This Semester, There Was No Spoon

Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Spoon boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Spoon boy: Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

I never really enjoyed The Matrix until I started understanding all the Christian undertones. For the past couple of years, God seems to have reiterated a resounding theme throughout each one of my school semesters. One time it was about being proactive, another time it was about loneliness, another time it was about faith. This semester has undoubtedly been about perspective. Driving a car is different from riding in a car. Flying in a plane is different from jumping out of a plane. Hanging out with Singaporeans has definitely been different from representing Singapore. So in the end, I've come to the conclusion that nothing is truth but Jesus Christ because everything else is just based on human perspective (that in itself is continually changing). I think two major events brought me to this view:

1) Grad school - Turns out teachers know squat about their subject and textbooks only contain perspectives passed off for fact; in other words, that whole 3rd grade English assignment where you had to differentiate the "fact" phrases from the "opinion" phrases is completely and utterly useless
2) That fateful day in 2006 when Pluto disappeared from my solar system

Incidentally, I'm a real sucker for pleasing everyone, which is something I've never really liked about myself. Trying to please too many people tends to produce an outcome that never pleases anyone. But I think this blessing (or curse) has stemmed from the ability (or disability) of being able to relate to or to see multiple viewpoints. So, what's interesting to me is that Jesus never outrightly says, "Change your perspective." You can't even find the word "perspective" in the NIV translation of the Bible (but I'm not sure about the other translations). Instead, he gives parables and instructions such as "Do to others what you would have them to do to you" and "Love your enemies" to show us how to seek, not a different perspective for the sake of getting a different perspective, but Truth. With his parables of withering fig trees, prodigal sons, lost coins, and all other illustrations, I think that he hopes that some day we'll truly realize that "there is no spoon". After all, Jesus did say:

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Light; no one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

A Time to Retreat

If you've ever seen the mini-series "Band of Brothers", you begin to understand the horrors of war. The impact that such times have on your soul can weaken you to the point that the irrational appears right. Of course for the members of Easy Company, that could easily mean death. And so, time away of the front lines, an individual or company retreat, may mean the difference in life and death.

While an undergrad student, I decided to escape some Saturday to spend a day purely in prayer. It only remained an intention. Today, I still regret never doing this.

We often see our Lord retreating early in the morning before anyone else was awake. In fact, it's crazy the number of times the gospel writers mention it. I'm betting they asked Jesus what He was up to so early. And I'd bet that's what prompted them to ask Him how to pray.

I don't like war analogies when it comes to our spiritual life. We too often confuse whom we oppose. But Paul was clear that, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." When engaged in a life and death struggle, don't forget that you have to pray, you need to pray, and He longs for you to pray! (Gal. 6:10-20)

Recommended Reading Continued

I've also been trying to find some really good Christian blogs or just a place for daily thoughts to access. So Craig, thanks for mentioning it! I get weekly updates from GotQuestions.org which sometimes piques my interest, but I still have yet to find something that I am really excited about reading. However, I've also stumbled upon some really good books you all should check out:

*More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell
A really detailed and compelling argument about the validity of The Resurrection
*Dancing in the Desert: Spiritual Refreshment for Your Parched Soul by Marsha Crockett
Good for the times when you get sucked into an abyss and find yourself alone and lost.
*Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
Matt's favorite. ;) But a really honest picture of how Christianity is seen today from a secular point of view.

There's another good reference book that I read last summer, but I can't remember the name. I'll post it later.

Recommended Reading (my first post)

I have a short list of blogs I visit either every day or every week. However, other than our own little piece of the web here :-) , there's 1 so far that stands out. His name is Terry Rush. You can find him simply at http://terryrush.blogspot.com. I write today because his last message is so profoundly simple, "Hear the Cry of the World", and his deep cry, his deep desire for our Jesus is so profound.

Some things about Terry: He writes practically every day. He's a preacher in Tulsa, OK. He leads and organizes the Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop every year. He has a beautiful family, which you can find blogs of his sons, Dusty and Tim, who I know from college. And most of all, he's desperate to reach the lost of our world with the message of Jesus.

Is there someone who blogs that gives you encouragement? Tell us!