Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Good Morning

 

Happy Mardi Gras!

 

If you didn't see them yesterday, I had a number of Lenten links in yesterday's email.  To review them, go to the website at www.leapclass.blogspot.com.

 

Today's Reading:  Revelation 4:5-6a; read pages 168 - 171 in Barclay; stop at "The Four Living Creatures (1)"

 

-- more description from John about his vision of God on his throne in heaven.

 

-- it is amazing how this imagery has been woven into our consciousness about God -- the idea that thunder and flashes of lightning might surround the presence of God is familiar to us.  There is a reference to God on Mt. Sinai, giving the law to Moses, and how that presence was marked with thunder and lightning and clouds.

 

-- An aside here -- this imagery reminded me some of the imagery from the movies "Close Encounters" and  "War of the Worlds" in particular, where the aliens arrive in a dark boiling cloud surrounded by lightning (but no thunder).  At some very basic, symbolic level, I wonder if the screenwriter was making a comment or reference to God, or a comment about the aliens.  It is interesting that they didn't choose for the alien space ships to simply appear -- they were shrouded in these clouds, etc. Maybe just for dramatic effect?  In Close Encounters, in particular, the cloud descends on a mountain to reveal itself to those gathered there, and Steven Spielberg, who is Jewish and who is familar with all the old movies such the Ten Commandments, very likely made that a very conscious choice.

 

-- The sea of glass description occupies the remainder of Barclay's time today.  Until he referenced it in his commentary, I hadn't really noticed the reference to this in a hymm, but actualy this whole section of Revelation is the inspiration for the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy", which we all know.  Following is a link the lyrics, just as a reminder:

 

http://stedman.lam.org/music/holy_holy_holy.htm

 

-- I think that the major takeaway from today is the idea of overwhelming, unspeakable, undescribable majesty -- that is what John is trying to get his arms around and convey to us in this portion of Revelation.

 

Today's Scripture

 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship.

 

Romans 12:1

 

Today's prayer requests:   Corey, Megan's student

 

Corey has been on our prayer list due to brain tumor that he was going to have tests on on March 21.  On Wednesday, he as to be rushed to the hospital with a seizure related to the brain tumor.  His doctors at Children's Hospital are not willing or able to move his tests up, so it is a waiting game for everyone.  Need to keep Corey, his mother, his classmates and Megan's classroom staff in our prayers will Corey is treated.

Today's class member prayer:

Nicole McKinney

Have a great day.

Jay