From Him, Through Him, to Him

God's great universe, all made by Him, through Him and, for Him. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1). As most anyone would readily admit, something can't come from nothing, so all that exists must come from something. God's act of creation is not even necessarily reduced to His power to overcome the Laws of Nature, through He is most surely capable. Instead, God's great essence of truth acts out of his blessed consistency to create the world out of something--but what? What else could've existed with God except God? A better question might be to ask "Who?" as another was present. In the beginning was the Word; the Living Word of God is Christ, given for us. To modify Romans 11:36 by using the Word for Jesus, for from the Word, and through the Word and to Him are all things. It is no accident that the World was created by the spoken word of God. Jesus is both the origin of all that exists in this Earth, but he is the purpose, the telos, the end which every action and thing points towards. All is for him, but all is also created by Him, through his dynamic, self-existence.

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor?
To Him be the glory forever. Amen."

nate.

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Grad

Wow.

I am no longer a high schooler. I don't quite know what to feel, or how to describe what I am feeling. Bittersweet might be accurate, but that's not quite right. 13 years at my beloved alma-mater have left me even longing for change. 4 years with many different friends have left me longing for more of the same. I'm definitely an imposter--smiling for the pictures, schmoozing with parents and teachers. I haven't really feel like a graduate yet, but the small piece of parchment says otherwise.

Today, however, was the culmination of graduation, showing me how I made it this far. Everyone has played a significant role, big or small. Gathering today helped me to have closure, celebrating the end of a journey with my mentors, my friends, and my family.

Teachers who have been sometimes my task masters, always my advocates, and always my friends

Friends who have been so much more than the title can describe.

Family members who have given me a tradition of faithfulness to challenge and encourage me.

Thanks for celebrating with me today. It fills me with joy. I wouldn't have it any other way. I am now ready for the next phase.

I have now officially graduated.

nate.

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Salty Grave

Why do some days just suck? Who knows. Somehow, the perversity of life seems to heap one misfortune after another, until my head protrudes from a pile of garbage and un-wanted mess.

It's that day;
That day when you don't hear the alarm until maximum volume about five minutes late,
That day when nothing important seems to happen,
That day when none of your baseballs seem to travel where you intended,
That day when your baseball coach hits you in the head with a baseball.

It's that day, when I retreat into my shell and hunker down until Life's blows subside. When I await the moment that he puts away his boxing gloves, when I can regroup in my safe place.

It's that day when you just want to go to sleep earlier so the day will end, and tomorrow will start anew.

God, give me the faith to praise you as I drown. As I flounder in Life's trash can, I want the kind of faith that won't scream in anger, or throw baseball equipment, or even find other ways of releasing agony and frustration. A faith that will instead take my frustrations and my emotions, and nail them to the cross with Jesus--a place where He takes them on himself. Though I may or may not still feel the feelings, my spirit will be enabled by His spirit so that I can praise Him. That day was not today, but I pray for an ever-increasing outpouring of His spirit.


"There is something to say
About being desperate, down and low
Giving a chance to see what it all can mean
There is something to say
About being desperate, down and low

Upon my arrival, I either learn to swim or drown
As I struggle for air I see only water
And I reach for anything as I cry for help
I feel my body growing week slipping away,
It occurs to me that my cries are worthless
Acknowledging death, I no longer mourn my own loss
And begin to sing praises to the one that has me here
As I sink to my salty grave I drown
No hand to reach for, no ear to listen

Let it be a sweet sound, sweet sound… In your ear

Up to the light I will sing praises; surely we will all die
Up to the light I will sing praises because surely we will all die"

"Salty Grave"

nate.

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That Nature is a Heraclitean Fire and of the Comfort of the Resurrection

Driving home from church tonight, I saw a beautiful sight. Just above the sharp outline of leaf-less tree branches, a large, red moon stared back at me, almost perfectly mirroring the pensive mood with which I left our service tonight. Holy week, as this week before Easter is often called, is quite an emotional week. With two baseball games, the looming shadow of exams, and the soon end of school, the "Easter feeling" has had an unusually small role in my week. In the busyness of my recent life, autopilot kicked in, and Easter has taken a backseat. Tonight, as I sat in our Maundy Thursday service, I began to think about the events leading up to what we call Easter.

Think of the disciples, what would they be doing right now? (Thursday night at about 10:30). Tonight is the night of the Last Supper, and Jesus knew he was to be crucified--brutally slaughtered in one of the most gruesome deaths possible. How could anyone be joyful, or even consider stooping to wash the feet of his followers.

He did.

Being fully God and fully man, Jesus could've stopped it all. Angels, cherubs, the weather, and anything else imaginable was at his command, and yet he suffered. Who, in anticipation of this horrid death, would pray, "Not my will, but yours be done"?

He did.

Whose purpose was so entangled with God's that he was willing to be simultaneously guilty of all sins of the world and separated from God, his father, his ultimate joy and comfort?

I know mine is not. But that is the whole point of Easter: We can't. We cannot do what Jesus did. That is the message of Good Friday. He took our punishment for everything we ever will do and in doing that, he paid the price we are unable to pay. He defeated death so that we can spend eternity glorifying and enjoying God. We cannot be Jesus. He lived a perfect life; I am imperfect everyday. It is, however, his death that frees us from the chains that bind. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. Through his horrible death, we, as Christians, now own a power over sin, over death. We are no longer slaves to sin! We are now able to chose to not sin! We are free! We are not "in Adam", our identity is not in man, but instead, we are "in Christ"! We have a new spirit, a spirit that has the power to satisfy our deepest longings, the power to break free of sin, and, most importantly, the power to become more like Christ. We now become "children of God", heirs to his kingdom. Now we have victory over the systems of this world. We are now able to claim victory, through Jesus, against many things.

Satan tempts me frequently and I fail. Jesus is Risen!!
I am addicted to weed and cigarettes. Jesus is Risen!!
I am full of pride. Jesus is Risen!!
My parents are divorced. Jesus is Risen!!
My life is full of pain and suffering Jesus is Risen!!

Claim the power that we are given through His death and resurrection! Christ went down and whooped the devil for three days, then He came back to life, declaring victory over Death itself. We have this power, through His spirit in us. By taking hold of his power, we not only break sin and temptation, but we have the power to love without bounds and to have the same agape as God! We have an awesome God, take hold of his power and own it!

nate.


Love's as warm as tears,
Love is tears:
Pressure within the brain,
Tension at the throat,
Deluge, weeks of rain,
Haystacks afloat,
Featureless seas between
Hedges, where once was green

Love's as fierce as fire, 

Love is fire:
All sorts--Infernal heat
Clinkered with greed and pride, 

Lyric desire, sharp-sweet,
Laughing, even when denied, 

And that empyreal flame 

Whence all loves came. 


Love's as fresh as spring,
Love is spring:
Bird-song in the air,
Cool smells in a wood,
Whispering "Dare! Dare!"
To sap, to blood,
Telling "Ease, safety, rest,
Are good; not best."

Love's as hard as nails,
Love is nails: 

Blunt, thick, hammered through 

The medial nerves of One 

Who, having made us, knew 

The thing He had done,
Seeing (what all that is)
Our cross, and His. 


C.S. Lewis - LOVE'S AS WARM AS TEARS

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Who are you?

My alarm clock rips me from a peaceful sleep as another day begins. After a shower and some breakfast, my sister and I then make the rush to the car and the sometimes frantic effort to be on time. The music takes my mind off any other thoughts, and dropping off my sister I mindlessly slip into these very welcoming red seats for another morning assembly. After a day of continuous class, from one tile floor to another, guided by the ever-present florescent lights to another 45 minutes of quality education. As the minute hand swings to mark the end of school, I hop into my car and turn up the music for the 2 minute ride up to baseball. Baseball ends and I move into a second round of school through my homework, filling my brain with noises, numbers, and over forms of sensory noise. Why is it that we cram our schedules with meeting after meeting? Practice after practice? Sound after sound?

If I may, I ask you to take a minute to reflect the past month. What was your favorite activity? At which point in time did you most enjoy your life over the past few weeks? What is the one thing that most excited and enlivened your personality and your intellect? Was it your alarm clock? Was it the countless lunch meetings you are involved in? Was it the constant stream of noise, both audible and visual, filling your perception? To answer for myself, the noise and hurry of my life is by no means my favorite activity, but somehow.. it manages to organize a usurpation of my diversions and educational joys. In the rush of my school life, time and time again I lose sight of who I am.

Know Who You Are!

It is essential, for our development as individuals of dreams and ambitions, to recognize what we are meant to do! Though I say this easily, I cannot say what I will be doing in 5 years, or even what my college major will be. It is very important, however, not necessarily to have specific ideas of what we will be doing, but instead to know ourselves.

Know Who You Are!

High school is often characterized as a time of maturation (hopefully) and of self-discovery. The activities which one pursues define “Committing yourself is a way of finding out who you are. A man finds his identity by identifying.” In that, we find out the things that we love to do, the activities that really ignite our passion and intellect. Sophomore year, when a younger Nathan Tilley walked into Mr. Zuraws room, he had no idea how much Moot Court would come to mean in his life. Additionally, when I decided sophomore year to move ahead to junior AP English with Mr. Moore, I wouldn’t have dreamed of how that decision has shaped my love for writing and for literature. Each of these activities played a key role in determining who I am, what I enjoy doing, and what I want to do in the future. Abraham Maslow said, “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be.”

Know Who You Are!

Realizing who you are is essential to not only your happiness, but your success. Your identity and your success go hand in hand. Many people sacrifice their identities by not doing what they really want to do. And that's why they're not successful. Your identity and your success go hand in hand. Many people sacrifice their identities by not doing what they really want to do. And that's why they're not successful. Your identity and your success go hand in hand. Many people sacrifice their identities by not doing what they really want to do. And that's why they're not successful. Your identity and your success go hand in hand. Many people sacrifice their identities by not doing what they really want to do. And that's why they're not successful. Your identity and your success go hand in hand. Many people sacrifice their identities by not doing what they really want to do. And that's why they're not successful.

It is not the things that we do that define our purpose and our existence, but instead, it is the way we treat others and the way that we chose to live our lives.

Know Who You Are!

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God is good!

I haven't written anything in forever! Things have been crazy, but really awesome at the same time. I will write something soon, but in the meantime all I have to say is this:

God is good! All the time! His love endures forever!!!

nate.

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Isolation

YES: in the sea of life enisled,
With echoing straits between us thrown.
Dotting the shoreless watery wild,
We mortal millions live alone.
The islands feel the enclasping flow,
And then their endless bounds they know.

But when the moon their hollows lights,
And they are swept by balms of spring,
And in their glens, on starry nights,
The nightingales divinely sing;
And lovely notes, from shore to shore,
Across the sounds and channels pour;

O then a longing like despair
Is to their farthest caverns sent!
For surely once, they feel, we were
Parts of a single continent.
Now round us spreads the watery plain—
O might our marges meet again!

Who order'd that their longing's fire
Should be, as soon as kindled, cool'd?
Who renders vain their deep desire?—
A God, a God their severance ruled;
And bade betwixt their shores to be
The unplumb'd, salt, estranging sea.

To Marguerite; by Matthew Arnold

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