Archive for November, 2009

Give Thanks Always

November 29th, 2009

O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,

Make known his deeds among the peoples.

    Sing to him, sing praises to him;

Tell of all his wonderful works.

     Glory in his holy name;

Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

     Seek the Lord and his strength;

Seek his presence continually.

     Remember the wonderful works he has done,

His miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,

     O offspring of his servant Abraham, a?

Children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

Ps 105: 1-6 (NRSV)

After the Thanksgiving turkey is cut, after the relatives have all gone home and the family traditions have all been faithfully discharged it is easy to transition back into the hustle and bustle of the days ahead. We have Christmas shopping lists to fill, parties to attend, and demands to satisfy. We begin, more so then ever; to genuflect to our schedule and say it is all in response to the gospel. I am not so sure that it is.

As I read the words above to “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually” this morning it was painful to realize that I do not continually do that. As much as I would like to say that I have it all together and continually seek him, there are days that I just don’t feel like it. There are days I have sinned, days I missed a full night of sleep and I am grumpy, and days that I am just flat out lazy.

One of the things that we can all do to fight the sloth and the things that enter into our lives on a daily basis is to remember to be thankful for all things all the time. Practicing the art of gratitude for all things brings us closer to our creator by reminding us that there is nothing that is in our control, it is all in the control of the maker and creator of all things. Now that our national day of Thanksgiving is over we need to remember to adopt the posture that most of us do on Thanksgiving, the attitude of gratitude. When we become more gracious and thankful we also become more humble as a natural development. We realize that as much as we have control, it is illusory and it is God who has the control. As we become more humble we also become more moldable and supple in God’s hands. One thing that I have seen is that even non-Christians who are gracious, thankful and kind in all things become more humble. I have had the greatest conversations and walked away feeling so blessed by people who are gracious and are in a continually thankful posture. How much greater would it be if we were the same as Christians?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Prayer Works Interactive

November 27th, 2009

h/t to Tony Jones

I was just curious if this was a farce or if it was true. Unfortunately This is true Oyy, what next?

Thankfulness on this Holiday

November 26th, 2009

” For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, 7 then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever. “

NRSV Jer 7:5-7
This Thanksgiving, as ever Thanksgiving does, gives me an opportunity to pause and give thanks for so many things. My health, my family, a good job, great friends, an awesome church…you get the picture. And truly I am blessed and truly I take extra pause to thank God for those things today. But I have been a little bit stirred lately about the command of God to take care of the orphan and the needy and how God really just lays it out there that if you are rich, but do so by oppressing the poor or are not sharing with those who are in poverty among you that he is going to work against you.

I am not trying to be sappy and say “shame on you” for getting together with family and having an excellent meal and some time with your family. God is in the midst of such things without a doubt. But what aspects of our Thanksgiving holiday can be taken used as a way to bless the poor? Put another way, is there something that you and I do consistently in our celebration that might bring poverty to another person? This takes some thinking, but I think there is. In a lot of what our consumerist culture does there is an aspect of it that is potentially oppressive.

Today I give thanks that God has choosen to bless me and my family. But, in recognizing my blessing there is a mandate spoken again and again by God that can not be ignored to then bless the poor, the needy, the alien and widow in your midst.
Many of us know widows in our church or through our community. Do you know what they are doing for Thanksgiving? What is it that they might need done around the house or taken care of? What about an orphan? That is a little harder to define, but think of it in a way of a co-worker who just lost their last living parent and is now headed into the holidays without them. Can you minister to them? Can you maybe have what has often been called an “orphans dinner” at your home and invite him, as well as others in for a nice meal and a nice time of communion with your friends? Talk about loving your neighbor, and that is the greatest command of all.
I am just putting these thoughts out here because even I, the guy who works in a ministry that works with the impoverished and the poor and needy do not think often of these things. I am guilty of thinking that they are on the other side of the world, and then here I am and I am not exposed to people like that. I am “blessed to be a blessing” and all of that, even as my neighbor down the street does not have enough to eat.

I am thankful and greatful for so much. This year I want to take steps to let that grace “trickle down” from me unto others. I am not sure what that will mean specifically for my family. But, I bet God has a plan for it all!
~Selah!

Living Local

November 17th, 2009

Recently I was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend about living radically in a world full of increasing cultural amalgamation and homogenization and I started to wonder what it would mean if Christians committed to traveling no more the 100 miles from home for a period of time? The reason that I started to wonder about this is because I believe that a healthy and life giving church is a church that is engaged in the culture in and around it fully and completely.

I love traveling and entering into new cultures and new places and being a fish out of water. I love walking the streets of India choking on the smoke and smog of a congested city and being followed by a gaggle of children who have never seen a bald white man. It is exiting to see the life and vibrancy of a culture so different from my own. However, I believe if I can engage in that culture fully and really appreciate it, I need to be a culturally literate Christian.

Every neighborhood I have ever lived in has had a life blood and rhythm all of its own. From living in rural Colorado, to living in a few different places in the Colorado front range or places in California, they all have a flavor and experience that sets them apart from the rest of the world. The reasons are many. What industry the town is built around, what the average age of the residents is, what the spiritual landscape of the region is and so on. If a business wants to thrive in a region it must know its consumers. The same goes for a church. If a church is to know the people it is there to minister to and to lead into a life of holiness and godliness, then they must have a view of the local culture that is unique and geographically dependent.

I know that if I were to challenge myself to staying in the area for a year I am asking myself to sacrifice a lot. I like the freedom of hoping on the Interstate and being in Denver in no time. I like the freedom of a cheap flight to go see my family in Las Vegas. I feel like the Southwest Airlines tag line “You are now free to move about the country”. Or, I am the “Roaming Gnome” of Travelocity fame. I see the ability to travel as my “god given right” even though 125 years ago the average person never moved much further then 25 miles from home in a lifetime.

I believe that a few things would change in my life

1) A greater vision for the community that I am in. Being forced to observe and participate in the local culture for a time means bumping up against the people, places and things of my local expression of culture. I will see the good, but be forced to acknowledge the bad as well. It will be harder and harder to ignore the poverty of my neighbor, the homeless guy down the road, the local political landscape of where I am.

2) A greater sense of urgency and passion for the people close to me. By listening more and more only to the voices and people in my close sphere of influence, my little “halon” of existence, I can be a better advocate for my neighbor, be a better friend, be a better example to those around me.

3) A deeper understanding of the expression of Christ. Jesus did not travel far and wide in his ministry. He stayed very local and never traveled any further then where his feet could carry him in his adult life. We do not see Jesus riding camels or riding a donkey even until he came into the gates of the city to face his execution.

4) Be more environmentally friendly. Not driving so much is less Co2 in the air. Staying local will help me start thinking local and buying local foods from farmers markets, from local farms and other such things. This minimizes Co2 as well. By staying local I will care more what my local landscape looks like and be more concerned about things like traffic and how it affects our community health and so on. It is easier to think about a sustainable community if I keep myself in it for a time.

I am just thinking out loud here. I am not sure where this will all lead. But what do you think? Is this completely nuts? Or, is this the love your neighbor in full force?

Sam Van Eman over at New Breed of Advertisers has This gem to add Maybe I am not as original in my thought process, but if we all commit to this I think the spiritual landscape of communities will change, and do so quite quickly.

~Selah~

Authority and Submission

November 15th, 2009

8Afterwards David also rose up and went out of the cave and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. 9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of those who say, ‘David seeks to do you harm’? 10 This very day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you into my hand in the cave; and some urged me to kill you, but I spared? you. I said, ‘I will not raise my hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your cloak, and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are hunting me to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.”

NRSV 1 Sa 24:8-12

David knew how to be under authority. He knew, even though Saul was not walking very close with God and that he had been promised by God to be king that he was not yet to be king. It would have been so easy to kill Saul in that cave. He had the element of surprise, he had a defensible position in the cave against Saul’s men, he could have chosen to bring the nonsense to an end right then and there. Instead, he stayed under the authority that had been anointed by God. Never once in all of 1st Samuel do we see David curse Saul. Instead he blessed him many times over again.

“Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water? of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is sure I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone. 9 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 After a first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with anyone who causes divisions, 11 since you know that such a person is perverted and sinful, being self-condemned.”

NRSV Tit 3:1-11 (bold mine)

I have been plenty guilty of not submitting to authority at times. I still am learning to submit and to listen and operate under authority. I thank God that I live in a Constitutional Republic that gives me the right to have an opinion and allows me to think freely and share freely. However, thinking for myself, and being divisive and subversive are two very different things.

I got my tail caught under the rocking chair this weekend when I would not speak loudly and politically, at church none the less. A person whom I respect felt that because I would not loudly shout down what Obama is doing I was not taking a stand for freedom. As I walked away the tension was palpable and completely not honoring to God. I did not handle the situation best, but neither did they.

What we need is a lot more David thinking and a lot less derisive speech. When we can submit to the authorities in our earthly lives we will begin to find it is easier to submit to not only the authority of others, but to God as well.

Titus Almightus!

November 1st, 2009

The Book of Titus has enraptured me over the last several days. It is a small book, and unfortunately one that I think we overlook many times until it is time to elect an elder, replace a deacon or other such leadership related process. I do not have any problem with that aspect of it because that is important and noteworthy. However, my intuition tells me that we are missing a real gem of information in this book. It is short, and fairly straight forward. What catches my eye is the way Paul calls on Titus, who by the time this letter was written has proven himself faithful and very able to carry out Paul’s directions, to bring unity in the church.

Over the next few posts I want to share what I am unpacking in this book and share what the Holy Spirit shows me, and what I am wondering. I hope that those who read here regularly will fell free to opine. I want opinion, I want discussion, and I want the “iron that sharpens iron”.

I will start posting mid week. Sorry it has been awhile since I have written. So much is going on in and around me I have not taken the time to write it all out.

~Selah~

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