jeff’s blog

u2 concert tonight. wonderful time.

for me the moment that stood out the most was a somewhat silly story. as the edge started playing the intro to the song “miracle drug”, bono began to tell a joking story.

“the edge is not from this planet,” he started. he continued, and recalled “meeting” him in the late 70’s in dublin.

“his spaceship landed and this creature came out.

‘who are you’, larry asked him.

‘i’m the edge.’

‘where do you come from,’ asked adam clayton.

‘i come from the future.’

so i asked him, ‘how is that?’

he replied, ‘it’s better.’”

while slightly silly, it was a story of hope. the hope and reason that each of us is here - that we are all working for a better future. often times it’s easy to say that the world is in a decline and that everything is falling apart, but the hope we have is that the future is a better place - even though we can’t see it.

though there is injustice now, though there is suffering now, though often times things seem to be getting worse and worse, i believe in a better future.

listening to the opening menu music tonight for the civilization 4, i noticed that there were a few phrases that i thought sounded vaguely familiar. any time i hear music that’s in another language i try to see if i can at least pick up what language it is, and this definitely sounded like swahili. at first the only phrase i could pick up was “baba yetu” (our father), but soon i caught “mbinguni” (heaven) and “amina” (amen), and “jina lake” (your name).

i assumed that it was probably some old tribal song that i’d never heard, but that someone dug up for the opening credits for the game. then again, all of those words do, in fact, appear in some language i’m familiar with… “our father in heaven, holy is your name…” grabbing my trusty habari njema kwa watu wote, i opened up to matthew 6:

baba yetu uliye mbinguni
jina lako litukuzwe.
Ufalme wako ufike,
Utakalo lifankyike
duniani kama mbinguni
Utepe leo chakula chetu tunachohitaji.
utusamehe makosa yetu
kama nasi tunavyowasamehe waliotukosea
usitutie katika majaribuni,
lakini utuokoe na yule Mwovu.

our father in heaven,
your name - may it be exalted.
your kingdom come
your work be done
on the earth, like in heaven.
give us today our food that we need.
and forgive us our mistakes
in the same way we forgive those who wrong us.
and do not carry us into trials,
but deliver us from the evil one.

create in us your heart, o God.
a heart of love
a heart of justice
a heart of righteousness.

open our eyes.
let us not be blind
to the pain and suffering
around us
as we so often are
but place it
where it cannot be ignored.

open our ears.
force us to hear
the screaming calls
of the weak
the oppressed
children and mothers
widows and orphans.

open our voices
make us cry out
against the world
against our friends.
concern us not
with our popularity
but with grace.

destroy our pride.
destroy our selfishness.
destroy our sinful desire.

take our lives
and make us
a blessing
to all those we meet.

those who seek shall find.
help us not only seek you
but also those who need you.

as you raise your voice,
may your heart sing out,
joyous melodies rising to God.

may you connect with the heart of god
drawn into his presence
drawn as water from a well,
taken with intent and purpose
used in the hands of the one
who drew you.

may you be refreshed
restored
bathed in the blood of Christ
a new creation,
born again in this moment.

may the condition of your soul
overflow before the Father
your joys and sorrows both before him.
may you sing from the depths of who you are
and be assured
that he is listening.

though you do not flaunt it,
may your good shine before all men.

though you do not publicize it,
may you be known for your charity.

though no one hear you,
may you be known as a person of prayer.

and though you never speak it,
may people hear the name of God
as they watch your life.

some fun star rotations from this weekend: hopefully i’ll have larger versions up at some point in a simpleviewer gallery along with other pictures from the weekend…

we come to you a dishonest people
hoping to conceal from you
our blemishes and imperfections
hoping foolishly that you don’t notice
how broken and helpless we are,
though you made us
and know us.

we come to you, proud of our knowledge
secure in our accomplishments
hoping to impress you
with
a resume
though we all fall short
of your standard of holiness.

we come to you with false wisdom,
thinking we have answers.
we come for confirmation
of what we already know,
angry
when you reject our answers
and leave us with questions.

we come desiring more for ourselves
than we do for you -
false servants of your kingdom,
seeking you after all else has failed.

and we have failed.
we have failed you, and you alone.

convict us of our sin.
and remind us
that only your transforming power
can heal us.

remind us that you heal.
now.

may we come to you humble
weak and powerless
but expectant,
longing,
hopeful.

in a world of doubt and confusion
may you find peace.

in a world of discontent,
may you trust in the provision of the Lord.

in a world focused on tomorrow
may you find joy in each day.

in a world of questions and confusion
may you find hope
in a God who breathes life into each moment
sustaining the world

and close by his side
may you journey,
free at last.

1. if i had to eat this week on the same amount of money i put in the offering plate on sunday morning, how many meals would i get?

2. if i was trying to develop a relationship with a significant other, and i gave to that person the same amount of quality time i’ve given to God in the past week, how long would that relationship last?

3. if Jesus looked into my heart and demanded something from me in order to have eternal life, would i walk away sad?

may you consider
the one you serve:
a king
holy and righteous
creator
sustainer

may you hear his call
may you listen to his voice

may you release the selfish desires of your heart
and find yourself
wrapped in the eternal embrace
of the perfect master.