Faith, Fear & the Nearness of Eternity

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Doc Arnett

A strong breeze shudders the cedar trees
along the western edge of the space
between garage and barn.

In the howling chillness of the night,
a thin skin of ice formed
un-smoothly on the surface
of the rainwater tub.

I marvel as when a boy
at how the wind can send its markings
toying with the face of a pond or a puddle,
a creek,
or even an ocean.

I trace my fingers across the ripples
frozen on the surface,
reflect upon the wear of the week:
the Boston bombing,
the West Texas explosion,
one friend’s two daughters maimed
and another’s untimely self-pity over trivia.

In moments of unthawing response
we show life’s listings upon our own spirits

but it is in the decided reactions
that we determine whether or not–
and how–

they will define us.

H. Arnett
4/19/13

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Boston Marathon, 2013

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Doc Arnett

Shards of smoke and fire,
a burning blasting of glass and metal,
yells of horror:
a shock wave of disbelief
burst out across the street,
through the city,
around the world.

The blood of friends and strangers
mixed in the mingling
of limbs and lives
separated from bodies,
wives and husbands,
children and old men
staggering, slumped
on pieces of pavement.

Pressing through the smell and thunder
of pierced and seared flesh
came a sudden meshing of care,
spurning concern for self
and whatever else might come
after the second explosion.

Men unknown to one another,
women who had never met,
ripped shirts into strips for tourniquets,
lifted shrapneled limbs,
shouldered the limping wounded,
gave what care and comfort could be given.

Even in the deepest,
most dreaded acts of evil,
love pours forth
into the wounds of others.

H. Arnett
4/17/13

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Things That Last

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Doc Arnett

Sometimes
I have held to hope too lightly:
letting go too easily
in the long night of doubt
only to find out a bit later
that holding on a little longer
would have spanned the crater.

Sometimes
I have let loose of love too late:
an ill-fated venture taken
for the wrong reasons,
bearing in my spirit
the wounding of my own bad choices,
a hounding of voices
speaking regrets through the years.

Sometimes
I have failed in faith:
too tired of waiting,
too much of hearing my own voice,
not seeing
that what could not be seen
was more real than the things
that made noise.

Sometimes
I have held too lightly,
let loose too late,
failed.

Never
has hope, love or faith
ever failed me.

H. Arnett
4/12/13

Posted in Christian Devotions, Christian Living, Metaphysical Reflection, Poetry, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Watching the Storm

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Doc Arnett

We sit together for a long while
in the north bedroom,
sifting through the thoughts and the day
while lightning plays along
the western edge of the dark slate cold front.

Somewhere in between words
about horses and church,
children and parents,
work and retirement,
a long firing
runs a white-hot wire
all across the northern sky:

a horizontal line
with the occasional spike to earth,
if something that lasts less than a second
can have anything occasional about it.

A bit later
the thunder comes rumpling along,
shuffling its way through clouds and rain,
an ungentle refreshing of the pasture.

And then, mid-sentence,
a closer flash turns the whole night white,
bright enough to shut off the neighbor’s pole light,
a tiny hint of heaven telling us
that it will take more
than the trivia of our technology
to outdo glory.

Reminding me
that one day
something like the lightning shining
from east to west
will tell us that all of night
is over.

H. Arnett
4/11/13

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Transformation, Part II

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Doc Arnett

Since childhood, I have tried to contemplate the implications of actually obeying the teachings of The Carpenter. Most of those teachings are not really all that complicated, just really counter to my natural inclinations. They are easier to understand than to apply, so to speak.

I have found that the decision to actually obey is pretty much key. After a bit of practice, forgiving becomes easier, as does turning the other cheek and praying for our abusers. Lately, I am challenged with the notion of similar implications of applying these teachings to my efforts at leading our congregation.

How do we embed the notion of “where your treasure is your heart will be also” to church leadership? What would be the actual applications of “seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness” as pastor and as elders and deacons? As a congregation?

At our most recent meeting, following the sermon and the one member’s response I described yesterday, we first discussed how we could give God more control over New Life Church. Then we talked about what might be different if we quit focusing on being a modern, property-owning church and started emphasizing doing Kingdom work.

Although I had been nervous about bringing up these two topics, the response of our other elders and deacons was very confirming. It was, in fact, transforming; our whole perspective shifted as we quit thinking about how to get more people and more money into the church and how to do more for Christ.

A church starts thinking like that, it just could be that revival is right around the corner. Could be that it’s already started…

H. Arnett
4/9/13

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Sermon on the Mount Transformation

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Doc Arnett

While visiting my youngest son and his wife and their new baby in Arkansas two weeks ago, I jotted down the notes for the message I planned to preach on Palm Sunday. Based on a segment of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the soliloquy focused on laying up treasures on heaven instead of on earth: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Because of the winter storm that followed on my heels as I drove home that Saturday afternoon, we cancelled church services the next day. I saved the sermon for yesterday, two weeks later.

As is my custom during the closing song that comes immediately after the preaching, I left the pulpit and headed up the main aisle toward the back of the church. A man who would most likely not have been there two Sundays ago stopped me near the front of the church. The reason he most likely would not have been there was that he hadn’t come but once or twice during the last eight months. The reason he was there was quite likely because three of our elders had gone down to the hospital at Kansas City to pray for his step-daughter three weeks ago when she was in the hospital.

He stepped out to the edge of the aisle and reached for my hand, “I just want you to know that your message today is going to change my life.” He quickly described how a major focus in his life that he had intended to dramatically increase his income was not working out as he had hoped. “All it’s really doing is taking me away from my family,” he confessed. “I’m going to be making some big changes because of your sermon today.”

It had never entered my mind that he was someone who sorely needed to hear that sermon. I’m also pretty sure that he had no idea how much I needed this affirmation after months of discouraging direction in the church.

God’s timing usually works out about right, I think.

H. Arnett
4/8/13

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Of Worry and Trust

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Doc Arnett

Even in the still darkness
it is still dark.
The quiet of sleep cannot keep
the fringe of light
from coming or going.

Night’s passing does not depend
upon the ending of our fear
nor the nearness of our faith
but it is faith
that keeps us quiet in our sleep.

Branches bend to earth
under the weight of the storm
and new buds are born to spring,
each season bringing its own changings
and yieldings to life’s workings.

Even in the fiercest dawn,
hope is birthed upon the earth,
a knowing that night’s ending
may not always bring a gentle light
but night cannot keep back the coming.

It is not in the next world only
that we lay hold to the glory of hope;
it is seen in the touch of foot to floor,
the first opening of door
and the setting of the step

toward whatever lies before.
Every day is the day
that the Lord has made.
Sufficient to each is the evil thereof
and beyond sufficient is his provision.

H. Arnett
4/5/13

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More than Clay

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Doc Arnett

Like a lot of other people, I suspect, I recently received a web link of an online video recording of Buddy Greene playing his harmonica at Carnegie Hall.

I’m no expert at critiquing harmonica performance, nor for that matter, the cello, violin, bassoon or any of the various other instruments more commonly associated with Carnegie Hall performance. But I will venture my own impression that Buddy Greene plays a mighty fine harmonica. It’s a bit unexpected to hear works by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky performed on a harmonica. It’s flat out astounding to hear those works played with the acuity that Buddy demonstrates. The enthusiastic standing ovation of the Hall audience following his performance of the William Tell/1812 Overture corroborates that observation rather convincingly.

We have long known that the capacity of an instrument lies only partly with the instrument. We also know that even a cheap guitar sounds better in the hands of an accomplished player and that a truly wonderful instrument resonates with almost angelic qualities under the touch of a virtuoso.

I find it even more inspiring and wonderful to witness the touch of the Holy Spirit upon the human heart. Men bound by years of bitterness and hostility become gentle and loving. Women whose past includes decades of decadence become pure and righteous. Children scarred by a lifetime of abuse become trusting and forgiving. Lives are changed, relationships restored and despair becomes triumphant hope. Sinners such as me are relieved of the long years of lusting and longing and find satisfaction and soothing in the imitation of Christ.

Even the legendary violins of Stradivarius had no capacity for willful cooperation. All that could be extracted from them depended upon the hands of their builders and of their musicians. Only the human can make the choice of yielding to the better impulse, the greater hand, the divine touch. And in that yielding becomes the vessel of sublime transformation and receives the applause of God and angels.

H. Arnett
4/02/13

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Our Daily Bread

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Doc Arnett

The moon gleams in its lesser glory
above the frosted branches of the cottonwood tree.
A slight crust on the ground
breaks beneath my feet
in this least light of morning.
My breath strokes its slight whisks in the air.

The horses raise their heads,
ears tilted toward me in anticipation
of ground grains mixed with dried molasses.

All that passes upon this earth
looks forward to its feeding,
bleats its pleadings into the wind
and sends itself toward whatever lies before.

I sift the feed into the buckets,
stroke the soft hair of the gelding’s neck
briefly
and then turn to getting out the hay
that they only eat
once the sweet is gone.

Our greater sustenance
is not always our favorite
but it is that
which carries us through our day.

On this day
I will savor both
and be grateful.

H. Arnett
4/2/13

Posted in Christian Devotions, Christian Living, Farming, Metaphysical Reflection, Nature, Poetry, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Our Daily Bread

Driving Back from Little Rock

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Doc Arnett

I don’t know whether or not
it has to do with being male
instead of female

or with being nearly sixty
instead of barely thirty

or maybe it’s just being me

and, I think that explanations
can be a bit over-rated anyway
but I do know

that watching my son
and my daughter-in-law
holding their newborn daughter

is somehow as precious to me
as holding her myself

and I am thinking of all three of them
as I am driving
through the mists of these mountains
in northern Arkansas

and remember
that we have been made
only a little lower than the angels.

H. Arnett
3/27/13

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