Tuesday, July 11, 2017
God's Word
O The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not strayed from your commandments.
- From Psalm 119
The 199th Psalm places great emphasis on the value of God's Word. His Ways. His Commandments. His Law. The answer to everything is contained within the Word of God.
And in my life experience, I believe that. I am convinced of it, yet I do not always live it. My faith is constantly challenged. My selfish self-absorption always cries out to do it my way. I'm like a little kid rejecting the advice of someone with decades more experience.
Yet we know that, without any doubt, the answer to everything, and to anything, is in God's Word. And if some specific problem is not addressed in the Bible, still it gives us a process whereby we can solve it - - - and the process always starts with prayer.
I could dash off several examples of people that sought an answer to a problem, and decided to pray and go to Scripture. They would do something like close their eyes, open the Bible and point their finger somewhere on the page. And so often, a workable answer is right there where their finger landed.
And yet I can neither prove, nor disprove, the assertion that the answer to every problem is found in Scripture. And that is mostly because, I have not used Scripture for every one of my problems. My record is too spotty . . . but it is complete enough that I am convinced that, had I used Scripture for every problem, I would have solved every problem, with God's guidance.
The passage above describes a common problem: the wicked are trying to entrap, or ensnare us. And this is true. They are after us, constantly. And this is a harsh thing to say . . . because we know that most of the things the world tries to get us to do, are common activities that our un-churched friends may urge upon us. Have a drink. Have a smoke. Tell this joke. Make that hateful observation. Waste that money. Use this person for sexual favors. And we like our friends. We do not like thinking of them as "wicked." They're too nice, and that's too judgmental.
Yet the snares are out there, and the traps. Traps do not look like danger. They look safe. Yet they're there.
The answer? God's word.
What if we read a chapter of Scripture a day, and selected one commandment from God, and committed to keeping that one commandment, all day, consistently? I can affirm that my days would be considerably different, if I did this, and they would be improved.
When danger comes our way (and it will) . . .
God's Word.
Monday, July 10, 2017
A Quiet Man
... while Jacob was a quiet man.
- From Genesis 25
The familiar tale of Esau and Jacob has so many colorings and points. I would like to dwell today, on this idea that Jacob was "quiet," fair, domestic. He was probably the artistic one. He was good in conversation. Esau would come in, loud and boisterous. He drew attention to himself all the time. He was skilled in battle, in livestock, and maybe in business (except that he sold his birthright). Esau was big, intimidating, bossy, and probably kind of a bully.
But Jacob kept to himself, stayed indoors. Maybe he knew how to sew. We know that he could cook. Jacob hung out with his mom a lot. He tended to her. She enjoyed his company. But Esau was a "man's man" that his Dad was proud to show off to his friends. When there was company, and Jacob walked in, Isaac probably blushed a little, and hoped he didn't say anything.
Why does God seem to choose people that are . . . well . . . lazy, ne'er-do-well, with none of the trappings of wealth or success? If God had to choose someone to carry forward his plan, and He could choose between a bold, loud, confident and pushy guy, versus a quiet, weak, soft-spoken, small guy . . . why does He always pick the little guy?
It says elsewhere in the Old Testament, many times, that the Hebrews were to take good care of the Scribes and Levites. While everybody else worked from sunrise to sundown, the Levites and Scribes spent all day in prayer, study, quiet, and gentle pursuits. Yet the people had to be reminded, in clear terms, of the value of these quiet servants that drew no attention to themselves. The people with the work ethic - well, we're going to take care of them, because they will not let us forget.
It takes a firm and decisive directive from God, to make sure that the quiet prayerful ones (which are, therefore, very close to God) do not fall into poverty. Without God's leadership, the Type-A bossy guys would just as soon toss the "unproductive" artistic and studious ones out into the wilderness to fend for themselves.
Think about the quiet people in your life. Make a point to take care of them, notice them. For, they are not going to do anything to help you remember to. And yet they are the prayer warriors. They record our history. They teach our kids. They encourage us, if we'll listen.
- From Genesis 25
The familiar tale of Esau and Jacob has so many colorings and points. I would like to dwell today, on this idea that Jacob was "quiet," fair, domestic. He was probably the artistic one. He was good in conversation. Esau would come in, loud and boisterous. He drew attention to himself all the time. He was skilled in battle, in livestock, and maybe in business (except that he sold his birthright). Esau was big, intimidating, bossy, and probably kind of a bully.
But Jacob kept to himself, stayed indoors. Maybe he knew how to sew. We know that he could cook. Jacob hung out with his mom a lot. He tended to her. She enjoyed his company. But Esau was a "man's man" that his Dad was proud to show off to his friends. When there was company, and Jacob walked in, Isaac probably blushed a little, and hoped he didn't say anything.
Why does God seem to choose people that are . . . well . . . lazy, ne'er-do-well, with none of the trappings of wealth or success? If God had to choose someone to carry forward his plan, and He could choose between a bold, loud, confident and pushy guy, versus a quiet, weak, soft-spoken, small guy . . . why does He always pick the little guy?
It says elsewhere in the Old Testament, many times, that the Hebrews were to take good care of the Scribes and Levites. While everybody else worked from sunrise to sundown, the Levites and Scribes spent all day in prayer, study, quiet, and gentle pursuits. Yet the people had to be reminded, in clear terms, of the value of these quiet servants that drew no attention to themselves. The people with the work ethic - well, we're going to take care of them, because they will not let us forget.
It takes a firm and decisive directive from God, to make sure that the quiet prayerful ones (which are, therefore, very close to God) do not fall into poverty. Without God's leadership, the Type-A bossy guys would just as soon toss the "unproductive" artistic and studious ones out into the wilderness to fend for themselves.
Think about the quiet people in your life. Make a point to take care of them, notice them. For, they are not going to do anything to help you remember to. And yet they are the prayer warriors. They record our history. They teach our kids. They encourage us, if we'll listen.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Generation of Children
To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces...
- From Matthew 11
The most recent sequence of readings began with anticipation for a wedding, and the coming of a Bridegroom. We have discussed the purity required of the Church, a bride to be adorned in white for the Groom, who is Christ.
We have seen how horrible we are . . . not at all pure in the way a Bride of Christ should be. Yet, He has made, and will make, us clean and worthy.
Sin takes a lot out of us. It has cut short the life expectancy of humanity. We would do anything to live forever . . . except for what it actually takes.
In today's reading, Christ talks about His contemporary generation. It lives in the wealth of Rome. As long as you do not challenge the empire, you're okay. But the generation acts like you would expect a generation that had it all, to act. It's all about entertainment. They want to be entertained. They want to be noticed. The generation of Christ's first coming was like that. "Notice me!"
They were an exhibitionist generation that would do anything for their moment of fame. They were a voyeuristic generation that had to be continually stimulated by entertainment. Perhaps the generation of Christ's second coming will be likewise?
Jesus says (paraphrased): "John the Baptist came, as did the Son of Man, and drew no attention to themselves. They focused on others, on serving them and calling them to holiness. Yet they are the ones that people noticed. Not only did they notice them . . . they mocked and ridiculed them."
How true and timely.
The world wears itself out with its abusive behavior towards itself. The generation that seeks to be noticed, and to be entertained, is a generation that cannot be content in its own privacy and thoughts. It is a generation that has perfected the Art of Self-Loathing.
- From Matthew 11
The most recent sequence of readings began with anticipation for a wedding, and the coming of a Bridegroom. We have discussed the purity required of the Church, a bride to be adorned in white for the Groom, who is Christ.
We have seen how horrible we are . . . not at all pure in the way a Bride of Christ should be. Yet, He has made, and will make, us clean and worthy.
Sin takes a lot out of us. It has cut short the life expectancy of humanity. We would do anything to live forever . . . except for what it actually takes.
In today's reading, Christ talks about His contemporary generation. It lives in the wealth of Rome. As long as you do not challenge the empire, you're okay. But the generation acts like you would expect a generation that had it all, to act. It's all about entertainment. They want to be entertained. They want to be noticed. The generation of Christ's first coming was like that. "Notice me!"
They were an exhibitionist generation that would do anything for their moment of fame. They were a voyeuristic generation that had to be continually stimulated by entertainment. Perhaps the generation of Christ's second coming will be likewise?
Jesus says (paraphrased): "John the Baptist came, as did the Son of Man, and drew no attention to themselves. They focused on others, on serving them and calling them to holiness. Yet they are the ones that people noticed. Not only did they notice them . . . they mocked and ridiculed them."
How true and timely.
The world wears itself out with its abusive behavior towards itself. The generation that seeks to be noticed, and to be entertained, is a generation that cannot be content in its own privacy and thoughts. It is a generation that has perfected the Art of Self-Loathing.
Monday, July 3, 2017
Wretched Minds
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand.
- From Romans 7
For decades I have fond myself, occasionally, entertaining the thought that, if could just continue as a lost person, without any hope or promise of eternal life, without any aspiration of ever become holy, that perhaps than I could rest.
The bad thoughts that pop into my head - that only happens because I have set myself up to be targeted in the spiritual realm. God's adversaries do not need to go to war with the lost.
The Apostle Paul turns it all around into proof that there is a God, and a Christ, that there is sin, and that there is hope that we will become good people. He says that - - - if we want to do good, but keep fighting off the desire, and will, to do wrong, that it is evidence that the law, and sin, and redemption, are everything God says it is, in His word.
The readings this week are concentrated on the Return of Christ, the purification of the world, the redemption of Creation, and our hope that things will get better, and that we will live forever.
Here Paul grieves that we are such awful people in need of salvation. He boils it down to the simple idea: Just doing good is not good enough. The more good you do, the more wicked seem to be one's hidden thoughts. I think that this is true. And I also think that few people would admit it.
Paul concludes, "Who will rescue me from this body of death?"
The answer is everywhere else in this week's readings: The Groom. The King. The Son of God.
If you ever wonder why you need a savior, just try to contemplate all the bad things you ever think about, and see how easy it is to remove them from your mind.
- From Romans 7
For decades I have fond myself, occasionally, entertaining the thought that, if could just continue as a lost person, without any hope or promise of eternal life, without any aspiration of ever become holy, that perhaps than I could rest.
The bad thoughts that pop into my head - that only happens because I have set myself up to be targeted in the spiritual realm. God's adversaries do not need to go to war with the lost.
The Apostle Paul turns it all around into proof that there is a God, and a Christ, that there is sin, and that there is hope that we will become good people. He says that - - - if we want to do good, but keep fighting off the desire, and will, to do wrong, that it is evidence that the law, and sin, and redemption, are everything God says it is, in His word.
The readings this week are concentrated on the Return of Christ, the purification of the world, the redemption of Creation, and our hope that things will get better, and that we will live forever.
Here Paul grieves that we are such awful people in need of salvation. He boils it down to the simple idea: Just doing good is not good enough. The more good you do, the more wicked seem to be one's hidden thoughts. I think that this is true. And I also think that few people would admit it.
Paul concludes, "Who will rescue me from this body of death?"
The answer is everywhere else in this week's readings: The Groom. The King. The Son of God.
If you ever wonder why you need a savior, just try to contemplate all the bad things you ever think about, and see how easy it is to remove them from your mind.
He Waits
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great kindness.
- From Psalm 145
We have a pretty good answer here, to the question, "Why would a loving God . . . ?"
First of all, He did not want to create robots. We have a will. And when you think about it, a will is not worth much, unless it's capable of being willful. And a willful person is, basically, a self-centered person.
So many layers of complexity to the human spirit:
- Selfish
- Self-aware
- Capable of compassion
- Can handle complex problems
- Self-interest can be good for the community
- Capable of violent response, when called for
- Driven by a desire for peace
- In the natural state, not capable of taming all of his or her demons.
There's a pruning process. We have to go through the forge of life. We must be given the chance to make mistakes, to learn empathy, to grow. But growth gains value by being accompanied by pain.
Some of this is easy to access. Some of it must be accepted on its face.
So far, it has taken us somewhere around ten thousand years of history, just to get this far. And in our generation we have something - the Internet - that seems capable of delivering to us the kind of knowledge that ruined Adam and Eve: too much knowledge, too many images, too many thoughts entering our minds - too many of which are desperately evil thoughts - without the wisdom and social maturity.
It's like we have to fail, utterly, to realize our need for God.
But He waits. He hates our evil. But He is patient. He's like a doting parent. "Maybe if I just wait a little longer . . . they'll get it."
Believe it or not, He's slow to anger. We deserve judgment now. But God puts it off, another day, another year, another century.
"Give them a little more time."
- From Psalm 145
We have a pretty good answer here, to the question, "Why would a loving God . . . ?"
First of all, He did not want to create robots. We have a will. And when you think about it, a will is not worth much, unless it's capable of being willful. And a willful person is, basically, a self-centered person.
So many layers of complexity to the human spirit:
- Selfish
- Self-aware
- Capable of compassion
- Can handle complex problems
- Self-interest can be good for the community
- Capable of violent response, when called for
- Driven by a desire for peace
- In the natural state, not capable of taming all of his or her demons.
There's a pruning process. We have to go through the forge of life. We must be given the chance to make mistakes, to learn empathy, to grow. But growth gains value by being accompanied by pain.
Some of this is easy to access. Some of it must be accepted on its face.
So far, it has taken us somewhere around ten thousand years of history, just to get this far. And in our generation we have something - the Internet - that seems capable of delivering to us the kind of knowledge that ruined Adam and Eve: too much knowledge, too many images, too many thoughts entering our minds - too many of which are desperately evil thoughts - without the wisdom and social maturity.
It's like we have to fail, utterly, to realize our need for God.
But He waits. He hates our evil. But He is patient. He's like a doting parent. "Maybe if I just wait a little longer . . . they'll get it."
Believe it or not, He's slow to anger. We deserve judgment now. But God puts it off, another day, another year, another century.
"Give them a little more time."
Double
... today I declare that I will restore to you double.
- From Zechariah 9
Faith can change the world.
Life is short. We hear it all the time. And, since it is short, people assume license to do basically whatever they want:
- From Zechariah 9
Faith can change the world.
Life is short. We hear it all the time. And, since it is short, people assume license to do basically whatever they want:
- "Be myself," so they make decisions that alienate those that love them most;
- "Be happy," so they get divorced, which makes multiples of other people unhappy;
- "Check one off my bucket list," so they splurge on themselves while others go hungry
Yes it is short.
Shouldn't we then, rather than do whatever we want and put ourselves ahead of others, realize that we only have a little time to serve others and thus ensure our place in eternity?
Is it worth it? God promises that He will restore double, whatever we lost, or missed out on, in this life.
In the 21st Century, at a time when we are warned about diminishing resources, we seem to have a geometric increase in people wasting money on vain activities that cannot follow them to the grave. But with just a little faith, perhaps we could put those foolish expenditures off . . . to the next life? Even without the Gospel, and the saving sacrifice on the Cross, we don't know enough about eternity to assume it's not there. Isn't the possibility that there's a lot more about the universe and life, that we don't know, compared to what we do know (truth), to motivate us just to wait and see?
Do we really believe you get back more than you give, when serving others?
Life is short. Wouldn't it be worth it to wait . . . when the payoff is going to be (at least) double?
Arise
Arise, my love . . .
- From Song of Solomon 2
The entire passage, in fact, the entire book of Song of Solomon, is an allegory of Christ's love for the Church. The command "Arise, my love," are the words of Christ at His return. The dead are called forth; the Church is adorned as One, and Christ removes humanity, forever, from out of the grasp of trouble and sadness.
A friend of mine, years ago, believed in "waiting" until getting married. He also was a staunch believer in the Return of Christ and all that it entailed. He told me, jokingly, that he hoped Christ waited until after he got married, to return. He did not want to miss out on his wedding night.
I think he was partially serious, though.
There are so many things about eternity, holiness, Real Love, purity, etc., that we simple do not realize. Even people with great faith struggle really to understand what it is all about. We can only touch on the very edges of it.
But Christ's Return is compared to a wedding. But, a real wedding. One where the Bride and Groom are a Real Bride and Groom that waited, and deserved to wear white. The expectation is almost unbearable. The waiting goes on, and on, and on.
If only we thought about the return of Christ like that. If only we wanted to keep ourselves, so that we could experience the full, inexpressible prize, of staying pure both before, and after marriage.
There is a purifying of the Church that's going on right now. Yes, humanity has sinned and widened the gap between itself and God. We are filthy, even though we don't know it. In the spiritual realm, it's easy to see what we have become . . . something like a warm cesspool running over at the edges.
But the Groom returns, and purifies His bride through a supernatural action of fire. The Church awaits, in white, and will be ready when He returns.
- From Song of Solomon 2
The entire passage, in fact, the entire book of Song of Solomon, is an allegory of Christ's love for the Church. The command "Arise, my love," are the words of Christ at His return. The dead are called forth; the Church is adorned as One, and Christ removes humanity, forever, from out of the grasp of trouble and sadness.
A friend of mine, years ago, believed in "waiting" until getting married. He also was a staunch believer in the Return of Christ and all that it entailed. He told me, jokingly, that he hoped Christ waited until after he got married, to return. He did not want to miss out on his wedding night.
I think he was partially serious, though.
There are so many things about eternity, holiness, Real Love, purity, etc., that we simple do not realize. Even people with great faith struggle really to understand what it is all about. We can only touch on the very edges of it.
But Christ's Return is compared to a wedding. But, a real wedding. One where the Bride and Groom are a Real Bride and Groom that waited, and deserved to wear white. The expectation is almost unbearable. The waiting goes on, and on, and on.
If only we thought about the return of Christ like that. If only we wanted to keep ourselves, so that we could experience the full, inexpressible prize, of staying pure both before, and after marriage.
There is a purifying of the Church that's going on right now. Yes, humanity has sinned and widened the gap between itself and God. We are filthy, even though we don't know it. In the spiritual realm, it's easy to see what we have become . . . something like a warm cesspool running over at the edges.
But the Groom returns, and purifies His bride through a supernatural action of fire. The Church awaits, in white, and will be ready when He returns.
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