I have not written for over a week.  As I have mentioned before, I am not sure if there are many readers of this post, but I believe that I am supposed to keep writing this blog, if for no other reasonthen out of sheer obedience.  I believe strongly that there needs to be voices out their in the cultrual wilderness that are speaking to men struggling  to understand the nature of the masculine soul.  These are men who want to be able to discern and listen for the “movements” of their souls.  It is difficult when men don’t have the language and guidance for such a vital practice.  This is why I keep writing. 

Last Sunday as I was preaching ion the gospel text from John 1:1-18, I was struck by the sense in which we as persons, who are embodied souls are invited into the life of the Trinity.  In his prologue to his story of Jesus, John is already giving us an outline of the Trinitarian life.  This is the life that we are invited to join; the “great dance” as C. S Lewis calls it.  Imagine, men, being invited to dance with the life found within the community of  Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  For this we were created.  As I was reflecting on that thought in the sermon, it stuck me rather forcefully,  “Why do we hold back as embodied souls from joyfully entering into the life of the trinity.’  Why do so many of us stay on the sidelines.  By “embodied soul” I mean joining in with our whole body – mind, will, spirit, emotions, and physical expressions. 

Later on Sunday afternoon, I reflected further on this idea, and thought it would be a good idea to present this question to men.  Why do we stay on the sideline as it were, thinking about God, trying to stay in control while managing our lives.  I have been on the sidelines for years, in the sense of not fully entering into the life afforded to me within the Trinity.  Some of it has to do with not being aware of life within the Trinity, but more so with the difficulty I have in seeing myself as an embodied soul.   In these days I am at least seeing that life in the Trinity is for me.  I also am moving off the sidelines, learning to enter into this life with my whole self.

For me, one of the best ways it illustrate this in my life, is to recall dancing with my three grand kidsin Kansas City.  My son, Kurt has a new found fondness for of all things, the music of Elvis Presley.  Well, when I was a teen-ager  I owned every 45 record of Elvis’.  So we turn on Kurt’s I-pod station ( I think that is what you call it) and dance.  Now I could be a “sideline Grandpa” and let them dance to Elvis.  But when I dance with them, it is pure joy.  There is Grandpa, as an embodied soul dance with the grand kids.   Think of it men, we are invited into  life within the dance.  The Father takes delight, when we get off the sidelines and fully enter into the life He offers to us in Jesus, his Son.  So get up and start dancing.  See what happens to your spirit and soul.