i have had this phrase in my mind for two days: "Worship is more than a song". It's the refrain of Jimmy Needham's "Clear the Stage", a song primarily about repentance and the constant battle against idolatry. i am awake at 3 a.m. with the lyric repeating like a skip on an old vinyl album. And i've thought enough about it that i've stumbled on a more subtle, perhaps less purposed truth: worship is more than a song.
i know. it's profound.
Sarcasm aside, i am thinking that this is one of those seriously important truths that has eluded a generation of Christ-followers. Worship is more than a song.
Think about how we define "worship" in our spiritual vocabulary. If i were to poll ten people, i suspect i would get ten versions of: "It's what we do when we go to church". At least to a degree, that seems reasonable. i mean, in just a few hours (yawn), Chas and i will go to worship. i've used that language for years. Which is fine. Scripture uses it this way, too.
As an example, repeatedly in the Exodus story, God (through Moses) appeals to Pharaoh to "Let my people go so that they may worship me". It seems He was making a way for the Israelites to worship Him specifically in a designated place (3:12, 7:16) --- which was not possible in Egypt.
But my wee-hours-of-the-morning mind wonders if God wanted more for His people than a locale for a special service. Could it be that God's demand from Pharaoh was about giving His people space to live as the people of God? Perhaps His desire "that they may worship me" was not just the provision of a service ("worship service"), but of a way of life.
Worship is more than a song.
i know this is not new news. Paul's words from Romans 12 are at least familiar to almost every Christian: we are to "offer our bodies as a living sacrifice...a spiritual act of worship". i have heard many sermons and have taught this truth myself. Worship is a way of life.
But i'm not sure we've gotten it. Our theology may be solid, but our practical theology --- the way we actually live --- is woefully disconnected. i think we still think worship is a song. A service. A sermon.
Honestly, language fails me here. i am not sure i can articulate the weight of what i am thinking, but i am overwhelmed by the reality of what worship really is.
Worship is choosing Christ above all else.
Worship is the sacrifice of my own desire. Always.
Worship is the setting aside of my own agenda. Always.
Worship is thinking of others more than i think of myself.
Worship is making a difficult choice that pleases God...even if it's costly.
Worship is risking the disappointment of people rather than disobeying God.
Worship is not making too much of myself.
Worship is having hard conversations for the benefit of the hearer.
Worship is honoring authority.
Worship is giving my money away.
Worship is not watching trash tv.
Worship is asking for forgiveness.
Worship ought to be like breathing. It is the thinking about God, pursuing the heart of God, leaning into the will of God all the time.
Worship is more than a song.
Now that i think about it, i'm fairly certain that this is exactly what Needham meant. It's not really subtle at all...i'm just slow. His call to "clear the stage" is an impassioned plea for me to beg the Lord to reveal the stuff that gets in the way of all of the above. i will not be a worshipper --- in the fullest sense of the word --- until i ask God to "crush the idols".
Comfort.
Desire.
Respect.
Affection.
Ease.
Stuff.
"Peace."
Clear the stage. Worship is more than a song.
This is what happens when you are awake at 3 a.m. Sigh.
p.s. if i was at all tech savvy, i would attach a link to Jimmy Needham's "Clear the Stage". i'm not. But you should listen. Be prepared to be undone. It's stunning.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Hanging mammals and cupcakes
So i taught Bible study last week. The text was Proverbs 26, and the main character was the sluggard. The KJV calls the "sluggard" the "sloth", or "slothful man". Have you seen a sloth lately? Wow. Did Solomon hit the nail on the head with the poetic imagery here. The definition for sloth goes something like this: aversion to work or exertion; laziness; indolence.
So i talked about slothful relationships. Slothful personal habits. A slothful walk with God.
Then i ate two cupcakes. And hit my snooze button two times the next morning, effectively avoiding both my run and my time with the Lord. Impressive.
i am realizing that "comfort" is my idol. The comfort of my warm bed. The comfort of a peppermint mocha with whipped cream. The comfort of easy friendship. The comfort of familiar worship.
It seems the sloth and i are not so different. Ugh.
i do not like to get up early. So i sleep in.
i do not like to have hard conversatons. So i "fake peace" (to quote Tara Barthel)
i do not like to miss out on a tasty treat. So i have a cupcake. Or two.
i do not like to take awkward initiative. So i turn down an aisle in the store rather than meet you face-to-face.
i do not like to talk on the phone. So i procrastinate on returning calls.
i do not like to pray day after day for the very same thing. So i don't.
i do not like to dig deep and think. So i read what someone else has said.
Ridiculous, i know.
The sloth moves slowly, and only when necessary.
He will often die rather than search for a new food source.
He sleeps 12-15 hours a day and spends 90% of his life hanging upside down.
The parallels are painful.
i have spent years perfecting the art of "avoiding hardship" so that no one knows i'm doing it. Most people who know me have no idea that i am a sloth. But this is the hidden motive of my heart: aversion to work or exertion. In other words? Ease. And it's enemy? "Hard". i hate hard.
In his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, on the date July 7, Oswald Chambers has said: “If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome.”
i'm ashamed to admit how often i "faint and cave". Which, i guess, calls my nobility into question. No surprise there.
As i think about the week ahead, the desire of my heart before the Lord is that i would "rouse up" more consistently. That i would resist the temptation to hang upside down, asleep and unmoving, However comfortable that may seem, i know that its end result is a bad perspective (upside down, get it?), a worthless life, and algae growing in my hair (that really happens to the sloth).
Scripture repeatedly calls us to hard things, and to work. The idea that we would be working people was woven into our DNA at the time of creation (Genesis 2). God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, works (Genesis 1). Jesus worked in the name of His Father, and on our behalf (John 4, 17)... when He broke into a sweat in the garden, it was not the salty sweat of physical labor but the bloody sweat of emotional and spiritual exertion that would eventually cost Him his life (Luke 22). The Apostle Paul spoke most strongly about work throughout his ministry, the harshest indictment found in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 "If anyone is not willing to work, let Him not eat."
Clearly, ease is not an option offered the Christ-follower. i know this in my mind. My slothful will must be diligently disciplined. Sigh.
All that said, if you see me this week, check for algae. My hairdresser will thank you. And if i happen to have a cupcake in hand, tackle me and retrieve it. Nothing says "faint and cave" like a fresh cupcake with lots of icing.
So i talked about slothful relationships. Slothful personal habits. A slothful walk with God.Then i ate two cupcakes. And hit my snooze button two times the next morning, effectively avoiding both my run and my time with the Lord. Impressive.
i am realizing that "comfort" is my idol. The comfort of my warm bed. The comfort of a peppermint mocha with whipped cream. The comfort of easy friendship. The comfort of familiar worship.
It seems the sloth and i are not so different. Ugh.
i do not like to get up early. So i sleep in.
i do not like to have hard conversatons. So i "fake peace" (to quote Tara Barthel)
i do not like to miss out on a tasty treat. So i have a cupcake. Or two.
i do not like to take awkward initiative. So i turn down an aisle in the store rather than meet you face-to-face.
i do not like to talk on the phone. So i procrastinate on returning calls.
i do not like to pray day after day for the very same thing. So i don't.
i do not like to dig deep and think. So i read what someone else has said.
Ridiculous, i know.
The sloth moves slowly, and only when necessary.
He will often die rather than search for a new food source.
He sleeps 12-15 hours a day and spends 90% of his life hanging upside down.
The parallels are painful.
i have spent years perfecting the art of "avoiding hardship" so that no one knows i'm doing it. Most people who know me have no idea that i am a sloth. But this is the hidden motive of my heart: aversion to work or exertion. In other words? Ease. And it's enemy? "Hard". i hate hard.
In his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, on the date July 7, Oswald Chambers has said: “If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome.”
i'm ashamed to admit how often i "faint and cave". Which, i guess, calls my nobility into question. No surprise there.
As i think about the week ahead, the desire of my heart before the Lord is that i would "rouse up" more consistently. That i would resist the temptation to hang upside down, asleep and unmoving, However comfortable that may seem, i know that its end result is a bad perspective (upside down, get it?), a worthless life, and algae growing in my hair (that really happens to the sloth).
Scripture repeatedly calls us to hard things, and to work. The idea that we would be working people was woven into our DNA at the time of creation (Genesis 2). God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, works (Genesis 1). Jesus worked in the name of His Father, and on our behalf (John 4, 17)... when He broke into a sweat in the garden, it was not the salty sweat of physical labor but the bloody sweat of emotional and spiritual exertion that would eventually cost Him his life (Luke 22). The Apostle Paul spoke most strongly about work throughout his ministry, the harshest indictment found in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 "If anyone is not willing to work, let Him not eat."
Clearly, ease is not an option offered the Christ-follower. i know this in my mind. My slothful will must be diligently disciplined. Sigh.
All that said, if you see me this week, check for algae. My hairdresser will thank you. And if i happen to have a cupcake in hand, tackle me and retrieve it. Nothing says "faint and cave" like a fresh cupcake with lots of icing.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Be careful little eyes...
i am probably dating myself with the words of this little song from my childhood:
o be careful little eyes what you see,
o be careful little eyes what you see,
for the Father up above
is looking down in love,
so be careful little eyes what you see.
i'm reasonably sure that the lyrics of this Sunday school tune were intended to prick our little consciences when we were tempted to do something bad...and i'm pretty sure the theology of that thinking is, at the very least, not entirely gospel-driven.
However, i've been thinking about those words, and the other verses about being careful what you hear, and where you go, and what you say. The obvious application is that we, as Christ-followers, are to steer clear of sin -- that we are not to watch, listen to, engage in or speak about the things of this world which draw us into unholy living. This thinking, while not very popular, is consistent with the Psalmist's opening lines:
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord...."
And with John's sober warning, found in 1 John 2:
"Do not love the world or the things of the world...
for all that is in the world
the desires of the flesh and
the desires of the eyes and
pride in possessions is not from the Father..."
Our "little eyes", and ears and hands and feet must be careful to avoid that which is profane so that we might become holy as Christ is holy. This is (obviously) true.
But i think there's more to this little rhyme. At least for our generation of eyes and ears and hands and feet. There is a subtle and insidious danger that, left unchecked, will threaten our faith -- both personal and corporate. i'm afraid it's already making its mark on the church.
Paul would warn Timothy:
"Guard the deposit entrusted to you.
Avoid the irreverant babble and contradictions of what is falsely called 'knowledge'.
For by professing it some have swerved from the faith" (1 Tim. 6:20)
And again,
"The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching,
but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves
teachers to suit their own passions." (2 Tim. 4:3)
O be careful little ears what you hear.
Avoid listening to crass, unholy, worldly talk. Yes.
But equally threatening is the danger of weak, watered down, popular doctrine.
Be careful little ears what you hear.
It seems to me that we are enamored with teaching, text, and lyrics that are great "sound bites", but bad doctrine. We quote people who have a "silver tongue", but whose content is weak at best and often its just wrong.
If it's a best seller, it must be worth reading.
If people camp out to hear him, he must be worth listening to.
If he's sincere, he must be right.
If it sounds good, it must be worth quoting (on FB).
No. No. No. No.
The time is coming, and indeed is here, when we are accumulating for ourselves teachers to suit our own passions.
Teachers who pick & choose from Scripture.
Teachers who avoid difficult --- unpopular --- subjects.
Teachers who take Scripture out of context to make it relevant.
Teachers who are more concerned about how they look and how they are perceived than about declaring truth.
The time is coming and is indeed here. And people are swerving from the faith. This is serious stuff.
Be careful little eyes what you see.
Be careful little ears what you hear.
Be careful little lips what you say.
Here's a suggestion. Before we repeat or quote or recommend or live by anything other than Scripture, we need to ask ourselves,
Is this consistent with the whole council of God?
Does it ring true with His character and nature throughout history?
Does it reflect the great thinkers of the faith from all the generations of history?
If you're not sure, don't quote it.
Instead, study it.
Turn it over in your mind.
Search the Scripture.
Ask the HolySpirit for understanding.
Ask someone to help you think rightly!
The little chorus that i quoted as i began is most certainly not theologically complete. But it does make a point for our generation. Paul would warn the Thessalonians: "Test everything; hold fast what is good." (1 Thess. 5:21)
Not everything that is taught or preached or written is "sound". i'm afraid that's particularly true in our evangelical culture. People are swerving.
Look out.
o be careful little eyes what you see,
o be careful little eyes what you see,
for the Father up above
is looking down in love,
so be careful little eyes what you see.
i'm reasonably sure that the lyrics of this Sunday school tune were intended to prick our little consciences when we were tempted to do something bad...and i'm pretty sure the theology of that thinking is, at the very least, not entirely gospel-driven.
However, i've been thinking about those words, and the other verses about being careful what you hear, and where you go, and what you say. The obvious application is that we, as Christ-followers, are to steer clear of sin -- that we are not to watch, listen to, engage in or speak about the things of this world which draw us into unholy living. This thinking, while not very popular, is consistent with the Psalmist's opening lines:
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord...."
And with John's sober warning, found in 1 John 2:
"Do not love the world or the things of the world...
for all that is in the world
the desires of the flesh and
the desires of the eyes and
pride in possessions is not from the Father..."
Our "little eyes", and ears and hands and feet must be careful to avoid that which is profane so that we might become holy as Christ is holy. This is (obviously) true.
But i think there's more to this little rhyme. At least for our generation of eyes and ears and hands and feet. There is a subtle and insidious danger that, left unchecked, will threaten our faith -- both personal and corporate. i'm afraid it's already making its mark on the church.
Paul would warn Timothy:
"Guard the deposit entrusted to you.
Avoid the irreverant babble and contradictions of what is falsely called 'knowledge'.
For by professing it some have swerved from the faith" (1 Tim. 6:20)
And again,
"The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching,
but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves
teachers to suit their own passions." (2 Tim. 4:3)
O be careful little ears what you hear.
Avoid listening to crass, unholy, worldly talk. Yes.
But equally threatening is the danger of weak, watered down, popular doctrine.
Be careful little ears what you hear.
It seems to me that we are enamored with teaching, text, and lyrics that are great "sound bites", but bad doctrine. We quote people who have a "silver tongue", but whose content is weak at best and often its just wrong.
If it's a best seller, it must be worth reading.
If people camp out to hear him, he must be worth listening to.
If he's sincere, he must be right.
If it sounds good, it must be worth quoting (on FB).
No. No. No. No.
The time is coming, and indeed is here, when we are accumulating for ourselves teachers to suit our own passions.
Teachers who pick & choose from Scripture.
Teachers who avoid difficult --- unpopular --- subjects.
Teachers who take Scripture out of context to make it relevant.
Teachers who are more concerned about how they look and how they are perceived than about declaring truth.
The time is coming and is indeed here. And people are swerving from the faith. This is serious stuff.
Be careful little eyes what you see.
Be careful little ears what you hear.
Be careful little lips what you say.
Here's a suggestion. Before we repeat or quote or recommend or live by anything other than Scripture, we need to ask ourselves,
Is this consistent with the whole council of God?
Does it ring true with His character and nature throughout history?
Does it reflect the great thinkers of the faith from all the generations of history?
If you're not sure, don't quote it.
Instead, study it.
Turn it over in your mind.
Search the Scripture.
Ask the HolySpirit for understanding.
Ask someone to help you think rightly!
The little chorus that i quoted as i began is most certainly not theologically complete. But it does make a point for our generation. Paul would warn the Thessalonians: "Test everything; hold fast what is good." (1 Thess. 5:21)
Not everything that is taught or preached or written is "sound". i'm afraid that's particularly true in our evangelical culture. People are swerving.
Look out.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
"God helps those who help themselves"...seriously?
"You know, Susan, the Bible says 'God helps those who help themselves'"... i sat with a friend over coffee not too long ago and this was the theological underpining of her side of our discussion. In my mind, i thought: "It does? Really?" i silently ran through all the verses that i have memorized (which didn't take long). i did a quick mental survey of themes from Scripture to try to recall where that phrase would fit. i came up empty...but i didn't trust my own theology and i let it go.
Since it bugged me even after i left my friend, i did what all good theologians do. i googled it :-). Seems that the phrase: God helps those who helps themselves either came from Aesop's fables, Benjamin Franklin, or some ancient Greek tragedy (thanks, Wikipedia). In any case, it most certainly did not come from the Bible.
As i thought about it later (i'm slow...i know), it occurred to me that the idea that God helps those who help themselves is actually completely unbiblical and is not consistent with the Gospel at all. How grateful am i that God helps those who are completely helpless? That He stoops down and reaches in and "helps" those who actually do really stupid, really wicked, and really self-destructive things? Consider Romans 5:8 "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us".
God helps those who cannot help themselves. That is the Gospel.
Beyond the obvious and specific concern that i might have around this particular discussion, my friend's genuine mistake illustrates a point that is increasingly on my mind...and it's one reason for my belaboring the story of Martha for so many weeks.
We are increasingly not a generation of thinking women.
Case in point. We have been told, and we have believed, that the story of Mary & Martha is about two personality types: the godly and thoughtful and quiet and devoted-to-Christ sister and the bossy, pushy sister whose priorities are hopelessly out of order. One blog i saw recently called this the "Martha syndrome". Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr. However, at the risk of repeating myself, Luke's account of Martha's encounter with Jesus is not God's indictment of busy women. It is, instead, his tender invitation to abundant life in the midst of diligent and faithful (and busy) service. If you don't believe me, read the rest of Martha's story --- from John 11 & 12.
Sisters. We must be diligent and serious about our theology. Too many of us have relegated biblical thinking to seminarians and scholars...and our theology is slipping. We don't have the time or the inclination to study on our own...and our theology is slipping. We are watching sitcoms, listening to advertisers, and singing along to music that is completely contrary to all that is holy and profitable and gospel-promoting. And our theology is slipping.
And so someone says that the Bible says "God helps those who help themselves". And we believe it.
And someone writes a catchy caption on facebook, and we "like" it. (Just a cursory look at FB affords more than two dozen quotes, captions, cartoons, or ads that other people have "liked" and "shared" on my wall...doesn't anyone have anything original to say anymore?)
And someone makes a video about "loving Jesus and hating religion" and it goes viral.
And someone tells us that we must be more like Mary than like Martha. And we sigh in defeat.
SERIOUSLY?
Perhaps more than ever, this generation of women must be thinking about what we listen to, what we read, and what we repeat. i am not sure that we appreciate the subtle influence of the culture --- not only on our habits, on how we spend our time, and on how we invest our money, but on our faith. Where did we pick up the idea that "God helps those who help themselves"? That's capitalist thinking that has invaded our faith. How is it possible to "love Jesus and hate religion"? That's postmodern thinking that has invaded our faith. Why do we think that, as women, we should be "more like Mary than like Martha"? That's sociological thinking (aka "personality tests") that has invaded our faith.
i understand that doctrine is not flashy and hip. i know that the clarion call to the study of theology will sound as if we are blowing the dust off a weighty, irrelevant volume from a bookshelf full of more captivating titles.
But even as i say that, my thinking conscience cries: Malarky!
Theology. Theo = God. Logos = knowledge. Theology = the knowledge of God.
HOW IS THAT IRRELEVANT?
i am in danger of getting on a soapbox here. Suffice it to say that i honestly believe that, without some serious course correction, the church will suffer if its women do not engage with one another, with their families, and with the world in a way that reflects sound doctrine and good theology. What would happen if we stopped quoting one another in favor of quoting Scripture? What if our advice and our encouragement and our admonishment came primarily from God's Word?
God helps those whom He chooses to help.
A much less popular sound bite. But one that is actually rooted in Scripture* and proven throughout history. i am forever grateful that He chose me, and i desperately want to represent Him faithfully to my generation. To do so will require thoughtful, disciplined study.......
The bottom line? i think i need a hiatus from facebook theology.
*See Deut. 7:7, 10:15; Nehemiah 9:7; Psalm 78:70; John 15:16, 19; Ephesians 1:4
Since it bugged me even after i left my friend, i did what all good theologians do. i googled it :-). Seems that the phrase: God helps those who helps themselves either came from Aesop's fables, Benjamin Franklin, or some ancient Greek tragedy (thanks, Wikipedia). In any case, it most certainly did not come from the Bible.
As i thought about it later (i'm slow...i know), it occurred to me that the idea that God helps those who help themselves is actually completely unbiblical and is not consistent with the Gospel at all. How grateful am i that God helps those who are completely helpless? That He stoops down and reaches in and "helps" those who actually do really stupid, really wicked, and really self-destructive things? Consider Romans 5:8 "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us".
God helps those who cannot help themselves. That is the Gospel.
Beyond the obvious and specific concern that i might have around this particular discussion, my friend's genuine mistake illustrates a point that is increasingly on my mind...and it's one reason for my belaboring the story of Martha for so many weeks.
We are increasingly not a generation of thinking women.
Case in point. We have been told, and we have believed, that the story of Mary & Martha is about two personality types: the godly and thoughtful and quiet and devoted-to-Christ sister and the bossy, pushy sister whose priorities are hopelessly out of order. One blog i saw recently called this the "Martha syndrome". Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr. However, at the risk of repeating myself, Luke's account of Martha's encounter with Jesus is not God's indictment of busy women. It is, instead, his tender invitation to abundant life in the midst of diligent and faithful (and busy) service. If you don't believe me, read the rest of Martha's story --- from John 11 & 12.
Sisters. We must be diligent and serious about our theology. Too many of us have relegated biblical thinking to seminarians and scholars...and our theology is slipping. We don't have the time or the inclination to study on our own...and our theology is slipping. We are watching sitcoms, listening to advertisers, and singing along to music that is completely contrary to all that is holy and profitable and gospel-promoting. And our theology is slipping.
And so someone says that the Bible says "God helps those who help themselves". And we believe it.
And someone writes a catchy caption on facebook, and we "like" it. (Just a cursory look at FB affords more than two dozen quotes, captions, cartoons, or ads that other people have "liked" and "shared" on my wall...doesn't anyone have anything original to say anymore?)
And someone makes a video about "loving Jesus and hating religion" and it goes viral.
And someone tells us that we must be more like Mary than like Martha. And we sigh in defeat.
SERIOUSLY?
Perhaps more than ever, this generation of women must be thinking about what we listen to, what we read, and what we repeat. i am not sure that we appreciate the subtle influence of the culture --- not only on our habits, on how we spend our time, and on how we invest our money, but on our faith. Where did we pick up the idea that "God helps those who help themselves"? That's capitalist thinking that has invaded our faith. How is it possible to "love Jesus and hate religion"? That's postmodern thinking that has invaded our faith. Why do we think that, as women, we should be "more like Mary than like Martha"? That's sociological thinking (aka "personality tests") that has invaded our faith.
i understand that doctrine is not flashy and hip. i know that the clarion call to the study of theology will sound as if we are blowing the dust off a weighty, irrelevant volume from a bookshelf full of more captivating titles.
But even as i say that, my thinking conscience cries: Malarky!
Theology. Theo = God. Logos = knowledge. Theology = the knowledge of God.
HOW IS THAT IRRELEVANT?
i am in danger of getting on a soapbox here. Suffice it to say that i honestly believe that, without some serious course correction, the church will suffer if its women do not engage with one another, with their families, and with the world in a way that reflects sound doctrine and good theology. What would happen if we stopped quoting one another in favor of quoting Scripture? What if our advice and our encouragement and our admonishment came primarily from God's Word?
God helps those whom He chooses to help.
A much less popular sound bite. But one that is actually rooted in Scripture* and proven throughout history. i am forever grateful that He chose me, and i desperately want to represent Him faithfully to my generation. To do so will require thoughtful, disciplined study.......
The bottom line? i think i need a hiatus from facebook theology.
*See Deut. 7:7, 10:15; Nehemiah 9:7; Psalm 78:70; John 15:16, 19; Ephesians 1:4
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Happy Birthday, Daddy
Tomorrow (well, almost today) would have been my Dad's birthday. He was born 75 years ago. He went to live with Jesus in November, 2001.
i'm not sure a day has gone by since then that i haven't thought about him....wondered what his life is like. i know that this world pales in comparison, but i can't help thinking sometimes that he would have loved this life for a little while longer. He would have been so proud of my son...and so grateful for Ashley. At Hannah & Dave's wedding, he would surely have embarrassed his first-born grandchild with his superlative-laden approval --- insisting that she was "the most beautiful bride ever born" :). And Dave is a man after Daddy's own heart. Sigh.
i've been thinking today that there are alot of things that i don't understand about this life.
i really don't understand why the Lord heals some people and withholds His healing from others.
i don't understand His "prospering" of one population, while another starves.
i don't understand the mercy of the Lord extended to people who deny Him.
Even more so, people who claim to know Him yet trample on His holiness.
i don't understand broken vows, and broken marriages and broken homes.
i don't understand how it's possible for children to be illiterate.
i don't understand the hatred that fuels violence.
i don't understand death. It leaves people lonely. And empty.
"...when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God...Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you...."
Psalm 73. So grateful for "the sanctuary of God"....the actual physical sanctuary. The Living presence of Almighty God who speaks truth to me in spite of my circumstances and emotion.
Here's what i know is true...in the context of what i don't understand.
God is faithful and just.
His love is steadfast.
His mercies are new every morning.
He is good.
He is wise.
He is perfect.
He loves me with an everlasting love.
He loves my dad. And my mom.
And my brothers & sisters...
As i was teaching a workshop last week, i was reminded that people who work with Alzheimer's patients are often called "Memory Loss Assistants"...it's their job to rehearse the names of important people, dates, and significant life moments for their patients to exercise their ability to remember.
That's what worship was for me today. A "memory loss assistant". i needed a reminder. A much-needed nudge in the direction of the Truth.
"...my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever..."
Sometimes you have to cling to what you know is true. Even if you are hanging on by your fingernails.
Happy Birthday, Daddy. i miss you.
But i'm confident that God's plan for our family is intact.
He has not forgotten us.
Thank you, Father, for the reminder. i needed that.
i'm not sure a day has gone by since then that i haven't thought about him....wondered what his life is like. i know that this world pales in comparison, but i can't help thinking sometimes that he would have loved this life for a little while longer. He would have been so proud of my son...and so grateful for Ashley. At Hannah & Dave's wedding, he would surely have embarrassed his first-born grandchild with his superlative-laden approval --- insisting that she was "the most beautiful bride ever born" :). And Dave is a man after Daddy's own heart. Sigh.
i've been thinking today that there are alot of things that i don't understand about this life.
i really don't understand why the Lord heals some people and withholds His healing from others.
i don't understand His "prospering" of one population, while another starves.
i don't understand the mercy of the Lord extended to people who deny Him.
Even more so, people who claim to know Him yet trample on His holiness.
i don't understand broken vows, and broken marriages and broken homes.
i don't understand how it's possible for children to be illiterate.
i don't understand the hatred that fuels violence.
i don't understand death. It leaves people lonely. And empty.
"...when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God...Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you...."
Psalm 73. So grateful for "the sanctuary of God"....the actual physical sanctuary. The Living presence of Almighty God who speaks truth to me in spite of my circumstances and emotion.
Here's what i know is true...in the context of what i don't understand.
God is faithful and just.
His love is steadfast.
His mercies are new every morning.
He is good.
He is wise.
He is perfect.
He loves me with an everlasting love.
He loves my dad. And my mom.
And my brothers & sisters...
As i was teaching a workshop last week, i was reminded that people who work with Alzheimer's patients are often called "Memory Loss Assistants"...it's their job to rehearse the names of important people, dates, and significant life moments for their patients to exercise their ability to remember.
That's what worship was for me today. A "memory loss assistant". i needed a reminder. A much-needed nudge in the direction of the Truth.
"...my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever..."
Sometimes you have to cling to what you know is true. Even if you are hanging on by your fingernails.
Happy Birthday, Daddy. i miss you.
But i'm confident that God's plan for our family is intact.
He has not forgotten us.
Thank you, Father, for the reminder. i needed that.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
The fragrance of my soul
In her book Tender Mercies for a Mother's Soul, Angela Guffey remarks: "We are designed to function poorly, to feel overwhelmed and alone apart from our relationship with Jesus. We are made to be lost without God...most of the time, my spirit is the fragrance of my soul --- the indicator of how things are going ... My spirit always tells the truth. When i am anxious or nervous, i know that my soul needs attention. When i am bitter or resentful, the truth is that my soul is empty. When i am overcome with self-pity and doubt, my heart is really screaming for intimacy with my Savior."
Thank you, Angela.
It's the punch line to our story.
Jesus comes to Martha's house.
While He is teaching, she is slaving away in the kitchen,
"distracted by things that had to be done."
(If you think i'm being sarcastic, you've missed a few blogs...
you might want to back up.)
Meanwhile, her sister sits at the feet of the Savior, soaking in His presence and His teaching.
When Martha reaches the end of her rope,
she unloads on Jesus and demands that He get her some help ---
preferably from her o-so-content sister.
i am on the tail end of one of the busiest seasons i've had in a very long time. One evening, after a particularly long day, i got into my car at 9:30ish and it was all i could do not to cry. i wasn't sad, or angry, or discouraged. i was just so tired... and it seemed like the only thing to do.
i'm thinking Martha felt that way too. And Jesus knew how tired she was. He knew how hard she had worked. He knew that she was doing her best to honor Him and provide for their friends. It's why i love this story. He didn't yell at her. He didn't compare her to "the good sister". He didn't really even tell her what to do.
He looked into her soul (think Psalm 139:23-25) and saw just what Angela described. Her anxiety, bitterness, resentment and self-pity overflowed from the emptiness of her soul. Jesus knew that her demanding outburst really reflected a heart screaming for intimacy with Him.
And so He offered her an invitation.
"Only one thing is needed."
Seriously? (i respond in my sanctified imagination to Jesus' remark.)
Yes, Susan. (He patiently and tenderly responds.)
Only one thing.
One.
i hear it, and i sigh with hope and expectation. What is the "one thing"? Time? Energy? Courage? A sister who carries her own weight? Not exactly.
"Mary has chosen what is better..."
And there it is. The infamous statement that has become the mantra that separates the "busy women" from the "spiritual ones". Only i suspect we've misinterpreted Jesus' meaning.
Jesus looks Martha in the eye and says (i'm paraphrasing): "You want me to help you? Great. Join your sister and have a seat."
And this is Martha's dilemma. Mine too. Most days, i'd love to have a seat. i'd love to set the list aside. Prioritize my day and choose to "sit with Jesus". Like Mary. But i just don't think it's as simple as that. Something tells me that's not what Jesus meant.
At the risk of repeating myself, Jesus did not say to Martha "Stop being busy". "Stop preparing dinner." He said Mary's choice was better. That sitting at His feet and listening to His teaching was better than being distracted by the list and the pressure. He said that to sit and listen was better than being worried and anxious about many things.
Considering Jesus' comment in the context of all of Scripture is helpful here. Over and over and over again as people met Jesus, they fell at His feet. In worship.* Mary's position at Jesus' feet is not just a coincidence of the seating arrangement. She chooses to be there because she wants to worship Him. She adores Him. And her position gives her heart away.
Mary's nearness to Jesus is the picture, the illustration, of what He longs for for Martha.
It's not the sitting that is better.
It's the worship.
The one thing needed, intimacy with Jesus, is found in the posture of Mary's soul....This is Jesus' invitation to Martha. To engage her heart with His in devotion.
Such a posture can be enjoyed literally at His feet, as this photograph so beautifully illustrates. But intimacy with the Savior is not limited by location. Jesus' engraved invitation might have read something like this:
...in the kitchen.
...Or in the living room.
...Or in the office.
....Or in the van.
...Or in the gym.
...Or in the darkness of a parking lot after a very long day, at 9:30 at night.
It isn't about physical proximity. It's about a heart screaming for intimacy with the Savior. And He isn't limited by location.
Can i get an "AMEN"?
*Consider Jairus, and the woman with the bleeding condition, and the man with leprosy, an dthe women who were met on the road by the risen Savior....each of these fell down before Him and worshipped Him,
Thank you, Angela.
It's the punch line to our story.
Jesus comes to Martha's house.
While He is teaching, she is slaving away in the kitchen,
"distracted by things that had to be done."
(If you think i'm being sarcastic, you've missed a few blogs...
you might want to back up.)
Meanwhile, her sister sits at the feet of the Savior, soaking in His presence and His teaching.
When Martha reaches the end of her rope,
she unloads on Jesus and demands that He get her some help ---
preferably from her o-so-content sister.
i am on the tail end of one of the busiest seasons i've had in a very long time. One evening, after a particularly long day, i got into my car at 9:30ish and it was all i could do not to cry. i wasn't sad, or angry, or discouraged. i was just so tired... and it seemed like the only thing to do.
i'm thinking Martha felt that way too. And Jesus knew how tired she was. He knew how hard she had worked. He knew that she was doing her best to honor Him and provide for their friends. It's why i love this story. He didn't yell at her. He didn't compare her to "the good sister". He didn't really even tell her what to do.
He looked into her soul (think Psalm 139:23-25) and saw just what Angela described. Her anxiety, bitterness, resentment and self-pity overflowed from the emptiness of her soul. Jesus knew that her demanding outburst really reflected a heart screaming for intimacy with Him.
And so He offered her an invitation.
"Only one thing is needed."
Seriously? (i respond in my sanctified imagination to Jesus' remark.)
Yes, Susan. (He patiently and tenderly responds.)
Only one thing.
One.
i hear it, and i sigh with hope and expectation. What is the "one thing"? Time? Energy? Courage? A sister who carries her own weight? Not exactly.
"Mary has chosen what is better..."
And there it is. The infamous statement that has become the mantra that separates the "busy women" from the "spiritual ones". Only i suspect we've misinterpreted Jesus' meaning.
Jesus looks Martha in the eye and says (i'm paraphrasing): "You want me to help you? Great. Join your sister and have a seat."
And this is Martha's dilemma. Mine too. Most days, i'd love to have a seat. i'd love to set the list aside. Prioritize my day and choose to "sit with Jesus". Like Mary. But i just don't think it's as simple as that. Something tells me that's not what Jesus meant.
At the risk of repeating myself, Jesus did not say to Martha "Stop being busy". "Stop preparing dinner." He said Mary's choice was better. That sitting at His feet and listening to His teaching was better than being distracted by the list and the pressure. He said that to sit and listen was better than being worried and anxious about many things.
Considering Jesus' comment in the context of all of Scripture is helpful here. Over and over and over again as people met Jesus, they fell at His feet. In worship.* Mary's position at Jesus' feet is not just a coincidence of the seating arrangement. She chooses to be there because she wants to worship Him. She adores Him. And her position gives her heart away.
Mary's nearness to Jesus is the picture, the illustration, of what He longs for for Martha.
It's not the sitting that is better.
It's the worship.
The one thing needed, intimacy with Jesus, is found in the posture of Mary's soul....This is Jesus' invitation to Martha. To engage her heart with His in devotion.
Such a posture can be enjoyed literally at His feet, as this photograph so beautifully illustrates. But intimacy with the Savior is not limited by location. Jesus' engraved invitation might have read something like this:
Martha, Martha
You are cordially invited
to the one thing needed.
Worship Me.
At any time.
In any place.
...in the kitchen.
...Or in the living room.
...Or in the office.
....Or in the van.
...Or in the gym.
...Or in the darkness of a parking lot after a very long day, at 9:30 at night.
It isn't about physical proximity. It's about a heart screaming for intimacy with the Savior. And He isn't limited by location.
Can i get an "AMEN"?
*Consider Jairus, and the woman with the bleeding condition, and the man with leprosy, an dthe women who were met on the road by the risen Savior....each of these fell down before Him and worshipped Him,
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Two wrongs and a right
i have a vivid memory this morning as i ponder this installment on Martha's story. i was in the car with Hannah...she was probably in middle school...and i was recounting for her all of my duties and responsibilities for the day. Without missing a beat (and not meaning to be disrespectful) she responded: "Don't you ever relax, mom? Don't you ever get tired of having a list of things to do?"
i wonder if Mary ever asked Martha something similar?
Just to recap my meanderings about her story...
i wonder if Mary ever asked Martha something similar?
Just to recap my meanderings about her story...
- Martha was distracted. i feel sure she would have loved to have been sitting with Jesus, savoring His every Word.
- By all of things that had to be done. i suspect, if she had a "to do" list, hers would trump mine on my busiest day.
- She finally lost it. Her frustration got the best of her and she reprimanded the Savior. Wow.
- And Jesus didn't yell at her. He was more worried about her soul than about her attitude.
i know it may seem as if i'm dragging this out...but trust me when i say that i'm just getting started :-). i love this stuff. i'll move on before too long, but this is too good to pass up.
Looking again as if at a snapshot from Martha's life with Jesus, it's curious to me that He did not chastise Martha for being busy. Over the years, as i've heard this story in the context of "busy-is-bad", somehow i've assumed that Jesus wanted Martha to stop being busy.
But Jesus didn't say,
"Stop working. Stop preparing. Never mind the dinner."
He really didn't even tell Martha what to do.
Am i the only one who thought that was in there somewhere?????
Jesus was a pretty busy man. Perusing his personal photo album, i'm hard-pressed to find Him relaxing. His days were filled with meaningful interactions and activity. Check out the snapshots included just on the Matthew 14 page of the scrapbook...exhausting day. No rest for the weary. Literally.
Contrary to my own mis-interpretation, it's not Martha's busy-ness that caused Jesus' gentle reprimand. His response to her impertinent demand has little to do with her schedule. Isn't that good news?
And one more erroneous conclusion, while we're at it. This is a pet peeve....so skip the next few paragraphs if you think i've already beaten a dead horse. Please notice that Jesus did not say: "Why can't you be more like Mary?" Go ahead. Admit it. You've looked at this snapshot and assumed that --- even if He didn't say it --- that's what Jesus thought. (Picture the little bubble above His head with those words...ugh.)
Jesus never minced words.
As you flip through the pages of His story, if Jesus had something to say,
He said it.
And He never said: "Why can't you be more like your sister?"
Jesus did not want Martha to be like Mary. Jesus wanted Martha to be Martha. After all, and this is important, He created her. She was His "work of art"*. He had designed her, calculated and planned her deliberate creation long before the foundation of the world. If Jesus wanted Martha to be more like Mary, He would have made her so. Martha was special and unique (if a bit bossy). And Jesus liked her that way.
Isn't that intriguing????
This is why i love this snapshot of Martha. i feel sad that it is so often dismissed, as if it's an embarrassment. We either skip the picture...because we've already seen it...or we look at it with disdain and hope not to be like poor Martha.
But what if we refused to turn the page? What if we considered this really as one snapshot in the context of a whole album of pictures from Martha's life? What if we took the time to see what really happened here?
This is not a picture of Jesus chastising Martha for her impertinence.
It's not a picture of the Savior telling her to stop being busy.
It's not a picture of Him wishing that Martha was more like Mary.
It's a snapshot of an invitation. An invitation that Martha could not refuse.
*check out Ephesians 2:10
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