My daughter is in the process of applying to art school (SCAD, University of the Arts, VCU, etc.). She has to write essays for these places on why she wants to study art. Here's mom's mix:
I have often said that my daughter was put on this earth to create beauty. She is at heart an artist -- whether she's performing music, drawing comics, taking pictures, writing stories or poems. Even my daughter's style of dress is more of an art form.
I wonder if I've been correct about saying that her calling is to create beauty, however. It would probably be more correct to say that she was put here to reveal or uncover the beauty that already exists. Further, it may be even more correct to say that an artist is simply one who helps others to see. After all, some things are decidedly not beautiful, but we need to see them nevertheless.
Before the modern era it was generally accepted that art should imitate life. In the main I'd have to say that I agree with this statement. An artist's depiction of what IS can highlight some important quality that should be celebrated or (in the case of injustice, pain, etc.) what needs to be addressed by society. From this perspective, artists perform an invaluable service to mankind.
Art speaks to the human heart at a deeper, more basic level than mere rhetoric. Politicians and pundits can argue endlessly and never change a single opinion. But a painting, photograph, story or song can penetrate defenses and help people to see things from a different perspective. This power can be used for good or evil to be sure. Propaganda is a perfect example of art being used to manipulate. But the classics of literature and the art world prove that the highest use of art is to affirm life and humanity.
Hopefully as my daughter pursues her passions (writing and photography) she'll use her powers for good. The opportunity to see things through the eyes of her sensitive soul should make the world a better place.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Highly Favored of God
I've been pondering Mary's call this afternoon. During the sermon this morning, our pastor mentioned in passing the fact that Mary and Joseph found no room in the inn when they arrived in Bethlehem.
In the past, I've thought some about the magnitude of what God asked Mary to do when He offered her the chance to be the mother of Jesus. It was a big risk being found pregnant with no husband. There have always been religious folks who like to enforce the rules - and according to the rules, Mary should be stoned to death... Joseph, however, made a respectable woman of Mary, after being assured by an angel that the baby was in fact, God's.
Then, when it was time to deliver the baby, Mary and Joseph find that there's no room in the inn. Instead they are consigned to a stable where Mary suffers the pain of childbirth with no mother around to support her and no comforts.
She must have been an extraordinary woman. If it was me I'd be saying, "Isn't it enough O Lord that I took the risk of having this child? Couldn't you have at least found us a decent room? If we're doing your will, why don't you make it just a little easier on us? "
I think we often make the mistake of thinking that the Lord's favor means an easy road. But if God did not offer the mother of his child an easy burden, I think it's fair to say that we shouldn't expect to be on easy street just because we're following His plans.
Being favored by God means that He offers us the incredible opportunity to participate with Him in what He's doing. We are offered an adventure not a couch. So... if you're feeling a bit put out with all that's on your plate, think of Mary and Joseph. They were given perhaps the greatest honor that God ever bestowed - fostering his Son. They found themselves facing the misunderstanding of the good people in Nazareth, an uncomfortable journey to Bethlehem, followed by painful labor in a stable, and finally fleeing to Egypt with a baby in tow. Though this doesn't sound much like a Currier and Ives scene, it is the biblical one.
In the past, I've thought some about the magnitude of what God asked Mary to do when He offered her the chance to be the mother of Jesus. It was a big risk being found pregnant with no husband. There have always been religious folks who like to enforce the rules - and according to the rules, Mary should be stoned to death... Joseph, however, made a respectable woman of Mary, after being assured by an angel that the baby was in fact, God's.
Then, when it was time to deliver the baby, Mary and Joseph find that there's no room in the inn. Instead they are consigned to a stable where Mary suffers the pain of childbirth with no mother around to support her and no comforts.
She must have been an extraordinary woman. If it was me I'd be saying, "Isn't it enough O Lord that I took the risk of having this child? Couldn't you have at least found us a decent room? If we're doing your will, why don't you make it just a little easier on us? "
I think we often make the mistake of thinking that the Lord's favor means an easy road. But if God did not offer the mother of his child an easy burden, I think it's fair to say that we shouldn't expect to be on easy street just because we're following His plans.
Being favored by God means that He offers us the incredible opportunity to participate with Him in what He's doing. We are offered an adventure not a couch. So... if you're feeling a bit put out with all that's on your plate, think of Mary and Joseph. They were given perhaps the greatest honor that God ever bestowed - fostering his Son. They found themselves facing the misunderstanding of the good people in Nazareth, an uncomfortable journey to Bethlehem, followed by painful labor in a stable, and finally fleeing to Egypt with a baby in tow. Though this doesn't sound much like a Currier and Ives scene, it is the biblical one.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
"Crowning" the Year
Today is Christ the King Sunday. It's the final week in the church year. Next week Advent begins - a time to look forward to the coming of Christ as an infant as well as a time to anticipate Christ's second coming (a part of Advent we often overlook).
In the Christian calendar the year is "crowned" (pun definitely intended;)) celebrating Christ as King. In the Lectionary readings for this Sunday a passage from Jeremiah 23 is included where God gives an indictment against the shepherds of His people who scatter the flock, drive them away, and do not tend to them. God promises a different King who will deal wisely and execute justice and righteousness in the land. Under his reign, the people will live in safety.
We're clearly not there yet, but sometimes I get a glimpse of the coming Kingdom and my heart is encouraged. Yesterday God granted me a peek. Our church provides lunch every Saturday as it's the only day that the Salvation Army does not provide a meal. We served a Thanksgiving style meal yesterday. Different folks made hams or turkeys and the rest of the meal (except for desert) was prepared in the church kitchen yesterday morning.
Typically the meal is prepared and handed over a counter on disposable plates and plastic utensils. The tables are bare - except for disposable salt & pepper shakers. The rules are pretty rigid about when desert is served and when seconds are served because without those rules there'd be chaos.
Yesterday the tables had tablecloths and fall centerpieces. The salt and pepper shakers were glass, as were the plates. The tables were set with the flatware we use for our congregational dinners. Rather than line up and receive plates over the serving counter, members of the congregation served as the wait staff.
I'm in charge on the third Saturday of each month, and I must admit that I was nervous. I was afraid the congregation members would not show up. On normal Saturdays we man the kitchen with around five people who cook the meal and clean up. We'd need a few more to serve the tables. Well... there were 25+ people who showed up with their homemade deserts and served those less fortunate than they. The vibe in our fellowship hall was really good. It was a beautiful picture of what it looks like in the Kingdom.
There isn't a single significant person (leader, parent, child, spouse, teacher, etc.) who won't let us down occasionally. Some of those people are like the shepherds indicted by God in Jeremiah - so bad that they scatter the flock. Christ, however, will never let us down. We may not understand everything that happens, but we can take His trustworthiness to the bank. His ways are just and right, merciful and gracious. In fact, Christ's throne is often called a throne of grace.
I think it's important to remember that Christ is indeed King; that He reigns even now; and that at some time in the future everything will be set right.
In the Christian calendar the year is "crowned" (pun definitely intended;)) celebrating Christ as King. In the Lectionary readings for this Sunday a passage from Jeremiah 23 is included where God gives an indictment against the shepherds of His people who scatter the flock, drive them away, and do not tend to them. God promises a different King who will deal wisely and execute justice and righteousness in the land. Under his reign, the people will live in safety.
We're clearly not there yet, but sometimes I get a glimpse of the coming Kingdom and my heart is encouraged. Yesterday God granted me a peek. Our church provides lunch every Saturday as it's the only day that the Salvation Army does not provide a meal. We served a Thanksgiving style meal yesterday. Different folks made hams or turkeys and the rest of the meal (except for desert) was prepared in the church kitchen yesterday morning.
Typically the meal is prepared and handed over a counter on disposable plates and plastic utensils. The tables are bare - except for disposable salt & pepper shakers. The rules are pretty rigid about when desert is served and when seconds are served because without those rules there'd be chaos.
Yesterday the tables had tablecloths and fall centerpieces. The salt and pepper shakers were glass, as were the plates. The tables were set with the flatware we use for our congregational dinners. Rather than line up and receive plates over the serving counter, members of the congregation served as the wait staff.
I'm in charge on the third Saturday of each month, and I must admit that I was nervous. I was afraid the congregation members would not show up. On normal Saturdays we man the kitchen with around five people who cook the meal and clean up. We'd need a few more to serve the tables. Well... there were 25+ people who showed up with their homemade deserts and served those less fortunate than they. The vibe in our fellowship hall was really good. It was a beautiful picture of what it looks like in the Kingdom.
There isn't a single significant person (leader, parent, child, spouse, teacher, etc.) who won't let us down occasionally. Some of those people are like the shepherds indicted by God in Jeremiah - so bad that they scatter the flock. Christ, however, will never let us down. We may not understand everything that happens, but we can take His trustworthiness to the bank. His ways are just and right, merciful and gracious. In fact, Christ's throne is often called a throne of grace.
I think it's important to remember that Christ is indeed King; that He reigns even now; and that at some time in the future everything will be set right.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Worst of Times or The Best of Times?
Today I picked up a kitten at the animal shelter for my niece. She saw him over the weekend and decided that he was THE ONE. He's a cute little fellow of about seven or eight weeks. The volunteer at the shelter on Saturday was a young lady who told us that "Smokey" had a cold. When I returned to adopt him, however, the adult running the shelter said that "Smokey" has a respiratory infection - hopefully not feline leukemia.
I adopted him any way. That was the errand I was sent to do after all... When I got Smokey in the car, he immediately began meowing. I reassured him that the ride wouldn't last too long, and that this was, in fact, his lucky day. He was going to live in a very nice family, with a very nice home, and all of the resources to pamper him beyond his wildest kitty dreams.
I decided to run him by the vet before dropping him off at my sister's house. If he indeed had a respiratory infection, I reasoned, better to take care of it immediately and not saddle my sister with the job of taking him to the vet.
When we got to the vet, we (of course) had to wait. Smokey had to endure the scrutiny of several dogs while we sat in the waiting room. The dogs were not as much of an ordeal as his examination, however. We decided that he'd better be tested for feline leukemia (negative), so they took some blood. They checked him for worms (he had them); Cleaned out his ears (ear mites too - I didn't tell my sister about those!). Since he was running a fever, they gave him some fluids to cool him off and hydrate him, put ointment in his running right eye, and gave him his first dose of antibiotics for his respiratory infection.
By the time it was over, I could tell that Smokey was thinking that this must be the worst day of his life. He was shaking like a leaf. But Smokey didn't know what was happening next. He didn't know that he was on his way to the life of Riley at my sister's house. All Smokey has known is the Caswell County Animal Shelter. His life was about to get much better!
Smokey's morning has given me some cud to chew throughout the day. Sometimes we think that things are bad - the worst of days. We can't imagine why God is allowing all of this "suffering" and pain. All along, however, God knows His plans for us and the bright future ahead. Whatever we're suffering through in the present is only to make us better - fitter and healthier- to enjoy life in His Kingdom. If you're having a tough day or season, hang in there. Trust the good intentions of the One who wants us to share His home.
I adopted him any way. That was the errand I was sent to do after all... When I got Smokey in the car, he immediately began meowing. I reassured him that the ride wouldn't last too long, and that this was, in fact, his lucky day. He was going to live in a very nice family, with a very nice home, and all of the resources to pamper him beyond his wildest kitty dreams.
I decided to run him by the vet before dropping him off at my sister's house. If he indeed had a respiratory infection, I reasoned, better to take care of it immediately and not saddle my sister with the job of taking him to the vet.
When we got to the vet, we (of course) had to wait. Smokey had to endure the scrutiny of several dogs while we sat in the waiting room. The dogs were not as much of an ordeal as his examination, however. We decided that he'd better be tested for feline leukemia (negative), so they took some blood. They checked him for worms (he had them); Cleaned out his ears (ear mites too - I didn't tell my sister about those!). Since he was running a fever, they gave him some fluids to cool him off and hydrate him, put ointment in his running right eye, and gave him his first dose of antibiotics for his respiratory infection.
By the time it was over, I could tell that Smokey was thinking that this must be the worst day of his life. He was shaking like a leaf. But Smokey didn't know what was happening next. He didn't know that he was on his way to the life of Riley at my sister's house. All Smokey has known is the Caswell County Animal Shelter. His life was about to get much better!
Smokey's morning has given me some cud to chew throughout the day. Sometimes we think that things are bad - the worst of days. We can't imagine why God is allowing all of this "suffering" and pain. All along, however, God knows His plans for us and the bright future ahead. Whatever we're suffering through in the present is only to make us better - fitter and healthier- to enjoy life in His Kingdom. If you're having a tough day or season, hang in there. Trust the good intentions of the One who wants us to share His home.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Kick Ass
Last night my daughter and I watched the movie Kick Ass. On one level it's a story of a young man who wonders why no one in real life ever tries to be a super hero - right wrongs and fight the injustice and exploitation he sees in his neighborhood daily. This boy decides to don a costume and do something about the bad guys.
On another level the story is about what happens when the desire for revenge consumes one's life. This thread follows a more serious "super hero" who calls himself (I think) "Big Daddy" and his daughter "Hit Girl". Big Daddy was a police officer framed on a drug charge and jailed for five years. During that time his pregnant wife committed suicide. Their surviving daughter "Hit Girl" was raised by Big Daddy's partner until he was released from jail. Big Daddy decides to go after the organized crime family responsible for his pain.
While Kick Ass uses a couple of things that look like billy clubs to fight the forces of evil, Big Daddy and Hit Girl fight crime with guns, knives, spears, anything lethal that will get the job done. They're really killing bad guys.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I found it very diverting. I like seeing bad guys get their asses kicked. I found myself cheering as Hit Girl shot, stabbed, and beat up scary gangsters. There is something very right and very wrong about it, though. It's right that evil is defeated - to see those who've set a snare for someone else fall into it themselves. It's wrong, however for a ten year old girl to kill - and to kill with such obvious relish. It's especially wrong that a father's hatred and bitterness be channelled through his child.
I won't tell you more than that things do not end well for Big Daddy; and maybe that's a good thing... Fighting crime and injustice is good. There is something in all of us that wants to see evil defeated and the right asses kicked. A consuming desire for revenge, however, makes it impossible for real justice to be done. The good is tainted by a hatred that comes from (if possible) an even darker place than the heart of gangsters.
The daily Lectionary is moving through Revelation right now. For several days I've been reading about the wrath that is being stored up by God for the "gangsters" of history. Unlike our own anger, God's wrath is rightly directed and administered. It is held off until the last possible moment, because unlike us, God would prefer to administer mercy and grace - even to gangsters. Some things are better left in His capable hands.
On another level the story is about what happens when the desire for revenge consumes one's life. This thread follows a more serious "super hero" who calls himself (I think) "Big Daddy" and his daughter "Hit Girl". Big Daddy was a police officer framed on a drug charge and jailed for five years. During that time his pregnant wife committed suicide. Their surviving daughter "Hit Girl" was raised by Big Daddy's partner until he was released from jail. Big Daddy decides to go after the organized crime family responsible for his pain.
While Kick Ass uses a couple of things that look like billy clubs to fight the forces of evil, Big Daddy and Hit Girl fight crime with guns, knives, spears, anything lethal that will get the job done. They're really killing bad guys.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I found it very diverting. I like seeing bad guys get their asses kicked. I found myself cheering as Hit Girl shot, stabbed, and beat up scary gangsters. There is something very right and very wrong about it, though. It's right that evil is defeated - to see those who've set a snare for someone else fall into it themselves. It's wrong, however for a ten year old girl to kill - and to kill with such obvious relish. It's especially wrong that a father's hatred and bitterness be channelled through his child.
I won't tell you more than that things do not end well for Big Daddy; and maybe that's a good thing... Fighting crime and injustice is good. There is something in all of us that wants to see evil defeated and the right asses kicked. A consuming desire for revenge, however, makes it impossible for real justice to be done. The good is tainted by a hatred that comes from (if possible) an even darker place than the heart of gangsters.
The daily Lectionary is moving through Revelation right now. For several days I've been reading about the wrath that is being stored up by God for the "gangsters" of history. Unlike our own anger, God's wrath is rightly directed and administered. It is held off until the last possible moment, because unlike us, God would prefer to administer mercy and grace - even to gangsters. Some things are better left in His capable hands.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Costly
Anything of value will cost something. The better that something is, the more (obviously) it will cost. Though something of value may be costly, not acquiring that something may be just as costly - if not more so...
Home improvements are a good example of this concept. You may not want to spend the money to repair something in your home, but if you don't, in the end you'll pay more. Maintaining health is another example. Staying healthy may or may not cost money (it is possible to work out without a gym membership) but it will cost the effort of exercise and the pain of denying yourself pleasures you may prefer to enjoy -- larger portions, desert, alcohol, etc. If you don't stay healthy, however, medical bills as well as potential disability could result; not to mention the fact that someone whose cholesterol is sky high or whose kidneys don't work must change his diet simply to survive.
Lately I've been pondering the cost of what I'll call "inner health". By "inner health" I mean psychological, emotional, and spiritual health. This kind of health leaves you free to make loving choices about how you relate to yourself and others and God. Being healthy in this way is perhaps the most costly because it involves laying down and leaving behind many things we'd prefer to hold onto or not to think about.
Last night during a committee meeting at church we were discussing a couple of services our interim minister was calling "healing" services. One was for our choir and the other for the congregation in general. In both cases "healing" is what's needed. We find ourselves playing out the same tragedy every few years, with the characters and lines changed only sightly. Clearly there is dysfunction at work. Right now we're in a good place, but beneath the surface, there are still unhealthy patterns ready to emerge given the right circumstances or triggers.
What's interesting is that there was great resistance to calling the services "healing" services. "The word 'healing' implies that there's something wrong." Exactly! There is something wrong. In the end we decided to call the services "A New Day" or "Fresh Start" or something like that. The truth is, it doesn't matter what we call the services. What matters is that we recognize that there's something wrong and decide we'll do whatever it takes to make it better.
I've been a Christian now for 31 years. I am still in need of healing - and lots of it. Don't get me wrong... I'm a relatively high functioning adult with mostly healthy relationships. But my relationships are not 100% healthy. By that I mean that love is not my motivation 100% of the time. Until it is I'm in need of healing.
Jesus is the perfect picture of one who lived in freedom and love. He responded to others with a heart perfectly in tune with the Father's. As Christ is formed in us, our lives will more closely resemble his. But we must understand that love and freedom come at a price. It's a price that must be paid daily: laying down fear, unforgiveness, selfish desires, lust -- anything that gets in the way -- and replacing them with the fruit of the Spirit.
Love is always stretching - calling us outside of our comfort zones. It's costly. But it's more costly to continue to live otherwise. It's more painful to live out the same tragedies again and again.
The writer of Hebrews was on to something when he said,
"... let us rid ourselves of every burden of sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us, while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, heedless of its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God." -- Hebrews 12: 1b - 2
Home improvements are a good example of this concept. You may not want to spend the money to repair something in your home, but if you don't, in the end you'll pay more. Maintaining health is another example. Staying healthy may or may not cost money (it is possible to work out without a gym membership) but it will cost the effort of exercise and the pain of denying yourself pleasures you may prefer to enjoy -- larger portions, desert, alcohol, etc. If you don't stay healthy, however, medical bills as well as potential disability could result; not to mention the fact that someone whose cholesterol is sky high or whose kidneys don't work must change his diet simply to survive.
Lately I've been pondering the cost of what I'll call "inner health". By "inner health" I mean psychological, emotional, and spiritual health. This kind of health leaves you free to make loving choices about how you relate to yourself and others and God. Being healthy in this way is perhaps the most costly because it involves laying down and leaving behind many things we'd prefer to hold onto or not to think about.
Last night during a committee meeting at church we were discussing a couple of services our interim minister was calling "healing" services. One was for our choir and the other for the congregation in general. In both cases "healing" is what's needed. We find ourselves playing out the same tragedy every few years, with the characters and lines changed only sightly. Clearly there is dysfunction at work. Right now we're in a good place, but beneath the surface, there are still unhealthy patterns ready to emerge given the right circumstances or triggers.
What's interesting is that there was great resistance to calling the services "healing" services. "The word 'healing' implies that there's something wrong." Exactly! There is something wrong. In the end we decided to call the services "A New Day" or "Fresh Start" or something like that. The truth is, it doesn't matter what we call the services. What matters is that we recognize that there's something wrong and decide we'll do whatever it takes to make it better.
I've been a Christian now for 31 years. I am still in need of healing - and lots of it. Don't get me wrong... I'm a relatively high functioning adult with mostly healthy relationships. But my relationships are not 100% healthy. By that I mean that love is not my motivation 100% of the time. Until it is I'm in need of healing.
Jesus is the perfect picture of one who lived in freedom and love. He responded to others with a heart perfectly in tune with the Father's. As Christ is formed in us, our lives will more closely resemble his. But we must understand that love and freedom come at a price. It's a price that must be paid daily: laying down fear, unforgiveness, selfish desires, lust -- anything that gets in the way -- and replacing them with the fruit of the Spirit.
Love is always stretching - calling us outside of our comfort zones. It's costly. But it's more costly to continue to live otherwise. It's more painful to live out the same tragedies again and again.
The writer of Hebrews was on to something when he said,
"... let us rid ourselves of every burden of sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us, while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, heedless of its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God." -- Hebrews 12: 1b - 2
Monday, October 18, 2010
Persistent - A Sermon for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Scriptures: Jeremiah 31: 27-34, 2 Timothy 3: 14- 4:5, Luke 18: 1-8
Have you ever played Free Cell solitaire? When I first encountered the game (years ago) I remember being told that it's possible to win every game. Frankly I found that hard to believe. So I tried it. I played some games. I won some and lost many more. Over time, however, I came to believe not only that it's possible to win every game, but (with the help of the trusty "undo" function) that I could win every time I played -- as long as I persisted in trying.
Big deal, right? It's just a game. That's very true. It is just a game. But when I think about the instant society we live in today, Free Cell teaches an important lesson: persistence is critical to success. Thomas Edison is the modern poster child for the kind of persistence that matters. He failed more than 10,000 times in his attempts to invent a successful electric lamp. He knew, however, that with each failed attempt he was one step closer to success. there was no doubt in Edison's mind that he would invent the light bulb, and eventually he did.
If you're like me, you'd be sorely tempted to give up long before the 10,000th try. We're conditioned to believe that success should come quickly. An entire meal can easily be micro-waved in 4 or 5 minutes. Complex problems are solved in 60 minutes on our favorite dramas - and if you're into comedy, it only takes 30 minutes to resolve issues... When we're on the Internet we feel dissatisfied if we have to wait for a web page to load. Faster and faster speeds over time have conditioned a certain amount of impatience in us.
If you want to live a successful Christian life persistence is essential. The Christian life is not a 60 minute drama or a 30 minute sitcom. In the Medieval world view, the Christian life was depicted as a journey - a pilgrimage from Babylon to Jerusalem - from captivity to freedom -from slavery to son-ship. I think that's a good and accurate way to look at it. Life is a pilgrimage of transformation; and because the changes God intends are profound, they take time.
Persistence is an underlying theme in today's Lectionary readings. Through this morning's readings God is calling us to persist in three areas. We are called to persist in hope, in the Word, and in prayer. These three disciplines promise to assist us as we journey toward transformation and life together with God who is persistent in His pursuit of our hearts and lives.
Hope:
The words in the passage from Jeremiah are addressed to an audience that has lost hope. Do you remember last week's Old Testament Lectionary reading from Jeremiah? In that reading, the Israelites are told to settle into their captivity: to build houses, plant gardens, marry, and seek the welfare of the city where they'd been sent into exile. They weren't to expect to come home any time soon.
For the Israelites, the Babylonian captivity had drained the present of all meaning and hope, for their identity and destiny was from God and, in their minds, integrally tied to the Promised Land and the temple. Was it over for them? Did they miss out on their chance to participate in God's plans as His chosen people? The exile was a result of their unfaithfulness to the covenant and to God Himself. They had no one to blame but themselves for their predicament.
But through Jeremiah God speaks a word of hope. The days are surely coming when the exiles will be restored to the land, but more importantly they'll be restored in covenant - a new covenant. This time God will put his law within them - written on their hearts. Under the new covenant each one will be in dynamic relationship with God - knowing Him. Four times in the text Jeremiah emphasizes that the future will come because of God's action. It is God's loving, persistent pursuit of the people that will bring a bright future.
The good news for us is that God's plans for us will ultimately succeed. We can be confident that no matter where we are on our pilgrimage, that God has His hands upon us. One of my favorite verses is Philippians 1:6 where Paul says that, "He who began the good work in you will carry it through to completion, right up to the day of Christ Jesus." Our future is secure because God is in control of it. His loving purposes will be accomplished. Our job is to put our hope in Him, love Him, and obey what we know to be His will.
The Word:
The Scriptures from 2 Timothy urge us to be persistent in the Word. Paul tells Timothy to do two things: first to continue to live in what he has learned and believed, and second to proclaim the Word- the Gospel. In verse 16 Paul says that all scripture is inspired by God, literally "God breathed". It is not only inspired, but inspiring, and it can breathe new life into us. Regardless of the time or season of our life, the scriptures will always speak into our hearts and souls. As we read the scriptures they read us - exposing our desires, motivations, and actions for what they really are; the result is a transformation of heart, mind, and life as the Holy Spirit shows us a better way, revealing the heart of God to us in His word.
Unfortunately, many Christians don't know much more about the Bible than what they learned in Sunday school as children. They know some Bible stories and some of the common verses, but do not spend time reading daily - and being read - by the scriptures. Have you ever known someone who was looking for direction and guidance about a situation he was facing or a decision he needed to make and suddenly he's interested in what the Bible has to say? It's almost like he wants to use the Bible as a horoscope that day - close his eyes, open the book, and place his finger in a random spot hoping that God will guide his finger to the answer.
That's not the way to get good, sound answers and direction. When we spend time reading the Bible daily, God begins to speak into our lives and subtly direct us over time. Then when faced with a situation or decision, we find that God has been slowly shaping our hearts so that when the time comes to decide or act, we're ready to make a God centered choice.
How about proclaiming the Word? Pastor Joe has reminded us more than once that the people we encounter from day to day can read our lives, even if they never read the Bible. The truth is that this kind of "reading" happens all the time. I have acquaintances who are hostile toward Christianity because of the hypocrisy and lack of love they "read" in the lives of Christians. Our friends don't need us to preach them a sermon, but they do need us to live out the Gospel - to live in the love and grace, and truth we have received from God. As the Word of God speaks into our lives - reads us as we read it - our lives are gradually transformed (maybe conformed is a better word) - and we are made able to be flesh and blood pictures of the Gospel.
Prayer:
Our Gospel lesson this morning has intrigued me for years. Jesus tells a very interesting story about a widow and an unjust judge. We're told up front that the parable is about the need to pray always and not lose heart. Then we hear about a poor and powerless widow who through her continual coming wins justice from an unjust judge - one who cares neither for God nor man. The passage emphasizes the widow's persistence three times with words like: she "kept coming", "keeps bothering me", and "continually coming". Then Jesus shifts the focus from the judge to God and says, "And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Here Jesus seems to be promising that those who persist in prayer will receive a speedy answer from God. This parable gets my attention! How many of us hammer away at God's door to no apparent avail? My guess would be that there are many here this morning who are weary - worn out - from praying. There are many who are exhausted, who wait un-expectantly for answers. There are others who say that God already knows what they need, so there's not need to ask for it. There are some - even some Christians - who don't really believe that God answers prayer. They haven't apprehended God's answers in the lives of others, so they don't feel moved to pray themselves.
Well, the answer for folks who don't believe in prayer because they can't see the answers in the lives of others is fairly simple: God's not interested in you learning about prayer second hand. Come to Him yourself. Commune with Him. Give prayer a try. See if God won't help you as you bring your concerns to Him.
How about those who say that God is good and already knows all that we need far better than we do ourselves? Why should we "bother" God by bringing our concerns to Him and asking Him to meet needs He already knows we have? Well... what if God knows that prayer is the thing we need first and most? What if God's object in prayer is to supply the thing we need the most - Himself? George MacDonald had a great illustration of this concept. He said that hunger may drive a run away child home, and that the child may or may not be fed immediately, but he needs his mother more than he needs his dinner. Communion with God is the one need of the heart beyond all other needs. The Giver is always in the gift. The truth is that sometimes the things that God would gladly give us, things that we need, must wait until we ask for them so that we can understand where they came from.
Then there are those who have been waiting in prayer for a long time. What about Jesus' promise of a speedy answer from the Father? It may be that the better the gift we pray for, the more time necessary for its arrival. There are some things -- especially the deep things in our lives - that take time. In some things, God must begin far back in our spirit, in regions we don't even know about, and do work that we can only be aware of in the final results. As we pray God works deep in our hearts - behind our consciousness - with His own presence. Through persistent prayer, God changes our hearts. He comes at us from behind, and so long before we're aware of it, He's answering our request - has answered it, and is visiting us in a profound way.
I began this morning by mentioning the game Free Cell. It is possible to win every game - as long as you approach it with patience and persistence. Occasionally I'll still lose a game, but only when I decide to give up. The reason it's relevant to all of us is that whatever our situation, in Christ it's possible to win. Winning in the Christian life means that Christ is formed in us, that the Kingdom of God is advanced, that love prevails. The only factor that prevents our winning is giving up. The God who is All Powerful and All Knowing is in full control. He calls us (as Winston Churchill - another very persistent person - once said) to never, never, never give us. Instead we are to persist: in hope, in the Word, and in prayer. And the God whose steadfast love persistently pursues us will be glorified in our lives and in the church.
Have you ever played Free Cell solitaire? When I first encountered the game (years ago) I remember being told that it's possible to win every game. Frankly I found that hard to believe. So I tried it. I played some games. I won some and lost many more. Over time, however, I came to believe not only that it's possible to win every game, but (with the help of the trusty "undo" function) that I could win every time I played -- as long as I persisted in trying.
Big deal, right? It's just a game. That's very true. It is just a game. But when I think about the instant society we live in today, Free Cell teaches an important lesson: persistence is critical to success. Thomas Edison is the modern poster child for the kind of persistence that matters. He failed more than 10,000 times in his attempts to invent a successful electric lamp. He knew, however, that with each failed attempt he was one step closer to success. there was no doubt in Edison's mind that he would invent the light bulb, and eventually he did.
If you're like me, you'd be sorely tempted to give up long before the 10,000th try. We're conditioned to believe that success should come quickly. An entire meal can easily be micro-waved in 4 or 5 minutes. Complex problems are solved in 60 minutes on our favorite dramas - and if you're into comedy, it only takes 30 minutes to resolve issues... When we're on the Internet we feel dissatisfied if we have to wait for a web page to load. Faster and faster speeds over time have conditioned a certain amount of impatience in us.
If you want to live a successful Christian life persistence is essential. The Christian life is not a 60 minute drama or a 30 minute sitcom. In the Medieval world view, the Christian life was depicted as a journey - a pilgrimage from Babylon to Jerusalem - from captivity to freedom -from slavery to son-ship. I think that's a good and accurate way to look at it. Life is a pilgrimage of transformation; and because the changes God intends are profound, they take time.
Persistence is an underlying theme in today's Lectionary readings. Through this morning's readings God is calling us to persist in three areas. We are called to persist in hope, in the Word, and in prayer. These three disciplines promise to assist us as we journey toward transformation and life together with God who is persistent in His pursuit of our hearts and lives.
Hope:
The words in the passage from Jeremiah are addressed to an audience that has lost hope. Do you remember last week's Old Testament Lectionary reading from Jeremiah? In that reading, the Israelites are told to settle into their captivity: to build houses, plant gardens, marry, and seek the welfare of the city where they'd been sent into exile. They weren't to expect to come home any time soon.
For the Israelites, the Babylonian captivity had drained the present of all meaning and hope, for their identity and destiny was from God and, in their minds, integrally tied to the Promised Land and the temple. Was it over for them? Did they miss out on their chance to participate in God's plans as His chosen people? The exile was a result of their unfaithfulness to the covenant and to God Himself. They had no one to blame but themselves for their predicament.
But through Jeremiah God speaks a word of hope. The days are surely coming when the exiles will be restored to the land, but more importantly they'll be restored in covenant - a new covenant. This time God will put his law within them - written on their hearts. Under the new covenant each one will be in dynamic relationship with God - knowing Him. Four times in the text Jeremiah emphasizes that the future will come because of God's action. It is God's loving, persistent pursuit of the people that will bring a bright future.
The good news for us is that God's plans for us will ultimately succeed. We can be confident that no matter where we are on our pilgrimage, that God has His hands upon us. One of my favorite verses is Philippians 1:6 where Paul says that, "He who began the good work in you will carry it through to completion, right up to the day of Christ Jesus." Our future is secure because God is in control of it. His loving purposes will be accomplished. Our job is to put our hope in Him, love Him, and obey what we know to be His will.
The Word:
The Scriptures from 2 Timothy urge us to be persistent in the Word. Paul tells Timothy to do two things: first to continue to live in what he has learned and believed, and second to proclaim the Word- the Gospel. In verse 16 Paul says that all scripture is inspired by God, literally "God breathed". It is not only inspired, but inspiring, and it can breathe new life into us. Regardless of the time or season of our life, the scriptures will always speak into our hearts and souls. As we read the scriptures they read us - exposing our desires, motivations, and actions for what they really are; the result is a transformation of heart, mind, and life as the Holy Spirit shows us a better way, revealing the heart of God to us in His word.
Unfortunately, many Christians don't know much more about the Bible than what they learned in Sunday school as children. They know some Bible stories and some of the common verses, but do not spend time reading daily - and being read - by the scriptures. Have you ever known someone who was looking for direction and guidance about a situation he was facing or a decision he needed to make and suddenly he's interested in what the Bible has to say? It's almost like he wants to use the Bible as a horoscope that day - close his eyes, open the book, and place his finger in a random spot hoping that God will guide his finger to the answer.
That's not the way to get good, sound answers and direction. When we spend time reading the Bible daily, God begins to speak into our lives and subtly direct us over time. Then when faced with a situation or decision, we find that God has been slowly shaping our hearts so that when the time comes to decide or act, we're ready to make a God centered choice.
How about proclaiming the Word? Pastor Joe has reminded us more than once that the people we encounter from day to day can read our lives, even if they never read the Bible. The truth is that this kind of "reading" happens all the time. I have acquaintances who are hostile toward Christianity because of the hypocrisy and lack of love they "read" in the lives of Christians. Our friends don't need us to preach them a sermon, but they do need us to live out the Gospel - to live in the love and grace, and truth we have received from God. As the Word of God speaks into our lives - reads us as we read it - our lives are gradually transformed (maybe conformed is a better word) - and we are made able to be flesh and blood pictures of the Gospel.
Prayer:
Our Gospel lesson this morning has intrigued me for years. Jesus tells a very interesting story about a widow and an unjust judge. We're told up front that the parable is about the need to pray always and not lose heart. Then we hear about a poor and powerless widow who through her continual coming wins justice from an unjust judge - one who cares neither for God nor man. The passage emphasizes the widow's persistence three times with words like: she "kept coming", "keeps bothering me", and "continually coming". Then Jesus shifts the focus from the judge to God and says, "And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Here Jesus seems to be promising that those who persist in prayer will receive a speedy answer from God. This parable gets my attention! How many of us hammer away at God's door to no apparent avail? My guess would be that there are many here this morning who are weary - worn out - from praying. There are many who are exhausted, who wait un-expectantly for answers. There are others who say that God already knows what they need, so there's not need to ask for it. There are some - even some Christians - who don't really believe that God answers prayer. They haven't apprehended God's answers in the lives of others, so they don't feel moved to pray themselves.
Well, the answer for folks who don't believe in prayer because they can't see the answers in the lives of others is fairly simple: God's not interested in you learning about prayer second hand. Come to Him yourself. Commune with Him. Give prayer a try. See if God won't help you as you bring your concerns to Him.
How about those who say that God is good and already knows all that we need far better than we do ourselves? Why should we "bother" God by bringing our concerns to Him and asking Him to meet needs He already knows we have? Well... what if God knows that prayer is the thing we need first and most? What if God's object in prayer is to supply the thing we need the most - Himself? George MacDonald had a great illustration of this concept. He said that hunger may drive a run away child home, and that the child may or may not be fed immediately, but he needs his mother more than he needs his dinner. Communion with God is the one need of the heart beyond all other needs. The Giver is always in the gift. The truth is that sometimes the things that God would gladly give us, things that we need, must wait until we ask for them so that we can understand where they came from.
Then there are those who have been waiting in prayer for a long time. What about Jesus' promise of a speedy answer from the Father? It may be that the better the gift we pray for, the more time necessary for its arrival. There are some things -- especially the deep things in our lives - that take time. In some things, God must begin far back in our spirit, in regions we don't even know about, and do work that we can only be aware of in the final results. As we pray God works deep in our hearts - behind our consciousness - with His own presence. Through persistent prayer, God changes our hearts. He comes at us from behind, and so long before we're aware of it, He's answering our request - has answered it, and is visiting us in a profound way.
I began this morning by mentioning the game Free Cell. It is possible to win every game - as long as you approach it with patience and persistence. Occasionally I'll still lose a game, but only when I decide to give up. The reason it's relevant to all of us is that whatever our situation, in Christ it's possible to win. Winning in the Christian life means that Christ is formed in us, that the Kingdom of God is advanced, that love prevails. The only factor that prevents our winning is giving up. The God who is All Powerful and All Knowing is in full control. He calls us (as Winston Churchill - another very persistent person - once said) to never, never, never give us. Instead we are to persist: in hope, in the Word, and in prayer. And the God whose steadfast love persistently pursues us will be glorified in our lives and in the church.
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