He Qi: Look Towards the Heavens
(from his book, "The Art of He Qi")
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Tactic
I like how Paul
Calls them his joy and crown;
A better move
Than saying, “Settle down.”
Scott L. Barton
Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who
live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies
of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell
you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly;
and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly
things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we
are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the
body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his
glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to
himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
+ + +
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
The Big Delay
Oh, why did Abraham believe,
When God said, what was up God's sleeve,
Was Abraham would have an heir -
And of the promise, had a prayer?
It's so important here to see
The promise long-delayed as key
To what this text to us declares:
That Abram's yearning now compares
To all our hopes for justice, peace,
While faith, though questioning, not cease.
The stars, God's generosity, declare,
And still, unceasing love, God dares.
There's still a vision for this time,
It speaks of peace, and does not lie,
If it seems long, we still need wait,
For come it will, and not be late.
Scott L. Barton
(2016)
(The concluding four lines is the message of Habakkuk 2:3. Remember
that this Gen. 15 promise of God's to Abram wasn't the first; it was
given way back in chapter 12 and by chapter 15 still has not appeared.
So Abram questions God, wondering if God really, really meant it.
Holding in tension that problem of unresolved promise is always the
nature of this faith of ours. But "standin' on the promises," as the old
hymn goes, is the only way to live and so invite such promise into
being.)
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a
vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be
very great.”
But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I
continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in
my house is to be my heir.” But the word of the Lord came to him, “This
man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your
heir.” He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count
the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So
shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord; and the Lord
reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Then he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of
the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord
God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring
me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three
years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” He brought him all these
and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did
not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the
carcasses, Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot
and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord
made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this
land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,”
+ + +
Luke 13:31-35
Blessing
It has been said that fear, not sin's
The curse of human life,
It surely seems that that's behind
The things that cause my strife;
And so it was, those Pharisees,
Who said to Jesus, "Scram!"
Were worried that his love, unchecked,
Would make their city damned
By Herod, since he was, all knew,
The ruling King of Fear;
But Jesus said to tell that fox
What we still need to hear,
That is, that resurrection is the end
("The third day" is his clue)
And what I think that means, when by
Our fears we seem pursued,
Is that the mother hen still calls
Her brood upon her breast,
So all our fears, allayed, we now
Might bless, as we are blessed.
Scott L. Barton
(2013)
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away
from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell
that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures
today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today,
tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible
for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!
How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen
gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your
house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time
comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the
Lord.’”
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