For some odd reason reflections on the "wilderness" and a "wilderness experience" have been a frequent theme in my life and ministry. (It might have something to do with my "melancholy" temperament.) On the one hand, we see an entire generation of Israel die in the wilderness; on the other hand we see the Holy Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness. The history of Christian spiritual formation often refers to "Desert Spirituality" and the "Desert fathers and mothers." So what is really at stake with this strange theme? And is it relevant in our own spiritual sojourn? Here are a few of my reflections from personal experience:
The wilderness is a time of vulnerability. Entering into a wilderness experience finds us in a place of weakness, a place of profound need. It's very scary to feel stripped and open to attack from all sides. It can be a very lonely time with feelings of isolation and abandonment. It can disorienting with a sense of disconnection. When Jesus was in the wilderness Matthew simply recorded that "he was hungry" (4:2). The simple fact is that the wilderness would not have its transformative effect if it did not involve vulnerability.
The wilderness is a time of dependence. All of the normal supports disappear in the wilderness. We can fool ourselves into believing that we aren't all that needy, that we can pretty much take care of ourselves - until we hit the desert. Then all sense of strength and self-sufficiency fall away. The tendency to be independent is shown to be a sham. When Israel found themselves in the wilderness they soon discovered that they were completely dependent on God to provide for their most basic needs. The Lord even gave them bread from heaven to eat (Exodus 16:15).
The wilderness shows our need for discipline. If nothing else the wilderness can be a very effective training tool. None of us are perfect (or really that mature). All of us need further growth and development. Entering into a wilderness experience can be an indication that our current season of fruitfulness has come to an end and that we need to be prepared for the next season. Or it could indicate that we have started to become spiritually toxic and need time to get cleansed and healed, and then retooled for the next chapter of fruitfulness in our lives. Israel had to pass through the wilderness but they didn't need to spend 40 years there. For them, the wilderness indicated their need to be healed of their bitterness and to grow in their faith and trust in God. Remember how Moses tried to encourage the people: "If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid" (Numbers 14:8-9). Unfortunately they were too unhealthy to listen.
The wilderness is a time of intimacy. From our perspective it's easy to complain about the nature of the wilderness and our experience in it. It all sounds like very bad news, like it's something we should be able to avoid. However, from God's perspective, a time of vulnerability, dependence and training is a very good thing with potentially life-changing results. The prophet Jeremiah reflected this perspective: "I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. Israel was holy to the Lord" (2:2-3). Because the people were stripped for their self-sufficiency and independence, it was (potentially) a time of new intimacy with God. Understanding this encourages us to focus primarily on our walk with the Lord during times in the desert, to learn a new level of sensitivity to God's presence, word and leading.
The wilderness is a "school of obedience." Because we are so vulnerable in the wilderness, we can either despair and just wander around, or we can seek a new ability to see God, hear God, and more easily obey God. Israel had two unique opportunities to learn obedience in the wilderness: (1) Their appropriation of God's provision of "manna" required them to follow specific instructions concerning how much to gather and when to gather it (Exodus 16:19-26). If they didn't obey those instructions, God's blessing turned into a curse (Exodus 16:27-29). (2) After the camp of Israel got organized they were required to "set out" and to camp only as they obediently followed the Cloud of God's Presence (Number 9:17-23). Even for us, the wilderness presents an opportunity to learn anew how to follow God's Cloud.
The Holy Spirit leads us into the wilderness. If you view the desert as a very negative, destructive thing, you might conclude that it is demonic, that it is Satan that leads a person into the wilderness. However, the example of Jesus, while unique, gives us a sense of how someone might find themselves in a dry place. Matthew testified that "Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness" (4:1). Mark was even more descriptive when he wrote, "Immediately the Spirit impelled him to go out into the wilderness" (1:12 NASB). If we needed a wilderness experience there is no way the devil would provide it for us. We can be sure that our desert experience has been crafted and designed by God's Spirit - to do us good and not to harm us.
God is faithful in the wilderness. We may not know why we're in the wilderness, and we may not have a very good response to it. No matter how weak - or even unfaithful - we might be, God always remains faithful. Before going into the promised land Moses reminded the people of Israel, "Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years" (Deuteronomy 8:4). God is forming us, not punishing us, in the wilderness. God's love and care for us remains consistent throughout our wilderness journey.
It's possible to die in the wilderness. It's one thing to fail to understand why we are having a wilderness experience, or even fail to respond well to it. It's another thing to stubbornly rebel against it, to refuse to cooperate with it, and to insist that we "go back to Egypt." It's possible to simply circle the mountain over and over again, year after year, until we die in the wilderness, never having experienced the intimacy and transformation that was available for us there. The first generation of Israel coming out of Egypt was so bitter and had so little trust in God, that entire generation had to die in the wilderness before their children could experience the blessings of the journey. The Lord made it clear when he declared, "not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it" (Numbers 14:22-23). I can't imagine anything more tragic than to so completely miss God and the purpose of God that an entire generation has to be passed over. Or for even one person to be passed over.
The goal of the wilderness is the "promised land." The wilderness is a transit, not a destination. It is a means to an end - a vitally important means to an end. The goal is the "Promised Land." There is a destiny at stake. Ultimately, the wilderness tells us that God is the destiny, God is the inheritance of God's people. God told Israel, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land" (Leviticus 25:38). He brought us out - he led us through - in order to bring us in. The "land" is all about the future, a new experience of the power of God that comes from a new dependence on God, a new season of increased fruitfulness. A new ability to be used by God to see God's kingdom come and God's will done, on earth as it is in heaven. None of those things is possible without passing through the wilderness.
And so, with greater vulnerability and humility, a deeper intimacy and dependence on God, a purer heart and a gentler spirit, the wilderness is preparing us. While on the journey we would be wise to respond with an open heart, with a spirit of faith and thanksgiving. And at the right time, God will bring us in. Don't be surprised when he does!
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Sunday, April 13, 2014
What I Have (re)Learned About "Community"
By nature I would prefer to learn something once, get it right the first time, and then never repeat the lesson again. While as a teacher I understand the importance of repetition, I seem to have a low tolerance for it. Nevertheless, God is committed to repeating certain key lessons at the all the key points in our lives. Sometimes we forget a lesson and need to simply have it repeated. At other times we need to learn a new aspect of a lesson or even to learn it on a new level. While I really don't like circling around a mountain again, I wouldn't be doing it if my Loving Father didn't feel I needed it.
Once of the most important truths I have learned - important in Scripture, in theology, in the life of the church, in spiritual formation, and in my personal life - is the truth about authentic "community." This seems to be one of those lessons that is so important and has so many layers of profound truth it can never really be fully grasped (let alone realized) with just one time of instruction. For me, it has been necessary to return to it time and time again. So here are just a few of the things of have (re)learned about "community."
We were created for community. The Christian idea of the "Tri-unity" of God is the ultimate vision of relationship in community. It's a mystery - how is it possible to be both One and "Three"? God is all about relationship and oneness, and God created human beings to share in his nature. We were created for relationship - with God, each other, and the rest of God's good creation. Indeed, the final prayer of Jesus is that we would share in God's Oneness, "that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity" (John 17:22-23). The glory and purpose of God are seen for humanity to the extent that they are experiencing and living out the implications of relational oneness.
"Community" defines a quality of relationships, not conformity. It's so easy for us to institutionalize community. We tend to define community in terms of a certain model of "small group," but authentic community is only possible in the context of a certain quality of relationships. The kinds of relationships that foster community include: (1) Transparent relationships, marked by honesty and accountability; (2) Trustworthy relationships, held together by loyalty and dependability; and (3) Transformational relationships, resulting in changed lives and Kingdom witness. It's possible to attempt community with shallow, superficial relationships and experience nothing but emptiness and frustration.
Spiritual formation happens in community. All committed Jesus followers seek to become more like him, to escape self-centered sinful patterns of thinking and behavior, to reflect the heart and nature of Jesus, to be ruled by selfless, divine love and true righteousness. The question we might ask is this: What is the optimal environment for true spiritual formation to take place? Some would prefer the life of a hermit, being separate from all the human foibles and distractions that seem to slow down the process of spiritual formation. While silence and solitude are important spiritual disciplines, in the end true spiritual formation requires real heart-to-heart committed relationships with real human beings. While we can certainly get on each other's nerves, and even become very disappointed in each other, the life and grace of God flow from person to person along the "tendons" of relationships. "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love" (Ephesians 4:16). Community is always messy, but there's no possibility of growing beyond the messiness apart from community.
Authentic community is intentional, not accidental. Unfortunately, the effect of sin is to make us fundamentally self-centered, and nothing blocks relationships like self-centeredness. Any experience of authentic community requires consistent commitment and a lot of hard work. No meaningful experience of community will ever happen accidentally. Broken, inconsistent, unfaithful relationships come more naturally to us and will happen "accidentally." Community is maintained only with diligent effort. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:2-3).
Community cannot happen unless people gather. Authentic community assumes an intentional pattern of coming together. The first Jesus followers had a clear practice and pattern of corporate gathering, corporate prayer and worship, etc. In fact, the Greek word for "church," ekklesia, simply refers to those who have been called out of their homes to assemble together. It is the assembly, the corporate gathering "in Jesus' name." When the first church began to experience increasing pressure and disillusionment, some began to "neglect" this intentional gathering. Some forgot that they needed each other even more when times were tough. Some still haven't learned this lesson today. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).
"Relationships trump vision." My friend and pastor, Frank Damazio, has often told the storey of how God led him to "serve the vision" of our mutual spiritual father/mentor, Dick Iverson. "Brother Dick" had a vision to establish an apostolic leadership network he would call Ministers Fellowship International, and he asked Frank to help him. Frank had a great church in Eugene, Oregon and had raised up his own leaders to plant their own local churches. When he prayed about it, the Lord clearly spoke to Frank to set aside his vision in order to serve the vision of MFI. To this day Pastor Frank's conclusion is simply this: Relationships trump vision. His vision as a church planter and leadership developer was not more important than his long relationship with Dick Iverson. That lesson has stayed with him, and with me, ever since.
You can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives. We only have a few close, covenant relationships in this life. Those relationships are initiated by God and are sacred. Knowing who our people are and where our place is constitutes "home" for us. Our covenant brothers and sisters are family! We make a lot of friends in life but we only have so many covenant "relatives." Each one of us need to be clear about where "home" is, and then commit ourselves to that place and to those family members. All other relationships and places must then be seen from the "baseline" of our family. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers" (Galatians 6:10).
The church is God's Kingdom covenant community. Recently it was reported that 85 million American Christians are committed non-church goers. They are the "post-congregational" Christians, those who have intentionally separated themselves from any local congregation. Their claim is that the church hinders their relationship with God and blocks their spiritual formation. Other than the fact that this line of reasoning clearly contradicts the testimony of Scripture, the testimony of their lives does not always support their claim. If they are correct, they should now be shining examples of spiritual maturity. But how would they know when they are cut off from anyone who might challenge them or hold them accountable. Jesus was very clear when he said, "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). The church is the New Covenant Kingdom Community. If we cannot seem to find authentic community in the context of a local congregation, perhaps the fault is not entirely with the church. We need a new commitment to the pursuit of authentic community among our covenant brothers and sisters in a local church. Maybe we should spent focused time praying and interceding for that to become a reality in our experience.
While these lessons about community continue to provide guiding principles in my life as a Jesus-follower, I look forward to (re)learning them more and more deeply in the years ahead. After I, we were created by our Father-Creator for community!
Once of the most important truths I have learned - important in Scripture, in theology, in the life of the church, in spiritual formation, and in my personal life - is the truth about authentic "community." This seems to be one of those lessons that is so important and has so many layers of profound truth it can never really be fully grasped (let alone realized) with just one time of instruction. For me, it has been necessary to return to it time and time again. So here are just a few of the things of have (re)learned about "community."
We were created for community. The Christian idea of the "Tri-unity" of God is the ultimate vision of relationship in community. It's a mystery - how is it possible to be both One and "Three"? God is all about relationship and oneness, and God created human beings to share in his nature. We were created for relationship - with God, each other, and the rest of God's good creation. Indeed, the final prayer of Jesus is that we would share in God's Oneness, "that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity" (John 17:22-23). The glory and purpose of God are seen for humanity to the extent that they are experiencing and living out the implications of relational oneness.
"Community" defines a quality of relationships, not conformity. It's so easy for us to institutionalize community. We tend to define community in terms of a certain model of "small group," but authentic community is only possible in the context of a certain quality of relationships. The kinds of relationships that foster community include: (1) Transparent relationships, marked by honesty and accountability; (2) Trustworthy relationships, held together by loyalty and dependability; and (3) Transformational relationships, resulting in changed lives and Kingdom witness. It's possible to attempt community with shallow, superficial relationships and experience nothing but emptiness and frustration.
Spiritual formation happens in community. All committed Jesus followers seek to become more like him, to escape self-centered sinful patterns of thinking and behavior, to reflect the heart and nature of Jesus, to be ruled by selfless, divine love and true righteousness. The question we might ask is this: What is the optimal environment for true spiritual formation to take place? Some would prefer the life of a hermit, being separate from all the human foibles and distractions that seem to slow down the process of spiritual formation. While silence and solitude are important spiritual disciplines, in the end true spiritual formation requires real heart-to-heart committed relationships with real human beings. While we can certainly get on each other's nerves, and even become very disappointed in each other, the life and grace of God flow from person to person along the "tendons" of relationships. "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love" (Ephesians 4:16). Community is always messy, but there's no possibility of growing beyond the messiness apart from community.
Authentic community is intentional, not accidental. Unfortunately, the effect of sin is to make us fundamentally self-centered, and nothing blocks relationships like self-centeredness. Any experience of authentic community requires consistent commitment and a lot of hard work. No meaningful experience of community will ever happen accidentally. Broken, inconsistent, unfaithful relationships come more naturally to us and will happen "accidentally." Community is maintained only with diligent effort. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:2-3).
Community cannot happen unless people gather. Authentic community assumes an intentional pattern of coming together. The first Jesus followers had a clear practice and pattern of corporate gathering, corporate prayer and worship, etc. In fact, the Greek word for "church," ekklesia, simply refers to those who have been called out of their homes to assemble together. It is the assembly, the corporate gathering "in Jesus' name." When the first church began to experience increasing pressure and disillusionment, some began to "neglect" this intentional gathering. Some forgot that they needed each other even more when times were tough. Some still haven't learned this lesson today. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).
"Relationships trump vision." My friend and pastor, Frank Damazio, has often told the storey of how God led him to "serve the vision" of our mutual spiritual father/mentor, Dick Iverson. "Brother Dick" had a vision to establish an apostolic leadership network he would call Ministers Fellowship International, and he asked Frank to help him. Frank had a great church in Eugene, Oregon and had raised up his own leaders to plant their own local churches. When he prayed about it, the Lord clearly spoke to Frank to set aside his vision in order to serve the vision of MFI. To this day Pastor Frank's conclusion is simply this: Relationships trump vision. His vision as a church planter and leadership developer was not more important than his long relationship with Dick Iverson. That lesson has stayed with him, and with me, ever since.
You can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives. We only have a few close, covenant relationships in this life. Those relationships are initiated by God and are sacred. Knowing who our people are and where our place is constitutes "home" for us. Our covenant brothers and sisters are family! We make a lot of friends in life but we only have so many covenant "relatives." Each one of us need to be clear about where "home" is, and then commit ourselves to that place and to those family members. All other relationships and places must then be seen from the "baseline" of our family. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers" (Galatians 6:10).
The church is God's Kingdom covenant community. Recently it was reported that 85 million American Christians are committed non-church goers. They are the "post-congregational" Christians, those who have intentionally separated themselves from any local congregation. Their claim is that the church hinders their relationship with God and blocks their spiritual formation. Other than the fact that this line of reasoning clearly contradicts the testimony of Scripture, the testimony of their lives does not always support their claim. If they are correct, they should now be shining examples of spiritual maturity. But how would they know when they are cut off from anyone who might challenge them or hold them accountable. Jesus was very clear when he said, "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). The church is the New Covenant Kingdom Community. If we cannot seem to find authentic community in the context of a local congregation, perhaps the fault is not entirely with the church. We need a new commitment to the pursuit of authentic community among our covenant brothers and sisters in a local church. Maybe we should spent focused time praying and interceding for that to become a reality in our experience.
While these lessons about community continue to provide guiding principles in my life as a Jesus-follower, I look forward to (re)learning them more and more deeply in the years ahead. After I, we were created by our Father-Creator for community!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
The Search
I have often found myself reflecting on the tension between the role of human choice and the need to simply submit to God's choice. While these two seem to be contradictory, both are needed in our walk with God. In theology, the classic debate is between Augustine and Pelagius or between Calvin and Arminius. To this day, it's seems much easier to simply retain the debate (and throw stones at the other side) than it is to try to see the need for both emphases. For example, Calvin clearly taught that God's choice to save us is prior to our choice, that we would have no choice if God did not choose first. Some then took his teaching to an extreme and concluded that human beings are merely passive recipients of God's grace. Arminius objected and tried to define (withine the context of Dutch Calvinism) a role for faith as the human response to God's choice. For those who love to debate (and prove how smart they are), it still seems unlikely that these two positions can be reconciled. I contend that, in light of Scripture, both positions are right.
There's no question that "the search" begins with God seeking us. God promised through the prophet that he would take the initiative to search for his lost sheep (Ezekiel 34:11). Jesus defined his mission as "seeking" and "saving" the "lost" (Luke 19:10). There would be no plan to redeem and restore humankind apart from God's initiative. Those who claim that humans can initiate their own salvaton with an act of will do not see the clear pattern of Scripture - God has sought us out and as a result, we have been given the opportunity to respond to his initiative in our lives.
In fact, I'm struck by the fact that God highly values our "search." Somehow we not only have the opportunity to respond to God, the extent to which we respond with passion and diligence is important. We are not only to respond in some passive, "hopeful" way, but with all our hearts, a search that reflects a profoundly deep hunger and thirst for God and his righteous rule. (Pascal's "Wager" is not enough.)
In the early days of God's relationship with Israel God promised, "if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you see him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 4:29). It's not that God is playing some kind of "hide and go seek" game with his people; God just wants to see the heart of the human seeking after God. Are they just being superficially religious, or do they really want to know God?
David, a man after God's own heart, clearly proclaimed his passion. "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you" (Psalm 63:1). On the other hand, some are not truly dedicated to the search. "In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all this thoughts there is no room for God" (Psalm 10:4). The wisdom of Solomon provides important life lessons for those who truly want to know God. Concerning a desire for wisdom we read, "If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:3-5). Later words are put in the mouth of wisdom personified: "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me" (Proverbs 8:17).
I'm fascinated by another statement made by Solomon: "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings" (Proverbs 25:2). While God is not hiding himself or truth from us, God chooses to reveal himself in a way that calls for a search. A polite but passive hearing will not lead to a discovery of God's truth. In fact, God has designed human beings to want to, and be able to "search out a matter." It is their glory! (That's why there should be no real conflict between faith and the scientific method of inquiry.)
The prophets continued to preach among the people God's desire for an earnest, heart-felt search. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). Unfortunately, the people being addressed by the prophets were not always deeply sincere and passionate about the need to turn and submit to God. Their religious responses were superficial and short-term. The prophet Hosea put it this way: "Israel’s arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him" (Hosea 7:10). When Hosea called the people to repentance, he proclaimed, "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12). I love how the prophet Amos put it in clear and simple terms: "This is what the Lord says to Israel: 'Seek me and live'" (Amos 5:4).
So those who conclude that Jesus followers are just passive recipients of God's grace, while reflecting an important truth, are missing the mark. A passive response is exactly what God is not looking for. God is looking for sons and daughters who so hunger and thirst for him that they will dedicate their lives to the Search.
There's no question that "the search" begins with God seeking us. God promised through the prophet that he would take the initiative to search for his lost sheep (Ezekiel 34:11). Jesus defined his mission as "seeking" and "saving" the "lost" (Luke 19:10). There would be no plan to redeem and restore humankind apart from God's initiative. Those who claim that humans can initiate their own salvaton with an act of will do not see the clear pattern of Scripture - God has sought us out and as a result, we have been given the opportunity to respond to his initiative in our lives.
In fact, I'm struck by the fact that God highly values our "search." Somehow we not only have the opportunity to respond to God, the extent to which we respond with passion and diligence is important. We are not only to respond in some passive, "hopeful" way, but with all our hearts, a search that reflects a profoundly deep hunger and thirst for God and his righteous rule. (Pascal's "Wager" is not enough.)
In the early days of God's relationship with Israel God promised, "if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you see him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 4:29). It's not that God is playing some kind of "hide and go seek" game with his people; God just wants to see the heart of the human seeking after God. Are they just being superficially religious, or do they really want to know God?
David, a man after God's own heart, clearly proclaimed his passion. "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you" (Psalm 63:1). On the other hand, some are not truly dedicated to the search. "In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all this thoughts there is no room for God" (Psalm 10:4). The wisdom of Solomon provides important life lessons for those who truly want to know God. Concerning a desire for wisdom we read, "If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:3-5). Later words are put in the mouth of wisdom personified: "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me" (Proverbs 8:17).
I'm fascinated by another statement made by Solomon: "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings" (Proverbs 25:2). While God is not hiding himself or truth from us, God chooses to reveal himself in a way that calls for a search. A polite but passive hearing will not lead to a discovery of God's truth. In fact, God has designed human beings to want to, and be able to "search out a matter." It is their glory! (That's why there should be no real conflict between faith and the scientific method of inquiry.)
The prophets continued to preach among the people God's desire for an earnest, heart-felt search. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). Unfortunately, the people being addressed by the prophets were not always deeply sincere and passionate about the need to turn and submit to God. Their religious responses were superficial and short-term. The prophet Hosea put it this way: "Israel’s arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him" (Hosea 7:10). When Hosea called the people to repentance, he proclaimed, "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12). I love how the prophet Amos put it in clear and simple terms: "This is what the Lord says to Israel: 'Seek me and live'" (Amos 5:4).
Jesus came with a renewed call to repentance, announcing the Good News of God's Kingdom. He was clear in exposing the deficiency of external religion as well as the life centered on temporal values. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). The follower of Jesus must "seek" certain things, must diligently search for certain things. Those things are sumarized by anything and everything that might be implied by God's righteous rule in every area of life. The search for God's and a sincere submission to God's authority is the essence of what it means to follow Jesus.
Later in the New Testament the life of faith is defined for us in clear terms: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). Our belief in God is not a matter of philosophical precept but values and decisions founded on a clear convinction that our God is a certain kind of God: A god who "rewards" those who "earnestly seek him." God is not looking for shallow commitment but rather a passionate heart that searches for God at every point in life, a passionate love relationship with the Father Creator and with the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Later in the New Testament the life of faith is defined for us in clear terms: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). Our belief in God is not a matter of philosophical precept but values and decisions founded on a clear convinction that our God is a certain kind of God: A god who "rewards" those who "earnestly seek him." God is not looking for shallow commitment but rather a passionate heart that searches for God at every point in life, a passionate love relationship with the Father Creator and with the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
So those who conclude that Jesus followers are just passive recipients of God's grace, while reflecting an important truth, are missing the mark. A passive response is exactly what God is not looking for. God is looking for sons and daughters who so hunger and thirst for him that they will dedicate their lives to the Search.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
God Has No Grandchildren
I've often wondered why one child grows up in a very toxic, dysfunctional family environment and becomes a highly sane, balanced, fruitful, godly adult, while another child grows up in a very wholesome, loving, healthy family and grows up to be a very unstable, unbalanced, addicted, crisis-prone adult. In fact, how is it possible for two children to grow up in the same godly family receiving the same nurturing, loving, consistent parenting, and then develop into radically different adults, one finding a life of fruitfulness and fulfillment, the other a life of frsutration and failure? The obvious answer is that each person is a unique individual who goes through life making unique choices, all of which have profound consequences. But from the perspective of godly parents committed to providing the very best opportunity for their children to be all they can be and do all they can do under God, what are other important factors that need to be taken into consideration? And what are the general implications for our children and young people in our local congregations? Here are a couple of ideas (and observations):
It's All Grace! No one is able to connect heart-to-heart with God apart from God's grace. No human being can initiate their own salvation; faith is always our human response to God's initiative in our lives. (And even faith is a gift.) No amount of consistent parenting or pastoring can replace the need for God's grace in a person's life. I know a young man who as a child was a real rascal. He was always misbehaving, angry, disobedient, moody. And then at age 12 he had a personal encounter with Jesus who personally took him through a healing experience - and it transformed his life. Apart from God's grace working in his experience there's no telling where he might be today.
The condition of the human heart must be prepared to receive God's grace. The human heart is the place where we connect personally with God. All of us find our hearts changing from time to time - growing hard, becoming corrupted, getting soft - due to a variety of factors. It brings to mind the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23). The focus of this parable is not on the sower or on the seed but rather on the condition of the soil receiving the seed. In every case, the sower is Jesus and the seed is his word. However, not every soil is ready to receive the seed. The soil is simply an image of the human heart. Some soil is hard - the seed simply sits on the surface until a bird comes and eats it. Some soil is shallow, ready to receive the seed but not deep enough for a root structure to develop. Some soil has so many thorn bushes already growing in it, the roots already present choke out the seed. But some soil is soft and moist (good), ready not only to receive the seed but also put roots down and ultimately bear good fruit. The good news is that God can provide a life-plow that may come along and turn the soil over, giving it a fresh start.
Every person needs their own encounter with God. Faith is not just believing the right things about God. Those who grow up in the church can fall in love with the idea of God and never actually fall in love with God. Faith is personal, relational, and experiential. Everyone needs to "see" God for themselves. I had a great love for Jesus as a child and grew up in a wonderful Christian home. And yet as a young adult I realized my faith needed something more. As a university student I grew desperate - not for more answers to more questions, but to really know God for myself. One night I grabbed a blanket and went into a small chapel in our dorm and told the Lord I was not going to leave until he met with me. I was not testing God - I really wanted to know. The Lord met me that night, and my life has never been the same.
It's possible to grow up in a godly home, to spend every weekend in Sunday School and church, to keep most of the rules, but never really have a personal connection with God. The good seed of the word can fall on a heart week after week but it never take root and never bear fruit. More than a religious commitment is needed.
In 1980 we had the privilege of hosting David duPlessis in our home in Springfield, Missouri. "Uncle David" was an important figure in the charismatic renewal and he had come to Springfield to restore his relationship with the Assemblies of God. One of the many things he shared has stuck with me: "God has no grandchildren." God only has children. Every church runs the risk of lasting only one generation, because every generation needs its own revival - its own encounter with God. So you see, this spiritual reality applies to more than individual lives - it applies to local congregations and even to generations. While we need to continue doing our best parenting, training and pastoring, ultimately the most profound thing we can do is to faithfully and persistently intercede - for God to open the eyes of those he has placed in our lives and to visit them in a personal way. Indeed, our prayer is for God to visit a new generation of young people who need to see his glory and to put all their hope, trust and confidence in Jesus - to fall in love with Jesus in a profoundly personal, transformational way!
It's All Grace! No one is able to connect heart-to-heart with God apart from God's grace. No human being can initiate their own salvation; faith is always our human response to God's initiative in our lives. (And even faith is a gift.) No amount of consistent parenting or pastoring can replace the need for God's grace in a person's life. I know a young man who as a child was a real rascal. He was always misbehaving, angry, disobedient, moody. And then at age 12 he had a personal encounter with Jesus who personally took him through a healing experience - and it transformed his life. Apart from God's grace working in his experience there's no telling where he might be today.
The condition of the human heart must be prepared to receive God's grace. The human heart is the place where we connect personally with God. All of us find our hearts changing from time to time - growing hard, becoming corrupted, getting soft - due to a variety of factors. It brings to mind the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23). The focus of this parable is not on the sower or on the seed but rather on the condition of the soil receiving the seed. In every case, the sower is Jesus and the seed is his word. However, not every soil is ready to receive the seed. The soil is simply an image of the human heart. Some soil is hard - the seed simply sits on the surface until a bird comes and eats it. Some soil is shallow, ready to receive the seed but not deep enough for a root structure to develop. Some soil has so many thorn bushes already growing in it, the roots already present choke out the seed. But some soil is soft and moist (good), ready not only to receive the seed but also put roots down and ultimately bear good fruit. The good news is that God can provide a life-plow that may come along and turn the soil over, giving it a fresh start.
Every person needs their own encounter with God. Faith is not just believing the right things about God. Those who grow up in the church can fall in love with the idea of God and never actually fall in love with God. Faith is personal, relational, and experiential. Everyone needs to "see" God for themselves. I had a great love for Jesus as a child and grew up in a wonderful Christian home. And yet as a young adult I realized my faith needed something more. As a university student I grew desperate - not for more answers to more questions, but to really know God for myself. One night I grabbed a blanket and went into a small chapel in our dorm and told the Lord I was not going to leave until he met with me. I was not testing God - I really wanted to know. The Lord met me that night, and my life has never been the same.
It's possible to grow up in a godly home, to spend every weekend in Sunday School and church, to keep most of the rules, but never really have a personal connection with God. The good seed of the word can fall on a heart week after week but it never take root and never bear fruit. More than a religious commitment is needed.
In 1980 we had the privilege of hosting David duPlessis in our home in Springfield, Missouri. "Uncle David" was an important figure in the charismatic renewal and he had come to Springfield to restore his relationship with the Assemblies of God. One of the many things he shared has stuck with me: "God has no grandchildren." God only has children. Every church runs the risk of lasting only one generation, because every generation needs its own revival - its own encounter with God. So you see, this spiritual reality applies to more than individual lives - it applies to local congregations and even to generations. While we need to continue doing our best parenting, training and pastoring, ultimately the most profound thing we can do is to faithfully and persistently intercede - for God to open the eyes of those he has placed in our lives and to visit them in a personal way. Indeed, our prayer is for God to visit a new generation of young people who need to see his glory and to put all their hope, trust and confidence in Jesus - to fall in love with Jesus in a profoundly personal, transformational way!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
"None"
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life regularly surveys the "religious affiliation" of Americans. One of the options available is "none." As it turns out, that option represents the fastest growing religious demographic, a fact causing considerable conern if not alarm in the American church. In 2005, 15% of respondents identified themselves as "nones." By 2010, that had increased to 20% (32% of those under the age of 30). However, this growing group of Americans are not simply atheists: 68% say they believe in God, 37% say they are "spiritual but not religious," and 21% say they pray every day.
It very much reminds me of the time when many members of my generation were deciding to follow Jesus in the late '60s. We were very clear in saying that our decision reflected a commitment to "relationship" with God through Christ and not to "religion." I wonder if a lot of us might not have answered "none" to the Pew questionnaire for that reason.
Living in the very relgious American southeast I have once again been reflecting on the difference between religion and a dynamic, transformational relation with God. When you live in a place where Christianity (in fact, evangelical, revivalistic Christianity) is part of the cultural DNA, it affords a significant opportunity to observe how deeply faith goes in determining people's perspectivs, values, attitudes, and life choices. No matter where you live, the difference between religion and relationship with God can be easily seen.
In fact, it was the key issue between Jesus and the Pharisees in the New Testament. I have always been impressed with the reason why Jesus chose his disciples. "He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons" (Mark 3:14-15). Jesus had three goals for his followers: (1) To be with him, to be his companions, for relationship; (2) to preach, to announce the Good News of the Kingdom that had come with the coming of Jesus; and (3) to have authority, to share with Jesus in the authoritative work of the Kingdom. Notice that the first reason was all about relationship. In fact, it can be said (in the light of Genesis 1-3) that God's first reason for creating human beings was to have a creation that could freely respond to, return, and share his love.
With the rapid increase in "nones" maybe it's time we took another look at this issue.
Moralism v. Grace. It was C. S. Lewis who opined that "grace" was the most distinctive idea in Christian faith. "Moralism" is a more logical view of life. It claims that there are clear moral scales in the universe, a moral order with moral consequences. With "evil" on one side and "good" on the other, the scales tip based on a simple system of behavior and rewards. Too much "bad" behavior will always result in a negative consequence. Just the right amount of "good" behavior guarantees a good result. Job's "comforters" were arguing based on this traditional view of life. In fact, I think moralism is hard-wired into the human psyche. "Grace" begins with the understanding that all humans are "bad" and that only God is "good." Therefore, the only possibility of a good reward is God's unmerited favor. The Good News declares that God's favor has been made available to all human beings as a result of the coming and work of Jesus. Therefore, it is only a right relationship with God through Christ that can result in God's favor and blessing. No amount of positive human accomplishment can ever "earn" God's favor. God is not impressed! And there are no "brownie points." And the power of God's grace is the power to transform us from the inside out, to make us more like Jesus.
Exclusion vs. Inclusion. A system of moralism logically leads to a system of comparison, seeking to show that some are better or superior to others. Those who are worse or inferior are to be rejected and excluded. In fact, if we are members of the "in crowd," having established our superiority, excluding the "other" serves to reinforce our sense of special designation and destiny. As my old teacher Kevin Conner used to say, we want to feel we are "the select of the elect" (said with an Australian accent). It's only natural that those on the inside conclude that God is also about excluding those who are not good enough, those who are "outside." In fact, some have concluded that God is looking for reasons to exclude as many as possible from his family. On the other hand, Jesus came to invite everyone to his banquet hall, to heal the sick, to serve and not to be served, to specifically include those society had excluded. The irony was that Jesus saw everyone as sick and blind; but only those who fully understood their blindness and their need for God's enlightenment were candidates for a kingdom cure. In fact, I get the impression from Jesus that the Father is looking for reasons to include folks in his eternal family. You can reject God, but God will not reject you. A church that preaches (and practices) a gospel of superiority and rejection, of exclusion, is representing human-based religion and not a passion to walk in a relationship with God through Christ. It's also true that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A consistent, conscious decision to reject relationship with God, to decide to not make a home with God, is a decision we will eventaully regret.
Enclave vs. Embassy. I have spent all of my adult life and ministry reflecting on the nature of the church Jesus is building. Cultural Christianity is seen most clearly in our Sunday morning gatherings. To be honest, for most people a local church is a religious social club, a place where we can feel safe "with others like you." However, Jesus has called his followers to be his royal ambassadores, his official representatives in the world. The difference between an "enclave" and an "embassy" comes to mind. An "enclave" is "a country or district surrounded by the territory of another country; an isolated territory." The verb simply means "to isolate or enclose." An enclave builds walls around it to protect and keep its citizens save and untarnished by the outside world. On the other hand, an "embassy" is "a diplomatic mission; a group of people from one organization being represented in another; an ambassador and his/her entourage." An embassy exists to represent the rule of another in a foreign land. It seeks to be an influence and to build bridges of relationship to the surrounding citizens. As Christ's ambassadors, we are called to send embassys, not build enclaves. Unfortunately, the vast majority of American local churches are enclaves, competing with other enclaves for its citizens while protecting themselves from the world. I contend that this vision of the church has nothing to do with the church as defined in the New Testament. It is not the church Jesus is building.
Unfortunately, so many of our "nones," including those who are clearly committed Jesus followers, have so given up on the institution of the American church that they have ceased any participation in Jesus' kingdom community. They have completely given up on the vision that committed, connected followers of Jesus can be agents of redemption and transformation in the world. At the same time, some of our youngest "Jesus freaks" are exploring new expressions of Jesus's community, and are once again serving as salt, light and leaven in our world. Dropping out is not our only alterantive. It is still possible to join with Jesus and his community in a realization of his "kingdom coming" and his "will being done...on earth as it is in heaven." It's still possible that the best is yet to come!
It very much reminds me of the time when many members of my generation were deciding to follow Jesus in the late '60s. We were very clear in saying that our decision reflected a commitment to "relationship" with God through Christ and not to "religion." I wonder if a lot of us might not have answered "none" to the Pew questionnaire for that reason.
Living in the very relgious American southeast I have once again been reflecting on the difference between religion and a dynamic, transformational relation with God. When you live in a place where Christianity (in fact, evangelical, revivalistic Christianity) is part of the cultural DNA, it affords a significant opportunity to observe how deeply faith goes in determining people's perspectivs, values, attitudes, and life choices. No matter where you live, the difference between religion and relationship with God can be easily seen.
In fact, it was the key issue between Jesus and the Pharisees in the New Testament. I have always been impressed with the reason why Jesus chose his disciples. "He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons" (Mark 3:14-15). Jesus had three goals for his followers: (1) To be with him, to be his companions, for relationship; (2) to preach, to announce the Good News of the Kingdom that had come with the coming of Jesus; and (3) to have authority, to share with Jesus in the authoritative work of the Kingdom. Notice that the first reason was all about relationship. In fact, it can be said (in the light of Genesis 1-3) that God's first reason for creating human beings was to have a creation that could freely respond to, return, and share his love.
With the rapid increase in "nones" maybe it's time we took another look at this issue.
Moralism v. Grace. It was C. S. Lewis who opined that "grace" was the most distinctive idea in Christian faith. "Moralism" is a more logical view of life. It claims that there are clear moral scales in the universe, a moral order with moral consequences. With "evil" on one side and "good" on the other, the scales tip based on a simple system of behavior and rewards. Too much "bad" behavior will always result in a negative consequence. Just the right amount of "good" behavior guarantees a good result. Job's "comforters" were arguing based on this traditional view of life. In fact, I think moralism is hard-wired into the human psyche. "Grace" begins with the understanding that all humans are "bad" and that only God is "good." Therefore, the only possibility of a good reward is God's unmerited favor. The Good News declares that God's favor has been made available to all human beings as a result of the coming and work of Jesus. Therefore, it is only a right relationship with God through Christ that can result in God's favor and blessing. No amount of positive human accomplishment can ever "earn" God's favor. God is not impressed! And there are no "brownie points." And the power of God's grace is the power to transform us from the inside out, to make us more like Jesus.
Exclusion vs. Inclusion. A system of moralism logically leads to a system of comparison, seeking to show that some are better or superior to others. Those who are worse or inferior are to be rejected and excluded. In fact, if we are members of the "in crowd," having established our superiority, excluding the "other" serves to reinforce our sense of special designation and destiny. As my old teacher Kevin Conner used to say, we want to feel we are "the select of the elect" (said with an Australian accent). It's only natural that those on the inside conclude that God is also about excluding those who are not good enough, those who are "outside." In fact, some have concluded that God is looking for reasons to exclude as many as possible from his family. On the other hand, Jesus came to invite everyone to his banquet hall, to heal the sick, to serve and not to be served, to specifically include those society had excluded. The irony was that Jesus saw everyone as sick and blind; but only those who fully understood their blindness and their need for God's enlightenment were candidates for a kingdom cure. In fact, I get the impression from Jesus that the Father is looking for reasons to include folks in his eternal family. You can reject God, but God will not reject you. A church that preaches (and practices) a gospel of superiority and rejection, of exclusion, is representing human-based religion and not a passion to walk in a relationship with God through Christ. It's also true that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A consistent, conscious decision to reject relationship with God, to decide to not make a home with God, is a decision we will eventaully regret.
Enclave vs. Embassy. I have spent all of my adult life and ministry reflecting on the nature of the church Jesus is building. Cultural Christianity is seen most clearly in our Sunday morning gatherings. To be honest, for most people a local church is a religious social club, a place where we can feel safe "with others like you." However, Jesus has called his followers to be his royal ambassadores, his official representatives in the world. The difference between an "enclave" and an "embassy" comes to mind. An "enclave" is "a country or district surrounded by the territory of another country; an isolated territory." The verb simply means "to isolate or enclose." An enclave builds walls around it to protect and keep its citizens save and untarnished by the outside world. On the other hand, an "embassy" is "a diplomatic mission; a group of people from one organization being represented in another; an ambassador and his/her entourage." An embassy exists to represent the rule of another in a foreign land. It seeks to be an influence and to build bridges of relationship to the surrounding citizens. As Christ's ambassadors, we are called to send embassys, not build enclaves. Unfortunately, the vast majority of American local churches are enclaves, competing with other enclaves for its citizens while protecting themselves from the world. I contend that this vision of the church has nothing to do with the church as defined in the New Testament. It is not the church Jesus is building.
Unfortunately, so many of our "nones," including those who are clearly committed Jesus followers, have so given up on the institution of the American church that they have ceased any participation in Jesus' kingdom community. They have completely given up on the vision that committed, connected followers of Jesus can be agents of redemption and transformation in the world. At the same time, some of our youngest "Jesus freaks" are exploring new expressions of Jesus's community, and are once again serving as salt, light and leaven in our world. Dropping out is not our only alterantive. It is still possible to join with Jesus and his community in a realization of his "kingdom coming" and his "will being done...on earth as it is in heaven." It's still possible that the best is yet to come!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Liturgy of the Divine Names
We worship you
YHWH Jireh, the Lord Our Provider (Genesis 22:14)
You see perfectly what we
need
and you always see to it.
We worship you
YHWH Rapha, the Lord Our Healer (Exodus 15:26)
You are repairing
and restoring us.
We worship you
YHWH Nissi, the Lord Our Banner (Exodus 17:15)
You have gone before us and won the
victory;
we would walk in your victory.
We worship you
YHWH M’Qadish, the Lord Our Sanctifier (Leviticus 20:8)
You have set us apart
for yourself.
We worship you
YHWH Shalom, the Lord Our Peace (Judges 6:24)
You are our harmony
and our wholeness.
We worship you
YHWH Roeh, the Lord Our Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
With you
we lack no good thing.
We worship you
YHWH Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)
You have provided us with your own
righteousness
in your Son.
We worship you
YHWH Shammah, the Lord Who Is There
(Ezekiel 48:35)
You are always with us;
you never leave us nor forsake us.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
Only you
can satisfy.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
the Light of the World (John 8:12)
You are the light shining from the
Father
showing us the way back.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
the Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7)
You have provided us
entrance into the Father’s
household.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
You have laid down your life for the
sheep;
we would listen to your voice and
follow you.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
You have led us out of death
into life.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
You are the way to the Father,
the truth about the Father,
and the life that comes from the
Father.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
the True Vine (John 15:1)
We are the branches and the Father
is the Vinedresser;
we would abide in you and you in us;
we would submit to the Father’s
pruning.
We worship you
Lord Jesus Christ
YOU ARE (I AM)
a King (John 18:37)
You are the King of kings and the
Lord of lords;
all authority in heaven and on earth
belongs to you.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Truth (John 14:17)
You are guiding us
and teaching us the truth.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Holiness (Romans 1:4)
You are separating us from those
things
that separate us from the Father.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2)
You are the River of Life
that flows from the throne of God.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15)
You have provided us birth into the
Father’s household
and are preparing us to be mature
sons and daughters.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Promise (Ephesians 1:13)
You are the Father’s earnest and
guarantee
of an inheritance in his household.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation (Ephesians 1:17)
You are opening our eyes
and showing us the Father’s
perspective.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10:29)
You are administering grace
out of the rich treasuries of the
Father’s grace.
We worship you
Holy Spirit
You are the
Spirit of Glory (1 Peter 4:14)
You are revealing the glory of the Father
and are transforming us from glory to
glory into the image of his Son.
Monday, February 3, 2014
What Does the Lord Require of Us?
Do you ever find it challenging to maintain a
clear, spiritual focus? With so many competing sounds and sights, issues and
attractions, keeping “our eyes on Jesus” can be very difficult. Some of us do
good to have our hearts focused on God during times of corporate worship on
Sunday mornings (and for some, not even then). Jesus’ Parable of the Sower used
the illustration of seed sown among thorns where “the worries of this life and
the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). Our
minds and hearts are being continually influenced by the insistent messages of
the surrounding culture. We love the annual Super Bowl commercials without
necessarily stopping to consider the messages we are taking into our souls.
The message of the apostle John seems so clear and simple: “Do not love
the world or anything in the world” (1 John 2:15). Don’t attach your personal
desires and affections on the elements that make up our society. Why? “The
world and its desires pass away.” Our societal systems are temporary, and the
values that drive our culture are temporary. Yet they demand the kind of
attention and loyalty due only permanent, eternal things. Instead, “whoever does
the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17). God is eternal. The will –
desires, values – of God are eternal. Those who choose to live their lives
focused on God and his will find a life of eternal meaning and fulfillment –
eternal, abundant life. You will remember that John defined the temporary
desires and values of the temporary world system in these familiar terms: “the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).
When we define our values in terms of our physical desires, what can be seen
and observed with our eyes, and the natural and material accomplishments of our
lives, we distance ourselves from God’s eternal values – “love for the Father
is not in them.”
Compare this teaching to one found in the prophet Jeremiah. “Let not the
wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the
rich man boast of his riches” (Jeremiah 9:23). This is an excellent description
of the things we tend to boast about, are proud of – the things we tend to
value and to praise others for, the ways we measure success and significance.
- Wisdom. Our society values intelligence. Having
attained high levels of formal education results in automatic status in
many circles. We take pride in our IQ and the intelligence of our children.
But it’s possible to master areas of learning and to have great
intellectual gifts without seeing the big picture or being of practical
value to others. In fact, those who “boast in their wisdom” can be
insensitive if not offensive when it comes to human relationships. Those
with the “gift of learning” forget that any ability they might have has
been given to them by the Creator.
- Strength. The desire for power is a universal human
tendency. Gaining influence and control in our lives and over the lives of
others gives us a sense of importance and significance. Feeling powerless
and out of control results in high levels of worry and anxiety. Yet, what
a person does with their power is the ultimate measure of their success.
- Riches. Power and wealth go together. Accumulating
things is more easily done in a position of power and control. Getting
greater wealth can be the primary motivation behind attempts to grab power
from others. As the bumper sticker famously declared, “He who dies with
the most stuff wins.” But as with power, what a person does with their
wealth is the true indicator of the meaning of their lives.
Through the prophet the Lord goes on to say, “Let him who boasts boast
about this: that he understands and knows me” (Jeremiah 9:24). Finding true
meaning and fulfillment in life can only be founded upon an understanding of
God – a thoughtful, skillful, careful reflection on the nature and purpose of
God – and on a personal, experiential knowledge of God. For as Jesus said,
knowing God is eternal life (John
17:3). If we get to know God, we will also come to understand God’s perspective
and God’s values. We will discover that God “delights” in specific things:
- Kindness (Hebrew chesed). God values covenant-making,
covenant-keeping love. God delights in committed, loyal personal
relationships.
- Justice (Hebrew mishpat).
God personally delights in justice, in the exercise of justice as it
pertains to the guilty and the innocent, the weak and the strong.
- Righteousness (Hebrew tsadaq).
God places a high premium on integrity, on right behavior in the context
of right, covenantal relationships.
A focused life in God’s Kingdom will value the things God values and
will not be lived according to the values of the surrounding culture. I have
often wondered what God’s perspective is on our feeble attempts to know him,
love him and serve him. What is God looking for? What does God require of us? “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to
love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). That’s the very definition of
abundant life, of the life of a disciple of Jesus. Is that the definition of
your life?
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