The Story - Chapter 8
This period of Judges is indeed an odd time in the history of Israel. You have this on-again-off-again relationship between Israel and God. In a way it reminds me of my high school or college days when boys and girls would date, then break-up, get back together, etc. For some couples you really never knew if they were a couple or not. One moment they'd be holding hands walking blissfully around campus and then next they'd be vowing to talk to the other never again.
It all reminds me of the title of a recent movie, It's Complicated! We really want a relationship with God but there are so many variables, so many issues that complicate the matter.
There are times when the relationship seems to take so much maintenance you wonder if it's worth it. There are demands on my time, sacrifices I must make, expectations I must live up to, other girls that seem more compatible, and the list goes on. When you think about it, it really is amazing that any man or woman finally makes the commitment to one person. But we do, and maybe that's the key - to finally make a commitment.
We make the commitment realizing that there will always be times when someone else seems more appealing but also realizing that there is real value in being a one-woman-man, or in this case a one-God-man. We realize that at times we may want to abandon God but because of the commitment we stand by our God! And usually things get better. The bad times pass. We expect ups and downs and hang on to our relationship with God because we know that in the long run a committed relationship far outweighs flitting back and forth from god to god.
As a nation Israel never seems to be able to make that complete connection with God. They're like that couple in college that you never know if they are together or not. And because of that their national life is topsy-turvy - a confusing mess of blessing and curses. And so it is with so many lives. Because we fail to make a clear-cut commitment to God we never experience the consistent blessing of a committed relationship. A relationship with God, or for that matter any relationship, is a complicated matter, but when we finally make the commitment then the complications disappear.
This chapter in The Story reminds me that until I make that commitment then my life will mirror this period in the history of Israel. I'll just have an on-again-off-again relationship with God that will be marked by anxiety and inconsistency. I must choose to make the decision to be a one-God-man and then I will consistently experience the joy and peace of a committed relationship with God.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The Story - Week 7
As you read through these stories of plagues and conquests it's almost as if you are reading some mythical account - like the tales of King Arthur or the adventures of Harry Potter. You may even think that some of these stories belong in the latest edition of Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Some of these events seem almost too far-fetched to be actually true. There's the temptation to question the historicity of these events. And certainly some have.
But whoever wrote the book of Joshua leaves little notes that seem to serve as witnesses that these are real events. Names and events have not been changed. These things really happened and you can verify the events yourself. Consider these little clues:
Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. - Joshua 4:9
But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. - Joshua 6:25
He hung the king of Ai on a tree and left him there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered them to take his body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day. - Joshua 8:29
That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day. - Joshua 9:27
At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day. - Joshua 10:27
• If you question whether or not the Jordan River was parted, go there and look at the stones set up that day. They're still there!
• Want to know about what happened to Jericho? You can just ask Rahab. She's still around.
• Doubt if the sun really stood still? Ask a Gibeonite on his way to deliver water.
• That victory over the confederacy of kings, there's proof. Go to the cave where they were hiding out. The rocks used to trap them are still there.
The book of Joshua represents itself as a historical record of real events that can be verified!
The same question of fact or fiction has also been raised against the events of the New Testament as well. Can the gospels be trusted? Are all those stories just myths created over time?
Peter responds to that accusation with these words:
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. - 2 Peter 1:16
John has something to say about this as well:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it. - 1 John 1:1–2
These events really took place. God has acted. Heaven has broken through to earth. Believe it or not!
As you read through these stories of plagues and conquests it's almost as if you are reading some mythical account - like the tales of King Arthur or the adventures of Harry Potter. You may even think that some of these stories belong in the latest edition of Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Some of these events seem almost too far-fetched to be actually true. There's the temptation to question the historicity of these events. And certainly some have.
But whoever wrote the book of Joshua leaves little notes that seem to serve as witnesses that these are real events. Names and events have not been changed. These things really happened and you can verify the events yourself. Consider these little clues:
Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. - Joshua 4:9
But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. - Joshua 6:25
He hung the king of Ai on a tree and left him there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered them to take his body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day. - Joshua 8:29
That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day. - Joshua 9:27
At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day. - Joshua 10:27
• If you question whether or not the Jordan River was parted, go there and look at the stones set up that day. They're still there!
• Want to know about what happened to Jericho? You can just ask Rahab. She's still around.
• Doubt if the sun really stood still? Ask a Gibeonite on his way to deliver water.
• That victory over the confederacy of kings, there's proof. Go to the cave where they were hiding out. The rocks used to trap them are still there.
The book of Joshua represents itself as a historical record of real events that can be verified!
The same question of fact or fiction has also been raised against the events of the New Testament as well. Can the gospels be trusted? Are all those stories just myths created over time?
Peter responds to that accusation with these words:
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. - 2 Peter 1:16
John has something to say about this as well:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it. - 1 John 1:1–2
These events really took place. God has acted. Heaven has broken through to earth. Believe it or not!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Week 6 - Wandering
I must admit -- sometimes I am a pessimist, and after reading chapter 6 of The Story it doesn't help! Seems that at every turn the people are messing up, making God angry, and suffering some catastrophic plague. I feel like I'm on a treasure hunt like Indiana Jones in some dark cave and seeing corpses of men who have failed all around me. The secret traps have fallen them all. If they couldn’t do it then how do I expect to make through the twists and turns of life?
Am I, are we all, doomed to failure?
But in the darkness of these wandering years I spy a few glimmers of hope.
Joshua and Caleb!
When everyone else seems scared and faithless these two are beacons of hope!
"We can do it"
"Let's not be afraid"
"God is with us"
When it seems like the darkness of doubt has overwhelmed everyone these two make me believe that perhaps failure is not the only option. Certainly an option that many have chosen, but not the only option!
And then there's this unsung hero, Phinehas. The grandson of Aaron impales a Jewish man and a Moabite woman who are apparently flaunting their immorality right there in the Hebrew's camp. For his courage, God calls off the plague brought on by their idolatry and immorality and Phinehas is hailed as an up-and-coming star!
Not all is lost. There is hope. It can be done. We don’t have to perish in the wilderness.
The glass may be half empty during the 40 years of wandering but Joshua, Caleb, and Phinehas fill up my cup just enough to believe that I can make it to the Promised Land!
I must admit -- sometimes I am a pessimist, and after reading chapter 6 of The Story it doesn't help! Seems that at every turn the people are messing up, making God angry, and suffering some catastrophic plague. I feel like I'm on a treasure hunt like Indiana Jones in some dark cave and seeing corpses of men who have failed all around me. The secret traps have fallen them all. If they couldn’t do it then how do I expect to make through the twists and turns of life?
Am I, are we all, doomed to failure?
But in the darkness of these wandering years I spy a few glimmers of hope.
Joshua and Caleb!
When everyone else seems scared and faithless these two are beacons of hope!
"We can do it"
"Let's not be afraid"
"God is with us"
When it seems like the darkness of doubt has overwhelmed everyone these two make me believe that perhaps failure is not the only option. Certainly an option that many have chosen, but not the only option!
And then there's this unsung hero, Phinehas. The grandson of Aaron impales a Jewish man and a Moabite woman who are apparently flaunting their immorality right there in the Hebrew's camp. For his courage, God calls off the plague brought on by their idolatry and immorality and Phinehas is hailed as an up-and-coming star!
Not all is lost. There is hope. It can be done. We don’t have to perish in the wilderness.
The glass may be half empty during the 40 years of wandering but Joshua, Caleb, and Phinehas fill up my cup just enough to believe that I can make it to the Promised Land!
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
The other day I sat down on the couch to watch a movie and realized I had four remote controls for the task! One for the television, one for the DVD player (which I really didn’t need, but grabbed anyway because it seems I always need the one I don't pick up), one for the cable box, and one for the game system that accesses the movies. Another time I had plopped down on the couch (where there is barely any room with all the remotes spread out) and couldn't access the movie provider and realized that my wireless internet connection wasn't working! So I had to get up and reset the router hoping that would resolve the problem.
What's worse is trying to watch television at someone else's house. Have you ever been asked to turn on a friend's television and a cold sweat comes over you when they hand you the remotes? There's a one in a thousand chance that I'll be able to figure it out.
When did watching television become so difficult? It has become so complicated that sometimes it's easier just to give up!
Reading through Chapter 5 in The Story I realized that there was a lot missing. It includes the Ten Commandments but simply summarizes all the other laws with a brief little paragraph. Now, I'm not bashing this edition of the Bible but just want to point out that the Law was very complicated. That's why many people bog down in their Bible reading when they come to the book of Leviticus. It's just so complicated it's easier just to give up!
I think the Jews felt my frustration as well. Some, like the Pharisees, became masters of the remotes. They knew all the right buttons to press and even added a few new ones of their own. But many seemed to get lost in all the details of the Law, especially when the Pharisees made religion even more difficult than it had to be.
So I find it very comforting when an expert in the Law comes to Jesus and asks him what is the greatest commandment it. What button is most important? Which remote should I always have at hand? What command says it all?
Jesus' simple reply is, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
He takes all the Law and boils it down to two commandments! Wow.
I think a lot of people give up on religion because they see it as this complex system of rules and regulations. They think of church and God and a cold sweat overtakes them because they know there's a one in a thousand chance that they'll be able to get it right. Some think that a relationship with God is just too complicated when in actuality Jesus says it's quite simple.
Christianity doesn't necessitate an advanced degree. It doesn't require hours of training. You don’t have to know ancient languages. You don’t have to memorize tricky words. All you need to do is love God and love those around you. Now, we all know that's not an easy task, but at least we can get a handle on it!
What's worse is trying to watch television at someone else's house. Have you ever been asked to turn on a friend's television and a cold sweat comes over you when they hand you the remotes? There's a one in a thousand chance that I'll be able to figure it out.
When did watching television become so difficult? It has become so complicated that sometimes it's easier just to give up!
Reading through Chapter 5 in The Story I realized that there was a lot missing. It includes the Ten Commandments but simply summarizes all the other laws with a brief little paragraph. Now, I'm not bashing this edition of the Bible but just want to point out that the Law was very complicated. That's why many people bog down in their Bible reading when they come to the book of Leviticus. It's just so complicated it's easier just to give up!
I think the Jews felt my frustration as well. Some, like the Pharisees, became masters of the remotes. They knew all the right buttons to press and even added a few new ones of their own. But many seemed to get lost in all the details of the Law, especially when the Pharisees made religion even more difficult than it had to be.
So I find it very comforting when an expert in the Law comes to Jesus and asks him what is the greatest commandment it. What button is most important? Which remote should I always have at hand? What command says it all?
Jesus' simple reply is, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
He takes all the Law and boils it down to two commandments! Wow.
I think a lot of people give up on religion because they see it as this complex system of rules and regulations. They think of church and God and a cold sweat overtakes them because they know there's a one in a thousand chance that they'll be able to get it right. Some think that a relationship with God is just too complicated when in actuality Jesus says it's quite simple.
Christianity doesn't necessitate an advanced degree. It doesn't require hours of training. You don’t have to know ancient languages. You don’t have to memorize tricky words. All you need to do is love God and love those around you. Now, we all know that's not an easy task, but at least we can get a handle on it!
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
The Story - Week 4
Deliverance
Complain, complain, complain!!! Of all the themes in this week's reading one that stood out to me is how often the people are complaining.
As the story begins we find them crying out about the slavery. This is a good complaining. No one should be happy being in slavery to a godless master. No one should settle for an existence that has no real eternal purpose. Sometimes complaining is a virtue.
But after God acts the complaining goes from good to bad!! When things get even tougher after Moses confronts Pharaoh they really let Moses have it! Why was Moses confronting Pharaoh? To get them some relief so they wouldn't have to complain so much. Did they think the problem would just go away without a little effort?
Then (well after a few miracles and plagues) deliverance comes and you'd think the complaining would stop. But nooooooooooo! More complaining. When they are trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's ensuing army they complain. They even remind Moses that he should have left them alone to serve the Egyptians! "Who asked you to save us anyway?" is their refrain.
They're in the wilderness for three days … THREE DAYS … and start complaining because they can't find water. "If only we died in Egypt," is their new cry! They grumble, they whine, they second guess, they rebel. Complain, complain, complain!
There's good complaining and bad complaining and Israel has become a master at the latter!
Am I a good complainer or a bad complainer?
It's easy to be a bad complainer, even in church! There's always a reason to whine and grumble - the parking is terrible, the pews are uncomfortable, the service is long, the audio-visual is messed up, church members are insensitive, the preaching is … let's not even go there!!!
Here's my conclusion. Life is tough, there will always be challenges, there will always be a reason to complain. My feet will be sore, my back will hurt, my soul will become weary whether I'm in slavery or liberation. Let's give them this, liberation wasn't as easy as they thought it would be. But isn't liberation better than slavery? Isn't it better to endure difficulties knowing you're going somewhere rather than just suffer with no goal in life?
I do need to complain when I am not living out God's purpose in my life, but then, when he gives me a purpose, a journey, then stop complaining and get on with task at hand -- no matter how difficult it may be.
On my journey I may get parched, I may be surrounded by enemies, I may get discouraged - but God help me not to complain. Help me never long for those days, perhaps even easier days, when I had no purpose. Lord, set me on my path and give me the strength to walk with purpose and courage (and as little complaining as possible)!
Deliverance
Complain, complain, complain!!! Of all the themes in this week's reading one that stood out to me is how often the people are complaining.
As the story begins we find them crying out about the slavery. This is a good complaining. No one should be happy being in slavery to a godless master. No one should settle for an existence that has no real eternal purpose. Sometimes complaining is a virtue.
But after God acts the complaining goes from good to bad!! When things get even tougher after Moses confronts Pharaoh they really let Moses have it! Why was Moses confronting Pharaoh? To get them some relief so they wouldn't have to complain so much. Did they think the problem would just go away without a little effort?
Then (well after a few miracles and plagues) deliverance comes and you'd think the complaining would stop. But nooooooooooo! More complaining. When they are trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's ensuing army they complain. They even remind Moses that he should have left them alone to serve the Egyptians! "Who asked you to save us anyway?" is their refrain.
They're in the wilderness for three days … THREE DAYS … and start complaining because they can't find water. "If only we died in Egypt," is their new cry! They grumble, they whine, they second guess, they rebel. Complain, complain, complain!
There's good complaining and bad complaining and Israel has become a master at the latter!
Am I a good complainer or a bad complainer?
It's easy to be a bad complainer, even in church! There's always a reason to whine and grumble - the parking is terrible, the pews are uncomfortable, the service is long, the audio-visual is messed up, church members are insensitive, the preaching is … let's not even go there!!!
Here's my conclusion. Life is tough, there will always be challenges, there will always be a reason to complain. My feet will be sore, my back will hurt, my soul will become weary whether I'm in slavery or liberation. Let's give them this, liberation wasn't as easy as they thought it would be. But isn't liberation better than slavery? Isn't it better to endure difficulties knowing you're going somewhere rather than just suffer with no goal in life?
I do need to complain when I am not living out God's purpose in my life, but then, when he gives me a purpose, a journey, then stop complaining and get on with task at hand -- no matter how difficult it may be.
On my journey I may get parched, I may be surrounded by enemies, I may get discouraged - but God help me not to complain. Help me never long for those days, perhaps even easier days, when I had no purpose. Lord, set me on my path and give me the strength to walk with purpose and courage (and as little complaining as possible)!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Story - Week 3
I love the story of Joseph. It all ends so wonderfully. Joseph ends up with the last laugh! His dreams of grandeur come true. His father's preferential treatment is validated. The expression, "All's well that ends well" never depicted a story so fittingly.
I love the story, at least I love the ending. The process is not so endearing. Joseph was sold off by his brothers, forgotten by his jail-mate, and falsely accused by his boss's wife. He found himself in pits and prisons. His coat of many colors was torn and bathed in blood. For a good portion of his life he lived without the support of family. For all he knew his family had just let him go without any effort to find him. He lived in a foreign land where his dreams of success must have been fading fast.
Yet Joseph somehow kept those dreams alive and perhaps it was those dreams that kept HIM alive!
When we stop envisioning a better future then our present is bound to be full of anguish. All the despair, all the betrayals, all the pits we find ourselves in need to be interpreted by the dreams that God has placed in our hearts - dreams of success. Isn't this what Joseph means when he reveals himself to his brothers and instead of blaming and accusing he says, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good"? When the dreams seemed as good as dead, they were still very much alive in the mind of God.
All the while Joseph must have had held on to the hope that God was moving him to a happy ending and nothing could stop that from happening. Paul reaffirms this thought in Romans 8:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So, don’t give into despair; don't think that God has abandoned you. The process is sometimes very painful but happy endings come to those who keep the dream alive.
For two inspirational videos on people who successfully endured the process see the sites below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu42EN42zEQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sch3QAt3iVc
I love the story of Joseph. It all ends so wonderfully. Joseph ends up with the last laugh! His dreams of grandeur come true. His father's preferential treatment is validated. The expression, "All's well that ends well" never depicted a story so fittingly.
I love the story, at least I love the ending. The process is not so endearing. Joseph was sold off by his brothers, forgotten by his jail-mate, and falsely accused by his boss's wife. He found himself in pits and prisons. His coat of many colors was torn and bathed in blood. For a good portion of his life he lived without the support of family. For all he knew his family had just let him go without any effort to find him. He lived in a foreign land where his dreams of success must have been fading fast.
Yet Joseph somehow kept those dreams alive and perhaps it was those dreams that kept HIM alive!
When we stop envisioning a better future then our present is bound to be full of anguish. All the despair, all the betrayals, all the pits we find ourselves in need to be interpreted by the dreams that God has placed in our hearts - dreams of success. Isn't this what Joseph means when he reveals himself to his brothers and instead of blaming and accusing he says, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good"? When the dreams seemed as good as dead, they were still very much alive in the mind of God.
All the while Joseph must have had held on to the hope that God was moving him to a happy ending and nothing could stop that from happening. Paul reaffirms this thought in Romans 8:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So, don’t give into despair; don't think that God has abandoned you. The process is sometimes very painful but happy endings come to those who keep the dream alive.
For two inspirational videos on people who successfully endured the process see the sites below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu42EN42zEQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sch3QAt3iVc
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. - Galatians 3:7, 9
In chapter two of The Story we are introduced to one of the most influential characters of the entire Bible- Abraham. God chooses this one man through whom he will build a nation that will forever have a special place in God's dealings with human beings. It is through Abraham that the Jewish race will descend and eventually give us the Messiah, Jesus himself.
As Abraham is referenced in the New Testament it is most often in conjunction with some instruction on faith. Abraham is the "father of the faithful," the example of what it means to follow God without question (or at least with just a few), the man who stands as a model to us all. And by all, I mean not only Jews but all who believe, Jew and non-Jew alike. In fact, Paul even makes the case that all of us who believe are children of Abraham and benefactors of the same promises - regardless of our genetics.
I take some pride in being a descendant of one of the pilgrims who sailed to the new land on the Mayflower. Accompanied by her parents, Constance Hopkins came to Plymouth as a child. As it turns out she is my great(x10 or so)-grandmother. I think that's cool and I'd like to think that some of the same adventurous spirit and dedication to faith that must have characterized her lives to some degree in me. I also like to share that story with my kids hoping that they will develop the same pride.
A few years ago my son Bao, whom we adopted from China, was learning about the pilgrims in his third grade class when he exclaimed to his teacher that HE was a descendent of one of those Mayflower passengers! Noting his obvious Asian heritage one child asked with a puzzled expression, "How could Bao be a descendant of a pilgrim?" In spite of genetics he claimed pilgrim ancestry.
By virtue of a spiritual connection I too claim an ancestry that is not technically mine. I am a child of Abraham and in that I take some pride. And by that connection I would like to think that the same kind of adventurous faith and dedication to God that characterized Abraham's life lives to some degree in me.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Chapter One - Creation
Creation has always been intriguing to me, especially the vastness of it all. I remember as a young child lying out on the grass on a warm summer's day looking up at the sky wondering how far it went and then wondering if it ended then what was after that. I couldn’t imagine a universe contained, but I also couldn't imagine a universe eternal! Even now as I look up into a star-filled evening sky it amazes me - the distances and sizes just boggle my mind. I figure there must be something behind it all!
Recently I've also been amazed by the variety of creation. All the different types of animals out there, each one with its own distinctive look. I'm no scientist, but I hear the naturalistic explanation of life and it just doesn’t seem to account for so much variety. If life happened by some accident then there must have been a lot of different accidents to produce all these different kinds of life. I figure there must be something behind it all!
Also, what about the earth that provides all the food for all these life forms to survive on? I walk through the produce section of the grocery store and am amazed at just how much this earth produces - all the fruits and vegetables year after year springing up from the earth to sustain life on earth. Another fortunate accident that this life that sprang up was able to find apples and bananas around to keep it alive. I figure there must be something behind it all!
The beginning of The Story lets us know that THERE IS something, or rather someone, behind all this world. "In the beginning, God…" The Bible never attempts to prove God's existence, it just states it as a given. And for me it's not a real difficult given to accept. Sure, there are times that I doubt, times that it appears to me that chance and randomness are in control, but when in doubt I only have to look up and around and evidence is all about.
As we begin The Story we start with the knowledge that, in the beginning, God is there and we can be assured that he'll be there all the way to the end.
Creation has always been intriguing to me, especially the vastness of it all. I remember as a young child lying out on the grass on a warm summer's day looking up at the sky wondering how far it went and then wondering if it ended then what was after that. I couldn’t imagine a universe contained, but I also couldn't imagine a universe eternal! Even now as I look up into a star-filled evening sky it amazes me - the distances and sizes just boggle my mind. I figure there must be something behind it all!
Recently I've also been amazed by the variety of creation. All the different types of animals out there, each one with its own distinctive look. I'm no scientist, but I hear the naturalistic explanation of life and it just doesn’t seem to account for so much variety. If life happened by some accident then there must have been a lot of different accidents to produce all these different kinds of life. I figure there must be something behind it all!
Also, what about the earth that provides all the food for all these life forms to survive on? I walk through the produce section of the grocery store and am amazed at just how much this earth produces - all the fruits and vegetables year after year springing up from the earth to sustain life on earth. Another fortunate accident that this life that sprang up was able to find apples and bananas around to keep it alive. I figure there must be something behind it all!
The beginning of The Story lets us know that THERE IS something, or rather someone, behind all this world. "In the beginning, God…" The Bible never attempts to prove God's existence, it just states it as a given. And for me it's not a real difficult given to accept. Sure, there are times that I doubt, times that it appears to me that chance and randomness are in control, but when in doubt I only have to look up and around and evidence is all about.
As we begin The Story we start with the knowledge that, in the beginning, God is there and we can be assured that he'll be there all the way to the end.
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Fly Over
As we enter into this 31-week study through the Bible I'm confident of many benefits we'll experience individually and as a congregation, but the one that comes to mind on the cusp of this voyage is the opportunity to get a panoramic look at God's relationship with us humans. It'll be a fly-over of sorts as we start at square one, creation, and end up with a glimpse of the consummation of God's plan, heaven.
There are a lot of people, Christians included, who have trouble understanding God. They'll say, "How could God do this or that?" or "If God really loved us He wouldn't act that way!" Granted, there are many God-denying events recorded in the Bible (as well as other records of human history) that seem to indicate that God can't exist, at least the God we hear about in Bible Classes. Many of these atheistic or agnostic conclusions are based on individual events or statements, not on His total body of work. How would you liked be judged based on one particular day or period of your life?
Years ago my niece who lived just across the street from us brought a friend by our house to swim in our pool. I was out working in the yard and was frustrated at something, can't remember just what. But apparently I didn’t make a great first impression on this stranger as I overheard her say to my niece, "Boy, you've got a grumpy uncle!" I was offended. "You don't even know me," I wanted to shout. My character was being judged on the basis of one passing encounter! Too many people do the same with God.
Many people don’t judge God -- they judge some being they think is God. They don't know Him well enough to make a clear-headed judgment on his character. They don't know the plan, and when you don't know the plan individual steps along the way may seem contradictory.
Have you ever printed out a map to a destination east of you and were taken aback when you have to take a highway that goes west? On the basis of that one step on a long journey it appears that the direction giver is insane, wicked, or just plan uninformed! But sometimes God takes us on what appears to us to be the wrong direction to get us on the right direction.
God can't be judged on individual events. We need to know The Story.
As we enter into this 31-week study through the Bible I'm confident of many benefits we'll experience individually and as a congregation, but the one that comes to mind on the cusp of this voyage is the opportunity to get a panoramic look at God's relationship with us humans. It'll be a fly-over of sorts as we start at square one, creation, and end up with a glimpse of the consummation of God's plan, heaven.
There are a lot of people, Christians included, who have trouble understanding God. They'll say, "How could God do this or that?" or "If God really loved us He wouldn't act that way!" Granted, there are many God-denying events recorded in the Bible (as well as other records of human history) that seem to indicate that God can't exist, at least the God we hear about in Bible Classes. Many of these atheistic or agnostic conclusions are based on individual events or statements, not on His total body of work. How would you liked be judged based on one particular day or period of your life?
Years ago my niece who lived just across the street from us brought a friend by our house to swim in our pool. I was out working in the yard and was frustrated at something, can't remember just what. But apparently I didn’t make a great first impression on this stranger as I overheard her say to my niece, "Boy, you've got a grumpy uncle!" I was offended. "You don't even know me," I wanted to shout. My character was being judged on the basis of one passing encounter! Too many people do the same with God.
Many people don’t judge God -- they judge some being they think is God. They don't know Him well enough to make a clear-headed judgment on his character. They don't know the plan, and when you don't know the plan individual steps along the way may seem contradictory.
Have you ever printed out a map to a destination east of you and were taken aback when you have to take a highway that goes west? On the basis of that one step on a long journey it appears that the direction giver is insane, wicked, or just plan uninformed! But sometimes God takes us on what appears to us to be the wrong direction to get us on the right direction.
God can't be judged on individual events. We need to know The Story.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
As you read this Sunday morning Texas Stadium will have been reduced to a pile of rubble.
Growing up in New England in the 1970’s as a National Football League fan there was no sight quite like the aerial view of Texas Stadium – especially on Monday Night Football! To a pre-teen Yankee, Texas seemed so far away, the Cowboys were football royalty, and Texas Stadium was the royal residence. I remember being told that the hole in the roof was there so God could watch his favorite team!
Years later I walked into the legendary stadium to see Denison’s high school football team vie for a state championship. Walking into Texas Stadium was like living a childhood dream - - here I was in the very place that I so admired as a child. I could almost hear the voices of Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard Cossell announce my arrival. Just two years ago my daughters actually stepped foot on the hallowed turf as one cheered on the Yellowjackets and another marched with the band as once again Denison’s local 11 made a run at the state championship.
The venerable stadium is now just a pile of rubble. Replaced by a newer, fancier, billion-dollar structure Taxes Stadium has been reduced to being the eyesore of Irving – just a heap of stone alongside Loop 12.
And so is the future of every stadium, every structure, every accomplishment of man.
It’s been a lesson that God has been trying to teach us from nearly the very beginning. “Build the best and most beautiful that you can,” God challenges us, “And I will remind you that buildings, stadiums, palaces will never get you to where you want to go.” The Tower of Babel was man’s first attempt to find immortality in buildings and we all know how that worked out. The path that leads to God is not one constructed by humans, yet we continue to believe that buildings, things, possessions can ultimately lead us to the eternal.
A theme of Scripture is that man was never meant to create the eternal; we were made to pursue It.
Jesus reminded us of this when he said, “Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven.” “Turn your sights from human accomplishments toward the divine accomplishment,” he instructs us. “You’ll never find security, lasting peace in those things that eventually crumble, whether it be by carefully placed explosives or something as commonplace as rust and moths.” What a futile quest we find ourselves in when we look for lasting value in transitory things.
Texas Stadium, the awesome structure that inspired and awed me as a youth, is now just a pile of rubble – the common fate of everything in this world.
So goodbye and thanks for the memories. But more importantly, thanks for the reminder.
Growing up in New England in the 1970’s as a National Football League fan there was no sight quite like the aerial view of Texas Stadium – especially on Monday Night Football! To a pre-teen Yankee, Texas seemed so far away, the Cowboys were football royalty, and Texas Stadium was the royal residence. I remember being told that the hole in the roof was there so God could watch his favorite team!
Years later I walked into the legendary stadium to see Denison’s high school football team vie for a state championship. Walking into Texas Stadium was like living a childhood dream - - here I was in the very place that I so admired as a child. I could almost hear the voices of Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard Cossell announce my arrival. Just two years ago my daughters actually stepped foot on the hallowed turf as one cheered on the Yellowjackets and another marched with the band as once again Denison’s local 11 made a run at the state championship.
The venerable stadium is now just a pile of rubble. Replaced by a newer, fancier, billion-dollar structure Taxes Stadium has been reduced to being the eyesore of Irving – just a heap of stone alongside Loop 12.
And so is the future of every stadium, every structure, every accomplishment of man.
It’s been a lesson that God has been trying to teach us from nearly the very beginning. “Build the best and most beautiful that you can,” God challenges us, “And I will remind you that buildings, stadiums, palaces will never get you to where you want to go.” The Tower of Babel was man’s first attempt to find immortality in buildings and we all know how that worked out. The path that leads to God is not one constructed by humans, yet we continue to believe that buildings, things, possessions can ultimately lead us to the eternal.
A theme of Scripture is that man was never meant to create the eternal; we were made to pursue It.
Jesus reminded us of this when he said, “Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven.” “Turn your sights from human accomplishments toward the divine accomplishment,” he instructs us. “You’ll never find security, lasting peace in those things that eventually crumble, whether it be by carefully placed explosives or something as commonplace as rust and moths.” What a futile quest we find ourselves in when we look for lasting value in transitory things.
Texas Stadium, the awesome structure that inspired and awed me as a youth, is now just a pile of rubble – the common fate of everything in this world.
So goodbye and thanks for the memories. But more importantly, thanks for the reminder.
You’ve probably seen the replay by now of what happened in Arlington during last Sunday’s Ranger game. A 28-year-old man dived over a row of seats in pursuit of a foul ball. In his way was a four-year-old fan who was pushed aside and bumped. The man returned to his seat a row behind and victoriously held up the ball as other fans began chanting, “Give him the ball!” He didn’t and that overaggressive act set off a wave of response.
Word of the injustice got back to the dugouts, and before the game was over Ranger and Cardinal players gave the four-year-old two bats and four baseballs, one signed by Nolan Ryan! Later in the week, the family was invited to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America and more good fortune came his way – he was given New York Met souvenirs and tickets to the Mets game.
Turns out, not getting that ball was one of the best things that ever happened!
We all get jostled now and then by overaggressive people. At our feet we find treasures snatched away by someone stronger than us. We get cheated, lose rewards, and sit quietly while others exult in their conquest.
This is particularly the case for Christians who play by the rules, who live unselfishly, who are willing to turn the other cheek. Always has been - always will be! We live as helpless four-year-olds in a world of powerful adults!
But we live this way knowing that there are greater rewards than baseballs out there. We know that the guy sitting behind us won’t have the last word. We know that word of the injustice gets back to the Father. And we know that one day it will be the four-year-old’s day to exult.
It will even turn out that not getting that ball will be one of the best things that ever happened to us.
After receiving his gifts from Good Morning America host Charles Gibson, the four-year-old simply responded, “Wow!” One day, we will do the same!
Word of the injustice got back to the dugouts, and before the game was over Ranger and Cardinal players gave the four-year-old two bats and four baseballs, one signed by Nolan Ryan! Later in the week, the family was invited to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America and more good fortune came his way – he was given New York Met souvenirs and tickets to the Mets game.
Turns out, not getting that ball was one of the best things that ever happened!
We all get jostled now and then by overaggressive people. At our feet we find treasures snatched away by someone stronger than us. We get cheated, lose rewards, and sit quietly while others exult in their conquest.
This is particularly the case for Christians who play by the rules, who live unselfishly, who are willing to turn the other cheek. Always has been - always will be! We live as helpless four-year-olds in a world of powerful adults!
But we live this way knowing that there are greater rewards than baseballs out there. We know that the guy sitting behind us won’t have the last word. We know that word of the injustice gets back to the Father. And we know that one day it will be the four-year-old’s day to exult.
It will even turn out that not getting that ball will be one of the best things that ever happened to us.
After receiving his gifts from Good Morning America host Charles Gibson, the four-year-old simply responded, “Wow!” One day, we will do the same!
Over the last couple of months I’ve tuned into Extreme Makeover – Home Edition on Sunday evenings. The stories I’ve seen are heart-wrenching. A family whose mother has died gets a new home with specially designed rooms for each kid and the widower. A family with a child beset with autism and numerous other health setbacks get a new home specifically designed to nurture the autistic child. The family has been away one week while a top-notch crew renovates the home with a seemingly unlimited budget.
After the week is up the family returns and gets a room-by-room tour of their new home - jaws drop at the transformation, smiles erupt with each opened door, tears of appreciation flow.
The end of the show leaves me in tears. I don’t even know these people yet I feel myself overwhelmed with a sense of joy that they now have such a beautiful place to live. Yet, I also feel a twinge of jealousy – wouldn’t it be so awesome to be one of those families? To have a home specially designed for me, one that would buckle my knees in delight and appreciation.
Last week it dawned on me that one day I will. “I go to prepare a place for you,” Jesus says. In the book of Revelation John describes heaven in jaw-dropping terms. After our week is over we will be given a room-by-room tour of our new home – one that will give new meaning to the term Extreme Makeover. I must admit I’m tiring of all the reality shows on television, but there is one I’m excited about: Extreme Makeover – Heaven Edition.
After the week is up the family returns and gets a room-by-room tour of their new home - jaws drop at the transformation, smiles erupt with each opened door, tears of appreciation flow.
The end of the show leaves me in tears. I don’t even know these people yet I feel myself overwhelmed with a sense of joy that they now have such a beautiful place to live. Yet, I also feel a twinge of jealousy – wouldn’t it be so awesome to be one of those families? To have a home specially designed for me, one that would buckle my knees in delight and appreciation.
Last week it dawned on me that one day I will. “I go to prepare a place for you,” Jesus says. In the book of Revelation John describes heaven in jaw-dropping terms. After our week is over we will be given a room-by-room tour of our new home – one that will give new meaning to the term Extreme Makeover. I must admit I’m tiring of all the reality shows on television, but there is one I’m excited about: Extreme Makeover – Heaven Edition.
Ran across an article today - Doctors Often Prescribe Placebo Treatments. I know I had placebo as vocabulary word in High School, but just to refresh myself I looked it up in the dictionary. Placebo—A substance containing no medication and prescribed or given to reinforce a patient's expectation to get well. The article defines the placebo effect as a benefit produced by assuring someone that whatever is being given will benefit whatever the problem happens to be. Apparently this sometimes actually works! I find it amazing that our minds can have so much control! What we think can actually affect how we feel.
Now I’m not here to debate the ethics of this type of treatment or to defend or refute any medical practice, but I do see a spiritual parallel here. What we think about can determine our spiritual health. If you think spiritually unhealthy thoughts, you will feel spiritually unhealthy. If you think spiritually healthy thoughts, you will feel spiritually healthy.
Last week in our small group this passage was brought up—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. (Philippians 4:8).
Are you feeling a little spiritually weak? Coming down with a little spiritual bug? You may not need anything more than a change of thinking. Think about good things, dwell on God’s love, find something to be thankful for. Change your thinking and you just may end up changing your life!
Now I’m not here to debate the ethics of this type of treatment or to defend or refute any medical practice, but I do see a spiritual parallel here. What we think about can determine our spiritual health. If you think spiritually unhealthy thoughts, you will feel spiritually unhealthy. If you think spiritually healthy thoughts, you will feel spiritually healthy.
Last week in our small group this passage was brought up—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. (Philippians 4:8).
Are you feeling a little spiritually weak? Coming down with a little spiritual bug? You may not need anything more than a change of thinking. Think about good things, dwell on God’s love, find something to be thankful for. Change your thinking and you just may end up changing your life!
Disturbing news for anyone who has ever been or ever plans to go to a zoo – on Christmas day a seemingly innocent visit to the San Francisco Zoo turned tragic. A Siberian Tiger escaped from her enclosure killing a young man and mauling two others. Couldn’t help but think of the warning from the apostle Peter - “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
How and why the attack occurred is under investigation, but one thing is sure -- whatever fence, barrier, or barricade that separated the helpless guests from the ferocious beasts was inadequate. If you’re going to get close to danger you’d better be sure you’re protected. The same is true is a spiritual sense.
Certainly one way to avoid that danger is to simply stop going to the Zoo. Chances are slim that a Siberian tiger or, for that matter, any dangerous beast will find his way down my street. But in a spiritual sense Peter seems to be saying the Satan prowls down every man’s street. It’s like we’re not at the zoo with protective walls and secure enclosures but at a petting farm where the animals are not harmless sheep and chickens, but Siberian Tigers wanting to tear me limb from limb.
What’s an innocent Christian to do?
Peter’s advice is short and sweet – be self controlled and be alert. Watch your step; be aware that danger is in the air; know that temptation can be around every corner. The apostle Paul gives similar advice - “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22, 22). We must be aware of the spiritual hazards that we face day by day. Sounds pretty bleak, almost like Dorothy and friends in the Wizard of Oz – Lions and tigers and bears – OH MY!!
But there is hope. Nowhere in Scripture are the warnings of a vigilant tempter not countered with the resources of a powerful deliverer. By the power of God’s Spirit we’re reminded that the prowling lion is resistible, beatable, and utterly helpless in the presence of The Lion. Another apostle sets the record straight saying, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
It is a zoo out there, but thanks be to God there’s no enemy that the two of us can’t ward off!
How and why the attack occurred is under investigation, but one thing is sure -- whatever fence, barrier, or barricade that separated the helpless guests from the ferocious beasts was inadequate. If you’re going to get close to danger you’d better be sure you’re protected. The same is true is a spiritual sense.
Certainly one way to avoid that danger is to simply stop going to the Zoo. Chances are slim that a Siberian tiger or, for that matter, any dangerous beast will find his way down my street. But in a spiritual sense Peter seems to be saying the Satan prowls down every man’s street. It’s like we’re not at the zoo with protective walls and secure enclosures but at a petting farm where the animals are not harmless sheep and chickens, but Siberian Tigers wanting to tear me limb from limb.
What’s an innocent Christian to do?
Peter’s advice is short and sweet – be self controlled and be alert. Watch your step; be aware that danger is in the air; know that temptation can be around every corner. The apostle Paul gives similar advice - “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22, 22). We must be aware of the spiritual hazards that we face day by day. Sounds pretty bleak, almost like Dorothy and friends in the Wizard of Oz – Lions and tigers and bears – OH MY!!
But there is hope. Nowhere in Scripture are the warnings of a vigilant tempter not countered with the resources of a powerful deliverer. By the power of God’s Spirit we’re reminded that the prowling lion is resistible, beatable, and utterly helpless in the presence of The Lion. Another apostle sets the record straight saying, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
It is a zoo out there, but thanks be to God there’s no enemy that the two of us can’t ward off!
One of my summer memories is sleeping late and waking up to watch Bob Barker host The Price is Right. As a kid I did pretty well – no telling how many dinettes, bedroom suites, and cars I could have won if my name had ever been called to Come on Down! With a different schedule it’s been a while since I’ve watched the Price is Right, but I hear that Bob is stepping down after 30+ years.
One of the premises of the popular game show and the inspiration for the title is determining how much a product is worth. It’s a case of television imitating reality – every day we face the same challenge. Is that car worth the payments; are the clothes worth the price tag; is the house worth the mortgage; is the meal worth the tab? Over and over we make decision whether or not the price is right.
Jesus challenges potential disciples to go through the same process. Before you commit to discipleship you have to realize that discipleship, like everything else, comes with a price. Jesus uses the phrase “count the cost.” He says before someone builds a tower he counts the cost so that he will not be ridiculed if he is unable to finish. Or if a king is going into battle he’ll assess his forces and then decide whether or not to engage in battle. The same is true for would-be disciples – before you commit you better count the cost. And the cost is everything: “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Talk about sticker shock!
So, is it worth it? Is the price right? The cost is everything you have, but the reward is everything you desire! After Jesus reveals the price tag he goes on to tell three stories that illustrate the incomparable value of being a disciple. It’s like finding the coin you’ve been frantically searching for; it’s like finding the treasured sheep that’s gone astray; it’s like coming home to a loving and forgiving father. The only people who fail to make the sacrifice are those who fail to see the benefits!
It was missionary and martyr Jim Elliot who once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." No doubt – the price is right!
One of the premises of the popular game show and the inspiration for the title is determining how much a product is worth. It’s a case of television imitating reality – every day we face the same challenge. Is that car worth the payments; are the clothes worth the price tag; is the house worth the mortgage; is the meal worth the tab? Over and over we make decision whether or not the price is right.
Jesus challenges potential disciples to go through the same process. Before you commit to discipleship you have to realize that discipleship, like everything else, comes with a price. Jesus uses the phrase “count the cost.” He says before someone builds a tower he counts the cost so that he will not be ridiculed if he is unable to finish. Or if a king is going into battle he’ll assess his forces and then decide whether or not to engage in battle. The same is true for would-be disciples – before you commit you better count the cost. And the cost is everything: “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Talk about sticker shock!
So, is it worth it? Is the price right? The cost is everything you have, but the reward is everything you desire! After Jesus reveals the price tag he goes on to tell three stories that illustrate the incomparable value of being a disciple. It’s like finding the coin you’ve been frantically searching for; it’s like finding the treasured sheep that’s gone astray; it’s like coming home to a loving and forgiving father. The only people who fail to make the sacrifice are those who fail to see the benefits!
It was missionary and martyr Jim Elliot who once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." No doubt – the price is right!
While I was out raking some leaves this past fall a strange thought crossed my mind. It seemed as if there were fewer leaves for this time of year and I wondered whether or not the extended daylight savings time had anything to do with it. Then I thought how ridiculous that thought was. Changing our clocks can have no effect on the natural laws God has set into effect. That would be like on a cold day in February turning the calendar to July expecting to get warmer weather. I can say it’s summer till I’m blue in the face, but if it’s winter, it’s winter. God's natural law does not depend on human opinion.
In the same way God’s moral law cannot be altered by human opinion. We can say sin is not sin until we’re blue in the face, but if it’s sin, it’s sin. And if it’s sin there will be some consequences. Calling sin “choice”, “disposition”, “alternative lifestyle”, “preference”, “inclination”, or “the new morality” will never change God's moral law. To do so is as ridiculous as expecting a Texas snow storm in July because you flipped the calendar to January!
In the same way God’s moral law cannot be altered by human opinion. We can say sin is not sin until we’re blue in the face, but if it’s sin, it’s sin. And if it’s sin there will be some consequences. Calling sin “choice”, “disposition”, “alternative lifestyle”, “preference”, “inclination”, or “the new morality” will never change God's moral law. To do so is as ridiculous as expecting a Texas snow storm in July because you flipped the calendar to January!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)