The philosophy of the Itsy Bitsy Spider

Mr Bitsy is either a relentless lunatic or a relentless genius.

Into the Wilderness

Violeta: Hi Tommy, how are you?

Tommy: o...k

Violeta: that ok doesn't sound very appealing, what's going on?

Tommy: nothing

Violeta: nothing?

Tommy: yeah, nothing

Violeta: be real Tommy.

Tommy: seriously, nothing is going on, that's the problem.

Violeta: that doesn't sound so bad.

Tommy: there is just this empty, expansive, dry space.

Violeta: Well maybe you should find a hobby. I'm sure God has something out there he wants you to. He doesn't want you to sit around doing nothing.

Tommy: How do you know this?

Violeta: I'm sure he wants you to be in a better place where you're happy. You just have to open your heart and listen to what he's saying, and where he's leading you.

Tommy: (pauses)...what if he wants me to be here? What if he lead me here?

Violeta: That doesn't sound like God?

Tommy: more like, you haven't read the bible.

Abraham spent time in the wilderness.

Jacob spent time in the wilderness.

Moses spent time in the wilderness.

All of Israel wandered for 40 years in the wilderness.

David spent time in the wilderness at several time points.

John the Baptist spent time in the wilderness

And yes...even Jesus spent time in the wilderness.

Purpose is often unraveled in the wilderness. It is where the voice and grace of God becomes louder.

The wilderness also forces us to regard the ugliness in our hearts.

Adam, where are you?

Why does a schoolteacher ask questions of his students? Is it because he himself doesn't know the answer?

Act 1: Teacher who knows.

Teacher: Tommy, what is the capital of the US?

Tommy: Why do you ask, teacher, do you not know?

Teacher: Yes, I know, but do you know?

Tommy: but Teacher, you know everything, so you must know whether I know or not.

Teacher: yes, I do know everything, but I didn't ask the question for my benefit, but for yours.

Act 2: The God who knows.

God: Adam, where are you?

Adam: Don't you know where I am Lord, aren't you omniscient?

God: Adam, where are you?

Adam: Don't you already know, why bother me with such a foolish question?

God: Adam, where are you?

Adam: why are you distracting me with this stupid question? Don't you know everything?

God: Adam, where are you?

(Adam pauses, self-realization kicks in, and with downcast eyes...)

Adam: I don't know God......can you tell me where I am?

(God smiles)

God asks, not because he doesn't know, but because we don't.

The Kingdom

Realization 2 I might be going about this the wrong way.

Realization 3 My perception of what God wants might be incorrect, or at least skewed.

Surely Jesus wanted us to be in fellowship with each other. But did he want us to limit ourselves to just congregating in mass numbers on Sundays and maybe some other day of the week? Did he just want us to develop into stellar church folks?

What about this "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone" thingy? Did Jesus intend for outreach to be a encapsulated event done a few times a month by a few volunteers in a soup kitchen, or an after school program or at an old folks home?

Maybe outreach is supposed to be a lifestyle. The early church lived and breathed outreach, especially Paul. Why are we so concerned about bringing and keeping people in, when we are supposed to be going out daily? Not merely social outreach, but reflecting the "Light of World" which Jesus proclaimed himself to be.

How selfish of us to keep this treasure of the Good News to ourselves.

Realization 4 We've been hiding in the church for far too long.