I just came back from the dentist today. I haven’t been in awhile. I had several thoughts that occurred to me while I sat in that torture chair for 45 minutes.
(1) Trust: Why do I trust this person that puts instruments in my mouth that sound like she is excavating a mine shaft? One of the main struggles of being human is trusting in the sovereign God. Yet, I willingly and without much hesitation trust this person, whom I only met 5 minutes ago to drill, scrap my teeth. I can’t see what she is doing and as far as I know she could be planning to pull my teeth out one by one or carver her name into my teeth. Yet, I struggle to trust God, the creator and sustainer to run my life.
(2) Faithfulness: I always have the best intentions before and after I go see the dentist. A couple of days before I go on a strict regime of brushing/flossing my teeth just like they told me to do the last time I visited. After taking a brow beating about the state of my mouth, I pledge to brush softly and in little circles, to floss daily, and treasure my teeth for the gifts that they are. How long does that pledge last? It is like when we go on a retreat or pledge to God, I will be faithful and study your Word everyday. How many times do we make pledges to God with the best intentions but fail to keep.
(3) Stewardship: God has graciously and generously given me these teeth, yet I fail to be a good steward of them. I don’t take care of them and treasure them for what they are and allow me to do. What if I didn’t have my teeth? Life would be different. I need to be a better steward of the resources God has given me, therefore allowing me to generous give of myself.
(4) Justification: It is one of the best feelings have your teeth professional clean. They smooth, the look shiny and they feel shiny. There is a confidence you gain from having the freshness and healthiness in your mouth. Yet, no matter how hard and how diligent I clean them at home; they never feel the way they do after the dentist. It is that way with sin, no matter what I do; I can never take the stain or remove my sin. I can make it look marginally better, make it look and smell more socially acceptable, but it is only through the professional cleaning of Jesus that any of us are able to have that smooth and refreshing feeling of being clean by the blood of the lamb. There is a confidence and freedom after been cleaned by Jesus.
I had no idea that my trip to the dentist would be so fulfilling this morning. I should go more often.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
The War on Christmas
The war on Christmas has been on the news lately (particularly Fox News). There is a sense of outraged that Christmas is being banned from American and that Christians are being forced out of the public arena. Here are examples of the battlefield around the country:
- In Illinois, state government workers were forbidden from saying the words “Merry Christmas” while at work
- In Rhode Island, local officials banned Christians from participating in a public project to decorate the lawn of City Hall.
- A New Jersey school banned even instrumental versions of traditional Christmas carols.
- Arizona school officials ruled it unconstitutional for a student to make any reference to the religious history of Christmas in a class project.
- Attorneys are working to educate library officials in Memphis about the unconstitutionality of their exclusion of Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wise men from a nativity scene.
- Teachers at a Georgia elementary school reportedly were told to nix any religious pins and refrain from referring to a party as a “Christmas” party, while the local district has censored certain religious Christmas songs from its “winter” program.
- In Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Ridgeway Elementary School's "winter program" has changed the name of "Silent Night" to "Cold in the Night." Sung to the tune of "Silent Night," the lyrics include: "Cold in the night, no one in sight, winter winds whirl and bite, how I wish I were happy and warm, safe with my family out of the storm."
Perhaps we should be concern with this “war”. But you know what I am more concern with is the Church proclaiming Christmas to the people of God and the world. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, many people and churches are faced with the dilemma of upsetting the family idolatry/consumerism of Christmas morning vs. keeping Christmas a holy day remembering God’s greatest gift. Seriously, what is the Churches telling the world about Jesus if we crumble under pressure and let Christmas become secularized.
Instead let’s be a people that redeems Christmas from the culture and celebrate what God has done and is doing for us. Are we willing to sacrifice some family traditions and secular customs to focus ourselves with our words and actions on Jesus at Christmas.
Monday, December 19, 2005
God is Giving
I love giving gifts particularly if I know the person is going to be excited about it. There is a joy about getting the reward of satisfaction knowing that the person loves the gift. I dislike (or yes, maybe even hate) gifts for the sake of gifts. It is amazing how easily we fall into the trap of giving gifts because it is Christmas and we ought to give a gift to that person. We ought to give to people because they have a need. We ought to spend time with people because we love them. I would rather spend the time with people that spend the time running around making sure I have the right gift for them or any gift for that matter.
The focus of Christmas quickly becomes how much I can give instead of how much God has given us. This frenzy of gift-giving is the anti-thesis of what Christmas is all about. It is not about our righteousness or worthiness to do the right things or to do anything, but it is about God’s generous and abundant love for us, that GOD GIVES himself to us.
This season let’s not worry about what we are giving, and what we are doing, but let’s focus on what GOD has GIVEN, and what GOD is DOING.
The focus of Christmas quickly becomes how much I can give instead of how much God has given us. This frenzy of gift-giving is the anti-thesis of what Christmas is all about. It is not about our righteousness or worthiness to do the right things or to do anything, but it is about God’s generous and abundant love for us, that GOD GIVES himself to us.
This season let’s not worry about what we are giving, and what we are doing, but let’s focus on what GOD has GIVEN, and what GOD is DOING.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
God doing is own thing.
‘If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.’" (1 Kings 2:4, NRSV)
"Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards,not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NRSV)
God does things differently. I mean really, if I was writing a story or planning to motivated a people, I wouldn’t do it they way God has done. He allows the people of Israel to try to do it they way. He allows them to try to be the King of God’s Kingdom (that phrase seems funny, to be the King of what is God’s). God didn’t want to established his throne with anybody else buy himself, because He alone is King. But he goes along with our plan, he allows us to see how it is going to work out. He allows us to live out the natural consequences of our choices.
So even in David’s remarks to Solomon as he passes on the Kingdom. David tells Solomon that if he leads the people to be faithful and if they are faithful after him, than your throne will last forever, and your family will always have succeed the throne. This is so comical, because not even Solomon can keep hold of that promise. And the history of Israel’s Kings is one of failures with a glimpse of faithfulness.
God does things differently doesn’t He? So God knew all along that our plan was going to fail, but he had the patient to see it out. Then he finally decides to put an end to it and to regain the throne that is rightful His all along. Does he send a mighty and powerful King. No, He comes as a humble baby, born with animals, poor and outcast. The King comes as what is low and despised in the world. This mighty and powerful God comes as a baby. Yet, we should be still should be frighten—because one day this babe will be the judge.
God does things differently doesn’t He? I mean wouldn’t you come as a might and powerful King, backed by a mighty and powerful and take the throne of this World by force. I wouldn’t come as a helpless baby—a helpless poor and seemingly insignificant baby.
In this season, let’s be thankful that God does things differently.
"Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards,not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NRSV)
God does things differently. I mean really, if I was writing a story or planning to motivated a people, I wouldn’t do it they way God has done. He allows the people of Israel to try to do it they way. He allows them to try to be the King of God’s Kingdom (that phrase seems funny, to be the King of what is God’s). God didn’t want to established his throne with anybody else buy himself, because He alone is King. But he goes along with our plan, he allows us to see how it is going to work out. He allows us to live out the natural consequences of our choices.
So even in David’s remarks to Solomon as he passes on the Kingdom. David tells Solomon that if he leads the people to be faithful and if they are faithful after him, than your throne will last forever, and your family will always have succeed the throne. This is so comical, because not even Solomon can keep hold of that promise. And the history of Israel’s Kings is one of failures with a glimpse of faithfulness.
God does things differently doesn’t He? So God knew all along that our plan was going to fail, but he had the patient to see it out. Then he finally decides to put an end to it and to regain the throne that is rightful His all along. Does he send a mighty and powerful King. No, He comes as a humble baby, born with animals, poor and outcast. The King comes as what is low and despised in the world. This mighty and powerful God comes as a baby. Yet, we should be still should be frighten—because one day this babe will be the judge.
God does things differently doesn’t He? I mean wouldn’t you come as a might and powerful King, backed by a mighty and powerful and take the throne of this World by force. I wouldn’t come as a helpless baby—a helpless poor and seemingly insignificant baby.
In this season, let’s be thankful that God does things differently.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Distorted Mirrors
I went to look at a Nursery school today. I don’t know if I am overly-protective, or overly sensitive but I have not been impressed with Nursery schools. I am supposed to send my child to these one of the schools where they don’t seem equipped to handle or nurture my child.
Beyond my over-protectionism, I was horrified with what I saw. This nursery school was created by the church that it resides in as an outreach to the community. And as I listen to the Nursery school director and asked him about teaching the faith in the school, she seemed like that was a crazy question. They don’t integrated faith into the school because it is an outreach. Huh? What kind of outreach is that? She stated very confidently and proudly that they celebrate all faiths, all traditions, and all families. If this was a secular school, I would have understood this philosophy, still might not want my child to go there, but understood it nevertheless. But this was a church based nursery school.
Basically the outreach they are doing is telling everybody that everything is okay. Instead of pointing people to the Living God and Truth of Jesus, they are holding up a mirror to people and telling them okay. Except the mirror they are holding up isn’t a mirror that reflects reality, it is a mirror that reflects falsehoods and lies so that people aren’t offended by what they look like.
Is the church too scared in this world to identify what we look like? Are we too scared and frightened to see what is actually in the mirror of this world to react? Or are we courageous enough to stand in the light of God and see the true reflection of who we are, and allow God to transform us into who He wants us and has created us to be.
If the church is giving up the Truth, who will preserve it?
Needless to say, Andrew is not going to that nursery school.
Beyond my over-protectionism, I was horrified with what I saw. This nursery school was created by the church that it resides in as an outreach to the community. And as I listen to the Nursery school director and asked him about teaching the faith in the school, she seemed like that was a crazy question. They don’t integrated faith into the school because it is an outreach. Huh? What kind of outreach is that? She stated very confidently and proudly that they celebrate all faiths, all traditions, and all families. If this was a secular school, I would have understood this philosophy, still might not want my child to go there, but understood it nevertheless. But this was a church based nursery school.
Basically the outreach they are doing is telling everybody that everything is okay. Instead of pointing people to the Living God and Truth of Jesus, they are holding up a mirror to people and telling them okay. Except the mirror they are holding up isn’t a mirror that reflects reality, it is a mirror that reflects falsehoods and lies so that people aren’t offended by what they look like.
Is the church too scared in this world to identify what we look like? Are we too scared and frightened to see what is actually in the mirror of this world to react? Or are we courageous enough to stand in the light of God and see the true reflection of who we are, and allow God to transform us into who He wants us and has created us to be.
If the church is giving up the Truth, who will preserve it?
Needless to say, Andrew is not going to that nursery school.
Monday, December 12, 2005
The Eyes of our Heart
"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a true heart." (2 Chronicles 25:2, NRSV)
"He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper." (2 Chronicles 26:5, NRSV)
"So Jotham became strong because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God." (2 Chronicles 27:6, NRSV)
"And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people; for the thing had come about suddenly." (2 Chronicles 29:36, NRSV)
It is hard to miss the point in the story of all the kings in Chronicles. Be faithful to God, follow Him alone. It hits you over the head like a hammer. You even start to wonder how did the people of Judah and Israel miss it. Could they not learn the lesson of history of stay faithful and true to the Lord instead of turning to their own ways and false gods.
It is easy to shake our head at other people’s faults and failures, but it is hard to recognize our own. Our broken hearts and broken minds easily stray from God and his purpose. They easily stray from our divine creator and his destiny for us. I can understand Judah and Israel, because I am so easily marvel at other people’s ability and even my own—that I forget to recognize God in the moments of my life. It is God that provides makes things good for those that love Him.
Then even when we are doing right on the surface for God, our hearts can be in the wrong place. I love the first quote that I posted today about King Amaziah that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but he did it without a true heart. How true that is: I am such a reluctant giver. I am such a reluctant lover of God in my heart.
I am reminded this morning that it is only through God that we are able to accomplish anything. Our job is to focus on Him. Our mission is to have a true heart that seeks to Love Him. Only then we will do what is right in the sight of the Lord, and only then will provide for us his immense blessings.
My prayer this morning for all of us is from the song by Paul Baloche:
“Open the eyes of my heart Lord
open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you
I want to see you”
"He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper." (2 Chronicles 26:5, NRSV)
"So Jotham became strong because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God." (2 Chronicles 27:6, NRSV)
"And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people; for the thing had come about suddenly." (2 Chronicles 29:36, NRSV)
It is hard to miss the point in the story of all the kings in Chronicles. Be faithful to God, follow Him alone. It hits you over the head like a hammer. You even start to wonder how did the people of Judah and Israel miss it. Could they not learn the lesson of history of stay faithful and true to the Lord instead of turning to their own ways and false gods.
It is easy to shake our head at other people’s faults and failures, but it is hard to recognize our own. Our broken hearts and broken minds easily stray from God and his purpose. They easily stray from our divine creator and his destiny for us. I can understand Judah and Israel, because I am so easily marvel at other people’s ability and even my own—that I forget to recognize God in the moments of my life. It is God that provides makes things good for those that love Him.
Then even when we are doing right on the surface for God, our hearts can be in the wrong place. I love the first quote that I posted today about King Amaziah that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but he did it without a true heart. How true that is: I am such a reluctant giver. I am such a reluctant lover of God in my heart.
I am reminded this morning that it is only through God that we are able to accomplish anything. Our job is to focus on Him. Our mission is to have a true heart that seeks to Love Him. Only then we will do what is right in the sight of the Lord, and only then will provide for us his immense blessings.
My prayer this morning for all of us is from the song by Paul Baloche:
“Open the eyes of my heart Lord
open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you
I want to see you”
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Thinking Outside Our Community
“Likewise when foreigners, who are not of your people Israel, come from a distant land because of your great name, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, may you hear from heaven your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigners ask of you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built." (2 Chronicles 6:32-33, NRSV)
Thinking outside the box! Does this surprise any of us. That Solomon, the great wise Solomon, prayed for foreigners of Israel to know God. We often think that evangelism or spreading the Good News of God is only a New Testament (particularly, Paul thing). No, not really at all. God has his sights on everybody since before the creation of the world. The reason that Israel is God’s chosen people is not because they did anything special or deserve to be chosen, but because God chose them to bless everybody. That is the essence of the covenant with Abraham: To bless the world. So here it is again, after Solomon has completed the temple, he turns and prays to God. He asks for God’s mercy when the people turn and sin; he even states that he knows that they will (6:36, there is no one who does not sin). Then Solomon even asks when foreigners turn and repent and come to you, be merciful to them and give them what they want.
That is thinking outside of you community. We have the greatest news, that God came down to earth to reside with us. He is not contained with a temple, but He walked among us and still is present with us. We are called not to keep them information that news to ourselves or within our own community be we are called to bless the world with that news. As Isaiah puts it we are to cry out to the world that Jesus is Lord!
“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them, may you hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send down rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance." (2 Chronicles 6:26-27, NRSV)
Even Solomon puts in his prayer asking God if the people confess his name. That is the whole ball game right there: confessing God’s name. Confessing that Jesus alone is Lord and Solomon opens it up just as God did from the very beginning to people outside the chosen community.
“because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NRSV)
How eager how we to share that Good News? If Solomon, who was the wisest person, who God was with (1:1), had it in his heart to share the good news with foreigners, with strangers, why do we struggle with this? If we are to be viable (what a lame word that is), if we are to be life-giving, life-sustaining, we are to tell (verbal) about Jesus. Why do we hesitate with such wisdom? Let us starting thinking outside our community, outside our church. In doing that we become the people, the church that God has created us to be.
One last comment this morning: Look at Solomon’s question below.
“But will God indeed reside with mortals on earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!" (2 Chronicles 6:18, NRSV)
God’s plan is even better than that Solomon! God decided not just to reside with mortals in the temple on this earth. God doesn’t to be one of us, to walk with us, to know our world through our eyes. We have a God that not only resides, but walks with us.
Thinking outside the box! Does this surprise any of us. That Solomon, the great wise Solomon, prayed for foreigners of Israel to know God. We often think that evangelism or spreading the Good News of God is only a New Testament (particularly, Paul thing). No, not really at all. God has his sights on everybody since before the creation of the world. The reason that Israel is God’s chosen people is not because they did anything special or deserve to be chosen, but because God chose them to bless everybody. That is the essence of the covenant with Abraham: To bless the world. So here it is again, after Solomon has completed the temple, he turns and prays to God. He asks for God’s mercy when the people turn and sin; he even states that he knows that they will (6:36, there is no one who does not sin). Then Solomon even asks when foreigners turn and repent and come to you, be merciful to them and give them what they want.
That is thinking outside of you community. We have the greatest news, that God came down to earth to reside with us. He is not contained with a temple, but He walked among us and still is present with us. We are called not to keep them information that news to ourselves or within our own community be we are called to bless the world with that news. As Isaiah puts it we are to cry out to the world that Jesus is Lord!
“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them, may you hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send down rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance." (2 Chronicles 6:26-27, NRSV)
Even Solomon puts in his prayer asking God if the people confess his name. That is the whole ball game right there: confessing God’s name. Confessing that Jesus alone is Lord and Solomon opens it up just as God did from the very beginning to people outside the chosen community.
“because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NRSV)
How eager how we to share that Good News? If Solomon, who was the wisest person, who God was with (1:1), had it in his heart to share the good news with foreigners, with strangers, why do we struggle with this? If we are to be viable (what a lame word that is), if we are to be life-giving, life-sustaining, we are to tell (verbal) about Jesus. Why do we hesitate with such wisdom? Let us starting thinking outside our community, outside our church. In doing that we become the people, the church that God has created us to be.
One last comment this morning: Look at Solomon’s question below.
“But will God indeed reside with mortals on earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!" (2 Chronicles 6:18, NRSV)
God’s plan is even better than that Solomon! God decided not just to reside with mortals in the temple on this earth. God doesn’t to be one of us, to walk with us, to know our world through our eyes. We have a God that not only resides, but walks with us.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
God's viabilty vs. Us
"King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great; for the temple will not be for mortals but for the Lord God." (1 Chronicles 29:1, NRSV)
"Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary; be strong, and act.”" (1 Chronicles 28:10, NRSV)
"David said further to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." (1 Chronicles 28:20, NRSV)
I am no King. I certainly am not Solomon, nor do I pretend to be. But these words were encouragement for me this morning. One of the themes in scriptures particularly 1 Chronicles is that when God is with you, who can be against you. Good things happen when you are faithful and worship God in all things. The key is walking with God allowing him to be with you.
Even when David allowed Satan to stand up against Israel (1 Chronicles 21:1); David decided to count his blessings seemingly for his own glory and not God’s, David was quick to repent and even recognized that God’s mercy is greater than any human’s.
In this time as we try to establish Christ Presbyterian Church to be more “viable”, we need to define what does “viable” mean? Does it mean that we have enough money? Does it mean that we don’t have to worry about reaching out to our neighbors because we are do alright by ourselves. Or does it mean having God with us. We are not viable because of anything that we do. We are viable because of who God is. We need to learn a place in this world and in relationship with Him. We need to see his sovereignty in this world and to worship God and give God the glory for all things. Being viable means loving God and serving this world. If we do that…if we “Be Strong and Act” with the confidence that “God is with us.”—then we will be viable because God is viable. Viable really isn’t a strong enough word for God is it?
"Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary; be strong, and act.”" (1 Chronicles 28:10, NRSV)
"David said further to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." (1 Chronicles 28:20, NRSV)
I am no King. I certainly am not Solomon, nor do I pretend to be. But these words were encouragement for me this morning. One of the themes in scriptures particularly 1 Chronicles is that when God is with you, who can be against you. Good things happen when you are faithful and worship God in all things. The key is walking with God allowing him to be with you.
Even when David allowed Satan to stand up against Israel (1 Chronicles 21:1); David decided to count his blessings seemingly for his own glory and not God’s, David was quick to repent and even recognized that God’s mercy is greater than any human’s.
In this time as we try to establish Christ Presbyterian Church to be more “viable”, we need to define what does “viable” mean? Does it mean that we have enough money? Does it mean that we don’t have to worry about reaching out to our neighbors because we are do alright by ourselves. Or does it mean having God with us. We are not viable because of anything that we do. We are viable because of who God is. We need to learn a place in this world and in relationship with Him. We need to see his sovereignty in this world and to worship God and give God the glory for all things. Being viable means loving God and serving this world. If we do that…if we “Be Strong and Act” with the confidence that “God is with us.”—then we will be viable because God is viable. Viable really isn’t a strong enough word for God is it?
Monday, December 05, 2005
Dream Out Loud
"When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream." (Psalm 126:1, NRSV
"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10, NRSV)
And you can dream, so dream out loud. . . .
In dreams begin responsibilitiesAnd I can love, and I can loveAnd I know that the tide is turning 'round (U2, Acrobat)
God’s goodness cannot be imagine. God’s grace is not even the stuff of dreams. When God’s grace and salvation are generously spread over us and His creation, it will only be like the things we dream of. We an only begin to dream of his greatness and his sovereignty. The good news is that it is even better than our dreams.
Each night, when I put my boys to bed, I gave them a blessing that goes something like this: “May God protect you tonight. May you fall into a deep sleep and dream of God’s Kingdom and may you fall deeper in love with Jesus.” I wonder if my boys really do dream of God’s kingdom, I hope they do. I hope God provides them with those glimpse and dreams so that they do fall deeper in love with Jesus. When we experience his grace and presence in our lives, when we experience is Kingdom come now, he can’t help but fall in love with Jesus. And the cream of it all is that our dreams don’t even compare to the reality of His Kingdom.
I love the song Acrobat from U2, it is one of my favorites, and would be and my must have album—not many would include this song. But I love the line about dreaming out loud. God has given us the ability to dream and imagine His Kingdom coming, and our responsibility is to dream out loud. Dream so people can hear our dreams and experience just a little bit of the reality of God. I am not sure that is what they meant for this song, but it is what I get out of it.
May we be a people that God protects, that dreams out loud so the world can experience the Truth and reality of God. Come Jesus, come!
"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10, NRSV)
And you can dream, so dream out loud. . . .
In dreams begin responsibilitiesAnd I can love, and I can loveAnd I know that the tide is turning 'round (U2, Acrobat)
God’s goodness cannot be imagine. God’s grace is not even the stuff of dreams. When God’s grace and salvation are generously spread over us and His creation, it will only be like the things we dream of. We an only begin to dream of his greatness and his sovereignty. The good news is that it is even better than our dreams.
Each night, when I put my boys to bed, I gave them a blessing that goes something like this: “May God protect you tonight. May you fall into a deep sleep and dream of God’s Kingdom and may you fall deeper in love with Jesus.” I wonder if my boys really do dream of God’s kingdom, I hope they do. I hope God provides them with those glimpse and dreams so that they do fall deeper in love with Jesus. When we experience his grace and presence in our lives, when we experience is Kingdom come now, he can’t help but fall in love with Jesus. And the cream of it all is that our dreams don’t even compare to the reality of His Kingdom.
I love the song Acrobat from U2, it is one of my favorites, and would be and my must have album—not many would include this song. But I love the line about dreaming out loud. God has given us the ability to dream and imagine His Kingdom coming, and our responsibility is to dream out loud. Dream so people can hear our dreams and experience just a little bit of the reality of God. I am not sure that is what they meant for this song, but it is what I get out of it.
May we be a people that God protects, that dreams out loud so the world can experience the Truth and reality of God. Come Jesus, come!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Best Laid Plans
"Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.” So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel." (1 Chronicles 15:13-14, NRSV)
Intentions are not good enough. Sometimes we have the best intentions or the best laid plans, but sometimes they are not enough. David was turning the people back to the Lord compared to Saul’s regime. He intended to bring back the Ark of the Lord, however, in his zest he forget the rules with the ark. He forgot that only the Levites were allowed to carry it. However, Saul was persisted, he made a mistake, and then he corrected it. He then brought the Levites in and had them sanctify themselves before he attempt to retrieve the Ark again. It worked the second time not because of David’s good intentions or plans, but because he was obedient.
I think at times at church we have good intentions, but we are not obedient to the process. We are obedient in keeping God the center and focus of our universe. He only becomes a part of the process instead of the process. We become more enamored in what we have planned and what we are doing (or what to do) than what God has plan.
Can we be a people that are repentant and correct our behavior when we realize that we haven’t been obedient to God’s plan and timing or will we push ahead with our plans?
Then in chapter 16 we get the bottom line of our task and God’s plan for us:
"Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Tell of his salvation from day to day." (1 Chronicles 16:23, NRSV)
Seems so simply—point people to Christ. Can we start by point ourselves to Christ!
Intentions are not good enough. Sometimes we have the best intentions or the best laid plans, but sometimes they are not enough. David was turning the people back to the Lord compared to Saul’s regime. He intended to bring back the Ark of the Lord, however, in his zest he forget the rules with the ark. He forgot that only the Levites were allowed to carry it. However, Saul was persisted, he made a mistake, and then he corrected it. He then brought the Levites in and had them sanctify themselves before he attempt to retrieve the Ark again. It worked the second time not because of David’s good intentions or plans, but because he was obedient.
I think at times at church we have good intentions, but we are not obedient to the process. We are obedient in keeping God the center and focus of our universe. He only becomes a part of the process instead of the process. We become more enamored in what we have planned and what we are doing (or what to do) than what God has plan.
Can we be a people that are repentant and correct our behavior when we realize that we haven’t been obedient to God’s plan and timing or will we push ahead with our plans?
Then in chapter 16 we get the bottom line of our task and God’s plan for us:
"Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Tell of his salvation from day to day." (1 Chronicles 16:23, NRSV)
Seems so simply—point people to Christ. Can we start by point ourselves to Christ!
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