God needs nothing from me. God said in…

Psalms 50: 10 Every creature in the forest is mine, the wild animals on all the mountains. 11 I know every mountain bird by name; the scampering field mice are my friends. 12 If I get hungry, do you think I'd tell you? All creation and its bounty are mine.

There is nothing I can give Him. He is complete in and of Himself. I am sure this alienates some people, but it is incredibly comforting to me. See, since God needs nothing from me, since there is nothing I can do for Him, when He draws near to me, as He continually does, I know it is because He finds joy and pleasure in me. I don’t understand that. It makes no sense to me. But He does.

Consider how far He had to come down in order to communicate and connect with humanity. There is less distance between a human and an ant than there is between God and man. Consider how much He has to limit Himself to interact in our world. Think of how an adult has to reduce the intellectual content of their thoughts and words to interact with a toddler. God has to reduce Himself even more than that. And yet, He seems to feel it is worth it to connect with us. I know this, every time I seek Him I find Him, always waiting, always willing to spend as much time as I desire with Him.

He needs nothing from me, wants nothing from me, only to be with me. I wonder if that exists in human relationships?

Can that exist in a parent child relationship? I feel that way about my kids. But I wonder if they will always feel that way about me? I can sit and watch them play, take them for ice cream, serve them dinner, bathe them, play a game with them, read a book together, and I want nothing from them other than their presence. Is this the love God has for us?

Can that exist in a marriage? I provide security, stability, and income for my wife. There is nothing about me that causes her to want me to be in her world. Anyone that would provide the same things would fill the same space. I thought we would simply want to be together, always. But it has not been that way for many years. She does not want me here. She wishes she could have what I provide, have someone do what I do for the family, without actually having me here.

Can that exist in friendship? I wonder how many of my friends I would have if I could do nothing for them. I have a treasured friendship and I have a deep suspicion that in it I serve no other purpose than to fill empty spaces. That knowledge cuts so deep. As much as the relationship means to me, as much joy as I have in simply having that connection I am certain that the feeling is not mutual. I sense in every interaction that my friend is simply marking time until something more fulfilling on some level comes along.

But when I talk to God... How is it that the Presence that contains the whole of time and the universe can focus on me? When I come into His Presence I know that He loved me enough to die for me. I know He wants nothing more than for me to spend eternity with Him. He sat aside the glory of paradise to come and walk among us. He needs nothing from us, we can do nothing for Him. That is what makes His love so pure and amazing. He is fascinated with us, like a father willing to babble in baby talk to make his toddler smile, He has come down to us.

God needs nothing from us , we can do nothing for Him. Yet He journeyed an unfathomable distance, paid an inconceivable price, just to be with us.

Light. Cannot be bottled. Cannot be contained. We do not know exactly what it is. We know how incredibly powerful it is. But not….what….it is. It is energy. But of what form we are not sure. Whether particle or wave…the best minds are not in agreement. It does not battle darkness. I have never seen the light engage in a struggle to displace dark. Where it is dark is not. It is as simple as that. You cannot see light. But because of light you can see all things. You cannot see light, but you cannot see with out it. It is an invisible substance that enables all of life to be. Its presence can immediately dispel fear and anxiety. The longer you are removed from it the more prone to fear, depression, and anxiety you become.

I John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

I have two boys. These are some of the things I want for them.

I want them to know that I love them. That I will lay down my life for them. I will die for them, but more than that, I will lay down my life. Dying is easy. But to lay down your life is different. It means I will set aside my dreams for them, that I will lay aside what I want and would do with my life so that theirs can be better. And I do so gladly.

I want them to understand that what they are is more important than what they have, that they are not defined by possessions.

I want them to understand that the world is an amazing place, full of wonder. That every person they meet is a story more fascinating than any film. That every street is a small universe to be explored. That there are shorelines to be wandered down, deserts to be hiked in, mountains to scrambled up, libraries to dive into, museums to absorb, vast cities teeming with millions they should visit, small country towns where the mysteries of life and love are lived out, books they should read, then read again, streams where they need to lie on a rock and watch the fish dart around below the surface. They should spend a whole day just listening to all kinds of music, that is not a day wasted. They should watch the sun set every chance they get, and get up to see it rise from time to time as well.

I want them to understand that this life is a vapor, a breath. So face it with a smile. Whatever happens here is just a brief flash prior to eternity. They are not a human being seeking spiritual experiences, but spirit beings temporarily trapped in this human experience. So take the pleasure and the pain with the sure knowledge that it is not eternal, but eternity is coming.

I want them to test themselves as men should. Face fear. Look it in the eye, be afraid, but don’t back down.

I want them to be men of honor and integrity. I want what is in them to be noble, and honorable.

I want them to offer dignity to every person they meet in life.

I want them to know Jesus Christ. I want them to love and serve Him all the days of their life.

I want them to surpass my every success, and succeed in every place I fail.

I am weary with the unrelenting oppressive heat. The sun has scorched the earth until cracks have appeared. Every breath is inhaling a flame. When the wind does blow it brings no relief, it simply blasts the superheated air onto the skin. You can touch nothing without searing yourself. I am weary of the heat.

I long for rainfall, and a cold crisp morning. I want to sit in my favorite coffee house on a fall evening, and watch the city begin to glow softly as lights come on under a slate sky. I want to walk through the park and feel the sharp bite of a cool breeze and see children play in the leaves. I want to ride the city streets under a clear cold sky, stars hanging low, a silvery mobile over an infants bed. . I want to wake to the sound of soft rain on the window. I want to see my children come in from their play red cheeked, hair tousled by the North Wind. I want to fly kites with my boys, bundled up, hot chocolate in a nearby thermos. I want to light a pinion wood fire in the pit under the oak tree, and sit close to the warmth, smelling the wood, feeling the heat, watching civilizations be borne and crumble in the dancing flames and embers.

I am weary of the heat.

One of my favorite Pablo Neruda poems, I read it again late last night. I altered it ever so slightly. I just changed one word. My apologies Pablo. When "you" read it...smile...

Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your voice.

Do not take away the rose,
the lance flower that you pluck,
the water that suddenly
bursts forth in joy,
the sudden wave
of silver born in you.

My struggle is harsh and I come back
with eyes tired
at times from having seen
the unchanging earth,
but when your voice enters
it rises to the sky seeking me
and it opens for me all
the doors of life.

My love, in the darkest
hour your voice
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
speak, because your voice
will be for my hands
like a fresh sword.

Next to the sea in the autumn,
your voice must raise
its foamy cascade,
and in the spring, love,
I want your voice like
the flower I was waiting for,
the blue flower, the rose
of my echoing country.

Speak in the night,
in the day, at the moon,
speak to the twisted
streets of the island,
Speak to this clumsy
boy who loves you,
but when I open
my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air,
light, spring,
but never your voice
for I would die.