"The burning blessing when the answer’s no; the stinging balm of silence when I pray. I see that it’s to journey that we go. I see it’s only faith if you don’t know." --grahame davies
A Welsh poet! He's a brilliant writer with wonderful generosity of spirit.
The bewilderment of doubt is akin to a journey in a desert, which is one of the recurring motifs of scripture. Yet it is interesting in the Hebrew narratives that it was during this time of wandering in the desert that God and his people were actually in the greatest intimacy and proximity. It was when the "promised land" was conquered and a temple built that the dreams of utopia quickly crumbled. But during those cold nights in the desert children could stand at the opening of the family tent and glimpse a tower of flame and know that he was there.
Thanks so much for all your comments and for your fascinating depictions of the heroic life of teaching!
to be honest, i am shocked you stop by at all. actually, i'm still on the floor over the fact that you linked me on your blog.
i mean, i respect you because your thoughts, your writing is such that it commands respect.
but me, well, not so much. i'm not your kind.
seriously, if you take a look at all the other people on your list, they're very upstanding and christian . . . whereas i really stick out.
anyhow, i wanted to tell you that i'm thinking of joining a local bible study group . . . and i have you to thank/blame.
:)
there's a church locally that seems to do a lot of solid work in the community and they were advertising a bible study in their sunday bulletin . . .
i feel i'm being "called", david. does that make sense?
and it's not even so much about believing or not believing that god is or isn't "here" . . .
it's like i just want to learn what the bible says . . . like a course on ethics, you know? a how-to on how to be a good person. (i'd say "great", but then i'd be lying. i'm likely too far gone for that.)
i may be a lost case, david, as far as faith is concerned. i have a little hope left, but not enough to make me a true believer, i don't think.
at any rate, i appreciate all of your insight. much, much obliged.
2 comments:
A Welsh poet! He's a brilliant writer with wonderful generosity of spirit.
The bewilderment of doubt is akin to a journey in a desert, which is one of the recurring motifs of scripture. Yet it is interesting in the Hebrew narratives that it was during this time of wandering in the desert that God and his people were actually in the greatest intimacy and proximity. It was when the "promised land" was conquered and a temple built that the dreams of utopia quickly crumbled. But during those cold nights in the desert children could stand at the opening of the family tent and glimpse a tower of flame and know that he was there.
Thanks so much for all your comments and for your fascinating depictions of the heroic life of teaching!
thanks so much for your kind words.
to be honest, i am shocked you stop by at all. actually, i'm still on the floor over the fact that you linked me on your blog.
i mean, i respect you because your thoughts, your writing is such that it commands respect.
but me, well, not so much. i'm not your kind.
seriously, if you take a look at all the other people on your list, they're very upstanding and christian . . . whereas i really stick out.
anyhow, i wanted to tell you that i'm thinking of joining a local bible study group . . . and i have you to thank/blame.
:)
there's a church locally that seems to do a lot of solid work in the community and they were advertising a bible study in their sunday bulletin . . .
i feel i'm being "called", david. does that make sense?
and it's not even so much about believing or not believing that god is or isn't "here" . . .
it's like i just want to learn what the bible says . . . like a course on ethics, you know? a how-to on how to be a good person. (i'd say "great", but then i'd be lying. i'm likely too far gone for that.)
i may be a lost case, david, as far as faith is concerned. i have a little hope left, but not enough to make me a true believer, i don't think.
at any rate, i appreciate all of your insight. much, much obliged.
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