What can I do?

Today I was sitting in a cafe, when a man came in, looking a bit worse for wear. He was inebriated, and had a can still in his hand. He was looking for work.

When I say he came in, he really only hovered in the entrance. He was told that there were no vacant positions. He stayed there for a minute or so before walking off. While I was sitting there, I also noticed him walking up and down the street.

My heart went out to this person, but I felt like there was very little I could do to help him. I couldn't approach him, being of a vulnerable demographic, and not being able to discern a safe mental state in him.

I hate the fact that being female can prevent me from helping people. It's very frustrating.

If I had approached him, the most I could have done, would have been to give him money. Which, arguably, may not have helped him anyway. My guess would be that he needs friendship, something which I am not in the position to give.

After he had wandered off, I was struck by the thought that I had just watched Him, Jesus, stumble off, and I had done nothing to assist Him.

A scary thought. I wonder how often I have let that happen.

It's all about love...

I reread 1 Corithians 13 today as I have been struggling, yet again, with the notion of love. I had the thought that perhaps being a disciple of Jesus is, rather than being all about love, about the idea of 'being' love.

We've all heard the phrase, 'Jesus is love'. As disciples we are called to follow Him, and do what He would have us do. 1 Corithians 13 talks about love as being, and not being, certain things. In a way, this chapter is describing Jesus. As a Christian then, perhaps my aim should be to live this kind of love, to 'be' this kind of love. An interesting, and challenging thought. I know that I have never, despite trying, loved anyone or anything, or 'been' love, in the way that this chapter challenges me to.

This personification of love, I think, is also significant. 1 Corinthians 13 seems to be describing love as if love were a person. As I mentioned earlier, this could be a reference to Jesus, but I think that it is also a suggestion that this concept of love is something that we are, not something that we do. Otherwise the wording might be, Someone who loves is not angry. Rather than Love is not angry.

In this chapter, we are also presented with the idea that without love we are nothing. And I can see the truth in this idea. I think that it is particularly true in relation to loving others. What is the point, if it isn't love?

I will have to think more upon this idea of 'being' love!

Deeper Water

I've been listening to Paul Kelly's Greatest Hits, Songs From The South, great album, check it out!

Today I was struck by some of the lyrics in the song Deeper Water, the song opens with a young boy at the water's edge. The boy's father takes his hand and guides him deeper into the water. The boy feels safe, the boy feels brave.

I wonder if it's a bit like this for us. I've made a few decisions recently about the direction my future is going to take, and it's scary wondering about what the future holds. The 'deeper water' of my future, however, is a managable concept when I let myself trust in God's plan. It's a tricky thing though, letting myself be guided, and not being able to control where I might end up.

I think that this image of a child trusting his parent is poigant, as it brings into mind the idea of 'child-like' faith. Of a great trust that is more and more difficult to establish, the older, and more cynical we get.

Jesus says that we should be like children, but perhaps that's not such an easy thing to do!

Was, and is, and is to come!

I am currently reading a book; Rivers in the Desert, which is a collection of prayers and meditations, that was given to me to use as I journeyed through DDP. I've found I can only read a little at a time, as there is continually an interesting thought or idea that provokes me.
I liked this sentence; 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come', because it generates an image of God as beyond the mere scrap of understanding that we can hope to establish as human beings. It suggests that He is beyond our reckoning, and that we are completely at the mercy of such a timeless being. I find this image to be incredibly comforting, as it allows me to trust in His plan, and in His knowledge, a knowledge that stretches beyond the constraints of our time.
This book came with many pencil markings, and thanks to the dilligence of it's previous reader I can tell you that this verse came from Rev. 4:8b!

This blog...

A while ago, about 18 months back, I had another blog; 'Ali's thoughts...'. It was very comprehensive, with a total of two posts! Having decided to share some of my musings once more, I attempted to log on. After failing to do so, I decided to create this blog, so that I may once more, and with greater longevity, pester the world at large with my ponderings!
Recently I have been struggling with many more questions regarding my faith, the idea of being a disciple of Jesus and life in general. Hopefully this blog will promote more questions, and will give me the opportunity to have others consider some of the questions that have been bugging me!