Comments for guymwilliams.net

Comment on ashes and intimacy by alicia

alicia — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:03:05 +0000

Well said Guy. Well said. I am always painfully aware that before we observe another Ash Wednesday I will preside over one or more of the faithful’s funeral. It becomes like a long Eve to All Saints Day.

Comment on ashes and intimacy by Jessica LaGrone

Jessica LaGrone — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:51:14 +0000

I agree with Mindy. Great reflective and clear writing. Being the one to impose ashes and pronounce mortality is a bittersweet thing, but such a privilege.

Comment on Mere Christianity 8 by guy m williams

guy m williams — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:06:18 +0000

hey Carey – great to hear from you! We’re doing well and think fondly of Bellville often. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts here.

Comment on Mere Christianity 8 by Carey N. Tise

Carey N. Tise — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:43:32 +0000

Guy, your deep man! Deep calls unto deep! Hope you and your wife are doing well. We miss you.

I am a new subscriber and look forward to reading your posts.

Comment on With by guy m williams

guy m williams — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:05:29 +0000

That’s the tension. It is true that being with Jesus “accomplishes various things.” But that can’t be the motivation. We can recognize the dynamic but still work at allowing God’s Spirit to purify our motivations. If our motivation is utilitarian, then we’re attempting to use God. That’s not a good place to be.

I think it’s about first and second things. To paraphrase a familiar saying: Seek first being with Christ for its own sake and all the benefits will be added to you.

Comment on With by Ron Goetz

Ron Goetz — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:50:24 +0000

Regarding this — “With him for it’s own sake–that’s how relationship works.”

I haven’t found this to be the case, for myself. In relationships (my kids, my wife, my pastor), each one is different, and what’s going on in each one varies from week to week, day to day. My relationship with my wife is the most “transactional.” There are behavioral “expectations” — much more than sitting in silence with one another.

And sitting in silence with “the Lord, who is the spirit,” accomplishes various things. We are transformed from one degree of glory to another, we hear the still small voice, we discover what’s bothering us — things we’re ignoring for various reasons. All this has utility.

There is, of course, the problem of using people. My wife observed that in me, what I would call “kingdom-building” — wanting to use people to build myself up, using people like little organizational lego blocks, instead of discovering what it is that God wants to accomplish in another person’s life.

I had to repent of that impulse. And I wasn’t very good at it anyway.

Comment on Narrative Goal-Setting for 2012 by Todd Richards

Todd Richards — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:58:46 +0000

I really like this Guy. I can’t wait to try it myself! Maybe we can swap results/letters for 2012….

Hope all is well!

Todd

Comment on Jesus is the Game-Changer by guy m williams

guy m williams — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:12:28 +0000

Great point. She prays in the tradition of the Hebrew Scriptures, similar in a number of ways to Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2. Definitely someone who knows God’s promises and faithfulness from knowing his Word.

Comment on Jesus is the Game-Changer by Nolan Donald

Nolan Donald — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:05:49 +0000

I think the most fascinating thing is how squarely focused on God Mary was. Despite the powerful implications that her pregnancy could have, she portrayed as one who knew the promises of God, knew of God’s faithfulness, and would trust in spite of outward appearances that would challenge anyone. She is a model of a joyful servant of Jesus.

Comment on Waiting in Hope by Sally Langford

Sally Langford — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:46:20 +0000

Thanks for your Advent blog. I look forward to reading your entries during the coming weeks.