Dale Cresap's blog

Have you ever had to answer the call of nature? This phrase is a euphemism for bodily functions that you have to do on a regular basis. Yet could it have another valid meaning more in line with what the terms suggest? Do you spend most of your time in buildings, in vehicles, and on roads that are man-made? I would not deny you the use of these conveniences, but does it leave you with a hunger to be restored in the natural world of direct creation? You may think of this as the call of nature as real as your bodily functions. Go outdoors and see and partake of what I have done and I will meet you there.

Do you think I care whether you are happy or not? You see an abundance of martial metaphors in the Bible, and you are part of an army. Every field commander knows the importance of morale for his troops. They are more effective when spirits are high. If this can be understood by mortal commanders of temporal armies, then how much more for the Lord of Hosts? I call you not only to be a good soldier for me, but also to rejoice. These are not incompatible, or even unrelated. They go hand in hand. So I do care if you are happy or not, and for reasons that go beyond just winning battles.

The Bible says that not many wise and not many noble are called. Have you noticed that this is true of the authors of the Bible? Luke and Paul were well educated by the standards of their day. Most of the others were ordinary people who had god encounters. Paul had both, so he was in a position to compare the two. How does he regard his academic credentials after his encounter with God? After giving an impressive list he counts them all as ‘fecal material’. This is strong language and should not be considered an argument against education, but rather an endorsement of God encounters.

I said that harlots, drunkards, and tax collectors would enter the Kingdom of God ahead of the priests and religious elders. Do you consider this shocking? The original audience did, and you should too. Which party do you identify with? What categories would be the modern equivalents? Would the people in the AA meeting in the church basement get into the Kingdom ahead of the people in sanctuary on Sunday morning? I invite you into my Kingdom, and then I warn you about the perils of belonging to the religious establishment. I want you to respond to the invitation, and take the warnings seriously.

Do you see the world in black and white? You know what this means, and you also know that the world is in color. You have met people who insist on forcing all things into two categories even though reality does not support that. I had to deal with the same issue. Do we kill this woman caught in adultery or not? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? These seemingly innocent questions were meant as traps for me, but I avoided them by reframing the questions. Do the circumstances of your life seem to present you with dilemmas between a limited number of unacceptable alternatives? Keep looking and ask of me and I will give you transcendent answers to your problems as I did for these.

Do you think that I am inscrutable? I hide myself, but not from everyone. I am everywhere, but you can’t see me, unless you know where to look. I do not respond well to attempts to put me in a box or under a microscope, and so if you limit your inquiry to preconceived ideas you will not find me. But if you have the heart of a child, and do not reject the idea of mystical and enchanted world, then you will see me. This may start as seeing my involvement after the fact, but over time you will see me in the moment, and you will be aware of an objective reality that only those who are childlike can see.

My word says of itself that it is sharper than any two-edged sword. Christians have seized upon this image of the Bible as a weapon and use it freely, although in the context of the passage cited it could be considered more scalpel than weapon. Have you ever used the Bible as a weapon against others? How effective were the results you obtained? Have you ever had it used this way against you? How favorably did you respond? You may get better results thinking of my word as a scalpel for performing necessary surgery on your own heart. Judge yourself and remove the log from your own eye, then you will be able to minister to your brother.

I told you to rejoice and be exceedingly glad when you were persecuted for the sake of my name. Have you ever suffered persecution for this reason? Did you rejoice? What about other ways in which you suffer? For not all suffering is due to persecution, and everyone suffers in some way. How do you react to this? If you follow the commandment to give thanks and rejoice in all things it would include this too. How quickly does your spiritual growth proceed when you are comfortable and at ease? Disturbances to your settled equilibrium are opportunities for you to move forward and you can receive them with joy if you view them this way.

Are you walking on the strait and narrow way that leads to life? Does your life of faith seem to involve unexpected twists and turns? Were you expecting predictable, uniform, linear growth?  That may be what you would prefer, but ask those whose faith you admire if that would be an accurate description of how they got there. ‘Strait’ and ‘straight’ are homonyms, but there is a difference in their meanings, and most translations are correct in using ‘strait’. This does not mean a linear path, but do not be concerned. You aren’t driving anyhow. Follow me, and let me worry about the hairpin turns. 

Can you point to a date on the calendar when you were saved? Do you know that I was present and active in your life before that date? I formed you and knew you before you were born. Have you encountered believers who described an innate sense of knowing my presence and goodness while they were young children, even before they said the prayer or had the vocabulary to describe what they were experiencing? Perhaps you had the same experience. If you have to adjust your theology to account for this then do so, that you may learn the truth of  my statement to suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God.