Recently, I was standing alongside my three year old son as he was riding the carousel in the food court of our local mall. As we were going round and round, Zach looked at the kids on the horses behind us and said with a sly little grin, "we're beating them". I love the way that boy thinks. Not only were we beating them, but there is no possibility of them ever threatening our position. He is already turning out to be an eternal optimist. He wasn't comparing his position to the kids ahead of him with whom he could never catch up, he was comparing his position to the kids behind him. That's a smart kid.
I think for a three year old, comparing his position on a carousel to others is innocent and cute. The problem is that many of us, in our spiritual journey, continue that habit and it becomes something altogether different. We either go before God with a heart of complaint because of who is ahead of us on the carousel or we allow ourselves to get really puffed up because we look behind us to see how many people we are beating. I wonder if, while we whip our plastic horses so that they'll speed up, God is up in Heaven shouting, "It's not a race! It's a ride....would you just learn to enjoy the ride!"
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
90 degree angles
Genesis 1:14-18 "and God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.' And it was so. God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to seperate light from darkness. And saw that it was good." The NIV BibleI have recently been learning the construction trade from a friend of mine. I work for him on Fridays with jobs that he is being hired for and on Saturdays, he comes over and helps me with some re-modeling projects that I am doing at my house. Through this learning process, I have come to understand how crucially important the 90 degree angle is to quality construction. Every wall should be perfectly perpendicular to the floor and every board should be perdendicular to the one that it is nailed. Pretty much everything that is built hinges in some way on the use of this angle. Let me re-phrase that...everything that is built by man hinges on the 90 degree angle.
In my obsession with the ninety degree angle, I was struck by a profound realization. I could hardly find anything that God has created that uses ninety degree angles. I don't see them in trees, clouds, grass, humans, animals....I just don't see them. I guess somewhere in creation there may be a ninety degree angle but for the most part, you just don't see a lot of hard angles or even straight lines for that matter.
The things that God makes just seem to explode into place with free movement and life. Trees look as if bark, branch, and leaf just erupted out of the ground. Mountains have a rugged unsubmissiveness to any appearance of order and symetry....and humans, I can't really explain what we look like accept that we are a beautifully raw mix of order, chaos, and symmetry that is still entirely organic.
It's funny how man applies hard angles and lines to pretty much everything we put our hands to. When man makes something, it almost always devolves into industry with smoke and fire and regulatory specifications. (I say 'almost always' because there will always be the artists among us). When man puts his hand to religion, it becomes a system of rules and regulations with sub-rules and sub-regulations created by committees and sub-committees.
With God it's just different. Everything that God makes resembles......life. Each creation has its own pattern and it's own chaos that is submitted only to its Creator. Even the 'religion' (or the title that men with angles and lines would give to it) that God has given us to know Him is organic and relational and wild. Jesus clearly stated why He came when he said "I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly" and He lived a life for us to model that was undomesticated and beautiful and perfectly organic....and he was a carpenter by trade. I wonder what his take would be on the ninety degree angle?
Monday, August 24, 2009
Greatness
Recently, I have been wrestling with the issue of greatness. More specifically, wondering if God will use my life to accomplish some great thing and what that great thing is. Amazingly (I know I shouldn't be amazed...but I was) on the very day that I was journaling about that question...God answered it through a friend that I had just met. He was sharing his story and mentioned a very obscure passage of scripture that God had used in his life.
The passage is Genesis 5:24 "Enoch walked with God and he was no more, for God took him", New American Standard Version.
That's all it says but it spoke volumes to me as soon as I heard it. It doesn't speak of brave and heroic feats of faith or even benevolent acts of sacrifice....it just says that Enoch walked with God. What if for the rest of my life, all I do is walk with God? In Enoch's case, it was apparently enough to please God so much that he couldn't stand not having Enoch in His physical presence....so he just took Him. There are very few great men in the Bible who achieved that distinctive honor. In fact, the only other members of the "ascension club" are Elijah and ...Jesus. Everyone else got into God's presence the old fashioned way.
To be honest, it really takes the pressure off. But, I have also realized that I have just simply become aware of something that has been in front of me all along. When describing God's approval or dissaproval, Jesus uses phrases like "depart from me, I never knew you" or "well done, my good and FAITHFUL servant". These phrases are relational in nature. The "great things" that were done throughout the Bible were simply acts of obedience to the voice of God and that voice was recognized only because the hearer's had been walking with God.
The simplicity of this truth is so freeing for someone like me who is 35 years old and is on the verge of a mini-midlife crisis. Up to this point, I have walked with God as best as I know how, and as far as I know, I am where He has called me to be. I may or may not accomplish some "great thing" by the world's standards (and even by Sunday School standards) but I'm not responsible for that. I am simply called to walk with God and if that's all I do for the rest of my life, then that will be my "great thing" and I will get to hear words reserved for people who do great things...."well done, my good and faithful servant".
The passage is Genesis 5:24 "Enoch walked with God and he was no more, for God took him", New American Standard Version.
That's all it says but it spoke volumes to me as soon as I heard it. It doesn't speak of brave and heroic feats of faith or even benevolent acts of sacrifice....it just says that Enoch walked with God. What if for the rest of my life, all I do is walk with God? In Enoch's case, it was apparently enough to please God so much that he couldn't stand not having Enoch in His physical presence....so he just took Him. There are very few great men in the Bible who achieved that distinctive honor. In fact, the only other members of the "ascension club" are Elijah and ...Jesus. Everyone else got into God's presence the old fashioned way.
To be honest, it really takes the pressure off. But, I have also realized that I have just simply become aware of something that has been in front of me all along. When describing God's approval or dissaproval, Jesus uses phrases like "depart from me, I never knew you" or "well done, my good and FAITHFUL servant". These phrases are relational in nature. The "great things" that were done throughout the Bible were simply acts of obedience to the voice of God and that voice was recognized only because the hearer's had been walking with God.
The simplicity of this truth is so freeing for someone like me who is 35 years old and is on the verge of a mini-midlife crisis. Up to this point, I have walked with God as best as I know how, and as far as I know, I am where He has called me to be. I may or may not accomplish some "great thing" by the world's standards (and even by Sunday School standards) but I'm not responsible for that. I am simply called to walk with God and if that's all I do for the rest of my life, then that will be my "great thing" and I will get to hear words reserved for people who do great things...."well done, my good and faithful servant".
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Super String Theory
Recently, a friend introduced me to an incredible website (http://www.ted.com/) where experts from every field in the world give 10-20 minute lectures in their area of expertise. So far, one of my most favorite lectures is on super string theory (http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/brian_greene_on_string_theory.html)I highly recommend that you check out this lecture but I will go ahead and give you the very short version. The speaker, Brian Greene, explains the premise of string theory which basically states that inside of quarks (which are now thought to be the very smallest identifiable units of matter) are little belts or circles of energy that are constantly resonating and are the source of all of matter's constant movement.
To sum it up, at the very core of all existing matter is a resonance.
As I listened to Greene, I could not get a way from the creation account found in Genesis where God literally speaks existence into being. "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light..." and as the chapter progresses God speaks everything in creation into being.
It also brought to mind the first chapter of the book of John that states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made."
As I listened to Greene, all I could think about was that super string theory may just be a secular way of saying that at the very fabric of all that is made, you will find the resonance or the word of God..
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Slow Leak
For about the last year, I've been driving around on a tire that has a slow leak in it. I'll go to the gas station, pay 75 cents to use the air compressor to re-inflate it (paying 75 cents for air...that should be reason enough to get it fixed) and be good for another 2-3 weeks depending on the weather. The only reason that I can think of for why I haven't gone to have the leak plugged is that I just don't want to take the time to do it. It won't cost me anything because typically, tire stores will do a flat repair for free (because they know that if your tire is beyond repair, you'll be buying a new tire from them...I know this because I used to work in a tire store). I know that the tire is still in good enough shape that with a proper plug, I would be able to drive on it for it's expected lifespan. The danger of not fixing it is that if I continue to drive on the tire while it is not inflated to its recommended psi (pounds per square inch) it will wear down in places that will make it dangerous to drive on and it will either blow out or I will have to pre-maturely replace the tire with a new one. All of this could be prevented with about thirty minutes of my time and the effort of taking the tire to get it fixed...wait for it....here it comes....the spiritual application for the slow leak metaphor......actually, I won't do it. I'll let you fill in the blank as to what the "slow leak" in your life may be...because it may just be a slow leak in your tire.....but you still need to do something about it.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
"I don't know": the essence of being human before a sovereign God
Just recently, the community of Buffalo experienced a great tragedy when passenger flight 3407 crashed and killed all 51 passengers and crew on board. It was a shock to the community and called forth a response from the community of faith in the Buffalo area to help the affected families and the community at large in coping with such a great loss.
In our church, our pastor spoke from the book of Job and gave maybe one of the best messages that I have ever heard on why tragedy happens even though we believe that God is ultimately sovereign. Among many different points that Jerry covered, one of them is that we don't know why God allows tragedy. We know that for true love to exist, that choice must also exist which opens the door to risk, but ultimately we don't know why God allows one plane to miraculously land in the Hudson River and another to crash just 8 miles from the airport.
As I have wrestled with all of this, I came to the conclusion that being forced to say "I don't know" is ultimately what makes us human before God. It is one of the many things that makes God "other" or "holy". It is what makes God a mystery and it forces us to have a childlike faith in a God that we don't always understand but allows us to trust a Father who's character is always good.
Somewhere in the past century, "I don't know" somehow became an unacceptable answer especially in the intellectual and even theological community. It has caused theologians to feel the need to force interpretations of seemingly contradicting scriptures through the grid of their preferred theology to create interpretations that really don't explain what the scripture is saying in it's context. Having to know, eventually causes one to have to choose a side, which in turn leads to finding others who are on your side, and next thing you know you are the "Second (enter denominational name) Church" that is just across the corner of the same intersection from the "First (same denominational name) Church" because you decided that you couldn't agree on every theological issue that the Southern/Central/Reformed/ (same denom. name) Denomination believes which happens to be the denomination of the "First (same denom. name) Church"
But maybe it's not such a new problem. As I have read the book of Job, I see Job's friends doing the same thing. They get angry at Job because he refuses to acknowledge that his troubles are a result of God punishing his sin. The reason that this angers them is because it completely flies in the face of the common theology of their day that basically stated, "if you are prospering then you are living righteously and you have God's blessing, if you are experiencing hardship, then you are living in sin and you have God's hand against you." So if Job does not admit that their is sin in his life, the Job's friends will have to reckon with the fact that their understanding of who God is may not be correct.
To go back even further, I think one of the enticements that Satan offered to Adam and Eve was that by eating of the forbidden fruit, they could "know" the things that God knows. They wouldn't have to stay in the dark regarding the ways of God and could be like Him in "knowing".
I think there is a great place of comfort in being able to say "I don't know". It is a reminder that He is One who is totally other than me. He is mysterious and He is far more brilliant than I will ever comprehend but He is infinitely good. And as I rest in that goodness, I can say with full assurance and confidence that "I don't know".
In our church, our pastor spoke from the book of Job and gave maybe one of the best messages that I have ever heard on why tragedy happens even though we believe that God is ultimately sovereign. Among many different points that Jerry covered, one of them is that we don't know why God allows tragedy. We know that for true love to exist, that choice must also exist which opens the door to risk, but ultimately we don't know why God allows one plane to miraculously land in the Hudson River and another to crash just 8 miles from the airport.
As I have wrestled with all of this, I came to the conclusion that being forced to say "I don't know" is ultimately what makes us human before God. It is one of the many things that makes God "other" or "holy". It is what makes God a mystery and it forces us to have a childlike faith in a God that we don't always understand but allows us to trust a Father who's character is always good.
Somewhere in the past century, "I don't know" somehow became an unacceptable answer especially in the intellectual and even theological community. It has caused theologians to feel the need to force interpretations of seemingly contradicting scriptures through the grid of their preferred theology to create interpretations that really don't explain what the scripture is saying in it's context. Having to know, eventually causes one to have to choose a side, which in turn leads to finding others who are on your side, and next thing you know you are the "Second (enter denominational name) Church" that is just across the corner of the same intersection from the "First (same denominational name) Church" because you decided that you couldn't agree on every theological issue that the Southern/Central/Reformed/ (same denom. name) Denomination believes which happens to be the denomination of the "First (same denom. name) Church"
But maybe it's not such a new problem. As I have read the book of Job, I see Job's friends doing the same thing. They get angry at Job because he refuses to acknowledge that his troubles are a result of God punishing his sin. The reason that this angers them is because it completely flies in the face of the common theology of their day that basically stated, "if you are prospering then you are living righteously and you have God's blessing, if you are experiencing hardship, then you are living in sin and you have God's hand against you." So if Job does not admit that their is sin in his life, the Job's friends will have to reckon with the fact that their understanding of who God is may not be correct.
To go back even further, I think one of the enticements that Satan offered to Adam and Eve was that by eating of the forbidden fruit, they could "know" the things that God knows. They wouldn't have to stay in the dark regarding the ways of God and could be like Him in "knowing".
I think there is a great place of comfort in being able to say "I don't know". It is a reminder that He is One who is totally other than me. He is mysterious and He is far more brilliant than I will ever comprehend but He is infinitely good. And as I rest in that goodness, I can say with full assurance and confidence that "I don't know".
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
"Lost" without my "Friends"
A couple of nights ago, as I was watching T.V., I came to the profound revelation that I am truly pathetic. I realized that I had gotten excited about getting to come home and spend a couple of hours in front a screen where I would allow myself to get emotionally invested in the lives of several fictional characters, living in a fictional world, while working through fictional circumstances. It really is sad. My wife and I's two favorite shows are Lost and Heroes and the more I think about it, the more ridiculous it becomes. At that moment, I realized that I truly care about people that don't even exist and I invest a significant part of my time keeping up with their fictional lives. How sad is that!
It reminds me of another revelation I had several years ago when the show Friends went off the air. I felt like I had lost some of my closest friends when that show went off the air. It was so hard to say goodbye to Joey and Ross and Rachel and Chandler and Monica and Phoebe (and I can't believe I can still so easily reel off all of these fictional character's names). It made me realize how sad it was that I could actually experience grief over a bunch of people that didn't even exist.
It truly is sad....very sad indeed.
It reminds me of another revelation I had several years ago when the show Friends went off the air. I felt like I had lost some of my closest friends when that show went off the air. It was so hard to say goodbye to Joey and Ross and Rachel and Chandler and Monica and Phoebe (and I can't believe I can still so easily reel off all of these fictional character's names). It made me realize how sad it was that I could actually experience grief over a bunch of people that didn't even exist.
It truly is sad....very sad indeed.
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