tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13651519287802313952024-02-08T10:53:02.105-06:00A Pilgrim TheologianJeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-71990547196701962282020-12-23T11:00:00.001-06:002020-12-23T11:00:56.537-06:00Always Winter, Never Christmas<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As we enter the end of the year, the perennial discussion of what counts as a Christmas movie inevitably arises. In one of these conversations with family, it was noted that Christmas plays a key role in Lewis’ <i>The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe</i>. If you are familiar with the story, then you will be familiar with the White Witch’s curse of “always winter and never Christmas.” It’s a phrase that is particularly applicable to 2020, to the point of perhaps being a bit on the nose. At the very least, it captures what this Christmas season has felt like. The dark, dreariness of winter has come, but the hope and joy seem to be trailing behind.</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Into all of this comes the season of Advent. In the evangelical world, Advent is often used as a fancy synonym for Christmas. We set aside time to focus specifically on Christ and the Incarnation, but do so with a heavy emphasis on the hope and joy which his coming heralds. This focus is not without reason--after all, the coming of Christ is good news and a key moment in the story of the gospel. Highlighting this fact provides a way to take the cultural joy and celebration which surrounds Christmas and tangibly connect it back to Christ.</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">This approach, though, falls a bit flat in years like this. When the surrounding cultural joy is damped, evangelical Advent also feels flat. When it feels like a season of winter without Christmas, an Advent message of joy seems tone-deaf and forced. Coincidentally, though, I think that this longing for missing joy can lead to a deeper appreciation for the season of Advent and the beauty of Christmas.</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In more liturgical traditions, Advent is a season of fasting, not celebration. The weeks leading up to Christmas are focused more on the brokenness of the world and ourselves, and how this brokenness leads to the Incarnation. Consider some of the lines from one of my favorite Christmas/Advent hymns, <i>O Come, O Come Emmanuel</i>:</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">“O come, Desire of nations bind</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">All peoples in one heart and mind;</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease,</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Fill all the world with heaven’s peace.”</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Pick up any hymnal (or do a lyric search online), and you will find the same theme running through the entire hymn. The world is broken and hurting and looking for a healing king for restoration and order. Underscoring this is the hymn’s minor key and slow melody. It is a musical embodiment of longing--the longing that is at the heart of Advent.</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-2d7eea29-7fff-2bd5-c30a-09a83ec9d9ab" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As you might have guessed, I had planned to have these thoughts ready to go in the middle of Advent, not the very end. Still, I hope that they will speak to some. After all, in the last couple of weeks, the world has not become miraculously easier to live in, nor have all concerns completely disappeared. And, if Advent tells us anything, it is that it is good and proper to feel the pain and hurt of the world. Not only is it healthy to recognize and grieve the world's brokenness, but perhaps, this is an especially appropriate time of year to express our grief and longing. Further, this reflection brings us into the second facet of Advent--focusing that longing on the Second Advent. While we may not fully understand what it will look like, we know that Christ will be coming again to complete putting what is wrong to right. As we reflect on the pain and joy surrounding the Incarnation, we should also anticipate and prepare for the joy of Christ’s return. This feels especially fitting for the end of 2020, where our need for Christ is even more apparent than ever. It will not be winter forever--Second Christmas is coming!</p>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-40813350421730190472020-07-17T11:47:00.000-05:002020-07-17T11:47:27.826-05:00"I Don't Know What the Likes of Me Can Do"<div><span> </span>Many years ago I had a professor who intimated that, contrary to the evidence of our eyes, he was indeed Gandalf. He was just in disguise since getting a sword through the airport would have been slightly tricky. That semester, I began earnestly developing my love for literature, and Tolkien's <i>Lord of the Rings</i> in particular. Since then, I have on average read Tolkien's epic once a year.</div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Over the last couple of years, I have been particularly struck by a piece of conversation that takes place fairly early in the story. Frodo and Aragorn have just related to Barliman Butterbur, an innkeeper, that in helping them he will be facing forces from Mordor. In light of this information, they want to know whether he still wants to assist them. Tolkien relates his answer this way:</div><div></div><blockquote><div> "I am," said Mr. Butterbur. "More than ever. Though I don't know what the likes of me can do against, against---" he faltered.</div><div>"Against the shadow in the East," said Strider quietly. "Not much, Barliman, but every little helps."<font size="2"><sup>1</sup></font></div></blockquote><div><span> </span>This idea of inability, or limited agency, recurs repeatedly through Tolkien's saga. Examples could include Frodo's "I do not know the way" in Rivendell, Theoden's description of himself as a lesser man, Denethor's despair at winning the war with Mordor, and Sam's reluctance to continue the quest when he thinks Shelob has killed Frodo. Each of these moments in their way capture Barliman Butterbur's "I don't know what the likes of me can do." Each of these characters is brought to face with how small they are in the face of the evil they are opposing.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Part of the refreshment in Tolkien's story is that he does not undermine this question, but rather gives it full weight. In the hands of a slightly more contemporary storyteller, one would expect the protagonist to discover that they were uniquely equipped to address the evil they find in the world. The apparent limits on their agency end up being limits of perception, rather than limits in reality. Without discounting the value of those storylines, it is worth noting that Tolkien generally supports his character's assessment of themselves. Even when it turns out that they were stronger than they realized, their additional strength does not give them the resources to successfully confront the evil in Middle Earth.</div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>And yet, they do win. How? Before we can fully explore that answer, we ought to look at Madeline L'Engle's Wrinkle in Time series. Specifically, the second book in that series, <i>A Wind in the Door</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>In <i>A Wind in the Door</i>, the Murry family's youngest, Charles, is dying, but for no reason which doctors can identify. As his older sister, Meg, seeks to discover the case of and heal Charles' illness, the reader is taken on a trip that spans from galaxies to cells in the human body. A key point that is brought out in the story is that all members of creation are interconnected and have specific roles to play relative to each other: ". . . we all need each other. Every atom in the universe is dependent on every other."<font size="2"><sup>2</sup></font> Because of this need of each for the others, "A fara or a man or a star has his place in the universe, but nothing created is the center."<font size="2"><sup>3</sup></font> Not being in the center does not detract from one's importance. Rather, it recognizes that no one person or thing is all-important, requiring no support from others. In the end, Charles is healed, but only as a result of everyone else playing their part. Separation leads to disorder and chaos. Unity, though, brings greater harmony and order.</div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Return to Barliman Butterbur. The fact that my own resources and efforts are minuscule in the face of the disorder and injustice in the world is quite obvious. More often than not, I find myself repeating with him, "I don't know what the likes of me can do." What both Tolkien and L'Engle affirm is that when this is our perspective, we are grasping an essential truth. On our own, we cannot defeat evil. However, that is not the end of the story. They go on to remind us that "every little helps", and "every atom in the universe is dependent on every other." We cannot personally right what is wrong with the world. But, the interconnections in the world mean that the effects of our small actions ripple out in ways we rarely can anticipate.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>In the end, I am sure that this is rehashing ideas that others have done a better job explaining. Still, with the general unrest in the world, we have all been faced in a new way with our inadequacies. Like me, perhaps, you need the reminder that "can I make a significant enough difference" ought to be reframed to "what can I do now?" It may not be much--but, it was never supposed to be much. It was supposed to be the piece that supported the work of those around you. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>What are particular wrongs in the world which capture your attention?</b></div><div><b>What skill sets or strengths do you have which allow you to speak to those wrongs?</b><br /></div><hr /><div>Notes and References</div><div><br /></div><div>1. J. R. R. Tolkien, <i>The Lord Of The Rings</i> (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993), 185.<br /></div><div>2. Madeleine L'Engle, <i>A Wrinkle in Time Trilogy</i> (New York: Square Fish, 2012), 441.</div><div>3. Ibid., 431.<br /></div>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-56154149686860284902013-09-10T12:40:00.000-05:002013-09-10T12:41:39.980-05:00Culture of Questions"<i>I know the question of 'ends' cannot safely be mentioned in the polity itself, because that would imply that some 'lifestyles' are better than others. We do not want that sort of sentiment around. Virtue cannot be a viable option, for that would mean that some things are vices. Still, as an act of rebellion, it is good to wonder about things that we are not supposed to think about.</i>"<br />
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Fr. James Schall's thoughts from <u>On The Unseriousness of Human Affairs</u> bring up an important facet of life which is easy to pass over: asking questions. In the hustle and bustle of each day, finding the time to sit back and contemplate life isn't easy. And, to be honest, contemplation sounds both heady and boring to most of us. Between our lack of time and the apparent lack of practicality, our culture doesn't encourage asking questions.<br />
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Or, perhaps we should say our culture does not encourage asking the right questions. When you think about it, there are all sorts of questions that we regularly ask. Who will win the next game? Is the stock market up or down this morning? Did you hear about the latest gaff from that celebrity? What is the best way to do ____? How will the President respond to this crisis? What are the polls saying about that hot button topic?<br />
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The list could continue. When we look at our questions though, how many do you see directed towards "ends?" That is, how many are focused on the purpose or reason for things? As Fr. Schall says further on:<br />
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"<i>Those things that flow into us and those things that flow out of us belong to one world. We are not complete if we do not reflect on the highest things, or even on our own things. Nor are we complete if we do not seek to relate all things to one end, not just to any end, but to the truth of things.</i>"<br />
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Thinking about "ends" involves seeing how things fit into the truth about the world around us. While everything is unique, they are also specific parts of a whole - the whole of reality. Schall emphasizes that seeing this whole requires contemplation - specific focus on each of these facets and how they relate to and are part of the whole. Of course, in order to do this, we must know what the whole is, or at least have the framework from which to hang the other facets we encounter.<br />
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Francis Schaeffer communicated similar thoughts when he indited the Church for seeing "things in bits and pieces instead of totals." Schaeffer's concern was that focusing on the differentiation of subject matter prevented us from seeing how all of reality works together. Viewing the world as a series of compartments makes it easy to forget that these facets are part of a whole. Until we understand and know the whole, we will not be able to make sense of the facets.<br />
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This idea of knowing the whole implies that there is an absolute truth to the world - truth that applies to everyone all the time. This is why Schall regretted that questions of ends could not safely be asked in our culture- if they were to be accurately answered, we would find that some people were living life wrong because they were pursuing wrong ends. Still, he encourages us that, counter-cultural as it might be, these questions about ends are worth asking. After all, there are some things which are important enough for us to contradict the culture.<br />
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In the end, Schall and Schaeffer remind us that questions about ends are important because they require us to see reality as a whole - and in the process realize that Truth is something we see, not something we create.<br />
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In light of their thoughts, there are several questions we should ask ourselves: <i>Do we agree that these questions ought to be asked? If so, does our personal culture and the culture we add to those around us support and encourage asking these questions? How do we encourage this kind of culture?</i><br />
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Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts and answers. I'd be interested to hear your perspective!Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-20815092507417940432013-08-03T12:26:00.000-05:002013-08-03T12:26:52.444-05:00"I'm the Only One"<span style="line-height: 22px;"><i>I'm the only one. It's just me. There's so much that is is going wrong in the world around me, but the tide of evil can't completely be turned because, well, I'm the only one fighting against it</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">Sound familiar? This seems to be Elijah's perspective after the showdown at Mount Carmel. In first Kings, we read his explanation of the situation to God:</span><br />
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<i>He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:14, ESV)</i><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">Does this ring any bells for you? If so, listen to God's response as Paul reports it in Romans 11:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “<u>I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal</u>.” (Romans 11:2b-4, ESV)</i></span><br />
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This exchange between Elijah and God points out several things to us:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Our Vision is Limited:</b> Elijah thought that he was God's last true servant, yet there were seven thousand others still serving God faithfully. Just because we can't see others faithfully serving, it doesn't mean that they aren't there.</li>
<li><b>Not Everyone's Service is in the Lime Light:</b> As we touched on <a href="http://pilgrimtheologian.blogspot.com/2013/02/its-just-minor-task.html" target="_blank">in an earlier post</a>, serving God faithfully does not always mean that our work will be front and center. Instead, it could easily be backstage, at least for most of the world. That does not make it any less important to the Kingdom. This is key to remember both when we are worried that our work isn't making an impact and when we are worried because we can't see others working. Not everything that God is doing will be visible to everyone.</li>
<li><b>God Knows What is Going On and is in Control:</b> The turn of events for Elijah wasn't unforeseen by God, nor was the need for servants to advance His Kingdom. He was already prepared for it and had the needed reinforcements all set. As it is, we should also keep in mind that numbers (or the lack thereof) do not hamper God's ability to achieve His goals. This fact is ably shown in Gideon's defeat of Midian (Judges 7). Who is on the roster list isn't important - faithfully serving where we have been placed is.</li>
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It is also worth noting that this sense that "I'm the only one" applies to groups just as much as individuals. The only difference between "I'm the only one" and "we're the only ones" is the plural terms. Both thoughts focus on our finiteness and frailty while ignoring God's sovereignty and omnipotence.</div>
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In other words, God, who has already won, is marshaling his armies and has all that is needed to bring about His victory. Given this fact, we are never "the only one" in the fight. Odds are, there are others in the trenches that we just aren't aware of. More importantly though, God Himself is working in and through us. We are not alone because He is with us, ensuring that His will is carried out. Or, as we learn in Joshua: <i>One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. (Joshua 23:10, ESV)</i><br />
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<i>What are God's directions for your life right now? If you don't know, how can you learn them? If you do know, what can you be doing to pursue them more effectively?</i><br />
<i>Do you think God normally has people work on their own or in teams? Why? How should this impact the way we pursue the goals He gives us?</i></div>
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Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-32622713495632563882013-06-24T14:50:00.000-05:002013-06-24T14:51:48.996-05:00Living Like You Are A Human"<i>...the Christian is called to exhibit the characteristics of true humanity, because being a man is not intrinsically being sinful man, but being that which goes back before the Fall, to man made in the image of God.</i>"<br />
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Schaeffer's thoughts from <i>The God Who is There</i> indirectly touch on an interesting facet of how we define what it means to be human. We often tend to think of people solely in the context of Genesis 3, The Fall. After all, one of the basic facts of life is that everyone is fallen, right? What we miss is that in order to fall, you first need to have been standing. Genesis 3 doesn't make any sense without Genesis 1-2. You have to start with a good creation for that creation to fall. Evil isn't original - either in chronology or it's ability to create. It is proceeded by good and can only twist what is already there.<br />
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This perspective should impact how we live life in at least two specific ways:<br />
<ol>
<li>Recognize the Twisting Effects of Evil - it touches everything, including the people with whom I interact. In the Truth Project, Del Tackett presents a helpful analogy: People who believe the lie of sin are POWs, not enemy combatants. The fact that they have been fatally messed up shouldn't prevent me from seeing that they were created to be something good. </li>
<li>Enjoy Life Fully - Following God and enjoying life is a both/and proposition. G.K. Chesterton puts it this way in Orthodoxy: "<i>The more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.</i>" Good things running wild, life filled with zest, places and people enjoyed simply because God created them and they were created to be enjoyed - that's part of the life others should see in us. It's easy to evaluate experiences solely in light of their practicality: <i>How much does this cost? Will I be learning something valuable? Is there a more profitable way to spend my time?</i> Those are the questions that I have been quick to ask in the past. While there is a place for questions like these, we also need to recognize that they can completely miss the fact that some things we ought to do simply for the sake of enjoying God through his creation.</li>
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Following God and enjoying the world is a both/and proposition. In fact, on some level enjoying the world provides us with a unique way to worship God. With this in mind, <i>what are some ways that you will be enjoying God through His creation in the near future?</i> <i>What are other facets of living a truly human life which we should be thinking about?</i></div>
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-58811102969712518902013-06-15T11:45:00.000-05:002013-06-15T11:45:06.864-05:00Flags Jump-Starting DisciplingYesterday was a big day for my family. Flag Day. While there is historical significance attached to this day, it is not the history which makes this a big day for us. Rather, for years this is also the day on which we get up a couple hours early and run house to house setting up roughly 1,200 flags through several local neighborhoods. What can I say - strenuous work has a way of asserting itself as a priority for us.<br />
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As we got started going, I was mentally gearing up for loping at a decent pace and finishing the task as quickly as practical. I mean, as fun as running/walking for several hours is, there's no point to extending the time any longer than needed. Which is why I was a bit put out when my younger sister, no more than 2 houses into the day, had a question about how to stick the flags into the ground. "Really", I thought to myself, "there goes hopes for a quick, smooth day."<br />
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This was followed by a reminder from the Lord of what this really was - an opportunity to teach my sister. Indeed, you might even say it was an opportunity to disciple her. As that thought stuck with me, there were several facets of discipleship which our flag run highlighted for me:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Discipleship Isn't Convenient - I had this conception of discipleship as something which I could control. That is, it could happen at the pace I wanted to make it happen, almost as if it could be added to a calender and scheduled in advance. The truth is, that's not always the case. It's a process which is happening all the time. You can't turn off when you are speaking into someone's life - even if it would be more convenient to impact them at a different time.</li>
<li>Discipleship Happens in a Historic Context - As was mentioned above, we've been running these neighborhoods for years, generally several times each year. Most of what I was teaching/modeling for my sister was skills which I'd learned walking with my Dad when I was helping him as a young tyke. When disciplining others, it is helpful to remember that there is history behind what they are learning. That history helps give a context for the idea/skill being taught as well as added authority to the one teaching.</li>
<li>Discipleship Doesn't Always Look Like Teaching - My passion includes sharing new ideas with people. There aren't many things which get me quite as excited as seeing the lightbulb turn on and knowing that someone has picked up a new idea and will be seeing the world in a new way moving forward. Not all teaching is going to happen in a pre-planned, structured environment. Conversation in the car, project we are working on, putting flags in the ground - there are plenty of times where I'm discipling others that aren't in a classroom.</li>
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Down the road, I'll be trying to learn from my from our flag running experience. Specifically, I'll be trying to keep a closer eye out for the unexpected platforms which God will give to impact the lives of those around me. That being said, I know that discipleship covers quite a bit more than I've been able to look at in this post. With that in mind, I'd love to get your input. <i>What facets of discipleship have you found to be important to keep in mind? How are you planning to be more intentional about your discipleship of others moving forward?</i></div>
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-80434935698577921972013-06-11T15:42:00.000-05:002013-06-11T15:46:54.829-05:00Stress and Recentering Stress - I recently had a run in with this friend. Much as I'd like to leave it behind, my experience so far has been that stress is an inevitable part of life. Like it or not, we'll all continue to run into it through life. While pondering my immediate circumstances, I was reminded of several facts which added perspective to the situation. Before jumping into them though, we should set some Scriptural context.<br />
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While I didn't realize it at the time, the path my thoughts took was based on a sermon I heard a year or two ago in Moses Lake, WA. The pastor of the Church I was attending was working his way through the Psalms of Ascent. For Psalm 121, the first verses set the focus for the sermon: "<i>I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.</i>" (Psalm 121:1-2, ESV)<br />
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<span style="text-indent: -64px;">The thrust of the message was that our constant response to life needs to be one of looking back up to God. In so doing we consciously make Christ the center of our focus, rather than the circumstances. This ends up pushing our focus up and beyond the immediacy of what we are walking through.</span><br />
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<span style="text-indent: -64px;">With that background, there were two facets of looking to Christ which jumped out at me:</span><br />
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<li>God's Providence - Stress is a perfect opportunity to practice trusting in God's control over life. I wish I could say remembering this fact magically changed my circumstances. It didn't. The hand I was working with was still the same. What it did do though was add a fuller context to my view of life. These weren't simply a set of random circumstances I may or may not be able to control. Instead, they were pre-planned activities which God arranged for my benefit and His glory. Even though the stressful circumstances remain, remembering that God is in control is part of centering our focus back on Christ.</li>
<li>Limited Horizon - The other facet which which jumped to the forefront of my mind was the fact that I didn't have much perspective on what was actually happening. The space between the here and now and when I hit the horizon line of the future is pretty limited. That's not limited to just a few occasions. For just about everything that life throws at us, the horizon of our perspective is very close. Sure we'll be able to see further in some cases than others, but rarely will we have anything close to an adequate vantage point from which to understand the path we are walking on at the moment. Realizing this should also help us remember to focus back up on Christ, whose vantage point encompasses all of history.</li>
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And, there you have it folks - nothing to deep or brainy, but hopefully some thoughts which help you in your walk today. Look up to Christ and center your focus on Him. He knows both where you are at and what is coming. Further, He has planned it for your ultimate good and His greatest glory. It's hard to ask for more than that.</div>
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-68178065512896342472013-04-29T12:27:00.001-05:002013-04-29T12:27:11.108-05:00Spring and BeautyToday, there was a lovely little bit of poetry which I wanted to share with you all. It must be all the greenery surrounding me that brought it to mind. Whatever the case, this poem was written by Gerard Manley Hopkins and is titled <i>Spring.</i> Through his words, Hopkins highlights for us the beauty of Creation while reminding us of the shadow which the Fall casts over that beauty.<br />
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"Nothing is so beautiful as Spring--<br />
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;<br />
Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush<br />
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring<br />
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;<br />
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush<br />
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush<br />
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.<br />
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What is all this juice and all this joy?<br />
A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning<br />
In Eden garden.--Have, get, before it cloy,<br />
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Before it cloud, Christ, lord and sour with sinning,<br />
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,<br />
Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning."<br />
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<i>What are some of the things you find most beautiful about Spring? What makes them beautiful? How do you like to enjoy the beauty?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-44761355281877142642013-02-23T18:45:00.003-06:002013-02-23T18:45:29.811-06:00It's Just a Minor Task...A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to combine a few of my favorite things - great people and making music. While on a retreat with a group of fantastic young adults, I pulled out my Mountain Dulcimer, was shortly joined by a Guitar, and pretty quickly we had a group of folks singing along.<br />
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As we were going around picking out hymns to sing, I began to question the necessity of my playing. At that point, my contribution consisted solely of playing melody lines. Additionally, it was quite possible that most of the people around couldn't really hear even this simple contribution. Later on, it struck me that life often appears this way. Most of us aren't front and center, making huge impacts on the world. Our sphere of influence is limited. We have what appears to be a simple supporting role. Think crowd extras in a movie. This fact usually leads me to the following conclusion: I've failed. After all, if I was really doing all I could, my impact would be larger. There are three false assumptions (and a lot of pride) behind this thought:<br />
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<li>"I have an accurate perception of my impact" - As a finite human being, I can't fully comprehend how God is using my actions. Only God has the perspective to know the true importance of my actions.</li>
<li>"My work isn't necessary" - The fact that I'm making a minor impact on the world does not automatically mean that what I've been given to do is optional. The tasks to which God directs us are not busy work to keep us occupied. We are directed to them because they need to be accomplished.</li>
<li>"God is more pleased with others work because their impact is bigger" - Paul had some great advice about comparing ourselves to others: Don't (2 Corinthians. 10:12-18). God's pleasure is not based on how we stack up with others. Instead, God's pleasure is based on how well we used the opportunities given to us.</li>
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In order to correct these ideas moving forward, two steps are required. First, I need to place God and His glory at the center of my focus and desires. Worrying about whether my impact measures up to others' comes from wanting to glorify me and my work. Second, I need to take the advice of the author of Ecclesiastes to heart: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might..." (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV). The opportunities I have to glory God and expand His kingdom should be pursued to their fullest.</div>
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Most of the time, the opportunities presented to us will not be glamorous. However, when God and His glory is the focus of our desire, following Him will be more important than how our results stack up to others'. </div>
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<i>What current opportunities has God given you to glorify Him? What is your next step in pursuing them?</i></div>
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-28667759500242195072013-02-17T00:36:00.000-06:002013-02-17T14:05:39.922-06:00"The hands of a king are the hands of a healer"<br />
"<i>The hands of a king are the hands of a healer.</i>" As the last part of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series unfolds, this sentence clues us in on one of the ways that the people of Middle Earth will recognize the True King. At the same time, Tolkien's words also identify a facet of Christ's character.<br />
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Before the impact of Tolkien's words can be appreciated, there is an important fact which needs to be understood: The world around us is broken. Completely broken. And, as Schaeffer points out <u>The God Who Is There</u>, this brokenness creates separation. Separation from God, separation from who we are, separation from those around us, and separation from the world in which we live. Because of sin, the world is not as it should be, nor can we relate to it the way we ought.<br />
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Understanding the state of the world opens up part of what Christ's salvation means - healing. Paul expresses this in Romans 8:<br />
"<i>For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.</i>" (Romans 8:19-21 ESV) As Paul unpacks for us, the whole world was caught in our fall - but it will be restored as Christ's victory is completed.<br />
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The hands of a King are the hands of a healer. Christ demonstrates His authority through the healing He brings to the world. Christ does not seek merely to subdue the rebellion against His rule, He pursues a re-creation of the world which was damaged by this rebellion. The Gospel is not just a message about the defeat of sin. It is a message about God making all things new. This has two distinct impacts on our lives right now.<br />
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First, we can trust Christ to completely heal us, eradicating sin at both its deepest and widest reaches in our lives. When Christ restores, the impact is felt in all of our relationships. Being set right with God also means being set in right relationship with the rest of God's world. It means that the death which sin brought to the core of our being and to every area of our lives has been and is being removed. Some of this healing will be an ongoing work through the rest of our lives, but we can trust Christ to provide the healing, strength, and grace to outwork this new life each day.<br />
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Second, the effect of the Gospel on our lives is a witness to others of Christ's authority. Schaeffer puts it this way in <u>The God Who Is There</u>: "<i>What we are called to do, upon the basis of the finished work of Christ in the power of the Spirit through faith, is to exhibit a substantial healing, individual and then corporate, so that people may observe it. This too is a portion of the apologetic: a presentation which gives at least some demonstration that these things are not theoretical but real; not perfect, yet substantial.</i>" In other words, our witness to others is not solely that the Rightful King has returned and we can prove His credentials, but also that His rule has brought healing to our lives. The healing impact of the Gospel in and through the Church demonstrates to others that Christ is the foundation of reality.<br />
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The hands of a king are the hands of a healer. A life that is justified at the Cross will be a life
characterized of substantial healing in the world around them - the
result of an application of the Gospel to all of life. Not only will their life be healed, but they will then extend that healing to the world around them.<br />
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<i>As you look back on your life, can you see areas where Christ's healing has changed you? What opportunities do you have to extend His healing to the world around you?</i> Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-11572609294987576612013-01-29T23:24:00.000-06:002013-01-29T23:24:49.061-06:00It's Not Enough To Be Right...For those of you who were not aware, I just completed a major undertaking. I finished reading Les Miserables. The work was worth it! If you haven't read it, you're in for a treat once you get there. Since I just wrapped it up, I thought I'd share one of the ideas which jumped out at me from the book.<br />
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"It's not enough to be right. You have to be right for the right reasons." Dr. Bauman hammered this key idea into us at Summit's Semester program. Arriving at the right conclusion for the wrong reasons leaves you with a weak foundation that ultimately will not support you. Victor Hugo pictured this in the character Javert.<br />
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To understand Hugo's picture though, we need to get to know Javert a bit. For Javert, right and wrong were determined by the state. If one was on the side of the state, then they were in the right and those opposed to it were in the wrong. To quote Hugo's description: "On the one hand he would say, 'A public official cannot be deceived; a magistrate is never wrong!' And on the other, "They are irremediably lost; no good can come of them.'"<br />
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Over the course of the book though, Javert's life intersects several times with Jean Valjean, the ex-convict whose life was turned around by his encounter with Bishop Myriel. Witnessing Valjean's changed life, including an act of mercy extended to Javert himself, leads to Javert to to rethink his view on the world. In the end, Javert's world is rocked:<br />
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"<i>His ultimate anguish was the loss of all certainty. He felt uprooted. The code was no longer anything but a stump in his hand. He was dealing with scruples of an unknown species. Within him there was a revelation of feeling entirely distinct from the declarations of the law, his only standard hitherto...An entire new world appeared to his soul...a mysterious justice according to God going counter to justice according to men. In the darkness he could see the fearful rising of an unknown moral sun; he was horrified and blinded by it. An owl compelled to an eagle's gaze.</i>"<br />
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Javert had, generally speaking, arrived at the right view of the world. The government is designed to enforce God's rule. To the degree that it does, rebellion against it is rebellion against God. However, Javert's foundation was the assumption that the government is infallible and therefore the standard for right and wrong. Discredit that assumption, make God the foundation, and nothing makes sense anymore for Javert. "He felt uprooted...An owl compelled to an eagle's gaze."<br />
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There are two lessons here for us. First, why you believe what you believe is just as important as what you believe. We shouldn't be content to settle for what seems to be the right answer - our goal should be to know why it is the right answer. Second, we should remember where absolute truth resides - in God. As hard as we work to understand "why", we will inevitably go astray, or find places where we have gone astray in the past, or find that we don't understand "why" as much as we should. The fact is, these discoveries can be unsettling. Suddenly realizing that the house you had worked hard to build was built with cards can be deeply disturbing. Remembering that God is the source of truth can help us to realize that what we are experiencing is not the world falling apart, but us realigning with the world as God created it.<br />
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I've found myself in Javert's shoes before and it's a pretty safe guess that I'll be back in them before long. Odds are, you're in a similar boat. Let's learn from Javert's experience and realize that even after doing our due diligence in studying out why we believe something, we could be wrong. Unlike Javert, finding out that we were wrong should not destroy us. Instead, we can turn to God as the source of all Truth for the answers we need and build again on a solid foundation.<br />
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<i>Have you had an "owl compelled to an eagle's gaze" experience before? If so, what have you learned from it - whether a change in your thinking or lessons for how to work with similar experiences in the future?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-62894867158630589072013-01-22T22:29:00.000-06:002013-01-22T22:29:11.519-06:00Roe v. Wade - An Object LessonToday is the 40th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision which practically legalized abortion in the United States. Looking back on this decision, there is some value in evaluating it from the prism of what it means to be a human being. As we will see, how you see human beings and how you describe them has huge effects on how you treat those around you.<div>
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For the purpose of this post, I am going to assume that unborn babies are human. I'll grant that in a discussion about the morality of abortion this would be the key point. However, that is not the discussion that I'm aiming for in this post.</div>
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There are two basic ways to view human beings. They are either the highest entity in the world or they are the highest created creature. The difference between these two literally ends up being the difference between life and death.</div>
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When you hold to the first view of humanity, the foundation of the value system is strength - physical, mental, ability to build things ect. Whatever gives you an edge over those around you, that is what gives you value. After all, that's how humanity in the first place has been valued as the highest entity on the globe. Unfortunately, that also means that human beings which either have no value, no "edge" or ability to defend themselves, don't need to stay alive. From this view, the Roe v. Wade decision makes sense. If an unborn baby doesn't seem to be worth the costs of being born and raised - costs such as money, pain, effort, time - then why keep it alive? Kill it and save the expense.</div>
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The other view of humanity operates on the value system of the Creator. If humans are the highest creature, it is because the Creator values them as His highest creation. Taken from the Christian view of the world, the value that the Creator has placed on humanity is that it is made in his image. This being the case, to be human is to be valuable - irregardless of the practical value they appear to add to the world. From this perspective, the Roe v. Wade decision is a devastating tragedy. It is the legal permission to kill people - legal permission to destroy value.</div>
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Examining the merits of each viewpoint isn't the goal of this post - though it is something that you should do if you haven't by this point. Instead, the goal is to challenge us to pay more attention to how we define what it means to be human and then consider the results of our definitions. As esoteric as the question may sound, "What does it mean to be human" has serious practicality to all of our lives. Failing to answer this question and have a good reason for that answer leaves the floor wide open for others to answer it - and their answer might not be one that you will be able to live with.</div>
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<i>What do you think it means to be a human and why have you come to that conclusion? How does this affect the way you interact with those around you? There are quite a few facets here - not all of them are as drastic as the example that my post centered around. Feel free to branch the conversation out to other aspects of what it means to be human by leaving a comment - your thoughts are very welcome!</i></div>
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-43271021161891329882013-01-21T20:48:00.000-06:002013-01-21T21:07:04.212-06:00Giver of Pain and Forgiveness?When it comes to pain, the first impulse for most of us is to try and avoid it. This is certainly true for me and I'm assuming you'd probably agree. There might be some differences in how much pain we're willing to endure, but sooner or later we'd all have enough and look for the way out. This being the case, I found the following verse intriguingly counter-intuitive:<br />
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"<i>The people did not turn to him who struck them, nor inquire of the LORD of hosts.</i>" (Isaiah 9:13 ESV)</div>
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A moment for context. Preceding verses (v. 8-12), inform us that Israel is facing God's judgement. In fact, there have been repeated judgments. Throughout this pain though, God expects Israel to run back to Him. Okay, I'll admit that this doesn't sound super foreign, after all, that's how repentance should work, right? It's certainly a familiar concept for most of people who have spent most time in church. Read that verse again though:</div>
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"<i>The people did not turn to him <u>who struck them</u>...</i>"</div>
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That is not the typical viewpoint that you will get of repentance. When repentance comes up in sermons or conversations, it will more likely be surrounded by descriptions of God's love and willingness to forgive. Those are both aspects of God's nature, but they are not the facet that Isaiah uses when looking at Israel's lack of repentance. Isaiah examines their response from the fact that God is the one dealing out the punishment. God inflicted the pain and Israel was supposed to run back to Him. I don't know about you, but I find running back to love and forgiveness much more appealing than running back to the source of pain and punishment.</div>
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Granted, these two concepts are not really separated like I have described them. Repentance involves turning back to God who has both punished us and desires to forgive us. However, I wonder how often we separate them and focus solely on the love and forgiveness and forget that God is also the one Who deals out justice on me. And in so doing, what have we lost from our knowledge of God that would impact how we live? For instance - consider the dichotomy that I presented above: punishment vs. love and forgiveness. Is God's punishment actually another facet of His love? If this is true, how should it effect our interactions with each other?</div>
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These are questions that I haven't thought all the way through before, so I don't necessarily have great answers for them. However, that's the advantage of starting a conversation, you don't need to have all the answers ahead of time! In other words, you are formally invited to join the conversation. Leave a comment with your thoughts - I'd be really interested in hearing them.</div>
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<i>To restate them, here are some of the questions under consideration: What, if anything, is lost from our understanding of God when we ignore His role as corrector? Is God's love separate from his punishment? And, how should our lives change in light of the answers we give to these questions?</i></div>
Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-28422691508756477442012-06-16T19:16:00.000-05:002012-06-16T19:16:54.651-05:00A Most Wretched Adventure...Right in the House<br />
"<i>Seems to know as much about the inside of my larders as I do myself!" thought Mr. Baggins, who was feeling positively flummoxed, and was beginning to wonder whether a most wretched adventure had not come right into his house.</i>"<br />
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This delightful little quip from J.R.R. Tolkien's <u>The Hobbit</u> jumped to my attention about a month or so ago. Not surprisingly, it jumped out at me because it resonated with where life was, and is, for me. In order to fully understand the impact of this quote, a bit of background on Hobbits, and Mr. Bilbo Baggins in particular, is in order.<br />
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Hobbits are one of the creatures which populate Middle Earth, the world created in Tolkien's books. Identifying characteristics include: hairy feet, child sized height, and a love of food, pipe smoking, and song. More importantly though, hobbits hate anything out of the ordinary. They like life to be pleasant, familiar, and generally speaking, comfortable. Anything which smacks of adventure is to be avoided at any cost.<br />
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At the time of the quote above, Bilbo Baggins' life has been nearly turned upside down. A band of 13 dwarves has descended on his house, invited themselves to tea, and are about to whisk him away on a long journey full of many perils and dangers. While he's not aware of the trip he is about to take, Bilbo has some unsettling premonitions that an adventure is afoot. What's more, the adventure seems to be forcing its way into his life, whether he likes it or not. Not only is it forcing its way into his life, it's come right into his house! Forget privacy or a place to retreat. Apparently nowhere is safe when trying to avoid the adventure.<br />
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Isn't life often like this? One doesn't get to chose the adventures you go on, or when they happen. They simply invite themselves in and take you with them. And, they usually come along at very inconvenient moments. You know, the times where the very last thing you want to have is an adventure mixing up life for you. Further, they usually don't seem to want to leave you alone. As you crawl into your safe places of retreat, the adventures seem to find a way to follow you.<br />
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For better or worse, though, we don't have the option to pick and chose our adventures. As Lewis puts it in The Last Battle, we need to "take the adventure that Aslan sends us", even when that's a wretched adventure that is forcing its way right into our house. Knowing who is in charge of history makes all the difference in how we approach the twists that come up in our lives.<br />
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<i>Most of my post has explained what adventures can be like. How to interact with them is an important follow up question. Assuming you agree with my description of adventures, how would you encourage someone to think about "taking the adventure"?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-26168214905795177872012-04-03T19:01:00.004-05:002012-04-03T19:17:46.671-05:00Good Community is Annoying CommunityThe purpose of community is annoyance. That is, we need our community to annoy us. Put practically, if your community is not annoying you, you're not getting all you could out of it.<br />
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This idea was presented by my Pastor during last Sunday's evening worship service. We were considering how God often uses other people to change us into Christ's image. As a member of a large family, I can attest to the truth of this statement! This being the case, you should expect the members of your community to be annoying at times. If we are not being annoyed, then we are not growing into Christ's image. Unless of course you are Jesus' mirror image, but if you are think that, you're probably not there yet.<br />
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So, how annoying is your community? If you are never annoyed by them, odds are you are not really interacting with them enough. Consider some of <a href="http://pilgrimtheologian.blogspot.com/2012/01/community-is-two-way-street.html">these thoughts on being in a community</a> and start jumping in a little more. It's not easy and will hurt some, but it's one of the ways that we can open ourselves to God's sanctifying process.<br />
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<i>How has your community annoyed your recently? What has this taught you about yourself and helped you grow in Christ's image?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-2288998793884057062012-03-03T19:31:00.001-06:002012-03-03T19:33:06.826-06:00New Post...on a Friend's BlogMy latest bit of written musings is on a topic that haven't tackled yet: Relationships. Yep, romance, love and all that good stuff. However, you will not find this post on this blog. Don't worry, its out there for you to read, you'll just need to visit my friend Caitlin Muir's blog to read it. <a href="http://www.caitlinmuir.com/does-sacrifice-mean-you-are-ready-for-love/">Click here</a> if you want to travel over to my post on her blog right away!<br />
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While you're over there, be sure to check out some of the other posts. Caitlin's blog has a strong focus on how your beliefs should practically affect your life. While I can't guarantee that you'll agree with everything you read, I'm sure that you will find her ideas thought provoking (which can be more valuable than finding someone communicating ideas you already agree with).<br />
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But, enough posting about the post. Head over to <a href="http://www.caitlinmuir.com/does-sacrifice-mean-you-are-ready-for-love/">Caitlin's blog</a>, read the posts she has up, leave a comment or two, and join the conversation!</div>
</div>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-14254846995042384502012-02-25T19:01:00.000-06:002012-02-25T19:01:48.415-06:00Truth and SatisfactionLast fall schoolwork had me studying American Literature. Assignments from one week brought selections from Walt Whitman's <i>Leaves of Grass</i>. While reading the introduction to this key collection of poetry, I came across the following quote:<br />
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"<i>Whatever satisfies the soul is truth.</i>"<br />
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I don't know how it strikes you, but I actually find that I could agree completely with Whitman. Some of you might be disagree with me, and not without good reason. After all, hasn't Whitman in those six words summed up the idea of Relativism? This is a question which is worth a closer look.<br />
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By way of background, relativism is the belief that there are no absolutes. Usually the term is used in reference to moral absolutes, but it can be used to refer to a belief about the nature of absolute truth in general. Other statements which epitomize this idea of relativism include:<br />
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<li>"Whatever floats your boat"</li>
<li>"It's all good"</li>
<li>"Who are we to judge"</li>
<li>"There is no right and wrong"</li>
<li>"Just because it's true for you doesn't mean it is true for me"</li>
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Read Whitman's statement again and notice his standard for truth: "Whatever satisfies the soul." If what satisfies us is the determining factor in what is true, than there is no firm definition for truth. After all, we are all satisfied by different things. In some areas, these sources of satisfaction can be contradictory (for instance, my love for coffee and other's pitiable distaste for it). If truth can be both "a" and "not a" at the same time, it really isn't true or a guide for life.</div>
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Given this argument, why I would agree with Whitman's statement? The answer to that question lies in definition.<br />
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What do we mean when we say "whatever satisfies the soul?" From the perspective of the Bible, the only thing which will satisfy our soul is living in line with God's plan for the world. "<i>Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart</i>." (Psalm 37:4 ESV)<br />
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With this definition of satisfaction, Whitman's statement makes perfect sense. After all, there is only one time we are ever truly happy in this world, when our lives align with the Truth. It logically follows that the more joy we have in our lives, the closer we are to living the Truth.<br />
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But that's the rub. Most of us want to define satisfaction for ourselves. Because of the fall, we think that we know what is best for ourselves...and it definitely is not what God wants for us. By pretending that we can define what brings happiness, we end up running from our most fulfilling satisfaction. C.S. Lewis puts it this way in the Screwtape Letters:<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>"...<i>we always try to work away from the natural condition of any pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of its Maker, and least pleasurable. An ever-increasing craving for an ever-diminishing pleasure is the formula. It is more certain; and it's better style. To get the man's soul and give him nothing in return</i>..."<br /><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">In the end, Whitman's quote seems to hold out both a promise and a warning. It promises us that Truth and pleasure enter our lives hand in hand, and that having one will include having the other. However, it warns us that aside from God's salvation and sanctification, we will be blind to both Truth and pleasure.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you agree my my analysis of Whitman's quote? If so, how should it affect how we evaluate our lives and beliefs? What kind of an impact should it have on our outlook on life?</span></i></span></div>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-80946167734514432982012-02-16T00:14:00.000-06:002012-02-16T00:14:41.221-06:00But They Never Came to RivendellLife is not always a bed of roses. Sometimes its more of a road with rocks waiting to trip you up. That's where life has been for me recently. Rough, stressful, challenging. Full time work and full time school, an upcoming move from the community I've built up, plus a few other things are all stacking up. And I don't know about you, but I don't really like it here, in the rocky road. Pain is never really fun. One can only pretend that it's all good for so long on their own. In that context, I came across this quote in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings:<div>
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<i>"...they missed a dark and dangerous journey. But they never came to Rivendell."</i></div>
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In the course of the book, this quote is actually talking about the Hobbits ponies that were scared off during the attack on the Inn at Bree. In this little aside, Tolkien relates to us how they missed the rest of the difficult journey which Frodo and Company took. However, this also meant that they never made it to Rivendell, the elven refuge for rest and encouragement. In the tales of Tolkien's world, it is also aptly referred to as The Last Homely House.</div>
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Why take time to look at this brief snapshot? Because we often are on the dark and dangerous journey, whether we like it or not, whether we chose it or not. This snapshot of the hobbit's ponies encouraged me to rise above myself and see the bigger picture. Sure, life is difficult now, but Rivendell is at the end of the difficulties. Paul puts it this way in 2 Corinthians: "<i>For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal</i>." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV)</div>
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If, like me, you are on one of life's rocky stretches, take heart. Rivendell is up ahead. Once we get there, we'll be able to see how the rough stretch was worth it.</div>
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<i>There is certainly more that could be said about how to live life well in the middle of difficulty. In addition to looking forward to the benefits at the end, how else should we approach life's rough times? Do we take something away from the benefit of the pain if we focus solely on resolving and healing it?</i></div>
</div>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-86746615353356583272012-02-01T02:26:00.000-06:002012-02-01T02:26:47.373-06:00Of Leading and Reading<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Leaders are readers</span></i></div>
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This phrase has a a cliche feel. It's one of those phrases which contains a gold mine of truth and consequently is thrown around so much that it gets worn out. Today however, two sentences from a school book shed some light on why this phrase rings true:</div>
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<i>"Whatever role others might play, it is Tutu who is the compass. He guides us in several ways, the most important of which is language."</i></div>
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These sentences from <i>Country of My Skull</i> highlight one of the most important tools leaders have at their disposal: words. You see, because Truth really is true, our words are either true or false. Either they accurately describe and depict reality, or they present a sham world.</div>
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If we are going to lead others effectively, we need to clearly, concisely, and correctly communicate about the world. There is no other option. You see, Evil has a way of painting up its own version of the world which looks deceptively accurate. It has had quite a bit of time to learn how to take what is false and make it look like reality. This means that if we are going to be effective in the Battle between Truth and Falsehood, we need to be skilled in the wielding of words. We need to be able to paint reality in such vivid and accurate colors that the sham world will be shown up for what it is.</div>
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One of the first steps in wielding words is to have the words to begin with. As a friend pointed out in <a href="http://www.collegeplus.org/blog/2012/01/30/4-reasons-to-stop-by-your-library-more-often">a blog post</a> on our company's website, the best way to gain these words is by reading. Interact with the thoughts left by others in their books leaves a fuller understanding on how the world really works. The more this understanding is developed, the better we will be able to verbally express our thoughts. </div>
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Simply put, <i>leaders read because it gives them the vocabulary with which to lead</i>. It allows them to be able to clearly communicate how to go about living a good life.</div>
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In case you do not have a list of books you will be working on, here are a few which I have found to contain quite a bit of insight into the world: The Bible, The Lord of the Rings, and A Severe Mercy. They are all worth reading and rereading.</div>
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If you aren't in the middle of a book right now, please start one. According to Dr. Michael Bauman: "You either master language, or are mastered by those who do." Mastering or being mastered, the choice is up to you.</div>
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<i>Above I listed several books which I have found to clearly communicate truth about the world. What books have you come across which did the same for you?</i></div>
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<br /></div>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-27995512128445435672012-01-09T03:07:00.000-06:002012-01-09T03:07:21.872-06:00Community is a Two Way StreetHello Fellow Travelers! I just had a quick thought that struck me afresh this evening that I wanted to share with you all. Said thought jumped out while I was working on a school paper which, in part, dealt with the relationship between individuals and their communities.<br />
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In considering the practical implications/applications of my thoughts on the topic, it struck me that being in community is a two way street. Or, as I jotted down in my paper outline: "Not being an island involves giving as well as receiving support." Yet again, Sheldon Vanauken in his book "A Severe Mercy" puts it this way: "Thus one might wake the other in the night and ask for a cup of water; and the other would peacefully (and sleepily) fetch it. We, in fact, <i>defined</i> courtesy as 'a cup of water in the night'. <u>And we considered it a very great courtesy to <i>ask</i> for the cup as well as to fetch it.</u>" (underline mine)<br />
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We all live in communities of some sort, and in those communities there are opportunities for us to both extend a helping hand as well as to receiving the helping hands of others. The question is, are we doing both of those? I know I'm not. It is much easier for me to extend the hand than for me to receive it. Perhaps for you though, it might be the other way around. As we enter the New Year, perhaps one area of life for which we can consider setting new goals would be how we view the community around us, and looking for ways to be more purposefully involved, both in giving and receiving.<br />
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<i>Which side of the street comes most naturally to you? What are some of your plans for improving on how you interact with the communities you are a part of?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-46868615724212551852011-11-14T14:55:00.001-06:002011-11-14T20:51:30.830-06:00The ChoiceFor the past little while, I've been noticing some areas of sin in my life which had hung around for a while. To be perfectly honest, that is at least in part because I haven't seriously been fighting against the sin in my life. This is why when I was reading Romans 6 today, the Holy Spirit had some select verses to bring to my attention.<br />
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Before we get to them though, a quick review of Romans 6 is in order. The overarching thrust of the chapter centers on the Christian's victory over sin. Specifically, the believer's current victory over sin. In the context of the rest of Romans, Paul is refuting the idea presented at the end of Chapter 5 that Christian's should sin freely to exult God's grace and forgiveness. For those of you who love theological terms, this relativistic Christianity is call antinomianism (literally No Law).<br />
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Paul's argument in Chapter 6 is that our sin nature died with Christ on the Cross. This means that instead of being freed to sin, the Christian is actually freed from sin. Indeed, to sin is to willfully ignore the effects of Christ's sacrifice for us.<br />
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While the whole chapter speaks to this issue, there were several verses which specifically jumped out with application for my life:<br />
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<i>"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."</i><br />
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Paul's admonition isn't new. It was stated more concisely by Joshua back when Israel first entered Canaan:<br />
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"<i>And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, <u>choose this day whom you will serve</u>, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.</i>"<br />
(Joshua 24:15 ESV)<br />
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The question of sin in our lives is not a question of whether we <i>can</i> stop sinning, but rather whether we <i>will</i> stop living in sin. Sin is not unbeatable, or inevitable. It is something that we can overcome through Christ's strength. This leaves us with one final question: will we choose to move forward in Christ's victory, or decide to remained a slave to our sin. There is no other option.<br />
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<i>In the post above I briefly touched on the idea of antinomianism, which is one attempt to answer the question of how the Law relates to the Christian. What do you think Scripture says on this topic, and how should that affect our daily lives?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-46154609396449545442011-11-01T22:09:00.000-05:002011-11-01T22:22:23.379-05:00"As Weary Pilgrim"Currently I am in the middle of an American Literature course. Today my studies found me reading Anne Bradstreet's poem "As Weary Pilgrim." Anne was part of the Puritan band who traveled with John Winthrop to found Boston. In the poem, Anne looks at the end of life from the backdrop of a pilgrim who has ended their travels. It echos some the cries of my heart (the final lines particularly this time) and reminds me to keep my focus on Heaven and Eternity. Hopefully you find the same encouragement in her words:<br />
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"As weary pilgrim, now at rest,<br />
Hugs with delight his silent nest,<br />
His wasted limbs now lie full soft<br />
That mirey steps have trodden oft,<br />
Blesses himself to think upon<br />
His dangers past, and travails done.<br />
The burning sun no more shall heat,<br />
Nor stormy rains on him shall beat.<br />
The briars and thorns no more shall scratch.<br />
Nor hungry wolves at him shall catch.<br />
He erring paths no more shall tread,<br />
Nor wild fruits eat instead of bread.<br />
For waters cold he doth not long<br />
For thirst no more shall parch his tongue.<br />
No rugged stones his feet shall gall,<br />
Nor stumps nor rocks cause him to fall.<br />
All cares and fears he bids farewell<br />
And means in safety now to dwell.<br />
A pilgrim I, on earth perplexed<br />
With sins, with cares and sorrows vext,<br />
by age and pains brought to decay,<br />
And my clay house mold'ring away.<br />
Oh, how I long to be at rest<br />
And soar on high among the blest.<br />
This body shall in silence sleep,<br />
Mine eyes no more shall ever weep,<br />
No fainting fits shall me assail,<br />
Nor grinding pains my body frail,<br />
With cares and fears ne'er cumb'red be<br />
Nor losses know, nor sorrows see.<br />
What though my flesh shall there consume,<br />
It is the bed Christ did perfume,<br />
And when a few years shall be gone,<br />
This mortal shall be clothed upon.<br />
A corrupt carcass down it lies,<br />
A glorious body it shall rise.<br />
In weakness and dishonor sown,<br />
In power 'tis raised by Christ alone.<br />
Then soul and body shall unite<br />
And of their Maker have the sight.<br />
Such lasting joys shall there behold<br />
As ear ne'er heard nor tongue e'er told.<br />
Lord make me ready for that day,<br />
Then come, dear Bridegroom, come away."<br />
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<i>In today's culture we seem to lean towards ignoring eternity and focusing on this present life. However, it can be quite easy to go to the other extreme and ignore this world entirely while focusing on heaven. How should we avoid these extremes? Does your focus need to be adjusted?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-2964123832460910262011-10-27T21:01:00.000-05:002011-10-30T17:41:48.539-05:00I'm Actually Impressed with the Israelites<br />
We are forgetful people. This was impressed on me when my pastor asked us a month or so ago for the top 2 times we had seen God at work recently, in either our lives or the lives of those around us. I'm sorry to say, I couldn't think of a single instance. That isn't to say that God hasn't been at work, but it does say something about my memory of His workings.<br />
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Looking at this from a different perspective, my pastor took us to Exodus 14-15. In this passage the Egyptian army is drowned in the Red Sea, the people of Israel praise the Lord for his deliverance, travel through the wilderness for 3 days, and then begin complaining about the lack of water. Now I don't know about you, but I've always seen the Israelites as "The Complainers." They see God's miraculous works time and time again, yet still seem to be able to quickly slip into complaining. As my pastor pointed out though, they went <i>three days</i> before they started complaining. This was followed up with the question: How long do you go through life before you start complaining? Those three days of the Israelites is much more impressive now, isn't it?<br />
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As the sermon progressed, one specific way was highlighted to combat our forgetful tendency: Regularly attend corporate worship services with your local Body of Believers. One of the reasons we should gather to worship as a body on Sunday mornings is to remind ourselves of God's greatness and mighty acts from the past, present, and future. Because of our individual forgetfulness, we need to come together as a Church Body to help reorient our focus back on Christ and off our individual situations.<br />
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On the flip side of the coin, we should also look to actively share with others how the Lord has been working in our lives. This was impressed on me as while reading the Psalms for my personal Bible Study. Consider Psalm 35:18 and 28 (ESV):<br />
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"<i>I will thank you in the great congregation;</i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in the mighty throng I will praise you....</i><br />
<i>Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness</i><br />
<i> and of your praise all the day long.</i>"<br />
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So the challenge to us is two fold: 1. Are we feeling down, and in a dry place in my walk with the Lord? We mustn't let that stop us from gathering with fellow believers. In fact, we probably need their insight and encouragement to help us to focus back on Christ. 2. Is the Lord working in our lives? Great! Who did we tell about it? We can't hold the good news to ourselves! On that note, here are some of the things that I have to be grateful to the Lord for, small and personal perhaps, but they are ways that I have seen His presence in my life--a decent grade on a paper which I didn't know whether the prof would agree with - peace in answer to prayer during a troubled moment last night - conviction of sin from Scripture reading.<br />
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<i>What about you? How has the Lord been working in your life recently?</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-31916016996742475862011-10-20T01:09:00.000-05:002011-10-20T01:09:16.489-05:00WeedsMy daily Bible study today had me reading Matthew 13, which contains quite a few parables related to the Kingdom of God. One of the more well know of these parables is the Parable of the Sower (verses 3-9, 18-23). In this parable, Christ describes 4 sets of seeds.<div>
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The first set are sown on hard ground. There is no potential for them to actually get into the soil and grow, so they just sit on the surface and are eaten by birds. The second set are sown in soil which is full of rocks, and they are unable to develop a root system deep enough to survive. The third set is sown in a plot of land full of weeds which keep the growing plants from receiving the nutrients and water they need. The forth and final set of plants is sown on good ground and they produce varying amounts of fruit. As Christ explains to his disciples later on, each of these sets of seeds represents different types of responses to the Word of God in the lives of people.</div>
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Why am I bringing this up? Well, frankly it is because my life has been in the weeds lately. I don't know about you, but I think I always had this idea in the back of my mind that the weeds were evil influences, sinful desires which crept in and stole away time from God's Word. What I've been seeing in my life though, is that these weeds can be good, or at least innocent, things. If I were to get down to brass tacks, some of the weeds in my life have included work, school work, Facebook, spending time with friends and reading outside of school for my own enjoyment and edification. Everything on the list (Facebook excepted) is as a rule rather wholesome and a necessary part of living a good life. However, by letting them all overcrowd my day so that I don't have time to study the Bible, they have turned into weeds which ultimately will choke my faith.</div>
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As has been pointed out many times before, the good is the enemy of the best. Important, necessary parts of the Christian life can never substitute for its foundation. If we are not going back to the Bible and re-centering our lives on Christ and His Word, our Christian walk will fall apart. At least I know that I can't live the Christian life without Christ's grace and strength.</div>
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Praise the Lord though, there is mercy and forgiveness for sinners like myself. The fact that weeds are in the garden doesn't mean that it needs to be given back to the wild. Instead, it means that there is an opportunity to claim ground for Christ and pull them out! So, let's go conquer some weeds!</div>
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<i>What about you? Do you see yourself in one of the sets of seeds? What kind of weeds to do you see in your life? What have you found helpful in preventing/pulling out weeds in your life? Feel free to leave a comment and join the conversation!</i></div>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365151928780231395.post-27109988192536901802011-10-02T19:46:00.000-05:002011-10-02T22:52:08.676-05:00Why Read Fiction?Why read fiction?<br />
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I mean, why would one want to read a story that never really took place? Couldn't your time be much better spent reading what has actually happened (history) or thoughts on how the world actually works (theology, philosophy ect.)? That was certainly my thought once upon a time. Fiction was a pleasure that I rarely let myself indulge in, because I wanted to keep my mental muscles in tone, and reading something for the pleasure of the story would only make them flabby. Fortunately for me, one of my professors at <a href="http://www.summit.org/institutes/semester/">Summit Semester</a> helped me to see fiction in a completely new light. In his book, <u>The Everlasting Man</u>, G.K. Chesterton sums up this new perspective well:<br />
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<i>"We know the meaning of all the myths.. We know the last secret revealed to the perfect initiate. And it is not the voice of a priest or a prophet saying, 'These things are.' It is the voice of a dreamer and an idealist crying, 'Why cannot these things be?'"</i><br />
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"Why cannot these things be?" Could this be why the fictitious stories in literature touch us in a way which is uniquely different from the facts of history or the abstractions of great thinkers? Couldn't it be because we know that the would ought to be different, and that what we experience in our lives are not really the experiences for which we were ultimately made?<br />
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Further on in <u>The Everlasting Man</u>, Chesterton muses on what the shepherds found when they were lead to Christ on the first Christmas Day. His thoughts highlight the importance which story can have in understanding our faith:<br />
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<i>"The place that the shepherds found was not an academy or an abstract republic; it was not a place of myths allegorized or dissected or explained or explained away. <u>It was a place of dreams come true</u>. Since that hour no mythologies have been made in the world. Mythology is a search"</i><br />
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In Christianity, the stories are made true. The Velveteen Rabbit comes to life. The things which the idealist wishes were, really are, and are in a much larger and fuller way than he could ever have imagined. As Chesterton puts it elsewhere in <u>The Everlasting Man</u>: <i>"But in reality the rivers of mythology and philosophy run parallel and do not mingle till they meet in the sea of Christendom."</i> In Christianity we find a unity between the logical abstractions of what is true about the world and the stories which attempt to paint the picture of those same truths.<br />
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So, again, why read fiction? One ought to read fiction to shake themselves awake from the stupor that comes from looking at the broken world in front of us and trying to make sense of it. One ought to read fiction to bring out the wonder and awe which only a picture of the truth can bring. One ought to read fiction to learn what questions need to be asked about reality. As God's reveled Truth, the Bible contains all the answers we will ever need in this life. However, sometimes in our day-to-day lives we can lose sight of what we were looking for in the first place. Dipping into the search of mythology can help remind us again of the object of our search: Jesus Christ Who is both The Word become Flesh and the Truth.<br />
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That is why I read fiction.<br />
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<i>What do you think? Is this accurate? Have I overstated my case? Could it be a more nuanced? Leave a comment and join the conversation!</i>Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11822428402679177941noreply@blogger.com2