Reality

A friend of mine recently shared how she avoids watching too many romantic movies. She doesn’t want to fall into the trap of expecting romance when that may not be what life has in store. Unrealistic expectations might blind her to real life and real relationships.

There is much wisdom in my friend’s attitude. After all, some people become so caught up in looking for a fairy tale that they refuse to settle for anything less and miss out on the good that life holds. Furthermore, Proverbs 4:23 warns us to guard our hearts – and I’m sure that includes not losing our hearts to a dream that, by the very nature of a fantasy, cannot truly satisfy.

Despite the obvious value of my friend’s attitude, I felt compelled to consider the contrary view. Could there be value in seeking after what most would call unrealistic?

At the end of season six of The Office, two of the principal characters, Jim and Pam, get married. Their wedding was one of the most romantic sequences I’ve ever seen. Would it be wrong to not only seek such an experience but to expect it from one’s own life? I think most people would view such an expectation as unrealistic since they probably have never experienced anything like that in their own lives, nor have they known anyone who has.

But the writers of The Office were, at the very least, able to imagine such a thing. If the mind of man, made by God and in His image, is able to envision such romance, certainly God can. And if something has crosses God’s mind, is it not possible?

         No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
                  and no mind has imagined
         what God has prepared
                  for those who love him. (1 Cor.2:9)

My friend’s approach is certainly wise. It can be destructive to live one’s life divorced from reality. But let’s not let the limits of our experience cause us to shorten God’s hand. Why not ask for – even expect – the best that God as in mind? We have not because we ask not – not because something is beyond the imagination or ability of God.

And that is a reality that I can live with.

Consequences

Sometime back in the nineties, a man named Jack Ryan gave reign to his darker impulses and started visiting sex clubs. That he involved his wife – at least some of the time – didn't make his actions any less sordid. But his were victim-less sins – if they were sins at all – right?

Wrong. In 2004 he would run for a Senate seat from Illinois. He would win the Republican primary and have a very good shot at winning the general election. Unfortunately, his wife had divorced him and his sex club shenanigans had found there way into the divorce court proceedings. As a result, Mr. Ryan was forced to withdraw his candidacy and the Republican party fielded a last-minute, less than formidable candidate who didn't even live in Illinois. Still, who did Mr. Ryan harm beside himself, his wife and, perhaps, his kids? No one, right?

Wrong. The damage to the image of the Republican party and the weakness of its nominee opened the door for a local politician from the opposing party to overwhelmingly win the election with a whopping 73 percent of the vote. His name? Barack Obama. His convincing win was a key factor in the meteoric rise that would result in his ascendancy to the Presidency of the United States four years later.

Today, as a result of Mr. Ryan's so-called victim-less sin, many, many more unborn babies are killed than would have been if we had a different President (see our Mexico City Policy). As a result of Mr. Ryan's seemingly private indiscretion, the lives of thousands of American soldiers and their families as well as of countless Iraqis and Afghanis have been changed forever. As a result of what many would think of as a matter between Mr. Ryan and God, the life of almost every person on the planet has been altered by the economic policies chosen by our current President.

When will I learn that my private sins are not so private? When will I realize that my children are affected by my choices? When will I learn to step carefully, listen closely and obey God completely – knowing that my choices can affect the entire world?

Laughter

Names are very important in the Bible (and, I suspect, in everyday life – but that’s a subject for another day). God uses the meanings of names (of places, of people, everything) to teach us important spiritual truths or to confirm and support what He is saying in the text.

God does this when setting up the Patriarchs of the Bible – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. At the start we have Abraham, the Father of All Who Believe (Romans 4:11), whose name means “Father of Nations”. His grandson has two names that embody the path of the sinner coming to saving faith: he was born Jacob – “cheater”, one of dubious ethics – but God changes his name to Israel which means “God prevails”. The names of both Abraham and Jacob point to the seriousness of God, our King, and of the very serious transformation that must take place in the heart of an individual if he is to be part of God’s Kingdom.

But sandwiched in the middle, an indispensable link between Abraham and his grandson, is Abraham's son, Isaac. Isaac’s name means “he laughs”! I suspect that God is telling us that laughter is more than just good medicine (Prov. 17:22) – it is part of His nature. That while no one can see God without faith (Abraham) and no one can come be saved without submitting his sinful nature to God (Jacob), a life without laughter is one that has also missed God’s plan and even His heart.

God created laughter. He created and gifted the comedian. He gave each of us the ability to appreciate the funny, the ironic and the just plain silly. So when you see the craziness around you today, look for the humor in it. When you have the opportunity to enjoy something that is meant to be funny, do so. And when you look around at God's creation, laugh for the sheer enjoyment of it all!

Gifts

My children love to give me gifts. The younger they are, the more enthusiastic the giving and the more frequent the gifts. And the younger they are, the less recognizable the gift (think of a picture drawn by a two-year-old: what, exactly, is it a picture of?) and the less likely it is something I really need. That doesn't make the gift less appreciated nor does it reduce my enjoyment of it. The gift is from the heart and it always receives a prominent place on my refrigerator or somewhere else in the house.

In Genesis 18:1-8 God appears to Abraham together with two angels. Like a young child with a heart set to please, Abraham hurries to prepare a feast for them. I'm sure that neither God Himself nor the angels had any need of food. But that didn't even cross Abraham's mind. He just wanted to bless his guests so he gave what would have been happy to receive. And just as you and I are with our children, God was delighted to accept Abraham's heart-felt gift. God didn't point out that He had no need for it or chastise Abraham for not knowing Him better. God just enjoyed it.

We have opportunities every day to bless God with our gifts. They can be meals we make, jokes we tell, cleaning we do, even the job we perform (and get paid for!). The gifts we give God can be anything and everything. We needn't wonder if God needs them or if they are something He specifically calls for in the Bible. If we are excited to give them to God, He is delighted to receive them.

God may not need food but I'm thinking He has a big refrigerator that He’d love to decorate :).

Not Always My Favorite Passage

In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus tells Peter that “Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.” As we read the rest of Jesus’ statement it is clear that Satan’s request has been granted. Oh, boy. Poor Peter. Things are about to get rough.

But like everything else in the Bible, there’s a personal application. You see, the “you” is plural. I’m pretty sure Satan has asked to take a run at all believers. And God, in His good wisdom and loving desire to see us perfected and purified, has granted that request. So just as much as Peter was about to be severely tested and even hit rock bottom (see verse 62), we also should not be surprised at the testing of our faith. A severe, hitting-rock-bottom, where-else-shall-I-go kind of trial – where nothing remains but the gold of our relationship with Jesus (see John 6:68).

Just remember that, as He did for Peter, Jesus prays for us so that when we turn back we will be available to strengthen our Christian brothers and sisters who are going through their own similar but different trials. God Himself allowed (even authored) the trial and is keenly aware of it. He is intimately involved every step of the way, catching every tear that falls from our eyes. If our hearts feel broken, His is more so. But He sees the end, knows the end, even if we don’t.

And as He promised Peter, God Himself will get us there.

To the Glory of God

Is it possible for someone who does not know God to honor Him? Is it necessary to have the intent to honor to be able to give glory to God?

There are those who say that Christians should not listen to non-Christian musical groups (for example, The Beatles) because the musicians do not acknowledge Christ and, further, often sing songs with un-Biblical lyrics.

Many would say that Donald Trump or someone like Ted Turner who is openly hostile to Christianity do not bring any glory to God.

I have to respectfully disagree. God made all of us. He gives us each incredible gifts and talents and He does so, not when we came to know Him, but when He creates us.

When I hear the Beatles, I think, “Wow, what talent God gave them. How good of Him to create music for us to enjoy and musicians who are creative in such a beautiful way.” Same with Donald Trump with his talents in finance. Ditto with so many other people who may never know Jesus but who have been blessed by Him nonetheless.

To take another example, I don’t believe comedians have to be Christian for God to receive glory. While too many are undeniably foul and blasphemous, does God not get a chuckle and enjoyment out of his wonderful creation, Bill Cosby? How about a self-proclaimed atheist such as Paula Poundstone? Even if the comedian doesn’t acknowledge that her gift is God-given, can we not still see it as so and marvel at God’s handiwork?

And it’s not just people that honor God. Have you ever looked at an airplane? God made the mind of man that could invent such a seeming miracle! And God had us in mind when He created the atmosphere with the proper density and the earth with the correct gravity – both to allow flight to be even possible!

Yes, there are those who dishonor God and those who do so intentionally. But I suspect that all creation sings of the Glory of God – whether it wants to or not.

Excitement II

Have you ever lain awake at night, unable to sleep, in joyful anticipation of some long-hoped-for event? Perhaps it was the imminent return of a long-absent family member, the start of an exciting vacation, or the youthful anticipation of Christmas morning. I’m sure you have; we all have.

Why do we have this wonderful emotion? From where does it come? The simple answer is that we were made this way. But there is something much more. We are made in the image and likeness of God Himself. Therefore, we can learn something of Him by looking at ourselves. In other words, we have the emotion of joyful anticipation because He has it. (Yes, we also have some very un-Godlike emotions but those can, in every case, be traced back to Godly emotions that have been corrupted by sin.)

So we can know that God gets excited about the future – He gets excited about what He plans in the lives of His children and gets even more excited when He sees those plans about to come true. Just think about it: God has plans and dreams for you, He works tirelessly to bring them about, and can scarcely contain His excitement when all the planning is about to pay off. How do we know this? Because that’s how we feel about our hopes and plans and dreams.

So just think, right now God has something huge and wonderful planned for your life and is doing everything He can (which is quite a lot!) – without forcing you into anything you absolutely refuse to do – to make those plans come true. If God needed sleep, I bet He’d have trouble sleeping tonight!

Walking on Water

Jesus called me out of the boat again today. Told me to keep my eyes on Him, to not look down at the circumstances, at the difficulty – no, the impossibility – of my situation. Essentially, to walk on water.

I have to admit to having a thought, “what, again?” I mean, every time I’m called to step out of the boat I wind up cold, wet and slimy; in short, miserable. Oh, sure, there a few steps of faith – and maybe more than there were last time – but still, leaving the boat seems to sooner or later result in a drowning feeling until Jesus picks me back up.

So today – I’ll be honest – I groaned when He called. The boat is relatively safe and dry and c’mon, it’s going where Jesus wants it to. Besides, what about all the other people in the boat? Why am I the only one who has to get wet again and again and again?

Because He loves me and knows that we’d both rather that I dance on the waves with Him than spend eternity in the boat. (And yes, the others are called to do the impossible as well; I just don’t often get to see it happen.)

This morning, Jesus pointed out to me just some of my improvement in this water-walking thing. He reminded me that I used to become distracted by the wind and fearful of its blasts. Not so much any more. Now I can be distracted by and fearful of the waves. But that’s a huge improvement. And if Jesus can teach me by trial and a lot of error to ignore the wind, He certainly will be successful in teaching me that the waves are there to be stepped on.

Sure, I keep getting cold and wet: the lessons result in great discomfort and I can feel overwhelmed at times. But I have a little glimpse of what Jesus knows for sure: that we’re getting there and that someday, running on water will be just like running on dry land – only it will be even more fun!

Co-Laborers

Lately God has been saying something new to me. Sometimes, when I ask for His direction, He lets me know that I can choose the way to go. This has been unsettling for me. I’ve long thought I should be seeking to hear God more clearly and more often so He can direct my steps. But now He sometimes says it’s up to me.

I really wondered what was going on until God pointed out that He wants us to be co-laborers with Him (1 Cor. 3:9). He desires that we grow in our relationship with Him so that He does not need to treat us as servants but as friends (John 15:15). And He does not wish to direct our every step as one has to with a horse (Psalm 32:9).

But, I objected, don’t You say that we should walk by the Spirit and that the steps of the righteous man are ordered by the You (Psalm 37:23)? Yes, He replied, but there is an incredible freedom when you walk by the Spirit. I did not say that while all things are permissible, only one thing is beneficial (1 Cor. 6:12 and 10:23). Rather, while not all things are beneficial, many things are.

After all, if we are to reign with Christ (Rev 5:10, 20:6 and 22:5) and will judge both the world and angles (1 Cor. 6:2-3), there is an implication that we will be making decisions – not being simple automatons or mouth pieces for God.

I don’t begin to understand all this but it would seem that, in God’s perfect will, there are a multiplicity of paths that are good, beneficial and which further the Kingdom. Free will is not just a choice between good and bad but is also a choice between different Godly paths that are equally good. Maybe this has something to do with why God makes us all unique with different desires, passions and goals – and then seeks to fulfill the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4).

I’m blown away by the possibilities!

Does God Change His Mind?

I was having lunch today with a friend who stated in passing that, of course, God never changes His mind. Hmmm, I thought. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that, while “of course” statements might be true, they’re often worth a second look.

I must have raised an eyebrow because my friend explained that, since God is God, it would be against His very nature to change His mind. Well, he should have known: a little circular reasoning and I was fully engaged.

But what about Moses and Hezekiah, I countered? These were all examples of God relenting from what He had decided. And Nineveh! God didn’t even offer them repentance: the message through Jonah was that, in forty days, you will be destroyed.

Well, countered my friend, those were all cases of God getting people to come around to what He wanted to do in the first place. In other words, He hadn’t really decided to wipe out all the Israelites or Ninevites; He was just saying that so people would repent and He could do what He had planned all along.

The more my friend talked, the more convinced I became that his theology had been decided first and the facts were being conformed to fit. The Bible doesn’t even hint that the final outcome was what God had in mind in the first place – it says that God decided to wipe out a people and then He changed His mind. Consider the story of the golden calf (Exodus 32): when God decided to wipe out Israel because of their rebellion (v. 10), He did not relent (v. 14) because of any repentance on the part of the Israelites but because of Moses’ plea (vv. 11-13).

We all have compassion on our kids and have relented from punishing them the way that they deserve. From where did we get that compassion? Was it not as a result of being made in the image and likeness of God? And isn’t the very essence of compassion the changing of one’s mind?

Some will argue that a sovereign God cannot go against what He has already decided. I would suggest that a truly sovereign God can do whatever He desires. This is not at all to suggest that God is capricious or arbitrary. On the contrary: He is steadfast and dependable. And one of the ways in which he is dependable is His compassion. His ability, His willingness – no, His desire, to change His mind.

And always for our good.

Courage

There are a few passages in the Bible which list the “really bad” sins. Of course, in a very real sense, no sin is worse than another: all sins which aren't atoned for by Jesus will keep us from eternal life. But for some reason, in Revelation 21:8, we're given a list of characteristics of those who are sentenced to eternity in the Lake of Fire (otherwise known as hell). We're told that the damned are guilty of what we might expect: murder, witchcraft, sexual morality, idolatry and lying. But one item in particular caught my attention: cowardliness. Cowardliness? Sure, being a coward is nothing to be proud of but does it really belong in the same class as murder, witchcraft and adultery? Murderers are destined for the lake of fire – but so are those who where afraid to stop murders?? There must be a mistake here.

But no, that’s what God says.

So what could He mean? Could He mean what He says? That those of us who are afraid to do what He tells us to will not be spending eternity with Him? That if we fear the consequences of doing what He tells us more than we fear Him there is no place for us in His Kingdom?

This reminds me of Jesus saying that those who love Him will do what He commands (John 14:23). Many of us don't like to think of Jesus as anything but all smiles and hugs. But it would seem to me that it is the same Jesus speaking in both the Gospel of John and in Revelations. Saying we love Jesus but refusing to do what He says for whatever reason (cowardliness being only one) is not actually loving Jesus. And that doesn't end well.

A Christian Checklist

Here's a list that most Christians I know are able to check off as “done” or “experienced”:

1. Accepted free gift of salvation. Jesus did all the heavy lifting.

2. Experienced trials due to one's profession of faith.

3. Set free from the requirement (bondage, slavery) to do certain sins.

4. Experiencing God's divine hand of protection.

5. Experiencing God's miraculous provision.

6. Fellowshipping and worshiping with fellow believers on a regular basis.

7. Having a pastor through whom God is speaking.

8. Assurance of salvation based on number one and the supporting evidence of the next six items.

All of those things are not only great, they're Biblically required and/or promised.

Except, perhaps, for the last one.

The Israelites, arguably the best example of the Christian church, had the same list as a result of the Exodus:

1. Accepted free gift of salvation. Moses did all the heavy lifting.

2. Experienced trials due to their profession of faith (ordered to collect their own straw, Exodus 5).

3. Set free from slavery in Egypt.

4. Experiencing God's divine hand of protection in the Red Sea crossing.

5. Experiencing God's miraculous provision (manna in the dessert, water from a rock, etc.).

6. Fellowshipping and worshiping with fellow believers on a regular basis (congregation of 600,000 men and their families).

7. Having a pastor (Moses) through whom God spoke.

8. Assurance of being God's chose people based on number one and the supporting evidence of the next six items.

And what was the result for nearly all of the Israelites? As Paul would day, they failed to finish the race. They did not receive what they had hoped for, that for which what God had set them free. Their deliverance was in vain. They might as well have stayed bound in Egypt.

Are we any different? Are you a Joshua or a Caleb – truly unique among 600,000? How can you tell? How can you be sure? (Hint: are your feet moving? And in what direction?)

I’ll do it!

One evening recently I was driving with my kids to keep an appointment. We where driving in an area in which I had never been before. They hadn’t eaten dinner yet and we didn’t have much more than a few minutes to spare if we were to keep our appointment. I had planned that we would find a McDonald’s, hit the drive-through and be on our way. Everyone would be happy and an important appointment would be kept.

And I was good. Better than I am sometimes: I didn’t worry about finding a McDonald’s; I simply asked God from the outset to find us one. No worries.

But here we were, twenty minutes into our thirty minute trip and no fast food, certainly no McDonald’s. And a worry appeared. “What if God doesn’t show us a place to get some food?” I thought. And then my very next thought: “Well, then I’ll have to get off this highway and find us some food.”

WHAT?? WHAT?? If God doesn’t provide, I will?? Have I no understanding of God?? Do I have such a highly exalted view of myself that I believe I can succeed when God fails??

Wow. I'm thankful that at least I recognized the craziness of my thinking. May I always remember that, if God doesn’t answer my prayer the way I expect or like Him to, it’s definitely because He has something better in mind.

(P.S. God did find us food (surprise, surprise!) but it wasn't McDonald's. So, in addition to this being a lesson for me, it also became a teachable moment with my son – who I discovered thought that anything other than McDonald's is completely unacceptable.)

What Are We Doing?

For many Christians being a Christian is a decision made once – perhaps at an altar call, perhaps as the act of baptism, publicly or privately, as a child or maybe as an adult. It’s a done deal, sealed by the Blood, and life continues. There may be increased church attendance, Bible reading at times and a comfortable assurance that one’s final destination is and always will be Heaven.

Of course, this kind of feel-good theology has to ignore all the Scriptures that admonish us to persevere and finish the race, all the parables (the ten virgins of Matthew 25, the sower of Matthew 13), and even the explicit statements of Jesus (e.g. narrow is the way…). But that’s not what I want to talk about today.

What does it mean to “finish the race”? Are we in a competition with others? No, God is clear that we will be judged according to what each of us has done (2 Cor. 5:10) not in comparison to what others have done.

If we’re not in competition, perhaps God just means that we are to hang in until the end, not give up, and cross the finish line. Perhaps. But I came across a verse in Jeremiah this morning that increased my suspicion that God wants more – much more. If it was simply a matter of persevering until we cross the finish line, we might just as well be waiting for a bus. After all, waiting for a bus can certainly take stick-to-itiveness. But there’s a difference between crossing the finish line and waiting for a ride to come along – it’s in the running.

What is it about running? Well, for one thing, it requires effort (Phil 2:12). Running strengthens us (James 1:2-4). And running purifies us (1 Tim 6:11-14). If we are to be the bride of Christ and He is coming back for a pure bride (2 Cor. 11:2), I think that, at least for me, some exercise is in order.

The passage this morning in Jeremiah (6:28-30) caught my attention because there God is talking to the church (as far as I am aware, only the church is called silver in the Bible). God is putting them through the refining process (another thing privilege only experienced by believers). But instead of purification, the refining has no effect; the dross remains.

The church in this passage is still called silver, but it is rejected silver (6:30). God had placed hills and valleys along the path of their lives. He sent times of refreshing and times of unimaginable thirst. But instead of running the race, I think they waited for the finish line to come to them.

Unexpected Gifts

Recently God gave me a gift that is not only complete unexpected but is greater than I anything I could have imagined. Picture, just by way of illustration, receiving a winning lottery ticket worth $100 million despite not playing the lottery.

And the gift is ongoing and growing. You could picture that $100 million being delivered in weekly installments of, say, $50,000. But the picture that comes to my mind is that of someone who is poor, destitute, living in a third world country with no reason to expect a life different than that of his father and his father’s father before him. But some benefactor (Oprah on vacation?) swoops in and provides him with a college education in America, all expenses paid.

In the old days, if I was that young man, I would be grateful and excited. I would joyfully begin my new life and then, within a few weeks, I would probably begin to worry about next semester. What if my benefactor stops paying my tuition? What if I don’t maintain the grade point average that my benefactor has in mind? (Never mind that no such requirement was ever mentioned.) What if this is all a dream, a brief interlude that will end as quickly as it began?

“How silly,” we would say. The gift is a gift. It will not be taken away. It is not contingent on your performance. Its intent is not to set you up for a fall. And it is not a partial gift: it will be completed.

I am grateful – not only for the gift but that God has been and is working in me an assurance that it is truly, in every sense of the word, a gift.

Enjoy!

Whom Shall We Believe?

For many years now, my children have been among my best teachers about the Kingdom of God. Sure, they usually are unaware of the lessons they give but those lessons are no less powerful for their innocence. Recently, my son taught me a lesson about who I listen to.

My son, who is seven, has a friend in the neighborhood with whom he likes to play at every opportunity. The two boys share a lot of interests and get along well. If I had to express one complaint about this other boy, though, it would be that he opines and prognosticates on any and every subject that arises and does so with a certainty and authority that invite no question. Unfortunately, his desire to express himself seems to be paramount; truth runs a distant second if it even places at all.

My son often wants to know when his friend will be available to play and, as with everything, his friend is quick to offer definitive answers. They’re not necessarily (or often) correct but delivered with than assurance that leaves my son harboring no doubt as to their veracity.

On one particular day, at 5:30 in the afternoon, the friend was called to dinner. My son immediately wanted to know if they would be able to continue playing after dinner. My son was crestfallen when his friend confidently replied that he would be going to bed immediately after dinner because it was a school night.

Having a few years of experience under my belt as well as knowing the habits of this particular family, I knew without a doubt that no such bedtime was planned by the boy’s parents and that, in all likelihood, the boys would have plenty of time to continue playing after dinner.

I explained this to my son who objected that his friend had been quite clear about his plans for the rest of the evening. I countered by reminding my son of his friend’s track record – which was as close to perfectly wrong as one could imagine. My son then had the choice of believing me, his dad who didn’t appear to be involved and to have reason to know what he was talking about – or his friend who, after all, would seem to be the best source of information since it was his life and plans we were talking about.

How often do I make the mistake my son did! God says one thing and somebody else make a pronouncement or a plan or even takes an action that is in direct contradiction to God’s promise. And I listen to the other person because that’s real, right?

The good news is that, slowly but very surely, God is showing me that, despite my doubts and the assurances of my senses, there is only one Reality.

New Every Morning

In the film, 50 First Dates, Drew Barrymore plays a woman who, due to an accident, forgets the events of each day when she wakes up the next. Hers is a terrible disability and not one I would ever wish for. But recently I’ve been thinking of the positive aspect of her misfortune: that every day is a new experience, completely unencumbered by the events of the preceding day. There is also no worry about tomorrow since the cares of today will be by then forgotten.

Isn’t this what Jesus called us to do when He said we must become like little children if we would enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 18:3)? I remember summer vacations from elementary school while I was growing up. Every day was new and completely unencumbered by thoughts of what I had to do tomorrow or how many days until school started. Every day was like that. There was no thought of tomorrow or even of yesterday. Sure, if my parents had a vacation planned or a visit to Grandma and Grandpa, that’s what we did. But the planning belonged to my parents: I just got up in the morning and discovered, often moment by moment, what wonderful things the day had in store for me.

I think God is trying to get me back into that state, that state of wonderful expectation. He certainly makes sure that each day goes completely differently than I had expected (or, more often, than I had worried). As day after day unfolds in a very different way than I had expected, I’m beginning to lose faith in plans. Is that really so terrible?

I wonder what my dad has in mind for today?

Just Showing Up

I recently expressed my appreciation to someone who has consistently and for a long time been a tremendous influence in my life. With complete honesty, he replied that he “just shows up.” He explained that what he meant was that he shows up where God places him and then allows the Holy Spirit to work and speak through him. He takes little or no credit for any positive effects that he seems to engender: he just makes himself available to the Holy Spirit.

I’m starting to see what he means. I’ve recently had two people thank me for what they saw as significant contributions that I had made in their development. My reaction in both cases was a from-the-heart “I just showed up.” I really had no sense of having worked hard to help them nor did I feel in any way like some miracle worker with magical powers. I had been there, had certainly tried to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit (but I would not guess that I had been entirely successful) – and that is all.

In a similar way, I recently spent three days on a major project which God had paced before me. In the past, such a project would have been so daunting that I might not have started it or, if I had, it would have consumed my every thought and all of my energy, both physical and emotional. This time was different. As much as I didn’t want to start the work, I knew this is what God wanted and so, by His grace and not without a heartfelt prayer or two (or three), I simply showed up. I did that for three mornings with each morning turning into a full day of work. And at the end of three days, not only was I not spent or wound like a top, but the job was done and was done nicely. God wanted something done and He just needed me to show up. The rest was His doing.

I wonder what He has in mind tomorrow should I be willing to just show up.

Fighting the Battles

I have a couple of major battles in my life (who doesn’t?!). To be perfectly honest, I don’t often feel like fighting them. And hey, I tell myself, isn’t God on the throne? Can’t He fight – and win – these battles without my help? Didn’t God tell the Israelites, “YHWH will fight for you; you need only be still” (Ex 14:14)? And didn’t Jesus say to turn the other cheek?

But I have this sneaking suspicion that I am just multiplying excuses for not doing what is unpleasant, time-consuming, emotionally draining and even a little scary (after all, my enemies may hit back). I am reminded of all the times God requires His people to do something as part of the battle that He wins. For every time He sovereignly and independently wins a battle for His people, it seems like there are at least a dozen other times when He tells them to do such-and-such and the battle will be won – still miraculously but with their human cooperation.

I think of all the times David and Joshua were given specific battle plans. I think of Jonathan and his armor bearer stepping out in faith alone against the entire Philistine army saying, “Nothing can hinder YHWH from saving, whether by many or by few” (1 Sam 14:6). Would God have even fought those battles without a person’s cooperation?

I believe God wants me to put aside the easy, the safe and the enjoyable when He sounds the battle trumpet and calls me to war. I’d rather not, to be honest, but if He has called, who am I to second-guess the outcome? After all, He’s just asking me to show up and walk through any doors He sets before me. God is the one who does the real fighting that both gets the doors open and wins the war.

Obedience?

I know someone who believes with all his heart that he is obedient to the authority that God has placed over his life. I also know the person in that authority and know that he does not find his charge to be at all obedient except in doing things he wishes to do. The one in authority has tried in countless ways for a number of years to point this out but to no effect. The disobedience continues unabated while its very existence is denied firmly and without qualification. There is every evidence that the disobedient one is acting with a clear conscience.

Who is right? I would think it would be the one in authority who is able to judge whether or not the one in his charge is being disobedient. Sure, there might be times of misunderstanding, times when he has not made his direction clear. But surely not over the span of years, countless conversations, and various attempts at discipline.

Does this remind you of anyone? Most people I know believe they are obedient to God. Even atheists believe they are doing the right thing according to some moral code whose origin they can't quite explain. But perhaps more troubling are professing, Bible-believing, church-attending Christians who – despite years of admonitions from the pulpit, warnings from friends and the clear direction from the Word of God – pronounce themselves obedient when, by any objective reading of the God's Word, they are not.

The Bible tells us that a person’s conscience may become seared so that it is no longer effective – that the person may be able to walk in sin without even a twinge of guilt. I suspect it’s not an all-or-nothing condition: I think a conscience can become seared in a particular area.

So saying something’s right doesn’t necessarily make it so. Is there anyone in authority anywhere in your life who has been trying to tell you that your ways are not right? A boss, a pastor, a parent, a teacher or a professor? Can you still hear them?

Good Disasters

Just the other day I went for a very long bike ride. Half-way into the outward-bound leg of the journey I got a flat tire. Bad. I started walking. I met a man who told me there was a bike repair shop about three miles away – if it still existed. This was going to take hours. But I kept walking.

I came to a gas station. No help there. But while I stood around searching for bike repair shops on my iTouch, two separate people, in the midst of their own disasters, stopped to ask for directions. I was able to not only give them the direction they were seeking but, as we talked, I was also able to give them some additional advice about the problems they were experiencing – I had been their way before.

Back to walking. This time it occurred to me to ask God for a miracle – an angel, someone – anyone – who could help me.

Within two minutes I came upon another problem, another potential disaster: a traffic light was out on the busy road on which I was walking. And elderly lady had stationed herself in the intersection, directing traffic in an attempt to prevent an accident. She came over to me to talk and, before I knew it, she was offering to give me a ride to a bike repair shop.

I don't pretend to know all the good that God did that day in those situations but I do know that, had my tire not blown, had those two people not gotten lost, and had that particular traffic light not failed, the four of us would not have enjoyed the blessings we did. Oh, sure, we would have gone through the day without those difficulties but we certainly would not have know the pleasure of helping each other or of seeing God's hand at work. In fact, we probably wouldn't have noticed that the day had gone smoothly – we would have expected it.

Sure, these were very minor problems compared to the fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, oil spills, etc. that some people experience. I've experienced one or two “real” disasters in my life. But as with my experience on my bike, I've become convinced that God can and does work unimaginable good through what can often seem to be a unredeemable, unmitigated disaster.

Do You Really Want to be Friends?

As a parent, it is my job to not only tell my kids how to behave but to also teach them to choose to behave correctly. By teaching, I do not mean that I seek to instill in them a fear of punishment (although that may be necessary from time to time) but my goal is to instruct them to make correct choices themselves. To this end, I often try to explain the reason for my decision and I do this with increasing frequency, transparency and openness as they mature. It is one of my greatest pleasures when one of my children decides on his or her own to take an action or avoid an activity that I would have promoted or prohibited had I been required to make that decision for them.

I think this is at least part of what Jesus meant when He said, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Jesus doesn’t always want to be telling us what to do; He wants us to so know His heart that we naturally choose the same things He does. Two of the greatest figures of the Bible, Abraham and Moses, were described as friends of God. With both, God shared His heart and even discussed – a two-way conversation – His plans (e.g. Genesis 18:16-33).

But getting back to my kids, at least two of mine would sometimes prefer that I just tell them what to do. Getting to know my thinking and understanding my reasoning takes time and effort. And then there’s the added responsibility. If I tell them what to do and they do it, how much trouble can they get in? If they make the decision, they may make a mistake (which they don’t realize is all part of the process). But I want them to grow up and make wise choices because they see the wisdom, not because they are following a list of rules.

So when we read that Jesus wants to be friends with us, we may think what a nice sentiment that is. But are we willing to spend the time getting to know Him so that He can share His heart? Are we willing to let go of our ways of doing things and consider the possibility that there is a better way? Are we willing to spread our wings and try to fly, knowing that we may fall more than a few times? Or do we really want to stay immature and simply servants?

Beautiful Women

The other night I happened across a new television program, Rookie Blue, starring, among others, Missy Peregrym as Officer Andy McNally. As much as I enjoyed the show, I was really captivated by the beauty of Ms. Peregrym. I could have watched her for hours. Her looks, her smile, her (character’s) personality: wow! And there are other women, both on and off the screen, with whom I have been similarly taken. (As alluded to in a previous post, one such example is Drew Barrymore. Some of my other favorite celebrities are Sandra Bullock, Liv Tyler and Ellie Kemper.)

I realized that my appreciation of the beauty of these women, the enjoyment I experience watching them, and my desire to spend more (or some) time with them is but a small part of how God looks at us. After all, the Bible calls the Church (i.e. all true believers) the bride of Christ. Jesus delights in us, enjoys seeing us and wants to spend all of His time with us.

Wow.

My Relationship with Drew Barrymore

I'm a huge fan of Drew Barrymore. My kids would even say I'm infatuated with her. I love everything she does: I love pictures of her, movies she's in, talk shows on which she's a guest, everything. To me, she lights up the screen in way that is quite unusual. There is a joy she exudes that blesses me in that it uplifts me. I am a huge fan.

But she doesn't even know I exist.

Although I am not, I could be an even bigger fan. I could make it my business to know everything I could possibly know about her. I could devour celebrity magazines and watch celebrity “news” shows to make sure I was up on the latest developments in her life. I could read biographies – authorized and not. I could seek to know as much about her as is humanly possible.

And she still wouldn't know I exist.

As some do, I could start a fan website, a Facebook page devoted to Ms. Barrymore, anything at all to show my appreciation for her and to make others aware of her many wonderful qualities. I could do my part to encourage others to watch her movies and thereby increase her following. In short, I could seek to become her number-one fan.

And if she saw me on the street, she wouldn't even know who I was.

Although I may claim to know Drew Barrymore – and indeed, may know more about her than most people – she and I have no real relationship: I don't know her heart, her passions, her dreams, her heartaches. There's no intimacy.

Jesus has a lot of fans. And many are truly devoted and enthusiastic. But with how many does He have a true, two-way, intimate relationship? How many are just fans and not friends?

About many of His followers, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matt. 7:21-23)

Note all theses fans do for Him (prophesying, driving out demons, performing miracles). But they don't know His heart. There's no intimacy. And that's the only thing that matters.

What Would Jesus Do (On Line at Airport Security)?

I was at the airport one day recently, making my way through the typically long lines at security. A man raced up to the TSA officer at the front of the line who was checking IDs and boarding passes. Desperate, he explained that his flight was due to leave in only a few minutes and asked if he could cut the lengthy line. The officer told the man that he could – but only if he received permission from everyone on line. As you can imagine, the probability of this was close to zero.

Then a second man, close to the front of the line, about to finally have his ID checked and be allowed to proceed, offered to go to the very end of the line and let the first man take his place. This way no one would be inconvenienced except for him. The first man gratefully accepted this generous offer, greatly relieved at now being able to make his flight.

As the second man turned to head to the back of the line, the security officer, perhaps moved by this display of selfless compassion, called him back and cleared him to proceed without having to wait on line again.

A clearer picture of Jesus (the second man), the Father (the officer) and us (the first man), I have never before seen.

What is Mine

How many times have I see the following scenario played out: I give one of my children something they enjoy – for example, a package of gum or Kit Kats, something that is more than they can consume or use at the moment, something that they will enjoy now and which they can, if they choose, keep and enjoy again and again. And then that child's sister or brother comes along and asks for a piece of the gift – a stick of gum, a segment of a Kit Kat. So often the response is “No, this is mine” or “But then I won't have enough.”

Where does my son or daughter think the candy has come from? Do they think they have labored long and hard and brought it into existence or, at least, into their possession? Furthermore, is this the one and only time I have given them such gift? Do they have no hope or expectation of ever seeing such bounty again in the future?

Of course, these are rhetorical questions for I have no understanding why they would think the way they do (their thinking being made so clear by their actions). I gave them this gift – as I have many times before and as I will surely do many times again – unexpectedly and not because of anything they have done but simply because I love them and love to make them happy.

It pains me that they would cling so ferociously to what I have given them as a free gift and what I plan on giving them again, from what is an essentially endless storehouse of love and gifts.

Why, oh, why do I do the same to the poor, the needy, the even momentarily less fortunate? Do I not trust my Father??

Ending Well

There's a scene in the film, Apollo 13, where the astronauts have overcome most of the obstacles they've encountered and have one last hurdle in order to arrive home safely: reentry into the earth's atmosphere.

If they enter the atmosphere at too steep an angle, they will burn up. If they enter the atmosphere at an angle that is too shallow, they will skip off and be lost in space forever. They must enter the atmosphere at an extremely precise angle.

As the three astronauts prepare for the final engine burn which will either set them on the path towards home or towards death, they have no computer to automatically guide them. They must manually set their course toward the narrow gate that will lead to their safe return. To do this they set their sights on the line across the earth where night ends and day begins. If they are not aimed at this point when they fire their engines, they will have lost all hope of making it back home.

The astronauts start the engines and are immediately off on a wild ride. The spacecraft wobbles in every direction and as they try to correct and steer towards their goal, they sometimes overshoot and point the ship in yet another wrong direction. Sometimes they get the direction right but then are once again over-steering and heading off course.

Just as the engines are about to shut down, they get themselves perfectly lined up with the earth. All the back and forth they experienced, sometimes on target, sometimes off, doesn't matter as much as the fact that, when the ride was over, they were aimed in the right direction. Their striving is over, their safe arrival home assured.

Of course, all that the astronauts did before the last few minutes is important. But all of that would have been for naught if they had not ended well.

Strive to enter through the narrow gate and be sure to run the race to its completion (see Matt. 7:13-14 and 1 Cor. 9:24-27).

Independent-Minded

My five-year-old got into her car seat yesterday and then reached over to close the car door behind her. She's getting to be a big girl now so she likes to do things herself when she can. This time the car door was open far enough that she was having difficulty getting it to move. I had already noticed this and had reached back from the driver's seat, with my arm outside the car and where my hand wasn't visible, to give the door a little nudge. My daughter started to ask me to help her and, since I already saw the difficulty she was experiencing, I immediately gave the door a small push to get it going. Just as quickly, my daughter told me “Never mind” - that she had it under control and didn't need my help. I just smiled to myself.

Is this not like me and God? Oh, sure, there are areas of my life that I need Him – often desperately. And there are areas where I count on Him in perhaps a less desperate way. But aren't there areas which I have under control, where I don't really need His hand? Heck, I can make breakfast for the kids, get my work done for my employer, go shopping for food and even drive my car anywhere I like without His intervention.

Or can I?

Excitement

The other day I was doing some food shopping and I realized how excited I was as I picked out things that I knew my kids would like to eat. Egg noodles for my son, yogurt for my daughters – all healthy stuff, but things they would be excited to eat. And I even, at the last minute, picked up a package of malted milk balls as a special treat, not because they needed them but simply because it would make them happy. Shopping for my kids was a fun experience and I enjoyed anticipating their reactions.

Wow, I realized: this is how God feels as He runs around setting us up with the good things we enjoy every day. The joy, the love, the anticipation! And how much greater His joy when we appreciate it and thank Him!

Rescue

There was man who lived near the Mississippi river. As sometimes happens, the river overflowed its banks completely flooding the town in which this man lived. There was no hope of driving or running away from the water: it eventually came as high as the second floor of his house. Fortunately, the local sheriff’s department was able to rescue him using a helicopter.

And, boy, was that cool! The helicopter took him straight up, right out of danger, away from the water – and the helicopter ride itself was maybe the best thing about whole experience.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, about five years later the mighty Miss flooded the town, once again stranding our hero on the roof of his house. For whatever reason, this time the sheriff’s helicopter was unavailable so the would-be rescuers came for him in a boat. However, the man politely declined the boat because he knew the sheriff had a helicopter and that method of rescue, he knew from first-hand experience, was much preferable to being saved by a boat. The boat wasn’t as fun or cool and besides, the boat didn’t actually take you up and away from the flood, it just brought you through it until you reached a place of safety. It also took longer. Bottom line: he would wait for the helicopter.

I’m not sure how the story ended. I don’t know if the man drowned, got wet or eventually agreed to be rescued by the boat. I still don’t know why, but I do know the helicopter never came.

If you read my earlier post (“’Innocent’ Mistakes”), you know that God sovereignly and instantaneously delivered me one day from a thirty-three year habit that I was a slave to. When He suggested recently that we get rid of another area of weakness (eating too much), I was willing and waiting. Waiting for the helicopter of instantaneous deliverance. But God chose to suggest a different path – one that wasn’t nearly as flashy, cool, or quick and one which, frankly, I was pretty sure would not work. I argued – fortunately, in this case for not too long – and then gave in, still sure it wouldn’t work.

Guess what? It did – or maybe I should say, it is – because day by day I am eating a fraction of what I had been eating. It’s not that I’ve lost all interest in food (that would not be good or God) or wouldn’t like, sometimes, to eat far more than I need to. I’m in the boat, piloted by God, making our way to the shore and away from the dangers of this latest difficulty.

A Little Parenting Secret

God is actively involved in parenting my kids. And why not? He loves them more than I do. What my kids don’t know – if I’ve told them, they probably don’t fully believe it – is that God has chosen me to be His partner in their upbringing. This means He often works through me and gives me insights, revelations and – yes – information that I would not otherwise have. You mean God tells me what my kids are up to when I need to know? Yup. Even if they don’t want me to know? Yup. Let me give you an example. Nothing bad and my daughter wasn’t trying to hide things from me – but it was something that God wanted to give me a heads-up about.

When my oldest daughter wanted a Facebook account I agreed because she had proven herself trustworthy, obedient and careful in other areas. Nevertheless, I sat her down (probably multiple times), explained the dangers and went over some hard-and-fast ground rules. In addition, I signed up for Facebook myself and insisted that she “friend” me. I was sure I wouldn’t need to read her every post but I wanted to have at least some idea of what was going on.

Well, one day late last year, one of her friends commented or posted or some such thing and, in the ways of Facebook, this item appeared on my page. Nothing unusual about that. The friend was a guy. Nothing unusual about that either.

But God tapped me on the shoulder and gave me a nudge to check out this particular guy. Okay, I thought, suspecting the nudge might be because there might be some romantic interest brewing with one or both of them. I read his blog and became somewhat acquainted with the young man. And wouldn’t you know it? Three months later, my daughter asked if she could go on a date with him. Boy was she shocked when I laughed and, instead of giving her the third degree, told her I already knew who he was and was comfortable with her going out with him.

Isn’t God good? If I had been surprised, I could have had a less-than-wonderful reaction. I might have felt I needed to insist that he come for dinner first so I could grill him (I did that later!). My daughter might have thought I was being unreasonable about a guy that she had thoroughly checked out. And if he had turned out be a clunker, I would have been ready with real reasons for counseling my daughter away from him.

God continues to give me insights and information. I don’t always share it with my kids right away. Sometimes He’s preparing me and sometimes He’s letting me keep watch while he’s preparing them. Either way, it’s nice to know He’s someone I can count on.

Impending Doom

Been thinking about the Israelites as they crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Forget, for a moment, the Egyptian army chasing them – that was just reason they were in the middle of the Red Sea, in the middle of a miracle. The Egyptian Army and the parting of the water were in the past. Right now, they are walking where there should rightfully be very deep water with that very same water piled up like a wall on either side of them.

Ready to come crashing down at any moment.

I mean, fine, God did a great and wonderful thing by parting the water but couldn’t He have made it just go away?? The water’s still here and it looks none too stable and if I mess up or step out of line or bump into it I know, I just know, that water is going to come crashing down killing me and wiping out everything that’s important to me.

It’s like Psalm 91:7: “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but the danger will not come near you.” Not come near me? Not come near me?? People are dropping like flies to my left and to my right and the danger will not come near me?

But it doesn’t. God promises. He is faithful. It just looks scary. Yes, very scary. But he takes us through the flood, through the fire, through the really scary bad times. It’s what refines us into pure gold, makes real our faith and conforms us into the likeness of Jesus. After all, He was saved through death, not from it.

When you think about it, it’s the Good News.

It’s Obvious (now)!

In my last post (“Contradictions?”) I told how the Holy Spirit had taught me something from the Bible by suggesting that I look up the meaning of the original language using Strong’s Concordance. Now you need to understand that my Strong’s is well-worn and often used. So when I received this gentle nudge one of my first thoughts was “Why didn’t I think of that before??” It should have been obvious.

I think the answer lies with my eyesight. I think I am sufficiently aware of my surroundings and I even think I have fairly decent spiritual discernment. But the fact of the matter is that I am blind – blind as if as I had no eyes – without the Holy Spirit guiding me and letting me see through His eyes.

God tells us in His Word (the Bible) that the spiritual is more real than the chair that I’m sitting on. That His ways are more real than the bills I have waiting to be paid, the unreasonable and angry coworker, and the difficult family situation that no amount of trying seems to be able to fix.

I just can’t see it unless He opens my eyes.

So I can continue to worry about the bills, plot confrontation with my coworker or decide to lay down the law at home. I can even try to understand the Bible and seek out those more knowledgeable than I for debates on the meaning of this or that passage of Scripture. But it’s all for naught since I am, at best, stumbling around in the dark. But when I have the eyes of the Holy Spirit, the obstruction I just I tripped over is seen for what it really is: a stepping stool to be used to reach the solution sitting in plain sight on the top shelf. I need to ask Him for His sight and then rely on His view.

It’s obvious!

Contradictions?

It is often more-or-less an article of faith among most people I run into that the Bible is full of self-contradictions. I thought so too early in my Christian walk. To the casual or beginning student of the Bible, such inconsistencies are both obvious and numerous.

But one at a time, the Holy Spirit revealed to me the missing perspective that, once obtained, caused the two seemingly opposing thoughts to be joined as one. For example:

When I first started reading the Gospels, I noticed that Jesus says that “he who is not with me is against me” (Matt. 12:30) but in Luke 9:50 and Mark 9:40 He is recorded as saying “he that is not against us is for us.” How can this be? Clearly someone made a mistake in writing the Bible. But then God showed me that the two statements are simultaneously true once one understand that there is no middle ground – either you are with Him or you’re not (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43).

I long had difficulty with the statement that we are not to judge (e.g. Matt. 7:1) knowing that other passages (e.g. 1 Cor. 2, 5 and 6) clearly admonish us to judge. Then yesterday the Holy Spirit chose to suggest that I look up the meaning of the original Greek words for judging. And wouldn’t you know it? The contradiction evaporated. It turns out that we are to discern (and share that discernment with fellow believers who have gone astray) but are not to condemn.

These are but two examples. There have been so many over the years that now I have faith that the things that I still don’t understand, those apparent contradictions and other seemingly impossible passages, will all be made clear in good time by my Teacher, the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26).

Fitting It Together

I’ve noticed that, when God wants to emphasize something, He often speaks to me in a number of different ways, For example, it is pretty much a given that the topic of the pastor’s sermon on Sunday will be exactly what God has been speaking to me during the week. Or my favorite Christian blogger will echo what God had been saying to me during my morning devotional. This morning, our youth pastor’s blogs reinforced a nudge God has been giving me over the past week or two.

But God is hardly limited to speaking through Christians or the Bible. I find that, just as often, He speaks through someone who doesn’t know Him, who doesn’t follow Him and who probably thinks that hearing from God is a lot of hooey. It might be a friend of mine, a co-worker or a “random” encounter – all are vessels used by God to speak clearly into my life.

We see this in the Bible also (and if we didn’t, I hope you’d question this post!) – perhaps most famously with Balaam’s donkey (Numbers 22:22-35), But look at Revelation: how many times does God work through not just unbelievers but those who actively work against Him?! Just see how often power and ability is given by God to the forces of evil to accomplish His will.

So next time I see someone clearly flouting God’s will, His way and His plans, may I remember that God has not only permitted this, He intends to use it for a greater good that I could ever imagine.

Three Letters

Dear IRS,
I have a few issues with your tax laws:
I do not understand section 525(c)(d), paragraphs 3-5.
I do not agree that you tax my investments since this stifles economic growth.
I do not think it fair that you tax the inheritance I received since taxes were already paid on that money by my grandfather.
Many portions of the income tax where designed to address problems that existed before I was born. They don’t really apply to me today.
Please be advised that I will not be paying any of the taxes that I listed above. However, please rest assured that, as a law-abiding American, I will willingly pay the full remainder of my tax bill.
Sincerely,


Dear Professor,
I enjoy your class but I should let you know that some of your course requirements will not be met:
I don’t understand why you insist that all homework should be handed in for grading. If I understand the material, why should I do the homework?
It hardly seems fair that you alone will be grading our papers. This opens the door to subjectivity. I think the whole class should be involved in determining grades.
I don’t agree with your statement that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. This seems unnecessarily limiting and I’m sure we’ll someday find a way to overcome that. I cannot, in good conscience, echo such views on tests.
You may have had a problem in previous classes or with other students who would disrupt the class by arriving late. I, however, am always quiet and considerate so I don’t believe your rule barring late arrivals should apply to me.
I look forward to getting an A since I really love your class and am doing everything I can to do well in it.
Sincerely,


Dear God,
As You are aware, I am a committed Christian who loves You and loves Your Word. Because You love me and I love You, I know You do not want me to be concerned with a few things in the Bible:
I don’t even begin to understand why You would say that women may not teach or be in authority over men. After all, in another place You say that You are not respecter of persons – male or female, etc.
I know You know it would not be fair to send my grandfather to hell. He was a very, very good man even if he never followed You. And what about those people in the Amazon rain forest? No way is that fair if they go to hell.
And please don’t take this the wrong way (I know You won’t since we love each other) but I just don’t agree with the idea that homosexuality is wrong. These are some of the nicest people who love each other a lot more than some heterosexuals. And besides, You made them that way, didn’t You?
I’m sure You won’t mind that I skip all the parts in the Bible that weren’t written for me – that were written for other people at other times. The whole Jewish law – I think we can forget about that. And of course, the aforementioned passages dealing with women and homosexuality.
One final thought: I know You hate divorce and Jesus says that no one may get divorced except for sexual infidelity. But again, I know You love me and would not want me to be unhappy. And if my spouse is mean to me, You know that’s abuse and You wouldn’t let Your child suffer, would You? So I’m sure You didn’t really mean it the way some guy thousands of years ago wrote it down.
Thank You for listening. I know that You love me and I love You so we’re still good, right?
Sincerely,

Me

Prerequisites

If someone said he had been cured, I would assume he had once been sick. If a couple told how their marriage had been restored, their relationship clearly must have been, at one time, on the rocks. And no one would say their car was fixed if it had never been broken.

If we speak of being resurrected with Christ, must we not have once been dead?

And if we have not yet died, how can we talk about being resurrected?

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5)

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8)

Notice the "if.” If we died with Christ.

Jesus did not die for the sake of resurrecting our physical bodies (although that will happen too). He does not promise resurrection from the dead for those who have never died and who continue to live as they did before.

No death, no resurrection. But if death, then resurrection.

It’s actually the good news.

Names

If I ever got a chance to talk to the Queen of England I imagine I would call her “Your Majesty” or “Queen Elizabeth”. I certainly cannot imagine using her given name, Elizabeth, although I suppose she must have some family members and even friends who are free to be that chummy. The ultimate intimacy, to call the Queen “Liz”, must surely be taken only by the closest of companions such as her husband, Prince Philip.

How much more the protocol surrounding the King of the Universe. One may call Him “Lord” or “God” and may append, if desired, appropriate adjectives (“Almighty God”, “Lord God”, “Creator God”, etc.). But to talk to Him as one talks to a friend? Unheard of.

But then why has He even deigned to let us know his name? His name is YHWH and He goes by that throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. I think He desires the closeness that is implied when we are free to use another’s name.

But what blows my mind is when I sing or say “Hallelu Yah” – “Praise Yah”. I get to call the King of the Universe by the shortened form of His proper name – a sign of a friendship that is as close as can be. It’s even better than calling Queen Elizabeth “Liz”.

And it’s what my God wishes me to call Him.

Coming Up Empty

Have you ever done everything right but ended up with nothing? Or, even worse, wound up with less than you started with? How can this happen? Why does this happen?

Peter knew how to fish. Peter’s father had been a fisherman and so had his grandfather. In fact, Peter’s family had probably been fishing on the Sea of Galilee ever since the tribe of Naphtali had settled there some 1500 years earlier. He knew how to fish.

On one occasion, Peter and his partners had been fishing all night. They had done everything right: night time was best, they used light to attract the fish, they new the best places, their nets were well maintained and strong – and yet they caught nothing. Frustrated and tired, they finally gave up, dragged their tired bodies back to shore and began the wearisome task of cleaning the empty nets.

A little while later, Jesus showed up and told Peter to go out again and let down the nets for a catch. Peter would have been within his rights to ignore the instructions of a wandering preacher with a background in carpentry. But Peter acceded to the nonsensical, pointless and bothersome instruction and – wouldn’t you know it – caught so many fish that there wasn’t enough room in the boats for them all.

Peter was amazed – to say the least. He immediately recognized Jesus as Lord and as Messiah.

But what would have happened if Peter’s night of fishing had been typically successful, a night as usual? Peter would not have been needful of Jesus’ direction and he would certainly not have been awed by the miraculous. He would not have subsequently left everything to follow Jesus and eventually change the world. God’s hand was as present during the night of failure as it was during the miracle in the morning. This was the hand of God’s love and it brought Peter into close friendship with Jesus and wound up making him everything that God had dreamt of Peter being.

Some people might see this as manipulative and/or mean on God’s part. Why did God have to cause failure and loss in Peter’s life and then sweep in as Peter’s rescuer? Because Peter was lost and failing long before that night and God is the only Rescuer. Peter just needed to see that and God loved Peter enough to point it out. I know Peter didn’t mind in the end.

How about you? Have you suffered any pain or loss – or just frustration – when you’ve done everything right? Is God asking you to go do something illogical, nonsensical, even bothersome and pointless? Could it be that it is actually logical, sensible and, most of all, loving? Just be prepared for more than you could ever imagine.