Monday, January 17, 2005

The place called faith

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Urgent urgent need, to find the place called faith -- the right place to consider God and be with God. A place, not a state of mind. The place you stand shapes your conclusions. Who sets the fighting arena wins the battle.

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The place is not a debating hall. The "god" of that place is Debate. Stripped-down rationality, hopeless.

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The place is not a market place. That "god" is sales -- watch out. Most to be feared when most apparently your friend.

Pretends to have your best interests at heart. Couldn't be farther away from the place of need.

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The sidewalk, no home. The horror of the diaspora: not having a "place". Or not having *the* place.

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Place where I may be with my God and speak freely without a single lie! "All my fresh springs in thee."

The ark! We heard it was in Los Angeles. Then Sri Lanka. But it's not physical travel, a change of heart.

Place of safety, place of refuge. A church? The so-called sanctuary? Sometimes the dove alights, sometimes flies away. A place more of acquaintance than habitation? You touch it, the experience is fleeting and ephemral but what is fleeting is not the place but yourself. Your conduct is like a holding action but all you have.

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In John 6, Jesus, disciples and followers occupy a mountain area with superfluities of grass and comfort enough to seat 5000. This *is* the place but neither mountain nor grass make it what it is.

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