Favorite Poem for the New Year

Posted in poetry, transitions on Thursday, December 31, 2009 by Rob Robinson

We’ve been invited to a New Year’s Eve party tonight where those attending are bring their favorite poem to be read to the others.  This is my current favorite and personally quite appropriate for the New Year 2010.

I CANNOT DO THIS ALONE

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.

Help me to pray

And to concentrate my thoughts on you;

I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness,

But with you there is light;

I am lonely, but you do not leave me;

I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;

I am restless, but with you there is peace.

In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;

I do not understand your ways,

But you know the way for me……..

Restore me to liberty,

And enable me to live now

That I may answer before you and before men.

Lord, whatever this day may bring.

Your name be praised.

Amen.

—- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Germany/ 1906-1945)

God’s Rest

Posted in leadership, quotes, rest on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 by Rob Robinson

“God rested on the seventh day

from all his work that he had done.

And he blessed the seventh day……”

And we ourselves will be a “seventh day”

when we shall be filled with his blessing

and remade by his sanctification……

Only when we are remade by God and

perfected by a greater grace shall we have

eternal stillness of that rest in which we

shall see that he is God.

—- ST. AUGUSTINE City of God, sec. 22.30


Merry Christmas to All

Posted in advent on Thursday, December 24, 2009 by Rob Robinson

Wishing everyone a wonderfully

Joyful, Merry, Funfilled

CHRISTMAS

I’m extremely

GRATEFUL

To the One whose

Birth we Celebrate

Mosaic Bible – Impressive

Posted in advent, books on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 by Rob Robinson

I purchased a copy of the Mosaic Bible from Tyndale House Publishers. I must say, I’m impressed!!  It is actually two books in one. The first is a 52 week devotional geared to the Christian Calendar featuring traditions from Church history using quotations, essays, poems, hymns  from individuals representing every century.  The second book is the second addition of the New Living Translation with center column references and a number of others features of most standard Bibles.

I have found the first book devotionally valuable and will be using the Mosaic Bible as my primary bible for 2010.  It begins with the Christmas advent and ends with Pentecost.

According to the Church Calendar we are in Advent Week 4.  Here is an example Mediation I found quite encouraging living in the current chaos of our times as we celebrate the 2009 Advent.

THERE’S A LIGHT UPON THE MOUNTAIN

There’s a light upon the mountains,

And the day is at the spring

When our eyes shall see the beauty

And the glory of the King;

Weary was our heart with waiting,

And the night-watch seems so long,

But his triumph-day is breaking,

And we hail it with a song.

In the fading of the starlight

We can see the coming morn;

And the lights of men are paling

In the splendors of the dawn;

For the eastern skies are glowing

As with light of hidden fire,

And the hearts of men are stirring

With the throbs of deep desire……

He is breaking down the barriers,

He is casting up the way,

He is calling for His angels

To build up the Gates of Day;

But his angels here are human,

Not the shining hosts above,

For the drum-beats of His army

Are the heart-beats of our love.

– Henry Burton (England/ 1578-1648)


Knowing Me Ministries

Posted in heroes, justice, social, spiritual formation on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 by Rob Robinson

I’m continually in search of local missional ministries in the Portland/Vancouver metro area that involved in effectively serving the community incarnationally; being Jesus right where they are and doing it well with all of their heart and soul.

My friends Mike and Angela Davis are such people.  About two years ago, they felt called to leave the church they were pastoring in North Portland in order to more intentionally serve the poor and homeless.  They possessed no base of support from a denomination or mission organization, but strongly felt God’s call on their lives to serve in His Kingdom in this manner.

They are ministering to homeless in our area admirably and with deep humility and integrity.  They recently structured this new ministry in order secure more funding and prayer support.  You can learn more about them and their story by clicking Knowing Me Ministries. If you are looking for a viable totally faith based ministry to give to this Christmas Season….. and throughout the new year, I would suggest this one – none better.  There is also a link on this blog on the right sidebar.

Francis A. Schaeffer Quote

Posted in culture, empire on Monday, December 14, 2009 by Rob Robinson

Francis Schaeffer in How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture quotes Edward Gibbon’s (1737-1794) in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-1788) said that the following five attributes marked Rome at its end:

first, a mounting love of show and luxury (that is, affluence);

second, a widening gap between the very rich and the very poor (this could be among countries in the family of nations as well as in a single nation);

third, an obsession with sex;

fourth, freakishness in the arts, masquerading as originality, and enthusiasms pretending to be creativity;

fifth, an increasing desire to live off the state.

It all sounds so familiar …we are back in Rome.

From How Shall We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture, p.227, Fleming H. Revell Company, 1976.

In the light of this we who know the Christ of Christmas have great hope regardless of what the future might hold in store for us.  What a wonderful time of the year to reflect concerning what we possess both now and in the future.  All because God chose to send His Son in human flesh and blood.

Hold Fast to Hope

Posted in advent, prayer on Monday, December 7, 2009 by Rob Robinson

This is week two of the Christmas Advent focusing attention on Hope. The following prayer is titled Hold Fast to Hope

Almighty God,

give us such a vision of your purpose

and such an assurance of your love and power,

that we may ever hold fast the hope

which is in Jesus Christ our Lord

who is alive with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God now and for ever.

Amen — Bosco Peters (New Zealand/Contemporary)

I Smell Roast Duck

Posted in personal on Thursday, December 3, 2009 by Rob Robinson

First Sunday of Advent

Posted in advent on Saturday, November 28, 2009 by Rob Robinson

The first Sunday of Advent begins tomorrow.  I found the following words encouraging in regard to preparing and celebrating this advent season 2009.

Advent…… helps us to understand the fullness of the value and meaning and mystery of  Christmas.  It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea.  Instead, we must understand that our whole life should be an “advent.” in vigilant expectation of Christ’s final coming. To prepare our hearts to welcome the Lord, who, as we say in, the Creed, will come one day to judge the living, and the dead, we must learn to recognize his presence in the events of daily life.  Advent is then, a period of intense training that directs us decisively to the One who has already come, who will come and who continuously comes.  Pope John Paul II (POLAND/1920-2005)


Prayer for Watchfulness

Posted in prayer, worship on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by Rob Robinson

Keep us, O Lord,

while we tarry on this earth,

in serious seeking after you,

and in an affectionate walking with you,

every day of our lives;

that when you come,

we may be found not hiding our talent,

nor serving the flesh,

nor yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished,

but waiting and longing for our Lord,

our glorious God for ever.

Amen.

– RICHARD BAXTER (ENGLAND/1615-1691)