Word of Life Church Podcast

"Sometimes when I stand in some corner of Auschwitz, my feet planted on Your earth, my eyes raised toward Your heaven, tears sometimes run down my face, tears of deep emotion and gratitude. And I want to be there right in the thick of what people call “horror” and still be able to say: life is beautiful. And now I lie here in a corner, dizzy and feverish and unable to do a thing. But I am also with the jasmine and with that piece of sky beyond my window. For once you have begun to walk with God, you need only keep on walking with Him and all of life becomes one long stroll—such a marvelous feeling." -Etty Hillesum (1914-1943)

Pilgrimage (a journey of a spiritual nature) has always been a practice among spiritual seekers. The ancient Jews were to make three pilgrimages a year to the holy city of Jerusalem. This is the context for Psalm 84 — it’s a meditation on the pilgrim journey to Zion. As such it's a profound reflection upon the all-important journey of the heart — an inner pilgrimage toward a mature revelation of God.

On the journey of life, we will find ourselves as both the helper and the helped. The myth of the self-made man is a strong belief in our culture, but an honest reflection on life will find "no man is an island entire of itself." We are a God-made mankind and it is not good that we are alone. Therefore, may find comfort in a God who is good and faithful - who's help most often comes through other people.

We are resurrection people not only because believe in the doctrine of the resurrection. We are resurrection people because we practice resurrection. We walk in newness of life. There are four practices that open up the door to all the other practices of the faith, namely awareness, learning, reflecting, and action. When we adopt these four practices, the way of life opens up for us.

“The devout Christian of the future will either be a ‘mystic,’ one who has ‘experienced’ something, or he will cease to be anything at all. –Karl RahnerThe tsunami of secularism will be survived, not by clever apologetics, or by waging misguided culture wars, or by pining away for an irretrievable past, but being a person who has had their own mystical experience with God.

My Back PagesBob DylanCrimson flames tied through my earsRollin’ high and mighty trapsPounced with fire on flaming roadsUsing ideas as my maps“We’ll meet on edges, soon,” said IProud ’neath heated browAh, but I was so much older thenI’m younger than that nowHalf-wracked prejudice leaped forth“Rip down all hate,” I screamedLies that life is black and whiteSpoke from my skull. I dreamedRomantic facts of musketeersFoundationed deep, somehowAh, but I was so much older thenI’m younger than that nowGirls’ faces formed the forward pathFrom phony jealousyTo memorizing politicsOf ancient historyFlung down by corpse evangelistsUnthought of, though, somehowAh, but I was so much older thenI’m younger than that nowA self-ordained professor’s tongueToo serious to foolSpouted out that libertyIs just equality in school“Equality,” I spoke the wordAs if a wedding vowAh, but I was so much older thenI’m younger than that nowIn a soldier’s stance, I aimed my handAt the mongrel dogs who teachFearing not I’d become my enemyIn the instant that I preachMy existence led by confusion boatsMutiny from stern to bowAh, but I was so much older thenI’m younger than that nowYes, my guard stood hard when abstract threatsToo noble to neglectDeceived me into thinkingI had something to protectGood and bad, I define these termsQuite clear, no doubt, somehowAh, but I was so much older thenI’m younger than that now

There Is A LightU2And if the terrors of the nightcome creeping into your days And the world comes, stealing children from your roomGuard your innocence From hallucination and know that darkness always gathers around the lightThere is a light you can’t always see If there is a world we can’t always beIf there is a dark that we shouldn’t doubt And there is a light, don’t let it go outWhen the winds screams and shoutsAnd the sea is a dragon’s tailAnd the ship that stole your heart away sets sailWhen all you’ve left is leaving And all you got is grievingAnd all you know is needingIf there is a light you can’t always see If there is a world we can’t always beIf there is a dark that we shouldn’t doubt And there is a light, don’t let it go outCause this is a songA song for someoneSomeone like meI know the world is doneBut you don’t have to beI’ve got a question for the child in you before it leavesAre you tough enough to be kind?Do you know your heart has it’s own mind?Darkness gathers around the lightHold on, hold on There is a light you can’t always see If there is a world we can’t always beIf there is a dark that we shouldn’t doubt And there is a light don’t let it go outAnd this is a songA song for someoneThis is a songA song for someoneSomeone like meSomeone like meSomeone like me

LamentA portion like madness in seasonBracing all like a breaking of reasonWith every night lost and every day tornWith the drama feeling calmer and it's calmer in the stormSpeakers are crying like a forest in the rainI was so alone with my thoughts and my painAnd the darkness closed like a mouth on a wild nightI'll never be freeGospelOoh, in this darknessPlease light my wayLight my wayLamentI can't stand on my own anymoreI can't stand in the stain of the broken and poorI can't break what I held and it never was trueIn the mirror what I said was a lie to youAnd me and everything I see and everything I couldI tried so hard to be goodFor myself, for you, for the hidden and divineFor everything but I can fail just so many timesGospelOoh, in this darknessPlease light my wayLight my way

I'm passing sleeping citiesFading by degreesNot believing all I see to be soI'm flyin' over backyardsCountry homes and ranchesWatching life between the branches belowAnd it's hard to sayWho you are these daysBut you run on anywayDon't you baby?You keep running for another placeTo find that saving graceI'm moving on aloneOver ground that no one ownsPast statues that atone for my sinsThere's a guard on every doorAnd a drink on every floorOverflowing with a thousand amensAnd it's hard to sayWho you are these daysBut you run on anywayDon't you baby?You keep running for another placeTo find that saving graceDon't you baby?You're rolling up the carpetOf your father's two-room mansionNo headroom for expansion no moreAnd there's a corner of the floorThey're telling you is yoursYou're confident but not really sureAnd it's hard to sayWho you are these daysBut you run on anywayDon't you baby?You keep running for another placeTo find that saving graceDon't you baby?

​The day you cameNaked, afraidYoung mother screams and pushes youThe day you came Oh joy beginWeak little thingMore precious there’ll be nothing, noOh joy begin Let’s not forget these early daysRemember we begin the sameWe lose our way in fear and painOh joy begin First just one stepOne word and thenWith laughter sing, oh life beginFirst just one step Innocent kissBlack magic blissFirst broken boneSudden and swiftOh innocence Let’s not forget these early daysRemember we begin the sameWe lose our way in fear and hateOh joy beginOh joy begin