So"journ*ing\, n. To dwell for a time; to live in a place as a temporary resident or as a stranger, not considering the place as a permanent habitation.
The succinctness of this quote from D. Willard pin-points why one should consider this historical figure, Jesus Christ, as more than just a cool teacher, or good man. Amazingly, today he can be sought and found. He can provide meaning, hope and direction... someone truly worthy of getting to know.
"Jesus’ enduring relevance is based on his historically proven ability to speak to, to heal and empower the individual human condition. He matters because of what he brought and what he still brings to ordinary human beings, living their ordinary lives and coping daily with their surroundings. He promises wholeness for their lives. In sharing our weakness, he gives us strength and imparts through his companionship a life that has the quality of eternity."
Along my journey, there have been many people who have aided me in developing my thoughts about how living as a "sojourner" I should view the world around me. One person who has influenced me greatly, though not all the time easily, was a man who was at his height of writing around the time of my birth. This man, Clive Stapleton Lewis (often known as: C.S. Lewis), a university professor, pointed my thinking away from my surface notions, pointing me towards a deeper way of reflecting.
On April 4, 1945, he wrote a piece that was published in the Coventry Evening Telegraph, it was entitled "The Laws of Nature." The piece wrestles with the thought of how some people believe that prayer is counter to the laws of nature.
The article opened with a comment made by a friend at the start of a day before Lewis’s first student arrived. The friend expressed disagreement with something another said about her prayers being the reason her son was not killed by a bullet that nearly missed him. Before being interrupted the person concluded it “was simply due to the laws of Nature” and not prayer that it happen that way. Later when Lewis reflected on the matter he developed his argument for why upon careful analysis it isn’t just that simple. You have to consider the source behind these laws, something science is not able to explain. The essay is also available in written form in a book entitled: God in the Dock
To give you a taste of how Lewis thought through this issue, below you'll find a video posted (www.youtube.com/user/CSLewisDoodle/videos) dreamed of and produced by a person named Kalman, who lives in New Zealand. In Kalman's own words, "it is a live animation of a C.S. Lewis essay in the 1920 - 1940's 'Art Deco' style." I hope you enjoy the seven minute video and ponder the message that it contains...
For further enquiry into C.S. Lewis: There is a wealth of information found at a great blog: C.S. Lewis Blog: http://lewisminute.wordpress.com/
Dallas Willard, a Christian Philosopher, passed away a few days ago. He was described as a man on a quite quest to subvert nominal Christianity. As with all men there were aspects that some did not agree with, or understand, but he no doubt brought much to our generation regarding true Christian faith... not a religion, or a denomination, rather a life connected with the living God in a personal way!
I thought you'd like to read an article posted in Christianity Today just recently about him. I've shortened the url so that it doesn't take up a bunch of characters... this link will take you to a good overview of a man who's life-long heart was to honor the God in whom he believed!
Dallas Albert Willard (born September 4, 1935) is an American philosopher also known for his writings on Christian spiritual formation. He is currently Professor of Philosophy at The University of Southern California.
This interview, calmly and deliberately, shares what it means to be a disciple, or a dedicated follower of Christ. I'm sharing this on my blog because it is part of "My Sojourning" and hope it is, or will be, part of yours...
"Jesus’ enduring relevance is based on his historically proven ability to speak to, to heal and empower the individual human condition. He matters because of what he brought and what he still brings to ordinary human beings, living their ordinary lives and coping daily with their surroundings. He promises wholeness for their lives. In sharing our weakness, he gives us strength and imparts through his companionship a life that has the quality of eternity."
(pg. 13) 
