humility

Humility involves a proper estimation of ourselves before God and before others. And it involves accepting and embracing the gift God has given us in Jesus, and going on. No matter what others might be doing. Yet in harmony with what others are doing.

I received a good dose of humility last night, as I listened with mostly rapt attention to a brilliant seminary professor on historical theology. I was kind of lost in awe and appreciation, not hardly knowing how to converse with him as this was in a field that I little know, yet so much appreciate (I mean the area he was explaining in reference to his field of study, and even outside of that). I hope it was a good time to unwind for him, and it was a nice visit Deb and I had with him and his gracious wife, as well as their youngest son, who was present.

Humility in Jesus means I accept with joy all the special gifts and places God has for his people. And that I refuse to compare myself to them. Except that I endeavor to learn from their lives what I can take for my own life and growth in Jesus. By that measure, even though I often felt rather lost, and outside my element, it was a splendid time.

And I'm reminded to just get back to first things: a devotion to God through Christ, continuing in God's word/Scripture to see it come alive in my life, and simply doing what God has for me to do- as simple as it seems, and is. So it was a good night for Deb and I. And I shouldn't fail to mention: Deb beat me in just our second game of Super Scrabble Deluxe. If you like Scrabble, you'll probably like this edition even better.

How has humility come alive in your life recently? Or any thoughts.

life's challenges

Often it seems we grow the most when faced with challenges. Challenges which are beyond us, beyond our ability to often understand or cope with. This is when we most have to lean on God. And in the process, I can be growing in significant measure in both understanding, as well as necessary change- from God. Yet those can be some of the most difficult places, as well as times, to live in. And we won't ever understand it all, nor fathom the work of God even in our own lives. A case in point from Scripture is Job.

I like it when I have some respite from challenges. Although in a true sense I see all of life as a challenge to follow on with the Lord. But we need those green pastures, and still waters, along with the restoration/refreshing of our souls. So it's good to just be able to relax and rest in God's presence as well, away from the noise and tumult of the times. I have to testify that my wife helps me immensely in that. And hopefully we are a buffer for each other through our help and prayers. Hopefully we can learn to be that way with each other in Jesus in our sojourn here.

We need to see life's inevitable challenges as opportunities to grow in Jesus. To do so as those in community with others in Jesus, and before the world. Living out together the very life of Jesus in this world. Showing the love of the Father, the image of the Son, and the life of the Spirit in a world that needs to see this.

What words or insights would you like to add to this?

Jesus between us all

An early poem somewhere in Christendom describes Jesus between ourselves and all others. Between ourselves and our loved ones, ourselves and our neighbors, ourselves and our enemies, between ourselves and everyone. At least it seems to me I've heard and even been familiar with something like that (I did find a parallel, and maybe the one I was thinking of, though not precisely the same thought as here).

I think this is a good sound way to look at our relationships with others. That somehow by the grace of God in the work of God in Christ and by the Spirit, Jesus is in a true sense to be the intermediary not only between ourselves and God, but also between ourselves and others. We see this truth taught in Ephesians and in the New Testament, at least by clear implication. We in Jesus are told to love our enemies, and we can only do as those in Jesus and Jesus in us by the Spirit. And this can help us in living godly and well in all our relationships.

This reality in Jesus can surely help us work through and resolve issues in ways that are pleasing to God. It doesn't relieve us of responsible steps we need to take, including confession and asking for forgiveness, along with working at understanding just what God's revealed will is for us today in given situations. But it does provide the needed dynamic by the Spirit to carry this out, and see it through to the end.

I know this is a bit obscure, and hardly easy to understand even with simple words. What thought would you like to add here?

spiritual warfare

In the twentieth century there were a number of Christian theologians who seemed to discount the reality of spiritual warfare in the lives of Christians. They had some valid, good insights into the meaning of principalities and powers in Scripture, but seemed to relegate them to governing authorities and perhaps spiritual powers, or intelligent entities behind them.

While the Bible is not loaded with accounts of people wrestling spiritual powers and entities, it is present. And in Ephesians 6 we in Jesus are warned that we will have to stand firm in God's mighty power and with his full armor on for us in Christ, against the wiles and strategies of the devil and his hosts. While that certainly has application from Scripture to refer to governing authorities resisting those in the faith, it would seem incontrovertible that it refers primarily to the spiritual powers and entities in league with Satan.

C.S. Lewis, in his The Screwtape Letters, has it right when he makes the point that the Christian church errs either in seeing the devil no where, or seeing the devil every where. Of course we must always beware of them, but we're not to be living in fear of them. Our victory over them is in Jesus and in his death, resurrection and ascension, and on that basis by the power of the Spirit. We have to stand our ground against the foe, in resistance, when they attack us. We need to learn the weapons of our warfare and put them into practice. This has made all the difference in the world in the lives of Christian missionaries who have testified of going year after year seeing little or no fruit, to seeing some good fruit come in conversions and Christian growth, over a relatively short period of time.

I was aware of the enemy's likely presence and activity yesterday. Yet I was still thrown for a loop. Hopefully a lesson learned for me. God has been moving in my life in certain ways, and helping me have some breakthroughs over some matters, particularly the same kind (anxiety, though most who know me never knew that) that had plagued me for years. And with Deb's help in prayer and in Christian fellowship, I was beginning to see more opportunities open up, or at least the opportunities I have used more evidently by God.

This is not a popular subject, and in theological circles does carry some controversy. But we need to consider it if we are to live in accordance with the full revealed will of God.

Does anyone have thoughts here, or perhaps a story you would like to tell that would relate to this?

having eyes to see

Many of my posts are composed when I get up in the morning. And a good number of those are related to ways I've sense God is at work in my life. Or areas I need to work on. Firsthand kind of things. As I reflect on the day before.

Jesus taught us that we need to have eyes to see and ears to hear. We need to work at developing a sensitivity toward God, not dependent on anything except God's grace. Reading Scripture, and good books is helpful for us in this. Listening to others, Christian fellowship, and listening well to everyone (Bonhoeffer). These and more will help us begin to have discernment toward having a sense of what God is doing and speaking into our lives.

As we keep going through Scripture, we can get perspective on our own lives by viewing the lives of others. This is an important part of learning to "see" and "hear" well. Seeing God's work and will in the lives of ordinary human beings like ourselves.

Am I seeing and hearing well now? I wouldn't say that, in fact I believe at times I am not. But I think it's good to be aware of this need, so that we can work on our focus as well as to what and how we are listening: where our attention lies.

What thoughts might you like to add to these few thoughts here?

the Jesus Creed

Scot McKnight, in his simple, yet powerful and provocative book, The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others, points out how Jesus changed the Shema, which was the confession of Israel. To love God continued to be at the center, but Jesus included with that the directive, from the Pentateuch (from Leviticus) to love one's neighbor as oneself. Jesus also changed the Jewish prayer, the Kaddish, reflecting the change he had made from the Shema, in the "Our Father" or "Lord's Prayer".

The Shema we can take to be the new confession of Jesus' followers, the Jesus Creed. Yes, it's a command, but it's likewise a confession. As Scot tells us in the book, as we learn to repeat it daily, just as Jesus and all religious and faithful Jews of Jesus' day recited the Shema, God can help us more and more make it a reality in our lives. And as we pray the "Our Father" prayer, we end up praying God's will. Not our own. The prayer reflects the Jesus Creed, and is really a prayer from God in that we are asking what God wants. It is good for us to recite that prayer, as well as hang our own thoughts and prayers on it, praying from it. This is not to say that we shouldn't be praying many other prayers. But it is saying that this can help us pray more, according to God's will.

I am once more rereading the book in preparation for reading Scot's 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed, which I plan to do during Lent season, which begins February 25, Ash Wednesday (in Western Christendom, the Eastern Church's calendar is a little different) and ends this year April 11, 46 days later (Sundays are excluded in the count), Easter Sunday being April 12. So I plan to read prayerfully, with intentions for Christian formation in my life, Scot's book written for a 40 day period, and I think quite fitting for Lent.

Anything you would like to add? And has anyone read either of these books?

quote of the week: Lauren Winner on a benefit of liturgy

Liturgy is not, in the end, open to our emotional whims.

Lauren Winner, Mudhouse Sabbath, 61, from Scot McKnight, The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others, 18.

prayer for the week

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

from Book of Common Prayer

a powerful thought

Recently over at RBC Ministries, Mart DeHaan shared with us his thoughts and conviction in what we as God's people in Jesus should do during these times. This post and this post from his excellent blog are both helpful to us in sorting through difficult issues today. Mart doesn't pretend to have it all down, and these are over matters in which we Christians are sharply divided on, politically. I'm thinking here of Christians who agree for example, that abortion is the taking of human life, but are not in agreement on how to address the issue.

I quote from the first post I link above:

Maybe we need to return to the practice of the early church. In a society where abortion and infanticide were common, followers of Christ developed a reputation for not aborting their own children, and even for saving from the garbage other people’s children who were left to die.

I'm inclined to agree with Mart. What better good can we do for our country and for the world than simply living out a lifestyle that is in marked contrast to the "culture of death" surrounding us, to a culture sadly warped and crooked. In Jesus we need to be those who have and are experiencing God's salvation from this to a different way of life. They need to see a marked difference in our lives. This will make our words matter far more. And this will help us fulfill our true calling and vocation in this world as the salt and light in Jesus which we are.

I agree with Mart that we need Christians on both sides of the aisle in politics here in the U.S. And I believe Christians in both major parties as well as in other places. So I'm not speaking of disengagement from the political process. Not at all. But I'm referring to what we should be noted for. In how we live and what we do during these times.

What would you like to add on this?

come, Holy Spirit!

"I believe in the Holy Spirit." Part of the Apostles' Creed. God is the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, as I understand it from Scripture is God's active Presence, Power and voice in the world. The Spirit bears witness through God's people to Jesus, as the Messiah and Lord of all, Savior of the world.

All who receive Christ, receive the Spirit, who indwells each believer individually and all believers together corporately. There is a sense in which the Spirit's greatest habitation is through God's people together. The Spirit makes us one in Jesus, part of our witness to the world.

The Spirit enables us to live a holy life. This is a reference to walking in the Spirit. We depend on the Spirit for our spiritual life breath, and for every holy desire from God through his word, Scripture. As we walk in the Spirit we live the life God has for us, the fruit of the Spirit becoming evident in our lives, especially in community. Of course that is interactive, we are not passive (not to say there are no times for passivity as in waiting on God). We depend on the Spirit, but we must walk or live out God's revealed will for us.

The Spirit "comes on" us to empower us for witness, filling us. We witness regardless, especially by our lives, but also by words, not waiting on any special feeling, while in much prayer. But there are those times when we have that sense of the Spirit on us to speak. We must speak, and we must listen to others so speaking. This is for the world of sinners, and also for God's people. The gifts of the Spirit are for each one in Jesus. The Spirit is on us to give us something quite special to do. So that it ends up being Jesus in us, and we in Jesus- doing a work. From a most humble, supposedly menial task that no one may see, to speaking before others, and many other works.

We in Jesus can grieve the Spirit and put out the Spirit's fire. And we need fresh fillings of the Spirit. I know I am empty. I need the Spirit. And we need the Spirit in our midst, as those in Jesus. The world needs the Spirit through seeing Jesus by the Spirit in us- in word and deed.

There is much to be said about the Holy Spirit. We need more of the Spirit. And we worship him, who is God. As the Spirit leads us to the Father through the Son. We worship the One Triune God forever and ever, beginning here and now.

Come, Holy Spirit!

patience

Patience is listed as a fruit or a part of the fruit of the Spirit. Of course that list begins with love. A good list to study, relating the virtues or characteristics together. And the passage is about community together in Jesus, not so much directly about our individual lives with God.

I think a big part of patience is learning to "lie low." I mean to hang in there with people, even when it seems little or no progress is being made against whatever problem there is. And at times when there is inevitable (as is the case with us all sometimes) relapse or falling back into our old ways.

Patience means we hang in their for people, for everyone. That we do so praying and being there for them. Much of the time for me this means I'll be doing less. Listening yes, but talking less or trying to help, less. But there is a time to talk, and maybe so emphatically, though with the same patience. And to act. But never a time not to show forth this patience, through the Spirit who indwells us individually and together, in Jesus our Lord.

What would you like to add to this?

creation and evolution

I am reading up on creation and evolution. Normally I avoid divisive issues, but I think the evidence for a very old earth and an older universe is compelling and irrefutable, and that the evidence for evolution is nearly as compelling to the point that we can hold both to be true. I continue to read on this, so I'm in a learning mode right now.

God has given us two great books to read: nature and Scripture. Or in the words of Deborah B. & Loren D. Haarsma, from their helpful book, Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, & Evolution, from God's world and from God's Word. We need to read them both and let them both speak for themselves, never letting one change the other. And we need to remember that the problem lies in us- in our lack of understanding, not in either of the books, when there seems to be contradiction between the two. That book is actually designed for use in churches, and is comprehensive in an introductory way to the issue of origins, and the interplay between faith and science.

From what I gather, much of Charles Darwin's science is good, and has been verified to the point that he is more influential now, near his 200th birthday- February 12- than ever before. Unfortunately he ended up letting his problem with Christianity as he saw it, impact his science to some extent. Although it doesn't impact the main point of it.

The problem that we as Christians have to battle, as I see it, is not differences where Christians lie on this issue, some for example, holding to Young Earth Creationism, as opposed to those of us who hold to a Theistic Evolutionary model. The problem is where an anti-Christian faith has impacted the science of such people, like Richard Dawkins. Their view would be a part of what is called evolutionism. The idea that all can be explained in naturalistic evolutionary terms, so that natural selection makes any notion of a god not only unnecessary, but undesirable. So that we end up battling evolutionism and naturalism, which in themselves are not scientific. By the way, in Richard Dawkins' case, his recent diatribe against faith in God has really undermined his academic standards, according to those who understand the scientific and philosophical issues involved in that, from what I have heard and am gathering.

There is more that I intend to read on this. So it's a formative time for me in my understanding on origins. There is so much to say here, and a good place to start is with the book I cite above. It interacts with different Christian views, and it comes out where these two scientists are themselves, both professors at Calvin College. They cover in an introductory fashion scientific and theological issues in this.

(Many of my thoughts here come directly through the book mentioned on this post. I take no credit for originality or first hand learning, here. Strictly based on reading others, and forming judgments from that, and especially in this post, from the book mentioned above.)

What might anyone like to add here?

A Prayer for our New President, Barack Obama (from Jesus Creed)

Here is a prayer and a helpful example of how we should pray for our new President.

From Scot McKnight's Jesus Creed.

on Inauguration Day

Today, Barack Obama is going to be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. This occasion holds special significance because this is our first African-American president. This shows how far this nation has come, not that we don't have a good ways to go, but we've come a long ways at this point in race relations and against racism.

I have been quite impressed with Barack Obama. He has a gift of intellect, but along with that seems to be humble. He professes faith in Jesus, having spoken of a conversion experience he had in the past. He is a realist, influenced by the theology of Reinhold Niebuhr. That can help set him in good stead as President of the U.S.

I don't agree with him on abortion. Though even there I along with other Christians have high hopes that he will help the effort, hopefully in bipartisan fashion, toward the goal of reducing abortions 95% in the next 10 years, called the 95/10 Initiative. At least to his credit he has talked in that direction, not just sitting on a possible overturning of Roe v Wade, which in itself may not reduce the number of abortions in our country at all, or minimally.

I do find Obama good on many issues, such as wanting to help all Americans and people in this country have affordable health care, engaging in more worldwide diplomacy, and hopefully at this point finding a balance between getting the nation back on its feet financially (particularly an acute problem here in Michigan), while helping us adjust for the long term in a fiscally more responsible era, both in government and as individuals and families.

As Christians we are told to pray for our leaders. We little realize what a difference this can make, and often discount it, ending up disengaged from it. I speak here from sad experience. What if a number of us would covenant between ourselves and God that by grace we will at least seek to do better, and pray for President Obama and other leaders on a regular basis? And not let up when things are tough or go bad.

He is to be sworn in at noon today, EST. I look forward to it, even with bated breath, a moment I hope to always remember as a special day. A special day for many and for us all, one that transcends partisanship, not just being about politics, but about being human (thanks, Paul B., at work, as we applied that to MLK, Jr. yesterday, but the application is good for this, as well.)

What would you like to add to this?

on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

I'm good at missing big dates except for special family ones, and today was no exception. I was not aware until I was off to work that today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I believe without any doubt that he was one of the most outstanding leaders of the twentieth century. Like most Bible characters he had his flaws, but what he was about, how he led those with him, and what was and is being accomplished through his work will live on.

On Scot McKnight's blog, Jesus Creed, there is a special tribute to him today, with a question as to how his legacy from the "I Have a Dream" speech can impact directly the presidency of Barack Obama. So let's not fail to remember this day, and this is one good way of doing so.

because it is written

Readers of this blog and surely those who know me well, know that I believe in experience along with tradition and reason, all in their rightful place. I'm struggling with a bad back (though it is on the mend, and seems especially so at the moment) and shoveling over and over the ice and snow the snow plows leave behind, and that twice- yesterday (though Deb helped me by doing it the first time, since my back pain was so bothersome then).

So I know I need to simply proceed in the way of Jesus according to what is written in God's word- in Scripture.

This means reading, listening, praying and staying in the word which is meant for us, for our lives, and involves confession of sin and all that we need in Jesus. We don't wait until we feel like it. And we don't proceed according to how we feel. But we proceed according to what is written.

The feelings will come. And they will go. But the stable life in Jesus moves on according to what is written, employing tradition (what the church has taught and teaches), reason and experience, as we look for ourselves at what is written for us both in the Old and New (Testaments) of our Bibles.

Any thoughts you'd like to add here?

quote of the week: C.S. Lewis on the sacredness of humans

Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, 14-15, from Scot McKnight, A Companion Guide to Embracing Grace, 23

prayer for the week

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

from Book of Common Prayer

a great blog

I would like to give highest recommendation to a blog of one whom I am privileged to be acquainted with, and a friend, and fellow worker at RBC Ministries. Entitled The Wonder of Creation. Dean Ohlman is an amateur naturalist, intellectual and really just a great guy. I wish they would have him speak in our weekly chapel, because the one time he spoke years ago on simplicity, is still etched in my mind. This blog is a part of the ministry there.

If you love creation, if you are not afraid of reading fully the two books of God- Creation/Nature and Scripture, if you love beauty and want to enjoy it firsthand for yourself, if you believe we are stewards and therefore have a responsibility from God for this earth, and if you want to learn to grow in your love and appreciation of God's good world, this is a wonderful place to stop. Dean regularly gives us thoughts worth chewing on and living out, along with some breathtaking and interesting photos.

On this posting this week, Dean talked about the sun pilllars, something I saw on the way home the day before. Along with other beauties and curiosities surrounding that morning.

Give this blog a look, and leave a comment if you are so inclined.

Any day I'd sit under Dean and learn all I could. And I'd best put into practice what he says in ending every posting:

"See you outdoors!"

our great salvation

Yesterday in listening to Lamentations from The Bible Experience, I was hit at just how great the suffering in Jerusalem was due to God's judgment. Well acted in spoken word, and I was caught in the grip of it. Yes, I could identify to an extent. Both personally, as God has had to put his hand on my life in some loving, firm, hard discipline for my good. And knowing that Scripture teaches God's sure judgment to come, and already present in some ways against those who resist the truth and do evil. So as the actor played her role well, I was surely weeping as I reflected on my own life and some of the difficulties we bear.

God does need to give us a sense of who we are, and who God is. We then come to realize that we are worthy of God's judgment. But the fact is that Jesus took on himself God's judgment against humankind at the cross. In other words God took the judgment on himself/God's self. We need to rest assured on that, certainly knowing by faith what this great salvation can do and has done for us. And living in that reality in Jesus as forgiven and reconciled to God and potentially to all humankind through Jesus and the cross.

Lamentations and our lives can help us catch a glimpse of the great salvation that is offered to all in Jesus, as we see how great is our need. In Jesus' death for us, and in his resurrection to bring us into this new life in him. May we have broken hearts over our own sin, and over the sins of others. And may we have this as we contemplate, seek to live in view of, and proclaim this great and wondrous salvation we have in Jesus our Lord.

Any thoughts you'd like to share here?