Monday, August 20, 2018

Constant conversion

       This passage speaks of a stiff necked people, of the actions of humans being repetitive, how prophets are killed and not listened to, not respected.  All one need do is open a newspaper, listen to TV and see how we seem doomed to repeat history. How many faults of our fathers have we willingly accepted or overlooked in ourselves with gusto, authority and arrogance.

        Supposedly the answer is to be 'born again'.  Still, we fall into many of our old ways, easily swayed into specious conclusions and errants actions 'in the name of God' and continue often without thought. We still are very much a stiff necked people.

         All these repetitive actions and errors we commit, the listening we do not do, the cover-up of the Roman church that we thought we were done with. What shall we do, be born again? Will that solve the problems now?  

       Like clothes that are not cleaned once and good forever more, we must be continually washed, continually be 'reborn'. The actions of the  'examen' are not a born again, but a daily born again, and again, and again, and again.  We are called to constant conversion of heart. We are called to constant self examination, self reflection and active repentance for our failures to act in the name we claim as our redeemer.  Saying words means virtually nothing. Are you born again? "How special" the church lady would say. 

        We are called to be constantly in the rinse  and wash cycle, ever renewed. Why? Because we are ever loved and our actions are the hands and ambassadors of Christ.

Acts 7:44-8:1

 ‘Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as Goddirected when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time of David, who found favour with God and asked that he might find a dwelling-place for the house of Jacob.But it was Solomon who built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says, 
“Heaven is my throne,
   and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
   or what is the place of my rest? 
Did not my hand make all these things?”
 ‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are for ever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.’
 When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him.
That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria.

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