Ordinary Time meditations

Coinherence & the Trinity

Ordinary Time - Pilgrim Year Series (PYS) Ordinary Time, ch 2. John 17.20-23

Coinherence is a teaching often attributed to Charles Williams to describe his relationship with C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. 

Steve Bell illustrates coinherence with a story of a time playing guitar alongside his go-to piano player on a night when "the sound was perfect, the audience was electrified, and the orchestra was intensely engaged. It was the kind of night that musicians live for. At the end of the evening, Mike took an extended piano solo. Although I was accustomed to his stellar performances, this night was elevated far beyond my expectations. He was dialed-in and playing as I’d never heard before.

“As his fingers flew over the keys, Mike’s eyes locked onto mine while I was concentrating as hard as I could to make sure everything I played on my guitar enhanced and fueled his own playing. Together we entered into an unrehearsed yet consuming musical dialogue until I realized that as intently as I was investing in Mike, he was doing the exact thing in return. No one was leading. The best words I can think of to describe what was happening was that we were each pouring into the other, mindless of the self. Suddenly, the whole scene froze in time and space. There seemed to be no movement, no sound, except a voice welling up inside me, saying, ‘Pay attention. This is who I (meaning God) am.’“

That night, You, meaning God, gave two musicians an instance of the joy of “everyday” life inside the Trinity. Theologians call this coinherence—the “pouring into the other, mindless of self.” It is the basis on which we can rightly say God IS Love. My friend George points out that it also indicates that we are spiritual beings. Thanks for these glimpses of your inner life.

My friend George tells me about experiencing coinherence through singing in a choir with his wife in her last year. I’ve experienced instances of coinherence during worship, in family times, while working collaboratively with colleagues, and even in some neighborhood fellowships.

In marriage, we experience moments of coinherence in private romance, reading scripture and praying together, and reminiscing about the life you are giving us. Through these instances, you lift marriage above the contractual to the sacramental.

Such times, often facilitated by meditation based on scripture, art, music, and noticing an aspect of Your creation, grow our capacity to experience moments of coinherence with You in this life.

Thank you for these glimpses of your inner joy, which help prepare me for an eternity of coinherence with you. Please help Robin and me know how to share this with others.

Ministering to troubled people

Ordinary Time - Luke 8.26-39

After reading Luke’s telling of your (Jesus) ministry to the demon-possessed man, I meditated on how it might inform my ministry to troubled people such as I meet on the street.

I notice that you didn’t approach the man; he recognized and approached you. His appearance and shrieking indicated that evil spirits possessed him. So you commanded the demons to leave. Apparently, through the man’s voice, they pleaded for mercy, and you asked, “What is your name?” Some combination of the man and the demons answered, “Legion.”

Similarly, I sometimes notice a person on the street who is disconcerted by life events or mental illness. Unless he/she spews spiritual nonsense and uses your name, it seldom occurs to me that evil spirits may be involved. If he/she is lingering near a fast-food restaurant, I sometimes approach, look the person in the eye, and say something like, “My name is Tim, what's yours? Are you hungry?” If he/she says "yes," I offer them food. If possible, I may join them at a table.

If the troubled person is on a street corner or bench with a shopping cart full of belongings, I start a similar conversation before giving them one of the homeless bag some of us carry in our cars.

And from the scripture, I notice that you eliminated the demons from the man’s life. You spoke them away. I don’t have such power, but this story and others make it clear that you do. So I can imitate your actions by creating an opportunity to pray along the lines of, “Lord Jesus, please push the troubles out of <name>’s life and fill <name> with your presence.” If it’s not possible to pray in his/her presence, I can do so after we separate. (I have learned not to close my eyes, though - that can be dangerous)

So, Lord Jesus, please keep me alert to such opportunities and use these insights with the troubled people you bring into my life.

Climate change, an apocalyptic threat?

Ordinary Time - Genesis 1.26-31, Genesis 2.15, Psalm 8.3-9, 1 Peter 4.7-11

I wrote a meditation on this topic in July 2019 but then turned it into an article for my website. You can read it here: Climate Change - apocalyptic?

Dwell on these things

Ordinary Time - Philippians 4.8-9

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I memorized this scripture in this New American Standard Version decades ago, so I’ll cling to that version in this meditation. I have long used this acronym as a memory aid: THRPLGR. Though there are no vowels, it is pronounceable. While meditating on THRPLGR, I decided to do what the passage suggests: dwell - meditate - on each item long enough for you (the Spirit of Jesus) to add texture.

• True. I am convinced of the truth of your incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection and accept these as the core truth-claim of Christian faith.

• Honorable. I know of nothing more honorable than your voluntary endurance of the cross to offer redemption to anyone who will receive it. Romans 5.6-11.

• Right. Similar to steadfast. Despite knowing the crucifixion was just up the road in Jerusalem, you were “determined to go to Jerusalem.”

• Pure or holy. Both Matthew and Luke describe your purity, despite the wilderness temptations: 1) To do good and practical things at Satan’s bidding, 2) To wrap yourself in fame and influence in the world, and 3) To dazzle onlookers.

• Lovely. I’ve recently been intrigued by the three transcendentals: truth, goodness, beauty/elegance. Item 1 on the Philippian list is a direct hit on truth. Items 2, 3, 4, and 6 point to your goodness. And lovely is another word for your beauty and elegance.

• Good repute. Because of your reputation, a parade of people came to you for healing, advice, and teaching. Here are a few examples: sick people, more sick people, people occupied by demons, the rich young ruler, Nicodemus, and crowds that come to listen to Jesus.

Thanks for embedding these two verses in my head for decades. And thank you for all the times when I was beginning to drift that your Spirit pointed me back to THROPGR, reminding me to put you back at my center.

Internal & instrumental motives

Ordinary Time - Luke 10.25-37

I recently talked with a few people about internal and instrumental motivations, especially as these pertain to their careers. The concept comes from a New York Times article:

THERE are two kinds of motives for engaging in any activity: internal and instrumental. If a scientist conducts research because she wants to discover important facts about the world, that’s an internal motive, since discovering facts is inherently related to the activity of research. If she conducts research because she wants to achieve scholarly renown, that’s an instrumental motive, since the relation between fame and research is not so inherent. Often, people have both internal and instrumental motives for doing what they do.

Last week, I re-read this Luke 10 passage where an expert in religious law asked you (Jesus), “What should I do to inherit eternal life?“ The inquirer sought a To-Do list of instrumental motives that would lead to eternal life. So you pointed him to the Law, which he summarized in just two extraordinarily concise sentences:

• Love the Lord your God with all of who you are - your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

• And love your neighbor as you love yourself.

These distill the entire Law down to the single internal motivation of loving in two dimensions - loving God and others. It’s not clear if his answer flowed naturally from the internal motivation of the love that was within his heart or the instrumental motive of securing Jesus’ approval.

Then he asked this follow-up, “Who, exactly, qualifies as a neighbor I’m supposed to love as I love myself?” To this, you responded with the Good Samaritan story, expanding his understanding to love whoever he finds needing love along his path.

Thanks for patiently building internal motivations into my life. They have led to a life of freedom that is only available in you. Even so, I sometimes miss a distressed person who needs some love. This year, please help me recognize them and react at the moment, like the Good Samaritan.

Descendants galore

Ordinary Time - Genesis 12.1-2, 15.1-6; Hebrews 11.8-16; Galatians 3.6-7, 26-29

Thank you (God) for using these scriptures to stretch my thinking - again!

The Genesis passages contain your first offer and promise to Abraham. “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to a land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and bless. Look up into the sky and count the stars. That’s how many descendants you will have.” Because he put his confidence in you, you counted Abraham as righteous. From the start, your promise was about more than who a person's ancestors were; it was about faith in you.

Hebrews reminds me of how Abraham and Sarah accepted the invitation to live in your promise, though they would die centuries before seeing the promise fulfilled.

In Galatians, Paul reminds readers that you counted Abraham as righteous because he trusted you enough to follow you into the unknown. Furthermore, Paul wrote that even we can become “children of Abraham” by putting our trust as fully in the Lord Jesus as Abraham put his trust in you. And the promises and benefits you gave to Abraham extend to us: a place in your eternal household, surrounded by our spiritual ancestors and our spiritual descendants. In the meantime, you promised an even more robust direction and presence through your Spirit.

I understand that you want me to spawn spiritual descendants.

• By sharing your story with others.

• By nurturing many as they grow in the Lord Jesus.

• By extending love and grace to everyone within reach.

Thank you for the life you created for us.

Especially, thank you for how these concepts result in innumerable spiritual descendants for people without natural children, as well as for parents whose biological children chose other paths. It is common in churches for such people to share your story with those seeking a new life. Often the “childless” is among the most faithful nurturers of all kinds of people.

Now I see that long ago in your covenant with Abraham, you included this strategy to surround "childless" people with spiritual descendants. And, now I see how it applies to biblical characters like the prophet Daniel, the Apostle, and even Jesus. How elegant and beautiful a strategy! Yet, again, I am so impressed with you and your ways. And I’m grateful for how your ways provide for our future together in your eternal household.

A marriage in need of a savior

Ordinary Time - Colossians 1.1-14

This week, the lectionary pointed me to the first chapter of Colossians. It records Saint Paul’s prayer for a church that emerged from his ministry but which he had never visited. Paul addresses them as holy people and faithful brothers and sisters in you (Jesus). I read and reflected on Paul’s prayer multiple times over five days. I can tell that he cared deeply for these people, which prompted him to ask for your blessing in a long list of ways that would encourage and enlighten them

During these same five days, a young couple with a 1-year-old daughter reached out to me for help in her marriage. I listened for a long time and offered some practical counsel, but I don’t think I helped much. They need a savior, and I’m not up to it. I should have pointed them to you much more directly than I did. Please forgive me, prepare their hearts for the Good News, and give me another opportunity.

Yesterday, you connected Paul's prayer for the Colossians and this couple's crumbling marriage.

There is a difference between the Colossian church and the couple. The Colossians already lived in a saving relationship with you; the couple does not. But they know they are failing and on the verge of giving up. And they’re humbly asking for help. I am confident that once they give their sin and brokenness to you and invite you into the center of their little family, you will do what you always do: transform their fading love into something beautiful.

In the meantime, I will adapt Paul’s prayer for the Colossians to my prayer for this couple. Here goes:

Please, Lord Jesus, prepare this couple to receive your Good News. Lead them to a believing community of God’s holy people who will nurture their little family. Give them a confident hope of the inheritance reserved for them in heaven. Guide them through your Spirit into a life of spiritual wisdom leading to fruitfulness. Strengthen them with endurance and patience. Fill their marriage with joy and thanksgiving. Transition them fully into your Kingdom of freedom and forgiveness. – Amen.

The power of testimony

Ordinary Time - Deuteronomy 11.1-21

I meditated on this passage all week as part of the preparation to teach the MeetUp this morning. On the way to church, I stopped by a coffee shop, reread the scripture, and you (God) showed me something fresh. Here it is:

When Moses wrote this passage, the Israelites who were 20 or more years old at the time of the Exodus had died - except for Joshua and Caleb. Moses begins saying, “You must love the Lord your God and always obey his requirements… Keep in mind that I am not talking to your children…”

The first thing I noticed was that Moses was mainly addressing the older people who were children and youth when you freed their families from Egyptian slavery 40 years before.

And Moses told them that you require two things: their love and their obedience.

Finally, I notice that you realized that the younger listeners had not personally experienced the Exodus. They were not yet born when you used ten plagues to pry their parents out of Egypt's grip. They were not alive when you sent their parents to their Egyptian neighbors to request gold and silver. So they never saw the reparations miracle, which was part of your ancestors’ sustenance in the wilderness. Many of them were not old enough to appreciate how you fed, protected, and prepared them for nationhood during those 40 years in the desert.

So, the younger part of the crowd lacked the experiences that would provide the basis for loving you. From living as children under your discipline of their parents, they must have had some sense of the importance of obeying you. But they didn’t have the foundation for the profoundly loving relationship you had in mind.

The remainder of this passage instructs the older ones, those who experienced life with you, to witness to those experiences. In other words, the testimony of the older people to the younger people was to become the catalyst and basis for their children’s love for you. Eventually, they’ll have enough of their own experiences to replace the stories of their ancestors.

I see that strategy continuing today in your Kingdom. We older Christians must testify about our experiences of your love and care as a way of helping younger Christians begin the journey to love for themselves. It’s another one of those instances of the Third Transcendental: the beauty and elegance of your ways. Please help me create more opportunities for spiritual conversations with my biological descendants, as well as with my spiritual descendants.

God & data analytics

Ordinary Time - Psalm 14.2, 121.8, Proverbs 15.3, Hebrews 4.12; 1 Samuel 16.7, Jeremiah 17.10

I am fascinated by the application of data analytics to professional basketball over the past few years. One example is tracking the real-time position of every player on the floor and the ball for a whole game.

Here’s top map of the path of a player (guard) for an entire NBA game (25 samples/second!). The bottom map is the path of the ball.