my area to check on an update. When I called in, I was nicely informed by the automated system that there were 170 people waiting in the que. I waited, and not very long. A man connected with the call to assist me, answering my questions about the update I'd called in to ask about. I knew he was probably answering the same question for me as he may innumerable times that day for others. Yet, with a treasure of effort he reached out with what I heard in his voice was sincere effort at communicating what he felt was the best advice of the call. Not routinely, he spoke to me, 'The best thing to do is to be patient.'

He said it more than once, each time as though letting me in on a secret treasure. And, I took it to heart, especially after the call. A man with perhaps many reasons to reflect the same impatience as may have been coming at him from those calling in to the benefits office yet took the time to reassure me with the best he had. God helped me to discern it, and I consider it a treasure from Him. I write these things with a central story to share on this blog space... And, that is to communicate what I've been discerning through this season. Virtue can never be taken for granted. It comes from somewhere Divine, it is a Strength. 

This season, Patience is the treasure being placed into my hands like a beautiful precious stone. It rests in small, unsuspecting gestures without a search of reward. It makes the world around me beautiful, like a rose bush growing in a bed of rocks.

God bless the Patient. 

Reference

Gospel of John, Holy Bible

John 10 | ESV.org

Back to the Future

I remember when Vision for what the future would look like was playfully helped along 

to the tune of movies like Back To The Future and The Adventures of Bill and Ted.

The furthest time-forward travel the writers dreamt up for McFly and Doc's travels in the DeLorean was 2015, the year the two traveled to when Back to the Future II was released in 1989 (just 30 years ago). Those movies are among the classics because what the future looks like will always be a grand invitation ... if we allow it to be.

We as the human race have now made it well past the futuristic year that was highlighted, before its time, in the dreamatic scenes of Back to the Future II ... As we live ahead of that fictional picture of the future to shape the one that will actually make it to the books, one momentous idea from one of my favorite authors lays it out best for defining Vision -

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are." - C.S. Lewis, Writer

I love this quote. It's so packed with food for thought, being in itself invitation.

One invite I "see" in Lewis' idea ... is to take a look at where you have been for gaging where you are going.

It's something a good historian or a wise elder may say to you, and it's excellent advice.

The year 2020, for many, seemed to have especially called for such a gesture, well before Jan 1st arrived this year. The number arrangement itself calls for a grand look into what's ahead, used in the medical field and widely known for being the description of perfect vision. Having 20/20 vision denotes having sharpness of vision from a specific distance . Essentially, your clarity rating is established based on your identified distance to what is being viewed.

Without a doubt, the idea of the year 2020 effortlessly ushered in the sentiment for taking a good, anticipatory look at what awaited in the distance. Leaning on the medical definition of vision, I consider that one may be able to yet still look out into the future, to even see what they dared to see out in the distance on Jan 1st. Yet, what is then evidently left to consider also is how can one accurately establish their clarity without first identifying their distance to the target?

The year has definitely called for us to adjust our ideas of distance ... literally and figuratively.

With the sentiments of C.S. Lewis close to mind, I identify great opportunity to shape our ideals about the future in ways that the mainstream may have at times tried to succeed in beating us to, 

as it produced coverage on the crisis that we met us this year, unfolding in its various stages.

Mainstream narrators stuck to what they know best ... for business. President Donald Trump on many occasions called the crisis as one against an 'invisible enemy'.

In a war with physical borders and weapons, I question if it would be as popularly unquestioned for mainstream to cover the death toll of the friendly side on a daily basis along with the range of other hope-challenging facts, most of which could be labeled with the blanket title, 'virus gets close up with 3D, red carpet treatment.'

While part of dealing with the crisis this year arguably involved proportionate efforts of weighing the relevant facts with the picture being delivered at large, what shined forth in this effort was the humanity right in my 'backyard' ... things that matter to the thriving of life and well being around me, in retrospect to most of my attempts at dishing up a sane report in the channels that task themselves with telling the story that matters.  I was able to fine tune things like smiles and patience displayed in complete strangers I found myself more closely observing at the grocery store or park, in the immediate spaces around me.

There has been a class of media to rise up since the crisis began that has at least attempted to take decent responsibility for their influence on the culture, with titles like, 'Here's How to Manage Your Anxiety After Quarantine', and 'Fun Things To Do This Summer While Social Distancing'. Yet, if we want to get back to the 2020 picture of vision, these are not topics that elicit distance clarity - unless you've decided to shape your distant future around the existence of the crisis we've been navigating this year.

Even more relevant to the point, these titles do not denote the things that safe gaurd the true win that I stronghold as the narrative for my distant vision, the stories of humanity all around me this year, 2020...  ones I will share on this blog.

It is my prayer that as you read you will get juice for your 2020 vision, clear vision on what's ahead, and that this style of narrative will find a bright stronghold amongst the ways we decide to accept the story of humanity being told - and valued - around us ... for a beautiful stepping out into the future.

Love,

Isie

Reference

Back to the Future Part II

https://www.backtothefuture.com/movies/backtothefuture2