What I've Learned in Theology 2

Hello,

The past five blogs have come as assignments from a class in my school called Theology 2: Theology in Life. The desire of which, is that we might understand how to apply theology in our day to day lives. A very reasonably and unfortunately often unapplied principle. For our final assignment we were to creatively express everything we have learned over the class. Thus I wrote this poem, because poetry when your the right mood, can be very very fun.

Sincerely,
Colby Holloway

This class I've taken has taken me on a journey,

one in which there was no small amount of self discovery.

Covered up by a desire to be confident in what I know

I found a plethora of information hidden in the periphery.

You see when I peal back the layers and reveal my reality

one will find a large amount of neutrality.

A fear of moving into the scary and unforgiving snow

that is life application in the face of theology.

Oh that life was simply sitting and thinking

about God and that which is linking

our pitiful human existence

to a God whose love for us is not small inkling.

But it’s not.

Instead we are asked to apply that knowledge

in this innovative and inspiring college,

And take matters into our own hands

figuring out God’s plans

for the lives he bought.

So the following is the lessons learned

in this semester of applying the “B" we’ve earned.

(For those who don’t know these classes are pass or fail

so “B’s” are the highest grade we can nail)

First I learned the art of Kenosis,

allowing or forcing oneself to “Be emptied.”

The prognosis?

Success, if success is learning that which I envied.

Which some would say is a better lesson to take with me

if I seek to serve God whole heartedly.

Next I released some bitterness

as well as asked for forgiveness.

In this lesson I discovered a new awareness

of the hurts I caused others through my selfishness,

as well as learning, that trying in earnest

doesn't always guarantee others will be honest.

A tricky request came as my next assignment.

To carry a two-by two foot cross in perfect alignment

with my every step out my front door.

I must admit it took much to ignore

the desire to leave that cross at the door,

but in the end what I wanted more

was to find out how God works

when your getting a lot of smirks.

It turns out that he works in mysterious ways

and the reality is that if I did anything of signifiCance

than it did little to phase

the judge that comes into work name Vance.

There was not great divine romance,

just a silly boy and many a chance

to speak of what it means to carry the cross

to my co-workers, friends, and even my boss.

Carrying on I was thus to face my fear,

and varying on the time of year

my fears are often quite hard to see

try then to imagine upon receiving this assignment my sarcastic glee.

However, it turned out to be very beneficial

Never have I had such a dream that was so official,

in terms of being an example of my bodies response to

sin and the weight of fear being lifted from you.

Indeed the assignment gave me dreams of flying

Need more? You think I was lying?

Thrice I lifted off in my dream,

concise but brilliant did it seem.

The fear and lies I had been believing,

demanding an answer to their questioning,

was if when someday I undoubtedly fail,

in a matter in which discretion is of no avail.

would everything I’ve worked for,

my reputation and so much much more,

all just fade to lore ,

think all the gore!

“Lord” I cried "tell me that’s not what’s in store

I don’t wanna be the devils whore."

But God did fell my fears

“This life, is not about you my dear.”

So tenderly and quietly written

Throughout my dream of floating through heaven.

So Finally, I came to the final blog.

A request that I visit a church not my own

that did worship that might include a moan,

or some dancing and prancing

as people declared to God words romancing.

Indeed it was an assignment to see through the smog

The smog being a result of years of breeding in a spiritual climate

of intelligence and scriptural refinement,

that did not leave a lot of room for spirituality,

that was not clearly defined and seen biblically.

Anything that was not especially clear 

was thus thrown out in fear

that the devil was lurking near

to the hearts that just wanted some beer.

There was certainly an attitude I needed to fix

before I could even enter into their mix,

but God is merciful and loving

and thus removed the pride and shaming.

And so I entered into a beautiful worship with my brothers and sisters,

most of whom I’d never met but could sense were practitioners

of a love for God would never fade

until in the grave they were laid.

So there you go.

That’s the jest of what you wanted to know.

Everything I learned in a semester of yearning

to understand how to make my application of theology grow.