First Blog--Connecting

Hey Folks, this is a first attempt a blog. Hopefully this will give people a chance to reflect a bit, think a bit, feel a bit, and certainly pray a bit. I also hope this will give folks a way to dream a bit, dream that kind of dream that is out of our control and totally in God's control.



That's probably a good place to start...out of our control.....



Lately I've noticed how hard it is for us to surrender. I think that maybe the reason I haven't picked "I Surrender All" for a Sunday hymn in so long is because I almost feel hypocritical singing it. The fact is that we fight for our own autonomy with far more energy than we exert in prayer, devotion, or solitude--tools of surrender to God. It also shows up in our inability to trust the community, you know, the other folks who are striving like mad to follow Jesus. We have a hard time letting go of the illusions that comfort us (doctrine, busy-ness, work, success, security, attractiveness, _____________, or, my recent pet illusion, youth), so that keeps us from fully knowing God, or from allowing God to have much of a voice in our lives. I'm not sure most of us really want to surrender the idea that we have some control over our own destiny. That's why we have such a hard time forming deep relationships with each other.  The surrender of ourselves to God or to one another in any kind of deep commitment runs the risk of hanging in even when it isn't immediately obvious what's in it for us.  I ultimately have a hard time surrendering to my brothers and sisters because I'm not sure I can trust you as much as I trust myself--the same problem I have in trusting that God deserves my surrender.



I'd love to know what you all think.



Peace and wholeness,

Jonathan