Stockholm Syndrome Trailer from Derek Webb on Vimeo.
Friday, July 10, 2009
From Eternity to Here
There are many books that lay claim to God's purposes. They offer all kinds of advice and suggestions on how His purpose affects our purpose. Frank Viola's book, From Eternity to Here, is one of those books. This book is a bit different, though, in its goal. In the end, God's eternal purposes challenge us to completely rethink and then respond to how we live.
Why did God create mankind? Why is there so much suffering in the world? What reason is there for the duck-billed platypus? While this book doesn't answer all three of those questions, it does approach the first one and answers it with strong ideas backed by Scripture. The ideas aren't necessarily new, but they are approached from a new vantage point. According to Viola, God's purposes for creation include a bride for his son, a house and home for him to live in, a body to express his life through on the earth, and a family that shares the kind of relationship he has with his son. Viola does not just explain these things with language that flies over the layman's head and pretend he has an answer God has revealed to no one else. Every point is supported with scripture and applied to both the individual and the church.
That being said, the goal of this book isn't merely to encourage the individual believer on his own personal walk. While it does encourag and challenge personally, the goal is to help us see that the Christian walk is not an individual project, but a corporate experience. If you don't know, Viola is an advocate of the church in an organic expression. He has written a couple of other books on the subject: Pagan Christianity?, and Reimagining Church. Viola's purpose is to aid the church (read family, earthly expression of the body of Christ not a building or social club)in rediscovering its true identity and purpose. For this reason, From Eternity to Here will challenge our preconceived notions of what church is. For Viola, the foundation of the church is Christ and Christ alone, the goal of the church is Christ and Christ alone, the source for the church is Christ and Christ alone; and we are each living stones filled with and built upon that foundation. If we try to go it alone, we will miss Christ. In an easy-to-understand way, Viola relates our journey as a church to the Old Testament journey of the Israelites. He shows how the New Covenant was revealed and foreshadowed in the lives of David, Jacob, and the prophets.
Personally, I enjoyed this book because all the ideas presented are challenging and scripture based. I will be the first to admit that I didn't cross reference each reference for context and authenticity. I do believe that Viola knows what he is talking about, as nothing presented contradicts the foundational truths of Christian belief. As someone who wants to experience God in as much fullness as I can in this fallen world, I find the application of the truths presented practical. There is much more in the book I leave for you to discover and think about, but this is a book I would recommend for anyone longing for more in their experience with Christ, the church, and their Father.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Chaotic Faith Rambling.
At time in life, it seems as though we may be caught in the midst of chaos. In literature the word is derived from the Greek who gave this name to the original nothingness from which Gaia and the other protogenitors emerged. Another way of putting it is that it is the unpredictable gaping whole from which existence came. Even in the Bible chaos seems to be the formless and void earth that existed before God spoke Creation into being.
Chaos has another meaning, though, in mathematics. In my own limited understanding, I will attempt an explanation. Chaos is a series of events that is unpredictable but is dependent on the initial circumstances. In this kind of chaos, we can know the end and see the beginning, but what goes on in between will remain a mystery to observers.
For the everyday bystander, the world would seem to appear in chaos. Some of us know the beginning and the end while we worry and stand amazed at the randomness of life. Other folks claim that we cannot know either the beginning or the end and should embrace the chaos, making sense of the here and now. Still others claim they can even know what the future holds and they sell their answers on late night television. Regardless of the position you hold, the fact is that we do not know everything that will happen in the kind of safe detail we would like to. The result is fear which we respond to in any number of ways. One of these ways is to turn to God.
As I read from the beginning of Jeremiah last night, I stopped in verses 4 & 5. God's words to Jeremiah were that He had known him before he was formed in the womb. Before he was born, God had set him apart and given him the role of a prophet. I paused to reflect here because I realized that God had indeed done this for me as well. I, too, was known by God before I was formed. Before I was around to breathe, God has set me apart for my calling.
Currently, I am in a jobless state of flux. The way this situation came about was not normal or pretty. Because of this, I have drifted from God and wondered about His plans and His cryptic message to me several months ago: "Trust Me." Then I read these words. The number of brush strokes I take to clean my teeth He knows. The number of hairs on my head He knows. Where I will be working come August, He knows.
Though this isn't easy to accept, it is a faith conditioning exercise. For each of us there is a calling that we have been set apart for. Like Jeremiah, we may not think ourselves worthy, or maybe we want to go somewhere else like Jonah. God, though has set us apart for the moment we are in and He knew before we did that we would doubt and worry. He was prepared for it. He knows the begining and He knows the end. He has shared these things with us. It is the seeming chaos in the middle we have trouble with. But if we read this passage and others like it correctly, there is really no chaos. He set us in this time, this moment, with a job to do. We just have to trust Him. He gave Jeremiah the words to say, and He will equip us as well. Like Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary, "Original endowment, not education, makes a prophet." Whatever your gift and calling, the same is true of it.
There is not real chaos, just some details we don't know. The truth is that God set all of this into motion, He placed you strategically where you are in space and time according to His strategy. AS hard as it can be at times, just trust Him.
Chaos has another meaning, though, in mathematics. In my own limited understanding, I will attempt an explanation. Chaos is a series of events that is unpredictable but is dependent on the initial circumstances. In this kind of chaos, we can know the end and see the beginning, but what goes on in between will remain a mystery to observers.
For the everyday bystander, the world would seem to appear in chaos. Some of us know the beginning and the end while we worry and stand amazed at the randomness of life. Other folks claim that we cannot know either the beginning or the end and should embrace the chaos, making sense of the here and now. Still others claim they can even know what the future holds and they sell their answers on late night television. Regardless of the position you hold, the fact is that we do not know everything that will happen in the kind of safe detail we would like to. The result is fear which we respond to in any number of ways. One of these ways is to turn to God.
As I read from the beginning of Jeremiah last night, I stopped in verses 4 & 5. God's words to Jeremiah were that He had known him before he was formed in the womb. Before he was born, God had set him apart and given him the role of a prophet. I paused to reflect here because I realized that God had indeed done this for me as well. I, too, was known by God before I was formed. Before I was around to breathe, God has set me apart for my calling.
Currently, I am in a jobless state of flux. The way this situation came about was not normal or pretty. Because of this, I have drifted from God and wondered about His plans and His cryptic message to me several months ago: "Trust Me." Then I read these words. The number of brush strokes I take to clean my teeth He knows. The number of hairs on my head He knows. Where I will be working come August, He knows.
Though this isn't easy to accept, it is a faith conditioning exercise. For each of us there is a calling that we have been set apart for. Like Jeremiah, we may not think ourselves worthy, or maybe we want to go somewhere else like Jonah. God, though has set us apart for the moment we are in and He knew before we did that we would doubt and worry. He was prepared for it. He knows the begining and He knows the end. He has shared these things with us. It is the seeming chaos in the middle we have trouble with. But if we read this passage and others like it correctly, there is really no chaos. He set us in this time, this moment, with a job to do. We just have to trust Him. He gave Jeremiah the words to say, and He will equip us as well. Like Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary, "Original endowment, not education, makes a prophet." Whatever your gift and calling, the same is true of it.
There is not real chaos, just some details we don't know. The truth is that God set all of this into motion, He placed you strategically where you are in space and time according to His strategy. AS hard as it can be at times, just trust Him.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Messiah
Standing on the precipice
Looking over kingdoms spread out
Across my back and in my name
Fed by words and breathing in
the fear of all the innocents
Letting out an air of confidence
Do you believe that life has meaning
Are you concerned with all the reasons I didn't jump
There's no threat of death where death is not allowed
There's no faith alone without the threat of death
So I say look me in the eye, look me in the eye
Look me in the eye and breathe
Outside underneath and over
Every thought of any possibility
written on the palm of just one hand
When that fist is closed the lines
Are creased and wrath is overflowed
Blood leaves every vessel in your head
Do you believe that life has meaning
Are you concerned with all the reasons I didn't jump
There's no threat of death where death is not allowed
There's no faith alone without the threat of death
So I say look me in the eye, look me in the eye
Look me in the eye and breathe
(this is actually a song I wrote a couple of years ago. a great student of mine wrote the music for it. All about faith.)
Looking over kingdoms spread out
Across my back and in my name
Fed by words and breathing in
the fear of all the innocents
Letting out an air of confidence
Do you believe that life has meaning
Are you concerned with all the reasons I didn't jump
There's no threat of death where death is not allowed
There's no faith alone without the threat of death
So I say look me in the eye, look me in the eye
Look me in the eye and breathe
Outside underneath and over
Every thought of any possibility
written on the palm of just one hand
When that fist is closed the lines
Are creased and wrath is overflowed
Blood leaves every vessel in your head
Do you believe that life has meaning
Are you concerned with all the reasons I didn't jump
There's no threat of death where death is not allowed
There's no faith alone without the threat of death
So I say look me in the eye, look me in the eye
Look me in the eye and breathe
(this is actually a song I wrote a couple of years ago. a great student of mine wrote the music for it. All about faith.)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Courage examined, kind of
I find it funny how faith works. You absolutely must face your fears with faith. If you have no fear, you aren't exercising faith. It is just another task. If you face your fear with arrogance, you are a fool. The question arises, is faith equal to courage? It takes courage to face your fears. In that respect, it takes courage to have faith. It then matters who you have faith in, where your courage comes from. Currently, I am in a place where I am completely and utterly out of control of my own situation. I am trusting God to provide, not just for me, but for my family as well. Is my faith enough? Is God's response in direct relation to the strength of my faith? It is He who gives faith, so that either isn't fair or isn't true. We exercise our faith much like a muscle. No pain, no gain. No struggle, no growth. Romans chapter 5 explains this better than I can. So is courage faith? No. It takes courage to face fear no matter where your faith lies. your faith may be in yourself or in God or insome other person or deity. It is the courage, though that is needed to use the faith you have, to exercise your faith, your muscle, your mind. But if you have no faith in anything, can you have courage? Faith is needed for courage, but courage is not needed for faith. Courage builds upon the foundation of faith and is in direct relation to it probably. Quit your job with no prospects lined up. That seems stupid to the world, especially in a trying economy. Yet, if your faith is strong in whatever you believe in, what the world says makes no difference. Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged for the Lord God is with you wherever you go. Courage, strength, even the abscence of terror is based on the fact that Joshua believes in God and has faith that He will deliver Him. So, take courage, o my soul. Take courage, my friends. Remember that you can only take courage, though, if you have faith; and faith is a gift given from God Himself to you.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Update
This is the last week of my online class. The past months have been the most overwhelming of my life. I have been attacked spiritually from two fronts. I have had to watch as my own state of overload affected friends and family. I cannot wait until this is over. I am looking forward to getting back to writing poetry. I have stumbled upon a poet named Gregory Orr. While I have yet to read much of his work, he has hooked me with his book titles and his philosophy of poetry as a coping mechanism. That said, check him out on poets.org when you get the chance. to close this brief entry, I ask you to pray that God would open doors for me as I search for a new job. I'm trusting Him, and He has not let me down in the past.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Untitled
A mind! A mind of her own!
Is self will rebellion?
Of course, of course
If they say it is.
Audacious one she
To express her anguish
To relinquish her confusion
To utterance
To air
As the mockingbird
'Tis only the call
She learned from us
We who teach
Liberty without
restraint. Will will
ever follow others'
will?
Is self will rebellion?
Of course, of course
If they say it is.
Audacious one she
To express her anguish
To relinquish her confusion
To utterance
To air
As the mockingbird
'Tis only the call
She learned from us
We who teach
Liberty without
restraint. Will will
ever follow others'
will?
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Redeemed
That dangerous diadem which
Adorned the brow of my Savior
Punctured the flesh and then painted
Its own indecorous designs
In rivulets of scarlet and
Sweat through the cracks creases and crevices
Of a sacrificial countenance.
I inquire of my own nature
Do my crowns make me bleed?
Or did His dear blood make purchase of my waste?
A quick word on the poetry
These words are from verses I began writing about a year ago. Many of them are, as yet, unfinished, but they need to see the light of day. They chronicle struggles with calling, truth, God, and life in general. Please take the time to ask questions, write responses, criticize, or just let me know you're reading them. I have submitted to a magazine of poetry, but was rejected. I figured this was a quicker way to be read, at least for now. My hope is that these words would challenge you, if only a little. Thanks,
MrRoberts
MrRoberts
Sought Answer
Last night I asked what should I do?
The peace that descended on me was so
Welcome and needed. But this restlessness returns
So quickly when I raise the question (!) The one
whose answers I need. Your response was, "Just go."
Nothing clearer than this? Go where?
So now my mind falls to a new way of asking
the question. Both options need me, so which one needs me
more? Where can I be most glorifying to you, God?
Once you learn to stand firm in your belief it won't
matter where you are. So, go ahead, see if the door opens.
Take the reins and see if I don't answer. See if i don't love
you? You need me.
I can only hold you up
if we are entwined.
I cannot be under you
The peace that descended on me was so
Welcome and needed. But this restlessness returns
So quickly when I raise the question (!) The one
whose answers I need. Your response was, "Just go."
Nothing clearer than this? Go where?
So now my mind falls to a new way of asking
the question. Both options need me, so which one needs me
more? Where can I be most glorifying to you, God?
Once you learn to stand firm in your belief it won't
matter where you are. So, go ahead, see if the door opens.
Take the reins and see if I don't answer. See if i don't love
you? You need me.
I can only hold you up
if we are entwined.
I cannot be under you
Kingdom
The box is too big
Or I am too small
Expectations of me
Are to conform to all
Maybe my vision
wrong point of view
The box is too crowded
With lemmings just like you
Or I am too small
Expectations of me
Are to conform to all
Maybe my vision
wrong point of view
The box is too crowded
With lemmings just like you
One Word
If I were given one word to speak
Which would be delegated to me?
Faith, love, hope, angel soap, pass the plate,
Burn the goat?
Crucify!
Who's your saint?
It couldn't be done with one alone
A message so broad in power and in scope
One word.
One man.
One God.
All is done.
Jesus
Which would be delegated to me?
Faith, love, hope, angel soap, pass the plate,
Burn the goat?
Crucify!
Who's your saint?
It couldn't be done with one alone
A message so broad in power and in scope
One word.
One man.
One God.
All is done.
Jesus
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Faith
This lofty crag threatens
My security, but what
Is safety without risk
Of faith or suicide?
Empyrean comes
With sleep alone, alone.
Can trust be carried by
Comfort, callow and clean,
Bravery exist in
Want of bloodshed threat?
If not then life is
not.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Leave Everything...
I'm in my third year of teaching now. When I think about it, I am drawn to the kids. A desire exists to reach out to them and guide them in their walks. I want to help their souls grow closer to Jesus. When they have questions, I want to help find the answers. The kinds of questions though have nothing to do with literature and grammar, though. They are the questions that deal with life and death and following Jesus and living what they believe. It is a strong desire. I believe that it is my calling in life to do that. For now, it seems that I am stuck where I am though. I get to nurture their souls a little, but only in the context of school. If I am honest, I feel pulled away from that role to a more meaningful one. It is hard to explain. I am pondering these things in light of what I read about Jesus' first disciples this morning.
In Luke chapter 5, Jesus has a crowd following him to hear him teach. He sees Peter cleaning his nets, climbs into his boat and has them push a little way into the water. From there Jesus begins to teach the people. When the lesson is over, he tells Peter to cast his nets out in the deep water. Peter, still called Simon at the time, obeys and the catch is unbelievable. He has to call another boat for help, and both of them begin to sink deeper into the water. After Peter recognizes what's going on and falls to his knees, Jesus calls the fishermen to follow him. They brought their boats in, left everything, and followed Jesus.
What makes them leave their livelihood and follow Jesus? They look crazy to me. How will they pay the bills? How will they eat? How will they persuade anyone that Jesus is a good teacher when he has asked them to dump everything? The answers are simple, but they aren't easy. First of all, they had known each other a while. Earlier in the book, Jesus had healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law. According to the editors of the new ESV Study Bible, Simon and the crew had been following Jesus as a teacher for at least a year. They knew his teaching, his family, and him as a man. This wasn't a decision made all of a sudden without forethought. They knew who they were following. They trusted him as a rabbi and a leader.
Bear in mind, they also were awaiting a Messiah. The Jews were wanting to be free from their Roman oppressors. When Jesus tells them to cast their nets, they obey with little argument. The fish are so plentiful that the boats are overloaded. This was a miracle that caused Peter, a fisherman by trade, to react. Obviously he'd never seen this before. He asks Jesus to leave, afraid of being judged for his sin then and there. Peter recognizes God at work in Jesus. No other rabbi has done this, so there is something special about Jesus. These guys may not get it all, but the beginning of their education has come.
Jesus then tells them they will now catch men. No more stinky fish for you guys. In their minds, they probably thought they were recruiters for the army Jesus would use to toss down the Roman empire. They were expecting wealth, fame, comfort, and absolute victory. We find later that they found poverty, infamy, and death. These are worldly values, though. After the resurrection and the ascension, they more fully understood who Jesus was and what they were to do.
Here's the deal. Jesus knows who he's going to call from the beginning of time. On our side of the coin, though, we'd do well not to jump into thinking we're called. Remember, the disciples knew him for a while. They didn't just jump into the discipleship boat without any prior knowledge. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were conscientious. They were expecting something from God, as well. They saw Jesus as a rabbi, but also were expecting salvation, deliverance, and freedom from God. It did not come as they expected it, but their eyes were open to see the path to it, even if only a part of it. Lastly, they saw Jesus do something miraculous in their regular day-to-day work. In the normalcy of life, these men watched Jesus load their boats with fish.
All of us have been called to salvation and discipleship. We each also have specific callings. We find them by following Christ. Our direction is found by expecting God to do something in our lives. We must then keep our eyes open even in our mundane nine to five existence. Recognizing these signs, if you will, leads us to that place where we would leave what we're doing, leave our comfort and security, to follow Jesus.
In Luke chapter 5, Jesus has a crowd following him to hear him teach. He sees Peter cleaning his nets, climbs into his boat and has them push a little way into the water. From there Jesus begins to teach the people. When the lesson is over, he tells Peter to cast his nets out in the deep water. Peter, still called Simon at the time, obeys and the catch is unbelievable. He has to call another boat for help, and both of them begin to sink deeper into the water. After Peter recognizes what's going on and falls to his knees, Jesus calls the fishermen to follow him. They brought their boats in, left everything, and followed Jesus.
What makes them leave their livelihood and follow Jesus? They look crazy to me. How will they pay the bills? How will they eat? How will they persuade anyone that Jesus is a good teacher when he has asked them to dump everything? The answers are simple, but they aren't easy. First of all, they had known each other a while. Earlier in the book, Jesus had healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law. According to the editors of the new ESV Study Bible, Simon and the crew had been following Jesus as a teacher for at least a year. They knew his teaching, his family, and him as a man. This wasn't a decision made all of a sudden without forethought. They knew who they were following. They trusted him as a rabbi and a leader.
Bear in mind, they also were awaiting a Messiah. The Jews were wanting to be free from their Roman oppressors. When Jesus tells them to cast their nets, they obey with little argument. The fish are so plentiful that the boats are overloaded. This was a miracle that caused Peter, a fisherman by trade, to react. Obviously he'd never seen this before. He asks Jesus to leave, afraid of being judged for his sin then and there. Peter recognizes God at work in Jesus. No other rabbi has done this, so there is something special about Jesus. These guys may not get it all, but the beginning of their education has come.
Jesus then tells them they will now catch men. No more stinky fish for you guys. In their minds, they probably thought they were recruiters for the army Jesus would use to toss down the Roman empire. They were expecting wealth, fame, comfort, and absolute victory. We find later that they found poverty, infamy, and death. These are worldly values, though. After the resurrection and the ascension, they more fully understood who Jesus was and what they were to do.
Here's the deal. Jesus knows who he's going to call from the beginning of time. On our side of the coin, though, we'd do well not to jump into thinking we're called. Remember, the disciples knew him for a while. They didn't just jump into the discipleship boat without any prior knowledge. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were conscientious. They were expecting something from God, as well. They saw Jesus as a rabbi, but also were expecting salvation, deliverance, and freedom from God. It did not come as they expected it, but their eyes were open to see the path to it, even if only a part of it. Lastly, they saw Jesus do something miraculous in their regular day-to-day work. In the normalcy of life, these men watched Jesus load their boats with fish.
All of us have been called to salvation and discipleship. We each also have specific callings. We find them by following Christ. Our direction is found by expecting God to do something in our lives. We must then keep our eyes open even in our mundane nine to five existence. Recognizing these signs, if you will, leads us to that place where we would leave what we're doing, leave our comfort and security, to follow Jesus.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Hidden God
Mark 7:24-30 "And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden.
Jesus was a dangerous guy. He came wielding a sword of sorts. He talked about love and peace and how those things would split households and nations. Consider your respect demanded. Stories came from him about being born again. Remember, poor Nicodemus didn't have a context for that one. Jesus, the self-proclaimed Christ, hung out with the outcasts and beggars and hookers and tax collectors - all those folks we don't like to be seen with. Jesus made a name for himself. Next, he shows up at this house in the Hellenistic Gentile region wanting to hide. That's like Obama trying to hide in Canada, or Oprah in Texas. They would be found.
Obama and Oprah are famous. Of course that depends on who you talk to. Some might consider them infamous. Jesus was the same way. To those whom he healed, Jesus was famous. To the Pharisees and others who saw him ruining their lives, he was infamous. Either way, he couldn't hide. Some wanted him dead while others wanted to make him king. Still others just wanted an ear to listen to them, a hand to touch them, a heart to love them. He gave them all what they wanted and more, but for now, he wants to hide out and rest. If you read on, you find out why he couldn't make it happen.
He is dangerous and lovely and passionate and a downright mystery to us. Is that why we are trying to help him hide today? Look around at the churches in A -me-rica. Do they promote dying and carrying crosses and sacrifice? Not hardly. Every bookshelf in the Christian bookstore is crammed with self help, esteem boosting guru books. FYI, I know that God is the God of hope, but according to Romans 5, that hope comes through suffering. If we don't suffer, we don't need hope. Back to the hiding thing. We as a culture have covered Jesus in the cosmetic smorgasbord of romantic interest, buddy, daddy, and counselor. Yes, he's the wonderful counselor, and the Abba Father. He is also a king, a powerful lord, and the creator of the known and unknown universe. Where is our sense of wonder and fear and awe? We complain about unfair circumstances while he gives up his life for our screw ups! If life were fair, we'd all be dead right now. The fact is, no matter how much we try to hide and sidestep the truth about God, he cannot be hidden. Paul tells the Romans to look around because there is no excuse to deny Him. He's all around us, unhidden. He may be unseen, but he is not unknown.
When you feel like God's not around, remember this. Also remember that later in the passage, Jesus cast an unclean spirit from a Gentile girl right after he compared her to a dog. No matter how low we get, no matter how much we try to hide who God is under our excuses and justifications, he is faithful and just to forgive us. Even better, when we stop trying to hide him, people begin to see him in us as we change from glory to glory into his likeness. In that we fulfill our purpose.
Jesus was a dangerous guy. He came wielding a sword of sorts. He talked about love and peace and how those things would split households and nations. Consider your respect demanded. Stories came from him about being born again. Remember, poor Nicodemus didn't have a context for that one. Jesus, the self-proclaimed Christ, hung out with the outcasts and beggars and hookers and tax collectors - all those folks we don't like to be seen with. Jesus made a name for himself. Next, he shows up at this house in the Hellenistic Gentile region wanting to hide. That's like Obama trying to hide in Canada, or Oprah in Texas. They would be found.
Obama and Oprah are famous. Of course that depends on who you talk to. Some might consider them infamous. Jesus was the same way. To those whom he healed, Jesus was famous. To the Pharisees and others who saw him ruining their lives, he was infamous. Either way, he couldn't hide. Some wanted him dead while others wanted to make him king. Still others just wanted an ear to listen to them, a hand to touch them, a heart to love them. He gave them all what they wanted and more, but for now, he wants to hide out and rest. If you read on, you find out why he couldn't make it happen.
He is dangerous and lovely and passionate and a downright mystery to us. Is that why we are trying to help him hide today? Look around at the churches in A -me-rica. Do they promote dying and carrying crosses and sacrifice? Not hardly. Every bookshelf in the Christian bookstore is crammed with self help, esteem boosting guru books. FYI, I know that God is the God of hope, but according to Romans 5, that hope comes through suffering. If we don't suffer, we don't need hope. Back to the hiding thing. We as a culture have covered Jesus in the cosmetic smorgasbord of romantic interest, buddy, daddy, and counselor. Yes, he's the wonderful counselor, and the Abba Father. He is also a king, a powerful lord, and the creator of the known and unknown universe. Where is our sense of wonder and fear and awe? We complain about unfair circumstances while he gives up his life for our screw ups! If life were fair, we'd all be dead right now. The fact is, no matter how much we try to hide and sidestep the truth about God, he cannot be hidden. Paul tells the Romans to look around because there is no excuse to deny Him. He's all around us, unhidden. He may be unseen, but he is not unknown.
When you feel like God's not around, remember this. Also remember that later in the passage, Jesus cast an unclean spirit from a Gentile girl right after he compared her to a dog. No matter how low we get, no matter how much we try to hide who God is under our excuses and justifications, he is faithful and just to forgive us. Even better, when we stop trying to hide him, people begin to see him in us as we change from glory to glory into his likeness. In that we fulfill our purpose.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Just a Test
I am testing a new feature on my blog. If you get this in your email and don't want to receive anymore, just drop me an email or a comment and let me know.
Justin
--
It's a beautiful day,don't let it get away.
Justin
--
It's a beautiful day,don't let it get away.
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