When my wife was working on her masters' degree, she had a friend who starting dating a guy. She told my wife that she really liked how spiritual he was. I admit that, at the time, I didn't really know what she meant by that statement. She talked about how he liked to get out into the wilderness, go hiking, spend time in nature, and do all these kind of outdoor things. To her, that seemed to be what this word "spiritual" meant.
While I haven't personally heard someone say it to me, I know that there are those in our country who claim to be spiritual, and they often contrast that against being religious. "I'm spiritual, but not religious." The way I understand this phrase, someone saying this would seem to mean that they don't go through mindless ritual and routine, but instead, get out and do things where they feel alive and unbounded by rules, laws, and regulations.
As a Christian, if I were ever to hear something like this, my first instinct would be to ask them what they mean by their words. How someone defines "spiritual" or "religious" will go a long way to figuring out their intent behind the statement. Perhaps they have had experience in a Christian worship service where the ritual or rites rarely ever changed, and they saw that as a mindless following of some ritual with no life in it (a charge which, sadly, may actually be present in many Christian worship services). When they think of something of a spiritual nature, they think of something living, dynamic, free-flowing, not a structured setting.
One of my hobbies is to read, and I have actually read a number of books on the subject of spirituality, from various sides of the equation. There is definitely a mindset and way of thinking that links nature and spirituality. I have known a few people who seem to go in that direction. To them, spirituality is being in touch with the world, knowing the world, caring for the world, and not doing things to hurt or harm the world.*
Others seem to think that spirituality is about being in touch with the spirit world. I see a great danger in this, since God reveals that there are spirits at work in this world who work contrary to His will and desire. I have had a few occasions to warn people about this, though it does seem like those warnings often go unheeded.
Okay, so this has kind of rambled on. Part of the reason for that is that the term "spirituality" can mean so many things. That's why I find it helpful to try to figure out what someone means when they say it. Usually, that gives a good starting point for sharing my faith in God and in Jesus with them. I try never to assume that I know what they mean, but instead, ask questions. It seems to open up the greater opportunity for dialogue with them, and has given me many opportunities to share Christ with them that I would not have had if I had simply told them that their "spirituality" was wrong. I hope that you will also give thought to how to approach people with these different kind of understandings of spirituality, especially since it seems to be all the rage now.
*When it comes to the care of the world, I have often wondered why Christians are not at the forefront of this battle. God placed the man in a position of dominion over the world, which means that man was not to use the world as he saw fit, but rather, to be responsible in his care for God's precious creation. It seems to make too much sense that Christians would care about the things which God has made and would be in the lead to care for the things that God has made. While we cannot change history, perhaps it would be worthwhile to show that Christians do care greatly about things like recycling, litter, deforestation, and the like.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
"I'm religious, but I don't like organized religion"
The statement in the title is one that seems to be the "new" reason on why many (who claim to be Christian) do not attend regular worship times or participate in a local church or congregation. The claim is that they believe in Jesus, but they really don't want any association with the organizations that have sprung up as part of God's Church in a more national or international sense.
I will admit that I have some sympathy when someone makes a claim like this. One of the sad realities is that organizations can forget their reason for existing, and start to make their continued existence of the utmost importance. When a church starts to exist simply to be a church (rather than to be the bearer of God's message of Good News), then a problem has developed. I can understand someone who wants the purpose of the church to be God in Christ Jesus, and not merely maintaining itself. The local congregation should not exist merely to exist, but to be the place where God's people are fed, encouraged, equipped, and prepared for their life and the circumstances of life.
However, there are also times where I am less than sympathetic to someone who would speak this phrase. Let's say that a person or family has found something or someone that they don't like within the congregation. Rather than make an effort to deal with the situation or person in a loving, grace-filled way, it may become easier to simply disassociate from the congregation, and then make this claim. In this situation, the claim is made simply because the person didn't want to go through the challenge of working through a disagreement or a struggle. In my mind, this equates to something like running away from a situation rather than dealing with it (which has led to all kinds of things in our society, such as high divorce rates, people changing jobs at a rapid rate, and other similar things), and so I tend to have less sympathy toward that person, simply because they are choosing not to deal with a situation rather than having a "problem" with the church or with God.
The reality is, we are all tempted to have our own version of our faith life. The way that God paints the picture, that is a very dangerous thing for us as Christians. The last verse of the book of the Judges in the Bible says that everyone was doing what seemed right in their own eyes, and in the context of that book of the Bible, this is a very disturbing thing. It's not the way God created us, since He created us for community, and to be in fellowship with each other. He created us to live in a community, which means that we have responsibilities to care for others around us, and at times, to put their needs as higher priority than our own. It means that we live by God's words and laws as we love our neighbor as ourselves. Keeping ourselves isolated in our faith life doesn't show that love to others, who may need our presence just as much as we need to hear God's message.
The thing that really strikes me about this statement is the selfishness that it seems to convey. It seems to make the claim that what I want and what I desire is far more important than being with my brothers and sisters in Jesus. Satan is the one who wants to isolate us from our brothers and sisters, who can encourage us, equip us, challenge us to grow beyond what we are now, but who, most importantly, can share the love of God and the forgiveness and life of Jesus with us.
There are always dangers when the need to organize comes up (which happens once more than one person is involved). Yet, God chose to make us part of a community, despite the dangers, because He knew of our need for each other. While I will always sympathize with someone who thinks this way, I will also challenge them to think about the reasons why they make this claim, and hopefully, lead them back into the local body of believers for the strengthening of their faith.
I will admit that I have some sympathy when someone makes a claim like this. One of the sad realities is that organizations can forget their reason for existing, and start to make their continued existence of the utmost importance. When a church starts to exist simply to be a church (rather than to be the bearer of God's message of Good News), then a problem has developed. I can understand someone who wants the purpose of the church to be God in Christ Jesus, and not merely maintaining itself. The local congregation should not exist merely to exist, but to be the place where God's people are fed, encouraged, equipped, and prepared for their life and the circumstances of life.
However, there are also times where I am less than sympathetic to someone who would speak this phrase. Let's say that a person or family has found something or someone that they don't like within the congregation. Rather than make an effort to deal with the situation or person in a loving, grace-filled way, it may become easier to simply disassociate from the congregation, and then make this claim. In this situation, the claim is made simply because the person didn't want to go through the challenge of working through a disagreement or a struggle. In my mind, this equates to something like running away from a situation rather than dealing with it (which has led to all kinds of things in our society, such as high divorce rates, people changing jobs at a rapid rate, and other similar things), and so I tend to have less sympathy toward that person, simply because they are choosing not to deal with a situation rather than having a "problem" with the church or with God.
The reality is, we are all tempted to have our own version of our faith life. The way that God paints the picture, that is a very dangerous thing for us as Christians. The last verse of the book of the Judges in the Bible says that everyone was doing what seemed right in their own eyes, and in the context of that book of the Bible, this is a very disturbing thing. It's not the way God created us, since He created us for community, and to be in fellowship with each other. He created us to live in a community, which means that we have responsibilities to care for others around us, and at times, to put their needs as higher priority than our own. It means that we live by God's words and laws as we love our neighbor as ourselves. Keeping ourselves isolated in our faith life doesn't show that love to others, who may need our presence just as much as we need to hear God's message.
The thing that really strikes me about this statement is the selfishness that it seems to convey. It seems to make the claim that what I want and what I desire is far more important than being with my brothers and sisters in Jesus. Satan is the one who wants to isolate us from our brothers and sisters, who can encourage us, equip us, challenge us to grow beyond what we are now, but who, most importantly, can share the love of God and the forgiveness and life of Jesus with us.
There are always dangers when the need to organize comes up (which happens once more than one person is involved). Yet, God chose to make us part of a community, despite the dangers, because He knew of our need for each other. While I will always sympathize with someone who thinks this way, I will also challenge them to think about the reasons why they make this claim, and hopefully, lead them back into the local body of believers for the strengthening of their faith.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Are Americans Religious, Spiritual, or Neither?
I realize that this is not an easily answered question. Many Americans will claim to be spiritual, not religious, and when they say that, they mean it in contrast to being part of an organized religion. Others will claim to be spiritual, but what exactly they mean by that may not be very clear. Still others will say that they are neither religious nor spiritual, and yet, that kind of a statement can never completely be true. After all, we all have things that are of great importance to us, and that makes us "religious" in at least some way. Really, when we think about it, anything that we dedicate and devote ourselves toward is something that we are religious toward.
Now, if you have followed my blog for a while, you know that I'm not one for fuzzy thinking (except my own, of course, which often drives me crazy!). That's why, when I hear someone say a statement like "I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual", I want to know what they mean by that. Or, on the other hand, if someone claims to be an adherent to a religion, but that religion doesn't seem to be lived out in their life, I want to know if they really do believe it, or if they are just attaching to some form of a religion because "it's the right thing to do" or "because I was raised that way" rather than "I really do believe this."
So, are Americans religious? Surveys done from time to time by various organizations show that a great number of Americans claim some kind of religion as their own, but numbers of such things as worship attendance or participation in the activities of that religion do not bear those claims out. I myself have known people who claim to be a particular religion, but haven't taken part in anything of it for years (or even decades!).
Does that mean, then, that Americans are spiritual? Again, this depends on how you define "spiritual". If you mean a search for meaning, then, yes, Americans are spiritual. In fact, with very few exceptions, all people are spiritual. All people look for the meaning of life, or try to bring meaning to what happens in life.
But if you ask that question meaning "do you believe in a spiritual reality outside of mere physical existence", you will likely get a different response. Many people search for meaning, but do not believe that there is meaning beyond the here and now. Others will believe that there is something out there, but that "something" cannot be well-defined. Still others will believe that there are active spiritual agents at work and active in every moment of life.
This week, I'll be sharing a few thoughts as I think my way through some of these questions and similar ones. But as you walk alongside me, give some real thought to what you mean when you use words such as religious or spiritual.
Now, if you have followed my blog for a while, you know that I'm not one for fuzzy thinking (except my own, of course, which often drives me crazy!). That's why, when I hear someone say a statement like "I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual", I want to know what they mean by that. Or, on the other hand, if someone claims to be an adherent to a religion, but that religion doesn't seem to be lived out in their life, I want to know if they really do believe it, or if they are just attaching to some form of a religion because "it's the right thing to do" or "because I was raised that way" rather than "I really do believe this."
So, are Americans religious? Surveys done from time to time by various organizations show that a great number of Americans claim some kind of religion as their own, but numbers of such things as worship attendance or participation in the activities of that religion do not bear those claims out. I myself have known people who claim to be a particular religion, but haven't taken part in anything of it for years (or even decades!).
Does that mean, then, that Americans are spiritual? Again, this depends on how you define "spiritual". If you mean a search for meaning, then, yes, Americans are spiritual. In fact, with very few exceptions, all people are spiritual. All people look for the meaning of life, or try to bring meaning to what happens in life.
But if you ask that question meaning "do you believe in a spiritual reality outside of mere physical existence", you will likely get a different response. Many people search for meaning, but do not believe that there is meaning beyond the here and now. Others will believe that there is something out there, but that "something" cannot be well-defined. Still others will believe that there are active spiritual agents at work and active in every moment of life.
This week, I'll be sharing a few thoughts as I think my way through some of these questions and similar ones. But as you walk alongside me, give some real thought to what you mean when you use words such as religious or spiritual.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Faith and Story: Stories of Hope
Another kind of story, both in book and in movie, that we as people tend to enjoy are the ones that give us hope. Those story lines that show someone overcoming long odds to accomplish something great seem to spark that sense within us that we can accomplish anything. They make us feel powerful, as though any obstacle can be overcome, and that the realm of the possible grows when we focus on what all we can accomplish in life.
Why does this kind of story touch us so much? I believe, in part, it is because we want to believe that we can overcome almost anything. Just this morning, I was reading from one of my running magazines, reading stories of many women who have overcome cancer. Their stories are inspiring, and seem to touch our hearts in a way that makes us think, "If they can do it, then so can I!"
Now, I have to admit that this has both its good points and its bad points. On the good side, we have a God who has shown us that very little is actually impossible as we live in this world. Not along the lines of overcoming gravity or aging or death, but rather, that the creativity and perseverance of the soul which are truly astounding. Thirty years ago, who could imagine a video conference between people in 6 different parts of the world? Yet, because someone had hope that it was possible, and persevered through the many attempt to make it possible, it is now a commonplace kind of thing. Hope inspires. Hope gives us a reason to live, and to achieve, and to accomplish, and to overcome. And these are all admirable traits in us.
Yet, there is a downside to this idea of hope. It's the idea that we can overcome anything and not have to rely upon a greater power, or upon God. For example, it is admirable to have hope that we can battle against certain diseases and help improve people's lives in the world. Yet, if the hope is to overcome disease and death, we are suddenly putting ourselves in the place of God. Hope, in its proper sense, never seeks to overcome God, but instead points back to Him. Hope, in the sense of making ourselves God, will most often not only disappoint, but lead to domination and ultimately even tyranny.
Stories of hope have their place. They are inspiring, and they teach us that God made us to be creative, to persevere, and to strive for more. Yet, that same hope finds its boundary when it seeks to exalt us as humans as the ones in control of our destiny. When we find ourselves attempting to overcome barriers that God Himself has put in place, then hope starts to become misguided, and we place ourselves in danger of becoming our own god.
I love stories of hope. I usually come away from them feeling empowered and energized. My hope is that these stories of hope give us all that same sense, and point to God as the reason for our hope.
Why does this kind of story touch us so much? I believe, in part, it is because we want to believe that we can overcome almost anything. Just this morning, I was reading from one of my running magazines, reading stories of many women who have overcome cancer. Their stories are inspiring, and seem to touch our hearts in a way that makes us think, "If they can do it, then so can I!"
Now, I have to admit that this has both its good points and its bad points. On the good side, we have a God who has shown us that very little is actually impossible as we live in this world. Not along the lines of overcoming gravity or aging or death, but rather, that the creativity and perseverance of the soul which are truly astounding. Thirty years ago, who could imagine a video conference between people in 6 different parts of the world? Yet, because someone had hope that it was possible, and persevered through the many attempt to make it possible, it is now a commonplace kind of thing. Hope inspires. Hope gives us a reason to live, and to achieve, and to accomplish, and to overcome. And these are all admirable traits in us.
Yet, there is a downside to this idea of hope. It's the idea that we can overcome anything and not have to rely upon a greater power, or upon God. For example, it is admirable to have hope that we can battle against certain diseases and help improve people's lives in the world. Yet, if the hope is to overcome disease and death, we are suddenly putting ourselves in the place of God. Hope, in its proper sense, never seeks to overcome God, but instead points back to Him. Hope, in the sense of making ourselves God, will most often not only disappoint, but lead to domination and ultimately even tyranny.
Stories of hope have their place. They are inspiring, and they teach us that God made us to be creative, to persevere, and to strive for more. Yet, that same hope finds its boundary when it seeks to exalt us as humans as the ones in control of our destiny. When we find ourselves attempting to overcome barriers that God Himself has put in place, then hope starts to become misguided, and we place ourselves in danger of becoming our own god.
I love stories of hope. I usually come away from them feeling empowered and energized. My hope is that these stories of hope give us all that same sense, and point to God as the reason for our hope.
Friday, June 24, 2011
The Power of the Story: Redemption
Typically, Fridays are my day off of work. I use this day away from the regular pattern of work to reconnect with myself, usually involving some time to rest my mind and body, and I will often try to do something that I find enjoyable.
This morning, I found myself finishing up a movie that I had started earlier in the week. Many of you are likely familiar with the Peter Jackson "Lord of the Ring" movies that came out a few years ago. I have all three extended editions, and had started "The Fellowship of the Ring" earlier this week, watching a little bit here and there. So this morning, as I was resting and relaxing, I watched the last half hour of the movie.
There is the scene where Boromir tries to take the ring of power from Frodo, only to have Frodo escape from his grasp. When Boromir comes to his senses, and when Pippen and Merri are threatened, he then redeems himself by fighting to the death to defend them. When Aragorn finds him, he confesses what he did to Frodo, and, as he dies, Aragorn speaks words of comfort, showing that he is forgiven, and wishes him peace as he dies.
This theme of redemption comes up quite often in movies and books, in the world of entertainment. It's a theme that speaks powerfully to our hearts. I believe part of the reason for this is that we all realize that we are in need of redeeming, and want to know and believe that there is something in us worth redeeming. Of course, in the Bible, we are told of how great of lengths God has gone to in order to redeem us, through Jesus, and the cross. It reminds us that God sees such value in us that He chose that path willingly, knowing the pain and suffering, and yet deeming it all worthwhile for people like you and I.
The next time you watch a movie or read a story about someone redeeming themselves or being redeemed by another, I hope that it reminds you of the redeeming love of a God who would send a Savior in Jesus, to make you His very own.
This morning, I found myself finishing up a movie that I had started earlier in the week. Many of you are likely familiar with the Peter Jackson "Lord of the Ring" movies that came out a few years ago. I have all three extended editions, and had started "The Fellowship of the Ring" earlier this week, watching a little bit here and there. So this morning, as I was resting and relaxing, I watched the last half hour of the movie.
There is the scene where Boromir tries to take the ring of power from Frodo, only to have Frodo escape from his grasp. When Boromir comes to his senses, and when Pippen and Merri are threatened, he then redeems himself by fighting to the death to defend them. When Aragorn finds him, he confesses what he did to Frodo, and, as he dies, Aragorn speaks words of comfort, showing that he is forgiven, and wishes him peace as he dies.
This theme of redemption comes up quite often in movies and books, in the world of entertainment. It's a theme that speaks powerfully to our hearts. I believe part of the reason for this is that we all realize that we are in need of redeeming, and want to know and believe that there is something in us worth redeeming. Of course, in the Bible, we are told of how great of lengths God has gone to in order to redeem us, through Jesus, and the cross. It reminds us that God sees such value in us that He chose that path willingly, knowing the pain and suffering, and yet deeming it all worthwhile for people like you and I.
The next time you watch a movie or read a story about someone redeeming themselves or being redeemed by another, I hope that it reminds you of the redeeming love of a God who would send a Savior in Jesus, to make you His very own.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Stories and Faith
I believe it was last week when I first posted a blog entry about stories and the role that they play in passing on things that we believe. Jesus used stories to convey many points about the kingdom of heaven, and overall, the Bible contains a great many stories, all of which have the point of telling us about God's intentions and attitudes toward us as people.
Over the past few weeks, I have been incorporating an ongoing story format in the Sunday messages that I use. They center on a family, and I put together a short story from something that happens in their lives to help teach about our faith. Sometimes these stories are to show that we are not alone in the challenges and difficulties we may sometimes have in applying our faith to "real life", and at other times, they are to show how something of what God says really does happen or how it looks in our life.
But one thing I have realized in my attempts to do this is that you have to be sure of what the story is saying, and of what is being conveyed through the story. When we think of the parables or stories that Jesus told, we see very precise stories with a particular point. While the people listening to them may not have completely understood them, they did have a particular point that they were making, and many of His listeners did get that point. And that is the key. There was a very specific point to those stories that was being communicated.
As I go about this story series, I have realized the importance of knowing what the story needs to convey. If I tell the story and it only serves to confuse people, then it has missed its point, and I have failed in my efforts to convey God's truth. Who ever knew that story-telling could be such a challenging venture? And yet, I am finding that I really enjoy it a lot!
Over the past few weeks, I have been incorporating an ongoing story format in the Sunday messages that I use. They center on a family, and I put together a short story from something that happens in their lives to help teach about our faith. Sometimes these stories are to show that we are not alone in the challenges and difficulties we may sometimes have in applying our faith to "real life", and at other times, they are to show how something of what God says really does happen or how it looks in our life.
But one thing I have realized in my attempts to do this is that you have to be sure of what the story is saying, and of what is being conveyed through the story. When we think of the parables or stories that Jesus told, we see very precise stories with a particular point. While the people listening to them may not have completely understood them, they did have a particular point that they were making, and many of His listeners did get that point. And that is the key. There was a very specific point to those stories that was being communicated.
As I go about this story series, I have realized the importance of knowing what the story needs to convey. If I tell the story and it only serves to confuse people, then it has missed its point, and I have failed in my efforts to convey God's truth. Who ever knew that story-telling could be such a challenging venture? And yet, I am finding that I really enjoy it a lot!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Of Music and Melody
Okay, quick think about one or two of your favorite songs that you like to hear on the radio. What makes them something that appeals to you? Is it the music? Is it the words? Is it the rhythm or the melody? Whatever it may be, there is just something there that draws you to that song and that touches the depths inside of you.
Okay, another quick thing. When you think of God's Word and God's message put to music, what kind of music do you think of? Many would equate this with an instrument like the organ, though in recent decades, a number of musical instruments have been tuned and played and have had God's Word and God's message attached to them. Yet, I am relatively sure that there are quite a few out there who would answer my question with "The organ, of course!"
At times, it may seem that a particular instrument or style of music is sacred. I have had discussions with those who claim that God's Word and God's message cannot be respectfully played or sung to any instrument other than an organ. Yet, one thing that I like to point out is that, in the Bible, that particular instrument is never even mentioned, let alone as the sole means by which God's Word and message can be sung. However, for many, it seems almost sacrilegious to have music in worship played by any other instrument.
This is not to say that their preference for that particular type of music is wrong. For many, growing up with organ-led worship music has led to a great preference for that. There is nothing wrong at all with organ music or organ-led worship. For those who prefer it, it becomes the means by which God's Word and message comes meaningfully to them. Praise God for that!
However, it must also be acknowledged that not everyone is going to resonate with that particular kind of music. Guitars, drums, flutes, pipes, and all other kinds of instruments may also be utilized to sing God's Word and God's message. The idea that these kind of instruments lead to sensationalizing and self-promotion may be true at times, but no more so than the organist who plays to show off their skills. Ideally, all would play to the glory of God and to aid their fellow worshipers in their time with God.
Music touches our hearts and souls in deep, meaningful ways. God also seeks to touch our hearts and souls in deep, meaningful ways. To me, it seems to make sense that we combine these two in our times dedicated to God. And if it happens to be in different musical styles, then we should be thankful to God for such creativity, which is, after all, a reflection of Him.
Okay, another quick thing. When you think of God's Word and God's message put to music, what kind of music do you think of? Many would equate this with an instrument like the organ, though in recent decades, a number of musical instruments have been tuned and played and have had God's Word and God's message attached to them. Yet, I am relatively sure that there are quite a few out there who would answer my question with "The organ, of course!"
At times, it may seem that a particular instrument or style of music is sacred. I have had discussions with those who claim that God's Word and God's message cannot be respectfully played or sung to any instrument other than an organ. Yet, one thing that I like to point out is that, in the Bible, that particular instrument is never even mentioned, let alone as the sole means by which God's Word and message can be sung. However, for many, it seems almost sacrilegious to have music in worship played by any other instrument.
This is not to say that their preference for that particular type of music is wrong. For many, growing up with organ-led worship music has led to a great preference for that. There is nothing wrong at all with organ music or organ-led worship. For those who prefer it, it becomes the means by which God's Word and message comes meaningfully to them. Praise God for that!
However, it must also be acknowledged that not everyone is going to resonate with that particular kind of music. Guitars, drums, flutes, pipes, and all other kinds of instruments may also be utilized to sing God's Word and God's message. The idea that these kind of instruments lead to sensationalizing and self-promotion may be true at times, but no more so than the organist who plays to show off their skills. Ideally, all would play to the glory of God and to aid their fellow worshipers in their time with God.
Music touches our hearts and souls in deep, meaningful ways. God also seeks to touch our hearts and souls in deep, meaningful ways. To me, it seems to make sense that we combine these two in our times dedicated to God. And if it happens to be in different musical styles, then we should be thankful to God for such creativity, which is, after all, a reflection of Him.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Connections and Church
In Ephesians 5:21-22, Paul writes about how a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and that the two become one. But then, Paul completely changes direction. He says that this is a mystery, but that he is referring to Jesus and the church, not to a husband and wife.
Today, I was reading from a book titled "Essential Church" by Sam and Thom Rainer, a couple of pastors and researchers on religious matters. In the chapter I was reading, they made this statement: "Trying to be a Christian with a connection to the local church is like trying to have a marriage without interacting and communicating with your spouse." I was struck by the depth of that statement.
None of us who are married can imagine being married to our spouse and yet not ever seeing or being in touch with that spouse. We wouldn't even call that a marriage, but something more like a divorce or a separation. Yet, sadly, that is how many people seem to be in their relationship with God and with the local gathering of God's saints. It's almost an attitude of "they'll be there when I need them, but only when it's good for me."
God made us all to be in connection with one another, and those connections are a vital part of our faith. While it may be our personal, individual faith that brings us into God's reign and the kingdom of heaven, God has never intended for that faith to be held in isolation. The Good News is something that is shared and rejoiced in among one's fellow believers. It is a cause for joy and celebration, that we have been rescued, and so have others, and we all have that in common.
Sadly, there are many reasons for this disconnect, far too many for me to go into today. But perhaps it shows us the very simple, yet very profound truth. For the local gathering of God's saints in Jesus, personal connections with one another are vital to keeping the unity and the faith with one another. Without those closer, personal connections, faith is damaged, unity is damaged, and we succumb to the American isolation that our society so fervently proclaims as ideal.
Today, I was reading from a book titled "Essential Church" by Sam and Thom Rainer, a couple of pastors and researchers on religious matters. In the chapter I was reading, they made this statement: "Trying to be a Christian with a connection to the local church is like trying to have a marriage without interacting and communicating with your spouse." I was struck by the depth of that statement.
None of us who are married can imagine being married to our spouse and yet not ever seeing or being in touch with that spouse. We wouldn't even call that a marriage, but something more like a divorce or a separation. Yet, sadly, that is how many people seem to be in their relationship with God and with the local gathering of God's saints. It's almost an attitude of "they'll be there when I need them, but only when it's good for me."
God made us all to be in connection with one another, and those connections are a vital part of our faith. While it may be our personal, individual faith that brings us into God's reign and the kingdom of heaven, God has never intended for that faith to be held in isolation. The Good News is something that is shared and rejoiced in among one's fellow believers. It is a cause for joy and celebration, that we have been rescued, and so have others, and we all have that in common.
Sadly, there are many reasons for this disconnect, far too many for me to go into today. But perhaps it shows us the very simple, yet very profound truth. For the local gathering of God's saints in Jesus, personal connections with one another are vital to keeping the unity and the faith with one another. Without those closer, personal connections, faith is damaged, unity is damaged, and we succumb to the American isolation that our society so fervently proclaims as ideal.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Random Monday Thoughts
Every once in a while, I just like to toss out some random things that float around in my head. Mostly, it's to get them out of there, so I have space for other things, but sometimes, it just helps me to put them into perspective or practice when I spend the time to write them out. In fact, that's actually one of the major points of this blog: to help me write things out and figure them out as I think about them and consider them.
Regarding stories, I find it very creative of our God that He uses stories to convey His message so many times in the Bible. Understandably, there will always be people who fail to get the point of the story, or who become so entranced by the story that they lose the meaning. However, using stories to tell about who God is, what His intentions are with us as His people, and what His desires and commands are help us to see that God is more than some theological or philosophical thing, but who has direct interest and application into "real life".
I think the use of stories on the part of pastors is sorely lacking. I've listened to and composed hundreds of messages and sermons over my lifetime, and one thing I have noticed is that, here in the Western world, we tend to have logical, progressive, point by point type messages. Every once in a while, a story will be included, but usually, it's simply to enhance the point that is being made, rather than to be the means by which the message is conveyed. But when we look at the Bible and the life of Jesus, we see an abundance of stories, all intended to convey a message, and with all the pitfalls and shortcomings of stories. In fact, Jesus Himself noted that many people would miss the message of the story (parables), but it seems that many did actually catch the message. The downfalls of stories also didn't stop Him from using them as a means of teaching.
I'm not saying that everything should suddenly become stories rather than what can come across as a theological paper delivered each Sunday. But it does seem that the appropriate use of story could not only catch the attention of people as they listen, but can also be utilized from time to time to convey the message of God to His people and those who do not yet know Him.
Regarding stories, I find it very creative of our God that He uses stories to convey His message so many times in the Bible. Understandably, there will always be people who fail to get the point of the story, or who become so entranced by the story that they lose the meaning. However, using stories to tell about who God is, what His intentions are with us as His people, and what His desires and commands are help us to see that God is more than some theological or philosophical thing, but who has direct interest and application into "real life".
I think the use of stories on the part of pastors is sorely lacking. I've listened to and composed hundreds of messages and sermons over my lifetime, and one thing I have noticed is that, here in the Western world, we tend to have logical, progressive, point by point type messages. Every once in a while, a story will be included, but usually, it's simply to enhance the point that is being made, rather than to be the means by which the message is conveyed. But when we look at the Bible and the life of Jesus, we see an abundance of stories, all intended to convey a message, and with all the pitfalls and shortcomings of stories. In fact, Jesus Himself noted that many people would miss the message of the story (parables), but it seems that many did actually catch the message. The downfalls of stories also didn't stop Him from using them as a means of teaching.
I'm not saying that everything should suddenly become stories rather than what can come across as a theological paper delivered each Sunday. But it does seem that the appropriate use of story could not only catch the attention of people as they listen, but can also be utilized from time to time to convey the message of God to His people and those who do not yet know Him.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
A very present help
Psalm 46:1 describes God as a very present help in trouble. Yet, that is when we humans often seem to see absence rather than presence. As I've described throughout this week, we have a tendency to want God to not only be there, but to do something about the situation as we go through it. Thus, when things don't happen the way we want, we start to wonder where God is, and why He isn't here in our time of need.
In Acts 9:5, we have a very interesting statement. As Saul, the man who would later be known as Paul, was riding to go arrest Christians, Jesus showed Himself on the road. He bluntly asks Saul why he is persecuting Him. Think about that statement for a moment. Saul, to our knowledge from the Bible, did not take part in Jesus' death. So how could Jesus say that Saul was persecuting Him? It's because Saul was persecuting Jesus' followers. Jesus' presence was so intimately tied to His followers that, what happened to them, happened to Him.
When we think about that for a moment, we come to the realization that we are, in some unexplainable way, God's presence in the world. Yes, there are ways that God continues to demonstrate that He is active in this world, and I truly believe we are so focused on logical explanations that we miss much of it. But God, in Jesus, is present in this world in every single one of those who follow Him and believe in Him.
That means that, when we who follow Jesus go see someone who is hurting, or who is in pain, Jesus is present there with them. It seems that we, far too often, put the focus on our presence, worrying about what we will say and do. We forget that our presence there means Jesus is there. And if we were to remember that, and then communicate it with one another, it just seems that we just might be a greater source of comfort to each other.
Right now, you know someone who could use Jesus' presence. Maybe it would be good to simply go see them, empathize with them, and then remind them that Jesus is present with them because you are there!
In Acts 9:5, we have a very interesting statement. As Saul, the man who would later be known as Paul, was riding to go arrest Christians, Jesus showed Himself on the road. He bluntly asks Saul why he is persecuting Him. Think about that statement for a moment. Saul, to our knowledge from the Bible, did not take part in Jesus' death. So how could Jesus say that Saul was persecuting Him? It's because Saul was persecuting Jesus' followers. Jesus' presence was so intimately tied to His followers that, what happened to them, happened to Him.
When we think about that for a moment, we come to the realization that we are, in some unexplainable way, God's presence in the world. Yes, there are ways that God continues to demonstrate that He is active in this world, and I truly believe we are so focused on logical explanations that we miss much of it. But God, in Jesus, is present in this world in every single one of those who follow Him and believe in Him.
That means that, when we who follow Jesus go see someone who is hurting, or who is in pain, Jesus is present there with them. It seems that we, far too often, put the focus on our presence, worrying about what we will say and do. We forget that our presence there means Jesus is there. And if we were to remember that, and then communicate it with one another, it just seems that we just might be a greater source of comfort to each other.
Right now, you know someone who could use Jesus' presence. Maybe it would be good to simply go see them, empathize with them, and then remind them that Jesus is present with them because you are there!
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Seeming Absence of God: A Control Issue?
Yesterday, I said that I would give you a few thoughts on why God may seem to be absent in particular moments of pain, trial, or suffering. So today, without any further ado, let's launch into a few thoughts floating around in my head.
When something bad happens, regardless of what it is, we may have a tendency to wonder why God didn't stop it, or why He seemed to be absent at that time. First, let me say that there are many tragedies that happen in this world, and they sting and hurt a lot. So my thoughts on this are not to belittle the pain that comes when these happens, but rather, to seek out how our thinking may be flawed that leads up to us asking why God didn't do something about the situation.
So, something bad happens, and we wonder where God was as it happened. We may even blame God for not doing something about it, or thinking that He just wasn't there. We wonder why He didn't stop the drunk driver from getting in his car, or any other horrible scenario like this. After all, God could have done something to prevent it. He's almighty, and all powerful. Surely He could have stopped such a thing from happening.
While these things are true, let's look at what we are asking of God in this situation. We're asking Him to take control of someone who didn't control their own actions so that something bad would not happen. We want God to take control to keep bad things from happening. And I think that gives us a glimpse into our issues, and why they are our issues and not God's issues.
First, we're saying that the event which God could have prevented is bad. While many of these may be so in His eyes, we're looking at it from a very subjective side. What if we are the one who is getting into the car, thinking that we are okay to drive home. Do we want God to, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, just stop us for a reason that we cannot determine? Or if we were about to say that hurtful word that would cause damage to another, do we want God to display the kind of control which would instantly cut off what we wanted to say?
This gets to the issue of control. We want God to control the things that we think are bad. The problem is, it's what we are calling bad. While I don't believe that God wants anyone to be killed by a drunk driver, what we are really asking for is that God would stop anyone getting into a car when they don't have their full senses with them. What if that's you texting as you drive? Of if God determines that the one beer you had with lunch was too much? How much would you want God controlling what you can or cannot do? And then, how would you feel or look at someone who displayed such control in your life? Probably not with a great deal of love, but perhaps something that approached anger, or even hatred.
The next issue is determining what is actually bad. Yes, someone dying in a drunk driving accident is a tragedy. But we also have this tendency to think that what we do isn't really all that harmful, but that the other person took it the wrong way, or didn't understand what we meant. In other words, we put the sense of what is bad and not bad into our own hands.
So do we expect God to abide by our sense of bad, or right and wrong? If so, then He would have to do that for every other person in the world, and there will always be someone who thinks that they are entitled to something you deem to be precious. But if we expect God to keep bad things from happening in this world, we would have to let God determine what is bad and not bad (right and wrong). Otherwise, we find ourselves in the same situation that we are already in, with each person doing what they think is right.
Ultimately, this whole issue goes back to sin. While bad things may happen even when everyone does what is "right", overall, we can usually trace each thing back to someone's sinfulness in the situation. And with that being the case, we have the promise from God. Sin has already been dealt with, in Jesus and the cross. And there is coming a day when God will make everything new, and sin will not be a part of that. At that time, our sense of right and wrong will be perfectly in line with God's (unlike now). It won't be a control issue, but rather, a love issue, in that we will do everything which is good and right out of love for God and for one another.
When something bad happens, regardless of what it is, we may have a tendency to wonder why God didn't stop it, or why He seemed to be absent at that time. First, let me say that there are many tragedies that happen in this world, and they sting and hurt a lot. So my thoughts on this are not to belittle the pain that comes when these happens, but rather, to seek out how our thinking may be flawed that leads up to us asking why God didn't do something about the situation.
So, something bad happens, and we wonder where God was as it happened. We may even blame God for not doing something about it, or thinking that He just wasn't there. We wonder why He didn't stop the drunk driver from getting in his car, or any other horrible scenario like this. After all, God could have done something to prevent it. He's almighty, and all powerful. Surely He could have stopped such a thing from happening.
While these things are true, let's look at what we are asking of God in this situation. We're asking Him to take control of someone who didn't control their own actions so that something bad would not happen. We want God to take control to keep bad things from happening. And I think that gives us a glimpse into our issues, and why they are our issues and not God's issues.
First, we're saying that the event which God could have prevented is bad. While many of these may be so in His eyes, we're looking at it from a very subjective side. What if we are the one who is getting into the car, thinking that we are okay to drive home. Do we want God to, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, just stop us for a reason that we cannot determine? Or if we were about to say that hurtful word that would cause damage to another, do we want God to display the kind of control which would instantly cut off what we wanted to say?
This gets to the issue of control. We want God to control the things that we think are bad. The problem is, it's what we are calling bad. While I don't believe that God wants anyone to be killed by a drunk driver, what we are really asking for is that God would stop anyone getting into a car when they don't have their full senses with them. What if that's you texting as you drive? Of if God determines that the one beer you had with lunch was too much? How much would you want God controlling what you can or cannot do? And then, how would you feel or look at someone who displayed such control in your life? Probably not with a great deal of love, but perhaps something that approached anger, or even hatred.
The next issue is determining what is actually bad. Yes, someone dying in a drunk driving accident is a tragedy. But we also have this tendency to think that what we do isn't really all that harmful, but that the other person took it the wrong way, or didn't understand what we meant. In other words, we put the sense of what is bad and not bad into our own hands.
So do we expect God to abide by our sense of bad, or right and wrong? If so, then He would have to do that for every other person in the world, and there will always be someone who thinks that they are entitled to something you deem to be precious. But if we expect God to keep bad things from happening in this world, we would have to let God determine what is bad and not bad (right and wrong). Otherwise, we find ourselves in the same situation that we are already in, with each person doing what they think is right.
Ultimately, this whole issue goes back to sin. While bad things may happen even when everyone does what is "right", overall, we can usually trace each thing back to someone's sinfulness in the situation. And with that being the case, we have the promise from God. Sin has already been dealt with, in Jesus and the cross. And there is coming a day when God will make everything new, and sin will not be a part of that. At that time, our sense of right and wrong will be perfectly in line with God's (unlike now). It won't be a control issue, but rather, a love issue, in that we will do everything which is good and right out of love for God and for one another.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Is God Absent when we Suffer or Hurt?
Psalm 69:20 seems to really summarize how many people find they are feeling and thinking when it comes to God's presence (or seeming absence) when life gets tough. In fact, all of Psalm 69 speaks of a person who is hurting deeply, and is looking to God. The only thing is, it seems as though God isn't really there during this hurt and time of suffering.
I have had a few people ask where God is when they are hurting or suffering. I always have to admit that this question is not one that is easily answered. We know that God is present in suffering, as He has given the promise that He is with us always and will never leave us nor forsake us. But my experience has been that people want a little more than just "God is with you in your pain." They want a bit more reassurance.
In fact, many would question if the pain and suffering is a sign that God isn't actually there with them. There seems to be something inside us as people which makes us think that God's presence will always cause us to feel better or positive or optimistic about life. So, the logical part of our minds would say, if we aren't feeling that or experiencing that, it must mean that God is absent.
I'll be the first to admit that there is no easy answer to this question. In His Word to us, God reveals that He is with us as one who fills all things. This means even when we suffer or find ourselves in pain. From His Word, we learn that God is actually very present in suffering, as Jesus Himself has suffered and endured in pain and agony, and so He is not only with us, but knows it.
Yet, the thing we want most is for the pain and the suffering to be over and done with. So when it lingers, or when it is more intense than we had hoped, we may wonder if God really is absent. This is really a question that I've thought about a lot. Why permit suffering and pain? And while it's not really a great answer to share with someone in the middle of a time like that, I've come up with a couple of thoughts. But to keep this post from being super-long, I'll include them in tomorrow's post.
I have had a few people ask where God is when they are hurting or suffering. I always have to admit that this question is not one that is easily answered. We know that God is present in suffering, as He has given the promise that He is with us always and will never leave us nor forsake us. But my experience has been that people want a little more than just "God is with you in your pain." They want a bit more reassurance.
In fact, many would question if the pain and suffering is a sign that God isn't actually there with them. There seems to be something inside us as people which makes us think that God's presence will always cause us to feel better or positive or optimistic about life. So, the logical part of our minds would say, if we aren't feeling that or experiencing that, it must mean that God is absent.
I'll be the first to admit that there is no easy answer to this question. In His Word to us, God reveals that He is with us as one who fills all things. This means even when we suffer or find ourselves in pain. From His Word, we learn that God is actually very present in suffering, as Jesus Himself has suffered and endured in pain and agony, and so He is not only with us, but knows it.
Yet, the thing we want most is for the pain and the suffering to be over and done with. So when it lingers, or when it is more intense than we had hoped, we may wonder if God really is absent. This is really a question that I've thought about a lot. Why permit suffering and pain? And while it's not really a great answer to share with someone in the middle of a time like that, I've come up with a couple of thoughts. But to keep this post from being super-long, I'll include them in tomorrow's post.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Why no Miracles?
A couple of years ago, I read a book written by an atheist. In this book, he claimed that the one thing that would convince him that there is a God would be if he were to see a miracle. That got me to thinking a bit about this whole miracle thing. I've heard a few other people say things like how their faith would be strengthened if they were to see a miracle, or something along those lines.
It seems that many people take the lack of miracles as a sign of God's absence. Why didn't God heal my mother? Why did God allow that car accident? Why doesn't God do something about abortion, or cancer, or a whole host of other bad things in life? Now, while I won't pretend that there is an easy answer to these questions, the one thing I want to look at a bit is the seeming absence of God in all of this.
To guide our thinking, let me ask this: if miracles were commonplace, would they still be miracles? Miracles are, by definition, something outside of the ordinary. So if they became ordinary, they would no longer be miracles. Sure, we might not be able to explain them, but there are quite a few things in life that we can't explain.
When we look at the record of miracles in the Bible, it reminds us that miracles do not always lead to faith. Let's take the Israelites when they were freed from Egypt. God had brought them out with 10 plagues, guided them to the sea, where He parted the water so they passed through on dry ground, and then crushed the Egyptian army behind them. These people saw a great miracle. Just a few weeks later, we find them complaining that God led them out into the wilderness to starve. Hadn't they just seen great miracles? Did they not believe that God would provide for them? And then, when Moses went up on the mountain, what was the first thing they did? Build an idol of gold! And then, when Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land that had been promised to Abraham, what was their report? "The people are too big and strong and powerful for us!" Hadn't they just seen God bring them out of Egypt, and they had done nothing to contribute to their leaving? It really seems that the miracles helped their faith, right?
Call me skeptical, but I honestly believe that God knows that our tendency to disbelieve miracles is one of the reasons why He doesn't do them more often. And that, to me, is why we see Him as absent. For some reason, we have this idea in us that God should actively show Himself all the time. We don't want to rely on faith, we want to rely on what our eyes show us. So when they don't show us that God is very obvious in His work around us, we think that He is absent.
Just to toss it out there, give some thought to it for a few minutes sometime. What would you really do or think if a miracle happened in front of you? Would you look for natural explanations? Would you believe in God even more? Would you say it's just one of those unexplainable kind of things? What would you really think if you saw one?
It seems that many people take the lack of miracles as a sign of God's absence. Why didn't God heal my mother? Why did God allow that car accident? Why doesn't God do something about abortion, or cancer, or a whole host of other bad things in life? Now, while I won't pretend that there is an easy answer to these questions, the one thing I want to look at a bit is the seeming absence of God in all of this.
To guide our thinking, let me ask this: if miracles were commonplace, would they still be miracles? Miracles are, by definition, something outside of the ordinary. So if they became ordinary, they would no longer be miracles. Sure, we might not be able to explain them, but there are quite a few things in life that we can't explain.
When we look at the record of miracles in the Bible, it reminds us that miracles do not always lead to faith. Let's take the Israelites when they were freed from Egypt. God had brought them out with 10 plagues, guided them to the sea, where He parted the water so they passed through on dry ground, and then crushed the Egyptian army behind them. These people saw a great miracle. Just a few weeks later, we find them complaining that God led them out into the wilderness to starve. Hadn't they just seen great miracles? Did they not believe that God would provide for them? And then, when Moses went up on the mountain, what was the first thing they did? Build an idol of gold! And then, when Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land that had been promised to Abraham, what was their report? "The people are too big and strong and powerful for us!" Hadn't they just seen God bring them out of Egypt, and they had done nothing to contribute to their leaving? It really seems that the miracles helped their faith, right?
Call me skeptical, but I honestly believe that God knows that our tendency to disbelieve miracles is one of the reasons why He doesn't do them more often. And that, to me, is why we see Him as absent. For some reason, we have this idea in us that God should actively show Himself all the time. We don't want to rely on faith, we want to rely on what our eyes show us. So when they don't show us that God is very obvious in His work around us, we think that He is absent.
Just to toss it out there, give some thought to it for a few minutes sometime. What would you really do or think if a miracle happened in front of you? Would you look for natural explanations? Would you believe in God even more? Would you say it's just one of those unexplainable kind of things? What would you really think if you saw one?
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
When God seems absent
As I prepared to write out this post today, I took a moment to think about how I typically go about my day. Granted, I have a somewhat unique position, but I still came to realize something that I think is probably shared among most people. As I go about my day, I'll give thought to a few things about God, but I don't often look carefully for things that God may be doing, or regularly approach Him about particular situations, or even really give a lot of thought to what God might desire in whatever situations spring up.
To some degree, I think this is natural (in a sad way) for us as humans. When Adam and Eve first disobeyed God, they seemed to suddenly be cut off from knowing what God's will would be in any given situation. That left them on their own to figure things out. So when we find ourselves in a situation where we wonder what would be the best thing to do, we don't have that intimate connection with God which would shine the light on it, and which we would joyfully follow. Instead, we're left in the dark to try to figure out what might make sense, or what might work, or what we want most from the situation.
What does this mean for us in our day to day living? It means that every decision and choice we make is one that we don't have God's direct influence and bearing on. If we were perfect, and if we perfectly knew God's will, none of us would ever do anything that would bring harm to another. But since we are sinful and imperfect, and since our connection with God is frayed and flawed because of sin, we can honestly say that we do not know what God may be doing in any given situation or circumstance. That, then, causes us to feel as though God is absent, when the reality seems to be that He isn't absent, but that our connection to Him is broken.
While I know that many would say that the cure to this is to be constant in prayer and in the study of God's Word, I have started to think that it may actually mean that we fall back onto God's grace even more. If we are uncertain about what God is doing or may intend in any given situation, we proceed based upon what we know and believe about God, knowing that we will not do it perfectly, but that our imperfection and sin is covered by the blood of Jesus and smothered by God's grace. That means that, no matter what I may end up doing, I'm still in God's grace. It may be the "right" or "wrong" thing to do, but it doesn't take me from the grace of God which is mine in Christ Jesus.
To some degree, I think this is natural (in a sad way) for us as humans. When Adam and Eve first disobeyed God, they seemed to suddenly be cut off from knowing what God's will would be in any given situation. That left them on their own to figure things out. So when we find ourselves in a situation where we wonder what would be the best thing to do, we don't have that intimate connection with God which would shine the light on it, and which we would joyfully follow. Instead, we're left in the dark to try to figure out what might make sense, or what might work, or what we want most from the situation.
What does this mean for us in our day to day living? It means that every decision and choice we make is one that we don't have God's direct influence and bearing on. If we were perfect, and if we perfectly knew God's will, none of us would ever do anything that would bring harm to another. But since we are sinful and imperfect, and since our connection with God is frayed and flawed because of sin, we can honestly say that we do not know what God may be doing in any given situation or circumstance. That, then, causes us to feel as though God is absent, when the reality seems to be that He isn't absent, but that our connection to Him is broken.
While I know that many would say that the cure to this is to be constant in prayer and in the study of God's Word, I have started to think that it may actually mean that we fall back onto God's grace even more. If we are uncertain about what God is doing or may intend in any given situation, we proceed based upon what we know and believe about God, knowing that we will not do it perfectly, but that our imperfection and sin is covered by the blood of Jesus and smothered by God's grace. That means that, no matter what I may end up doing, I'm still in God's grace. It may be the "right" or "wrong" thing to do, but it doesn't take me from the grace of God which is mine in Christ Jesus.
Monday, June 13, 2011
When God Seems Absent
What do you do when God doesn't seem to be listening to you, or even paying any kind of attention to you? It is like that we all have had times in our life where it just seemed that God was off in another place, doing something else, and it didn't seem to matter to Him what was going on in our life. There was something we wanted Him to do or help out with, but He seemed strangely absent.
That's the kind of thing that David was going through when he penned Psalm 55. Especially in the first two verses (Psalm 55:1-2), David seems to think that God isn't hearing him, and David wants an answer. If you read through the rest of the Psalm, you see that David seemed to have been let down or betrayed by someone who had been close to him. He had talked to God about the situation, but it didn't seem like God was paying any attention to him.
Maybe you have felt that way before. Maybe you feel that way right now. It seems like God is more like the Bette Midler song, where she sings that God is watching us from a distance. He may be out there, but He doesn't seem to be very involved in the details or the particulars.
This week, we'll be looking at a few things that the Bible has to say about when God seems to be absent in our lives. How can we be reassured by someone who doesn't seem to be there? How can we recognize how God is actually close to us, and how do we see that? What do we do when it just seems like He doesn't care? We'll dive into some of these throughout this week, and I welcome any thoughts or even questions that I may not directly address.
That's the kind of thing that David was going through when he penned Psalm 55. Especially in the first two verses (Psalm 55:1-2), David seems to think that God isn't hearing him, and David wants an answer. If you read through the rest of the Psalm, you see that David seemed to have been let down or betrayed by someone who had been close to him. He had talked to God about the situation, but it didn't seem like God was paying any attention to him.
Maybe you have felt that way before. Maybe you feel that way right now. It seems like God is more like the Bette Midler song, where she sings that God is watching us from a distance. He may be out there, but He doesn't seem to be very involved in the details or the particulars.
This week, we'll be looking at a few things that the Bible has to say about when God seems to be absent in our lives. How can we be reassured by someone who doesn't seem to be there? How can we recognize how God is actually close to us, and how do we see that? What do we do when it just seems like He doesn't care? We'll dive into some of these throughout this week, and I welcome any thoughts or even questions that I may not directly address.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Rituals of Old Age
How do you know that you grown either wise enough or old enough to start conveying wisdom and knowledge to younger people? In our culture here in North America, there doesn't seem to be any consistent sense of this. We know of lots of people that are older than us, but do we necessarily think they are wiser? Also, we seem to have this sense that it's not our job to help others figure out how to do things better in life, or how to grow. We'd rather keep to ourselves and not bug anyone.
Many of the cultures of this world place a great deal of value in learning from those who are older than themselves. There is the matronly grandmother whom the younger women seek out for suggestions in raising children, taking care of homes, or how to work through troubles they may have with their husband. There is the old, wise man whom the younger ones approach to learn their history, to hear what it means to be a man, and how to care for and protect their family.
As I have pointed out throughout this week's series, we here in North America seem to be sorely lacking rituals which mark the transitions from one stage of life to another. The same thing can be said when people reach a more elderly age. We start to (sadly) see them as a nuisance, or a drain on our time and resources. Instead of being people who have rich life experience that they could pass along, we think of them as outdated, behind the times, and of little or no importance to our life.
In much of my reading, I have come to have a great sadness at situations like this. It seems that we, in this Western, fast-paced way of life, may have actually thrown out the most important things, like family, learning from others, moving into different parts of life, and actually knowing what those parts of life really do mean. So much seems to have been lost, and I, for one, hope that we can turn the page back and regain some of these things which truly have been lost.
Many of the cultures of this world place a great deal of value in learning from those who are older than themselves. There is the matronly grandmother whom the younger women seek out for suggestions in raising children, taking care of homes, or how to work through troubles they may have with their husband. There is the old, wise man whom the younger ones approach to learn their history, to hear what it means to be a man, and how to care for and protect their family.
As I have pointed out throughout this week's series, we here in North America seem to be sorely lacking rituals which mark the transitions from one stage of life to another. The same thing can be said when people reach a more elderly age. We start to (sadly) see them as a nuisance, or a drain on our time and resources. Instead of being people who have rich life experience that they could pass along, we think of them as outdated, behind the times, and of little or no importance to our life.
In much of my reading, I have come to have a great sadness at situations like this. It seems that we, in this Western, fast-paced way of life, may have actually thrown out the most important things, like family, learning from others, moving into different parts of life, and actually knowing what those parts of life really do mean. So much seems to have been lost, and I, for one, hope that we can turn the page back and regain some of these things which truly have been lost.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Rituals from being a child to an adult
I've been sharing that I believe rituals are an effective means of letting us know when we pass from one stage to the next in life. I also believe that these same kind of rituals could serve us as we grow in our Christian faith. So, while I may be generally speaking in terms of life stages, I believe that we would be wise to look at how these various rituals or rites of passage could mark our growth in our faith life. Of course, I understand that they are much more challenging to discern, but it seems that the absence of them in our North American context sure hasn't done us any favors when it comes to growing in our faith life.
What marks the transition from being a child to being an adult? I think this is a tough question for us to answer since we don't really have a set "time" marking when a child becomes an adult. Is it when they move from Jr. High to High School? (That's the age that many cultures mark as the transition from childhood to adulthood.) Is it when they complete the education system around age 18? Is it when they complete any higher education that they may be striving for? Is it when they move out and get a job and a place of their own? I think by posing these kind of questions, we may come to realize that we aren't really sure where the boundary is between child and adult in our day and age.
Could this also be the case in our faith lives? In my tradition, we have the confirmation ceremony around the 8th grade, but there really aren't any more significant transitions or rites of passage in regard to growing up in faith. (And perhaps not so coincidentally, this is also around the age where many young people stop attending church related activities and worship, since they have nothing left to achieve.) I'll be the first to admit that I would have to do a lot of thinking to come up with some of these rituals, or what marks the transition in growth, but I've also really started to see the importance of them, and the damage that their absence can have.
Understandably, these would not only involve knowledge, but also components of life in the faith. I could see that the passage from, say, Jr. High to High School would be marked by more service time toward others, and perhaps an emphasis on how to serve others in love. Then, at the age where most young people move from High School to college or work, having a rite of passage that has both accompanying knowledge components, but also active faith life components. I'd have to do more thinking on this to come up with some suggestions, but recognize that some of you may have ideas on this, too!
What marks the transition from being a child to being an adult? I think this is a tough question for us to answer since we don't really have a set "time" marking when a child becomes an adult. Is it when they move from Jr. High to High School? (That's the age that many cultures mark as the transition from childhood to adulthood.) Is it when they complete the education system around age 18? Is it when they complete any higher education that they may be striving for? Is it when they move out and get a job and a place of their own? I think by posing these kind of questions, we may come to realize that we aren't really sure where the boundary is between child and adult in our day and age.
Could this also be the case in our faith lives? In my tradition, we have the confirmation ceremony around the 8th grade, but there really aren't any more significant transitions or rites of passage in regard to growing up in faith. (And perhaps not so coincidentally, this is also around the age where many young people stop attending church related activities and worship, since they have nothing left to achieve.) I'll be the first to admit that I would have to do a lot of thinking to come up with some of these rituals, or what marks the transition in growth, but I've also really started to see the importance of them, and the damage that their absence can have.
Understandably, these would not only involve knowledge, but also components of life in the faith. I could see that the passage from, say, Jr. High to High School would be marked by more service time toward others, and perhaps an emphasis on how to serve others in love. Then, at the age where most young people move from High School to college or work, having a rite of passage that has both accompanying knowledge components, but also active faith life components. I'd have to do more thinking on this to come up with some suggestions, but recognize that some of you may have ideas on this, too!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Rituals and Young People
I had the fortune (misfortune, some might say) of growing up and going to school in a very small town. In fact, between Kindergarten and High School, we had two buildings, which had about 20 classrooms total. In the younger grades, we would change classrooms each year, moving from one to the next as we moved up in grade levels. But around Jr. High, we started changing rooms depending on the class, not upon our grade level.
In other words, I didn't really go through any kind of transition to mark that I had moved from Elementary to Jr. High. Same building, I knew all the same teachers, we all ate in the same cafeteria, etc. I know for some of you, who went to a larger school, there was probably the transition from one school to another. You may have had an easier transition, knowing that you had moved and grown along the way.
Rituals serve that kind of purpose. They help us realize that we have moved from one state of being to another. In some of my reading, I have seen a number of different cultures where the beginning of manhood or womanhood is marked by a particular ceremony or ritual. In some places, the young 10-13 year old is taken out with the men on some kind of hunt or just time spent away from the family, and when he returns, he has become a man in their eyes. It seems that, when it comes to our faith life, this could also be a helpful thing.
In my church tradition, we have a few elements like this. Typically around 6th grade, young people begin serving as acolytes, which has different meanings, depending on the church. For some, this begins a more intensive period of instruction in the faith, culminating in some kind of confirmation ceremony.
I think these kind of things are helpful. In fact, I have given much thought on how to give such transitions and rituals even more meaning, especially for younger people. As a young man or woman grows, I believe it's helpful to have a ceremony to let them know that the expectations on them have changed, and that they have now entered a new "segment" of life.
In other words, I didn't really go through any kind of transition to mark that I had moved from Elementary to Jr. High. Same building, I knew all the same teachers, we all ate in the same cafeteria, etc. I know for some of you, who went to a larger school, there was probably the transition from one school to another. You may have had an easier transition, knowing that you had moved and grown along the way.
Rituals serve that kind of purpose. They help us realize that we have moved from one state of being to another. In some of my reading, I have seen a number of different cultures where the beginning of manhood or womanhood is marked by a particular ceremony or ritual. In some places, the young 10-13 year old is taken out with the men on some kind of hunt or just time spent away from the family, and when he returns, he has become a man in their eyes. It seems that, when it comes to our faith life, this could also be a helpful thing.
In my church tradition, we have a few elements like this. Typically around 6th grade, young people begin serving as acolytes, which has different meanings, depending on the church. For some, this begins a more intensive period of instruction in the faith, culminating in some kind of confirmation ceremony.
I think these kind of things are helpful. In fact, I have given much thought on how to give such transitions and rituals even more meaning, especially for younger people. As a young man or woman grows, I believe it's helpful to have a ceremony to let them know that the expectations on them have changed, and that they have now entered a new "segment" of life.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Rituals and Young Age
"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child" 1 Corinthians 13:11
Ah, to be a child. To run around all day and not have to worry about things like bills, lunch, cars, world affairs, and the like. To see something simple like a butterfly or a bird and be amazed.
But, alas, those days came to an end. The problem is, I don't really recall when that actually happened. Let me take that back. I actually do remember. It happened when my mom decided that I should have my picture taken for the first day of school. I was heading off to kindergarten. My days would now involve sitting in chairs, listening to teachers, and learning 'reading, writing, and 'rithmatic.
I don't remember any specific kind of ritual that attended that change in position in life, though. I know that some cultures are very specific when a child enters into the next stage of life. That kind of ritual lets the child know that he or she has moved from one set of expectations to another. The stages of life are, to some degree, set, and the young person can know when they have moved from one to the next.
Should there be stages that we recognize as we grow in our faith life? What kind of rituals could we employ to let us know when we have moved from one station in life to the next? Do we have clear expectations of what we should be able to do or know or believe at various stages? It seems to me that we have muddied the waters, so that we have older people who still think, act, and reason like a child, though they should have long ago moved past those ways. Would ritual help us both in growing in life as well as in faith?
Ah, to be a child. To run around all day and not have to worry about things like bills, lunch, cars, world affairs, and the like. To see something simple like a butterfly or a bird and be amazed.
But, alas, those days came to an end. The problem is, I don't really recall when that actually happened. Let me take that back. I actually do remember. It happened when my mom decided that I should have my picture taken for the first day of school. I was heading off to kindergarten. My days would now involve sitting in chairs, listening to teachers, and learning 'reading, writing, and 'rithmatic.
I don't remember any specific kind of ritual that attended that change in position in life, though. I know that some cultures are very specific when a child enters into the next stage of life. That kind of ritual lets the child know that he or she has moved from one set of expectations to another. The stages of life are, to some degree, set, and the young person can know when they have moved from one to the next.
Should there be stages that we recognize as we grow in our faith life? What kind of rituals could we employ to let us know when we have moved from one station in life to the next? Do we have clear expectations of what we should be able to do or know or believe at various stages? It seems to me that we have muddied the waters, so that we have older people who still think, act, and reason like a child, though they should have long ago moved past those ways. Would ritual help us both in growing in life as well as in faith?
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Role of Ritual
We all have significant moments in life. At times, there are some fairly specific actions or ceremonies that go along with those significant moment. Just last week, I attended a couple of high school graduations. These kind of ceremonies mark a transition from one stage in life to the next. It brings closure to one part of life, and opens the door to the next step or stage.
As we think about our Christian life together, what is the role of rituals such as these? For many churches, there may not be a tremendous number of rituals. In the church I'm a part of, the most significant one I can think of is called confirmation. It comes at the end of a period of instruction (usually fairly doctrinal), at which time the young person (in our church, at the completion of 8th grade) into the fellowship as a communicant member (which means he/she can now come forward to receive the Lord's Supper). While local congregations may have other rituals, there really do not seem to be many that are celebrated or that mark transitions in life.
In a way, I believe that there should be more of these kind of rituals, and that we should also tie a deeper meaning to them. When I recall my confirmation, I simply remember being able to quote back parts of Martin Luther's Small Catechism, and supposedly I learned what it means to be a Lutheran Christian. However, I do have to admit that most of what I learned got lost along the way, and I had to re-learn it down the line. So it seems like the ritual was significant, but perhaps lost its meaning in my life (and who knows how many others?).
Is there a place for deeper, more meaningful rituals? Are there stages of Christian life that should be remembered and celebrated? If you have thoughts or suggestions, I'd be happy to hear about them. Perhaps some of these could be incorporated to make our Christian life more meaningful and significant as we grow together in Jesus.
As we think about our Christian life together, what is the role of rituals such as these? For many churches, there may not be a tremendous number of rituals. In the church I'm a part of, the most significant one I can think of is called confirmation. It comes at the end of a period of instruction (usually fairly doctrinal), at which time the young person (in our church, at the completion of 8th grade) into the fellowship as a communicant member (which means he/she can now come forward to receive the Lord's Supper). While local congregations may have other rituals, there really do not seem to be many that are celebrated or that mark transitions in life.
In a way, I believe that there should be more of these kind of rituals, and that we should also tie a deeper meaning to them. When I recall my confirmation, I simply remember being able to quote back parts of Martin Luther's Small Catechism, and supposedly I learned what it means to be a Lutheran Christian. However, I do have to admit that most of what I learned got lost along the way, and I had to re-learn it down the line. So it seems like the ritual was significant, but perhaps lost its meaning in my life (and who knows how many others?).
Is there a place for deeper, more meaningful rituals? Are there stages of Christian life that should be remembered and celebrated? If you have thoughts or suggestions, I'd be happy to hear about them. Perhaps some of these could be incorporated to make our Christian life more meaningful and significant as we grow together in Jesus.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Community: Worship and Social Time
Looking all the way back to the beginning, we have God making man in a very unique, interesting way. The LORD God molded the man out of the dust of the earth, but then breathed the breath/spirit/wind of life into him, and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). In other words, the thing that set the man apart from the rest of creation is that man consisted of two natures, the physical and the spiritual.
So what does that mean for our thinking of community? It means that we simply cannot separate the need for our community to stress both the physical aspects of simply being together with the spiritual aspects of recognizing our union and fellowship with God in Jesus. Our tendency is to focus on one or the other, and leave the other side of the coin lacking.
For example, when we think of worship, we tend to focus our thoughts on God. Rightfully so, since He is the object of our worship. And yet, when we gather with our brothers and sisters in Jesus, I believe that we benefit greatly from remembering that we have two natures. Yes, our focus on God is of the utmost importance. However, one thing that God repeatedly tells us is that our affection and love toward Him is demonstrated in our affection and love toward one another.
When we worship with our fellow Christians, where is our focus? Do we focus on God, especially on His grace shown to us in Jesus? Do we make our time of worship more about the physical side of our being, such as the songs we sing and the things we like? How do we work to tie the two together?
So what does that mean for our thinking of community? It means that we simply cannot separate the need for our community to stress both the physical aspects of simply being together with the spiritual aspects of recognizing our union and fellowship with God in Jesus. Our tendency is to focus on one or the other, and leave the other side of the coin lacking.
For example, when we think of worship, we tend to focus our thoughts on God. Rightfully so, since He is the object of our worship. And yet, when we gather with our brothers and sisters in Jesus, I believe that we benefit greatly from remembering that we have two natures. Yes, our focus on God is of the utmost importance. However, one thing that God repeatedly tells us is that our affection and love toward Him is demonstrated in our affection and love toward one another.
When we worship with our fellow Christians, where is our focus? Do we focus on God, especially on His grace shown to us in Jesus? Do we make our time of worship more about the physical side of our being, such as the songs we sing and the things we like? How do we work to tie the two together?
Friday, June 3, 2011
Random Questions About Faith Communties
Today, rather than compose an entry of well-reasoned thoughts (that would be a first, right?), I just thought I would toss out a few questions for us all to think about when we consider our Christian faith communities.
- How do we go about combining the human elements (friendship) with the spiritual element (faith) in our communities? Do we tend to emphasize one or the other at specific times, or have specific gatherings for each one?
- How much do the expectations of each individual present in our faith communities impact what we do together? Do we tend to focus on specific individuals, or upon what is best for the overall community?
- What is the importance of regular connection and communication between the people of the community? Is just touching base with each other on Sunday enough, or do we need to be conscientious of our needs more frequently?
- What happens when someone is absent from our community for a time? Do we tend to show care and concern for them, or does it come across as more of a "Where have you been?" kind of attitude?
- While no community of faith will be perfect this side of God's eternal kingdom, how can we strive to have our whole community grow in connection with one another?
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Freedom, Independence, and Community
In John 8:31-38, Jesus talks about His truth setting people free. Of course, the Jews who were listening to Him misunderstood what He was saying, thinking that it meant them as a nation, or some other similar line of thinking. And yet, the freedom that Jesus was talking about was a much greater freedom.
Let's flash ahead to our current century, time, and place. When you hear the word free, what do you think of? As I ask around about this from time to time, the answers that tend to come out are along the lines of "no one tells me what to do", or "I can choose to do what I want to do". The idea of freedom, at least in our North American context, seems to consist of being able to do whatever you want, whenever you want, and no one can tell you that it's wrong.
If that's our understanding of freedom, just imagine the impact that it will have on our faith community gatherings. If we gather for worship, and we hear Jesus say something like "Take up your cross and follow me," while at the same time declaring us free, we're probably going to think that it's either one or the other, and of course, we're going to choose freedom. And that is going to have a great deal of impact on our faith community.
Many Americans seem to think that they are free to gather with whatever group of Christians they want, or not even to have to gather. But that is definitely not the kind of freedom that Jesus spoke of. He spoke of freedom from the destructive, oppressive powers that impact people in their lives, souls, and faith lives. Things like sin, death, or the power of the devil. These are the kind of freedoms that Jesus has won for us. And when we recognize our freedom from these, we want to celebrate and be around others who share that same freedom.
But who wants to be around someone who basically thinks and feels that no one can tell them what to do, and they can do whatever they choose. What happens if they engage in some action that is harmful or destructive to another? They've already established the boundary that you can't tell them that they can't do it. This particular idea of freedom is devastating to community.
Sadly, right now I see that idea far too common in people's thinking. I've even seen it in the life of my worshiping community. Maybe you've even thought it from time to time. If so, here's what I ask you to remember. That's not the kind of freedom that Jesus came to give. Jesus came to give us freedom to care for one another, to forgive one another, not to assert our own rights and do whatever we want to.
Let's flash ahead to our current century, time, and place. When you hear the word free, what do you think of? As I ask around about this from time to time, the answers that tend to come out are along the lines of "no one tells me what to do", or "I can choose to do what I want to do". The idea of freedom, at least in our North American context, seems to consist of being able to do whatever you want, whenever you want, and no one can tell you that it's wrong.
If that's our understanding of freedom, just imagine the impact that it will have on our faith community gatherings. If we gather for worship, and we hear Jesus say something like "Take up your cross and follow me," while at the same time declaring us free, we're probably going to think that it's either one or the other, and of course, we're going to choose freedom. And that is going to have a great deal of impact on our faith community.
Many Americans seem to think that they are free to gather with whatever group of Christians they want, or not even to have to gather. But that is definitely not the kind of freedom that Jesus spoke of. He spoke of freedom from the destructive, oppressive powers that impact people in their lives, souls, and faith lives. Things like sin, death, or the power of the devil. These are the kind of freedoms that Jesus has won for us. And when we recognize our freedom from these, we want to celebrate and be around others who share that same freedom.
But who wants to be around someone who basically thinks and feels that no one can tell them what to do, and they can do whatever they choose. What happens if they engage in some action that is harmful or destructive to another? They've already established the boundary that you can't tell them that they can't do it. This particular idea of freedom is devastating to community.
Sadly, right now I see that idea far too common in people's thinking. I've even seen it in the life of my worshiping community. Maybe you've even thought it from time to time. If so, here's what I ask you to remember. That's not the kind of freedom that Jesus came to give. Jesus came to give us freedom to care for one another, to forgive one another, not to assert our own rights and do whatever we want to.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Community: A Great Banquet
In Luke 14:12-24, Jesus is invited to a dinner, and then ends up telling the story about a man who threw a banquet, but the guests refused to come. While the primary meaning of this was likely directed to the Jewish religious leaders, I find it interesting that the Bible quite often speaks of God's everlasting kingdom as a banquet, or a great feast. Plus, we also often find Jesus eating with people.
This picture of God's kingdom seems to paint a picture that we will be in everlasting celebration, joining with one another at the great feast, as we inherit God's gift of eternal life. That means that we will be in community with one another, and with God completely and fully. There will be no eating by oneself, or any lack of fellowship with others. Instead, all of God's people will be rejoicing and eating together in His kingdom.
Food and community just seem to go together. Getting together with someone for lunch, or over coffee, is still a great way to connect with each other. As we think about ways to build up God's community in our local churches, perhaps we should look for more ways that involve food.
What would we think of the person who had a huge banquet, but ended up at it all by himself? We'd feel compassion and sorrow for such a person. So as we think about how to increase the community which we spend with our fellow faith people, perhaps we should look for more ways to simply include a little food. Fewer meetings, and more food and fellowship. Sounds like a good recipe to me!
This picture of God's kingdom seems to paint a picture that we will be in everlasting celebration, joining with one another at the great feast, as we inherit God's gift of eternal life. That means that we will be in community with one another, and with God completely and fully. There will be no eating by oneself, or any lack of fellowship with others. Instead, all of God's people will be rejoicing and eating together in His kingdom.
Food and community just seem to go together. Getting together with someone for lunch, or over coffee, is still a great way to connect with each other. As we think about ways to build up God's community in our local churches, perhaps we should look for more ways that involve food.
What would we think of the person who had a huge banquet, but ended up at it all by himself? We'd feel compassion and sorrow for such a person. So as we think about how to increase the community which we spend with our fellow faith people, perhaps we should look for more ways to simply include a little food. Fewer meetings, and more food and fellowship. Sounds like a good recipe to me!
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