I have to be honest with you - I often find it hard to love people. Now, in the "big" situations - like mission work - it is easy. I guess it is just on my mind, what I am supposed to do. The problem arises during the daily grind. The work day that never seems to end - that person that just puts you in a bad mood - that is when it is hard to love.
Upon accepting the Nobel Peace Prize Mother Teresa delivered a beautiful speech which she concluded by declaring, "If we could only remember that God loves us, and we have an opportunity to love others as he loves us, not in big things, but in small things with great love...." These words are laden with the truth of Christ. In Matthew five Jesus asserts that if we only love those who love us, or love when it is easy, what good is that? Even the tax collectors love in good times. We are called to something greater - a love that transcends circumstances.
It is often argued that the true measure of a person is how they act when no one is looking. Could it also be stated that the measure of a Christian is how they love? Not just in the big situations, but also in the small. The times when no one will know - even the person that finds joy in making your life miserable.
God beckons us to love with great love in small circumstances not because it is easy, but because God first loved us. Now I know myself and can therefore conclude that I am not the most love-able individual, just ask my husband! Yet for some reason, God still loves me unconditionally. How do I dare not love everyone I come in contact with? Maybe if we choose to love each person we encounter, our lives will declare the undeserved love God showers upon us. It is not easy, but I have a feeling it is more than worth it.
"Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love."
1 John 4:8
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Disappointment with God
Have you ever been disappointed with God? I know I have. I can remember times when I yelled at God - wondering how such a loving and just God could possibly allow so much evil. I have definitely been disappointed with God. For this reason, and for general curiosity, I began reading the book Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey. Yancey is one of my favorite authors - probably top three if I had to rate him. He has an impeccable ability to mix knowledge and faith and draw you into the topic, and after you finish the last page you are profoundly impacted. For this reason, I guess you could say this is not really a blog but more a regurgitation of part of this book.
As Yancey wrote Disappointment with God, he visited with countless people who had been disappointed. He mentioned one individual who he aptly labeled the "Job" type. This man was righteous, and devout. Nonetheless, his life was full of devastation. His wife suffered a dreadful fight with cancer and he was hit by a car leaving him debilitated. He could not even do something as simple as read more than one page of a book at a time. As Philip met with Douglas, he asked how he viewed disappointment with God. After a few minutes of thinking, Douglas replied with these powerful words, "To tell you the truth, Philip, I didn't feel any disappointment with God." He said "I have learned to see beyond the physical reality in this world to the spiritual reality. We tend to think 'life should be fair because Gos is fair.' But God is not life." He proceeds to say "If we develop a relationship with God apart from our life circumstances then we may be able to hang on when the physical reality breaks down. We can learn to trust God despite all the unfairness of life."
Yancey brings the point home by asserting that life was even unfair to Jesus. Think about that for a moment. Although life is often unjust, God remains the same. As Philip Yancey stated, "God responded to the question of unfairness not with words, but with a visit, an Incarnation."
Since the fall, life has been unfair, cruel, and unjust. All the while, God mourns with us and remains the same. I know these words do not answer all the questions on disappointment, but they are worth listening to and digesting. We serve a great God - despite our circumstances. Maybe the next time we are disappointed with God, and I am sure there will be a next time, we can remember that God and life are not the same.
* Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey, pages 181-5
As Yancey wrote Disappointment with God, he visited with countless people who had been disappointed. He mentioned one individual who he aptly labeled the "Job" type. This man was righteous, and devout. Nonetheless, his life was full of devastation. His wife suffered a dreadful fight with cancer and he was hit by a car leaving him debilitated. He could not even do something as simple as read more than one page of a book at a time. As Philip met with Douglas, he asked how he viewed disappointment with God. After a few minutes of thinking, Douglas replied with these powerful words, "To tell you the truth, Philip, I didn't feel any disappointment with God." He said "I have learned to see beyond the physical reality in this world to the spiritual reality. We tend to think 'life should be fair because Gos is fair.' But God is not life." He proceeds to say "If we develop a relationship with God apart from our life circumstances then we may be able to hang on when the physical reality breaks down. We can learn to trust God despite all the unfairness of life."
Yancey brings the point home by asserting that life was even unfair to Jesus. Think about that for a moment. Although life is often unjust, God remains the same. As Philip Yancey stated, "God responded to the question of unfairness not with words, but with a visit, an Incarnation."
Since the fall, life has been unfair, cruel, and unjust. All the while, God mourns with us and remains the same. I know these words do not answer all the questions on disappointment, but they are worth listening to and digesting. We serve a great God - despite our circumstances. Maybe the next time we are disappointed with God, and I am sure there will be a next time, we can remember that God and life are not the same.
* Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey, pages 181-5
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Call of Abram
When we think of Abraham we often recall a great man of faith who did amazing things in the name of the Lord. He followed God in such a way, he was willing to sacrifice his flesh and blood to obey God's will. It was Abraham who received the blessing that he would have descendants that would be God's people. We could not have the Old Testament without Abraham - he was a great man of faith. With all of these heroic stories, it is easy to forget where Abraham came from.
In Genesis 12 we find the story of the call of Abram. This is before God changed his name to Abraham - before Sarah gave birth to Isaac. In verses 1 - 3 God instructs Abram to leave his family, everything he has ever known, to set out into the wilderness to find the land of God's blessing. Now let's process this for a moment - we are still in Genesis so there are not too many people populating the earth, and it is not like Abraham can go to the local McDonalds and pick up a job if these plans did not work out. God was calling him to leave everything he knew, take his wife and possessions along with Lot and head out. He did not even know where he was heading too! God simply said, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you." (Gen. 12:1) Now, the micromanager in me would rise up in protest to this - I could not help but ask where God? Why God? When? I mean, he did not even have the ability to write home! God simply said go - and I will show you. I will bless you through your descendants. He did not even have any kids, and as we know Sarah was barren.
As the story unfolds, we see God promise him land and change his name to Abraham. Although he knows the land he is promised, Abraham never sees his blessing come to fruition. It takes decades for the Israelites to go through slavery, through the desert, and then fight countless battles to earn their promised land. Once we break this story down, it is not as glorious as we portray it to be. God's initial blessing in chapter twelve takes the entire Old Testament to unfold.
As I walk through my life, I often get impatient and ask why God? Where God? When? In reality, our entire life is the unfolding of God's will. Like the Israelites, we must work to reach our promised land. We often look at the Old Testament and see God working great things through unworthy vessels, but what we forget is the process. I can imagine the Israelites wandering in the desert thinking really? Where is this so called promised land? Through their wandering God was shaping them - molding them - so they would be prepared once they received their ultimate blessing. If we never suffer through the desert, we can not find the true beauty in the land of milk and honey that lies before us.
In Genesis 12 we find the story of the call of Abram. This is before God changed his name to Abraham - before Sarah gave birth to Isaac. In verses 1 - 3 God instructs Abram to leave his family, everything he has ever known, to set out into the wilderness to find the land of God's blessing. Now let's process this for a moment - we are still in Genesis so there are not too many people populating the earth, and it is not like Abraham can go to the local McDonalds and pick up a job if these plans did not work out. God was calling him to leave everything he knew, take his wife and possessions along with Lot and head out. He did not even know where he was heading too! God simply said, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you." (Gen. 12:1) Now, the micromanager in me would rise up in protest to this - I could not help but ask where God? Why God? When? I mean, he did not even have the ability to write home! God simply said go - and I will show you. I will bless you through your descendants. He did not even have any kids, and as we know Sarah was barren.
As the story unfolds, we see God promise him land and change his name to Abraham. Although he knows the land he is promised, Abraham never sees his blessing come to fruition. It takes decades for the Israelites to go through slavery, through the desert, and then fight countless battles to earn their promised land. Once we break this story down, it is not as glorious as we portray it to be. God's initial blessing in chapter twelve takes the entire Old Testament to unfold.
As I walk through my life, I often get impatient and ask why God? Where God? When? In reality, our entire life is the unfolding of God's will. Like the Israelites, we must work to reach our promised land. We often look at the Old Testament and see God working great things through unworthy vessels, but what we forget is the process. I can imagine the Israelites wandering in the desert thinking really? Where is this so called promised land? Through their wandering God was shaping them - molding them - so they would be prepared once they received their ultimate blessing. If we never suffer through the desert, we can not find the true beauty in the land of milk and honey that lies before us.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The great I AM
Last Sunday we were talking to our youth about how great our God is. As Jason taught, I realized that it is easy to forget what an awesome God we serve. Not only do we serve a God who hung the stars in the sky - but a God who knows the number of hairs on our head. A God who placed earth on the perfect axis - one degree off and we would burn or freeze. The minute intricacies of our body speaks to the nature of our God.
The awe only grows as we see the numerous prophecies fulfilled in the Bible. What an awesome God we serve! A God who is I Am the Alpha and Omega - an omnipotent God that chooses to call us friends.
Louie Giglio, a passionate servant of the Lord, speaks on the wonders of the protein Laminin. This is the glue that holds our bodies together. This tiny, microscopic protein is imperative to our well being and it just so happens to be in the shape of a cross. Check this out :
What a mighty God we serve.
This same magnificent God yearns to do awesome things in our lives. We just have to turn ourselves over - lay our lives down so God can shape us and mold us in a way that only a loving, omniscient, powerful Lord can.
The awe only grows as we see the numerous prophecies fulfilled in the Bible. What an awesome God we serve! A God who is I Am the Alpha and Omega - an omnipotent God that chooses to call us friends.
Louie Giglio, a passionate servant of the Lord, speaks on the wonders of the protein Laminin. This is the glue that holds our bodies together. This tiny, microscopic protein is imperative to our well being and it just so happens to be in the shape of a cross. Check this out :
What a mighty God we serve.
This same magnificent God yearns to do awesome things in our lives. We just have to turn ourselves over - lay our lives down so God can shape us and mold us in a way that only a loving, omniscient, powerful Lord can.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
An unfamiliar apostle
I am enthralled with the story of Stephen. His story is told in Acts 6-7 and he is often thought to be the first Christian martyr. At this time in church history, the disciples faced a problem. You see, some widows were unintentionally being neglected. Due to the growing need, the disciples decided to find seven helpers that were “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” (Acts 6:3) Among the seven chosen was this humble servant names Stephen. With this added assistance, the word of God spread throughout the nation. As the disciples grew in number, the fury of their enemies only escalated. It seemed this small group of Christ lovers did not disband as they expected.
In chapter six verse eight Luke writes that Stephen was “full of faith and power.” Not only that, but he performed marvelous wonders. There is no doubt that this man was after God’s own heart. So much so, that he made some people mad. Usually that happens when we are in the middle of God’s will. Some dissidents from the Synagogue of the Freedmen spoke voraciously against Stephen, but “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.” (6:10) As his enemies stirred up false testimonies and spread the word against God’s servant, Stephen found himself facing his foes. As this man addressed his opponents his face began to glow like an angel. Can you imagine? How can you argue with someone that is glowing? Stephen then begins his holy tirade – I guess we can say he was righteously indignant. He throws scripture in their face – calling them a stiff necked people. As he retorted the Old Testament truths the malevolent crowd plugged their ears and charged at him. Saul collected their coats as they stoned this prophet to death.
What a story! There are so many truths that are intertwined in this narrative. Stephen displayed what it truly means to be a follower of Christ. He was so entrenched in God’s word there was no denying that he was different. Just one look at his face and people saw that Christ spilled from his pores. As I tell my youth, he oozed Jesus. He opened his mouth and God came out – in such a way that his enemies could not help but plug their ears! The Holy Spirit filled him until he glowed. What an example. I can only imagine that every time Stephen met with someone, they could not help but encounter a living God. He oozed Jesus – he was so filled to the brim that he could not help but spill Jesus out of his mouth – out of his pores – out of his face – until death dealt its final blow.
I cannot help but wonder, is that true about me? Is that true about the church today? Is that true about you? Are we so engrossed in God that we exude Christ? Can people see Christ in us without even getting to know us? I want to ooze Jesus. Now please do not misunderstand me – I have no desire to be a holier than though, nose in the air Christian. I want the true Jesus. The Jesus that loved everyone – that brought about change without demonizing. The Jesus that loved his neighbors even more than himself. I want people to see that in me – and in the church. I know this will make people uneasy – the truth always causes the enemy to rise up against us – but what a great change we could bring! You see I think this is what Christ wants for us. He wants a relationship with us in which we are so entrenched in the word that we cannot help but exude the love of Christ. Maybe, someday, our face will even glow.
In chapter six verse eight Luke writes that Stephen was “full of faith and power.” Not only that, but he performed marvelous wonders. There is no doubt that this man was after God’s own heart. So much so, that he made some people mad. Usually that happens when we are in the middle of God’s will. Some dissidents from the Synagogue of the Freedmen spoke voraciously against Stephen, but “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.” (6:10) As his enemies stirred up false testimonies and spread the word against God’s servant, Stephen found himself facing his foes. As this man addressed his opponents his face began to glow like an angel. Can you imagine? How can you argue with someone that is glowing? Stephen then begins his holy tirade – I guess we can say he was righteously indignant. He throws scripture in their face – calling them a stiff necked people. As he retorted the Old Testament truths the malevolent crowd plugged their ears and charged at him. Saul collected their coats as they stoned this prophet to death.
What a story! There are so many truths that are intertwined in this narrative. Stephen displayed what it truly means to be a follower of Christ. He was so entrenched in God’s word there was no denying that he was different. Just one look at his face and people saw that Christ spilled from his pores. As I tell my youth, he oozed Jesus. He opened his mouth and God came out – in such a way that his enemies could not help but plug their ears! The Holy Spirit filled him until he glowed. What an example. I can only imagine that every time Stephen met with someone, they could not help but encounter a living God. He oozed Jesus – he was so filled to the brim that he could not help but spill Jesus out of his mouth – out of his pores – out of his face – until death dealt its final blow.
I cannot help but wonder, is that true about me? Is that true about the church today? Is that true about you? Are we so engrossed in God that we exude Christ? Can people see Christ in us without even getting to know us? I want to ooze Jesus. Now please do not misunderstand me – I have no desire to be a holier than though, nose in the air Christian. I want the true Jesus. The Jesus that loved everyone – that brought about change without demonizing. The Jesus that loved his neighbors even more than himself. I want people to see that in me – and in the church. I know this will make people uneasy – the truth always causes the enemy to rise up against us – but what a great change we could bring! You see I think this is what Christ wants for us. He wants a relationship with us in which we are so entrenched in the word that we cannot help but exude the love of Christ. Maybe, someday, our face will even glow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)