Someone I know recently got their identity stolen. The money in every single one of their accounts was gone, social security was compromised, and the person who did it was not caught. This is something that could happen to anyone of us at anytime. Nobody can secure their identity well enough to know without a doubt that it will not get hacked into. That’s a terrible thought isn’t it? The more I thought of it though, even if we lose everything—our money, our good name, our jobs, or our loved ones, we can always find our identity in Christ. God will never leave us or forsake us. The world can be falling apart around us, we can be stripped of everything we have built for ourselves in this world, and he will remain faithful.
A go-to example of this would be Job. Job is a man in the Old Testament who had unparalleled wealth and influence. He had over 10,000 animals and 10 kids as well as many servants. At the same time he was a man of God. Satan got permission from God to make every effort to get Job to curse God. He took Job’s possessions, he took the lives of his family, and he spread disease throughout the household, leaving Job barren before the Lord with nothing to offer and no apparent reason for his demise. Yet even when Job is confronted with more sorrow and loss than anyone, he responds with humility:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:2-6)
Job realized that he is a child of the king of kings. He belongs to the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, the Prince of Peace, and the Lord of Lords. He realizes that, in fact, the realization that such a magnificent God has claimed him as his own is so much greater than his identity found in his own accomplishment or gain. If our God is for us, which he is, than nothing can overcome us! When our identity gets muddled in the mess of life we can remain confident in the fact that “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body,” (Philippians 3:20-21).
Behold he comes! Riding on the clouds!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Mission
This is a paper that I wrote last spring for my Theology of Missions class. Pretty interesting stuff to think about...
The Christian mission encompasses handing out tracts on a street corner, feeding the homeless, preaching from the pulpit, and even going on a crusade (campus crusade hopefully). With all of the different types of ministry one can get involved in, I have found that it can be overwhelming to try and find a niche in which I feel like I am being an effective ‘missionary’ of the gospel. One of the ways to partake in missional work that is becoming more and more popular is short-term mission trips. These short-term trips are relatively cheap, they can be completed in just a few weeks, and they give people an opportunity to experience global Christianity. However, despite the positive results that short-term mission trips portray, I contend that these trips are not the most biblical, or the most effective way in which to go about mission.
We must first look at the core of what mission is. Or rather, what does mission look like? One of the first passages of scripture that people turn to is Matthew 28:19-20, the great commission, which says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Another passage of scripture that people look to when thinking about what mission looks like is Luke 10:1-12:
"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town."
This is not the mentality that most people approach mission with today. Many people, especially those who are going on short-term trips, bring everything they need as well as everything the people whom they are visiting will need. They take on the mentality of benevolence and power that goes along with bringing gifts and necessities to those who are lacking instead of becoming like Christ, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” (Philippians 2:6-7). This makes it possible for missionaries to rely on themselves and/or their material possessions rather than on Christ.
This is not such a cut and dry issue as it may appear though. In today’s world it is extremely difficult to go into the mission field without bringing anything. It may even be considered a moral blunder to go into an impoverish village with nothing to offer, expecting to be welcomed, fed, and accepted into the community. Also, with the expenses of travel sky-rocketing it is not feasible for many aspiring missionaries to not plan ahead and have a budget. The western church most often solves the problem by simply ignoring Luke chapter 10, or by explaining it away by saying that we can bring things, but we should restrain from enforcing expectations upon the trip (such as getting a certain amount of conversions or handing out a certain number of bibles).
How are short-term mission trips usually handled? Well, they are becoming the popular thing to do with a youth group. Most youth groups gather a team together, spend the year fundraising, get a few dollars from their church, and spend a week or two in a different country. The trips themselves can vary greatly in what they are trying to accomplish, it can include anything form helping a medical site, rebuilding homes, helping with disaster relief, or even to help run a vacation bible school. Along with these acts of service, every youth group finds some time to do some site-seeing or some souvenir buying as well. Andrew Root describes a 1995 mission trip he was a part of that went to Trinidad and Tobago:
“We left the beautiful modern Miami airport, where we spent our two-hour layover shoveling our faces with cheeseburgers, to land in a little rundown airport in Port of Spain. That night we visited impoverished local churches, and the next day walked around the downtown mall. We traveled to a small village, almost untouched by modernization, to run a Vacation Bible School, then spent the next day bodysurfing and eating shark sandwiches as we baked our upper Midwestern bodies in the Caribbean sun. We sang songs for the poorest of the elderly in the government nursing homes, and then spent our last two days on the resort island of Tobago, sipping (virgin) cocktails under beach umbrellas, buying souvenirs and wasting our parents’ spending money. It was a mission trip mixed with a vacation. It was global service mixed with global tourism”
This seems to be a pretty common experience. Short-term service coupled with vacationing. Is this wrong? The gospel is being presented, people are reaching a global audience, Christian values are being experienced, and Christian influence is being spread. I look at 1 Corinthians 10:23 which says, “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive,” as well as Philippians 1:18 which says, “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” In one sense, the gospel is being presented and people are being sent out to do the work of the Lord. At the same time however, I believe it is important to recognize the flaws in sending short term missionaries.
When looking critically at my own missional experience I can see that I am guilty of participating in a short-term service/vacation mission trip. I spent two weeks in Ukraine the summer after I graduated high school. The first week we spent participating in a summer camp with a Ukrainian youth group. This was very interesting because it gave us an opportunity to befriend several of the youth that attended the church that we were staying at. The second week we helped with vacation bible schools at three different locations. We were able to work with the youth that we had met the previous week, which was helpful, but we had one translator for every 8 Americans that went, so we encountered some language barriers. Between both of these activities we spent time touring two different Ukrainian cities, enjoying the different foods and monuments that they had to offer.
At the time I did not realize exactly how much we were flaunting our money. We would make trips to a local store daily to get little treats for ourselves, we would walk into any given store and drop anywhere between 40 and 100 Hryvnia (1 U.S. dollar=8 Hryvnia), and we brought several gifts with us to present to the church. While I am sure they are grateful for the gifts, this type of ministry can portray a hierarchy even simply between nationalities. I am sure that several of the young Ukrainian children thought that all Americans are rich and that we brought all of the answers. In fact, an 8 year old boy came up to me with a big grin on his face, pulling on my arm while asking the same question over and over again emphatically. It was not until I found a translator that I was able to understand the young boy’s question which was: “Do you live in a mansion and drive a Mustang?” At the time I thought it was a very funny question to be asking, but did not really realize why he would ask such a question. He had begun to associate Americans with money. Our mission in his small village was to show Christ. By the end of the week I am sure that he associated Christianity with Americans and wealth.
So if short-term mission trips aren’t effective, what types of mission are effective? Well when looking back at Luke chapter 10, it seems as though the 72 that Jesus sent out are expected to stay for a longer period of time, enjoying the company and getting to know those whom he is sharing life with. It does not give a particular amount of time that is the ideal amount of time. The Apostle Paul takes a similar approach, often telling of how he stays in one place for quite a while, getting to know his brothers and sisters before moving on. This is much less convenient today than it was back then because of the simple fact that it took several days to travel to different cities back then, while today we can drive across an entire country or fly across the world in a day.
When looking at my extended missional experience, I find that it has been very rewarding. I have spent 3 summers working as a counselor at Camp Nathanael. Camp Nate is an all-boys summer camp run through CSB ministries (Christian Service Brigade). At camp we canoed, shot guns, rode horses, hiked, read the bible, cooked meals over a fire, and built relationships with campers throughout the entire summer. Camp did not have electricity in cabins, it did not have cell phone service, and, did I mention it was all boys? Many of the distractions of daily life were taken away and replaced with activities that would encourage fellowship and spiritual growth. I was able to feel close to God in a way that I have not felt since. Also, the relationship that I built with the other counselors was that of a brotherhood. I could call up any one of the other men that I worked with and have a great conversation with them today, even three years after my last summer at camp. Being at camp the entire summer also provided some continuity for the gospel we were presenting. Rather than going to people’s churches or homes with flashy methods of presenting the gospel, we simply had campers come experience nature and brotherly fellowship. Through the genuine relationships built during the week we would be able to present Christ to them through scripture, song, and prayer. After we presented the gospel we would then make an effort to keep in touch with our campers through facebook or email even after the camp season was over.
When looking at the history of modern missions we can break mission work down into three narratives: the Evangelistic narrative, the benevolence narrative, and the expansionist narrative. I am not claiming that any one of these is a ‘correct’ narrative; rather I want to discuss the strengths and flaws in each one. The Evangelistic narrative focuses mostly on the relay of information about Christ. I think of missionaries that translate the bible into indigenous languages, or the radio show that brought thousands to Christ in Vietnam. This narrative emphasizes the gospels as well as conversion through a statement of faith as well as baptism.
The benevolence narrative focuses on the financial side of missions. A crude way of describing the narrative would be to say that it just throws money at people in the name of Christ. This is necessary in the fact that it supports many of the missionaries financially around the world, but at the same time it allows for people to compartmentalize Christ and feel like they have accomplished their missional goal by just writing out a check. Benevolence is important, but it cannot exist without another branch of mission.
The expansionist narrative focuses on bringing Christ and the church to all parts of the world. This was particularly popular during colonial times when the superpowers of the world would go into countries and force religion upon them. A few places received this well, but in many cases they were met with resistance. This narrative is based mainly upon the great commission in Matthew 28, but has many flaws along with it. Yes, it brings Christianity to many places that it has not been, but at what cost? It ignores the ideals of love and grace that Jesus emphasized so greatly in the Gospels.
It seems as though Christians have been searching for the right way to ‘do mission’ for a very long time. It is easy to be critical of things, but very difficult to put your full support into any single narrative or style. Through my personal experience and through interpretation of the scripture, I would have to say that short-term mission trips are definitely not the most effective way to communicate the gospel and Christ’s love. I would contend that a much more holistic, self-sacrificial form of mission would be more effective. However, when it comes down to it, “What does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice,” (Philippians 1:18).
Bibliography:
Root, A. (2008). The Youth Ministry Mission Trip as Global Tourism: Are we OK with this?. Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 47(4), 314-319. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6385.2008.00410.x
Jeffrey, P. (2001). Short-term mission trips. Christian Century, 118(34), 5. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Short-Term Troubles. (2007). Christianity Today, 51(11), 76. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Marrs, R. (2006). Maximum Impact Short-term Missions. Journal of Youth Ministry, 5(1), 123-124. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Koll, K. (2010). Taking Wolves Among Lambs: Some Thoughts on Training for Short-Term Mission Facilitation. International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 34(2), 93-96. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Guthrie, S. (2006). SERVING WITH EYES WIDE OPEN: Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence. Christianity Today, 50(12), 64. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
(1996, November 11). McMissions. Christianity Today. p. 14. Retrieved from EBSCOhost..
Howell, B. M. (2009). Mission to Nowhere: Putting Short-Term Missions into Context. International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 33(4), 206-211. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
The Christian mission encompasses handing out tracts on a street corner, feeding the homeless, preaching from the pulpit, and even going on a crusade (campus crusade hopefully). With all of the different types of ministry one can get involved in, I have found that it can be overwhelming to try and find a niche in which I feel like I am being an effective ‘missionary’ of the gospel. One of the ways to partake in missional work that is becoming more and more popular is short-term mission trips. These short-term trips are relatively cheap, they can be completed in just a few weeks, and they give people an opportunity to experience global Christianity. However, despite the positive results that short-term mission trips portray, I contend that these trips are not the most biblical, or the most effective way in which to go about mission.
We must first look at the core of what mission is. Or rather, what does mission look like? One of the first passages of scripture that people turn to is Matthew 28:19-20, the great commission, which says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Another passage of scripture that people look to when thinking about what mission looks like is Luke 10:1-12:
"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town."
This is not the mentality that most people approach mission with today. Many people, especially those who are going on short-term trips, bring everything they need as well as everything the people whom they are visiting will need. They take on the mentality of benevolence and power that goes along with bringing gifts and necessities to those who are lacking instead of becoming like Christ, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” (Philippians 2:6-7). This makes it possible for missionaries to rely on themselves and/or their material possessions rather than on Christ.
This is not such a cut and dry issue as it may appear though. In today’s world it is extremely difficult to go into the mission field without bringing anything. It may even be considered a moral blunder to go into an impoverish village with nothing to offer, expecting to be welcomed, fed, and accepted into the community. Also, with the expenses of travel sky-rocketing it is not feasible for many aspiring missionaries to not plan ahead and have a budget. The western church most often solves the problem by simply ignoring Luke chapter 10, or by explaining it away by saying that we can bring things, but we should restrain from enforcing expectations upon the trip (such as getting a certain amount of conversions or handing out a certain number of bibles).
How are short-term mission trips usually handled? Well, they are becoming the popular thing to do with a youth group. Most youth groups gather a team together, spend the year fundraising, get a few dollars from their church, and spend a week or two in a different country. The trips themselves can vary greatly in what they are trying to accomplish, it can include anything form helping a medical site, rebuilding homes, helping with disaster relief, or even to help run a vacation bible school. Along with these acts of service, every youth group finds some time to do some site-seeing or some souvenir buying as well. Andrew Root describes a 1995 mission trip he was a part of that went to Trinidad and Tobago:
“We left the beautiful modern Miami airport, where we spent our two-hour layover shoveling our faces with cheeseburgers, to land in a little rundown airport in Port of Spain. That night we visited impoverished local churches, and the next day walked around the downtown mall. We traveled to a small village, almost untouched by modernization, to run a Vacation Bible School, then spent the next day bodysurfing and eating shark sandwiches as we baked our upper Midwestern bodies in the Caribbean sun. We sang songs for the poorest of the elderly in the government nursing homes, and then spent our last two days on the resort island of Tobago, sipping (virgin) cocktails under beach umbrellas, buying souvenirs and wasting our parents’ spending money. It was a mission trip mixed with a vacation. It was global service mixed with global tourism”
This seems to be a pretty common experience. Short-term service coupled with vacationing. Is this wrong? The gospel is being presented, people are reaching a global audience, Christian values are being experienced, and Christian influence is being spread. I look at 1 Corinthians 10:23 which says, “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive,” as well as Philippians 1:18 which says, “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” In one sense, the gospel is being presented and people are being sent out to do the work of the Lord. At the same time however, I believe it is important to recognize the flaws in sending short term missionaries.
When looking critically at my own missional experience I can see that I am guilty of participating in a short-term service/vacation mission trip. I spent two weeks in Ukraine the summer after I graduated high school. The first week we spent participating in a summer camp with a Ukrainian youth group. This was very interesting because it gave us an opportunity to befriend several of the youth that attended the church that we were staying at. The second week we helped with vacation bible schools at three different locations. We were able to work with the youth that we had met the previous week, which was helpful, but we had one translator for every 8 Americans that went, so we encountered some language barriers. Between both of these activities we spent time touring two different Ukrainian cities, enjoying the different foods and monuments that they had to offer.
At the time I did not realize exactly how much we were flaunting our money. We would make trips to a local store daily to get little treats for ourselves, we would walk into any given store and drop anywhere between 40 and 100 Hryvnia (1 U.S. dollar=8 Hryvnia), and we brought several gifts with us to present to the church. While I am sure they are grateful for the gifts, this type of ministry can portray a hierarchy even simply between nationalities. I am sure that several of the young Ukrainian children thought that all Americans are rich and that we brought all of the answers. In fact, an 8 year old boy came up to me with a big grin on his face, pulling on my arm while asking the same question over and over again emphatically. It was not until I found a translator that I was able to understand the young boy’s question which was: “Do you live in a mansion and drive a Mustang?” At the time I thought it was a very funny question to be asking, but did not really realize why he would ask such a question. He had begun to associate Americans with money. Our mission in his small village was to show Christ. By the end of the week I am sure that he associated Christianity with Americans and wealth.
So if short-term mission trips aren’t effective, what types of mission are effective? Well when looking back at Luke chapter 10, it seems as though the 72 that Jesus sent out are expected to stay for a longer period of time, enjoying the company and getting to know those whom he is sharing life with. It does not give a particular amount of time that is the ideal amount of time. The Apostle Paul takes a similar approach, often telling of how he stays in one place for quite a while, getting to know his brothers and sisters before moving on. This is much less convenient today than it was back then because of the simple fact that it took several days to travel to different cities back then, while today we can drive across an entire country or fly across the world in a day.
When looking at my extended missional experience, I find that it has been very rewarding. I have spent 3 summers working as a counselor at Camp Nathanael. Camp Nate is an all-boys summer camp run through CSB ministries (Christian Service Brigade). At camp we canoed, shot guns, rode horses, hiked, read the bible, cooked meals over a fire, and built relationships with campers throughout the entire summer. Camp did not have electricity in cabins, it did not have cell phone service, and, did I mention it was all boys? Many of the distractions of daily life were taken away and replaced with activities that would encourage fellowship and spiritual growth. I was able to feel close to God in a way that I have not felt since. Also, the relationship that I built with the other counselors was that of a brotherhood. I could call up any one of the other men that I worked with and have a great conversation with them today, even three years after my last summer at camp. Being at camp the entire summer also provided some continuity for the gospel we were presenting. Rather than going to people’s churches or homes with flashy methods of presenting the gospel, we simply had campers come experience nature and brotherly fellowship. Through the genuine relationships built during the week we would be able to present Christ to them through scripture, song, and prayer. After we presented the gospel we would then make an effort to keep in touch with our campers through facebook or email even after the camp season was over.
When looking at the history of modern missions we can break mission work down into three narratives: the Evangelistic narrative, the benevolence narrative, and the expansionist narrative. I am not claiming that any one of these is a ‘correct’ narrative; rather I want to discuss the strengths and flaws in each one. The Evangelistic narrative focuses mostly on the relay of information about Christ. I think of missionaries that translate the bible into indigenous languages, or the radio show that brought thousands to Christ in Vietnam. This narrative emphasizes the gospels as well as conversion through a statement of faith as well as baptism.
The benevolence narrative focuses on the financial side of missions. A crude way of describing the narrative would be to say that it just throws money at people in the name of Christ. This is necessary in the fact that it supports many of the missionaries financially around the world, but at the same time it allows for people to compartmentalize Christ and feel like they have accomplished their missional goal by just writing out a check. Benevolence is important, but it cannot exist without another branch of mission.
The expansionist narrative focuses on bringing Christ and the church to all parts of the world. This was particularly popular during colonial times when the superpowers of the world would go into countries and force religion upon them. A few places received this well, but in many cases they were met with resistance. This narrative is based mainly upon the great commission in Matthew 28, but has many flaws along with it. Yes, it brings Christianity to many places that it has not been, but at what cost? It ignores the ideals of love and grace that Jesus emphasized so greatly in the Gospels.
It seems as though Christians have been searching for the right way to ‘do mission’ for a very long time. It is easy to be critical of things, but very difficult to put your full support into any single narrative or style. Through my personal experience and through interpretation of the scripture, I would have to say that short-term mission trips are definitely not the most effective way to communicate the gospel and Christ’s love. I would contend that a much more holistic, self-sacrificial form of mission would be more effective. However, when it comes down to it, “What does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice,” (Philippians 1:18).
Bibliography:
Root, A. (2008). The Youth Ministry Mission Trip as Global Tourism: Are we OK with this?. Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 47(4), 314-319. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6385.2008.00410.x
Jeffrey, P. (2001). Short-term mission trips. Christian Century, 118(34), 5. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Short-Term Troubles. (2007). Christianity Today, 51(11), 76. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Marrs, R. (2006). Maximum Impact Short-term Missions. Journal of Youth Ministry, 5(1), 123-124. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Koll, K. (2010). Taking Wolves Among Lambs: Some Thoughts on Training for Short-Term Mission Facilitation. International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 34(2), 93-96. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Guthrie, S. (2006). SERVING WITH EYES WIDE OPEN: Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence. Christianity Today, 50(12), 64. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
(1996, November 11). McMissions. Christianity Today. p. 14. Retrieved from EBSCOhost..
Howell, B. M. (2009). Mission to Nowhere: Putting Short-Term Missions into Context. International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 33(4), 206-211. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Monday, October 31, 2011
In the Mind of a Killer
Read the whole thing... It is sad but powerful
Happy Birthday Alex! He heard them cry. “What a pitifully happy family,” Alex thought to himself. He couldn’t imagine why they were putting on a party for him, the outcast of the family. His two little brothers ran up and gave him a hug as he shrugged his backpack onto the floor next to the door, “Why can’t they just leave me alone?” he asked himself as he bounded up the stairs to his room, where he promptly locked the door. Finally, some peace and quiet; why can’t it always be quiet? Didn’t they understand that he would rather celebrate his birthday without them? A knock at the door. “Alex,” his mother says gently, “just because you are fourteen now doesn’t mean that you can shut out your family.” Alex notes that the knock tonight came earlier than normal; probably because Dad is on a business trip, or maybe it’s because it was his birthday. Regardless, he didn’t want to endure what was sure to be a long dinner with plenty of chatter, so he simply turned up his headphones and continued his game of Mortal Combat. He couldn’t believe that his parents took away his copy of the game as well as his favorite Marilynn Manson CD! It took him nearly 2 months to save up the money to have his friends go buy him new copies to hide. That is when he bought the lock for his room as well. Pretty soon the smell of roast beef and potatoes becomes too strong for his empty stomach to ignore. Alex finally had to give in and head down to his waiting mother and brothers. “Tony, would you like to say grace?” his mother asked. Tony readily bowed his head, squeezing his eyes shut with such zeal that Alex could make out pre-mature crow’s feet etching their way out from beneath his brother’s shaggy brown hair. Alex couldn’t understand his little brother’s joy found in praying. Little Tony’s prayer rambled on from blessing the food, to Dad’s safe trip home, to asking God to make Mom say yes next time he asks to have a sleepover. All the while Alex sat inattentively picking at his food wondering why anyone would waste their time talking to a God that surely wasn’t there. Alex knew the game though. Pray, go to church, learn the songs, and in return he received good food and more trust from his parents. The acting was worth the reward. And, for the most part, Alex was a great actor. After dinner Alex promptly went upstairs. Gaming had become a full-time job. In reality, he would rather spend his time doing almost anything rather than spend time with his family. Why did they have to be so persistent? It couldn’t have been too long after they finished the dishes that the knocking began again at his door. “Alex,” it was Marcus this time, “time to open your presents!” Alex was downstairs in record time. It wasn’t every day that the whole family gathered together for the sake of watching Alex receive expensive gifts from his parents. Plus, if he was getting what he asked for (a portable CD player), it would definitely be worth it to leave his bedroom. Alex went and sat in the big comfy birthday chair in the center of the room. His mother and two brothers sat on the couch eagerly waiting for him to open the gifts before him. He tore through the first two, a hat from Marcus, and a DC Talk CD from Tony. Next came the gift from his dad. He had no idea what his dad would get him. All he knew was that it would be something that would give his dad a good excuse to spend more time with him, maybe a football or something. It only took a few rips into the wrapping paper to make out the words ‘Remington’ and ‘rifle’ peeking through. “A gun?” Alex thought, “why would I want a gun?” His dad hunted deer every year, but never invited Alex, instead preferring to go with his college friends—it was tradition. Alex had a hard time believing that his dad was openly inviting him. It was probably his mom’s idea... whatever. He had one more gift to open, from his mother. It was the right shape, the right weight, yes! There it was! His new portable CD player! He quickly thanked his brothers and his mom and made his way back to his room with his presents, much to their dismay. Back to the music. Back to the gaming. This time, with a new CD player. Life was good. Knock. Knock. “You got to be kidding me!” Alex yelled at the perpetrator of his privacy. “We are watching a movie downstairs if you care to join us,” Tony said meekly, scared of his older brother’s raised voice. “Start without me,” replied Alex. He had no interest in joining his family for a movie. In fact, his brother’s interruption at the door may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. He would have to look for an opportunity to beat on his brothers when his mom wasn’t looking. Back to gaming. “One more interruption…” Alex thought as he jabbed his controller harder and harder, staring at the screen with dulled, troubled eyes. “Alex!,” he heard his mom call from downstairs, “we are waiting!” “COMING!” Alex growled, looking around the room for something to throw in his anger. That is when his eyes caught the rifle propped up in the corner of his room. He hurried down the hall to his parents room, opened the closet where the safe stood, always unlocked. He quickly loaded his gun, filled with adrenaline and an indescribable fury. He would rid himself of the annoyances in the basement once and for all! He quietly made his way to the top of the stairs. Looking down he could see all three of them sitting on the couch with their backs to him. He would go from left to right—Marcus, Mom, Tony. He leveled the rifle on the railing, took off the safety, aimed, POP! POP! POP!.... POP! POP! He hit Marcus in the knee with his first shot. He quickly took care of his mom and Tony with two well aimed shots to the head and neck before turning back to silence a screaming Marcus with two more shots. Alex tried to slow his breathing to no avail. His whole body trembled with a mix of satisfaction and regret. He did it. He finally took the lives of those who loved him most. Maybe the only ones that loved him, other than his dad... His dad! His flight would be landing about this time which gave Alex about an hour to decide what to do next! Alex rushed back up to his bedroom, face flush, terror creeping in after realizing that his life would never be the same again. He had to do something. He had to fix this! How did he ever get to this point? What drove him to murder? He looked around the room with sobering eyes. Violent video games lay strewn on his floor. Violent music continued to play softly on his CD player. He had to get rid of this stuff—it was from the devil! He threw his CD player to the floor, piling it with games and CDs. Grabbing the sledge hammer from the garage, he smashed his electronics beyond recognition, knowing that it really didn’t fix anything. He needed to fix it all. He would have to do it the only way he knew how—with the Remington. With tears in his eyes and blood on his hands he wrote post-it notes to his father explaining everything. He couldn’t live with himself knowing that he killed the ones he loved. He couldn’t live with himself knowing he broke his father’s heart and ruined their lives forever. With that, he set the notes throughout the upstairs of the house and went back to his room to wait. He wept, he prayed, and he cursed until he heard the tell-tale sign of the garage door opener marking his dad’s arrival. He briefly debated whether he should throw himself into his father’s arms begging for forgiveness, but the moment he heard the door close as his father entered the house, his decision became easy enough. POP! Alex’s father was greeted with silence when he entered the house. It wasn’t what he expected, seeing as it was Alex’s birthday. It wasn’t until he made it through the entryway that the familiar smell of a recently fired gun hit his nostrils. Immediate panic set in. He ran to the living room where his family lay as they had fallen. His heart instantly broke as he became a puddle of a man on the floor next to his wife. “Who would do this?” he cried softly, then, a few seconds later, “where is my other son?” He gathered himself, determined to find his son alive, hiding in a closet as a witness to the brutal murder of his family. He slowly made his way upstairs to Alex’s lair, well aware that the all-too-familiar smell was getting stronger again. It only took a peek into the room to confirm his worst nightmare and cause another breakdown. It was then that he saw the trail of notes; the notes that confirmed the destruction of his life and the murder of all those that he loved. His life would never be the same.
As some of you know, this is a true story. Yes, I added a creative flair to the situation, but Alex actually committed these crimes. His little brother Marcus was my brother's best friend until he was ten years old-- until his death. This is an extremely depressing story and brought many tears to my eyes while I was writing it, but I think it is necessary to point out that we need to be careful of what we fill our minds with. Now I am not suggesting that we avoid seeing any form of violence or refuse to hear any sort of vulgarity. that is not realistic. What I am suggesting, however, is that we prayerfully consider the things that we fill our day with. Is it wholesome? Is it worthwhile? What are we thinking about? While very few people think about committing such violent acts, Sin can manifest itself in much smaller ways when we are not diligent with our time. When we are not intentional, our thoughts can become selfish or prideful. or perhaps we become more lazy or more prone to anger. I love A.W. Tozer's quote:
"Sow a thought, reap an action
Sow an action, reap a habit
sow a habit, reap a lifestyle
sow a lifestyle, reap a destiny"
Philippians 4:8-- "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."
1 Thessalonians 5:22-- "Avoid every kind of evil"
Francis of Assisi-- "Preach always and seldom use words."
Happy Birthday Alex! He heard them cry. “What a pitifully happy family,” Alex thought to himself. He couldn’t imagine why they were putting on a party for him, the outcast of the family. His two little brothers ran up and gave him a hug as he shrugged his backpack onto the floor next to the door, “Why can’t they just leave me alone?” he asked himself as he bounded up the stairs to his room, where he promptly locked the door. Finally, some peace and quiet; why can’t it always be quiet? Didn’t they understand that he would rather celebrate his birthday without them? A knock at the door. “Alex,” his mother says gently, “just because you are fourteen now doesn’t mean that you can shut out your family.” Alex notes that the knock tonight came earlier than normal; probably because Dad is on a business trip, or maybe it’s because it was his birthday. Regardless, he didn’t want to endure what was sure to be a long dinner with plenty of chatter, so he simply turned up his headphones and continued his game of Mortal Combat. He couldn’t believe that his parents took away his copy of the game as well as his favorite Marilynn Manson CD! It took him nearly 2 months to save up the money to have his friends go buy him new copies to hide. That is when he bought the lock for his room as well. Pretty soon the smell of roast beef and potatoes becomes too strong for his empty stomach to ignore. Alex finally had to give in and head down to his waiting mother and brothers. “Tony, would you like to say grace?” his mother asked. Tony readily bowed his head, squeezing his eyes shut with such zeal that Alex could make out pre-mature crow’s feet etching their way out from beneath his brother’s shaggy brown hair. Alex couldn’t understand his little brother’s joy found in praying. Little Tony’s prayer rambled on from blessing the food, to Dad’s safe trip home, to asking God to make Mom say yes next time he asks to have a sleepover. All the while Alex sat inattentively picking at his food wondering why anyone would waste their time talking to a God that surely wasn’t there. Alex knew the game though. Pray, go to church, learn the songs, and in return he received good food and more trust from his parents. The acting was worth the reward. And, for the most part, Alex was a great actor. After dinner Alex promptly went upstairs. Gaming had become a full-time job. In reality, he would rather spend his time doing almost anything rather than spend time with his family. Why did they have to be so persistent? It couldn’t have been too long after they finished the dishes that the knocking began again at his door. “Alex,” it was Marcus this time, “time to open your presents!” Alex was downstairs in record time. It wasn’t every day that the whole family gathered together for the sake of watching Alex receive expensive gifts from his parents. Plus, if he was getting what he asked for (a portable CD player), it would definitely be worth it to leave his bedroom. Alex went and sat in the big comfy birthday chair in the center of the room. His mother and two brothers sat on the couch eagerly waiting for him to open the gifts before him. He tore through the first two, a hat from Marcus, and a DC Talk CD from Tony. Next came the gift from his dad. He had no idea what his dad would get him. All he knew was that it would be something that would give his dad a good excuse to spend more time with him, maybe a football or something. It only took a few rips into the wrapping paper to make out the words ‘Remington’ and ‘rifle’ peeking through. “A gun?” Alex thought, “why would I want a gun?” His dad hunted deer every year, but never invited Alex, instead preferring to go with his college friends—it was tradition. Alex had a hard time believing that his dad was openly inviting him. It was probably his mom’s idea... whatever. He had one more gift to open, from his mother. It was the right shape, the right weight, yes! There it was! His new portable CD player! He quickly thanked his brothers and his mom and made his way back to his room with his presents, much to their dismay. Back to the music. Back to the gaming. This time, with a new CD player. Life was good. Knock. Knock. “You got to be kidding me!” Alex yelled at the perpetrator of his privacy. “We are watching a movie downstairs if you care to join us,” Tony said meekly, scared of his older brother’s raised voice. “Start without me,” replied Alex. He had no interest in joining his family for a movie. In fact, his brother’s interruption at the door may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. He would have to look for an opportunity to beat on his brothers when his mom wasn’t looking. Back to gaming. “One more interruption…” Alex thought as he jabbed his controller harder and harder, staring at the screen with dulled, troubled eyes. “Alex!,” he heard his mom call from downstairs, “we are waiting!” “COMING!” Alex growled, looking around the room for something to throw in his anger. That is when his eyes caught the rifle propped up in the corner of his room. He hurried down the hall to his parents room, opened the closet where the safe stood, always unlocked. He quickly loaded his gun, filled with adrenaline and an indescribable fury. He would rid himself of the annoyances in the basement once and for all! He quietly made his way to the top of the stairs. Looking down he could see all three of them sitting on the couch with their backs to him. He would go from left to right—Marcus, Mom, Tony. He leveled the rifle on the railing, took off the safety, aimed, POP! POP! POP!.... POP! POP! He hit Marcus in the knee with his first shot. He quickly took care of his mom and Tony with two well aimed shots to the head and neck before turning back to silence a screaming Marcus with two more shots. Alex tried to slow his breathing to no avail. His whole body trembled with a mix of satisfaction and regret. He did it. He finally took the lives of those who loved him most. Maybe the only ones that loved him, other than his dad... His dad! His flight would be landing about this time which gave Alex about an hour to decide what to do next! Alex rushed back up to his bedroom, face flush, terror creeping in after realizing that his life would never be the same again. He had to do something. He had to fix this! How did he ever get to this point? What drove him to murder? He looked around the room with sobering eyes. Violent video games lay strewn on his floor. Violent music continued to play softly on his CD player. He had to get rid of this stuff—it was from the devil! He threw his CD player to the floor, piling it with games and CDs. Grabbing the sledge hammer from the garage, he smashed his electronics beyond recognition, knowing that it really didn’t fix anything. He needed to fix it all. He would have to do it the only way he knew how—with the Remington. With tears in his eyes and blood on his hands he wrote post-it notes to his father explaining everything. He couldn’t live with himself knowing that he killed the ones he loved. He couldn’t live with himself knowing he broke his father’s heart and ruined their lives forever. With that, he set the notes throughout the upstairs of the house and went back to his room to wait. He wept, he prayed, and he cursed until he heard the tell-tale sign of the garage door opener marking his dad’s arrival. He briefly debated whether he should throw himself into his father’s arms begging for forgiveness, but the moment he heard the door close as his father entered the house, his decision became easy enough. POP! Alex’s father was greeted with silence when he entered the house. It wasn’t what he expected, seeing as it was Alex’s birthday. It wasn’t until he made it through the entryway that the familiar smell of a recently fired gun hit his nostrils. Immediate panic set in. He ran to the living room where his family lay as they had fallen. His heart instantly broke as he became a puddle of a man on the floor next to his wife. “Who would do this?” he cried softly, then, a few seconds later, “where is my other son?” He gathered himself, determined to find his son alive, hiding in a closet as a witness to the brutal murder of his family. He slowly made his way upstairs to Alex’s lair, well aware that the all-too-familiar smell was getting stronger again. It only took a peek into the room to confirm his worst nightmare and cause another breakdown. It was then that he saw the trail of notes; the notes that confirmed the destruction of his life and the murder of all those that he loved. His life would never be the same.
As some of you know, this is a true story. Yes, I added a creative flair to the situation, but Alex actually committed these crimes. His little brother Marcus was my brother's best friend until he was ten years old-- until his death. This is an extremely depressing story and brought many tears to my eyes while I was writing it, but I think it is necessary to point out that we need to be careful of what we fill our minds with. Now I am not suggesting that we avoid seeing any form of violence or refuse to hear any sort of vulgarity. that is not realistic. What I am suggesting, however, is that we prayerfully consider the things that we fill our day with. Is it wholesome? Is it worthwhile? What are we thinking about? While very few people think about committing such violent acts, Sin can manifest itself in much smaller ways when we are not diligent with our time. When we are not intentional, our thoughts can become selfish or prideful. or perhaps we become more lazy or more prone to anger. I love A.W. Tozer's quote:
"Sow a thought, reap an action
Sow an action, reap a habit
sow a habit, reap a lifestyle
sow a lifestyle, reap a destiny"
Philippians 4:8-- "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."
1 Thessalonians 5:22-- "Avoid every kind of evil"
Francis of Assisi-- "Preach always and seldom use words."
Monday, October 24, 2011
Hunger for Heaven
1 Peter 1:8-9 "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
I know for me, heaven is a concept that I cannot grasp. Eternal paradise goes beyond the realm of my imagination. A perfect world that radiates God's glory in such a complete and beautiful way is unfathomable. I can picture the most beautiful sunset, the smile of a baby, the love of a newlywed couple, the power in a thunderstorm, or the serenity of still waters-- yet all of these beautiful and even breathtaking things do not even come close to comparing with the everlasting, glorious kingdom waiting for us when these temporary bodies are retired. Nothing I can imagine can even scratch the surface of the intense pleasures and wonders that await us when we enter the presence of the most high.
“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—
is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the
friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and
all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties
you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no
human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with
heaven, if Christ were not there? ”
-- John Piper
This really weighed heavily on my mind for a few moments when I heard it, and to be really honest, that heaven sounds awesome-- for a time. But there is no way that the paradise described above could replace Christ. Nothing can truly satisfy except Christ.
So why do most of those things Piper talked about sound like a joyful paradise? is it wrong to find joy in the things of this world?
According to Ted Dekker, is his book "the Slumber of Christianity" not only is it perfectly ok to enjoy pleasures of this world, but they are essential to keeping a passion for heaven. Why is a passion for heaven important? well, just look at what Paul writes throughout the New Testament:
Col. 1:3-5 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel
Titus 1:1-2 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
1 Thess. 5:8-9 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ
Heaven is where our hope should reside. The pleasures of this earth are a foretaste of the future glory that awaits us. Wouldn't it be freeing to know that the things of this life are not supposed to satisfy us completely? We could stop looking for happiness in such things. Instead, view them as gifts, little tastes of what will truly satisfy and life will become much more joyful. at least mine has. Even ordinary everyday things can be glimpses of eternity. And in those moments, There is joy.
Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
I know for me, heaven is a concept that I cannot grasp. Eternal paradise goes beyond the realm of my imagination. A perfect world that radiates God's glory in such a complete and beautiful way is unfathomable. I can picture the most beautiful sunset, the smile of a baby, the love of a newlywed couple, the power in a thunderstorm, or the serenity of still waters-- yet all of these beautiful and even breathtaking things do not even come close to comparing with the everlasting, glorious kingdom waiting for us when these temporary bodies are retired. Nothing I can imagine can even scratch the surface of the intense pleasures and wonders that await us when we enter the presence of the most high.
“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—
is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the
friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and
all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties
you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no
human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with
heaven, if Christ were not there? ”
-- John Piper
This really weighed heavily on my mind for a few moments when I heard it, and to be really honest, that heaven sounds awesome-- for a time. But there is no way that the paradise described above could replace Christ. Nothing can truly satisfy except Christ.
So why do most of those things Piper talked about sound like a joyful paradise? is it wrong to find joy in the things of this world?
According to Ted Dekker, is his book "the Slumber of Christianity" not only is it perfectly ok to enjoy pleasures of this world, but they are essential to keeping a passion for heaven. Why is a passion for heaven important? well, just look at what Paul writes throughout the New Testament:
Col. 1:3-5 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel
Titus 1:1-2 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
1 Thess. 5:8-9 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ
Heaven is where our hope should reside. The pleasures of this earth are a foretaste of the future glory that awaits us. Wouldn't it be freeing to know that the things of this life are not supposed to satisfy us completely? We could stop looking for happiness in such things. Instead, view them as gifts, little tastes of what will truly satisfy and life will become much more joyful. at least mine has. Even ordinary everyday things can be glimpses of eternity. And in those moments, There is joy.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
G.O.S.P.E.L.
John 3:16
Romans 5:8
1 Timothy 1:15
Acts 4:12
1 Thessalonians 5:9
Titus 2:11
Hebrews 12:1-2
Revelation 7:10
This is good stuff
Romans 5:8
1 Timothy 1:15
Acts 4:12
1 Thessalonians 5:9
Titus 2:11
Hebrews 12:1-2
Revelation 7:10
This is good stuff
Monday, March 28, 2011
In the good times and the bad
God,
You are beautiful. You are holy. You are righteous. You are Just. You are forgiving. You are Jealous. You are all-powerful. You are all-knowing. You are perfect in every way.
God,
Life is so messy. My heart breaks daily when I see all the pain and evil around me, in me. God there are times when I am overwhelmed with life. Sometimes it is so hard to see the beauty of Your creation when all I see is brokenness and affliction. There are times when I call out to you looking for answers and comfort, yet you seem so far away. Why? Why must there always be the poor? Why does there need to be loneliness? Why does there need to be death? Why can’t you come down right now and set everything right? Why can’t you come and hold me in your arms assuring me that you love me?
God,
I am filled with questions, but it does not take away from my love for You. Even when I feel insecure and abandoned You gently comfort and restore me. In spite of my weakness and questioning you use me to accomplish your good. Despite the evil and depression in this world, You are present and perfect. And for that reason You are the only one worthy of my praise. God I want to be a double-edged sword for you. Make me your servant. I am your vessel to do with as you wish. Help me do nothing out of my own selfish ambition, but rather let me be humble and lift others above myself. Help me to not ignore the pain and troubles of this world and at the same time be a beacon of light and peace to those around me. God make me a rock. I pray that amidst this chaotic, sinful world I would be able keep my eyes fixed on you. Let me think of things that are holy, pure, righteous, and shameless. Help me mourn for those in sorrow, care for the weak and feeble, and love the unlovable. Help me listen to the meek, and calm the afflicted. God I pray that when I look in the mirror I will not see me, but rather your servant—a reflection of you.
God,
I will praise you through the good times and the bad. You are unchanging and everlasting. You are wonderful. You are my God, my father, my beloved.
Amen.
You are beautiful. You are holy. You are righteous. You are Just. You are forgiving. You are Jealous. You are all-powerful. You are all-knowing. You are perfect in every way.
God,
Life is so messy. My heart breaks daily when I see all the pain and evil around me, in me. God there are times when I am overwhelmed with life. Sometimes it is so hard to see the beauty of Your creation when all I see is brokenness and affliction. There are times when I call out to you looking for answers and comfort, yet you seem so far away. Why? Why must there always be the poor? Why does there need to be loneliness? Why does there need to be death? Why can’t you come down right now and set everything right? Why can’t you come and hold me in your arms assuring me that you love me?
God,
I am filled with questions, but it does not take away from my love for You. Even when I feel insecure and abandoned You gently comfort and restore me. In spite of my weakness and questioning you use me to accomplish your good. Despite the evil and depression in this world, You are present and perfect. And for that reason You are the only one worthy of my praise. God I want to be a double-edged sword for you. Make me your servant. I am your vessel to do with as you wish. Help me do nothing out of my own selfish ambition, but rather let me be humble and lift others above myself. Help me to not ignore the pain and troubles of this world and at the same time be a beacon of light and peace to those around me. God make me a rock. I pray that amidst this chaotic, sinful world I would be able keep my eyes fixed on you. Let me think of things that are holy, pure, righteous, and shameless. Help me mourn for those in sorrow, care for the weak and feeble, and love the unlovable. Help me listen to the meek, and calm the afflicted. God I pray that when I look in the mirror I will not see me, but rather your servant—a reflection of you.
God,
I will praise you through the good times and the bad. You are unchanging and everlasting. You are wonderful. You are my God, my father, my beloved.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Running the Race
For much of this last year I had felt pretty distant from Jesus. I went from attending chapel twice a week to once a month if I was lucky. I went from being in the word daily, earnestly seeking truth, to flipping through a few chapters once a week or so. Sin had crept into my life in many different ways and I was feeling pretty hopeless. I had a picture in my mind of what a student studying biblical and theological studies should look like: filled with the Holy Spirit, exuding infectious joy at all times, wise beyond his years, and living a life full of prayer and submission to God.
I realize that my view of what my life should look like was pretty unreasonable. Life is messy. The picture that I had was completely overwhelming me, even scaring me from trying to become more like Jesus. There are going to be times where I do not feel joyful. There are going to be times where I feel like there is no amount of faith that can move me out of complacency, let alone move mountains. I realize that I am going to have to battle against the powers and principalities of this world every day that I live.
It may seem pretty weird, but just the realization that I am going to have failures and shortcomings throughout the day gave has given me a great sense of peace. I am not using it as an excuse to sin! Rather, I am saying that becoming like Christ is a process that involves many failures as well as victories. God knows I am going to fail, but it is his love and forgiveness that has given me an overwhelming sense of joy that makes it possible to persevere. I think Hebrews 12 puts it well:
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Amen
I realize that my view of what my life should look like was pretty unreasonable. Life is messy. The picture that I had was completely overwhelming me, even scaring me from trying to become more like Jesus. There are going to be times where I do not feel joyful. There are going to be times where I feel like there is no amount of faith that can move me out of complacency, let alone move mountains. I realize that I am going to have to battle against the powers and principalities of this world every day that I live.
It may seem pretty weird, but just the realization that I am going to have failures and shortcomings throughout the day gave has given me a great sense of peace. I am not using it as an excuse to sin! Rather, I am saying that becoming like Christ is a process that involves many failures as well as victories. God knows I am going to fail, but it is his love and forgiveness that has given me an overwhelming sense of joy that makes it possible to persevere. I think Hebrews 12 puts it well:
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Amen
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