Comments on: The Illusive Meaning of Suffering http://belovedschurch.org/2009/06/28/the-illusive-meaning-of-suffering/ Called out of our isolation and into community, fumbling into God's grace, daring to listen deeply to the Spirit and each other, and freed by Christ to work, rest, dream, and play in God's kingdom, mysteriously engaging with the Trinity in healing the world. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:49:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: jinalamalaika http://belovedschurch.org/2009/06/28/the-illusive-meaning-of-suffering/comment-page-1/#comment-273 jinalamalaika Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:05:23 +0000 http://belovedschurch.org/?p=774#comment-273 God is Love/ right! then believe it, God wants us to be happy right here on earth! Not in other life. So what are we? note- that I am not talking about myself. I am talking about "us" collectively, what are doing wrong?. 1. we must love one another as we would want to be loved. in the true expression of that love- God will be pleased and bless us! Note how we have deviated from that line. Everyone to themselves. Corporations are richer than the people. The governments and faiths have lost the moral authority to guide the people. But God has given us the will power, the brains and resources to make ourselves(not myself) happy right here on earth. In doing so God will be there. God Bless you All!! God is Love/ right! then believe it, God wants us to be happy right here on earth! Not in other life. So what are we? note- that I am not talking about myself. I am talking about “us” collectively, what are doing wrong?. 1. we must love one another as we would want to be loved. in the true expression of that love- God will be pleased and bless us! Note how we have deviated from that line. Everyone to themselves. Corporations are richer than the people. The governments and faiths have lost the moral authority to guide the people. But God has given us the will power, the brains and resources to make ourselves(not myself) happy right here on earth. In doing so God will be there. God Bless you All!!

]]> By: jinalamalaika http://belovedschurch.org/2009/06/28/the-illusive-meaning-of-suffering/comment-page-1/#comment-274 jinalamalaika Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:55:03 +0000 http://belovedschurch.org/?p=774#comment-274 I have been told, that Bible has these words or close... love your neighbor as you would want to be loved?. If we truly did that, all human beings on this earth! many of our sufferings would just melt. and God's LOVE AND Glory would manifest itself upon us. LOVING ONE ANOTHER with all our hearts will please God - our Father. The World, the Earth has plenty- more than enough resources to satisfy our little needs. It is the greed and selfishness (evil, satan) that is on the way to discovering God! Amen. I have been told, that Bible has these words or close… love your neighbor as you would want to be loved?. If we truly did that, all human beings on this earth! many of our sufferings would just melt. and God's LOVE AND Glory would manifest itself upon us. LOVING ONE ANOTHER with all our hearts will please God – our Father. The World, the Earth has plenty- more than enough resources to satisfy our little needs. It is the greed and selfishness (evil, satan) that is on the way to discovering God! Amen.

]]> By: MelanieLGillespie http://belovedschurch.org/2009/06/28/the-illusive-meaning-of-suffering/comment-page-1/#comment-123 MelanieLGillespie Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:37:15 +0000 http://belovedschurch.org/?p=774#comment-123 My heart is always imperfect<br>Filled with swells and falls<br>Up in my throat and down in my stomach<br><br>Amazing Grace saves a retch like me?<br>Before or after I splatter the bathroom floor?<br><br>Ah I can only imagine this hope <br> with tears streaming down my cheeks<br> Yet the truth I know of the whole light <br>shining through me and <br>connecting to all beings near and far, <br> we are here,<br>Fumbling across this tiny marble, <br> little glow snippets <br> like fireflies in our one purposed intensity.<br><br>I am primal, near feral, in my natural state.<br><br>The rest of me is some other me I barely know.<br><br>I am a channel for grace.<br><br>I wish to receive your light. <br><br>god touched my forehead today<br>a warm balm on my third eye<br>sending laughing honey waves of loving healing delight<br>wrapping around my soul.<br><br>god is love delight laughter joy<br>innocence that comes after knowledge<br><br>my guardian is so adult<br>and unmistakably male.<br>his broad smooth shoulders <br>and wide palms<br>bring me calm comfort strength surety.<br><br>we are together humbled with tears of amazement<br>when god’s childlikebuddhachrist love<br>melted over us like heated butterscotch,<br>like sunlight made liquid,<br>peace and healing.<br><br>that’s all. My heart is always imperfect
Filled with swells and falls
Up in my throat and down in my stomach

Amazing Grace saves a retch like me?
Before or after I splatter the bathroom floor?

Ah I can only imagine this hope
with tears streaming down my cheeks
Yet the truth I know of the whole light
shining through me and
connecting to all beings near and far,
we are here,
Fumbling across this tiny marble,
little glow snippets
like fireflies in our one purposed intensity.

I am primal, near feral, in my natural state.

The rest of me is some other me I barely know.

I am a channel for grace.

I wish to receive your light.

god touched my forehead today
a warm balm on my third eye
sending laughing honey waves of loving healing delight
wrapping around my soul.

god is love delight laughter joy
innocence that comes after knowledge

my guardian is so adult
and unmistakably male.
his broad smooth shoulders
and wide palms
bring me calm comfort strength surety.

we are together humbled with tears of amazement
when god’s childlikebuddhachrist love
melted over us like heated butterscotch,
like sunlight made liquid,
peace and healing.

that’s all.

]]> By: ScottDavidson http://belovedschurch.org/2009/06/28/the-illusive-meaning-of-suffering/comment-page-1/#comment-117 ScottDavidson Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:56:20 +0000 http://belovedschurch.org/?p=774#comment-117 I normally try to stay quiet, but this question just cut through me.<br><br>Do we have needs beyond what this world can offer? We are not only physical carnal creatures. We have a spirit. That spirit yearns to know why we are here, to make sense of our existence. <br><br>So beyond the fear of hell and promise of heaven is there more to care about?<br><br>We search out purpose and reason for our lives. <br>We search for meaning and value in the things we do.<br>We want to know fairness for ourselves and others<br>We look to be known and to be accepted. <br><br>We can decide for ourselves what is purpose, value, fairness and acceptable in this world. But this world does not conform to our will. Suffering, tragedy and failure meet us at many turns in our lives. There are events outside of us that drag on our souls. The world be itself does not offer what we need. The book of Ecclesiastes looks at many aspect of this. The book explores how unreliable and unfulfilling this world can leave us.<br><br>Christ understands this when he says “One must not live on bread alone…” <br><br>It is only God, who has the complete understanding that can complete us. It is only God that knows the purpose and reason for all creation. God understands meaning and value of all things. God ultimately holds the balance of fairness in his hands. Only God truly knows us.<br><br>So would we still care about God? Yes, for we need him to live a full life. Does God care about us? Yes and it is through Christ that we can see the fullness of his love for us.<br><br>The fullness that we can have by abiding in God’s spirit is worth caring about. I normally try to stay quiet, but this question just cut through me.

Do we have needs beyond what this world can offer? We are not only physical carnal creatures. We have a spirit. That spirit yearns to know why we are here, to make sense of our existence.

So beyond the fear of hell and promise of heaven is there more to care about?

We search out purpose and reason for our lives.
We search for meaning and value in the things we do.
We want to know fairness for ourselves and others
We look to be known and to be accepted.

We can decide for ourselves what is purpose, value, fairness and acceptable in this world. But this world does not conform to our will. Suffering, tragedy and failure meet us at many turns in our lives. There are events outside of us that drag on our souls. The world be itself does not offer what we need. The book of Ecclesiastes looks at many aspect of this. The book explores how unreliable and unfulfilling this world can leave us.

Christ understands this when he says “One must not live on bread alone…”

It is only God, who has the complete understanding that can complete us. It is only God that knows the purpose and reason for all creation. God understands meaning and value of all things. God ultimately holds the balance of fairness in his hands. Only God truly knows us.

So would we still care about God? Yes, for we need him to live a full life. Does God care about us? Yes and it is through Christ that we can see the fullness of his love for us.

The fullness that we can have by abiding in God’s spirit is worth caring about.

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