I realize that I haven't written in a while and it isn't because I haven't been to church. In fact I have started to work at my church for children's ministry.
I wanted this blog to be my spiritual journal, the place where I discuss my walk. Humble because I of course stumble. Thus, my Humble Walk.
So anyhoo, we had a church staff meeting today and we did an interesting exercise where our Interim pastor read a passage from the bible and then we went around and gave the word that stood out to us. My word was WALK (hmmm notice a theme) and then we all talked about how the verse impacted us. It was interesting because everyone was impacted in a different way. Kind of like the 5 blind men who feel the elephant and describe it differently. My thoughts were about how the lame man first requested gold and silver from the disciples. Asking for something much less than what he really needed, and that was to be able to walk. But who asks for something that big? We set our sights on the small stuff, not really expanding our mind around all that God has for us. That speaks a lot to where I am at, where I struggle. My dependency on my own ability to provide vs. trusting God.(give me money Lord, then I will be able to do so much vs.make we walk Lord and lets see where you take me) Not believing that he has anything bigger for the story of my life than what is in my own imagination.
I identified with the lame beggar, other people were struck by the disciples taking time out to help someone, or the beggar being a picture of the world and the disciples the church. The specifics of the time being mentioned indicating that God does things in His time. All good thoughts, all indicating I believe where God is working in each ones life.
That is why the scripture is so powerful. It is called our daily bread. WE don't just read it and say "wow that was profound" It actually changes us. It affects the way we live out our lives. There are so many levels and nuances to the words and stories that we all come away fed and many times get something different from the scripture than someone else. I often get something different from scripture at different times in my life.
We recently visited Tod's grandma at a nursing home. Her Bible was was so worn and threadbare. It looked a little shabby like a favorite pair of jeans you wear all the time and can't bear to throw out. Tod pointed it out and said Now there is a Bible that has a history. I want my Bible to look like that. Worn, underlined, questionmarked, tear stained. A book not read once and put away, but read daily, a source of nourishment that continues to feed me as I grow, through all the challenges and changes in my life. My daily bread.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Monday, June 06, 2005
Message Recap
I can't write much right now. But our message was on the Revelations letter to Sardis, the sleeping the church, the church that feels so safe and protected that nothing can happen to it. It reminds me of a song that always gives me chills because it speaks to me as a Christian and where I have a tendency to go. It speaks to me individually and corporally as a part of the body of Christ (the church) I will leave you with the song, and the warning is- if we don't wake up and protect what has been entrusted to us, it will be taken from us. What we have is truth, the gospel that brings life. Here is the song...
Artist: Evanescence
Song: Wake Me Up Inside
How can you see into my eyes
Like open doors?
Lading you down into my core,
Where I've become so numb.
Without a soul,
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold,
Until you find it there and lead it back
Home.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run.
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone.
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Now that I know what I'm without,
You can't just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real.
Bring me to life.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run.
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone.
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
(I've been living a lie.
There's nothing inside)
Bring me to life.
Frozen inside without your touch,
Without your love, darling.
Only you are the life among the dead.
(All of this sight,
I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark
but you were there in front of me)
I've been sleeping a 1000 years it seems.
I've got to open my eyes to everything.
(Without a thought
Without a voice
Without a soul
Don't let me die here.
There must be something more).
Bring me to life.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run.
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone.
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
(I've been living a lie. There's nothing inside)
Bring me to life
Artist: Evanescence
Song: Wake Me Up Inside
How can you see into my eyes
Like open doors?
Lading you down into my core,
Where I've become so numb.
Without a soul,
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold,
Until you find it there and lead it back
Home.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run.
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone.
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Now that I know what I'm without,
You can't just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real.
Bring me to life.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run.
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone.
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
(I've been living a lie.
There's nothing inside)
Bring me to life.
Frozen inside without your touch,
Without your love, darling.
Only you are the life among the dead.
(All of this sight,
I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark
but you were there in front of me)
I've been sleeping a 1000 years it seems.
I've got to open my eyes to everything.
(Without a thought
Without a voice
Without a soul
Don't let me die here.
There must be something more).
Bring me to life.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run.
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone.
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
(I've been living a lie. There's nothing inside)
Bring me to life
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Message Recap Revelations 2:12-17
The message this week was on the letter to the third church in Pergamum
This was a rich message and I could write about it in a number of different ways but the title of my blog is My Humble Walk, so I feel that the best way to approach the messages is in how they impact me personally and in my walk and growth as a Christian. And so the key point I got out of this weeks message was that since we were created in God's image, we were made to worship Him and to get our needs met through Him alone. When our relationship with Him is broken then it impacts our relationships with things and people. Since we were made to worship, we will seek to worship, if not God we will turn our worship towards people, things, money, power, relationships, prestige any number of things. The way to heal broken relationships with the "horizontal" all these things, is to fix the relationship with the "vertical" God. And the healing for that is found in the word, manifested both in the written word and in Christ himself. But what does that mean? I am preparing to get back into the counseling field in the next couple of years and the implications of this are important to me in re-entering the helping profession. So can I help others fix unhealthy relationships if I don't focus on their spiritual relationship? Or can the spiritual relationship be healed through healing of other relationships? Some people have such a distorted image of who God is because we ascribe to Him characteristics of people. In my work with abused children there was so much anger toward God who was seen as both an abuser and an abandoner. So if we help people have hope in mankind by providing healing and health through human relationship can we then pave the way toward broadening the view of who God is and provide access to Him. That is how I see it now. I don't want to work in the capacity where I can't address issues of faith, but I also don't want to focus on getting right with God first when that seems unimaginable or perhaps too abstract to someone. Sometimes we need a concrete reference point, to get a grasp on something tangible before we can understand it's spiritual implications. My pastor talked about Hidden manna, meaning "just enough" God provides all we need, just enough of all we need in Christ not Christ plus something. Christ sufficient.
I also believe that hidden refers to obscure. God hides his truth, He claims to do so in His own word,not hide it so that we can never find it if we seek, more so that we can develop a treasure map so to speak to find it. He wants us to be delighted to find His truth to have kind of an aha moment. And that is what I would like my counseling to be, a kind of treasure map to something bigger than I alone would ever be able to provide.
This was a rich message and I could write about it in a number of different ways but the title of my blog is My Humble Walk, so I feel that the best way to approach the messages is in how they impact me personally and in my walk and growth as a Christian. And so the key point I got out of this weeks message was that since we were created in God's image, we were made to worship Him and to get our needs met through Him alone. When our relationship with Him is broken then it impacts our relationships with things and people. Since we were made to worship, we will seek to worship, if not God we will turn our worship towards people, things, money, power, relationships, prestige any number of things. The way to heal broken relationships with the "horizontal" all these things, is to fix the relationship with the "vertical" God. And the healing for that is found in the word, manifested both in the written word and in Christ himself. But what does that mean? I am preparing to get back into the counseling field in the next couple of years and the implications of this are important to me in re-entering the helping profession. So can I help others fix unhealthy relationships if I don't focus on their spiritual relationship? Or can the spiritual relationship be healed through healing of other relationships? Some people have such a distorted image of who God is because we ascribe to Him characteristics of people. In my work with abused children there was so much anger toward God who was seen as both an abuser and an abandoner. So if we help people have hope in mankind by providing healing and health through human relationship can we then pave the way toward broadening the view of who God is and provide access to Him. That is how I see it now. I don't want to work in the capacity where I can't address issues of faith, but I also don't want to focus on getting right with God first when that seems unimaginable or perhaps too abstract to someone. Sometimes we need a concrete reference point, to get a grasp on something tangible before we can understand it's spiritual implications. My pastor talked about Hidden manna, meaning "just enough" God provides all we need, just enough of all we need in Christ not Christ plus something. Christ sufficient.
I also believe that hidden refers to obscure. God hides his truth, He claims to do so in His own word,not hide it so that we can never find it if we seek, more so that we can develop a treasure map so to speak to find it. He wants us to be delighted to find His truth to have kind of an aha moment. And that is what I would like my counseling to be, a kind of treasure map to something bigger than I alone would ever be able to provide.
Monday, May 23, 2005
third letter to Revelation
Our message today was based on the third letter in Revelations, addressing a church located in the area where Satan has his throne and "Satan lives" For a bit of background on this church our Pastor told us that Germans found a huge statue of Zues sitting on a throne in this area and brought it back to East Germany a long time ago, interesting when you consider what East Germany was about. It was a message about staying faithful and not giving into the practices of the surrounding community which involved idolatry and Pastor Andy believes that there is a direct link between idolatry and immorality. The people there believed that it didn't matter what you did with the body as long as you kept your mind good. The mind, the ability to reason was all that matters. He sees that we aren't that removed from that kind of mindset. It is a kind of religion that doesn't demand all of you, just your thoughts. But we forget how holistic we are. And that we are body/mind and spirit and we don't just function out of one of these, but out of all of them intertwined and we are affected body/mind and spirit by the choices we make. Made in the image of God, we are made to commune with him, to worship and fellowship with him, this is our vertical relationship. This vertical relationship and the state it is in affects our "horizontal relationships" Those we have with people, and things here in our life. If the "vertical relationship" is broken the horizontal will be broken as well. This leads to Pastor Andy's reoccurring theme. And that is how necessary it is for us to find our identity in Christ. This theme permeates all of his messages and he weaves every scripture reference together to all come to the same conclusion. Find your identity in Christ. It is the only way for you to be satisfied. It is of course the message of the gospel and it is timely for us in this day. When I was in school we learned about Maslow's hierarchy of needs, as an individual will focus on basic needs like food or shelter and when that no longer becomes an issue they move up a pyramid to the next level of needs, the top of the pyramid is self actualization. And as humanistic as Maslows hierarchy is, it says something about who we are as human beings, we want purpose to our life. It is not surprising that Rick Warrens book Purpose Driven Life is the top selling book in America. We as a civilization, collectively are at the point where most of the underlying basic needs are met and now we want to find out our purpose, or identity, why are we here? It is our newest most pressing need. And Andy keeps coming back to the fact that we are to remember that we are Christ's, that is who we are. But when we don't realize that and our vertical relationship is broken, we strive to find our identity or fulfillment in people or things on earth, we start to form unhealthy relationships with people, or possessions or money. We attempt to make these things satisfy us and they never will, not for more than a moment. We can become trapped in our own desires. We become enslaved. Tod always says "you don't own your possessions they own you." We are currently learning that firsthand as an investment we took on is consuming our time and energy and while it still seems like a good thing, we often wonder, did we really count the cost?
Andy concludes by stating that the answer to getting back to a healthy vertical relationship is found right at the beginning of the letter- the word of God, sharper than a two edged sword, this word which is found in the Bible and in Christ Himself is life giving and I think it is referenced latter in the letter as the hidden manna. Which is the food given by God himself. Food that satisfies the hunger we try to satisfy with so much else, I have a slightly different interpretation than Andy in the word hidden, he claims that it means "enough" God in the new testament hid the manna and brought out just "enough" to be satisfied on a daily basis. I think hidden refers to spiritual because Christ hides spiritual truth in both his parables and in his miracles. The way I see it, and of course i am not a pastor but I read the Bible as if on a great treasure hunt, is that God hides His truth. He hides it in His word, he hides it in our life. He doesn't hide it so that it is impossible to find, but He wants us to search for it and to discover it and to be delighted when we do. Much like a parent hides Easter eggs in places where a child can find it. He wants us to be seekers of him and pursuers of Him. And when we seek Him first, He will give us manna, spiritual food, Christ himself. Food that will fill all the places that we try to fill with so much else.
Andy concludes by stating that the answer to getting back to a healthy vertical relationship is found right at the beginning of the letter- the word of God, sharper than a two edged sword, this word which is found in the Bible and in Christ Himself is life giving and I think it is referenced latter in the letter as the hidden manna. Which is the food given by God himself. Food that satisfies the hunger we try to satisfy with so much else, I have a slightly different interpretation than Andy in the word hidden, he claims that it means "enough" God in the new testament hid the manna and brought out just "enough" to be satisfied on a daily basis. I think hidden refers to spiritual because Christ hides spiritual truth in both his parables and in his miracles. The way I see it, and of course i am not a pastor but I read the Bible as if on a great treasure hunt, is that God hides His truth. He hides it in His word, he hides it in our life. He doesn't hide it so that it is impossible to find, but He wants us to search for it and to discover it and to be delighted when we do. Much like a parent hides Easter eggs in places where a child can find it. He wants us to be seekers of him and pursuers of Him. And when we seek Him first, He will give us manna, spiritual food, Christ himself. Food that will fill all the places that we try to fill with so much else.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Message Recap Revelations 2:8-11
The message today was second in a series of seven letters to the seven churches in Revelations. Missed the first one, so I ordered it on tape, will blog about it later
The second letter was the letter to the the church in Smyrna- the first "urban church" a church with physical poverty but spiritual wealth. A suffering church. This is a message spoken about suffering. The 10 days of persecution refers to the the limit that is placed on suffering. Suffering to the point of death refers to the fact that the suffering may be so great as to lead to that, but that is not the end all. Our pastor illustrated this by stated that there is a boundary both in the time frame of suffering and the extent of suffering. It can only reach to the point of death. But there is something beyond this boundary and that is the time of judgment which encompassed both grace and forgiveness or a death sentence to the second death. A death that refers to hell and eternal suffering and separation from God. A kind of suffering that I believe we can't even fathom. The letter to Smyrna indicates that the believers there will not be hurt at all by this second death. The tone of the message was partially set to the reality that we had a funeral for our church family the day before for an infant who died in utero just a few days before he was due to be born. He was a beautiful baby, perfect in every way, but tragedy struck in the womb and left his family and friends and our church confused, heartbroken, and deeply grieved. It was a time of suffering. And so our pastor stated that you can not comfort people by saying "this is God's will" It is never God's will for tragedy to occur. There is a falleness to our world and there is an evil being at work bent on our destruction (Satan) but God can work his will through horrible circumstances. And the extent to the tragedy can never reach beyond the grave. After that we are to be found in the presence of Christ. Our Pastor says there is no scriptural evidence we can find to support that God is the author of tragic circumstances (I don't know that I agree but I will address that later). But that tragedy is a part of our reality and always will be but it has a boundary, it can not rob us of hope and it can not keep us from living a life that is fruitful and full of purpose, but it stays with us, it reminds us that we have been touched by it whenever we bump into it in our life. But it can never be strong enough to separate us from what truly matters and that is the love of Christ.
My take-I understand the tone of today's message and felt that it offers a sense of hope and healing to those still reeling from the blow of the baby's death. It is then that we question "why God why?" And while I agree that we should never tell grieving people that a tragedy is "God's will" It sounds trite and it makes God out to be one who is out to assault us, I have to say that I believe some tragedies are in fact God's will. Let me explain-I think the Bible itself is full of "Tragedy"
But let me also say that our definition of tragedy, based on our limited scope is very different from God's definition of tragedy. God sent a flood to destroy most of the earth, God continually destroyed his own people narrowing them down to just a remnant. God sent his own son to die for the sins of mankind. Are these not examples of ways that make us question God's system of redemption? And if even the winds and waves obey Him, as they did when Christ stilled the storm, could not God prevent some natural disaster like hurricanes or floods or even the tsunami? If we can't accuse God of abuse, can we accuse Him of neglect? I mean who wouldn't report to the police a crime that we heard was about to happen. If we were to stumble upon plans for a terrorist attack or a school bombing, are we not held responsible to inform authorities, to do what we can to prevent it from happening? Surely God sees tragedy before it unfolds so why doesn't a God who supposedly loves more than we can even imagine loving, do something about it? And why are there some cases where he does seem to intervene? Why do some people have stories of miracles or of narrowly escaping death that they credit to God. Who is this God who has the power to change things but often doesn't?
Well, I have to come back to the belief that His view of tragedy is different from ours. His view of tragedy is losing one of His own to that second death and He will do what He needs to do to intercede on our behalf. I have one small picture of that from my own experiences. I had to take each of my children in for immunizations to protect them from deadly diseases. It is very hard for a mother whose goal is to protect her children to subject them to pain. It was especially hard when the nurse asked me to help hold them down. "My children" I thought, are not going to understand why Mommy is not going to protect them but is going to be an enemy preventing them from escaping pain. Furthermore, they have no concept of what Polio is or diphtheria or Mumps or measles or Hepatitis. They will only know that they are experiencing pain and Mommy is allowing it." And so I held down the upper part of their little bodies while they screamed as nurse jabbed four different needled into their legs and all the while I bent close and whispered in their ear of my love and kissed their temples, and when it was over I held them close and let them cry in my arms. This, I think gives me a small inkling of who my God is. The most horrifying tragedy I can possibly imagine is nothing, NOTHING, compared to what God knows to be tragedy. He has experienced both having come to life in human form, suffered human suffering, and then suffered Hell on the cross. He knows the difference, and He will do all He can to rescue us. We can't see how, much like my children can't see the difference between a round of immunizations and the crippling, life threatening disease of polio, but I have to trust that my God is more loving than I can ever possibly imagine, in all circumstances. And that when suffering comes my way ( and I believe it eventually comes to all) He will be there, bending down whispering of his love and holding me as I weep.
Of course, I hope it goes without saying that these are words that someone experiencing a tragedy need not be given for comfort. Someone in the midst of a crisis needs for us to enter into their grief, to mourn with them, pray with them, hold their hand, allow them to question without giving answers, allow them to experience the full gamut of emotions without judgment, to take hold of their burden with our own two hands and do whatever we can do to help lift it and carry it with them.
The second letter was the letter to the the church in Smyrna- the first "urban church" a church with physical poverty but spiritual wealth. A suffering church. This is a message spoken about suffering. The 10 days of persecution refers to the the limit that is placed on suffering. Suffering to the point of death refers to the fact that the suffering may be so great as to lead to that, but that is not the end all. Our pastor illustrated this by stated that there is a boundary both in the time frame of suffering and the extent of suffering. It can only reach to the point of death. But there is something beyond this boundary and that is the time of judgment which encompassed both grace and forgiveness or a death sentence to the second death. A death that refers to hell and eternal suffering and separation from God. A kind of suffering that I believe we can't even fathom. The letter to Smyrna indicates that the believers there will not be hurt at all by this second death. The tone of the message was partially set to the reality that we had a funeral for our church family the day before for an infant who died in utero just a few days before he was due to be born. He was a beautiful baby, perfect in every way, but tragedy struck in the womb and left his family and friends and our church confused, heartbroken, and deeply grieved. It was a time of suffering. And so our pastor stated that you can not comfort people by saying "this is God's will" It is never God's will for tragedy to occur. There is a falleness to our world and there is an evil being at work bent on our destruction (Satan) but God can work his will through horrible circumstances. And the extent to the tragedy can never reach beyond the grave. After that we are to be found in the presence of Christ. Our Pastor says there is no scriptural evidence we can find to support that God is the author of tragic circumstances (I don't know that I agree but I will address that later). But that tragedy is a part of our reality and always will be but it has a boundary, it can not rob us of hope and it can not keep us from living a life that is fruitful and full of purpose, but it stays with us, it reminds us that we have been touched by it whenever we bump into it in our life. But it can never be strong enough to separate us from what truly matters and that is the love of Christ.
My take-I understand the tone of today's message and felt that it offers a sense of hope and healing to those still reeling from the blow of the baby's death. It is then that we question "why God why?" And while I agree that we should never tell grieving people that a tragedy is "God's will" It sounds trite and it makes God out to be one who is out to assault us, I have to say that I believe some tragedies are in fact God's will. Let me explain-I think the Bible itself is full of "Tragedy"
But let me also say that our definition of tragedy, based on our limited scope is very different from God's definition of tragedy. God sent a flood to destroy most of the earth, God continually destroyed his own people narrowing them down to just a remnant. God sent his own son to die for the sins of mankind. Are these not examples of ways that make us question God's system of redemption? And if even the winds and waves obey Him, as they did when Christ stilled the storm, could not God prevent some natural disaster like hurricanes or floods or even the tsunami? If we can't accuse God of abuse, can we accuse Him of neglect? I mean who wouldn't report to the police a crime that we heard was about to happen. If we were to stumble upon plans for a terrorist attack or a school bombing, are we not held responsible to inform authorities, to do what we can to prevent it from happening? Surely God sees tragedy before it unfolds so why doesn't a God who supposedly loves more than we can even imagine loving, do something about it? And why are there some cases where he does seem to intervene? Why do some people have stories of miracles or of narrowly escaping death that they credit to God. Who is this God who has the power to change things but often doesn't?
Well, I have to come back to the belief that His view of tragedy is different from ours. His view of tragedy is losing one of His own to that second death and He will do what He needs to do to intercede on our behalf. I have one small picture of that from my own experiences. I had to take each of my children in for immunizations to protect them from deadly diseases. It is very hard for a mother whose goal is to protect her children to subject them to pain. It was especially hard when the nurse asked me to help hold them down. "My children" I thought, are not going to understand why Mommy is not going to protect them but is going to be an enemy preventing them from escaping pain. Furthermore, they have no concept of what Polio is or diphtheria or Mumps or measles or Hepatitis. They will only know that they are experiencing pain and Mommy is allowing it." And so I held down the upper part of their little bodies while they screamed as nurse jabbed four different needled into their legs and all the while I bent close and whispered in their ear of my love and kissed their temples, and when it was over I held them close and let them cry in my arms. This, I think gives me a small inkling of who my God is. The most horrifying tragedy I can possibly imagine is nothing, NOTHING, compared to what God knows to be tragedy. He has experienced both having come to life in human form, suffered human suffering, and then suffered Hell on the cross. He knows the difference, and He will do all He can to rescue us. We can't see how, much like my children can't see the difference between a round of immunizations and the crippling, life threatening disease of polio, but I have to trust that my God is more loving than I can ever possibly imagine, in all circumstances. And that when suffering comes my way ( and I believe it eventually comes to all) He will be there, bending down whispering of his love and holding me as I weep.
Of course, I hope it goes without saying that these are words that someone experiencing a tragedy need not be given for comfort. Someone in the midst of a crisis needs for us to enter into their grief, to mourn with them, pray with them, hold their hand, allow them to question without giving answers, allow them to experience the full gamut of emotions without judgment, to take hold of their burden with our own two hands and do whatever we can do to help lift it and carry it with them.
Monday, May 02, 2005
Message Recap "crossing over to the Other side"
The message today was based on the text from Joshua 3 &4. This is where the Israelites are to exercise their faith and walk through the river to the promised land. The river is at flood stage and does not part until the priests carrying the ark of the covenant place their feet in the water. The message was that God calls us to follow him and doesn't provide assurance until we first obey. Our faith journey is just that; an opportunity to keep moving, always exercising our faith never staying in one place to get comfortable. The title of this blog is My Humble Walk, emphasizing the walking part as always moving, never arriving, but always getting closer to where I am suppose to be. The humble part, well that attests to the fact that I tend to fall down a lot. And sometimes when I fall, I just sit there. and decide to get comfortable. And sometimes I get all excited and race on ahead, only to find I've taken a wrong path and need to back track. The title is taken from Micah 6 "Walk humbly with your God." Walking with God requires me to walk a little bit behind him, listening to Him for direction. That takes practice because sometimes he says "Move forward" when I am frozen in fear, and sometimes he says "wait" when I am chomping at the bit to go in a direction I am sure is the right one. So how can I distinguish between God's voice and my own? Meaning, how do I know when God is saying "go in this direction" vs. My own ambitions or God saying "wait" verses my own fears or complacency keeping me stuck.
It reminds me of a story I heard once about a man who proposed to a woman saying. "God spoke to me and told me to marry you." to which she replies something like "Really? God spoke to me and said it's time to break up." Who was really in touch with God's voice, if either?
I've learned from experience some ways to distinguish God's urging vs. My own thoughts and desires. I've found that God can be a bit relentless. If he is urging something, the thought is a nagging one never really letting go of me. I have also found that if I don't wait when I sense I should my thoughts take on a rebellious quality. "This is my life and I am going to do what I want to do." I have always felt regret after making decisions with that mentality. So I have tried to walk with a certain sense of curiosity even when things seem to be going wrong or I feel like I am walking alone. "I wonder where God is going with this?" and I have learned a few times to jump into the river with both feet even when I have felt terrified. I have always found out later why that was necessary and it builds a history between me and God, where I learn to trust him more. Of course there are probably more times than not that I have camped out on waters edge afraid to go in. I am a total comfort seeker and I do have plenty of fears. But I have a God who keeps on urging and who seems to be very patient with the stumbling bumbling fool who is trying to walk along side of him. I am glad He waits up for me.
It reminds me of a story I heard once about a man who proposed to a woman saying. "God spoke to me and told me to marry you." to which she replies something like "Really? God spoke to me and said it's time to break up." Who was really in touch with God's voice, if either?
I've learned from experience some ways to distinguish God's urging vs. My own thoughts and desires. I've found that God can be a bit relentless. If he is urging something, the thought is a nagging one never really letting go of me. I have also found that if I don't wait when I sense I should my thoughts take on a rebellious quality. "This is my life and I am going to do what I want to do." I have always felt regret after making decisions with that mentality. So I have tried to walk with a certain sense of curiosity even when things seem to be going wrong or I feel like I am walking alone. "I wonder where God is going with this?" and I have learned a few times to jump into the river with both feet even when I have felt terrified. I have always found out later why that was necessary and it builds a history between me and God, where I learn to trust him more. Of course there are probably more times than not that I have camped out on waters edge afraid to go in. I am a total comfort seeker and I do have plenty of fears. But I have a God who keeps on urging and who seems to be very patient with the stumbling bumbling fool who is trying to walk along side of him. I am glad He waits up for me.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Message Recap-Beyond Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
Our message today was geared toward helping youth to feel as though they matter in the church and understanding what they need most. Our pastor recommended a book called Soul Searching, which is recently released and it talks about today's youth and their religious and spiritual lives. From what I gather the book points to the fact that kids look up to their parents more than what society would have people to believe. And what kids are looking for is an authentic relationship with an adult and experiences that show that God matters. I agree with all of this and I guess I don't see it as new information. But it is good information to keep us on track as a church, and as individual families. I guess the reason churches have been noted to fail youth is that they apparently promote "Moralistic/Therapeutic Deism."
Moralistic-Believing religion is about doing good
Therapeutic-Religion is about being happy. Okay, I take personal offense to this one, as a trained therapist who sees the "need to be happy" not a product of "therapy" but an issue of materialism and consumerism. Churches are competing with each other like your favorite products for your loyalty. That is the issue there and the turnoff to teens and adults alike who can see through it. Therapy, in terms of psychotherapy is all about building and creating a safe, supportive relationship that also holds one accountable to changes in thinking and behavior. Therapy is mostly effective due to the relational aspect of it. It is about helping people heal and get unstuck, not about making them happy. Sorry, it just irritates me when people don't understand what therapy is all about and then mock it universally and then propose their own solution (healthy supportive authentic relationships) which is what therapy IS all about, and they claim it as their own new idea. I am glad though that they finally get it; relationships matter, alot!
Deism-God seen as a creature who helps us feel better when things go wrong. Again, I think this is a product of the "feel good church" that wants everyone to feel comfortable and relaxed not at all challenged, lest they go to "the happy church down the road."
So, the problem I think stems from the church trying to function as a business and many adults who have adopted that mindset see nothing wrong with it. That is the way everything functions right? But kids, they haven't had to survive in that kind of world yet, so they can see things with fresh eyes, and what they are being told about God and what they see happening in the church doesn't add up for them.
So, yes, those of us who are creating "church" for our kids, modeling what religion is all about need to take a good hard look at the lessons we are teaching them. They do want to know that God matters, that true transformation takes place in the lives of people, not that church is an entertaining place to be. We've bought into a system that doesn't work in the church. And we've relied on what market research tell us that people want out of their "religious churchgoing experience" rather than trust that God peers deep into the souls of his creation and knows exactly what they need.
Moralistic-Believing religion is about doing good
Therapeutic-Religion is about being happy. Okay, I take personal offense to this one, as a trained therapist who sees the "need to be happy" not a product of "therapy" but an issue of materialism and consumerism. Churches are competing with each other like your favorite products for your loyalty. That is the issue there and the turnoff to teens and adults alike who can see through it. Therapy, in terms of psychotherapy is all about building and creating a safe, supportive relationship that also holds one accountable to changes in thinking and behavior. Therapy is mostly effective due to the relational aspect of it. It is about helping people heal and get unstuck, not about making them happy. Sorry, it just irritates me when people don't understand what therapy is all about and then mock it universally and then propose their own solution (healthy supportive authentic relationships) which is what therapy IS all about, and they claim it as their own new idea. I am glad though that they finally get it; relationships matter, alot!
Deism-God seen as a creature who helps us feel better when things go wrong. Again, I think this is a product of the "feel good church" that wants everyone to feel comfortable and relaxed not at all challenged, lest they go to "the happy church down the road."
So, the problem I think stems from the church trying to function as a business and many adults who have adopted that mindset see nothing wrong with it. That is the way everything functions right? But kids, they haven't had to survive in that kind of world yet, so they can see things with fresh eyes, and what they are being told about God and what they see happening in the church doesn't add up for them.
So, yes, those of us who are creating "church" for our kids, modeling what religion is all about need to take a good hard look at the lessons we are teaching them. They do want to know that God matters, that true transformation takes place in the lives of people, not that church is an entertaining place to be. We've bought into a system that doesn't work in the church. And we've relied on what market research tell us that people want out of their "religious churchgoing experience" rather than trust that God peers deep into the souls of his creation and knows exactly what they need.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Message Recap Ponderings on Spiderman's Peter Parker
Well, It's been a busy week and I haven't posted my Message Recap in a while. Been letting this past one simmer in my mental crockpot for a the past week. You will note that I refer to it on my other blog. It was good and seemed especially relevant as I went out of town Wednesday to talk to a group of moms about what matters most. The message Sunday was entitled "Ponderings on Spiderman's Peter Parker" Yes, we got another movie review in church complete with actual movie footage. How's that for visual aids? So we explored the life of Peter Parker alias "Spiderman" who is everyman turned superhero. Now, everyone wants to be a hero, but there is sacrifice in heroism. You have to give up the good life for the better life. You have to give up the known for the unknown, that which can be seen for that which is unseen. And sometimes, as my pastor said "you have to give up your dreams" When I went to speak at my sister's church to a group of moms about the value of motherhood, everyone went around the room and said what they would be doing if they were not a mom. Most of these women were highly educated with bachelor's or master's degrees. Some used to teach college, others high school, middle school or elementary school. There were women who put medical careers on hold. Some of them had lived lives of adventure previous to having children, traveling, mountain biking, and climbing. But the good life in every case was put on hold for the better life. And dreams, well they were put on hold, modified or let go. Remember Peter Parker- At one point, he doesn't believe that he wants the hero's life anymore. The hero's life can be pretty lonely. You find yourself out of synch with the rest of the world, and misunderstood. And sometimes you might wonder what you are missing out on. Peter Parker steps out of heroism for a while to live once again as everyman. But he knows too much now. He may be everyman but he knows something about darkness in the world and his ability to fight it that he never knew before. And I don't think you can go back once you realize what the stakes are. So he steps back into is spidey costume and chooses the life of the hero. You may wonder why this talk at church. What is the biblical relevance? It was all based on Hebrews 11. You can read the text through the Gateway Bible link to your right on this blog. Hebrews 11 is a list of heroes of the faith. Men who gave up the known for the unknown. Who had a vision for something bigger than mediocrity.
In my own personal bible study this week I came across Matthew 13:44-46 The parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl. This story relates the Kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. I think hidden is a key word here. Its not out in the open for everyone to see and desire like a fancy sports car. It is hidden, mysterious but of great value, so recognizably great that the man who found it sold all he had (the good life) to purchase the field (the better life). Perhaps he sold what made him appear rich and successful for what appeared to be just a field. For me this was a wake up call to understand value, lasting value, not momentary value. For me, giving up a career to concentrate on motherhood and my family has more lasting value, I hope it turns out to be eternal value than anything I could have gained from a career. I have to march to the beat of a different drummer, but that's okay because I know I am not alone. I just met more women this past week who recognized the value of the hidden treasure of their children and gave up the good life for the better life and bought the field.
In my own personal bible study this week I came across Matthew 13:44-46 The parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl. This story relates the Kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. I think hidden is a key word here. Its not out in the open for everyone to see and desire like a fancy sports car. It is hidden, mysterious but of great value, so recognizably great that the man who found it sold all he had (the good life) to purchase the field (the better life). Perhaps he sold what made him appear rich and successful for what appeared to be just a field. For me this was a wake up call to understand value, lasting value, not momentary value. For me, giving up a career to concentrate on motherhood and my family has more lasting value, I hope it turns out to be eternal value than anything I could have gained from a career. I have to march to the beat of a different drummer, but that's okay because I know I am not alone. I just met more women this past week who recognized the value of the hidden treasure of their children and gave up the good life for the better life and bought the field.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Finding Myself in the Easter story- the two criminals Luke 23: 32-43
So there are two criminals hanging on either side of Jesus on the cross, representing the two attitudes of mankind toward Jesus. One hurls insults at him, telling him to prove himself to be the savior. "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us?" the other criminal sees something else in Jesus. He sees one who has already proven himself by his innocence. And in comparison he sees himself, worthy of punishment. A first step in knowing Christ is the ability to see ourselves for who we really are. The first man just demands that Jesus prove his power by saving all of them. The other man doesn't even ask to be saved. He asks one thing, to be remembered. There is something of faith in that statement. He knows something about where Jesus is going. He doesn't even dare ask to go there, he asks merely to be remembered. But Jesus opens up so much more to him than he can even imagine when he says "I tell you the truth today you will be with me in paradise." It goes well beyond being remembered. It goes to the point of new life. Living again. How many people, I wonder, when they know death is upon them, look for how they will be remembered. Reflecting on the need to continue on, if not in influence, through ones children, through a memory. There is something in all of us, no matter what our beliefs are of the afterlife that wants to be remembered. To have made some sort of mark on this world, to not just disappear as if we never existed. But we can have so much more. I want to be like the second criminal,to see myself for who I am and my hope is not only to be remembered but to live forever in the company of my Lord.
Finding myself in Easter- Peter and Judas Matthew 26:14-27:10 and John 21 15-18
And then there is the stories of Judas and Peter who's acts of betrayal are intertwined in Matthew 26:14-27:10. Though Judas' act seems more deliberately planned, I wonder if he really understood the repercussions of his wrong doing. Both men seemed shocked when Jesus revealed to them that they would betray him. Judas the one who would betray him says "Surely not I Rabbi?" (Matthew 25-27) in response to Jesus' statement that "One of you will betray me." Then when Jesus predicts that all will fall away on account of him, Peter exclaims "Even if all fall away on account of you I never will" Matthew 26-33. To which Jesus replies. "Yes you will, 3 times before the rooster crows."
And then both men go out and sin against Jesus in a single tragic night. Judas by handing him over to the chief priests, or teachers of the law, Peter by denying that he ever knew Jesus. And both feel great remorse. "When Judas,who had betrayed him saw that he was condemned he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned" he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." (Matthew 27:3-4)
Peter when he realized what he had done "went outside and wept bitterly"Matthew 26:75
Both men, seized with remorse, only one forgiven.
I have to admit that the story of Judas has always troubled me. He recognizes his sin, pleads for it to be undone, even giving back the money, and yet he is not forgiven. In his own mind he is given a death sentence and he hangs himself. Peter on the there hand is reinstated by Jesus, even given a huge responsibility of starting the church. I've always been taught that when we sin, feel remorse and ask for forgiveness we are forgiven. (a broken and contrite heart, I will not despise Psalm 51:17) But Judas is not cleansed of his guilt. Why? I wish he wouldn't have felt remorse and then I could feel better about the whole story. But then, just last year, in a Easter season message, I heard something I hadn't heard before. It wasn't a matter of repentance, it was who each man went to for forgiveness. There is only one who can wash away the stain of sin, and Peter chose to go to Jesus himself and was forgiven and given a huge responsibility to "feed my sheep" Judas went back to the teachers of the law. The law always condemns. It has to. It was set up as a system of judgment. A way to show what God demands and a way to show that we can never meet those demands, unless of course we go through Christ. Christ states that he didn't come to abolish the law, it still stands, but to provide a way to avoid the consequences of violating the law. We are all either Judas or Peter. We all violate the law. But who do we choose to go to when we feel remorse.
You can say that the law is part of Jewish tradition but how many churches have been accused of being legalistic. Legalism in the church leads to hypocrisy and people constantly feeling like they never measure up and therefore turning their back on the church. The law still exists. And we need it as a tool to measure where we are at, but we need the grace of Christ and one who lifts us up from when we weep bitterly and gives us hope, forgiveness and a chance to become more than we ever thought we could be.
And then both men go out and sin against Jesus in a single tragic night. Judas by handing him over to the chief priests, or teachers of the law, Peter by denying that he ever knew Jesus. And both feel great remorse. "When Judas,who had betrayed him saw that he was condemned he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned" he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." (Matthew 27:3-4)
Peter when he realized what he had done "went outside and wept bitterly"Matthew 26:75
Both men, seized with remorse, only one forgiven.
I have to admit that the story of Judas has always troubled me. He recognizes his sin, pleads for it to be undone, even giving back the money, and yet he is not forgiven. In his own mind he is given a death sentence and he hangs himself. Peter on the there hand is reinstated by Jesus, even given a huge responsibility of starting the church. I've always been taught that when we sin, feel remorse and ask for forgiveness we are forgiven. (a broken and contrite heart, I will not despise Psalm 51:17) But Judas is not cleansed of his guilt. Why? I wish he wouldn't have felt remorse and then I could feel better about the whole story. But then, just last year, in a Easter season message, I heard something I hadn't heard before. It wasn't a matter of repentance, it was who each man went to for forgiveness. There is only one who can wash away the stain of sin, and Peter chose to go to Jesus himself and was forgiven and given a huge responsibility to "feed my sheep" Judas went back to the teachers of the law. The law always condemns. It has to. It was set up as a system of judgment. A way to show what God demands and a way to show that we can never meet those demands, unless of course we go through Christ. Christ states that he didn't come to abolish the law, it still stands, but to provide a way to avoid the consequences of violating the law. We are all either Judas or Peter. We all violate the law. But who do we choose to go to when we feel remorse.
You can say that the law is part of Jewish tradition but how many churches have been accused of being legalistic. Legalism in the church leads to hypocrisy and people constantly feeling like they never measure up and therefore turning their back on the church. The law still exists. And we need it as a tool to measure where we are at, but we need the grace of Christ and one who lifts us up from when we weep bitterly and gives us hope, forgiveness and a chance to become more than we ever thought we could be.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Finding myself in the Easter Story. Pilate and the Crowd Matthew 27:21-25
4 gospels and many of the prophetic books of the Old Testament tell the story of Easter, or at least parts of it, different versions and different details. All together they point like spokes on a wheel to the true center and purpose of the Word of God and give us groundwork for understanding God’s plan of salvation for his creation.
And many characters are introduced and as I learn about them, I am compelled to search myself to find out where I fit in. Who am I? Some of the characters are placed in juxtaposition to each other, so that we can contrast their purpose.
There is Pilate and the Crowd. Initially Pilate seems reluctant to crucify Jesus declaring him innocent. The crowd on the other hand wants him crucified. Both of them make reference to Jesus’ blood. Pilate washes his hands and claims innocence of “that man’s blood” Matthew 27:24. The people cried, “Let his blood be on us and on our children.” Matthew 27: 25. Interestingly this line was removed from the movie The Passion of Christ so as not to create an attitude of anti-Semitism. We don’t want to blame the Jews for Jesus’ death. But the crowd is symbolic of more than just the Jews, thank goodness. Had I been there as one of Jesus’ followers, I would have contributed to the collective gasp that must have occurred reflecting a fear that maybe God wasn’t going to win this thing. Look at the people demanding death of the one that God sent to be the Savior, Messiah and King. If we as the human race have free choice, then are we exercising our free choice to turn our backs on God Himself? What hope is there for us if we are not for God? It is amazing to see that God’s perfect plan is demonstrated in the voices of the people requesting, “Let His blood be on us and on our children.” Long before He had set up a system at Passover in which the angel of death “passed over” the Israelites homes because their doorframes were marked with the blood of the lamb. The only way an Israelite family could be saved from death was to bear the mark of the blood. The only way we can be saved is through the blood of Jesus. And so I say, with sad confession that I play a role in His death and that I too request, “His blood be on me and my children.” It is the only way that I can bypass the second death that comes as a consequence for sin. Pilate on the other hand “washed his hands” of the whole matter, or so he thought. He didn’t want to be associated with Jesus’ death but he wanted to be a people pleaser too. He loved his position and prestige too much to risk losing it on his belief that Jesus was an innocent man. He played a huge part in crucifying Jesus, just as we all do. Only he denied it, to save himself. By refusing to recognize his role, by denying his own responsibility, he divorces himself from the only thing that can truly save him. How much better for him to have humbly said, “Let his blood be on me too.” I remember last year when I watched "The Passion" I thought, "I won't close my eyes and pretend that this has nothing to do with me." As hard as it was to watch in terms of the level of violence it is harder still to watch with an attitude of responsibility.
Lord, let me be a voice in the crowd, let me be one who recognizes deeply how desperately I need for Christ’s blood to be on me and on my children. And let me recognize that it is because I am part of a fallen human race, a fallen individual that I do take responsibility for Jesus’ death. It is necessary for me to have life.
And many characters are introduced and as I learn about them, I am compelled to search myself to find out where I fit in. Who am I? Some of the characters are placed in juxtaposition to each other, so that we can contrast their purpose.
There is Pilate and the Crowd. Initially Pilate seems reluctant to crucify Jesus declaring him innocent. The crowd on the other hand wants him crucified. Both of them make reference to Jesus’ blood. Pilate washes his hands and claims innocence of “that man’s blood” Matthew 27:24. The people cried, “Let his blood be on us and on our children.” Matthew 27: 25. Interestingly this line was removed from the movie The Passion of Christ so as not to create an attitude of anti-Semitism. We don’t want to blame the Jews for Jesus’ death. But the crowd is symbolic of more than just the Jews, thank goodness. Had I been there as one of Jesus’ followers, I would have contributed to the collective gasp that must have occurred reflecting a fear that maybe God wasn’t going to win this thing. Look at the people demanding death of the one that God sent to be the Savior, Messiah and King. If we as the human race have free choice, then are we exercising our free choice to turn our backs on God Himself? What hope is there for us if we are not for God? It is amazing to see that God’s perfect plan is demonstrated in the voices of the people requesting, “Let His blood be on us and on our children.” Long before He had set up a system at Passover in which the angel of death “passed over” the Israelites homes because their doorframes were marked with the blood of the lamb. The only way an Israelite family could be saved from death was to bear the mark of the blood. The only way we can be saved is through the blood of Jesus. And so I say, with sad confession that I play a role in His death and that I too request, “His blood be on me and my children.” It is the only way that I can bypass the second death that comes as a consequence for sin. Pilate on the other hand “washed his hands” of the whole matter, or so he thought. He didn’t want to be associated with Jesus’ death but he wanted to be a people pleaser too. He loved his position and prestige too much to risk losing it on his belief that Jesus was an innocent man. He played a huge part in crucifying Jesus, just as we all do. Only he denied it, to save himself. By refusing to recognize his role, by denying his own responsibility, he divorces himself from the only thing that can truly save him. How much better for him to have humbly said, “Let his blood be on me too.” I remember last year when I watched "The Passion" I thought, "I won't close my eyes and pretend that this has nothing to do with me." As hard as it was to watch in terms of the level of violence it is harder still to watch with an attitude of responsibility.
Lord, let me be a voice in the crowd, let me be one who recognizes deeply how desperately I need for Christ’s blood to be on me and on my children. And let me recognize that it is because I am part of a fallen human race, a fallen individual that I do take responsibility for Jesus’ death. It is necessary for me to have life.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Message Recap
Sunday’s Message was titled “Thirst” referring to Christ’s suffering on the cross culmination in the human condition of THIRST where He says, “I thirst.” Thirst meaning thirst for God, Thirst for his unconditional love, a thirst that we try to quench in so many other ways. Our pastor indicated that every one of us is an addict. Some to what we typically see as addictions like alcohol, drugs, and pornography. Others to more socially acceptable and esteemed addictions, power, money, applause, attention, adventure. But we can know they are addictions in that they never satisfy for long. They leave a person wanting more of the same, in stronger doses to get the same high. He concluded that all we really thirst for is Jesus Himself and illustrated it with the story of the woman at the well found in John 4: 1-26.
In conclusion we are to find that all we are addicted to, all of our thirsts can be quenched in Jesus.
And I say, that sounds good in theory, but what does that look like to someone who is addicted.
First, if it is true that the addiction is rooted in a basic need for unconditional love, validity, acceptance, from our creator, then I think one has to practice seeing themselves as dearly loved and of great worth. Our pastor says "He loves you enough to not let you continue the way you are." In other words, “I love you just the way you are, now lets get you out of sewage you are wading around in and get you cleaned off.” You have to recognize this on some level and behave in a way that shows you know your true worth.
Alcoholics Anonymous also in recognizing the need for something more tangible with which to work with in getting one from point a to point b on the path of recovery came up with the 12 step program, that has been adopted for so many addictions. Although, many want to weaken the very thing that makes it powerful and effective and that is a reliance on God, and a system that closely resembles anything you’d ever find in the Bible. Who would have made the connection between confession and recovery?
And the other way to step over from the theory of “all you need is Jesus” and practicing it is to become acquainted with those who are representations of Christ in this world. To have another human being both love you and accept as you are while at the same time want better for you is a rare and beautiful find. But Christians need to become that to a hurting world, so that they can make the leap from that which sounds good to that which is good.
In conclusion we are to find that all we are addicted to, all of our thirsts can be quenched in Jesus.
And I say, that sounds good in theory, but what does that look like to someone who is addicted.
First, if it is true that the addiction is rooted in a basic need for unconditional love, validity, acceptance, from our creator, then I think one has to practice seeing themselves as dearly loved and of great worth. Our pastor says "He loves you enough to not let you continue the way you are." In other words, “I love you just the way you are, now lets get you out of sewage you are wading around in and get you cleaned off.” You have to recognize this on some level and behave in a way that shows you know your true worth.
Alcoholics Anonymous also in recognizing the need for something more tangible with which to work with in getting one from point a to point b on the path of recovery came up with the 12 step program, that has been adopted for so many addictions. Although, many want to weaken the very thing that makes it powerful and effective and that is a reliance on God, and a system that closely resembles anything you’d ever find in the Bible. Who would have made the connection between confession and recovery?
And the other way to step over from the theory of “all you need is Jesus” and practicing it is to become acquainted with those who are representations of Christ in this world. To have another human being both love you and accept as you are while at the same time want better for you is a rare and beautiful find. But Christians need to become that to a hurting world, so that they can make the leap from that which sounds good to that which is good.
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Message Recap
The message this week was illustrated using the perspective of two pieces of art, one looking up at the cross, the other as Christ looking down at the crowd. The message was that first we need to come to a place of recognizing the work done for us on the cross, and then we need to see ourselves as one in the crowd looking upon the cross. The faces in that piece looked shocked, stunned by what they saw, stunned because they recognized that Christ is taking their place, stunned because they saw themselves for who they are and for what they deserved, stunned that someone would actually die for that which is despised, broken, wounded, or undesirable about us, not for what is good, stunned because they saw someone taking upon himself their own unworthiness in an act of sacrifice. Our pastor indicated that we need to see ourselves there. Note that he is talking to a room full of Christians. I've heard Christians say, “Since I am saved then I no longer sin as I’ve been declared righteous.” But I believe there is a real danger in that kind of thinking. First of all, it sets one up to project their sinfulness onto others, it affects one’s ability to take correction and to grow and it denies the ongoing power of the cross. And it’s scripturally unsound. But we feel better believing ourselves to be the “good guys” on this planet. I can honestly tell you that each Easter, and every week in between, I’ve learned to get very comfortable with my own internal discomfort. I am well aware of how flawed I am and my continued need for God’s mercy shown for me on the cross. I am not removed from the knowledge of my flawed self so that I find the work of the cross is no longer for me but I can see why other people need it. No, that's not me at all. Call me stubborn, a slow learner, stuck in my ways, difficult (I am used to that one), call me anything but "not saved" Because that is what some people believe, they believe, "If I still struggle that means I am not saved.” We are called to stop sinning but we never will. But we shouldn't be satisfied to continue, we should be drawn “further up and further in.” As we grow as Christians we are drawn further along, deeper into this thing called our faith, confronting layers of ourselves the whole way. Sadly, today many churches are not drawing people further up and further in both in the knowledge of scripture and the depths to which we are fallen. And they are discipling followers who have only confronted the surface of who they really are and are satisfied with that. It doesn’t make us bad; I think it just makes us weak. One professor from way back Robert Webber, who attended an Episcopal church, would always say, “Each week I flee to the Eucharist,” meaning, I believe that he recognized his need for constant renewal. And why else would God’s mercies be new every morning unless we needed them daily. We cannot do much good in this world unless the cross has a continued power to make us see who we really are, to see where we’ve been maybe and to catch of glimpse of what we are meant to be as we move onward in that direction.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
My second "life verse"
The other verse I chose as a guidepost to follow back in the days when I was a young therapist and found it to be a good personal verse as a Christian was Isaiah 40 3-5. A voice of one calling: In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level and the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.
Now this verse is a prophetic verse symbolizing the role of John the Baptist. I think that in the text the mountains, valleys, rough places etc. signify the Law. John, by baptizing people signifies cleansing from the guilt given by the Law, and burying them, for death is the penalty for breaking the Law. By cleansing and by death, the Law is no longer a barrier keeping us from God. This is all symbolic and preparation for Christ and His work. This is all theological stuff I know, and I want to get to the practical so here is how I apply it.
In life there are so many barriers that keep people from knowing God and coming to a true place of healing. For some it is still The Law and trying to follow it. For others it is being hurt and scarred by family that distorts our image of God and who He is. For some it is being hurt or scarred by the church itself, which is suppose to be representative of God here on earth doing his work. These barriers, valleys, mountains need to addressed and removed for healing to begin
In my graduate school, since it was a Christian program, we discussed whether it was ethical for Christians to be counselors and therapists. Some brought up the issue that by removing “symptoms” we did not allow people to hit the point where they called out to God. For example, by giving people skills to deal with anxiety we are not allowing them to face the true source of their anxiety and come to God for true healing.
I don’t believe this to be the case. I think our purpose, not only those who are in a healing profession, but as Christians in general, is to smooth the rough places, to clear a path. We cannot save. That is not in our power. But we can remove obstacles. And that is what I want my life to be about. Now, it grieves me more than anything to see the church itself, or those that claim to be God’s servants, creating the obstacles. When I hear about the sexual abuse scandals from the Catholic church (and I know it goes on in other denominations as well) I think about not only the psychological but spiritual damage done. I wonder how this must hinder ones perception of God and prevent them from knowing Him. The other night I watched the second Dateline investigation on The Benny Hinn ministry. I missed their first show in which they tried to find documented proof of the healings that go on and could find none. But the show I watched talked about how Benny Hinn uses his well orchestrated and choreographed show to bring in money with which to lead a very lavish lifestyle. I personally don’t care how he lives. I care about the naive or desperate people who give their money to that ministry, hoping to purchase a miracle, hoping for some healing, or believing that they are helping others to receive healing. There are obstacles being put up for them. There are obstacles being put up for the people who go for healing, told they received it, and then find out from their doctors that it just isn’t true. Do they question God? Do they question their own faith and relationship with him? Do they question whether He cares about them? And think of the obstacles put up for people in general watching this investigation. Some of them watch this kind of documentary and look upon Christianity in disgust, thinking this is how simple-minded Christians are. The obstacles are everywhere. And I think we are all, if we claim to be followers of Christ are called to do what we can to level a path; create a clearing for Christ to come and do the reparative and reconciling work that only He can do.
Now this verse is a prophetic verse symbolizing the role of John the Baptist. I think that in the text the mountains, valleys, rough places etc. signify the Law. John, by baptizing people signifies cleansing from the guilt given by the Law, and burying them, for death is the penalty for breaking the Law. By cleansing and by death, the Law is no longer a barrier keeping us from God. This is all symbolic and preparation for Christ and His work. This is all theological stuff I know, and I want to get to the practical so here is how I apply it.
In life there are so many barriers that keep people from knowing God and coming to a true place of healing. For some it is still The Law and trying to follow it. For others it is being hurt and scarred by family that distorts our image of God and who He is. For some it is being hurt or scarred by the church itself, which is suppose to be representative of God here on earth doing his work. These barriers, valleys, mountains need to addressed and removed for healing to begin
In my graduate school, since it was a Christian program, we discussed whether it was ethical for Christians to be counselors and therapists. Some brought up the issue that by removing “symptoms” we did not allow people to hit the point where they called out to God. For example, by giving people skills to deal with anxiety we are not allowing them to face the true source of their anxiety and come to God for true healing.
I don’t believe this to be the case. I think our purpose, not only those who are in a healing profession, but as Christians in general, is to smooth the rough places, to clear a path. We cannot save. That is not in our power. But we can remove obstacles. And that is what I want my life to be about. Now, it grieves me more than anything to see the church itself, or those that claim to be God’s servants, creating the obstacles. When I hear about the sexual abuse scandals from the Catholic church (and I know it goes on in other denominations as well) I think about not only the psychological but spiritual damage done. I wonder how this must hinder ones perception of God and prevent them from knowing Him. The other night I watched the second Dateline investigation on The Benny Hinn ministry. I missed their first show in which they tried to find documented proof of the healings that go on and could find none. But the show I watched talked about how Benny Hinn uses his well orchestrated and choreographed show to bring in money with which to lead a very lavish lifestyle. I personally don’t care how he lives. I care about the naive or desperate people who give their money to that ministry, hoping to purchase a miracle, hoping for some healing, or believing that they are helping others to receive healing. There are obstacles being put up for them. There are obstacles being put up for the people who go for healing, told they received it, and then find out from their doctors that it just isn’t true. Do they question God? Do they question their own faith and relationship with him? Do they question whether He cares about them? And think of the obstacles put up for people in general watching this investigation. Some of them watch this kind of documentary and look upon Christianity in disgust, thinking this is how simple-minded Christians are. The obstacles are everywhere. And I think we are all, if we claim to be followers of Christ are called to do what we can to level a path; create a clearing for Christ to come and do the reparative and reconciling work that only He can do.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Twin virtues- Justice and Mercy
When I became a therapist at a very young age, I was 24 when I graduated with my Masters and went to work right away, I felt fairly inadequate in my ability to help people through life's problems. While in school I had an internship in which I had family, marital and individual clients And also while in school, I worked in two different hospitals, In one hospital I worked on the adolescent inpatient unit and the other was a crisis intake room in an emergency room, which I worked in all by myself; quite scary at times. I also worked in a group home with chronically mentally ill patients who were having a crisis and were in need of respite services. Through these various jobs with various populations of people who needed help I did learn quite a bit. And yet my own life experience basically consisted of growing up in a loving family, going to college and then straight to grad school. I wasn't even married at the time, much less a parent and yet I found myself helping people who were having difficulties with marriage and parenting. So I relied on my schooling, my limited job experiences and two life verses that I adopted as my guideposts to helping people. The first was Micah 6:8. Which is in the title of this blog. I will talk about the other, maybe next time. It was Isaiah 40:3-5.
But for my first I wanted to learn the balancing act of walking between justice and mercy when helping people. Justice to me is standing up for the truth, calling what is right, "right" and what is wrong-"wrong" Not-"if it's right for you then it's okay." I don't believe you can extend hope out to people unless you are able to confront what is not right and change directions. The other aspect is mercy. Mercy keeps justice from becoming judgment. There is a picture in the bible of Jesus beautifully marrying mercy with justice, actually there are more than one example but this one stands out to me. It is the story told in John 8 1-11. The Pharisees (which are the teachers of the law) bring an adulteress women to Jesus and want to stone her according to scripture. And they wanted to know what Jesus had to say about it. They wanted to trap him erring either on the side of being just, or being merciful. If he said, "I agree with the scriptures, stone her" they could say, "ha, you are not the loving, forgiving man you claim to be." But if he said, let her go, They could say "Ha, you disobey the scriptures of God." But Jesus, who by his divine nature had a way of knowing the heart of the matter would not be trapped. In his statement he proved to be both just and merciful. He said "If any one of you is without sin let him be the first to throw the first stone at her" The Pharasees were forced to look at the sinful women as a mirror that reflected their own imperfections, their own adultery, whether it was real, in their heart or symbolic of the seeking other "lovers" apart from God. They one by one left. And Jesus then asked the women "Where are they, has no one condemned you?' she says "no" and he says "Then neither do I condemn you" and then do not stop there. He says "Go now and leave your life of sin" Not "Well, I guess if no one condemns you it's okay, continue on with your life as is, no one is going to stop you now" Because Jesus sees into the heart of all things, he knows that a life of adultery is a life outside of God's design. He knows that a life of adultery is damaging to the woman and to the larger system to which she belongs. Mercy is balanced with justice. Sin is called what it is. Jesus has peered into the woman's heart and saw her pain and reacted with kindness. He also saw her sinful behavior and told her without mincing words to stop.
So as a therapist trying to help people, then later as a mother, wife and friend. I needed to learn that tight little balancing act. It is so easy to swing to one side or the other. Being merciful with out justice or being just without being merciful. It cannot be done alone and that is why the last part of the verse says "walk humbly with your God" Meaning, I take no credit, he is the guide. Acting alone I would swing too far in one direction. To help people to cope with the pain in their life, with the consequences of their choices, with the difficult hand they have been dealt, takes a bit of peering into the heart of the matter and responding with the hope that comes from justice and mercy combined
But for my first I wanted to learn the balancing act of walking between justice and mercy when helping people. Justice to me is standing up for the truth, calling what is right, "right" and what is wrong-"wrong" Not-"if it's right for you then it's okay." I don't believe you can extend hope out to people unless you are able to confront what is not right and change directions. The other aspect is mercy. Mercy keeps justice from becoming judgment. There is a picture in the bible of Jesus beautifully marrying mercy with justice, actually there are more than one example but this one stands out to me. It is the story told in John 8 1-11. The Pharisees (which are the teachers of the law) bring an adulteress women to Jesus and want to stone her according to scripture. And they wanted to know what Jesus had to say about it. They wanted to trap him erring either on the side of being just, or being merciful. If he said, "I agree with the scriptures, stone her" they could say, "ha, you are not the loving, forgiving man you claim to be." But if he said, let her go, They could say "Ha, you disobey the scriptures of God." But Jesus, who by his divine nature had a way of knowing the heart of the matter would not be trapped. In his statement he proved to be both just and merciful. He said "If any one of you is without sin let him be the first to throw the first stone at her" The Pharasees were forced to look at the sinful women as a mirror that reflected their own imperfections, their own adultery, whether it was real, in their heart or symbolic of the seeking other "lovers" apart from God. They one by one left. And Jesus then asked the women "Where are they, has no one condemned you?' she says "no" and he says "Then neither do I condemn you" and then do not stop there. He says "Go now and leave your life of sin" Not "Well, I guess if no one condemns you it's okay, continue on with your life as is, no one is going to stop you now" Because Jesus sees into the heart of all things, he knows that a life of adultery is a life outside of God's design. He knows that a life of adultery is damaging to the woman and to the larger system to which she belongs. Mercy is balanced with justice. Sin is called what it is. Jesus has peered into the woman's heart and saw her pain and reacted with kindness. He also saw her sinful behavior and told her without mincing words to stop.
So as a therapist trying to help people, then later as a mother, wife and friend. I needed to learn that tight little balancing act. It is so easy to swing to one side or the other. Being merciful with out justice or being just without being merciful. It cannot be done alone and that is why the last part of the verse says "walk humbly with your God" Meaning, I take no credit, he is the guide. Acting alone I would swing too far in one direction. To help people to cope with the pain in their life, with the consequences of their choices, with the difficult hand they have been dealt, takes a bit of peering into the heart of the matter and responding with the hope that comes from justice and mercy combined
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