Agape House UIC

Sometimes we can know the source of inspiration by the fruit of the works. We also find a sense of the inspiration from the physical and emotional well-being of the worker. The Spirit clearly inspires a great many people to great works the help to bring the Commonwealth of God to reality on earth. Nonetheless demons can infect good work that was initially inspired by the Spirit. We see this when good workers are destroyed by the very good work they do with burnout, anxiety and fatal health conditions.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy;
They rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
-Isaiah 9:2-4-

When baby Jesus is invoked, the tone can often imply, "You should always give deference to Christians because our God was a cute, innocent, little baby." I imagine you may have already witnessed this rhetoric in this new round of culture wars around the holidays. This incarnation of Jesus, to me, however, bespeaks a very different sort of meaning.

Last night, Lisl and I were blessed to hear the most amazing transgender actress, Alexandra Billings, speaking at the GSC's Lavender Graduation. Among some of the best quotes she pulled out were, "The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off." Also, "Every single on of us is made of 0.3% stardust." However, one point she made works best for the theme I've been thinking about for a month or so now.

Jesus the Christ is risen! Jesus is alive and still around! However, he is no longer present among us in the same way he was with the disciples of the gospels. Let's be honest, it's actually pretty freaking difficult to get our heads around the way Jesus is actually WITH us. We come up with clever metaphors that help us get close to understanding Jesus' presence.