Liminality

"Grow with a growth that is from God." (Col 2:19, NRSV) I love this phrase. Its a challenge from the author to the Colossian church to never ever stop growing, learning, studying, reading, praying, probing, thinking, interrogating, believing, inquiring, prying, analyzing, questioning, learning, building, and trying. And coming from a guy who never wants to NOT be in school, it makes sense I would love this portion of the text. But there’s more here than my narcissistic admiration. It’s a call to become more. Become better. Become more godly. More holy. More spiritual. Its time for us and Christians all over this world to hear this message: “We must never stop growing with the growth that is from God.” It’s a common misunderstanding really . . . people believe once they emerge from the rolling waters of the baptismal pool that Christianity, eternity, life and access to all measures of love are somehow miraculously obtained. This is simply not tru...

Jesus is resting comfortably in his newly acquired friends’ home. In it is bookoos of people. And as always, people are gleaning as much information from Jesus as humanly possible. Except Martha. She’s working. She’s serving. She’s playing the role of host and is on her feet serving drinks, appetizers, entrées, brewing coffee, cleaning up spills, and doing it all with a smile on her face. Until she sees her sister Mary. This is Mary’s house too. Martha shouldn’t be the only one breaking her neck for her guests and she knows it. Half of this labor is Mary’s to do. The trash is piling up and the guests are going through cups like babies do with diapers. And there is clearly not going to be enough brochette to serve everyone. And all she can witness is her sister sit out there in the living room as if she were one of the guys. So in a fit of panic Martha bumps her way to the coffee table, puts down another round of drinks for the boys, and bent over she catches J...