A Friend After 50 Years

A record of one journey into a peculiar type of Quaker Christianity, and a bit of silliness to boot.

Name:
Location: Arkansas

Thursday, January 19, 2006

But what's actually happening?

Just thought I'd ask. Comedian Flip Wilson had the "Church of What's Happening Now." Funny, but doesn't that somehow get to the heart of Quaker worship? What happened yesterday, or might tomorrow, all involves the self-seeking mind. God's presence is here and now, to repeat a hackneyed but still serviceable phrase. And is that God the God of my imagination, or a God that is -- one who precedes and exceeds anything my feeble imagination could cook up? Thus, from my perspective, this God comes to me in what seems a spontaneous manner -- nothing that I can plan for, create, or manipulate into being, or even truly envision. And can I see myself attempting to do those things? And then can I refrain from judging myself and simply be grateful that God allowed me to catch myself doing it? "I do not even judge myself," said Paul. After all, my "self-willed" thoughts also arise spontaneously and unplanned. We normally don't think about thinking a thought prior to thinking it.

So, I ask, what actually is happening? Now, I mean. Don't answer--it will be too late by the time you do. But feel free to chime in about what did or might. And keep taking care of isness. Right now.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home

'What can I do?' - SiCKO