Sunday, July 25, 2010

Yo-Yo's and Roller Coasters - Enduring the Ups and Downs of Life

Yo-Yo's and roller coasters . . . seems like our lives are a lot like them.  They go up then down, then up then down again.  I was driving in my car today contemplating life.  Seems I do that quite a bit these days, most of the time it's not very dramatic or too deep but today was different.  My faith is being tried and I guess that's a given, but this week it ramped up a bit.

You probably know by now that I am a Christian and I believe in an all-powerful, sovereign, just, and loving God.  I believe God has purpose in all things and is NEVER caught off guard or surprised by events, good or bad.  So here I was driving down the road in my SUV when out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a beautiful Monarch butterfly. No sooner did my mind begin to form the words "Isn't God good!" when, SPLAT! It hit my windshield at 60 miles per hour.  In an instant this flying piece of art was turned into a green speck of goo on a piece of glass.  OK, so not the usual content of a Christian Blog but there is a connection.  I protested out loud to God, "Lord, what was that about?! Why did you go through all the trouble of making this thing if you were just going to let it die like that?"  I didn't hear God verbally but I felt pretty convicted that God is God and I am not.  The words God spoke to Job in Chapter 38 popped into my head, "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?"  Then God went on to remind Job how much he didn't know. He reminded me of the same.  So on I went having to trust that God knows and has purpose in all things.  He could have stopped the butterfly from hitting the windshield but didn't.  Why?  Only he knows and I have to trust that.

Don't worry, I'll get around to the Yo-Yo and roller coaster thing soon but a couple more things need to be shared first.   A couple weeks ago I was playing the guitar in a worship service that included the baptism of a little baby (a topic for another post).  The baby was there with his mother, father, and two toddler siblings.  There were four full rows of happy family members and friends.  This morning I learned that on Thursday the baby's father was killed when his vehicle hit a tree.  I looked up to heaven and didn't have the strength to form the word, "Why?" but as I played and sang songs to God today I couldn't stop thinking about the butterfly.  God could have reached his hand down and stopped the man's car but he didn't.  Why? Only God knows.  Seeing a monarch butterfly in flight - UP.  Seeing it hit the windshield - DOWN.  Seeing the smile of a father as his child is baptized - UP.  Hearing of his sudden death - DOWN.  Yo-Yo's and roller coasters.

My daughter came to visit this week and when she was sitting across the table from me at dinner and I could look into her eyes I was on top of the world.  UP.  When I put her on a plane for Philly, my heart sank. DOWN.

Healthy one day, cancer the next.  Successful businessman one day, unemployed the next.  Strong in your faith one day, doubting the next.  Holy and righteous one day, sinful the next.  Yo-Yo's and roller coasters.

So what to do?  Paul tells us that he had to endure the highs and the lows and here is what he said in Philippians 4:11-13

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.


It's all about Jesus.  It's about HIM who gives us strength.  In this world everything is temporary and fading.  I wrote before about our things being rusty and moth-eaten. Even our lives are described in the bible as a breath, a vapor, and like a cut flower.  Jesus warned a man who was storing up riches that "This very night your life will be demanded of you."  Jesus was clear that our focus was to be on God through the life Jesus gives us in his sacrifice at Calvary.  Our strength comes through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who lifts us to great heights and carries us in the extreme lows.  We can do all things through him.  Remember that when the Apostles were seeing Jesus perform miracles they were UP and when they saw him die on the cross they were DOWN.  But, God didn't leave them there did he?  No, he gave them and he gave us probably the most powerful visual to restore our strength: the resurrection.  He gave them hope. He gives us hope.  One day my friend there will be no more DOWNS, EVER! Only UP, UP, UP.  It's a promise for those who have been saved by faith in Jesus.  Like Bart from MercyMe sings, "Hold Fast!" 


Peace,


David



Saturday, July 17, 2010

Get Rid of the Static - Listening to God Above the Noise of the World

I was driving to work the other day when I turned on the radio to a Christian station.  This particular station is a bit smaller and it's broadcast radius equally small so as I turned a corner in the road the once clear voice of the Bible teacher became intermingled with classical piano music.  For about a mile or two the Word of God was very difficult to hear as two out of every three words was overtaken by static, the musical notes of the piano, and then by the voice of the classical station DJ.  So, back and forth it went: 


Bible Teacher :  "Jesus said in John Chapter one, 'in the begin . . .'


static, static, static 


Bb7, F#m7, A, Em


static, static, static


Bible Teacher:  "Through Him all . . . "


D.J. :  "Now we'll enjoy Chopin's Nocturne in B-Flat minor"


static, static


I realized that God was showing me something in this.  He was showing me that, in this world, there are many things that compete for our attention especially those things that hinder us from hearing and discerning God's voice (a voice that the Bible, at one point, calls a "still small voice").


Did you ever try to answer your cell phone at a rock concert?  You know how you try really hard to listen to the person on the other end but the music is so loud and the crowd is so overwhelming that it's impossible.  You try plugging your other ear, sitting down, and tucking your head between your knees and you can hear a little better but the conversation is still marred.  If it's a really important call you stand up and walk out of the arena to a quiet place and soon the competing music and the roar of the crowd begins to fade.  Slowly,  the voice on the phone becomes clear and the conversation productive.


As I drew nearer to the Christian radio station tower the classical music faded and the Word's of John the Apostle came through clear as a bell:


"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, came from the Father, full of grace and truth."


The Bible tells us that the children of God recognize his voice which is a wonderful truth but equally true is that we need to be listening.  My children know my voice from all other voices but for some reason when they are playing a video game, in a trance-like state, my words fall on deaf ears.  When the game goes off (which it does really fast if my children ignore me) and they look in my eyes, it seems the words sink in much better.  


In Matthew Chapter 15 Jesus was teaching the crowd of followers and began his teaching with these words, "Listen and understand . . ."


In Mark Chapter 4 Jesus was sharing the parable of the sower and he begins with this, "Listen!  A farmer went out to sow his seed."


Did you notice the exclamation point?  Jesus knew that even more important than hearing was actually listening.  Everyone within reach of Jesus' voice could hear him but not everyone listened.  We often say, "I wish I could hear the voice of God." But I think God showed me again this week that if I want to hear him I need to tune out all the other static.  I need to turn off the TV, the IPOD, and the computer.  I need to get alone with him and spend some time in his written Word and on my knees (of whatever posture you find fit to pray).  Sure God can yell and often times I have found that if I have ignored him or failed to listen I get a really uncomfortable wake-up call.


I'm not sure if this touched you today, but I pray that your ears begin to hear and your heart respond to God's often still small voice.


Peace Friend,


David

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Children of God

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)


This is one of those passages of Scripture that is probably just fine to be put forth without any comment or elaboration but since I'm here I'll share just a few thoughts.


It hit me today as I witnessed an infant baptism and there was talk about the child having become a member of God's family and just a couple evenings before I was at a concert and was told that we we're all God's children.  I know I've touched on this before but I think it's worth repeating.  For the record, if you have any trouble with what this verse says or what I am going to say, search the scriptures and discern for yourself (as you should with anything anyone tells about God). By the way, I think it's fine for a body of believers to come together to pledge their lives in the raising of a child in the way of the Lord.  It's a beautiful thing but I'm going deeper here.  Does it save?


When we emerge from our mother's womb all wet and wrinkled and are placed in her arms it is a gift from God, no doubt.  We are part of God's creation.  We have been born the first time; it happened as the result of a human decision to conceive a child (at least there were humans who willing chose to perform the act that led to the birth).  The Apostle Paul goes so far as to say we were enemies of God before we were born again. (See Romans 5:9-11)  But what transaction occurs to bring us from enemy status to actual adoption into God's family?  What is it that we have to do?  Can someone else do it for us? 


Let's examine a couple possibilities:


1) Baptism - does baptism save?


This is a long topic but here is the main point.  The Bible is very clear that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not the mere intellectual assent or head knowledge of Jesus' historical life but faith in him as the sole means of salvation from the consequences of sin.  John's passage above says that those who "believed in his name" were given the right to become children of God.  Baptism is an integral part of our faith and an act of obedience and an outward expression of our having died with Christ and also having been raised with him.  We were commanded to be baptized along with our repentance so it is not an optional thing for a confessed Christian.  Jesus talked about a baptism he had to undergo. He wasn't talking about water baptism but the actual event that baptism symbolizes, his crucifixion and resurrection. So if we baptize someone or are baptized ourselves that in-and-of-itself doesn't bring them or us into God's family.


2)  Being a good person. 


Well, the bible is clear and each of our lives proves the fact that none of us is really all that good.  We might do some good deeds and act kindly but in our hearts we all have greed, pride, lust, idolatry, and a host of other characteristics that the bible tells us separates us from God.  The Bible says, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Paul says in Ephesians, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." We can't earn our way into the family.


3)  Being Religious


See #2  Being devoted to God in Christ is a beautiful thing but religion per se and religious ritual never saved anyone.  Performing the sacraments, praying, and partaking in any religious ritual may be an act of obedience or of heartfelt worship (which comes after salvation) but they themselves don't save.


I will end as I started by quoting Jesus as was written in John's Gospel.  These words were spoken to a Pharisee named Nicodemus as Jesus explained the truth of the New Birth or being "Born again" into God's family  (John 3:13-18)



"No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.  Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son"


Believe....


Peace,


David


Saturday, July 3, 2010

Are You Living a Tarzan Life? One Vine to the Next

Those of you who are old enough to remember the original Tarzan recall how he would grab a vine and swing down through the trees and when he got to the top of the arc he’d grab the next vine, swing down and grab the next, and so on.   He was traveling vine to vine.  One vine wasn’t enough to get him where he wanted to go.  It didn’t fully satisfy his need or fulfill his desire.  One day to the next, one destination to the next, one “save Jane from the villain” to the next, Tarzan would go vine to vine. Each vine might have been a little different, one a little longer, one a little thinner but ultimately they were just vines and when Tarzan looked back in time all the vines were but a blur. 

It’s kind of like that in so many areas of life.  We spend time planning a meal and even more time in its preparation. We sit down to eat and twenty minutes later it’s gone and soon we prepare for the next.  We live meal to meal.  We bathe in the morning and the next day we’re in need of a bath.  We pick up our paycheck on Friday (if we’re blessed to have a job these days) and one or two weeks later we pick up the next.  We live paycheck to paycheck.  It seems we’re swinging vine to vine and it has a way of making life seem like a treadmill or like one of those exercise wheels in your hamster’s cage; he runs but really gets nowhere.

Every once in a while I lay in bed at night and get this weird feeling that time is flying by and I’ve been running on the hamster’s wheel.  Get up, shower, shave, get dressed, grab a cup of coffee, drive to work, do the job, get in the truck, drive home, hug my wife, super-secret-handshake the boys, mow the lawn, eat dinner, help with the dishes, get the kids ready for bed, say prayers, brush my teeth, crawl in bed, read for twelve minutes, and fall asleep.  Get up and start over.  All of a sudden three months have gone by. All of a sudden three years have gone by.  All of a sudden life has gone by.

I think that’s how King Solomon felt when he wrote Ecclesiastes.  After all his toil and after all his indulging he looked back and felt a sense of meaninglessness.  But I also think there are many people who are so busy swinging on their vines or are so busy running on their hamster wheels they never even notice that they aren’t really going anywhere.  Sure, maybe they have built a bigger house or bought a shiny new car but in a little while those things will look like old vines that they’ve swung on before.

God is showing me that, although I need to eat, sleep, and earn a living, without him and the promise of eternity there is an emptiness to life.  Without the promise of eternal life we are just slowly moving through time to an ultimate nothingness.  No wonder people who have been taught by secular educators that we are the random product of time and chance, coming from nowhere and going to nowhere, choose to end their lives when they are in a moment of despair.  I think it may be the same for those who believe in reincarnation and the “circle of life”.  If this life isn’t working out, check out and try the next one. 

The Bible tells us that we are created in the image of God and that this life is in preparation for the next.  What we believe here and what we do with that belief matters, not just now, but forever.  Jesus told his followers to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness then all the rest will be added unto you.”  He promised to be the bread of life so that we would never be hungry.  He promised to be living water so we would never be thirsty.  He promised to be the vine so that we would always be connected to our source of life.  He promised to be our Sheppard so that we would always have safe pasture.  He promised to be resurrection and the life so that there would never be an end to life.  When Jesus rose from the dead he validated his promises and gave us meaning and hope.

As you go from vine to vine in life take a moment to pause and ask yourself "Why am I swinging and to where am I going?"  God’s plan is not that we swing for self-satisfaction or worldly gain but that we do so for him and by his power.  Jesus told his disciples to “Follow me.” Stop swinging for a second and ask God for direction.  I’ll do the same.

Peace, David