profundus sententia

Linear Rankings, Interconnected Spheres, and Reconsidering My Priorities

2007-09-25T14:19:00.000-05:00

During my recent foray into my first year of seminary, I've been challenged to reshuffle my schedule, and in doing so, have been reconsidering my priorities. Not questioning them necessarily, but examining if my schedule actually reflects my stated priorities. In other words, does the way I live match up with what I say is important to me? I've had several reflections during this process.

My first observation considers how I think about priorities compared to how I've heard other people talk about it. At camp and Bible College and anywhere else it has come up, they always seem to challenge me to do something like rank my priorities on a list. The expectation is that someone's list would look something like this: 1. God 2. Family/close friends 3. Work and/or school 4. Church/ministry 5. Hobbies and/or social activities. I'm not sure how this is helpful. These things are not equal or directly comparable to each other. For instance, nearly everyone I know devotes the largest portion of their time (not including sleeping) to work/school, number three on the priority list I gave. In comparison, even the person who is most devoted to having a consistent and committed relationship with God will only give a fraction of that amount of time to regular Bible-reading and prayer time or the like. (I'm not saying, by the way, that it isn't useful to have a method of resolving conflicting priorities in such a way that keeps one truly committed to the most important things in his life, i.e. the husband getting off work early to have a date night with his wife one night a week or the father clearing his schedule to watch his son's baseball game.)

I think it is more helpful to abandon strict linear thinking (just look on any major sports website to see how prevalent our culture's obsession with numbers, categorization, stats, and rankings has become) and imagine a different mental exercise. A piece of paper or a whiteboard are both good images. I write God in the center and put a circle around his name. I then start writing other priorities around the middle, leaving space in between. Some circles are bigger, and some are smaller, which for me is determined by some combination of importance to me personally, and the time and focus required for them. What I get is a bunch of interconnected, and potentially overlapping, spheres. Here are some personal examples of what this exercise allows:

My part-time job in the mornings can be in the sphere titled "Work", but riding my bike to said job can be in the sphere titled "hobbies" or "health"; I can then draw a line connecting "morning job" to "biking". This flexibility and interconnectedness is completely lost in a linear system.
I don't have to rank activities like prayer and Bible-reading, but they can be of equal importance with their roles represented by their place in the spheres; for me, prayer might be connected to "God", "Bible", "reading books", "biking", "church", etc.
Blogging (which I talked about on my other blog today) is an activity that bridges my relationship with God with my hobbies, my thought life, my reading, and whatever else I happen to be inspired to write about.

My other observation is what I learned from doing the previous exercise: That my relationship with God should be the center around which my life revolves. Every activity I do must fulfill in some way my stated intention to love and glorify God in my life and accomplish his mission for me. Every activity must be connected to the center. This doesn't have to be interpreted strictly, or overspiritualized. Rather, I've begun to realize the value of things like hanging out with people everyday, like hobbies that help me have a richer life, and perhaps above all, knowing that God is ready and waiting to show up in the mundane, the ordinary, the everyday of my life. God doesn't need me to schedule events or time with Him so He can show up. He just wants to fully be a part of everything I already do.

Train Crossings, Fifteen-minute Delays, and the Dangerous Prayer for Patience

2007-06-28T16:34:00.000-05:00

On Monday I was biking back from morning work and I found myself waiting for a freight train for about 15 minutes right by First St. on Van Buren in Eugene. Every time I've been stopped there it's taken a while, and I think that's because they're always doing things with the trains because it's so near the train yard. A train will be moving right along, then grind to a stop and not move for two, three, even five minutes. It'll start going, then stop again a couple minutes later. You get the idea.

At any rate, I didn't mind waiting for it, but I was obviously in the minority. I personally think it's kind of silly to pray for patience (which, admittedly, is a prayer you shouldn't pray if you don't want your life messed up) and then turn down opportunities to develop it into your character.

As I was standing there, taking drinks from my water bottle, singing softly, and resisting the Arnoldian urge to count the freight cars as they went by, every car that had been waiting for the train on my side of the tracks turned around and left, one by one.

Now, mind you, they probably weren't going to get to their destination faster by leaving. It's a significant little detour to go back up to River Road/Chambers, and it's even farther to get around the tracks in the other direction.

So I got to thinking about it: What's so important that we have to do right now, that we can't wait ten or fifteen minutes for a freight train? Even though most if not all of those drivers had to be at work in a few minutes, didn't they know that by crossing the train tracks they were likely to be delayed? What boss out there is going to fire someone because they showed up ten minutes late to work, with possibly the best excuse besides a family emergency that an employee will ever have to be late to work? (Sadly, there probably are a few bosses like that out there.)

I didn't really come to any conclusions, save this: Those drivers probably didn't think their decision to turn around was a deeply personal one, born out of their inner convictions, priorities, and values. They probably didn't give it a whole lot of thought at all. In fact, they probably had a sense of inner compulsion driving them, a compulsion affected by stress, impatience, societal and cultural expectations, and whatever else. However, if someone wants to truly go against the grain, enjoy the moment, and see an opportunity where everyone else sees a nuisance, then they must make the decisions of their lives based on those inner intangibles rather than on outward circumstances and influences, or even emotions.

Perhaps the most telling maneuver of all on that morning, was made not by a driver, but by a fellow bicyclist who I was riding just behind as I came up to the First and Van Buren intersection. He stopped at the red light, hit the bicycle crossing button, then rode through the red light anyway after the intersection cleared, despite knowing that he would have to wait for the train anyway.

Are we, like him, in a hurry to go nowhere at all?

Picket Fences, Mid-Life Crises, and the American Dream

2007-02-22T16:45:00.000-06:00

In light of my work situation, I've been rethinking my philosophy of life as it has to do with work. This is a tricky subject for me, because I myself have originated from a white, middle-class, suburban family, that is not the exact template of the American Dream, but not far removed from it either. My dad, whom I greatly respect, is to some degree a workaholic, though he has never let it remove him entirely from interaction with my family.

My question is, is the American Dream really worth it? Think for a moment with me. The white picket fence and the front porch have been replaced by hedges and fences too tall to see over and a garage door opener that makes it possible for us to drive into our house without ever having the opportunity to say hello to our neighbors. No wonder so many of them are strangers to us (how many of your neighbors do you know by name??). Longevity in one job or career has given way to a mid-life crisis which seems to be commonplace; the age of taking care of your parents and extended family has become an age of retirement homes and nursing homes, where the elderly, the wise, the experienced are separated from the rest of society as if they're actually more a burden to us than a blessing.

It gets worse. Now could be called the age of divorces and broken families; kids are babysat by TVs and video games, rather than exploring the world. Debt is even more commonplace than the mid-life crisis. With our culture's unprecedented emphasis on individuality and independence, community and interdependence is suffering. Often, the only thing people worry about is "my problems", failing to see that the biggest problems and obstacles we will face in life are always "our problems". Because if we can't learn to help each other overcome problems together, aren't we missing the whole point of what God wants life to look like?

To be blunt, I'm not intending to make any clear conclusions at this point: All I want for me -- really, for us -- is to rethink our value system. What drives how we live, in reality? If the gospel calls us to be unselfish, do our actions, our giving, our time management, really reflect it? When we break it down, who does our life speak of? Is my life doesn't shout loudly of God and Jesus, then how can I claim to be truly living for Him? What's really important to me? When God asks me to give an account of how I lived while on earth, is He going to care about salary or hours or status? Or maybe, just maybe, He'll measure my life by an entirely different standard: If I was a lover of people, and if I worked for Him and for others rather than working for myself.

Rain, Mud Puddles, and the Nuisances of Life

2007-02-08T13:04:00.000-06:00

The rain finally broke the dry silence here in Oregon yesterday, which got me to thinking about how much of a blessing it is. How we let the weather affect us emotionally is, I believe, a good example of how much we let our experience of life be affected by circumstances. Even the most hardcore optimist has trouble seeing silver lining in mud puddles.

I suppose, if you've ever been walking on a sidewalk or in a parking lot and had your way completely blocked by an enormous puddle, you've been faced with a choice. That choice has much more to do with what your attitude about the puddle is, than how wet you happen to get. What happens in becoming an adult that makes our attitudes so muddy, that we can't choose to romp through a small lake of dirty water like a five-year-old?

What I'm saying is, how we handle the nuisances of life will be the same way we handle the "really big" problems. When it rains, do we notice that it got warmer and it's not freezing anymore? Would we really appreciate the sunshine if there were no clouds? Is it really a coincidence that rain is one of the commonly used biblical metaphors to describe the presence of God coming down to earth?

So the next time it pours here in Oregon, look outside and you might see me jumping through mud puddles.

Saying Grace, Special Occasions, and Jesus' Take on Prayer

2006-11-08T15:11:00.000-06:00

Recently, I have been reading and memorizing the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. I was wondering this week what Jesus would say if He gave that sermon again, this time to those of us in the 21st century. I think I have some ideas, so I'm going to attempt some creative rewriting of Scripture and put forth a series of excerpts in my next few blog entries, in no particular order.

"And when you pray, do not pray only before meals or on special occasions, as the complacent do; for they do not honor me with their actions, and their words are empty as a result. Instead, pray silently on all occasions and for all things, and show your obedience in this, and every word you pray will be heard by the Father. Draw no attention to yourself when you are praying, but bring the Father into the spotlight, so all people may remember Him and not you.
And do not make long-winded prayers, as the religious people like to do, using words that many of their hearers do not even understand. Rather pray simply, clearly and briefly, for the Father does not need things explained to Him in complicated language (see Matt. 6:5-8)."

Fair Use, the 8th Commandment, and Why I Don't Burn Music

2006-10-13T11:13:00.000-05:00

Having recently bought new music (see my antiquus postremo blog, the first link on the right sidebar), I was thinking about my convictions regarding using, loaning, and burning (or otherwise copying) music. I have never been prone to do it, nor to loan my own cds to others, but I thought that I would read up on it so as to know where I stand morally and legally and whether I should revise my own views.

Legally, it is a tricky and complicated bunch of laws regarding copyright; the part that is most relevant to this discussion is what is called Fair Use (if you want to read it, search for "Copyright Infringement" and/or "Fair Use" on Answers.com or Wikipedia). I won't summarize it all, but will suffice to say, the copying of whole cds or even whole songs for personal enjoyment is illegal, according to the letter of the law. The gray area, I suppose, is if you would actually get sued or penalized for it. In that sense, some might say that burning music while not profiting financially from it is akin to, say, going faster than the speed limit but not driving recklessly or endangering others.

If you know me, you know that I am not as concerned with these arguments as I am with what the Bible says about the matter and what God wants of us as His children. In this matter, I can't help but go back again and again to the 8th commandment: You shall not steal (Exodus 20:15). Did we forget about this, or do we just file it away as irrelevant when we consider things like these? It disturbs me, the relative ease with which some people seem to disobey commandments like this one, and those concerning the Sabbath and tithing (see Link below for a related post). In all good conscience, if I am going to enjoy an artist's music but do not pay for it, how am I not stealing from them? This is especially true if I add the hypothetical (and admittedly tricky) element of whether I would have paid for it if I hadn't burned it, in which case I am directly robbing them before the actual payment is made.

On top of that, I would add as an extra measure of conviction that the music business, for most, is not a lucrative career, and the exorbitant amount of burning and copying taking place is making it increasively difficult for musicians to make a living doing what they do. If you, like me, listen to Christian artists and bands a great deal, it would make sense that we would support them financially by buying their music and allow them to continue their ministry and further their impact.

As a last thought, I remind you of Romans 14:12 -- "Each one of us will give an account of himself to God."

Core Beliefs, Simplifying, and Why I Question Everything

2006-09-20T12:23:00.000-05:00

I've been going through a process recently of 'simplifying' my faith. This means that I am unraveling, and unearthing what I believe and the reasons I believe it. This is not for the purpose of throwing anything out or becoming a doubter, but rather to know what the most important things are in my belief system -- my core beliefs -- and know exactly why I believe them.

I would like to emphasize that if I encourage you to challenge what you believe, it it not because I want you to throw out your belief system. But I do want you to question everything. God is truth, and gives truth and wisdom to those who seek it and ask for it (Matt. 7:7-8; James 1:5). So if we question for the purpose of finding what is really true, God will honor that process. God doesn't hoard everything to keep it from us, but for some reason waits for us to take initiative in seeking what comes from Him and what He has the ability to give. God doesn't want spiritual drones who believe and obey mindlessly, because such people lack conviction and passion and, ultimately, love. God created us with the ability to think on our own and interact and question so that we would do just that in relation to Him.

The Bible talks about a great many things, practically all of which people have opinions on. But the Bible is also very clear about what are the most important things to believe in and base your life upon. Sometimes we ignore this in all our doctrinal studies and sermons and books. The Bible is very unified as a whole, which many people miss because they are never looking at the Bible as a whole but as the sum of its individual parts. The most important things in the Bible are attested to by both emphasis and quantity. I encourage you to join me on my journey of finding these things. If all Christians can agree on what the most important things are, and live our lives based on those things, then we will be a long way toward being the Church Jesus Christ intended to found.

Generalizations, Differences, and Human Commonality

2006-09-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

Working in the field that I do, I've been reminded several times recently that it is dangerous, and usually not advisable, to make generalizations and blanket statements about groups of people.

For example, people with developmental disabilities are highly varied, both in the nature of their disability or disabilities (cognitive, emotional, social, etc.) and also the level or severity of those disabilities. There is also a distinct difference between mental health and developmental disability. Then there are people who are physically disabled but have no developmental disabilities or mental health problems, and so are very different. People with cerebral palsy are perhaps the best and most common example of this.

We have to be careful to not create distinct groups of "us" or "them," whether we are referring to racial, ethnic, social, physical or mental or developmental disability, and possibly even religious differences. Individual members of humanity have much more in common with each other than is different, and that human commonality is where equality and mutual respect comes from. As I already mentioned in a previous post on my other blog (see Link below), people with developmental disabilities rarely have an us/them mentality even though to you and me it might seem as they have more reason to categorize themselves than we do. Rather, many of the people I have worked with have an innate sense of how they are like a person, or unlike them, and it only takes a small similarity to create a unique bond between people.

The other day, we had a barbecue at the house I was working at and there were a bunch of people there from two of three different houses, both coworkers and residents. As I was observing what was going on, I had a weird feeling that residents were more socially adept with overall, and with each other, than the coworkers were. Maybe there is something to that statement that Jesus said: "There are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last" (Luke 13:30).

Essentials, Absolute Commandments, and Ground Rules for Unity

2006-09-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Let me propose a few ground rules (or guidelines, if you prefer) for unity among Christians. These are in addition to the really obvious commands that were in the Scriptures I quoted in the last post. I believe that these are biblically sound and also correspond with common sense. (If you would like me to explain further how they are biblical, just post a comment and ask.) I also believe that if all Christians followed these guidelines, the Christian Church would be very unified on the whole and disagreements would be less common and less disruptive.

The first can best be described by a quote from a famous 20th century church leader: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity." Let me explain those in turn:

"In essentials, unity"

This means that in the beliefs and practices that are central to Christianity, all Christians must hold these to be true and right. The tricky part of this is that different people or denominations may think different things are essential; for example, someone who goes to a Catholic Church will say very different things are essential than I would. When this happens we must leave aside our opinions and go to our common ground for a definition: The Bible. God's word must determine for us what is essential to our faith, rather than us ourselves determining that. If a denomination or group of people believe something that is antithetical to the Bible's message, or undermines basic Christianity, then they are in error. This is usually what distinguishes a cult from a denomination, and it is a necessary distinction.

"In non-essentials, liberty"

This means that if a belief or doctrine is not essential according to the Bible, we must give and have freedom to believe something without being extremely dogmatic about that belief. This is where it is okay to "agree to disagree." I will note that many of the seemingly contradictory beliefs that distinguish many denominations from others are just extreme expressions of one facet or emphasis of Christianity, and not necessarily at odds with each other. (This is an important point, important enough that I may write a separate post just about it.) We must be determined not to let this freedom run rampant and result in schisms and divisions in the Church (see Gal. 5:13, prev. post).

"In all things, charity"

This would seem obvious, considering the immense importance of love to the gospel message, but somehow we still often fail to follow this consistently. As many of you know, charity is an archaic, "King James Version" word for love. In everything we do, love must be the priority, whether we are discussing what is essential, visiting a church that practices things that we are not used to, or talking to a person in the world. Love must characterize and sum up our actions inside, and outside, the church. If we miss this, we miss the gospel, we miss everything Jesus wanted us to do as His followers. I cannot overemphasize this, and I hope that we will constantly appeal to and fall back on this priority of love.

The last thing I will say right now is a further comment on what the Bible says in essential. To minimize confusion and disagreement, I believe it is best to only insist on the Bible's absolute truths and what I might term "absolute commandments." Absolute truths include what the Bible says about God, about Jesus Christ, about human beings, and about a few other varied topics. They must be things that are true at all times, at all places, with no conditions. Absolute commandments are things that the Bible undeniably, irrevocably, commands all people to do, at all times, and in all places. This means that we must avoid certain situational, cultural, social, or conditional instructions in the Bible when we are striving for unity among believers, and simply stick to what we can all agree to be true. The Bible is clear and unified to the point where I would hope that all sane, truth-seeking Christians would be able to honestly grasp it's main message and parts of that message. It is not only pointless, it is very foolish and dangerous and sinful, to disagree about minor matters of belief, doctrine, and practice, while we fail to do the most important things that the Bible commands us to do: Namely, loving God, and loving people. Unity is a must if we are to accomplish those things.

The Bible, Steering Away from Arguments, and Unity Among God's People

2006-09-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

So far on this blog, I have tried to stay away from tricky theological subjects that Christians often disagree on. I knew that I wouldn't be able to stay away from it forever, and it is about time to address a few of those that are more important in an effort to understand, as simply as possible, what the Bible says about those subjects: What we can be sure about, and what we probably shouldn't be dogmatic about. Please understand that it is not my purpose to disagree with certain views or people, and I am not going to argue or nitpick.

In view of that, I would like to talk about the unity of the body of Christ (the worldwide Christian Church, not the sum of any certain denominations or beliefs, but rather all people who follow Christ, who believe the Bible to be true and Jesus Christ to be the forgiver of sins through His death on the cross and the giver of life through His resurrection from the grave) before I address any specific issues.

Here's a few of the Scriptures where the New Testament talks about unity:

Jesus, praying for his disciples in John 17:11b -- "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one."

Jesus, praying for his future followers in John 17:21-23 -- "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Paul, in Romans 12:3-5 -- "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

Paul, in Romans 14:10, 13, 19, 21 --
"You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. "
"Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way."
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
"It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall."

Paul, in I Cor. 1:10 -- "I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought."

Paul, in I Cor. 8:9 -- "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak."

Paul, in II Cor. 13:11 -- "Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you."

Paul, in Gal. 5:13-15 -- "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."

Paul, in Eph. 4:1-6 -- "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

James, in James 2:8-9, 12-13 --
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers."
"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

Peter, in I Peter 3:8-9 -- "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

John, in I John 4:7-12 -- "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

These aren't all the scriptures on unity in love in the New Testament, but hopefully we all can see how important this is to the Church of Jesus Christ, and even the unity that all of the different authors had about this one subject. I challenge you to consider whether you are really living these scriptures out in how you treat people, Christian or not. We have much to account for in this area, I believe, if we are to live up to the Word that we preach with our mouths.

Categories, Definitions, and the Elements of Prayer

2006-08-28T15:18:00.000-05:00

Note: This post is a response to a comment on "Doubt, Unlimited Access, and the Power of Prayer." To see the comment click on the link at the bottom.

Prayer is not only about requests, but it somewhat depends on your definition of the word, whether it is narrow or broad. Let me explain.

Webster's definition for the word "pray" as it pertains to our discussion says: 1. to make a request in a humble manner 2. to address God...with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving. So in its most basic meaning, it just means conversation with God or talking to God. In this basic sense, what we most commonly call "praise" and "worship" would fall under our broad category of prayer. Communion with God is impossible without prayer, just like it is impossible to be friends with a person without communication.

In the Bible, there are several different words and even categories that refer to this broad category, but when it is translated in English as pray, prayer, etc. it usually refers to making requests or petitions. This is also the primary emphasis particularly in the New Testament when there are commands concerning prayer. This is the sense I which I use it, particularly when I have talked about the prayer of faith, power of prayer, doubt, and so on. These are all elements of prayer that have primarily to do with prayer being requests or petitions of some sort. If I am talking about other aspects of the broad category, I will do my best to define clearly what I am referring to, rather than using broad, unspecific terms that could refer to many things.

However, I agree that there is more to be said about the elements of prayer in the broad category of communication with God. Clearly our spiritual life would be quite incomplete, and, dare I say, immature, if we only make requests to God when we need something from Him, yet fail to praise Him and worship Him in everyday life, as well as listen to what He would say to us. I will make a point of addressing some of these topics in the coming weeks.

QotRTP

2006-08-28T14:34:00.000-05:00

"Our future dreams are His present realities."

Tim Franklin

Sheltered Environments, Calling, and Being a Minister of the Gospel

2006-08-24T22:39:00.000-05:00

I learned something this summer. I was interning at a church in Texas, and interviewing for a position there as an assistant pastor. We ended up coming to a mutual agreement that it wasn't the best thing for me to have the position. But God told me over the course of the summer that the summer wasn't really about the position at all.

It was about me.

Now before you accuse me of being self-centered, let me explain. I've been at Bible College the last five years of my life and I not only enjoyed it, I'm quite proud of it. Originally, I went to Bible College because I believed God wanted me, was calling me, to be in the ministry. By that, I suppose I thought of traditional vocational ministry. Pastor or youth pastor, Bible teacher, missionary. (I've never wanted to be an overseas, foreign language learning missionary, but it's in that same category as the others.) I had a shift while I was at college, to where I became more flexible with what I might do, whether my "ministry" was vocational or not, in a church or "secular" workplace, or whatever else.

What I didn't realize for a long time was that I had believed a very subtle deception about my identity and worth to God, because of my "ministry call" and my Bible College experience. I believed that God would be more pleased with me if I was in "ministry," that it was a higher calling, that I would be selling myself short to not fit the ministry mold. Well, God really nailed me on that this summer.

God doesn't want ministry out of me. He wants obedience. He wants me to be true to who He has created me to be, that I would be completely and totally me, this child of God named Luke, every day of my life.

This was a radical shift in my perspective. My direction, my focus, has changed. No longer am I going to try to be something else, something that I'm not, or fill a role that I don't fit in. I have one desire in this, and that's to follow God, and be me while doing it. I'm not burnt out on ministry, and I'm certainly not tired of people or church. But I'm taking a break from vocational ministry, and finding out who I am. I'm fully intersecting with the world, perhaps for the first time in my twenty-three and a half years on earth, basically all of which I've spent in a sheltered Christian environment of some kind, except for some very brief periods. It's not time for me to work in a church...it's time for me to learn how to relate to people, and make my faith relevant to the world I live in.

I do believe I'm called to ministry, but I don't really think it matters whether that's vocational, for a church, for a Christian organization, or something else entirely. What matters is that I'm obedient, and true to God's calling on my life. Calling doesn't have to do with vocation as much as it has to do with identity. Assignment and gifts have to do with vocation. Everyone is called to ministry. Look in Acts, where the disciples called a meeting to choose who was going to wait on tables (ch. 6:1-7). See their requirements for the job: Full of the Spirit and wisdom. Then the disciples prayed and laid their hands on them to release them to do this work. Obviously they thought this job was just as important as any other.

If you follow Jesus, it's in your spiritual DNA to be a minister of the gospel. That's what being a Christian really means. Jesus didn't give his disciples the chance to opt out of ministry and settle for a "normal" life. Don't base your identity in titles and vocations and tasks. Find it in the Jesus that you follow, and the God who created you, and then you'll be free to really live.

Postscript: Let me add that there is a vocation/gifting that the Bible says carries a higher standard with it: Those who teach will be judged more strictly than others (James 3:1). I believe that's because teachers will answer to God for whether they guided people to the truth or led them astray. (If you can think of any other "higher callings" in the Bible, post a comment and let me know.)

Water Bottles, Habits, and Thirsting After God

2006-08-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine recently made a spiritual observation and used one of my personal habits to illustrate it. I thought it was interesting, so I'm going to elaborate on it.

You see, in the last couple years of my life I've had a Nalgene water bottle that I keep with me almost all the time. I try not to let it get empty; when it gets three-quarters or more empty, I'll put more water in it. After all, an empty water bottle is really no use at all. What's more, whenever I get thirsty I want my water bottle to be close at hand, with water in it. This is my way to ensure the greatest likelihood of actually following through, meeting my need and desire for water. This also ensures that with water available, I'm less inclined to attempt to satisfy my thirst with more appealing but less fulfilling alternatives. I frequently refuse soda and coffee, even when others encourage me to drink them.

Even better, I don't just drink water when I'm thirsty -- I drink it all the time, because it's good for me and because it's always accessible. In short, it's a habit. I'm not sure how much water I drink per day on average, and it doesn't really matter. I may drink about one full water bottle (just over one liter) in a day, or perhaps two or three. But I don't have a quota or minimum amount, because physical need varies and I don't want to be motivated by a rule. It is a better policy to simply know that I must heed my body's thirst. And the first prerequisite for meeting a need is the availability of whatever is needed. If what is needed is more available, then I won't need much motivation to meet that need. (This is evidenced by the effect a plethora of conveniences available to us in our everyday lives has on our decision-making process.) Having a water bottle and drinking water is a part of my life now. I can't imagine doing without it. Even on the rare occasions when I don't have it with me, I go to find a drink and rue that I left it behind.

If you're still reading, you're probably seeing the comparison between this and our spiritual need. Jesus says to the Samaritan woman whom he asked for a drink, "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). And David says, "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you , my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1).

The question for us is not whether we have a need for God -- rather it is whether we recognize the need and what we are doing to fill it. Do we just go to God when the circumstances of our lives dictate that we need Him? Do we make a practice of "filling up" on God once a week or once a day, pretending that it's enough while maintaining our mundane and lethargic spiritual lives? Do we fill up on other things that are not as pure and necessary, more appealing and less fulfilling, the sodas and the coffees of the world and of the religious institutions that tantalize in taste but ultimately blind us to what we really need?

Or do we make God so available, and knowing Him so readily attainable that we get lots of Him without even realizing it, that we reach for Him when we don't feel like we need Him, that we make time with Him a habit rather than something we have to constantly remind ourselves to do?

To put it succinctly, do you have a water bottle, and how close is it to you right now?

QotRTP

2006-08-03T14:14:00.000-05:00

"Lord, if it be most for Thy glory, let me proceed in it; but if Thou seest that it will in any wise hinder my usefulness in Thy cause, oh prevent my proceeding; for all I want, respecting this world, is such circumstances as may best capacitate me to do service for God in the world."

David Brainerd

Nursing Homes, Muslims, and Having a Missionary Heart

2006-08-03T13:46:00.000-05:00

Many times, we don't have any idea how much of a difference we can make. Here in Texas, the pastor I'm interning for does a Bible study at a local nursing home. We were there this morning, and I was talking to one of the old ladies, and this is what she said: "I was praying, and I said, God, I really don't want to be here anymore. I want to just go home to be with you. But God hasn't taken me yet, so maybe there's still something He wants me to do. I don't do much, but many days I'll go around to the other people here and just talk to them and pat them on the shoulder. Earlier this week I did that and someone said that I'm the only one who ever treats them like that. So maybe that's what I'm supposed to be doing."
I think she's on to something. She's starting to catch a missionary heart -- serving God and loving people where she is at right now. Having a missionary heart isn't really about wanting to go to another country or people group. It's about being ready now, to show the love of Jesus in simple and profound ways to people around you.
On the other end of the spectrum is a young person like me. Sometimes I go into a situation like that nursing home and think, what do I have to offer? What can I do? And God reminds me that He justs wants me to be there, to talk to the people, to treat them like people. To touch them or hug them and encourage them.
I think we overestimate what it might take to impact people. As well, sometimes we don't realize just how many people we come in contact with on a daily and weekly basis.
When I was at Bible College, I had a really cool professor who is a converted Iranian muslim. For one of my classes, he gave us an assignment to come listen to him guest speak at some kind of special Wednesday night service at a nearby church. I guess the church talked it up as learn how to witness to Muslims or something (there are a lot of Muslims in Los Angeles, as well as other places in the country), because my professor was speaking and telling a bunch of funny stories. All of the 300-some suburban American churchgoers were sitting on the edge of their seats, I guess expecting to hear the "secret," the "key," to witness to their Muslim neighbors. This is what my professor said: Just love them. Talk to them when you see them working in their yard, get to know them, invite them over to your house for dinner.
A lot of times, we expect it to be complicated and involved, and it's really not. Sharing the gospel, spreading the love of Jesus, is simple. Now we just have to do it. You may not think of nursing homes and schools and front yards as mission fields, but until you do, you won't grasp or fulfill Jesus' mandate to his disciples: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).

Motives, Surrendering Rights, and the Decision-Making Process

2006-08-02T12:32:00.000-05:00

A lot of us rarely consider the process that we go through in making decisions. There are more factors than we might think at first. We may ask ourselves, is this good for me, and do I want to do this? But do we ask about timing and motive? These are two important factors present in most decisions (if not all) that we may not think about.
It would be nice to have formulas in making decisions. However, this usually doesn't work. I would like to suggest a formula, but it's not a quick fix formula. It's one that takes some thought and consideration, and to get past our own selfish perspective.
I've heard it said that the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. I would say, more accurately, that the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong decision, but I would have to add another factor: Motive. So now we have three factors, and all of them have to be good and positive for the decision to be right. If we carry this out, these are the possibilities:

Wrong thing, wrong time, wrong motive = obviously wrong decision
Wrong thing, right time, wrong motive = definitely wrong decision
Wrong thing, wrong time, right motive = still wrong decision
Wrong thing, right time, right motive = right attitude, wrong decision
Right thing, wrong time, wrong motive = getting better, but still wrong decision
Right thing, right time, wrong motive = most likely right decision, but motive needs to be examined
Right thing, wrong time, right motive = most likely right decision, but patience needed
Right thing, right time, right motive = most likely right decision (pending other unforeseen factors, like effect on other people)

No wonder we have so much trouble making good decisions! It's not as simple as it looks. All three of these factors should be right before we move forward.
If you're still with me after all that, this is what I want to say:
We need to lay down our rights in decision-making, including our right to be right, our right to know what's best for ourselves, our right to move now, and our right to not consider anyone else's feedback. In short, we don't know how to make great decisions; we need God's help. We need to turn to Him, especially in examining our motives, because it's our motives that are the key to glorifying God in everything we do. This doesn't mean we can absolve ourselves of responsibility; God won't make our decisions for us. It's good to plan and make decisions, but we must look to Him and allow His opinion to be more important than ours. Like James says: "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (4:15).

QotRTP

2006-08-01T12:23:00.000-05:00

"You must unlearn what you have learned."

Yoda, in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars, Gold Bars, and the Prayer of Faith

2006-08-01T11:28:00.000-05:00

In reflecting about prayer recently, I was again reminded of a truth about having faith that I would like to illustrate to you.
In the movie Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Jedi Master Yoda is training Luke Skywalker to be a Jedi and use the Force. If you have watched any of the Star Wars movies, you'll remember that the Force is the impersonal, omnipresent life force that ties the universe together, and those who are Jedi (whether light or dark) have learned to connect with the Force and use it for good or evil. Now, please understand me: I do not wish to compare or liken God to the Force; God is not impersonal or neutral, but a personal, living being who loves us and desires to be in relationship with us; God is completely good, and all evil opposes Him, and evil is not equal to good, but good always triumphs over evil in the end (unlike the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force, which mirror each other and both always exist).
I do think, however, that using the Force as it is portrayed in the movies has some interesting parallels to praying in faith. When Yoda is training Luke, he keeps giving Luke what Luke thinks are more difficult Force tasks, like moving small objects and even several at a time. Then as Luke is nearing the end of his training, his X-Wing Fighter sinks even deeper into the swamp where it crash landed. Luke sees it sinking and bemoans that he'll never be able to get it out. Yoda challenges Luke's belief that it can't be done, and Luke says it's not the same as moving stones. He says that he'll try, to which Yoda says, "Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." Luke "tries" and budges the ship a little, but it sinks back down again, and Luke resigns by saying that he can't, it's too big. Yoda exhorts Luke on the power of the Force, then proceeds to, with relative ease, levitate the ship out of the swamp onto dry ground. Luke says that he doesn't believe it, and Yoda responds, "That is why you fail."
Yoda is really talking about faith. Like Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Yoda was certain that the Force was bigger than any physical object. How much more, then, should we believe in God's ability to affect every part of our world, both physical and otherwise? Just like Yoda was of dimunitive stature, it is not our stature that determines how much God will use us or whether our prayers will be answered. Instead, it is our willingness to pray and believe God. There is no trying with prayer. You either pray about something, or you don't. If we understand God's power and ability just a little bit, we have no business believing that He can do some things and not others. You may say that He is able to do all things, but do you really pray like He is? Faith for God to do the "little things" is still faith. For example, believing that God can heal a head cold, but not cancer, if kind of like saying He can pick up a penny, but not a bar of gold. All things are small to Him.
I don't mean to diminish the fact that we have psychological barriers, things that make it difficult to believe God can do "big things." Perhaps you have never experienced or heard firsthand of someone being healed. Don't let that stop you from praying. Start with the "small things." Like James says, "The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise Him up" (5:15). Pray for head colds, headaches, insomnia, and whatever else afflicts people. Then when "bigger" things come along to be prayed for, don't shy away from them. It is true that there are reasons God doesn't always heal people and answer prayer the way they would like, reasons that I'm not going to get into right now. But I'd much rather pray and believe God, and see Him do more things, than to not pray at all.

Metaphors, Masters, and Total Surrender

2006-07-31T12:09:00.000-05:00

When we commit our lives and hearts to Jesus Christ, sometimes we do not grasp at the time that we are laying down our rights. In asking Christ to be our Savior, we are also acknowledging Him to be our Lord. Lordship means surrender, and the only true surrender is total surrender.
Often it is helpful for us to have some kind of metaphor or picture of what this new life in Christ is like. Unfortunately, in modern America, we have so many rights that are so important to us that we really have no relationships where we give up all our rights.
In biblical times, the best picture for this relationship was that of a slave to his master. Paul says in Romans, "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life" (6:22); and in I Corinthians, when instructing them to flee from sexual immorality: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (6:19-20). While the idea of slavery in ancient times was the same at it was in the early history of America, the social reality of slavery was often much different. In the first-century Greco-Roman world of the New Testament, slavery was an universally accepted and a socially functional institution. Many slaves were born into slavery, but some people sold themselves into slavery if they were poor, or if they needed to get out of debt. Many masters treated their slaves well; slaves were the working force of society. If a slave was owned by a wealthy and kind master, their life was probably much better than the average freedman. It was even possible for slaves in some situations to earn their freedom.
The question for us spiritually is not whether we are slaves or not, but who our master is. If you are not a slave to the Master, then you are either a slave to the devil, the world, or yourself.
The important thing to understand is that the gospel call is a call to an entirely different life. Paul also says in I Corinthians: "He who was a slave [literally] when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men" (7:22-23).
If we have given our lives to Christ, then we must realize the totality of our commitment. We have no rights; we were bought with the blood of Christ. We must do what He says, and go where He tells us. We may not realize at first what we are getting ourselves into, and exactly how many rights that we claim for ourselves that we must lay down. But if we compare our new life to our former one, there is no doubt which is better. It is far better to be owned by God and have true freedom, than to heed the empty promises of the other masters. Jesus Christ is the best Master there is.

Doubt, Unlimited Access, and the Power of Prayer

2006-07-27T11:55:00.000-05:00

Have you ever doubted if prayer really works? I sure have.
Then God started answering my prayers.
I don't intend to oversimplify our understanding of prayer. Granted, most of the things that I pray for I never see the results, and may never hear of them while on earth. However, I firmly believe that God's character is true as the Bible reveals it, and my personal experience while living for Him has supported that.
Prayer is also a spiritual law, a behavior that is grounded in God's character and widely believed in. Even non-Christians and atheists seem to do it when they're in a bind and need help. God, for some reason, seems to wait for people, especially His people, to pray before He acts. I'm not entirely sure why this is; I suspect it's because God wants us to be involved in the spiritual world, and in the battle that goes on in people's lives and in the world. Regardless, prayer is an amazing opportunity to partner with God and cooperate with what He is doing. I don't know about you, but if I was given unlimited personal access to the most influential person in the world, I'd use it all the time, and I wouldn't sit around and doubt it until I tried it to see if was real.
In addition, it's significant that when the Bible promises that God answers prayers, they are not unconditional promises, but dependent on the character and motives of the one who prays: "He who has clean hands and a pure heart...will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior" (Psalm 24:4,5); Jesus told his disciples, "whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24); and perhaps the most thorough explanation in the Bible is given by James -- "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt" for a doubter "should not think he will receive anything from the Lord" (1:5-6), and he later says to his audience, "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (4:2-3), and finally, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (5:16).
So, in summary, God gives generously to all, but lends a special effort to those who are of godly character; The Bible tells us that in order to receive, we must ask, ask believing that we will receive, and ask without selfish motives.
So if you do nothing else for the kingdom of God, pray and ask Him to do things -- mundane things, hard things, amazing things, outrageous things. Then expect Him to answer, and see if over time, you don't also believe in the power of prayer.

Teeter-Totters, Optimism, and the Most Important People in the World

2006-07-26T13:21:00.000-05:00

One of the things I strive to do in my life is to be completely present mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, as long as I am in a place. A large part of doing this is to enjoy my present company, and not just to enjoy them, but to make them feel, if at all possible, that they are at that moment the most important people in the world to me. This is not an easy thing to do, nor am I necessarily very good at doing it; sometimes I do it and sometimes I don't.
Probably my best experience with this was at the camp for physically disabled kids that I worked at last summer. I did not have a problem with centering my experience around those disabled kids. My job, and my delight, was to help them have the best time they could possibly have. I think in reflecting on that experience since then, it is important for me to not isolate that situation as unusual. It was, but in some ways those kids were the most "normal" people I have ever been around. Why? Because they did not try to deny their condition. They understood that they were disadvantaged, but many of them also understood they were of inestimable worth and value. In that way, I believe people like them are ahead of "the rest" of us. The answer, as God has helped me to see, is not necessarily to spend my life ministering to disadvantaged kids. It is to realize that all of us are disabled and disadvantaged. We all struggle with our worth and value and our purpose.
So when I am around people who I don't particularly like or relate to, I remind myself that they are unique. They are, as an individual, a one-of-a-kind reflection of God's glory and creative ability, whether they live for God or not. This might be my only opportunity to be with them, learn how to relate to them, and learn from them about God in a way that only they can tell me.
I don't worry about blessing them or changing them or challenging them. There will certainly be opportunities for that as I get to know people. My job isn't to help people as much as it is to love people. When I am around people, I try to appreciate who they are. I admire God's creativity in making them. I notice what jumps out to me about them...their hair, their eyes, their smile, their mind, their choice of clothes, whatever it may be. If I compliment them, I will by doing that compliment God who created them. I will learn from them; there is something that I can learn from everyone I meet. Even the worst, most rebellious, evil people in the world can teach me how not to live. I won't try to fix them, but rather to believe in them, believe that they are better, more amazing people, than the evidence of their lives would indicate. Over time, some people will begin to become what I can envision through God's perspective.
My suggestion for you is, if you are a true follower of God, don't just care for people. Go beyond that. Think ridiculously positive thoughts about them. Take the teeter-totter that has reality on one side and optimism on the other, and tilt yourself towards optimism, without losing sight of reality. I might not be described by others as an optimist, but there are two things I am optimistic about: The value and potential of every human being, and the ability of God to change people.

Note: Portions of this post were taken and adapted from a recent e-mail to a friend.

Tithing, the Sabbath, and the Law of Sowing and Reaping

2006-07-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

There is one spiritual law that ought to affect how we live a great deal. It is the law of sowing and reaping, and it is found in Galatians 6:7-9: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
This law, of course, extends to many more things than doing good. Two that surprise me sometimes are giving (especially tithing) and the Sabbath. Worldly wisdom says that neither of these spiritual disciplines make sense. If we are tight on money, why would we give away the money that we need to meet our rent payment, or to buy groceries? Yet, that's exactly what God calls us to do. Tithing is a statement of trust, a statement that says we believe in God's ability and willingness to provide for our needs. And if you exercise that belief by giving at least ten percent of your income to God, He always seems to honor that. I have not only heard numerous stories about anonymous checks and scholarships and bags of groceries that turned up on front porches, but it has happened to me also. This kind of blessing only happens when we declare in a practical way that "our" money doesn't really belong to us, but to God. If we sow by giving, giving will be a practical reality in our life and we will receive it as well. If we sow by hoarding, the resources of heaven will not be evident in our life.
The same thing is true of the Sabbath. The decision to rest on one day of the week and so consecrate that day to God, is basically tithing from the time that we are given. With our busy schedules, it's very tempting to skip the Sabbath, or only rest for a part of a day instead of for a whole day. But we discover that the law of sowing and reaping is still true. When I rest for a whole day, it seems that I have more time in that week. I'm more productive, less anxious, less stressed, and more importantly, I'm more in step with God during the week. If you're not obeying the biblical instruction to rest, it should be no surprise to you when you have trouble handling your schedule, you get busier and busier, and your life, externally and even internally, is spinning out of control.
God doesn't just reward His people for obeying Him and living according to His spiritual laws. He establishes a kind of cause-and-effect so we always benefit in some way, in many ways, when we do right. It's in those moments that we realize we are beginning to fulfill our calling and everything starts falling in place.

Gravity, Obedience, and the Laws of God

2006-07-24T14:15:00.000-05:00

To live as a Christian is to pay higher respect to the laws of God than to the laws of men.
That sounds great, but what does it mean? We might have a good idea of what the laws of men are, but what are the laws of God?
I believe that when God created the world, He created certain laws to govern it, both physical laws and spiritual laws. He holds the right to make exceptions, but God is the only one who can do that. Physical laws govern nature, laws such as gravity and the laws of physics. We can't see gravity, but we certainly believe in it, ever since we put on a Superman cape and jumped off our parent's dresser or the front porch believing we could fly, and it didn't work.
Spiritual laws, on the other hand, are unseen. They are declared in the Bible, and evidenced in biblical accounts, world history, and personal experience. Just because we haven't noticed a particular spiritual law or been affected by it does not mean that it doesn't exist. Some spiritual laws appear to me to be absolute rules, and some have conditions.
This is just another way of looking at truth and God as the origin of truth. Indeed, all spiritual laws are based in the nature, character, and word of God. Because God's character is constant and unchanging, the results of His interaction with the world are spiritual laws. For example, God embodies truth, and therefore, He must always speak truth. God is not capable of lies or deception. He always keeps His promises; when He does not, it means that the promise had a condition that was not met (in the Bible, the condition or conditions are usually included in the promise).
Our example in this is the apostles of the early Church. In Acts 5, the apostles are brought before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council, i.e. the civil and religious authority for the Jews) and ordered not speak in the name of Jesus any more. They replied, "We must obey God rather than men! (5:29)" As disciples of Jesus, this must be our priority and even our rallying call. But there is much more involved than just disagreeing and disobeying the civil or religious authorities when they contradict God's word. Our society has values and priorities that we do not share. People who we know believe things that we don't. We must answer to the Higher Authority, rather than meekly agree with the voice of society or well-meaning people. As Paul says: "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10).
To please God and to obey Him is to act in accordance with His laws, not those of men, and to bring the heavenly reality of God's nature and character in direct collision with our fallen and troubled world.

QotRTP

2006-07-21T14:19:00.000-05:00

"Dependence on Him is the breeding ground for spiritual maturity."

quisnam?

The Bible, Learning "Continually," and Praying with Your Eyes Open

2006-07-21T11:14:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought about why we close our eyes, bow our heads, or clasp our hands when we pray? None of those actions are mentioned in the Bible with regards to prayer. In fact, it is rare that prayer is associated with any physical actions. (Incidentally, head-bowing is mentioned in association with worship (II Chron. 29:30) and fasting/grieving [Psa. 35:13-14; Isa. 58:5; Lam. 2:10], both of which are related to prayer but not the same thing.) The only ones I know of are "go into your room, close the door, and pray..." (Matt. 6:6; intended to avoid hypocritical, overtly religious prayer like the Pharisees did in the synagogues and on street corners) and "Lift up holy hands in prayer" (I Tim. 2:8).
However, the Bible does say, "Pray continually" (I Thess. 5:17), which is hard to misinterpret; "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Eph. 6:18); "in everything, by prayer and petition...present your requests to God" (Phil. 4:6); "Devote yourselves to prayer" (Col. 4:2); "I urge...first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone" (I Tim. 2:1); as well as Jesus telling his disciples "that they should always pray" (Luke 18:1).
If, then, we are to be praying so frequently as to be virtually praying all the time without stopping, it follows that it is impractical to often close one's eyes or change posture while praying. The apostle Paul, who was extremely busy while he was on earth, had a lot of other things to do like traveling and ministering, and "prayed continually" while he was doing those things. I believe this is the key to an active prayer life, doing it simultaneously while living life rather than stopping and setting aside time to pray (though that may also be necessary, even on a daily basis).
Certainly, there are times when it may be appropriate or necessary to close one's eyes when praying, in order to shut out distractions from other things around you. I find personally, however, that praying with my eyes open makes prayer a more natural thing any time that I do it, and makes activities like driving and walking great times for prayer. Knowing God and His desire for us to be intimate and natural with Him, I would encourage you learn the practice of praying with your eyes open.

Dreams, Occupations, and the Questions of Life

2006-07-20T12:45:00.000-05:00

I'm still thinking about what I should do with my life -- no, what I want to do with my life. This just happens to be the main question I'm asking right now, and is closely connected to the more basic question, who am I?
I believe God made all of me, and put in me my desires and dreams and everything that makes me, me. This means that I am unwilling to accept that what God wants me to do isn't what I want to do. That could be true, but it means I should change. What I do should come out of who I am. It's unnatural, and probably unwise, to ask what I should be doing without asking who I am.
When we ask these questions about occupation and career, we need an extra measure of determination to get to the bottom of things, to be true to ourselves and true to who God made us to be. I'm reading a book about twenty-somethings, and in it the author says that many people who she talked to knew what they wanted to do but weren't doing it. Why? They got sidetracked in the process and didn't ask all of those questions. They allowed what the world says about them, who they should be, and what they should do, to be more important than what God says about it.
If you're somewhere in that process like I am myself, let me challenge you to ask a couple questions that the author of this book recommended. I've heard these questions before, but maybe for the first time I am making the effort to think thoroughly about my answers.
The first question is: If time and money were not a factor in my life, and I could do anything I wanted to, what would I do? Some of you may know what your answer is; others, like myself, may need to delve into your lives and hearts deeper than you have before to find those things. (A resource that I highly recommend to help you in answering this question is the book Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado.) Many of us think it's a fun question to think about but too unrealistic to be practical. That's where the second question comes in: What is stopping you from doing that (that thing or things)? The things that we come up with as obstacles to our dreams and passions may seem insurmountable. But if you're daunted by the task, I suggest to you that you may never know how much fun life can be until you do those things.
And let me remind you, no thing that you have a passion for doing is useless or trivial in the eyes of our Father. No matter how insignificant it seems, I guarantee you God can use it in much greater ways than you can imagine.

Apathy, Hypocrisy, and Compassion for the Lost

2006-07-19T11:50:00.001-05:00

I once heard it said that there's one thing worse than going to hell. Do you know what it is?
It's taking someone with you.
There's another side to that for those of us who aren't going to hell: The harshest rebukes that God will give when we get to heaven (and is probably saying now if we would listen to Him) are reserved for our apathy towards others' souls. Many of us would say we have compassion for the lost, but our actions toward them don't reflect it. When a friend that we know makes a bad decision, we don't reach out to them in love, much less let them know that what they did was wrong and will bring consequences. We pass by a homeless peddler on a street corner, perhaps dropping a few coins in their tin cup but not even considering to pray for them, God forbid that we might look at them, smile, and shake their hand. We know a father, brother, or friend who's viewing pornography, and we think we're doing them a favor by ignoring it, as if it won't carry countless negative repercussions for their present or future marriage and family. We know a sister or friend who's addicted to romance novels or fashion magazines, and we pretend it's harmless and has no effect on her self-esteem or outlook of life. Homosexuals and prostitutes would hardly dream of coming into our churches, because our looks and stares or just plain avoidance condemns them.
My point is, our inaction is not neutral, but is a negative action.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying to point fingers and quote Scriptures and become a "holy tattletale." But it is time to get over our fear of man and find some fear of God, because ultimately we will answer to One and not the other. Passivity never helped save anyone. Compassion is useless unless it translates into actions, words, and prayers that advance the gospel by impacting people. It's time to look lost people in the eyes, welcome them, touch them, and even become friends with them. It's time to go to where they are and stop expecting them to come to us by jumping the insurmountable barriers we put up between ourselves and them. Jesus is not a secret trophy to be passed around indoors under a cross and stained glass, hidden from the world, like the world would hurt God's feelings or something. This is our chance to live unapologetically devoted to God while in the world, rather than sheepishly hide behind our hypocrisy. It's time to leave the big pew Bible at home and put the words of God in our hearts so they'll be with us wherever we go.
I don't know about you, but I don't want someone else's blood on my hands. I can't force people to make the right decision, and ultimately they will make the decision for themselves. But I will make sure they know the gospel and experience it, because they experience me. I will live the gospel, not just speak it or profess dedication to it. I'm going to make it as hard as possible for every single person who comes in contact with me to go to hell.
What will you do?

The Sacred, the Secular, and the Fun Things in Life

2006-07-17T10:29:00.001-05:00

Let's say I ask you two questions: What has God called you to do? And, what do you enjoy doing?
Most people would come up with two entirely different answers. They would probably think that those two questions don't have any relation to each other; after all, don't they represent two different spheres of thought?
I need to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way. You can enjoy what God is calling you to do; more than that, you ought to. I would go even a step farther and say, in many cases they are really the same thing. God calls you to do what you enjoy, and what you are excellent at.
"But wait a minute," you say. "That sounds great, but can you really mean that? How can I be fulfilling God's calling on my life when I'm playing computer games? Or fixing something?" What about other things, that aren't "spiritual" at all? Doing makeup? Selling cars? Playing darts? Answering phones? Building houses? Climbing mountains?

Why have we created such a division between the sacred and the secular? In God's eyes, I suspect the only difference in the realm of human endeavor is whether something is done in worship to God. If it is, it's sacred; if it's not, it's secular. Why is it inconceivable that the same God who gave us the ability to do those things, and even be good at them, wants you to do them to bring glory to Him? As long as it is not expressly or implicitly forbidden in the Bible, I don't know of anything in the whole world that can't be done as an act of worship to God, and there are many things (much more than we would initially think) that can be done as a ministry to people.
God is not the heavenly "Fun Police." He's not out to make sure that you don't have a good time while you're on earth. Rather, He's looking for people who will invade the world with their talents and abilities, pursue their dreams and passions, and do it all in worship to Him.
If you think you're doing what God has called you to do, and you're not enjoying it at all, then you're probably not doing God's calling. So go find out what you enjoy doing, what you were made to do, and do it for God.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31).

QotRTP

2006-07-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

"The best kind of crazy we could ever be is crazy for God."

Tim Franklin

Circumstances, Perspective, and Fighting for Change

2006-07-15T13:52:00.000-05:00

I would like to be able to say that submission to God's influence and direction is a constant in my life. Unfortunately, this is not always true.
More often, it seems, circumstances play a deciding part. How frequently do you say the phrase "Under the circumstances..."? Even if you don't really believe that you're "under" the circumstances (like you might be under a rock or under pressure, like you can't do anything about circumstances), this outlook probably affects you more than you would like to admit. We often say that we are free people, but our actions and decisions frequently speak otherwise. I know, I've lived there, and I still struggle with living free from that. It is a human tendency to give the most attention to the things that are beyond our control, while we ignore the incredible influence and ability we have in other areas.
From a heavenly perspective, circumstances don't even make the radar screen. They don't intimidate Him or dictate to Him; rather, He dictates to circumstances. God is not only bigger than circumstances, He gives you power to influence them and change them. The people who follow Him, follow His example . Those who live with a purpose from above have a different set of priorities. We no longer have to fall when pushed. We are capable of fighting back. Determine to change the things you can, and look for God to change the things you can't.
I don't know about you, but when I look back on my life, I don't want circumstances to be a determining influence in my life. So, instead of saying "Under the circumstances..." I'm going to start saying, "Despite the circumstances, God..." And, "Under God's mercy..."
Because I want God to be the main character in my life, He must also be the main character in my thoughts, attitude, and outlook.

Mispronunciation, Disability, and the Value of Humanity

2006-07-14T10:48:00.001-05:00

Last summer, I worked at a camp for physically disabled kids. I wrestled with a number of deep questions over the course of the summer; one of these was the question of what defines the value and worth of a human being. I don't think you realize the depth and complexity of this question until you are looking into the eyes of a person or child who is obviously physically, emotionally, mentally, or socially disadvantaged.
One of my campers was named Noah. He was almost completely physically disabled; he could swallow, and jerk his hands spasmodically, as well as speak in brief, broken, hard to understand phrases and sentences. Usually I had to lean in very close to understand what he was saying. He was also unhealthily lightweight.
As much difficulty as he was to care for, Noah was probably the sweetest, most affectionate kid that I knew. I don't know if I ever remember him visibly showing a bad attitude, though because his speaking abilities were limited it may have been hard to tell. He always seemed to be cheerful when we woke him up in the morning. At the most inconvenient times, like when I was taking him to the bathroom or changing his clothes, he would get a little smile on his face and with an urgency to his voice, say, "Yook! Yook!" (That was his way of pronouncing my name since he couldn't make the "L" sound with his mouth.) I would stop whatever I was doing, lean in close to him, and say, "What, Noah?" He would say, like he was telling me a secret, "Yook, I yuv you!" I would say, "Yeah, okay Noah," and would go back to whatever I had been doing. Sure enough, a few seconds later I would hear, "Yook! Yook!" And we would do it again.
Well, you can say whatever you want about the physical capabilities of Noah. But when it came down to it, he was just as capable as myself or any other able-bodied person to love, and in fact I think he was more proficient at it.
So I came to the conclusion towards the end of the summer that it is not physical capabilities, social aptitude, or mental health that determines the worth and value of a person. Running, jumping, dancing, talking and thinking are all good things to do, but they are not essential to living a full life. Instead, it is the capacity to love that makes a person a person. And when we exercise that capacity, we truly become God's children.

Plans, Steps, and God's Guidance

2006-07-13T17:27:00.000-05:00

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (Prov. 16:9). It is one of the mysteries of God that His guidance is not always straightforward. He often lets us make plans and decisions, then directs and redirects us step-by-step so we get to where He really wants us to be. Why doesn't He just tell me in the first place? I think it's because with the Lord, the lessons He wants us to learn in life are learned in the process of going somewhere, during the journey, not always before or after.
Proverbs also says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (16:25). We need to be careful when we think we know what is right and good for our lives. We are often wrong. Even if the Lord does not directly tell us what to do in a given situation, we must give Him the opportunity to input, to affect our decisions. This is exactly what James says in his epistle: "You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that'" (4:15). We must accept whatever answer the Lord gives us in response, for He always knows best.
I think that's why the Lord doesn't tell us up front: Because He wants to be closely and intimately involved every step of the way. He wants lordship over our every path and journey, not just every decision.
So dream and plan, but be careful to submit every part of the decision-making process and the journey to him. Your dreams and plans depend on Him to succeed, not on you.
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Prov. 19:21). May it be so in our lives.

QotRTP

2006-07-13T17:18:00.000-05:00

"If you miss relationship, you miss it all."

Margie Franklin

The Easy Life, Adventures, and Following God's Call

2006-07-12T13:51:00.000-05:00

The easy life has an allure that is hard to resist. But we must, if we want to live to our full potential.
The easy life has been called other things. The normal life. The common life. In short, it is to do and be what the world expects of us. It is to roll over and yawn when the situation calls for action. It is to try to fill someone else's shoes instead of being ourselves. It is to refuse the opportunity for the adventure of a lifetime. It is to be lazy, selfish, indecisive, and weak.
The calling of God is a different kind of call to a different kind of life. It is to do and be the extraordinary. Life gets much harder when we live like this, but it also gets much better. And those two things -- the best and the difficult -- are not polar opposites. Rather, they are partners. The best never comes by the easy road and the difficult is never mundane.
The call of God is to live an adventure. It is to love more, dream big, and live even bigger. It is to say "Yes" to the unconventional and "No" to the bland and boring. It is to find a collision, a radical fusion between the Word and Spirit of the Living God and the lives of humans. It is to live spiritually hungry and passionate. It is to be a Jesus Christ incarnate, while remaining a simple person in a complicated, confused world. It is to connect to a greater Source, one who provides wisdom greater than the world's wisdom and strength stronger than man's.
To be blunt, the radical life of following God's call is not easy. It's the hardest, most fulfilling thing we could ever do.

The God-Shaped Hole, Orphans, and God the Father

2006-07-11T17:53:00.000-05:00

We are not only sinners in need of a Savior, we are orphans in need of a Father.
It's interesting the extent to which our earthly fathers in particular affect our view of God as Father. The best fathers really just point to a perfect heavenly Father, One who is the best Father anyone has ever known. The weaknesses of fathers we routinely transpose onto our image and understanding of God the Father. In short, if we've had difficulty with our fathers, our relationship with God the Father will be equally difficult, or perhaps more so.
You may have heard it said that all of us have a "God-shaped hole" inside of us. I would also say that we have a "Father-shaped hole." We are born yearning and craving, hopelessly in pursuit of, fatherly love and acceptance from every father figure in our lives and ultimately from God. But you want to know something else? God has a "you-shaped hole" inside of Him. Somehow, even though He is complete without us, He desperately longs for us to be His children, to love Him and believe in Him. He is desperately in pursuit of you. Can you hear His cry? He's calling your name. "Come, child...daughter...son." And this cry extends not just to people in general, but to every one of us. God will not be at rest as long as He knows there are people who are separate from Him.

Comparison Games, Paintings, and Questioning God

2006-07-07T18:43:00.000-05:00

Did God really intend me to be the way that I am?
If we are the canvas and God is the painter, it's safe to say that all paintings are different. Perhaps I would go even a step farther than that. It's almost as if, with some of us, there are fewer colors available for the Painter to use when He starts painting. But somehow, all of the paintings end up to be masterpieces. This is even more remarkable when we consider that the paint is troubled...it's dirty. The Painter is continually cleaning up the paint that He uses. With all of the things that go wrong in our lives, we still end up as masterpieces.
However, the questions remains: Are some paintings better than others? The Painter would say, all of them are equally valuable. In fact, if the Painter sold all His paintings, they would all have the same price: Priceless.
Sometimes we're so busy playing the comparison game with others that we fail to realize how much God can do with each of us. This is when we need to stop questioning God's wisdom, stop listening to the outside voices that whisper doubt in our ears, and submit to the Painter's will. Because if we'll just go along with Him, we'll see how far He preparing to take us.
Romans 9:20-21 says, "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? 'Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?"
The answer to our question is yes. I'm exactly the way God wants me to be...and getting better every day.

Clouds, Umbrellas, and the Rain of God

2006-07-06T13:47:00.000-05:00

When I woke up this morning it was pouring outside. Apparently, when it rains in Texas, it pours.
It's often the same way in our lives. Rain can be depressing. But it doesn't have to be. It has a very distinct God-assigned purpose. If you're not sure, just ask the farmer who's experienced a drought. Rain is not only necessary, but brings relief and even blessing.
Spiritual rain is the same way. We often fail to look past the dark clouds and unpleasant conditions, the humidity or the flooding. We hide inside our manmade spiritual buildings and avoid the relief and blessing God sends our way. We shelter ourselves from the elements, not realizing that's exactly the way God will come to us.
Revival is never dry. It's not orderly, or quiet, and it doesn't make sense. God comes to us in the sunshine, and we put on a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen to protect ourselves. Or we just stay inside altogether. God comes to us in the rain, and if we go outside at all, we take an umbrella and raincoat so we can stay dry. And so we remain dry and cold spiritually. If you really want God, there's no neat and orderly way to have Him.
We pray for God to come, and yet when He does, we don't want Him to be violent or fearsome. Yet that's what He is as much as anything else -- a force to be reckoned with.
With God, when it rains, it pours. Those who are okay with the pouring rain, get ready to dance in the streets. If you really want God, you have to accept all of Him. He doesn't want it any other way.

Narrow Roads, Suffering, and the Most Difficult Thing

2006-07-05T17:50:00.000-05:00

Why are there so many people who say they want to find God and know God, and yet so few actually do?
There's a big discrepancy there. If we could see the road to God like the yellow brick road on The Wizard of Oz, it probably wouldn't be as wide or as colorful. I have a hunch that there would be more footprints branching away from the road then continuing on it, and that there are more people that fall and stay down than there are that keep going.
That's because the road to God is difficult. It's narrow, and hazardous. A lot of people don't realize that when they set out. It doesn't seem right that God would make himself difficult to find. But He does. And you know why? It's because the people who do find Him are dedicated, determined, sold out for Him. It's His way of sifting out the real followers, the ones who will actually go the distance for Him.
Why else would suffering, trials, and tribulations be so valuable and worthwhile? How often it is that God seems to be found in the most difficult thing. The hard decision that you have to make. The hard times that you're going through. The hard thing you have to do.
If you pray, "God, I want to know you," you might as well pray, "God, please make my life difficult." And then why do we complain? It's the best way to acquire character and the only way to learn dependence and trust on Him.
The best things are found at the end of difficult paths. The next time you have a decision to make and you're not sure which to choose, try the more difficult option. God's probably behind it.

Closed Doors, Drawing Boards, and the Best Thing

2006-07-04T10:19:00.000-05:00

Here I am, back again. In a place of dependency on God and uncertainty about my present, and future.
It's hard to accept the answer "No" sometimes. It's somewhat inconceivable to imagine that God's blessing is in that phrase. But that's what God told me in the midst of my present situation. He intends that answer to be freeing for me. It's His way of saying, "This isn't the best thing for you right now." And isn't that what I want Him to do? It's hard getting a door closed on me, but if that's what it takes for me to get the message and get a handle on what God is doing in my life right now, so be it.
Here I am, back again. At the drawing board. At the place where I must let the Holy Spirit probe my heart and show me what I really want, and what I'm afraid of. Often, those two are the same thing. I'm human. I'd rather take the easy way out, make a way for myself, come to my own decision. But somehow, with God, the hard way always seems to be the way He chooses for me.
So, let's have it. I'll go the hard way. I'll accept "No" as an answer. I'll continue seeking God's will and invite Him to use circumstances to bring clarity and direction. I'll keep pursuing the best, knowing that to get there means that good things will say "No" to me and I'll say "No" to good things. Because good is always the greatest enemy of the best.
Here I am, back again. Waiting in God's presence. Continuing to ask questions, listen for answers, ready to go when He says something besides "No." Until then, I'll draw near to Him and stake a claim on the most valuable real estate in the universe -- the area in front of His throne.

QotRTP

2006-07-03T16:55:00.000-05:00

"He who hoards does not get more, but he who gives often receives much."

quisnam?

Stubbornness, Life Lessons, and Complete Surrender

2006-07-03T16:29:00.000-05:00

We don't know how much something is worth to us until it is taken away from us.
This is one of those hard truths of life. We have a tendency to hold tightly to what we have, but never realize what it's actually worth. You can never see what's inside your hand if your fist is closed around it. God desires us to live in a place where we are holding things with open palms. It's the same idea as Luke 9:24, "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it." It's only in letting go, in giving the things that we most care about over to the Lord, that we get to keep them.
How many of us frequently pray, "Lord, take it away from me." Yet, isn't that what He does, and the attitude that He wants us to have? I know that I want to appreciate what He's given me. And I want to appreciate it before He has to take it away.
Even more than that, God can't take from us what we have already given to Him. So let's be people who leave nothing off limits to Him. Because the moment we say, "Lord, you can have everything in my life, but you can't have that." Or, "Lord, I'll do anything you want, but not that." Well, surprise, surprise. Guess what God does? He pursues that. Why? Because He wants it all. He wants us to be completely surrendered to Him, and He wants complete authority.
Would you want Him to be any other way? I don't know any other person who has mastered the art of teaching life lessons to stubborn people. And if you let Him, He'll do it in you all the time.

Puzzle Pieces, Self-Esteem, and Making a Difference

2006-06-30T16:17:00.000-05:00

What difference can I make?
If you're human, you've probably asked that question at some point in your life. The short answer is, you won't know until you actually do. I'm reminded often that I may be fairly objective about many things, but much less so about myself. In fact, that's always true of anyone. We have the worst perspectives on ourselves.
We also, much too glibly and naively, accept other's opinions about us, especially from sources we know we shouldn't trust. Society. "Everyone else." "Most people." This is a sure way to have a warped sense of worth and value. Don't go to those on the periphery of truth; go to the One in the middle of it. If there is such a thing as truth, there must be a Source of that truth. The people who know truth are those who are connected to the Source.
In this case, the truth is that we (and I mean each one of us) can make more of a difference than what we could ever imagine. This difference-making potential is magnified when we are serving Him, for His boundaries for growth and mission are endless.
In the last year or so of my life, I have made a difference in many ways that I thought I never would. Touching lives. Speaking truth. Encouraging growth.
Now that I have done some small things, I can't go back to doing nothing. I exist to make a difference. I have something to offer that no one else can give, something to do that can not be done by anyone besides me. I have a place in the world, a niche shaped by God. With Him, I fit. Without Him, I am like a jigsaw piece without a puzzle.
The same is true of you. Until you get a taste of "fitting," you will have no idea that everything could align so well. The next time you wonder about your own worth and ability, don't ask, "What difference can I make?"
Ask, "Lord, what can I do today?"

Stationary People, Moving Walkways, and Seizing the Kingdom

2006-06-26T11:08:00.000-05:00

One of the great deceptions of the "spiritual" life is to somehow think that we made it.
It's not true. It's never true here on earth.
God is always moving, and stationary people don't find Him. Stagnant life creeps up on us. Sometimes, life feels very much like walking the wrong way on a moving walkway. It's a struggle when we're going forward, and when we stop, we're not standing still, but actually moving backward.
Now, it's time to be proactive with God. The time for inactivity is over. The kingdom of God is not apprehended by the complacent, but by those who apprehend it. Seize the kingdom while it is near to you, because it won't always be this close.
Press on towards God, and never accept the lie that you're somehow there, that you made it. You're not, and you didn't. There's always farther to go. One of the things I learned at college is that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. The same is true with the journey of knowing God. The closer you get to Him, the more you realize you're farther away from Him than you thought.
And instead of discouraging you, let that push you to go to new heights in seeking Him.

Silence, Noise, and Hearing God's Voice

2006-06-22T12:29:00.000-05:00

Silence is God's playground.
Silence is God's garden.
Silence is God's loudspeaker.
If you have as much noise in your life as is common these days, it's unlikely you thought of, much less take advantage of those three truths. Silence is very elusive. It's hard to find. Compounding this problem is the fact that many of us don't like it. We'd rather turn on the radio, or turn up the volume of our iPOD. Silence in conversation is usually interpreted as awkwardness.
Silence, a close relative of solitude, is a spiritual discipline. Some people may know this, but few people seem to practice it.
However, we often complain that God is distant from us, that He's not speaking, that our spiritual lives are dry and lifeless. Every time I've said that recently, I've reminded myself of this: It's more likely that I'm not listening, than that God's not speaking. Because every time I go to a quiet place with the intent to listen to Him, He always seems to speak.
It is possible to hear God past the excessive noise that is so often present in our lives. However, it's difficult, and it's an advanced listening skill. To learn it, we first have to master basic listening, which is listening without noise. This means that anyone who wants to hear God, who wants to know God, must put a priority on silence. At least once a day, turn off your TV, radio, iPOD, cell phone, computer, and whatever else makes noise in your life, and go to a place where you're alone. Wait for God to speak.
If you're not willing to do that, then prepare yourself for long periods of spiritual dryness. The only way to eliminate spiritual silence is to create physical silence.
Silence is God's canvas.
Silence is God's introduction.
Silence is God's time.

QotRTP

2006-06-22T12:26:00.000-05:00

"Maybe there's a connection between the amount of noise in our lives and our inability to hear God."

Rob Bell

Procrastination, Today, and Redeeming the Time

2006-06-21T16:15:00.000-05:00

"I'll do it later."
I've said or thought those words too many times in my life. They are the words of someone who's addicted to procrastination. Now I'm trying to recover from my compulsion. I'm trying to have the character quality of what I like to call "Doitnowness."
To be honest, sometimes my procrastination doesn't seem to result in any negative effects. What difference does it make if I call today or tomorrow to schedule my dentist appointment? Or if do my homework assignment the day before it's due or the day it's due?
But there are other times it has been costly, such as the time I waited too long to get the oil changed (misreading the dipstick didn't help) and soon after needed a new engine.
What's harmful about procrastination is not necessarily whatever negative results may happen, but the attitude itself. It keeps us from living fully right now. It's the ultimate slippery slope, especially when it becomes habitual. Because, if I've already put it off from yesterday to today, why not wait until tomorrow? Before I know it, it's been two weeks -- or two years.
That's because life is lived a day at a time, and today is all we ever really have. I don't live for God tomorrow, I live for Him today.
Doitnowness is the same attitude that says with Ephesians 5:16, "Making the most of every opportunity..." or, as another translation renders it, "Redeeming the time..."
There are some things that should be put off until tomorrow, until the proper time to do them. Doitnowness says, don't put off until tomorrow what you should do today. And don't put it off until tomorrow if it would simplify your life to do it right now. It won't get any easier to do...it never does. It's always easiest, and best, to do it right now.

QotRTP

2006-06-20T16:12:00.000-05:00

"To live and to love will always be dangerous, but it's better than playing it safe. Would you want it any other way?"

Kendall Payne

QotRTP

2006-06-20T15:17:00.000-05:00

"God's love is vast and filled with unending applications."

Jenae Sprague

Cars, Walking, and the Journey of Life

2006-06-20T14:44:00.000-05:00

I walked to the church office this morning.
I think it's a little over a mile. It's not that difficult, and I enjoy it. When we drive places, it's more convenient, more sheltered from the elements, and we don't realize how far we've traveled. Walking is unique because it forces me to have a different outlook on life. It gives me an idea of how far the trip really is, helps me enjoy God's creation, and helps me be realistic about the journey.
Life is a journey. Often, we live like we're driving a car around. We want to leave now, have few problems on the way, and get there quickly. But life doesn't fit into our highway trip itinerary. Walking is a much more natural approach to life. In fact, much of life is more mountainous and difficult. There are many kinds of terrain that it's not possible to drive a car through. That's when we need to put on our walking shoes, grab our walking stick, and start moving. How do we get there? One step at a time.
The thing about life's difficulties is that they actually provide more potential for us to enjoy it. Why? Because God created us to climb mountains, to overcome challenges, and to go somewhere worth going.
The other reason I like walking is that it's worth doing as an activity, even without a destination. I'd much rather invite someone to walk with me than to take a drive. We don't always have to be going somewhere. However, a lot of people live like it, and spend all their time in a great hurry to go nowhere.
I don't know about you, but I'd much rather go somewhere slowly than go nowhere fast.

The Game of Tag, God, and Desperate People

2006-06-19T16:39:00.000-05:00

You'll never truly know God unless you pursue Him.
The irony of this is that God has already pursued you, and your pursuing of Him is just a response to His initiative. It's kind of like a divine game of tag, with our souls at stake.
The problem is not that God doesn't play the game; He does, of course, because He invented the game, and has been playing it since the creation of the world. The problem is that we don't play. We're so caught up in our own lives, our own concerns, and our own schedules, that we don't feel His tag. Or we're so lazy and apathetic that we don't respond to it.
The other problem is that God is really difficult to catch and tag. This isn't because He enjoys frustrating us...it's because He wants to know that we're determined and that we will stop at nothing to be with Him. Until we find that determination, God will be very elusive to us.
It's time to stop accepting counterfeits, or even just part of who God is, and chase His fullness. It's time to stop ignoring the ache in our souls, or try to find some cheap substitute for it, and let it drive us to desperation.
One of the ironic truths of the spiritual life is that spiritual discontentment and desperation are good things. Desperate people seem to be the only people who find God. It is a different kind of person who prays for divine discontent and desperation.
If you listen carefully, you may hear a still small voice saying, "Tag! You're it!"

QotRTP

2006-06-19T16:35:00.000-05:00

"We talk grandly about where He has been and what He has done, but we can say very little about what He is doing among us today."

Tommy Tenney in The God Chasers

QotRTP

2006-06-16T19:19:00.000-05:00

"It's easier to avoid people when we're discouraged than to invite them into our pain."

Doug Fields in Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry

Technology, Upgrading, and the Simplicity of God

2006-06-16T18:51:00.000-05:00

With some things, upgrading is good. With other things, it's not.
Who doesn't appreciate the change from dial-up to DSL? Or a gasoline-electric hybrid that gets 47.5 average mpg? But unfortunately for our society, an increase in technology makes our lives more complicated, and often more difficult. Technology is bringing a wave of changes not just in electronics and innovations, but in morality and values.
Sometimes, simple is better.
You may appreciate e-mail for its speed and convenience (and that you don't have to pay for stamps), but if you've written and received real ink on real paper in a real hand-addressed envelope recently, you know that there's something special about handwriting, stamps, and knowing someone cares about you enough to take the time to write you.
You may not think about the fact that most suburban houses have little or no front porch, but if you've ever sat on one drinking lemonade with someone who's not in a hurry, you may get a gnawing feeling that it's not the same without it.
You may never wish that you didn't have a cell phone or an iPOD, but you may have forgotten what it's like to have peace and quiet.
I'm not advocating throwing away technology or becoming Amish (no offense to Amish people -- you may be happier than us). However, I am suggesting that you simplify your life, keep a list of priorities, and carefully consider every change that you make. Limit distractions. Scrutinize your motives. Care about people.
And most of all, know that God is simple, and there's no complicated road to get from here to where we most want to be.

Sleep, Alarm Clocks, and Accomplishing Life's Purpose

2006-06-15T15:58:00.000-05:00

I do like to sleep. But life is too short to spend more time than necessary sleeping. I hate that feeling of waking up later than I planned to. I imagine the world whizzing by me as I lay there, and I realize that sleep does not accomplish my divine purpose. It does help me to accomplish it, as long as I get enough of it. But, for me, after 7 hours or so, time in bed is wasted time. This is especially true for a morning person like me, who knows that the best and most productive time of the day for me is in the morning before 10 AM.
It's important for me to decide the night before when I'm going to get up in the morning. The first five minutes after I wake up is the worst possible time for me to make a decision about whether to get up or not. But after I'm up for a few minutes, I never regret getting up that early.
It may be different for you; the morning may not be your best time of the day. However, I challenge you to take advantage of your moments on earth, especially the ones when you're at your best. Sleeping is not one of the primary things that you exist to do; it's just there to help you accomplish your real purpose.

QotRTP (Quote of the Random Time Period)

2006-06-15T15:53:00.000-05:00

"The key to unselfishness is actually thinking more about other people than we think about ourselves."

quisnam?

Resolutions, Goals, and One Small Step to Change

2006-06-14T17:30:00.000-05:00

Everyone makes resolutions. But not everyone thinks about the process. Think about it: Perhaps you made a mistake recently, and said to yourself that you would never make that mistake again. You just made a resolution.
Even if we do admit that they are important, we rarely consider what an impact they can have on our lives...and our lifestyle. I'm definitely someone who benefits from setting goals, so that's one reason they're especially useful to me. But even if you're not, know that resolutions mark an opportunity, a gateway for change. It's much more than just saying that we want to be different, that we want to improve, because we are making a concrete step in not just identifying what we want to be different but how we are going to work at getting there. And anything that helps us initiate positive change in our lives is a good thing.
I made one a week ago. I had been talking with my pastor about how to open up to people and connect with people in conversation. I was struggling with this during my first few days here in Texas City as I met a lot of new people. On Wednesday night, a week ago, he called me into his office right before the weekly Bible study and said he had an assignment for me. Every time someone tried to ask me a question or start a conversation, it was my job to ask a question in return, and so to keep the ball rolling. In other words, to be as socially responsive as possible. I realized later that this was empowering for me to have something to do. I am not in control of what happens, but I do influence what happens. In short, what I do matters. With that in mind, I made a resolution to always take advantage of opportunities to talk to people. This is not entirely comfortable for me, but it's a necessary thing for me to attempt because encounters of people with people are God's primary arena of working in our lives. It is one of my first areas of stewardship responsibility in my endeavor to live for Him.

Clarity, Expression, and the Adventures of an Amateur Philosopher

2006-06-14T12:31:00.000-05:00

Well, if you're reading this, hopefully you think my thoughts are worth reading about. Enough people have said something about it -- my gift for thinking, and for expressing clearly what I am thinking about -- that I have decided to challenge myself and do something about it. I started a blog. Here goes nothing. (If you are one of those people, you can take partial credit for this, and I hope you will benefit from it.) I pray God will bring meaningful things out of this.