Monday, January 5, 2009

Does He Come With a Warning Label ??


That came out of a conversation with my best friend Dave, (other than my wife) this morning which at first was one of those strained and over-taxed relational moments, where he said, “Maybe you ought to come with a warning label?”
There is no relational depth-growth without living by ‘faith-Risk’; I am often reminded that the tortoise or the turtle never gets ahead apart from ‘sticking its neck out.’

This was not the first time I have been totally insensitive toward my brother or others for that matter, and I’m sure it will not be the last, but the easy way (pull on my soul) out for me in these messy times is to give into that gravitational pull of sin and death and wallowing in that old fleshly mind-set of self-pity or whatever.
Fortunately the reality of the Father’s grace and love being so real in my brother’s life has kicked in on several occasions whereby we have seen Him (our Father) bring and restore an even deeper sense of family-kinship with Father and (true brotherly love) with each other.

If it wasn’t for being called into His family and His loving embrace of patience to model before us what true unity-fellowship-relationship looks like, none of us would ever do anything but live as wonderful hypocrites, and I think we have seen enough of that depicted in religion to last us for the rest of our lives.

I want to include a little Kodak moment here relationally as to how things can get out of sync at times and then how Father in His loving wisdom draws our hearts back to Him and then with each other.
Dave sharing with me.. “I'm sorry, Bro. I think maybe you hit it there... I’m wired 110 and your 220. You share much good stuff that I am grateful to glean but sometimes I am just overloaded... certainly with my own thoughts and what the Lord is working in and out of me. And so I feel like I'll explode with anything else added.”
“When you and I talked on Saturday, I think it was...you had me in tears there... so much of Him to soak in.. But other times, like yesterday and this morning my brain just goes mis-firing and it won't compute the same.”
Rich said-Learning to communicate is a Jesus art-skill learned by taking big risks
Rich: I’m still trying to figure out the best way to approach any friend, Here is the Litmus test, R U ok to talk today, option 1..
Rich: In sharing-communicating, we're all so different and that is wonderful
Dave: Yeah, then you gotta just trust the other person is honest in replying or just being nice
Rich: YES
Rich: Again it will never unfold apart from Risk taking-right?
Dave: "Sure, lay it all on me, Bro." "Wait, hold on, never mind. Shut up"

I later said to his remark, “Maybe you ought to come with a warning label?” Yes I said, its there but the plastic surgery has covered it up.
To finish up here with this last bit..
Rich: I wouldn't trade what I've discovered of Him through getting to know you for anything-and that’s the Truth!
Dave: I just want to say... and want you to understand that with all my doubts and frustrations I know Him and His working in and around me. My circumstances, experiences sometimes line up very close with yours, other times they don't. You go thru things that I can't relate to and visa versa, but that's okay... that's where He has us. So whether I "get" what you say at a given moment or you "get" what I am saying... that's not what matters. We just need to give one another space to allow Him to work and to do His good will.
Rich: Thanks for sharing this Bro, I so agree, we-are-Loved!

Because of His great love for us, this sacred-divine romance, we continue to be swept off of our feet. We continue to learn and grow!

Rich

The truth be known here, this little fracas really started all because Eye-Gore (Dave) didn’t want to share any more from his bottle of vodka, and I (Ivan) Rich then clammed up on no longer being so caviler with my caviar.
By the way, you can substitute respectively Ivan and Eye-Gore for Dave and Rich to hid our true identities if it helps! Just heed the warning label though, ok?!

4 comments:

foretastes said...

I love you, Brother!

Free Spirit said...

Ok, I think I've been sufficiently warned then. Thanks!
:)
You guys are both awesome people... though I've never met either one of you... I feel like I've seen into your hearts. :)

Rich said...

Free Spirit,

Wow, the warning works, cool.
Dave is a treasure beyond description, I am a richer Rich because of what and how Father has worked in my life through Dave. We’ve had the highs and lows of things put into their proper perspective all through His breath-taking over whelming Love for us both.

There is nothing more freeing relationally than what you said, “I feel like I've seen into your hearts.”

I realized something the other day that I had not seen about this, where it talks about King David being, “A man after His (God's) own heart.”

Father began to show me that the true man after His own heart was Jesus his son, and that was being reflected in another of His sons-David.
Jesus was the “first born of many sons” it says, and what Father was making real to me was this. Those who will KNOW the Father will have the same heart as His Son. How cool is that.

Rich said...

Dave,

Thanks so much for helping me with this label you made here.

Amy over at Walking in the Spirit, the other day wrote something that is still resonating in me, regarding our relationship, the "law of attarction" and how Father does in fact work through that law bringing us into relationships we would not have choosen to based upon our likes and dislikes.

Father knows best and is leading, guiding us to those He has us to meet, to open our eyes to experience Him far beyond what we yet see or know.

You R-Loved my freiend and brutha!