Pop back into the lectionary, Paul – have a look.

The daily verses for every day of the year and year after year.  My chosen website uses the Gospels. Which means going around the same verses from time to time. Which is reading the same story at different times of my life – looking at the same photographs  with “different friends” – discussing the same thing with different perspectives.

Like these verses:

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.'” Matthew 10:1-7

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Two years ago these verses meant this: Demystifying the language of God  And this: Former Undercover CIA Officer Talks War And Peace  And this: “Because I see my God Soft Hands Jesus finding love in everyone and everywhere – even in the unlovable – always in the unexpected – and ALWAYS in me.  So this morning I wonder … Is your God different to mine?”

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And today – two years on?

“Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

In a later re-write that was upgraded to “The Great Commission”.  And as for  “The Chosen People” … ?

Global domination is where it’s at: saving them (wherever they are) from themselves – chalking up another convert because (good) news this good is too good to keep to myself!

Whereas in two years I seem to have become much more I Am.

I am loved, I am unique, I am me … that is becoming more and more, for me, the Good news … I Am!

And the bible … ?

More figurative and allegorical – less literal and factual.  Less needy of the bible – more in partnership with it.  More I see myself as a lost sheep – less you.  More and more “me listening to me” … “me” becoming less needy – becoming more accepting – becoming less certain of “stuff” – becoming more certain of love – less taking the “good news” (to save others from themselves) – more taking the “good news” (to every fibre of my being in all and every circumstance).

Go nowhere – but go everywhere in “me” – become “I Am” …

The “I Am” that is less and less interested in saving you – more and more interested in accepting me … less and less focused on what you believe – more and more in how I live … less and less in how you worship – more and more how we love … less and less in your God – more and more in our connection through Love …

“Because I see my God Soft Hands Jesus finding love in everyone and everywhere – even in the unlovable –always in the unexpected – and ALWAYS in me.”

Two years maybe I haven’t changed as much as I thought I had:

As for “God” two years on … ?

Isn’t he big enough to accommodate everyone – no matter what we call him or her or GSHJ … ?

And the bible covers that argument both ways as well.
If you look for blasphemy you will find validation.
If you look for your “defined God” … that as well.
But the same bible is of a “something” we cannot contain.
So whether you call that “God” or “Love” …

“Is your God different to mine?”

And if yes … is that your need … or your “defined God’s” need … ?

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