"Tis the season to be jolly......"
You would think so. Everything around us tells us that this is the time to be jolly and merry. Clerks in department stores wish us the generic "happy holidays" with each purchase, displaying a fake smile underneath their tired eyes from long hours, frustrated customers and hours of listening to Jingle Bell Rock played over the loudspeaker of the store. While touted as the"time of giving", more and more places try to offer bribes for your business with deals like "Buy a $30 gift card for them and get a $5 gift card for you!". Yes, playing to our selfish nature in the materialistic world we live in is a great method for drumming up more sales.
Besides the great buying frenzy, many find the holidays exhausting physically and emotionally. For the single, the emptiness of relationships seems ever more real as they travel from activity to activity, alone. For the widowed or grieving or empty nester, the holidays can open old wounds and highlight how this year is different, because not everyone who made the holiday season so special is there anymore. For the unemployed and underemployed, the season can remind you of everything you don't have and can't get for your loved ones. For the very wealthy, the holidays are especially anticlimactic, because all the money in the world can't fill that whole that nags at your heart. Or maybe you're the child learning Santa isn't true. Or you are some other religion, feeling assaulted by holiday greetings everywhere you go, for holidays you don't celebrate. Yes, "happy holidays" can be a major letdown for young and old.
And yet, Christmas is the most joyful time of all. Not the materialistic, secular, generality of "holiday wishes", Christmas is the true heralding of comfort and joy. For believers, it is a reminder of God's great love for us and our identity in Him. We are His people, saved through His Son, to be reunited in His glorious kingdom. The examples above are just a small sample of people trying to establish identity in worldly, temporary things like our beauty, riches, family or lovers. Every one of those things leaves a whole inside that no gift card or fancy bow can fill. The hole we have inside is exactly Jesus sized and nothing else will do. Psalm 48 paints a beautiful picture of worshiping God, Lord of all. But not only because He is our Creator and all-powerful and worthy of praise. The psalmist ends with the reason for joyful worship - because He is our God (vs14). And we are His people.
For believers, we are urged in 1 Peter to not conform to our former lusts which were ours in ignorance, but rather to live like the Holy One who called us. (1 Peter 1:14) We don't have to live like everyone else, hurried, exhausted and yet somehow disappointed by it all. Christmas is joyful because we were called out of darkness into light (Isaiah 9:2) and given good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). We are a blessed people because no longer do we have to be enslaved to our former passions and identities that left us broken and empty - we are not controlled by money, sex, power, family, materialism, or any other false sense of security celebrated by "happy holidays". No, we were called to have a "Merry Christmas", rooted in our identity in Him who loves us and called us to make use His own. John's gospel says "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor by the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13)
Have you lost someone recently or is your house a little less full this Christmas - take heart, you are part of the body of Christ. You are in His family and you are loved.
Are you alone this Christmas or lonely, even when others are around - be of good cheer, because the Holy Spirit dwells within you and you are never alone.
Is your bank account not looking up to the task of meeting expectations for this season of giving - rejoice, because you have the greatest gift of all and you can share Him with everyone you meet.
It's not that God isn't sympathetic to our sense loss, grief, loneliness or even frustration over material things. He was born in a stable, raised in poverty and died alone on a cross. He knows every frustration this world can bring because He experienced them all. And yet, He does ask us to hold those emotions up to the light of His love. These times are temporary, but we have been loved with and everlasting love and will live with Him eternally in a kingdom paved with gold. No new sweater or even I-phone can compare with that.
Trying to have a happy holiday will only leave you empty. But having a Merry Christmas will give you great cause to rejoice!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity!
Eminem, who is a secular rapper that I do not recommend, came out with a song in the early 2000's called "Loose Yourself". While vulgar, there is a clean section of the song that says, "So here I go, it's my shot. Feet fail me not, this may be the only opportunity I got. You gotta loose yourself in the moment, you own it, you better never let it go. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance, because opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo."
This idea that we only have one chance for opportunity in life is embraced from the earliest of history. Horace, sometime around 40 BC coined the phrase "Carpe Diem" or "seize the day". This was actually embraced by the early rabbi's as well in the "Pirkei Avot", written by priests for the "oral torah" or the recording of the traditions of the rabbinical teachings from as early as 630 BC. They had a saying "if not now, then when".
In Genesis 16, we see Abram loose himself when he listens to Sarai and takes Hagar as a second wife and a way to have the heir promised by God, 10 years earlier. This act of disobedience to God shows not only a lack of patience but also a strong willed heart, wanting the promise of God without having to wait for His timing. Sarai herself comes up with the idea and scripture says that Abram "listened to the voice of Sarai". The Hebrew translation would more appropriately read "Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai". Interestingly enough, Sarai's name actually translates to "dominant" or "head". In this passage, Abram obeys Sarai's will instead of God's, leading to every key relationship being strained. Sarai becomes angry at both Hagar and Abram after Hagar conceives and we have the sense that Sarai is angry at God, as she accounts her barrenness to His will. And she is right. It was God's will that Sarai be barren until late in life to show His miraculous intervention. No one would ever attribute Isaac to the natural power of Abram and Sarai, but rather God's will and faithfulness to His covenant to make Abram into a great nation.
In the very next chapter Abram's name is changed to Abraham ("father of a multitude") and Sarai is changed to Sarah ("princess") and God reaffirms His will to make an everlasting covenant between Abraham's descendants. This is the start of the nation of Israel and the line of Christ, the Messiah. God had His plan and would bring it to fruition in His time.
Psalm 42:5 says "Why are you in despair , O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, for the help of His presence." When we are impatient, we let our emotions dictate our decision making. Our despair and frustration is often simply a lack of patience. But it can lead to sin. Often times, the penalty for our sin is living with it's consequence. Abraham and Sarah would forever have his relationship with Hagar between them. Ishmael was born into a house of anger and disagreements, knowing that he was an illegitimate child, without rights as an heir (although God promises blessings for Ishmael) and his mother lives the life of a servant, rather than a devoted wife.
James 5 tells us to be patient for the Lord's timing and to strengthen our hearts. The Lord knows we are tempted to rush His plan. He knows that we have a difficult time waiting, especially when our view of reality is so limited compared to God's. Sarai saw the reality of her barrenness and gave Hagar to Abram. But when Hagar conceived, a new reality of pain, anger, resentment, bitterness and frustration set in. God still kept His covenant to be faithful to Abraham, but the conception of Ishmael forever changed their household and their lives. That is why patience is a fruit of God's Spirit in us, and not something we can come up with on our own. Sarai was snapped back to God's reality and saw the gravity of her poor decision, compared to the joy of the birth of Isaac.
But God is so faithful and gracious. He changes Sarai's name from "dominant" to "princess". And that is where all our hearts need to move. We need to move from being dependent on our own selves and trying to handle our lives on our own, to being a princess of God, His daughter, under His care. He has great blessing and joy for us, if we can be patient to receive it. His is the ultimate reality and He has His best already planned for our lives. Hope in God and praise Him again!
This idea that we only have one chance for opportunity in life is embraced from the earliest of history. Horace, sometime around 40 BC coined the phrase "Carpe Diem" or "seize the day". This was actually embraced by the early rabbi's as well in the "Pirkei Avot", written by priests for the "oral torah" or the recording of the traditions of the rabbinical teachings from as early as 630 BC. They had a saying "if not now, then when".
In Genesis 16, we see Abram loose himself when he listens to Sarai and takes Hagar as a second wife and a way to have the heir promised by God, 10 years earlier. This act of disobedience to God shows not only a lack of patience but also a strong willed heart, wanting the promise of God without having to wait for His timing. Sarai herself comes up with the idea and scripture says that Abram "listened to the voice of Sarai". The Hebrew translation would more appropriately read "Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai". Interestingly enough, Sarai's name actually translates to "dominant" or "head". In this passage, Abram obeys Sarai's will instead of God's, leading to every key relationship being strained. Sarai becomes angry at both Hagar and Abram after Hagar conceives and we have the sense that Sarai is angry at God, as she accounts her barrenness to His will. And she is right. It was God's will that Sarai be barren until late in life to show His miraculous intervention. No one would ever attribute Isaac to the natural power of Abram and Sarai, but rather God's will and faithfulness to His covenant to make Abram into a great nation.
In the very next chapter Abram's name is changed to Abraham ("father of a multitude") and Sarai is changed to Sarah ("princess") and God reaffirms His will to make an everlasting covenant between Abraham's descendants. This is the start of the nation of Israel and the line of Christ, the Messiah. God had His plan and would bring it to fruition in His time.
Psalm 42:5 says "Why are you in despair , O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, for the help of His presence." When we are impatient, we let our emotions dictate our decision making. Our despair and frustration is often simply a lack of patience. But it can lead to sin. Often times, the penalty for our sin is living with it's consequence. Abraham and Sarah would forever have his relationship with Hagar between them. Ishmael was born into a house of anger and disagreements, knowing that he was an illegitimate child, without rights as an heir (although God promises blessings for Ishmael) and his mother lives the life of a servant, rather than a devoted wife.
James 5 tells us to be patient for the Lord's timing and to strengthen our hearts. The Lord knows we are tempted to rush His plan. He knows that we have a difficult time waiting, especially when our view of reality is so limited compared to God's. Sarai saw the reality of her barrenness and gave Hagar to Abram. But when Hagar conceived, a new reality of pain, anger, resentment, bitterness and frustration set in. God still kept His covenant to be faithful to Abraham, but the conception of Ishmael forever changed their household and their lives. That is why patience is a fruit of God's Spirit in us, and not something we can come up with on our own. Sarai was snapped back to God's reality and saw the gravity of her poor decision, compared to the joy of the birth of Isaac.
But God is so faithful and gracious. He changes Sarai's name from "dominant" to "princess". And that is where all our hearts need to move. We need to move from being dependent on our own selves and trying to handle our lives on our own, to being a princess of God, His daughter, under His care. He has great blessing and joy for us, if we can be patient to receive it. His is the ultimate reality and He has His best already planned for our lives. Hope in God and praise Him again!
Friday, October 26, 2012
For RuthAnn
Yesterday, at 4:30pm, a beautiful saint of the Lord joined her heavenly Father. My aunt RuthAnn completed her battle with leukemia, which had been going on for over 15 years, and left to her true home in heaven. While in the hospital, during her last days, her greatest desire was to be home and now she eternally is home with Jesus, her first love.
Ruth leaves behind a large number of people mourning her passing, as she brought great light into the lives of those around her and yet we celebrate her reunion with the Lord, whom she faithfully served her whole life. My last several days of bible study have been preparing me for dealing withe the passing of another beloved daughter of Christ, having spent much of my time studying Hebrews 11 and 12, the Psalms and 1 Corinthians 13.
There is a hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" which reads:
Ruth leaves behind a large number of people mourning her passing, as she brought great light into the lives of those around her and yet we celebrate her reunion with the Lord, whom she faithfully served her whole life. My last several days of bible study have been preparing me for dealing withe the passing of another beloved daughter of Christ, having spent much of my time studying Hebrews 11 and 12, the Psalms and 1 Corinthians 13.
There is a hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" which reads:
O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free!
There’s a light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—For more than conquerors we are!
Over us sin no more hath dominion—For more than conquerors we are!
The words were inspired by Hebrews 12:1-3, where after spending all of chapter 11 reading about great faith in those saints who have gone before us, we are called to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, so we do not grow weary and lose heart. But this song also hearkens to another amazing promise of scripture found in 1 Corinthians 13:12. "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known."
Add this to Psalm 12:5-7 "Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord. The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined 7 times. You O Lord will keep them; You will preserve him from this generation forever."
We are all one day closer to our own passing, whether we have a serious illness that calls that reality to the forefront of our minds, or we live each day in denial of the truth that God alone knows the number of days ordained for our life. We will get every day He intends for us to have, but not a minute more. And when this death comes, for those who call Jesus Christ their Savior and Lord, the true life begins. No longer tied to a dying shell, decaying day by day. No longer surrounded inside and out by the sins of a fallen world. No longer looking dimly towards glory, getting small glances of the Lord we worship.
No - the new life, life eternal, is one that we will know God, seeing Him face to face, living in the light of His glory. This life of affliction and the weight of the needy is not outside of God's redeeming grace.
I spent some time reflecting last night on the woman RuthAnn was, during her time here on earth. She was such a picture of the light of God's love living through His faithful servant. Her joy (which was never dampened by the deadly disease swimming through her blood) radiated through her in a way which truly gave her a glowing personality. That expression is often used on vivacious, extroverted people. Yet RuthAnn had a quiet radiance, where you felt heard, loved and accepted. You wanted to be near her, because of the warmth that radiated from her. A warm smile. A genuine laugh and love of life. An attitude of graciousness and thanksgiving for each moment God had given her - seeing her daughter, and granddaughter and great-grandson continue in the faith.
What does a true life of faith look like? It looks like a woman whose reality should have been crushing and despairing - spending years asking why me or complaining about the constant illness and pain. But a life of faith is so centered on Christ, that the shadow of sin and death had no place in her. This life does not come from her own strength. Leukemia weakens the body daily, until there is no longer strength to live. But RuthAnn's strength came from our eternal Savior. He has already conquered sin and death and hell. Her "battle" against cancer was won before it began - because her heart was already held in the hands of the One that had saved her.
That passage in 1 Cor 13:12 which reads "now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just I have been fully known", I believe refers to two types of knowledge. Obviously, we will know Jesus in a whole new way. 1 John 3:2 says "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is." Both of these passages speak to a fascinating truth. Not only will we know the Lord better, as we see Him face to face, but we will know ourselves better too. We will see what we were meant to be.
Psalm 139:16 says "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
God created us, He ordained our days, our purpose and His design was to recreate us in His image - not just as we are here on earth, but remade like Him. We don't know our true potential. We don't know all God made us to be. We live seeing things in hindsight, perpetually amazed by what God has done in and through us. We are all like King David, saying "Who am I God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?" (2 Sam 7:18) But we can only see ourselves in this life, with the baggage from our past, our daily failures and shortcomings and our worlds surrounded by sin and death. We daily decay. Yet God doesn't see us this way. God sees the beloved son and daughter whom He is calling home, to eternally live in the light of His glory and grace. As we turn our eyes towards Jesus, we leave behind those encumbrances of this life and see glimpses of the potential that comes from living with the Holy Spirit, making us new day by day. Our mortal shell gets closer to death and yet simultaneously an eternal life is ever approaching.
RuthAnn now knows her Jesus in a way she never knew before. And she now sees herself, free from cancer, free from sin, free from death and into life. O glorious day!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Unashamed
Unashamed: not ashamed, being without guilt, self consciousness or doubt (Merriam-Webster, online dictionary)
I've been hanging out in Hebrews 11 for weeks now, because I simply can't leave it. It's been speaking to me in such sweet tones that anytime I even consider plowing through the chapter to move on, I slow down to a crawl and meditate on these familiar words. I read the passage, a section at a time, mouthing each word as I read and writing them down in my journal. There is a compelling picture of faith of our forefathers that won't let go. The hymn "Faith of our Fathers" begins, "Faith of our fathers living still, in spite of dungeon, fire and sword. Oh how our hearts beat high with joy, when e'er we hear that glorious Word!". It's true - our hearts are filled with joy when we read of these stories of faith.
My all-time favorite movie is the Two Towers (love the book as well, of course!) and my favorite scene is toward the end with SamWise Gamgee talking to Frodo about the quest they are one. He says, "I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something."
There is something about the story of these heroes of the faith that "died in faith, without receiving the promises" (Heb 11:13a) that keeps us reading. The hymn above echos Hebrews 11:37-38 which reads "They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground." We read these words and we know what they were holding on to - the Lord. Their faith in the Lord kept them firm in spite of all of their trials, "having confessed they were strangers and exiles on the earth" (Heb 11:13c). They viewed themselves as travelers, passing through the world on their way home to a lasting city that God was preparing. And God's response to their faith is beautiful: "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God" (Heb 11:16b)
God, Creator of heaven and earth, is not ashamed to call us His own. Psalm 149:4 says "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation." These destitute, desert-wandering, cave-dwelling outcasts of this world are beautified in salvation through Christ. Isaiah 61:10 says "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." These who seemed to have the least in this world are wrapped in a robe of righteousness by Christ. He is not ashamed of us. But how often are we ashamed of Him? How often, do we, like Peter, deny our following Him? How often do we stay quiet, politically correct or even take credit for His work in our lives?
Hosea paints a terrible picture of the fall of God's chosen people of Israel, that I think is just as dangerous for today's Christian, especially here in the materialistic culture that glorifies the "self-made-man". Hosea 13:4-6 reads, "Yet I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; and you were not to know any god except Me. For there is no savior besides Me. I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. As they had their pasture, they became satisfied. And being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me." If this doesn't terrify you, I don't know what will, because this terrifies me. We live in a nation where comfort is king and living a life that makes you happy is considered success. Missionaries from other nations are coming to America, to witness to this culture that has watered life down to money, stuff and the path of least resistance. Close to 17% of American's don't affiliate themselves with any faith (or agnostic or atheist). A number that is doubled what research found a few years ago. People don't label themselves because the see it as being irrelevant to their lives. They don't have particularly strong feelings about faith or God or religion because is simply doesn't impact them at all. Having the boldness to say out loud, "I am a follower of Christ" is extremely counter cultural, because we live in a culture that says you shouldn't follow anything except your current impulse. You should only do whatever makes you happy in this moment. As a culture we have become satisfied and proud and have forgotten God.
In today's world we are losing the stories of old where people counted themselves as strangers to the world, traveling whatever road Christ called them to, considering themselves the momentary affliction of this world, t pale in comparison to the eternal weight of glory. (2 Cor 4:17) We live in a land of pride, that wants to glorify man, where God calls us to humble ourselves, that He may glorify us at the appointed time. (1 Pet 5:6)
It's the little things, isn't it, that get us day to day. The moments we wonder what someone else will think if we choose to follow God's will or we glorify His name instead of our own. It's the daily process of dying to ourselves, that He might live more in us, that allows us to live unashamed. Without doubt and certainly not self-conscious. Does anyone else feel like everyone in the room gets quiet when you pray before your meal in the lunchroom? Does anyone else fail to mention how God directs our steps, instead of careful or logical decision making? Does anyone else tone down there excitement in secular settings when you feel God moving in your life, but shout it from the rooftops at your church? Does anyone else have two patterns of speech? (Like saying at church "The Lord really blessed me in....", whereas at work you say "I was really lucky when....")
It's the little ways we deny Him that give me pause this morning. In Acts 7, Stephen wasn't martyred until after his sermon. It was his sharing the faith that led to the persecution. If he had just stayed quiet, he might have returned home that evening to his family or friends. But instead, he spoke, full of the Spirit, unashamed. And he returned to his true home, his heavenly home, welcomed by his Heavenly Father. Quietly blending in and passing through this world, as a citizen of this time and this place, may seem like the path of least resistance. But it will not bring glory to God. Singing His praise. Living for His kingdom. Following His will. It may seem strange to the world around us, but then again, we are strangers to this world. We journey homeward, to our Heavenly Father, who welcome us as His own. I want to live a life that captivates an audience - that has them asking "why" and "how" and "can I come too". I want to live a life that glorifies His name. Let me be forgotten - remember instead His work in and through me.
I've been hanging out in Hebrews 11 for weeks now, because I simply can't leave it. It's been speaking to me in such sweet tones that anytime I even consider plowing through the chapter to move on, I slow down to a crawl and meditate on these familiar words. I read the passage, a section at a time, mouthing each word as I read and writing them down in my journal. There is a compelling picture of faith of our forefathers that won't let go. The hymn "Faith of our Fathers" begins, "Faith of our fathers living still, in spite of dungeon, fire and sword. Oh how our hearts beat high with joy, when e'er we hear that glorious Word!". It's true - our hearts are filled with joy when we read of these stories of faith.
My all-time favorite movie is the Two Towers (love the book as well, of course!) and my favorite scene is toward the end with SamWise Gamgee talking to Frodo about the quest they are one. He says, "I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something."
There is something about the story of these heroes of the faith that "died in faith, without receiving the promises" (Heb 11:13a) that keeps us reading. The hymn above echos Hebrews 11:37-38 which reads "They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground." We read these words and we know what they were holding on to - the Lord. Their faith in the Lord kept them firm in spite of all of their trials, "having confessed they were strangers and exiles on the earth" (Heb 11:13c). They viewed themselves as travelers, passing through the world on their way home to a lasting city that God was preparing. And God's response to their faith is beautiful: "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God" (Heb 11:16b)
God, Creator of heaven and earth, is not ashamed to call us His own. Psalm 149:4 says "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation." These destitute, desert-wandering, cave-dwelling outcasts of this world are beautified in salvation through Christ. Isaiah 61:10 says "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." These who seemed to have the least in this world are wrapped in a robe of righteousness by Christ. He is not ashamed of us. But how often are we ashamed of Him? How often, do we, like Peter, deny our following Him? How often do we stay quiet, politically correct or even take credit for His work in our lives?
Hosea paints a terrible picture of the fall of God's chosen people of Israel, that I think is just as dangerous for today's Christian, especially here in the materialistic culture that glorifies the "self-made-man". Hosea 13:4-6 reads, "Yet I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; and you were not to know any god except Me. For there is no savior besides Me. I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought. As they had their pasture, they became satisfied. And being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me." If this doesn't terrify you, I don't know what will, because this terrifies me. We live in a nation where comfort is king and living a life that makes you happy is considered success. Missionaries from other nations are coming to America, to witness to this culture that has watered life down to money, stuff and the path of least resistance. Close to 17% of American's don't affiliate themselves with any faith (or agnostic or atheist). A number that is doubled what research found a few years ago. People don't label themselves because the see it as being irrelevant to their lives. They don't have particularly strong feelings about faith or God or religion because is simply doesn't impact them at all. Having the boldness to say out loud, "I am a follower of Christ" is extremely counter cultural, because we live in a culture that says you shouldn't follow anything except your current impulse. You should only do whatever makes you happy in this moment. As a culture we have become satisfied and proud and have forgotten God.
In today's world we are losing the stories of old where people counted themselves as strangers to the world, traveling whatever road Christ called them to, considering themselves the momentary affliction of this world, t pale in comparison to the eternal weight of glory. (2 Cor 4:17) We live in a land of pride, that wants to glorify man, where God calls us to humble ourselves, that He may glorify us at the appointed time. (1 Pet 5:6)
It's the little things, isn't it, that get us day to day. The moments we wonder what someone else will think if we choose to follow God's will or we glorify His name instead of our own. It's the daily process of dying to ourselves, that He might live more in us, that allows us to live unashamed. Without doubt and certainly not self-conscious. Does anyone else feel like everyone in the room gets quiet when you pray before your meal in the lunchroom? Does anyone else fail to mention how God directs our steps, instead of careful or logical decision making? Does anyone else tone down there excitement in secular settings when you feel God moving in your life, but shout it from the rooftops at your church? Does anyone else have two patterns of speech? (Like saying at church "The Lord really blessed me in....", whereas at work you say "I was really lucky when....")
It's the little ways we deny Him that give me pause this morning. In Acts 7, Stephen wasn't martyred until after his sermon. It was his sharing the faith that led to the persecution. If he had just stayed quiet, he might have returned home that evening to his family or friends. But instead, he spoke, full of the Spirit, unashamed. And he returned to his true home, his heavenly home, welcomed by his Heavenly Father. Quietly blending in and passing through this world, as a citizen of this time and this place, may seem like the path of least resistance. But it will not bring glory to God. Singing His praise. Living for His kingdom. Following His will. It may seem strange to the world around us, but then again, we are strangers to this world. We journey homeward, to our Heavenly Father, who welcome us as His own. I want to live a life that captivates an audience - that has them asking "why" and "how" and "can I come too". I want to live a life that glorifies His name. Let me be forgotten - remember instead His work in and through me.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The Storyteller
God has long wanted us to see His great love for us. Scripture, His holy word, is the primary way we learn about Him, as the Holy Spirit stirs in us to not just read His word, but be deeply convicted, encouraged, and learn more about who He is and what He has done. This past weekend, I was re-convicted on my need to be surrounding myself in the Word throughout my day and in as many forms as possible. I should be reading it, memorizing it, quoting it, listening to it, singing it and sharing it with others. In fact, there are a lot more verses about being vocal in our worship, than their are about being "quiet", despite the popular name for personal bible studying being called a "quiet time". "Sing", "shout" and "rejoice" are used 347 times in scripture, while "quiet" and "still" are only used 32 times in all of scripture in reference to our posture before God. I'm not saying that we don't need time of quiet and stillness before the Lord. In our day and age of constant communication and distraction, I think we need it now more than ever. But living out our worship of God is something that calls us to rejoice and overflow with our love for the Lord in a way that entices others to see why there is a fire inside of us. There is a great old hymn, "I Love to Tell the Story", that beautifully walks through our desire to tell the story to ourselves, to those who haven't heard and to rejoice in it with other believers. The refrain points to heaven, where we spend eternity praising God for His greatness. Read these lyrics below and think about how that would look in our day to day lives.
I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. I love to tell the story, because I know 'tis true; it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.
I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems, than all ,the golden fancies, of all our golden dreams. I love to tell the story, it did so much for me; and that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.
I love to tell the story;'tis pleasant to repeat, what seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet. I love to tell the story, for some have never heard the message of salvation from God's own holy Word.
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest. And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, 'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
Refrain: I love to tell the story. Twill be my theme in glory. To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
Yesterday in my quiet time in Hosea, Psalms and Hebrews, I saw an amazing story form. I started in Hosea 2, where God describes how Israel has been a harlot, pursuing other things and other gods. The people of God were more enticed by what they could see, and touch, and hold, than the glory of God that had led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into the promise land. The book is written right before they go into captivity, at one of the lowest points in Israel's history, where they have been warned again and again but continue to worship idols and live like the pagan people around them. Psalm 132 is a Psalm of Ascents - the author calling to the Lord to be faithful to the covenant promise He made to David. But as we read in Hebrews 7 and 8, Israel was not faithful to the Lord. We couldn't keep the covenant on our own. It failed, not because of God letting us go, but rather because of our running away from Him.
But the story continues in a way that no one would ever imagine. God sees us for who we really are - stained with sin and guilt - and promises a new solution. Later in Hosea 2, God promises His people (and even the people outside of the nation of Israel) a new covenant where we are His bride. He comes to us in compassion and eternal lovingkindess and brings us to Himself. How??? How can this be??? Only through the blood of Christ. The promise to David was not to be fulfilled by our obedience, but by Christ's perfect life and sacrificial death. Christ is the only answer. He pursues us at infinite cost to Himself and makes us His own. It truly is amazing grace. The great hymn "And Can it Be" says "And can it be, that I should gain an interest in my Saviors blood. Died He for me, who caused His pain, for me, who Him to death pursued. Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou my God, shouldst die for me"
We ran from Him. And when He came to earth, we called for His death. But He pursued us; through death and hell, He pursued us. There is no greater story. Learn it. Live it. Share it with the world.
I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. I love to tell the story, because I know 'tis true; it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.
I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems, than all ,the golden fancies, of all our golden dreams. I love to tell the story, it did so much for me; and that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.
I love to tell the story;'tis pleasant to repeat, what seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet. I love to tell the story, for some have never heard the message of salvation from God's own holy Word.
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest. And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, 'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
Refrain: I love to tell the story. Twill be my theme in glory. To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
Yesterday in my quiet time in Hosea, Psalms and Hebrews, I saw an amazing story form. I started in Hosea 2, where God describes how Israel has been a harlot, pursuing other things and other gods. The people of God were more enticed by what they could see, and touch, and hold, than the glory of God that had led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into the promise land. The book is written right before they go into captivity, at one of the lowest points in Israel's history, where they have been warned again and again but continue to worship idols and live like the pagan people around them. Psalm 132 is a Psalm of Ascents - the author calling to the Lord to be faithful to the covenant promise He made to David. But as we read in Hebrews 7 and 8, Israel was not faithful to the Lord. We couldn't keep the covenant on our own. It failed, not because of God letting us go, but rather because of our running away from Him.
But the story continues in a way that no one would ever imagine. God sees us for who we really are - stained with sin and guilt - and promises a new solution. Later in Hosea 2, God promises His people (and even the people outside of the nation of Israel) a new covenant where we are His bride. He comes to us in compassion and eternal lovingkindess and brings us to Himself. How??? How can this be??? Only through the blood of Christ. The promise to David was not to be fulfilled by our obedience, but by Christ's perfect life and sacrificial death. Christ is the only answer. He pursues us at infinite cost to Himself and makes us His own. It truly is amazing grace. The great hymn "And Can it Be" says "And can it be, that I should gain an interest in my Saviors blood. Died He for me, who caused His pain, for me, who Him to death pursued. Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou my God, shouldst die for me"
We ran from Him. And when He came to earth, we called for His death. But He pursued us; through death and hell, He pursued us. There is no greater story. Learn it. Live it. Share it with the world.
Friday, September 14, 2012
The non-anniversary and fear
Today is September 14th and should mark the last day of my grandmother's cancer treatment. Instead, we are eight weeks into the process and only have four weeks of treatment completed. Three weeks ago Tuesday, Nana was moved to the hospital with a fever and seemingly perpetual vomiting. We have since found out she had a large ulcer just below her stomach that I am sure was inflaming the vomiting. The lack of nutrition and strength remains a factor that made what we thought would be a quick hospital trip into nearly a month of delays, questions, downward spirals and small improvements. She is now at Kindred, a beautiful rehab facility, stable but silent and Monday we will speak to the oncologist to find out next steps.
September 14th was a date we were counting down to and it looks very different than we ever imagined. It is hard not to feel defeated in a small way. It is harder still to ignore the reality that we are not in charge and this process will not submit to our schedule and preconceived ideas.
For me, there is a difficulty where my faith is being tested and tried and I find myself lacking. 1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." Why am I fearful of the future if I am being perfected in love? Why do I associated difficulty with punishment, like Job's friends, instead of knowing that God is perfecting my faith? "And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:4)
Last night Mom and I were on the phone, talking about the very real difficulty we experience processing this stage of our lives. We are so limited in our perspective and cannot yet see how God is using this to our good and for His glory. But His nature, eternal and unchanging, means that He has already gone before us, is on the other side, and walks each step beside us in His perfect love. Our minds cannot comprehend how He is truly timeless and limitless, but I have seen it in these past 3 months. From the very first trip to the hospital till our non-anniversary today, I have seen how God is personally comforting, encouraging, growing and meeting all of our individual needs in a very personal way. Yet, He remains over all things, Creator and upholding all things by the word of His power. (Hebrews 1:3) I cannot comprehend this infinite and personal God, as in my own tiny sphere, I have lost track of areas of my life, lost contact with friends and felt pulled in so many different directions. If I can't keep my little piece of the world turning, how can God keep all of our lives so perfectly in His hand? I don't know how He does it - but I am absolutely confident that He is actively doing it - with the power of the Almighty Creator and the love of our Eternal Father.
September 14th will not mark the end of Nana's cancer treatment. But it is another day the Lord has given us all to experience His sufficiency. It is another day to choose to believe Him instead of the lies in my head and heart. It is another day to cast of fear and be surrounded by His love.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
September 14th was a date we were counting down to and it looks very different than we ever imagined. It is hard not to feel defeated in a small way. It is harder still to ignore the reality that we are not in charge and this process will not submit to our schedule and preconceived ideas.
For me, there is a difficulty where my faith is being tested and tried and I find myself lacking. 1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." Why am I fearful of the future if I am being perfected in love? Why do I associated difficulty with punishment, like Job's friends, instead of knowing that God is perfecting my faith? "And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:4)
Last night Mom and I were on the phone, talking about the very real difficulty we experience processing this stage of our lives. We are so limited in our perspective and cannot yet see how God is using this to our good and for His glory. But His nature, eternal and unchanging, means that He has already gone before us, is on the other side, and walks each step beside us in His perfect love. Our minds cannot comprehend how He is truly timeless and limitless, but I have seen it in these past 3 months. From the very first trip to the hospital till our non-anniversary today, I have seen how God is personally comforting, encouraging, growing and meeting all of our individual needs in a very personal way. Yet, He remains over all things, Creator and upholding all things by the word of His power. (Hebrews 1:3) I cannot comprehend this infinite and personal God, as in my own tiny sphere, I have lost track of areas of my life, lost contact with friends and felt pulled in so many different directions. If I can't keep my little piece of the world turning, how can God keep all of our lives so perfectly in His hand? I don't know how He does it - but I am absolutely confident that He is actively doing it - with the power of the Almighty Creator and the love of our Eternal Father.
September 14th will not mark the end of Nana's cancer treatment. But it is another day the Lord has given us all to experience His sufficiency. It is another day to choose to believe Him instead of the lies in my head and heart. It is another day to cast of fear and be surrounded by His love.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Musings
I haven't been writing as much here lately because I have been focusing much of my time on my grandmother's Caringbridge blog. I don't mind writing the other blog at all, but I have some musings in my head that just feel like they need to get out.
Much of my thoughts have been circling around core lies and their impact. I find that somehow we have adopted lies that have such a great hold on our hearts and minds that we no longer hear them as lies, but rather as truth. For example, the other day I was driving around with my children and in a very odd turn of events, the boys decide they no longer want treats except on special occasions. This decision is quick and easy and seemingly firm, as they decide I don't need to buy them dessert for their lunches that week. My first reaction is amazement. Not because the 8 year old twins don't want treats, but because I have wrestled with my own self control issues involving treats my whole life and my boys make it seem so easy. I have a core lie that I wrestle with food. I've done all sorts of diets, read a wonderful book Made to Crave and spoken about this issue with doctors friends and counselors. I believe I have an issue with food. But this is a lie. Food is an inanimate object with no power. It can't talk to me, no matter how many times I've said "chocolate calls out my name" and it has no authority over my life. Core lie.
Another core lie can deal with your appearance, relationships, personal flaws and they give us excuses not to try. For example, if one of my core lies deals with my pride, it is now something out of my control. It becomes my identity. "I wrestle with pride." Now, I have an excuse for any time I am proud. "Well, no surprise there. I do wrestle with pride." I am no longer responsible for the sin but instead have characterized myself with something that is unchangeable till Christ returns.
We are fallen people in a fallen world. There are sins we will wrestle with until we die. But what does Paul say when he talks about his "thorn in his flesh"? He says that through this, he knows Christ is sufficient. He is strong in the Lord, not in himself. (2 Corinthians 12) The point is not to be perfect, but rather to trust in God's strength. He is the one who is perfecting us. Paul also talks about disciplining himself to continually strive to be like Christ. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul states that he does all things for the glory of God. When Jesus intercedes for the prostitute, He sends the Pharisees away saying that he who is without sin should throw the first stone in John chapter 8. But then He also tells her "go and sin no more". He gives her freedom from condemnation, but also tells her not to sin. At the end of the chapter, He explains to the disciples that anyone who sins is a slave to sin, but He is the truth and once you have the Truth, you are free.
You may not feel like a slave to sin, but there is a place in all of us where we are slaves to our own experiences, a history of failures, rejections and feeling like we are less than what we should be. We hear lies so clearly they become truth and we excuse our behavior and attitudes, comfortable in our familiar sins. But if we hear His voice, if we hear His truth, we are able to move past what we were and truly be free.
My grandmother is sick, but should recover. People who speak to her have this sense that she has given up and that if she truly believes she is going to die, her life may end, even though medically it could have been healed. Is that any different than my lies about self image, pride, or past relationships? Is that any different than if the prostitute, being saved by Jesus, returned to her life of sin?
Jesus wants to be our strength in our weakness but He also wants us to be more like him. He loves us too much to leave us as we are. Are we too stubborn to be like Him?
Much of my thoughts have been circling around core lies and their impact. I find that somehow we have adopted lies that have such a great hold on our hearts and minds that we no longer hear them as lies, but rather as truth. For example, the other day I was driving around with my children and in a very odd turn of events, the boys decide they no longer want treats except on special occasions. This decision is quick and easy and seemingly firm, as they decide I don't need to buy them dessert for their lunches that week. My first reaction is amazement. Not because the 8 year old twins don't want treats, but because I have wrestled with my own self control issues involving treats my whole life and my boys make it seem so easy. I have a core lie that I wrestle with food. I've done all sorts of diets, read a wonderful book Made to Crave and spoken about this issue with doctors friends and counselors. I believe I have an issue with food. But this is a lie. Food is an inanimate object with no power. It can't talk to me, no matter how many times I've said "chocolate calls out my name" and it has no authority over my life. Core lie.
Another core lie can deal with your appearance, relationships, personal flaws and they give us excuses not to try. For example, if one of my core lies deals with my pride, it is now something out of my control. It becomes my identity. "I wrestle with pride." Now, I have an excuse for any time I am proud. "Well, no surprise there. I do wrestle with pride." I am no longer responsible for the sin but instead have characterized myself with something that is unchangeable till Christ returns.
We are fallen people in a fallen world. There are sins we will wrestle with until we die. But what does Paul say when he talks about his "thorn in his flesh"? He says that through this, he knows Christ is sufficient. He is strong in the Lord, not in himself. (2 Corinthians 12) The point is not to be perfect, but rather to trust in God's strength. He is the one who is perfecting us. Paul also talks about disciplining himself to continually strive to be like Christ. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul states that he does all things for the glory of God. When Jesus intercedes for the prostitute, He sends the Pharisees away saying that he who is without sin should throw the first stone in John chapter 8. But then He also tells her "go and sin no more". He gives her freedom from condemnation, but also tells her not to sin. At the end of the chapter, He explains to the disciples that anyone who sins is a slave to sin, but He is the truth and once you have the Truth, you are free.
You may not feel like a slave to sin, but there is a place in all of us where we are slaves to our own experiences, a history of failures, rejections and feeling like we are less than what we should be. We hear lies so clearly they become truth and we excuse our behavior and attitudes, comfortable in our familiar sins. But if we hear His voice, if we hear His truth, we are able to move past what we were and truly be free.
My grandmother is sick, but should recover. People who speak to her have this sense that she has given up and that if she truly believes she is going to die, her life may end, even though medically it could have been healed. Is that any different than my lies about self image, pride, or past relationships? Is that any different than if the prostitute, being saved by Jesus, returned to her life of sin?
Jesus wants to be our strength in our weakness but He also wants us to be more like him. He loves us too much to leave us as we are. Are we too stubborn to be like Him?
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Tired of boxes?
I was listening to this great song by Brit Nicole "Ready or Not" that talks about letting our light shine. She says "you want to fit it in your box" but instead she is going to show you where the light comes from because "this is who I am and I won't hide it".
Lecrea adds to the song by saying the light is "everything I am, it's the source of my hope and the reason why I stand". This idea is extremely biblical, in stating that the our light is from God, who is our identity and that the light is meant to shine. Jesus says in Luke 8 that a lamp is meant to be on a lamp stand for all to see. In John 8 Jesus calls Himself the light of the world and in Matthew 5 calls the disciples the light of the world, with the purpose of bringing glory to the Father through their good works.
This has me thinking a lot about identity. People can be identified by their tax bracket, their title at work, their political affiliation or other popular categories. These divisions allow us to identify ourselves with characteristics, behaviors, attitudes and actions. They can also label people to cause stereotypes and bias - like poor, disabled, or racial or religious slurs.
They can become very personal too - aspects of our lives that place us in boxes and become defining characteristics if we let them. My son has Aspergers. My grandmother has cancer. These are boxes that bring immediate associations in people's minds about what life means for them. If we let ourselves, we can become confined by these labels and let them put us in a box. Worse yet, we can start finding safety in our boxes, because they feel familiar or we feel accepted in the box.
God is very specific on our identity. He has a name for us too - we are His. His love, His children, His people. Scripture describes us so many ways, showing God's love, mercy and desire that we would be identified as His. His light cannot be confined to a box as it is part of His character, infinite, eternal and unchangeable.
The Pharisee's were all about boxes too. In Matthew, Jesus calls them hypocrites, white washed tombs, clean and righteous looking but full of death, sin and decay (Matt 23). How often does our desire to fit in or be liked or not make waves do we put ourselves into the box God never intended. Or how about our past, our insecurities or our doubt? Do we let the lies in our heads box us in?
Jesus says to us "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world". (John 16:33) Oh our gracious Savior! He knows the world is hard and He knows our need for courage. He doesn't pretend everything will be easy or that we will be loved by the world. He says in John 17 that the world will hate us. He knows, better than we do, just how great our challenge will be, but He sweetly says to be of good courage. He is the hope.
If we have managed to hide our light and have succumbed to our fear, or past or pain, then we have forgotten who we are. There is no box big enough to contain the love that lives in you through Jesus Christ. Show the world where the light comes from!
Lecrea adds to the song by saying the light is "everything I am, it's the source of my hope and the reason why I stand". This idea is extremely biblical, in stating that the our light is from God, who is our identity and that the light is meant to shine. Jesus says in Luke 8 that a lamp is meant to be on a lamp stand for all to see. In John 8 Jesus calls Himself the light of the world and in Matthew 5 calls the disciples the light of the world, with the purpose of bringing glory to the Father through their good works.
This has me thinking a lot about identity. People can be identified by their tax bracket, their title at work, their political affiliation or other popular categories. These divisions allow us to identify ourselves with characteristics, behaviors, attitudes and actions. They can also label people to cause stereotypes and bias - like poor, disabled, or racial or religious slurs.
They can become very personal too - aspects of our lives that place us in boxes and become defining characteristics if we let them. My son has Aspergers. My grandmother has cancer. These are boxes that bring immediate associations in people's minds about what life means for them. If we let ourselves, we can become confined by these labels and let them put us in a box. Worse yet, we can start finding safety in our boxes, because they feel familiar or we feel accepted in the box.
God is very specific on our identity. He has a name for us too - we are His. His love, His children, His people. Scripture describes us so many ways, showing God's love, mercy and desire that we would be identified as His. His light cannot be confined to a box as it is part of His character, infinite, eternal and unchangeable.
The Pharisee's were all about boxes too. In Matthew, Jesus calls them hypocrites, white washed tombs, clean and righteous looking but full of death, sin and decay (Matt 23). How often does our desire to fit in or be liked or not make waves do we put ourselves into the box God never intended. Or how about our past, our insecurities or our doubt? Do we let the lies in our heads box us in?
Jesus says to us "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world". (John 16:33) Oh our gracious Savior! He knows the world is hard and He knows our need for courage. He doesn't pretend everything will be easy or that we will be loved by the world. He says in John 17 that the world will hate us. He knows, better than we do, just how great our challenge will be, but He sweetly says to be of good courage. He is the hope.
If we have managed to hide our light and have succumbed to our fear, or past or pain, then we have forgotten who we are. There is no box big enough to contain the love that lives in you through Jesus Christ. Show the world where the light comes from!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Redemption and other gifts I've rejected
For the Precepts course I am teaching this summer, we are on the last week of study, chapters 25-27. In chapter 25, we come to one of the most amazing ideas I think God has ever tried to give His people. A year of jubilee. This celebration, every 50 years was meant to act like a "reset" button on people's lives. In addition to giving the land a rest and enjoying the bountiful provision of God, people returned to the land of their inheritance, even if their fathers/brothers/etc had squandered or lost rights through bad decisions leading to difficult financial circumstances. Jubilee, the land revert back to the owners God had chosen and people had a fresh start.
While this idea alone (which historically was never practiced as God intended) is radical and amazing, God goes further. He brings in the idea of redemption. People who have gotten to such a bad place that the land is gone or they've sold themselves as hired hands and slaves now had a way to be redeemed. A family member could buy them back - redeem them. Or they could buy themselves back. The Jubilee reset the order of the nation to what God's plan had been. Freedom for His people in the land He had given them, with the blessing of an inheritance. God is providing for His people - knowing that things will happen in this fallen world that undo His extension of grace - so He creates a way to restore order.
Now, as 21st century people, when we hear the word "redeemed" in the church, we immediately think of Christ and His work on the cross. We are told all throughout the New Testament that Jesus redeemed us through His blood. (See Galatians 3:13, 4:5; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18; Revelation 5:9) Salvation, is acknowledgement of our inability to be right with God and relying on Christ's sacrifice alone. Redemption, is an acknowledgement of our spiritual poverty and the acceptance of Christ's payment on our behalf. He is our kinsman who paid the price we cannot afford to bring us back to the order God intended for us all.
But we don't like free gifts. We don't like admitting our need or poverty. Our pride causes us to keep trying to earn our salvation. When we fail to live in God's grace and instead try to work for our salvation, we deny His work on the cross, reject His prefect provision and say "I will do it myself."We, in our poverty, put the weight of our debt back on our shoulders when we reject His payment on our behalf.
Redemption, to our proud and hardened hearts, is so difficult to accept. We have to admit our failure, our poverty and our inability to provide for ourselves. People can stop here actually, and live a devestated life of wallowing in sin and rejection. They can boast in their weakness and reject assistance, feeding on anger and resentment and spite.
Our kids, just lately introduced to Star Wars, have recently heard the famous line "your hate has made you powerful", for the first time. Darth Vador tries to convince Luke that the hate and anger he feels (and the adrenaline associated with it) are good because of the power it gave him. Maybe he was stronger than he would have been without the rage and emotion coursing through his veins. But that still means we are relying on our own strength.
As believers, we aren't called be strong (good or bad) on our own. None of the scriptures ever put the weight of success on us. Rather, we see "but the fruit of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience..." (Gal 5:22-23). "May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace..." (Romans 5:13) "But He said to me, My grace is sufficient..."(2 Cor 12:9).
We are called to rely on Him, our Redeemer, our Savior and our God. We are called to accept our emptiness while being filled with His Spirit. We aren't called to be strong nor or we expected to stay weak. We are called to be His.
Turn Your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.
Our kids, just lately introduced to Star Wars, have recently heard the famous line "your hate has made you powerful", for the first time. Darth Vador tries to convince Luke that the hate and anger he feels (and the adrenaline associated with it) are good because of the power it gave him. Maybe he was stronger than he would have been without the rage and emotion coursing through his veins. But that still means we are relying on our own strength.
As believers, we aren't called be strong (good or bad) on our own. None of the scriptures ever put the weight of success on us. Rather, we see "but the fruit of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience..." (Gal 5:22-23). "May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace..." (Romans 5:13) "But He said to me, My grace is sufficient..."(2 Cor 12:9).
We are called to rely on Him, our Redeemer, our Savior and our God. We are called to accept our emptiness while being filled with His Spirit. We aren't called to be strong nor or we expected to stay weak. We are called to be His.
Turn Your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
And if I needed any more support to my lesson from Tuesday night
Teaching Leviticus includes coming upon chapters referencing sexual sin, immorality and homosexuality. It's just going to happen. I will admit, when I first decided to teach Leviticus, I was a little worried about this. I didn't yet know who was going to be in the group and it is not a topic that everyone is excited about discussing. Unless you are in the media and then it seems to be one of the only topics dealt with in the church.
Today, on facebook, I was invited to "like" Chick-fil-A" who is currently under attack for the owners identifying their public support of the biblical model of marriage. This meant one man to one woman for the rest of their lives. One article written attacking them was titled "Chicken with a side of Bigotry, Chick-Fil-A’s Ungodly Business Plan" Since then, there have been a flurry of articles condemning the owners for their bigotry and gay and lesbian organizations trying to organize boycotts against the company. None of this is shocking to me. Unfortunately, I didn't stop at just reading the article. I read the comments to the article. There I found a stream of comments (1529 and counting) about whether or not they agreed with Chick-fil-A. Nearly all the comments I read referenced Leviticus 18 (which we just studied this week). Nearly all of the comments were written by people claiming to be "Christians". These "Christians" argued online using the following types of statements:
"And please know that being gay is a demon"; " By judging them, by condemning them. YOU are the problem with religion, not me. I simply want to live my life and do unto others as I would have them do unto me. Not, you know, judge and condemn and accuse, like you. You are not a Christian."; "Do your research before you begin to spew your hate and bigotry."; "the laws (meaning Leviticus) are irrelevant now and have been irrelevant since the first coming of Christ."; "the Bible takes no stance on committed homosexual relationships"; "The Leviticus Codes are not bound to Christians"; "classic case of pot calling the kettle black you self righteous hypocrite. "; "You are an idiot!"; " I know the Bible does not say homosexuality is a sin."; "If they are consenting adults, it’s all good. And if they love one another, then God blesses that relationship. God really likes it when people love one another."
I'll stop now, but I could go on for a long time just from this one post. The point is, we need to consider how we daily interact in a world where everyone call's themselves "Christian" and touts their knowledge of the bible, but speaks lies and promotes discord. Satan's name translates into "accuser", "deceiver", "opponent", and "adversary". Satan delights in this wildfire of lies - but is even more excited about the division that it brings. What is our responsibility? When do we speak? When are we silent? What do we say?
This is real and it surrounds us daily. Pray about your interactions within this world - be they believers or not - truth is truth. But God's truth is perfectly integrated with His grace and love. We cannot operate the balance nearly as well as Christ. But through the power of His Spirit, He can equip us for every situation. We need to be in a posture of listening to Him and following His prompting both for when to speak and when to be silent. He will lead our way.
Today, on facebook, I was invited to "like" Chick-fil-A" who is currently under attack for the owners identifying their public support of the biblical model of marriage. This meant one man to one woman for the rest of their lives. One article written attacking them was titled "Chicken with a side of Bigotry, Chick-Fil-A’s Ungodly Business Plan" Since then, there have been a flurry of articles condemning the owners for their bigotry and gay and lesbian organizations trying to organize boycotts against the company. None of this is shocking to me. Unfortunately, I didn't stop at just reading the article. I read the comments to the article. There I found a stream of comments (1529 and counting) about whether or not they agreed with Chick-fil-A. Nearly all the comments I read referenced Leviticus 18 (which we just studied this week). Nearly all of the comments were written by people claiming to be "Christians". These "Christians" argued online using the following types of statements:
"And please know that being gay is a demon"; " By judging them, by condemning them. YOU are the problem with religion, not me. I simply want to live my life and do unto others as I would have them do unto me. Not, you know, judge and condemn and accuse, like you. You are not a Christian."; "Do your research before you begin to spew your hate and bigotry."; "the laws (meaning Leviticus) are irrelevant now and have been irrelevant since the first coming of Christ."; "the Bible takes no stance on committed homosexual relationships"; "The Leviticus Codes are not bound to Christians"; "classic case of pot calling the kettle black you self righteous hypocrite. "; "You are an idiot!"; " I know the Bible does not say homosexuality is a sin."; "If they are consenting adults, it’s all good. And if they love one another, then God blesses that relationship. God really likes it when people love one another."
I'll stop now, but I could go on for a long time just from this one post. The point is, we need to consider how we daily interact in a world where everyone call's themselves "Christian" and touts their knowledge of the bible, but speaks lies and promotes discord. Satan's name translates into "accuser", "deceiver", "opponent", and "adversary". Satan delights in this wildfire of lies - but is even more excited about the division that it brings. What is our responsibility? When do we speak? When are we silent? What do we say?
This is real and it surrounds us daily. Pray about your interactions within this world - be they believers or not - truth is truth. But God's truth is perfectly integrated with His grace and love. We cannot operate the balance nearly as well as Christ. But through the power of His Spirit, He can equip us for every situation. We need to be in a posture of listening to Him and following His prompting both for when to speak and when to be silent. He will lead our way.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Moving mountains 101
I'm sitting from my hotel room on vacation staring at the mountains of the desert. We flew over them yesterday and they looked so vast, even from 35,000 feet high. Unlike some mountains, covered in grass and trees until you hit their snowy peaks, these mountains are rock and dirt and sand, with only a few patches of green to break up the brown foreboding landscape. Dry and jagged, there is nothing inviting about these mountains. No one is going to look to these hills and feel a call to climb its lofty heights. These mountains rise up out of the desert as one more barrier to this difficult landscape. Some may see beauty in the desert, but without shade and water, death would quickly come to someone in this lifeless terrain.
Their size and uninviting nature makes me think about the often quoted line of Jesus from the book of Matthew where he tells the disciples that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could command a mountain to move.
Matthew 17 is a very interesting chapter and the setting of this great statement by Jesus is often overlooked.
Peter has seen Jesus feed 5000, and also 4000, walk on water, perform many miracles and has confessed his belief that Jesus is the Christ. Yet, on this mountain, seeing Moses and Elijah, Peter offers to make tabernacles to all 3. God cuts Peter off while he is still speaking and says "This is My beloved Son which whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.". Then Peter, James and John fall on their faces terrified. Peter, like the rest of us, has confessed his belief in Christ several times already, but misses that Christ alone is worthy of worship. He once again is floored by the presence of God, left trembling and silent. The disciples trying to heal the boy were not the only ones lacking in faith. Even those at the transfiguration didn't fully understand who Jesus was.
In Hebrews 11 we have an amazing list of people commended for their faith. But this chapter absolutely blows my mind with the description of what faith actually is. "Now faith is the assurance of things hope for, the conviction of things not seen.". This statement alone is petty complicated, but the author goes on to describe how these people listed all died having not received the promise but having seen it and greeted it from afar. Faith sees the unseen and dies with the assurance of the promise, even though it wasn't fulfilled in their time. Now the disciples had Jesus standing right next to them, but still lacked in their faith. They saw who He was and still missed the truth of His very nature of God and man.
Does Jesus say we can move mountains, because that is something useful for us to do or because it is the impossible being made possible? Are we called to be holy as God is holy because we actually can? Are we called to love one another as Christ loved us because we actually can?
As I study Leviticus, time and time again I see that the law given to Moses was impossible yet in many ways easier to understand. Being told a food is unclean is easier to avoid than when Paul tells us that everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. The weight is on us to obey the heart of the Lord, not simply a checklist that calls us not eat certain types of bugs. The Law, while perfect and holy, can seem a little easier because it is following things we can see, hear and touch. I can know that I haven't murdered someone - but Jesus knows my murderous and angry heart. I can know that I haven't stolen, but Jesus sees my greed and coveting nature.
Faith that moves mountains makes the unseen things visible - we are confident and assured of the truth of who God is and what He has done for us. Faith that moves mountains doesn't need God to say "yes" to my prayers to make me believe in His power or love or presence. Faith that moves mountains doesn't offer to God my ability to live my daily walk independently and only call Him in on the really hard things.
Faith that moves mountains sees the God who established those mountains before the beginning of time and will shake them again at His return. Faith that moves mountains sees that God calls us to do all things in His strength, never relying on our own. To some, getting out of bed may be a mountain. Going to work may be a mountain. My current favorite verse in scripture right now is Mark 9:24 "I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief."
My mountain (and I would venture everyone else's too) is my unbelief. The faith that moves mountains isn't about actually making the mountain move - its about offering everything up to the Lord for His provision. Even our own disbelief. Christy Knockles song "Waiting here for You" says "If faith can moves the mountains, let the mountains move. We come with expectation, waiting here for You.". This song is the heart of faith that moves mountains - waiting on God with the expectation of His presence. God has all knowledge, all mysteries, all power. When we depend on His presence, He will move the mountains, part the seas, raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out our demons and provide for our every need. But He will do it in all wisdom for His timing, for His glory, for our best. He established the mountains but He also establishes us. Colossians 2:6-7 says we are rooted in Him and our faith is established in Him. We are told in Ephesians 3:17 says we are established in love (also in Him).
This is our call - not to move the mountains ourselves, but to be established in the One who made them. Whatever your mountain is, be like the Psalmist, who says "I lift my eyes into the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.". Look for the Maker of the mountain, and He will move that mountain out of the way so that your focus sees Him more clearly. There you go - your mountain has moved!
Their size and uninviting nature makes me think about the often quoted line of Jesus from the book of Matthew where he tells the disciples that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could command a mountain to move.
Matthew 17 is a very interesting chapter and the setting of this great statement by Jesus is often overlooked.
Peter has seen Jesus feed 5000, and also 4000, walk on water, perform many miracles and has confessed his belief that Jesus is the Christ. Yet, on this mountain, seeing Moses and Elijah, Peter offers to make tabernacles to all 3. God cuts Peter off while he is still speaking and says "This is My beloved Son which whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.". Then Peter, James and John fall on their faces terrified. Peter, like the rest of us, has confessed his belief in Christ several times already, but misses that Christ alone is worthy of worship. He once again is floored by the presence of God, left trembling and silent. The disciples trying to heal the boy were not the only ones lacking in faith. Even those at the transfiguration didn't fully understand who Jesus was.
In Hebrews 11 we have an amazing list of people commended for their faith. But this chapter absolutely blows my mind with the description of what faith actually is. "Now faith is the assurance of things hope for, the conviction of things not seen.". This statement alone is petty complicated, but the author goes on to describe how these people listed all died having not received the promise but having seen it and greeted it from afar. Faith sees the unseen and dies with the assurance of the promise, even though it wasn't fulfilled in their time. Now the disciples had Jesus standing right next to them, but still lacked in their faith. They saw who He was and still missed the truth of His very nature of God and man.
Does Jesus say we can move mountains, because that is something useful for us to do or because it is the impossible being made possible? Are we called to be holy as God is holy because we actually can? Are we called to love one another as Christ loved us because we actually can?
As I study Leviticus, time and time again I see that the law given to Moses was impossible yet in many ways easier to understand. Being told a food is unclean is easier to avoid than when Paul tells us that everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. The weight is on us to obey the heart of the Lord, not simply a checklist that calls us not eat certain types of bugs. The Law, while perfect and holy, can seem a little easier because it is following things we can see, hear and touch. I can know that I haven't murdered someone - but Jesus knows my murderous and angry heart. I can know that I haven't stolen, but Jesus sees my greed and coveting nature.
Faith that moves mountains makes the unseen things visible - we are confident and assured of the truth of who God is and what He has done for us. Faith that moves mountains doesn't need God to say "yes" to my prayers to make me believe in His power or love or presence. Faith that moves mountains doesn't offer to God my ability to live my daily walk independently and only call Him in on the really hard things.
Faith that moves mountains sees the God who established those mountains before the beginning of time and will shake them again at His return. Faith that moves mountains sees that God calls us to do all things in His strength, never relying on our own. To some, getting out of bed may be a mountain. Going to work may be a mountain. My current favorite verse in scripture right now is Mark 9:24 "I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief."
My mountain (and I would venture everyone else's too) is my unbelief. The faith that moves mountains isn't about actually making the mountain move - its about offering everything up to the Lord for His provision. Even our own disbelief. Christy Knockles song "Waiting here for You" says "If faith can moves the mountains, let the mountains move. We come with expectation, waiting here for You.". This song is the heart of faith that moves mountains - waiting on God with the expectation of His presence. God has all knowledge, all mysteries, all power. When we depend on His presence, He will move the mountains, part the seas, raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out our demons and provide for our every need. But He will do it in all wisdom for His timing, for His glory, for our best. He established the mountains but He also establishes us. Colossians 2:6-7 says we are rooted in Him and our faith is established in Him. We are told in Ephesians 3:17 says we are established in love (also in Him).
This is our call - not to move the mountains ourselves, but to be established in the One who made them. Whatever your mountain is, be like the Psalmist, who says "I lift my eyes into the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.". Look for the Maker of the mountain, and He will move that mountain out of the way so that your focus sees Him more clearly. There you go - your mountain has moved!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Sacrifice of praise
In studying Leviticus for the Precepts class I am teaching, I am spending a lot of time looking at the Old Testament system of sacrifice and praise. Worship of a Holy God required a holy people - a people set apart from those around them and cleansed of their sin. Animals were offered up (first for the priest and then for the people - Lev 9) with the blood being offered on the altar and the animal slain. Death, blood, and fire defined the approach to the Lord, because of the weight of sin and the price of guilt. The symbol protrayed just how fallen we are and just how holy He is. When Christ completes His perfect sacrifice after a guiltess life, He cleanses us, once for all time, creating a way to life instead of death (Heb 9:28).
But the blood itself was a representation of sin bringing death (Romans 6:23) - it was symbolic. The blood did not actually cleanse anything (Heb 10:4). God made the system of atonement for our benefit to better understand ourselves and to learn to relate to Him. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Instead, we see verse after verse, throughout the Old and New Testament describing the true approach God desires. (Psalm 40:6, Psalm 51:16, Hosea 6:6, Matt 9:9-13, Heb 10) David writes after being confronted about his sin with Bathsheba "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:15-17)
This whole interaction to me is amazing. David, a man after God's own heart, knows that what the Lord desires is to bring praise and humility. On the Sermon on the Mount (Matt5:3) Jesus says "Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven".
When I see these verses that combine our sacrifice with brokeness, I can't help but think of some of the commands for Christian conduct given in the New Testament. "Be joyful always, pray continually, be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thes 5:16-18). And in Hebrews 13:15 "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name."
David saw the heart that God desired - humble praise. But it is a sacrifice, isn't it? When we don't understand what God is doing in our lives; when He leads us through times of trouble; when we are confronted with the ugliness of the sin in our own hearts; these aren't the traditional times to praise. These are the times we question; we doubt; we wrestle.
You know, there are a lot of times where offering up a bull would be a lot easier than bringing to God a humble heart that acknowledges just how far away my life is now from the holiness He calls me to. This is how you end up a Pharisee - go through the motions and lose sight of the heart. When Jesus quotes Hosea in Matt 9:9-13, He is talking to Pharisees who are questioning why He "eats with tax collectors and sinners". Jesus exposes the emptiness of their life - He sees their desire to justify themselves. (This is also what He addresses in the rest of Matthew 5:17-48. He ends with the ultimate challenge in verse 48 - "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.")
The sacrifice of praise is the sacrifice of ourselves. We put ourselves to death. We put our will, our way, our pride, our sin, our guilt; all of it goes on the altar and it creates a soothing aroma for the Lord. Paul tell us in Romans 6: 11-12 "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." The sacrifice of praise is one we offer up daily, until Christ comes to take us home. But our God is a consuming fire who can totally remove all our sin and guilt in His sanctifying work. And He has been broken more than we could ever comprehend to bring us to Him.
Hebrews 12:28-29 says "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
As we tie these things all together we see that our acceptable worship is one that is thankful of who He is and what He has done. When we recognize our need and His holiness, we cannot help but fall to our knees in pure awe. And when we know what He has given us in Christ, we cannot help but praise with thanksgiving. These truths cannot be shaken - regardless of our circumstances or even our own thoughts or feelings. We can be joyful always and thankful in all circumstances, and even pursue the calling of holiness through Christ. We don't thank Him for the trouble - but we praise Him for being unchanging, even in our times of trouble. We don't thank Him for feeling broken - but for His healing hand. We don't praise Him for our struggle - but for His perfect love, that loves us in our sin and ushers us home eternally with Him. This process of becoming more aware of who He is is the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11) that discipline brings. This is the mature faith, unshaken by life (James 1:2-8) and able to rejoice in suffering (Romans 5:3-5). The way we walk through our trials and the faith that results is the offering in which God delights (1 Peter 1:6-9).
Are you broken, weary, sinking under the waves of life? Go ahead and cry! Shout! Shake your fist at the sky! And then sink into the unchanging love of your Heavenly Father. And when you realize that He holds you, even while you hold the weight of the world, you will offer a sacrifice of praise.
But the blood itself was a representation of sin bringing death (Romans 6:23) - it was symbolic. The blood did not actually cleanse anything (Heb 10:4). God made the system of atonement for our benefit to better understand ourselves and to learn to relate to Him. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Instead, we see verse after verse, throughout the Old and New Testament describing the true approach God desires. (Psalm 40:6, Psalm 51:16, Hosea 6:6, Matt 9:9-13, Heb 10) David writes after being confronted about his sin with Bathsheba "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:15-17)
This whole interaction to me is amazing. David, a man after God's own heart, knows that what the Lord desires is to bring praise and humility. On the Sermon on the Mount (Matt5:3) Jesus says "Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven".
When I see these verses that combine our sacrifice with brokeness, I can't help but think of some of the commands for Christian conduct given in the New Testament. "Be joyful always, pray continually, be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thes 5:16-18). And in Hebrews 13:15 "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name."
David saw the heart that God desired - humble praise. But it is a sacrifice, isn't it? When we don't understand what God is doing in our lives; when He leads us through times of trouble; when we are confronted with the ugliness of the sin in our own hearts; these aren't the traditional times to praise. These are the times we question; we doubt; we wrestle.
You know, there are a lot of times where offering up a bull would be a lot easier than bringing to God a humble heart that acknowledges just how far away my life is now from the holiness He calls me to. This is how you end up a Pharisee - go through the motions and lose sight of the heart. When Jesus quotes Hosea in Matt 9:9-13, He is talking to Pharisees who are questioning why He "eats with tax collectors and sinners". Jesus exposes the emptiness of their life - He sees their desire to justify themselves. (This is also what He addresses in the rest of Matthew 5:17-48. He ends with the ultimate challenge in verse 48 - "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.")
The sacrifice of praise is the sacrifice of ourselves. We put ourselves to death. We put our will, our way, our pride, our sin, our guilt; all of it goes on the altar and it creates a soothing aroma for the Lord. Paul tell us in Romans 6: 11-12 "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." The sacrifice of praise is one we offer up daily, until Christ comes to take us home. But our God is a consuming fire who can totally remove all our sin and guilt in His sanctifying work. And He has been broken more than we could ever comprehend to bring us to Him.
Hebrews 12:28-29 says "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
As we tie these things all together we see that our acceptable worship is one that is thankful of who He is and what He has done. When we recognize our need and His holiness, we cannot help but fall to our knees in pure awe. And when we know what He has given us in Christ, we cannot help but praise with thanksgiving. These truths cannot be shaken - regardless of our circumstances or even our own thoughts or feelings. We can be joyful always and thankful in all circumstances, and even pursue the calling of holiness through Christ. We don't thank Him for the trouble - but we praise Him for being unchanging, even in our times of trouble. We don't thank Him for feeling broken - but for His healing hand. We don't praise Him for our struggle - but for His perfect love, that loves us in our sin and ushers us home eternally with Him. This process of becoming more aware of who He is is the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11) that discipline brings. This is the mature faith, unshaken by life (James 1:2-8) and able to rejoice in suffering (Romans 5:3-5). The way we walk through our trials and the faith that results is the offering in which God delights (1 Peter 1:6-9).
Are you broken, weary, sinking under the waves of life? Go ahead and cry! Shout! Shake your fist at the sky! And then sink into the unchanging love of your Heavenly Father. And when you realize that He holds you, even while you hold the weight of the world, you will offer a sacrifice of praise.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Hope and Joy
Christmas has a theme in our house that is too obvious to miss - "hope
and joy". When Christmas rolls around, we fill our house with different
decorations that have the words hope and joy in them and we love collecting new
pieces. But the problem with a theme is that we can forget the meaning behind
it and become focused on the theme itself.
Scripture often
combines hope and joy, as in Romans 12:12 "Rejoice in hope, be patient in
tribulation, be constant in prayer. " Peter writes about the how we have
been born into a living hope that allows us to rejoice in trials because of our
unfading, undefiled inheritance. Then Peter says "Though you have not seen
Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and
rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the
outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1Pet 1:8-9) Paul
also writes about the unseen nature of hope in Romans 8:24-25 where it says
"For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For
who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for
it with patience."
Paul writes in his
letter to the Corinthians about their trials and describes the
amazing paradox of Christian living. "We are treated as impostors, and yet
are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as
punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet
making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything." (2 Cor
6:8b-10) This amazing paradox is made true because of Paul's previous
statement, "for we walk by faith, not by sight" (vs 7) and we know
from Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen." We are called to a focus of hope and joy on
what we cannot see but we know to be our ultimate truth.
With my Nana’s
cancer, I have been considering the gift of sight and trying to empathize with
her inability to see clearly. On a glorious day, like it is today, I look
around outside and wonder what it looks like through her eyes. More than the
cancer itself, her distorted vision has been the greatest concern to her in
many ways, because it defines so much of day to day life. The same is true for
us all. What we see defines much of our day to day life. And yet scripture
tells us to be defined not by what we see, but what we know to be true about
God and His promises. We look to our Savior, unseen by our eyes, but indwelling
our hearts, to properly navigate the daily struggles of living in a fallen
world.
In the 1960’s, Stan Lee created a superhero named Daredevil. He
was blinded by coming in contact with a radioactive substance, but his other
senses were enhanced, with the greatest benefit to his sense of balance. It is
such an interesting concept, that eliminating a key component of sight, he uses
other resources that actually give him a better sense of balance than he would
have as a normal person. While Stan Lee is no theologian, there is a powerful
link to scriptural truth here.
God calls us to live by faith, not sight. Things hoped for, not
seen, because our balance comes from knowing the truth of who God is, not from
our circumstances around us. His truth keeps us from being tossed about when
persecution and suffering come our way. His truth silences the lies in our
hearts and minds that would cause us to despair. His truth gives us the vision
of eternity to look to, instead of the distorted reality this world offers. My
Nana is being called to rely on the truth of who God is and His light, in this
suffering which causes her eyes to fail her. All of us who walk beside her in
this time are called to not let our sight (or our fears or doubts or anything else)
distract us from the Truth, Jesus Christ.
We are sorrowful, yet rejoicing. We have nothing, yet possess
everything. We live the paradox of dying mortal shells with our eternity secure.
Our hope and joy do not come from an ornament or decoration; a feeling or a
song; and they certainly do not come from our circumstances. Our hope and joy
come from God – not only at Christmas, but always.
Here is our truth: “And after you have suffered a little while,
the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will
Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10) May
this truth be our hope and joy.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Shadowlands
I walked out of my front door this morning to go to my car and drive to the hospital to sit with Nana. Day 3 of this most recent hospital stay, I paused just long enough to see the beauty of the quiet stillness of early day. The birds were singing their song, the squirrels were actively running around on the ground and chasing each other through trees, and the sky, though brightening for a new day, still contained the last few stars hanging in the sky. All of nature rejoiced for the Sabbath, a new dawn, another day given to them by God. Yet I was off to a dark interior hospital room, where days and time were noted by calendars and clocks, completely cut off from the the beauty of creation.
God made the world and proclaimed it good. We are told how creation itself sings to the Lord and how the heavens proclaim the glory of God. He is the God over wind and waves and time itself bends to His will. His power knows no end. These things are true. But inside this little room, truth can seem clouded by the darkness.
Have you ever noticed how we just expect wedding days to be bright and sunny? Or birthdays to have a sweet breeze? There is something inside of us, as part of Gods creation, that knows that all was made to be good.
I have often wondered, although the rain is needed for things to grow, in the new creation, will there still be thunderstorms, or will it be the sprinkling of rain that just begs to be danced in? Will the sun still be blazing hot or just simply radiant? Will the wind blow so hard that tree limbs fall or will we just have the gentle breeze, carrying the sweet scent of the flower blossoms?
I've realized that every day we are actually living in these dark rooms, separated from true beauty, even when we are standing outside in the morning sun. The highest peak on the brightest day still pales in comparison to the true Mount Zion where Christ reigns on His throne.
But praise be to God! We are not captives to this darkness. Instead, we live in the shadowlands.
These days of beauty call us to rejoice in our Creator and His masterful work in Creation. And these days in the dark rooms call us to remember that everything we see is a shadow of what is to come. Once again, my mind is acutely aware of the "no longer, but not yet" existence we walk. But we do not walk alone. More than the cloud by day and pillar by night the Israelites followed in the wilderness, we have the true flame, the Holy Spirit, dwelling inside of us, leading us to an eternal promise land.
The darkness is gone, the promise is sure, and the love of God penetrates this dark hospital room just as brightly as the dawn ushers in the new day. The lingering shadow may try to weigh down my heart and my family in these uncertain times, but truth remains. A shadow can only exist when the sun is shining. In total darkness, there are no shadows. And a shadow changes form depending on the angle of the sun. It has no true substance. The truth is the light and The Light of the world has already cast out the darkness. If my eyes look simply at the shadows, truth can seem distorted and darkness seems ever present. But if I look at The Light, the shadow flees and only Truth remains.
Oh master of shadows, all you have is smoke and mirrors trying to distract us. Your day is done, the battle is won, and your darkness will surround you for eternity, while we bask in the Light of the Lord.
God made the world and proclaimed it good. We are told how creation itself sings to the Lord and how the heavens proclaim the glory of God. He is the God over wind and waves and time itself bends to His will. His power knows no end. These things are true. But inside this little room, truth can seem clouded by the darkness.
Have you ever noticed how we just expect wedding days to be bright and sunny? Or birthdays to have a sweet breeze? There is something inside of us, as part of Gods creation, that knows that all was made to be good.
I have often wondered, although the rain is needed for things to grow, in the new creation, will there still be thunderstorms, or will it be the sprinkling of rain that just begs to be danced in? Will the sun still be blazing hot or just simply radiant? Will the wind blow so hard that tree limbs fall or will we just have the gentle breeze, carrying the sweet scent of the flower blossoms?
I've realized that every day we are actually living in these dark rooms, separated from true beauty, even when we are standing outside in the morning sun. The highest peak on the brightest day still pales in comparison to the true Mount Zion where Christ reigns on His throne.
But praise be to God! We are not captives to this darkness. Instead, we live in the shadowlands.
These days of beauty call us to rejoice in our Creator and His masterful work in Creation. And these days in the dark rooms call us to remember that everything we see is a shadow of what is to come. Once again, my mind is acutely aware of the "no longer, but not yet" existence we walk. But we do not walk alone. More than the cloud by day and pillar by night the Israelites followed in the wilderness, we have the true flame, the Holy Spirit, dwelling inside of us, leading us to an eternal promise land.
The darkness is gone, the promise is sure, and the love of God penetrates this dark hospital room just as brightly as the dawn ushers in the new day. The lingering shadow may try to weigh down my heart and my family in these uncertain times, but truth remains. A shadow can only exist when the sun is shining. In total darkness, there are no shadows. And a shadow changes form depending on the angle of the sun. It has no true substance. The truth is the light and The Light of the world has already cast out the darkness. If my eyes look simply at the shadows, truth can seem distorted and darkness seems ever present. But if I look at The Light, the shadow flees and only Truth remains.
Oh master of shadows, all you have is smoke and mirrors trying to distract us. Your day is done, the battle is won, and your darkness will surround you for eternity, while we bask in the Light of the Lord.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)