Friday, November 29, 2013

San Diego First United Methodist Church – In Real Life – Friday, 29 November 2013 – “Like a Drop in the Ocean” by Craig Brown

San Diego First United Methodist Church – In Real Life – Friday, 29 November 2013 – “Like a Drop in the Ocean” by Craig Brown
Recently Bettina and I celebrated our anniversary by taking a short cruise along the California coast. Our short four-night adventure included a day at sea without visiting a port-of-call. During this day at sea, we both found ourselves going a bit stir crazy by the end of the day! It was the first time that I had truly been at sea with no land in sight. It was an "immersive" experience (no pun intended.) It is fascinating to me how in the midst of nothing around I became aware of everything around. I felt the expanse and depth of God's presence. I had a new awareness of how God's love is so very immersive.
Being a long-time fan of U2, I was reminded of a song lyric from a few years ago:
Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean(Yahweh, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)
The moments in our life when we experience love, grace, acceptance and even joy or elation are just a drop in the ocean. Our own experience of these things is a microcosm of the richness that exists within the very nature of God. We can be assured that these moments are always at the ready not just for us, but for every single human life. Each person can share in this same depth of love known in Jesus Christ. While that final day at sea had its unnerving moments floating around in a big sea, it also gave me a new appreciation for the infinite grace and love God has for this world. It is merely our privilege to be able to convey that to others.
As we prepare to begin our journey of Advent leading toward the Nativity of Jesus, may you too experience the deep love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
Craig+
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Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing, sing
Yahweh, yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn
Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticize
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss
Yahweh, yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn
Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is comin' up
The sun is comin' up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
Yahweh, yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?
Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break
(Songwriters: DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, ADAM ; CLAYTON, PAUL HEWSON)
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First United Methodist Church of San Diego
2111 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, CA 92108 United States

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