It is definitely Spring time around here. Either that or my sinuses decided to go haywire for nothing. I have a serious love-hate relationship with Spring. I love that the snow is finally gone, that I can break out the shorts, do some yard work, plant flowers and vegetables, go to the park, etc. I DESPISE that pollen suddenly invades my life, making breathing and seeing an impossible task. Every year I feel like I'm Mark Wahlberg in "The Happening" and the flora of Earth are trying to destroy me, poisoning my system with its yellow powder.
Spring also brings shorter clothing. "Suns out, guns out!" Tank tops, shorts, 70 year old men in Speedos doing their gardening, spaghetti straps, bikinis, etc. With the heat and the sun comes a desire to stay cool in the Summer, get a nice tan, show off those muscles, etc. Along with this wardrobe change comes a challenge: modesty. Yes, the M word. Most girls who have grown up in the church, come from a Christian family, attended a Christian youth group for any period of time, etc. have heard the sermons on modesty or been addressed by adult leaders about how they dress.
As it stands now, the majority of the conversation is one-sided. Girls are told to dress modest, not show off too much, not dress provocatively, wear a shirt while swimming, etc. I personally do believe that you shouldn't be showing off goods that aren't for sale. While the rest of America is obsessed with sexuality and revealing clothing (just look at the "misses" section of Kohl's as Summer approaches), there IS a standard for Christian girls. HOWEVER, there is ALSO a standard for guys.
For far too long, young men have been able to pass the lust buck, putting the onus on the girls to cover up anything and everything, not wear tight clothing, etc. "Girls, if you don't dress modestly, you are gonna cause one of your Christian brothers to lust and while that is sin, you are a party to their sin because you should know better than to wear THAT! How dare you! Baby Jesus cries!" That's how I imagine the conversation goes. I never had the modesty talk because, well, I'm a dude and I was fat so I never wanted to wear something revealing or short. I always wore baggy clothing to cover up the Michelin Man physique I was sporting. But I digress..
All that we have done, as Christian leaders, is create a shaming system focused solely on women. We tell them, "You are responsible for how those young men think. They are nothing more than Hormone bombs just waiting for your curves to initiate launch sequence. They are nothing more than sex-crazed apes that will air hump at the first sight of a belly button, so please wear a sweatshirt and ankle length dress at all times, something loose fitting and baggy. Let's help a brother out."
SMH
Before I put my crosshairs on men, let me speak about modesty. Christian women, you are absolutely responsible for how you dress. We are called to be different than the world and that does mean we should not intentionally dress or act in a way that will lead men to think in a certain direction. If you are wearing V-necks cut down to your belly button so that the girls popping out or wearing bootie shorts so small that when you sneeze you see butt cheek, you are NOT being modest. You can wear nice looking, form fitting, stylish clothing without showing off every curve and inch of skin that God blessed you with. You are blessed by God to have a form that is beautiful to the male eye, God made you that way. There is nothing wrong with being beautiful, feeling beautiful, and dressing beautiful, but you don't have to dress in such a way that is revealing and sensual.
I realize that it is hard. I have walked through the clothing at Kohl's and the like as my wife shops and seen the few "modest" options that may be available. It is hard because society wants short and tight, so stores sell short and tight. But you can still be stylish and not succumb to the hoochie mama look.
There is a line that can be crossed, even innocently, and you do need to be aware of how you look and even how it could be perceived.
Men have shamed women for far too long, pointing the finger and telling them it is their fault for making us lust and think dirty thoughts and all that crap. Now, if you are dressing like a whodathoughtit, then yes, you are PARTIALLY responsible for that. But making a sweeping argument that women are responsible for men falling is a load of horse poo. That's like saying, "Well, she is to blame for being raped because she shouldn't have been wearing that v-neck." or "It was her fault that I lusted because she was wearing tight pants." The burden of visual modesty does rest on the shoulders of women, but that doesn't mean that you have to walk around in a burqa. Dress stylish, dress for the occasion, but keep modesty in mind.
MEN, it is time for you take responsibility. As a gender, we have pointed the finger at women and passed the lust buck, faulting them for our lack of self-control. Do you wanna know who is responsible for how you think? Turn that finger back to your own chest.
::::GASPS OF SHOCK:::::
It is not the woman's fault that you can't control you thoughts. It's your fault. You are not some hormone-driven sex hound that must procreate with anything having curves and skin. You control your thoughts, you have the steering wheel, not you hormones. We cannot point the finger of blame at the female gender for our inability to control our thoughts and desires. Take Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 6 "All things are lawful for me, BUT I WILL NOT BE MASTERED BY ANYTHING." That includes your sexual desires and your lustful thoughts.
Just because someone may be dressed inappropriately, DOES NOT mean you have to take that image into your head and have your way with it. We live in a world where there are people who do not believe as we do and who are not going to dress modestly, but that DOES NOT get you off the hook. You still have control over how long you look and what you do with that thought. You don't have to immediately begin to mentally undress that person and start having mental intercourse with them just because they are wearing a low cut blouse.
Also, if you are in a place where a certain type of clothing is called for, like a bikini at the pool, yoga pants and tank tops/sports tops at the gym, shorts and sports tops while running, etc., that doesn't mean they are wrong for wearing activity appropriate clothing in a place or location designed for that. Stop pushing the blame off onto women just because it is easier to do so than to take your own thoughts captive.
Men, it is time we actually manned up to the challenge and followed Scripture, taking our thoughts captive, guarding our hearts, and not letting our desires master us. Stop shaming women because you want the easy way out. Start taking responsibility for your mind and control yourself. Let's be honest with ourselves, we can get ourselves excited about the slightest glimpse of skin, undergarments, belly button, etc. It doesn't take much for a man's sexual engine to get started. But YOU control the switch, not your mind, not your hormones. So, take back control and start living like the self-controlled Christian man you are supposed to be. Stop blaming others for your laziness to control your thoughts.
Modesty isn't just about how you look. Modesty is defined "behavior, manner, or appearance intended to avoid impropriety or indecency." Ladies, is your look, behavior, or appearance indecent? You aren't being modest. Guys, are your thoughts and behavior indecent? You aren't being modest.
So, that being said, I leave you with 2 points.
1. Ladies, please think about what you wear and do your best to be modest. You don't have to wear a muumuu to be a Christian woman. Be stylish, love your body, dress nice, but leave the goodies covered and modest. You were created with a beautiful body that your husband alone was made to enjoy.
2. Guys, take control of your own thoughts and stop trying to blame women for your mental laziness. Don't be mastered by your sexuality, but take your thoughts captive, control where you go with those thoughts, and take Paul's words to Timothy to heart, "Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters." (1 Timothy 5:1) Save the fantasies for your wife. God made your wife for you to fantasize about all day long (and vice versa). So, reserve the bedroom of your mind for your wife alone.
Oct 29, 2014
Halloween - To treat or not to treat, that is the question.
One thing I love about this time of the year is all the joy, community, and festivity that comes with October through December. I live for this time of year, not only because my allergies are the best ever (because everything is dying/dead) but because of the parties, the food, the snacks, the music, the weather, etc. I just love the Fall. One thing I hate about this time of years is all the controversy that it begins with. Yes, I'm talking about Halloween.
Halloween is quite possibly, aside from carpet color in the church, the most divisive, debated issue among believers. Is it worshipping the devil if I go out dressed like a pirate or allow my infant to be dressed in a monkey costume, so that I can stock up on sweets for the next couple months? Is it a celebration of the devil if I choose to participate?
About this time of year I see a flood of comments, articles, blog posts, etc. inundating my news feeds about the goodness/badness/ambivalence of this one day, October 31st. These post seem to spiral downward in their forcefulness and attack of those on either side of the argument, diatribes against the opposition with Scripture to back it. To be honest, it makes me ill. I hate anything that causes division in the church and while there is room for interpretation, we all use our verses to fire warning shots across the bow of those who do not stand on our side of the line.
So what am I trying to accomplish with this post? I definitely do not intend to on showing my own personal belief in this matter, but I just want to call a peace treaty. To be honest, Halloween isn't the only holiday in the next three months that is pagan at it's core. You can find plenty of information and articles decrying other holidays celebrated in the church world because of their pagan roots. And I know Christians who stand on the "Against" side of the fence in regards to these as well. What does all this bickering and fighting do? It destroys brothers and sisters in Christ and continues to make the church look like a dysfunctional family that can never seem to get along.
So, in response to all the upcoming debates about the goodness or badness of certain festivities, I want to wave the white flag of peace and call a ceasefire. I may get fingers pointed or comments in opposition, but that's ok. I'm good with it.
The only thing that I desire to do is bring unity in the body and be a person who builds up, not tears down, those around me. So, in response to all of this I wish to make one point, the point that I believe the apostle Paul makes in his letters of 1 Corinthians and Romans.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses the topic of food sacrificed to idols. Now, this is meat that is dedicated, offered, and consecrated as worship to a pagan deity, a demon. What is worse than partaking of something connected to demon worship? Yet Paul addresses the topic and says that really we know that these "gods" are nothing at all, because there is only one God, and therefore this is just any other kind of meat. However, he draws a distinction. There are some that have no issue with the meat because they don't see anything wrong with it, it's just meat. Others have a problem with the idols and therefore in their eating of that meat feel they are participating in the worship of idols, and so they don't eat. Paul doesn't take a side in the argument, but says that neither is in the wrong. His point is that those who feel free to eat that meat should not encourage their brother/sister who believes otherwise to enter in because for them it is sin.
Paul later makes a similar case in Romans, which I wish to point out. In talking about holy days and foods, Paul makes the distinction between some who decide to celebrate certain days and others who see all days as the same. The same with food and drink. Now, I don't believe that I'm making a stretch here, but I do think that the truth herein is valuable.
"So then, let us aim for harmony in the church, and let us aim to build each other up. Don't tear up the work of God because of what you eat. Remember that all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better to not eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning." ~ Romans 14:19-23
So, in what I believe to be the spirit of Paul's words, let us not destroy each other with divisive arguments and accusations. Determine your convictions in regards to these matters, with the whole counsel of scripture. If you believe that Jack-o-lanterns, costumes, and trick or treating is participation in a pagan holiday to celebrate the dead and commune with spirits, by all means do not participate. Please stay true to your convictions and do not compromise your belief in that matter. However, if you see the opposite and have no problem with innocent costumes and parties, then enjoy yourself and be safe.
The point of every day, whether special or regular, is that we honor the LORD. If we celebrate, let us do so with thanksgiving, honoring God with our actions, words, and activities. If we abstain. let us honor the LORD in what we do with our time. I leave this post with the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:16.
I encourage you to live your lives every single day, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Make the most of every opportunity. If you stay home, make a special effort to redeem that time through worship, prayer, intercession, and conversation, should you answer the door to those on their candy rounds, lifting up the name of Jesus and making His light shine in the darkness. If you participate, redeem the time and sanctify the day with your conversation, your dress, your attitude, and action. In all things, live as children of light and let the light of Christ shine brilliantly through all you do.
"And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." ~ Colossians 3:17
Halloween is quite possibly, aside from carpet color in the church, the most divisive, debated issue among believers. Is it worshipping the devil if I go out dressed like a pirate or allow my infant to be dressed in a monkey costume, so that I can stock up on sweets for the next couple months? Is it a celebration of the devil if I choose to participate?
About this time of year I see a flood of comments, articles, blog posts, etc. inundating my news feeds about the goodness/badness/ambivalence of this one day, October 31st. These post seem to spiral downward in their forcefulness and attack of those on either side of the argument, diatribes against the opposition with Scripture to back it. To be honest, it makes me ill. I hate anything that causes division in the church and while there is room for interpretation, we all use our verses to fire warning shots across the bow of those who do not stand on our side of the line.
So what am I trying to accomplish with this post? I definitely do not intend to on showing my own personal belief in this matter, but I just want to call a peace treaty. To be honest, Halloween isn't the only holiday in the next three months that is pagan at it's core. You can find plenty of information and articles decrying other holidays celebrated in the church world because of their pagan roots. And I know Christians who stand on the "Against" side of the fence in regards to these as well. What does all this bickering and fighting do? It destroys brothers and sisters in Christ and continues to make the church look like a dysfunctional family that can never seem to get along.
So, in response to all the upcoming debates about the goodness or badness of certain festivities, I want to wave the white flag of peace and call a ceasefire. I may get fingers pointed or comments in opposition, but that's ok. I'm good with it.
The only thing that I desire to do is bring unity in the body and be a person who builds up, not tears down, those around me. So, in response to all of this I wish to make one point, the point that I believe the apostle Paul makes in his letters of 1 Corinthians and Romans.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses the topic of food sacrificed to idols. Now, this is meat that is dedicated, offered, and consecrated as worship to a pagan deity, a demon. What is worse than partaking of something connected to demon worship? Yet Paul addresses the topic and says that really we know that these "gods" are nothing at all, because there is only one God, and therefore this is just any other kind of meat. However, he draws a distinction. There are some that have no issue with the meat because they don't see anything wrong with it, it's just meat. Others have a problem with the idols and therefore in their eating of that meat feel they are participating in the worship of idols, and so they don't eat. Paul doesn't take a side in the argument, but says that neither is in the wrong. His point is that those who feel free to eat that meat should not encourage their brother/sister who believes otherwise to enter in because for them it is sin.
Paul later makes a similar case in Romans, which I wish to point out. In talking about holy days and foods, Paul makes the distinction between some who decide to celebrate certain days and others who see all days as the same. The same with food and drink. Now, I don't believe that I'm making a stretch here, but I do think that the truth herein is valuable.
"So then, let us aim for harmony in the church, and let us aim to build each other up. Don't tear up the work of God because of what you eat. Remember that all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better to not eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning." ~ Romans 14:19-23
So, in what I believe to be the spirit of Paul's words, let us not destroy each other with divisive arguments and accusations. Determine your convictions in regards to these matters, with the whole counsel of scripture. If you believe that Jack-o-lanterns, costumes, and trick or treating is participation in a pagan holiday to celebrate the dead and commune with spirits, by all means do not participate. Please stay true to your convictions and do not compromise your belief in that matter. However, if you see the opposite and have no problem with innocent costumes and parties, then enjoy yourself and be safe.
The point of every day, whether special or regular, is that we honor the LORD. If we celebrate, let us do so with thanksgiving, honoring God with our actions, words, and activities. If we abstain. let us honor the LORD in what we do with our time. I leave this post with the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:16.
I encourage you to live your lives every single day, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Make the most of every opportunity. If you stay home, make a special effort to redeem that time through worship, prayer, intercession, and conversation, should you answer the door to those on their candy rounds, lifting up the name of Jesus and making His light shine in the darkness. If you participate, redeem the time and sanctify the day with your conversation, your dress, your attitude, and action. In all things, live as children of light and let the light of Christ shine brilliantly through all you do.
"And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." ~ Colossians 3:17
Oct 20, 2014
Red Letters
"Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light."
Famous first words.
Can you imagine what it was like from God's perspective in that first moment of creation? Here is God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--standing in eternity and nothing else exists. There is no universe, no lights, no substance...nada, zip, zero, nil. Just God and all His infinite bigness.
Out of the silence of that moment God speaks 4 words that set off the most impressive fireworks display ever imagined. Instantaneously from the pitch black of nothingness light burst forth in a dazzling eruption of blinding brightness. Those 4 simple words carried the authority and creative power of God, bringing forth something where there was previously absolutely nothing. That is a power that as a parent I wish I had, the ability to speak and have my son obey instantaneously without thought or rebuttal. Alas, and thankfully, I am not God and don't have that awesome power.
But imagine with me for a second what it must have been like to watch all of creation unfold with just the words coming forth from God's mouth. The words he spoke created light, water, earth, suns, moons, planets, stars, elements, compounds, gases, solids, liquids, comets, black holes, gravity, flora, and fauna. All of those things, the billions and billions of variety in matter that exists in our universe, the majority of which we have yet to discover and likely never will. All brought forth by the word of God.
It's funny because after creation we don't think about the creative, life-giving power of the word of God, but it maintains that same efficacy and authority. Just because creation has ended doesn't mean that God's authoritative, creative voice has lost it's power.
Fast forward to the coming of Jesus. I have read the words in red countless times. I've preached and heard them preached repetitively, but never before have I had this realization. In hearing someone from our church give a personal testimony of God's work in their life in a recent service, they quoted scripture, promises in scripture that they stood upon and saw God's faithfulness in keeping those promises. Suddenly, in the midst of that testimony, something hit my spirit. The words of Christ carry the same authoritative, creative, life-giving, universe creating power.
"I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know His commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say." John 12:49-50 (NLT)
Jesus (God the Son) only spoke in line with what God the Father told Him. He spoke with divine authority because He spoke in accordance with the will and direction of the Father. Just a few chapters earlier we read that Jesus admitted to His inability to do anything on His own, but that He only did what He saw the Father doing. His entire human life was consumed with doing and saying what the Father showed Him. He did nothing out of His humanity but worked and spoke out of divine authority and power. That brings new perspective to the red letters in scripture.
When Jesus spoke, He always spoke what the Father led Him to say, how He was led to say it, and when He was led to say it, all with the same creative divine authority and power. So, everything that Jesus spoke carries that same weight, which to me was a revolutionary thought. I have always believed in and stood upon the promises of God, but never thought of it in this same manner before. Each promise isn't just guaranteed because God promised it, but also it carries the creative power of God because His words bring life and bring something from nothing. Those red letters carry that same divine authority and can literally cause nothing from something when we believe and stand upon the Word of God.
Brings back to memory the lyrics of a DC Talk song:
Heed the words divinely spoken
May your restless heart be broken
Let the supernatural take hold
There is love in the red letters
There is truth in the red letters
There is hope for the hopeless
Peace and forgiveness
There is life in the red letters
Famous first words.
Can you imagine what it was like from God's perspective in that first moment of creation? Here is God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--standing in eternity and nothing else exists. There is no universe, no lights, no substance...nada, zip, zero, nil. Just God and all His infinite bigness.
Out of the silence of that moment God speaks 4 words that set off the most impressive fireworks display ever imagined. Instantaneously from the pitch black of nothingness light burst forth in a dazzling eruption of blinding brightness. Those 4 simple words carried the authority and creative power of God, bringing forth something where there was previously absolutely nothing. That is a power that as a parent I wish I had, the ability to speak and have my son obey instantaneously without thought or rebuttal. Alas, and thankfully, I am not God and don't have that awesome power.
But imagine with me for a second what it must have been like to watch all of creation unfold with just the words coming forth from God's mouth. The words he spoke created light, water, earth, suns, moons, planets, stars, elements, compounds, gases, solids, liquids, comets, black holes, gravity, flora, and fauna. All of those things, the billions and billions of variety in matter that exists in our universe, the majority of which we have yet to discover and likely never will. All brought forth by the word of God.
It's funny because after creation we don't think about the creative, life-giving power of the word of God, but it maintains that same efficacy and authority. Just because creation has ended doesn't mean that God's authoritative, creative voice has lost it's power.
Fast forward to the coming of Jesus. I have read the words in red countless times. I've preached and heard them preached repetitively, but never before have I had this realization. In hearing someone from our church give a personal testimony of God's work in their life in a recent service, they quoted scripture, promises in scripture that they stood upon and saw God's faithfulness in keeping those promises. Suddenly, in the midst of that testimony, something hit my spirit. The words of Christ carry the same authoritative, creative, life-giving, universe creating power.
"I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know His commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say." John 12:49-50 (NLT)
Jesus (God the Son) only spoke in line with what God the Father told Him. He spoke with divine authority because He spoke in accordance with the will and direction of the Father. Just a few chapters earlier we read that Jesus admitted to His inability to do anything on His own, but that He only did what He saw the Father doing. His entire human life was consumed with doing and saying what the Father showed Him. He did nothing out of His humanity but worked and spoke out of divine authority and power. That brings new perspective to the red letters in scripture.
When Jesus spoke, He always spoke what the Father led Him to say, how He was led to say it, and when He was led to say it, all with the same creative divine authority and power. So, everything that Jesus spoke carries that same weight, which to me was a revolutionary thought. I have always believed in and stood upon the promises of God, but never thought of it in this same manner before. Each promise isn't just guaranteed because God promised it, but also it carries the creative power of God because His words bring life and bring something from nothing. Those red letters carry that same divine authority and can literally cause nothing from something when we believe and stand upon the Word of God.
Brings back to memory the lyrics of a DC Talk song:
Heed the words divinely spoken
May your restless heart be broken
Let the supernatural take hold
There is love in the red letters
There is truth in the red letters
There is hope for the hopeless
Peace and forgiveness
There is life in the red letters
May 16, 2013
Hypersalinity & Stagnation
"On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, 'Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'' (When he said 'living water,' he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)" ~ John 7:37-39
Salt water is rather interesting. Fish have adapted to live in a saline environment, to a certain point, and yet that same water that sustains life is death to a human who should consume too much. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner says, "Water, water, every where, and all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink." What provides a thriving environment for oceanic fauna, actually brings death to the human body. When a man consumes salt water it actually is counterproductive. The body is able to handle salt to an extent, but the kidneys react to salt in the body by expelling the excess through urine. When you drink salt water, the salt in the body rises and the kidneys go into work trying to rid the body of the salt by excreting water to carry it away, thus dehydrating the body. Too much salt water in the body turns into a toxic situation and ends in death.
Now consider the Dead Sea and other hypersaline lakes. They contain more than 30% saline saturation, which actually makes life impossible. No flora or fauna can exist in a hypersaline environment. The problem is that there is no outward flow of water to remove the salt build up and therefore the sea is left too salty for life to exist. What does all this have to do with Jesus' words? I'm glad you asked!
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5, "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless." Salt has a lot of great qualities and benefits for life. It is a cleansing and purifying agent, is used in facial scrubs for cleaning and exfoliation, helps clear sinuses through saline rinses, preserves food, and was used in mummification; however, if it loses that saline quality, it is useless. The flip side of the coin is hypersalinity, like the Dead Sea. Jesus mentioned losing one's saltiness, or usefulness, in the Spirit. We have to maintain that saltiness in our life to be useful in the world. Now consider His words in John 7.
Jesus told His followers that when the Holy Spirit came, when they drank of His living water, that it would become rivers of living water flowing from within them. By partaking of His life giving Spirit, they would become a channel for that water to flow. As Pentecostals, we focus a great deal on the fullness of the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit, but what happens when you fill a vessel? Did Jesus say, "You will become a jar filled with water, that will sit there and fill you"? No, he said that we would become a channel, a waterway for His life-giving Spirit to flow through. How does all this apply?
The reason the Dead Sea is so salty is that water flows into it but there is no outlet. The water sits in that basin and as water evaporates, the salt supersaturates the remaining water, which is what causes the hypersalinity of the Sea. If there were an outlet, a place for the water to flow elsewhere, this phenomenon wouldn't occur, as water coming in would push water on down the way. The stagnant situation of the Dead Sea is what causes the hypersalinity. Likewise in the Christian life, if we are filled but have no flow or current of the Spirit, we can become "hypersaline" or filled with too much salt. The lack of saltiness is bad, according to Christ, but the opposite is equally as bad. Hypersalinity in the Christian life, or filled with a great deal of "spiritual" knowledge with no outflow, can cause cynicism, inactivity, and legalism in life. If all we do is collect, collect, collect with not outflow of what we have received, we can become spiritually toxic. I don't believe I'm being heretical in saying this. Paul said, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." The Spirit-filled Christian life was never meant to be filled with no outflow. What good is salt that sits in a shaker but is never used? Too much salt is death.
Another problem is stagnation. If you fill a cup to the brim and then leave it, what will happen? Over time, with no activity, the water will stagnate, stink, and grow mold, bacteria, algae, etc. In our spiritual life, we were never meant to be filled and then just let it sit there. Spiritual stagnation is a problem in our life. Therefore, Jesus said that the Spirit-filled life would create "rivers of living water" flowing from within our hearts. The cup isn't meant to be filled up and sit there, but is turned into a waterway to flow water to others. The water of the Spirit is to be continually flowing in and through our lives, refreshing others and bringing life out of death. We aren't intended to be hypersaline or stagnant in our spiritual walk, but to be a moving, living body of spiritual water, continaully filled and flowing with the life-giving Spirit of God. Spirit-filled isn't an approriate term to me. We are to be Spirit-flowing, not just filled to the brim, but constantly overflowing with the Spirit of God.
Salt water is rather interesting. Fish have adapted to live in a saline environment, to a certain point, and yet that same water that sustains life is death to a human who should consume too much. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner says, "Water, water, every where, and all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink." What provides a thriving environment for oceanic fauna, actually brings death to the human body. When a man consumes salt water it actually is counterproductive. The body is able to handle salt to an extent, but the kidneys react to salt in the body by expelling the excess through urine. When you drink salt water, the salt in the body rises and the kidneys go into work trying to rid the body of the salt by excreting water to carry it away, thus dehydrating the body. Too much salt water in the body turns into a toxic situation and ends in death.
Now consider the Dead Sea and other hypersaline lakes. They contain more than 30% saline saturation, which actually makes life impossible. No flora or fauna can exist in a hypersaline environment. The problem is that there is no outward flow of water to remove the salt build up and therefore the sea is left too salty for life to exist. What does all this have to do with Jesus' words? I'm glad you asked!
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5, "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless." Salt has a lot of great qualities and benefits for life. It is a cleansing and purifying agent, is used in facial scrubs for cleaning and exfoliation, helps clear sinuses through saline rinses, preserves food, and was used in mummification; however, if it loses that saline quality, it is useless. The flip side of the coin is hypersalinity, like the Dead Sea. Jesus mentioned losing one's saltiness, or usefulness, in the Spirit. We have to maintain that saltiness in our life to be useful in the world. Now consider His words in John 7.
Jesus told His followers that when the Holy Spirit came, when they drank of His living water, that it would become rivers of living water flowing from within them. By partaking of His life giving Spirit, they would become a channel for that water to flow. As Pentecostals, we focus a great deal on the fullness of the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit, but what happens when you fill a vessel? Did Jesus say, "You will become a jar filled with water, that will sit there and fill you"? No, he said that we would become a channel, a waterway for His life-giving Spirit to flow through. How does all this apply?
The reason the Dead Sea is so salty is that water flows into it but there is no outlet. The water sits in that basin and as water evaporates, the salt supersaturates the remaining water, which is what causes the hypersalinity of the Sea. If there were an outlet, a place for the water to flow elsewhere, this phenomenon wouldn't occur, as water coming in would push water on down the way. The stagnant situation of the Dead Sea is what causes the hypersalinity. Likewise in the Christian life, if we are filled but have no flow or current of the Spirit, we can become "hypersaline" or filled with too much salt. The lack of saltiness is bad, according to Christ, but the opposite is equally as bad. Hypersalinity in the Christian life, or filled with a great deal of "spiritual" knowledge with no outflow, can cause cynicism, inactivity, and legalism in life. If all we do is collect, collect, collect with not outflow of what we have received, we can become spiritually toxic. I don't believe I'm being heretical in saying this. Paul said, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." The Spirit-filled Christian life was never meant to be filled with no outflow. What good is salt that sits in a shaker but is never used? Too much salt is death.
Another problem is stagnation. If you fill a cup to the brim and then leave it, what will happen? Over time, with no activity, the water will stagnate, stink, and grow mold, bacteria, algae, etc. In our spiritual life, we were never meant to be filled and then just let it sit there. Spiritual stagnation is a problem in our life. Therefore, Jesus said that the Spirit-filled life would create "rivers of living water" flowing from within our hearts. The cup isn't meant to be filled up and sit there, but is turned into a waterway to flow water to others. The water of the Spirit is to be continually flowing in and through our lives, refreshing others and bringing life out of death. We aren't intended to be hypersaline or stagnant in our spiritual walk, but to be a moving, living body of spiritual water, continaully filled and flowing with the life-giving Spirit of God. Spirit-filled isn't an approriate term to me. We are to be Spirit-flowing, not just filled to the brim, but constantly overflowing with the Spirit of God.
May 8, 2013
Modeling Obedience
My son is quickly approaching his second birthday and has discovered that wonderful word "no". How much I despise hearing that, especially from my 24 lbs child. Really? You're standing there with your diaper sagging 3/4 of the way to the floor and you run away from me repeatedly saying "no, no, no, no" when I try to change your diaper, something that would quickly make your life so much better. The struggle for obedience begins.
I've heard the stories of the "terrible twos" and all that comes with the stage of learning independence. The fight has begun to teach our son the lesson and importance of obedience, shaping his very strong, persistent will into a strong willed, but obedient child. Every parent has to go through this time of life, we all have to face the struggles of instructing our child and disciplining our child to teach the necessity of obedience, the moral value of listening to their parents and doing as they say. I hate that my sweet baby boy is becoming independent, strong willed, and, at times, obstinate. I miss the days of sweet smiles and cuddles, now replaced with a toddler making his own choices and making it known to all what he does and, more often, does NOT want to do. Siiiggghhhh....
Obedience is an important lesson for our children to learn and one that, sadly, some parents just refuse to teach. As teaching theories show, there are different ways that we can teach and different ways that people learn, i.e. auditory, visual, and tactile, those who learn by hearing, seeing, and doing. We, as parents, most often do well at teaching our children to obey and the importance of such, but how well do we model that lesson? Even as I write this the ole saying is playing in my head, "monkey see, monkey do."
We teach, or should be teaching our children, obedience to authority and to us as parents, but we also have the responsibility of teaching our children the necessity of obeying God and what He desires. That's more than the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount, but in every area, through Scripture and through the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit. This is a lesson that we often teach verbally but do we always model obedience to God in our own life? It's usually easy to obey the Bible, don't kill, don't steal (even on your taxes!), don't covet, etc., but how are we at modeling complete obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit? I remember multiple times during my life as a child and teenager not wanting to ask my parents for permission to do something or for their desire on a certain topic for fear of what they might say. If they said it, I'd have to obey it, so best not ask. How often do we have the same attitude with God? "Well, He's probably gonna say that I should give $X.XX or that I shouldn't buy this, so best not to ask." I know you've been there, because I have to. We fail to ask permission or God's heart on a matter for fear of what His answer might be, and we are sinning then if we don't obey. Or we don't REALLY pray about something because we don't wanna know what God has to say, because we want something specific already. I'll admit, as a former missionary and pastor, I don't like asking what God wants sometimes because I'm afraid of the answer. I don't want to HAVE to obey, so I just don't ask. I know, I've just shattered some of y'alls view of me.
For instance, I remember in college there was a cute girl that I really wanted to date. She was a sweet girl, loved Jesus, but not called into full-time ministry. I really didn't want to ask God what He wanted, because I had an inkling He would say no. Finally, one day in chapel, I prayed and asked God what He thought. He said, "No." I didn't wanna take it so started to get up. Suddenly, a football player (you know you always thought the jocks were the MOST spiritual, note the sarcasm) comes over to me, someone I really didn't know. He said, "I was praying and felt like God wanted me to tell you something. It's just one word, 'No.'" Yeah, then I had to obey.
Our children learn by watching our lives and obedience is something that they need to see in us. Radical obedience to God is a lesson we need to learn and model for our children. They need to see that we are consistently seeking His face and obeying His voice. We need to share our spiritual journey with them, allow them to see us in conversation with the Father, sharing with them what He says and then obeying His voice. Through our lives they can learn that obeying God is a blessing, they can learn the importance of asking God's will in every area of our lives and seeing that we are completely obedient and submissive to His will. Then when we teach them that the same lesson applies to our relationship with them as parents and children, the lesson easily transfers. They will learn spiritual obedience through learning to obey our instructions and by watching us model obedience for them. It's easy to get in the parent mode of teaching and instructing our children and forget to model the same lessons in our own lives.
"Because monkey see, monkey do, some little monkey may be watching you. So always do what you should do, don't monkey around!"
I've heard the stories of the "terrible twos" and all that comes with the stage of learning independence. The fight has begun to teach our son the lesson and importance of obedience, shaping his very strong, persistent will into a strong willed, but obedient child. Every parent has to go through this time of life, we all have to face the struggles of instructing our child and disciplining our child to teach the necessity of obedience, the moral value of listening to their parents and doing as they say. I hate that my sweet baby boy is becoming independent, strong willed, and, at times, obstinate. I miss the days of sweet smiles and cuddles, now replaced with a toddler making his own choices and making it known to all what he does and, more often, does NOT want to do. Siiiggghhhh....
Obedience is an important lesson for our children to learn and one that, sadly, some parents just refuse to teach. As teaching theories show, there are different ways that we can teach and different ways that people learn, i.e. auditory, visual, and tactile, those who learn by hearing, seeing, and doing. We, as parents, most often do well at teaching our children to obey and the importance of such, but how well do we model that lesson? Even as I write this the ole saying is playing in my head, "monkey see, monkey do."
We teach, or should be teaching our children, obedience to authority and to us as parents, but we also have the responsibility of teaching our children the necessity of obeying God and what He desires. That's more than the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount, but in every area, through Scripture and through the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit. This is a lesson that we often teach verbally but do we always model obedience to God in our own life? It's usually easy to obey the Bible, don't kill, don't steal (even on your taxes!), don't covet, etc., but how are we at modeling complete obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit? I remember multiple times during my life as a child and teenager not wanting to ask my parents for permission to do something or for their desire on a certain topic for fear of what they might say. If they said it, I'd have to obey it, so best not ask. How often do we have the same attitude with God? "Well, He's probably gonna say that I should give $X.XX or that I shouldn't buy this, so best not to ask." I know you've been there, because I have to. We fail to ask permission or God's heart on a matter for fear of what His answer might be, and we are sinning then if we don't obey. Or we don't REALLY pray about something because we don't wanna know what God has to say, because we want something specific already. I'll admit, as a former missionary and pastor, I don't like asking what God wants sometimes because I'm afraid of the answer. I don't want to HAVE to obey, so I just don't ask. I know, I've just shattered some of y'alls view of me.
For instance, I remember in college there was a cute girl that I really wanted to date. She was a sweet girl, loved Jesus, but not called into full-time ministry. I really didn't want to ask God what He wanted, because I had an inkling He would say no. Finally, one day in chapel, I prayed and asked God what He thought. He said, "No." I didn't wanna take it so started to get up. Suddenly, a football player (you know you always thought the jocks were the MOST spiritual, note the sarcasm) comes over to me, someone I really didn't know. He said, "I was praying and felt like God wanted me to tell you something. It's just one word, 'No.'" Yeah, then I had to obey.
Our children learn by watching our lives and obedience is something that they need to see in us. Radical obedience to God is a lesson we need to learn and model for our children. They need to see that we are consistently seeking His face and obeying His voice. We need to share our spiritual journey with them, allow them to see us in conversation with the Father, sharing with them what He says and then obeying His voice. Through our lives they can learn that obeying God is a blessing, they can learn the importance of asking God's will in every area of our lives and seeing that we are completely obedient and submissive to His will. Then when we teach them that the same lesson applies to our relationship with them as parents and children, the lesson easily transfers. They will learn spiritual obedience through learning to obey our instructions and by watching us model obedience for them. It's easy to get in the parent mode of teaching and instructing our children and forget to model the same lessons in our own lives.
"Because monkey see, monkey do, some little monkey may be watching you. So always do what you should do, don't monkey around!"
Apr 30, 2013
Touching the Taboo
I grew up in a very traditional Pentecostal church in Oklahoma City in the 80's. There were certain things we didn't talk about, or if we did it was about how bad or wrong it was, like sex. We never talked about the healthy views of sex, how blessed it is in married life, what a gift it is, and the proper expression of it, only that if you have sex outside of marriage SHAME ON YOU! It a was time of purity rings and abstinence pledges, but my parents never had a word to say on it nor did my pastors. It wasn't talked about or touched on, in fact no real issue of importance or controversy was mentioned. "If we don't talk about it, then they won't get curious," was the general feeling. If they don't know, they can't get in trouble. :::annoying buzzer sound::: Wrong answer, thanks for playing and may the Lord richly bless you. That excuse is illogical and irrational. I heard a lot about sex from everyone else, and just one, small, uncomfortable discussion about puberty and turning into a man at home.
Here is the reality: If they don't hear the truth from us in the church, society is waiting to fill the void. Just because we don't bring up the big issues and talk openly and honestly about them doesn't mean they will grow up innocent. In fact, with the advances in technology and the loss of a social conscience and moral shock factor, they are going to hear plenty about the things we wish our children would be naive about. We have to be up front and honest about life and the realities of life. I'm not just talking about sex, but all the major topics that we really don't want to address, but we need to, both at home and in the church.
The Bible has a great deal to say about our life, how we should live if we are to be righteous, and the blessings and consequences that come with our choice to obey or rebel. First, the church should be a place of open and honest discussion of how to live a godly life in every area, avoiding the scare tactics, and just speaking the truth in love. There aren't taboo subjects. We need to know and teach the biblical view on war, abortion, homosexuality, transgender, sex, drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc. We can't afford to avoid a topic just because it is uncomfortable or difficult. If the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, the church should be open and teach the truth and how we can live in this world and what the Bible has to say about it.
Second, we have to be the first ones doing it at home. We have to parent on purpose, seizing the moments and opportunities that come across our path to teach our children how to live godly in every area. And here's the kicker: you have to study. We can't teach our children something that we don't know ourselves. We can't shrug off their questions with distractions or "that's just sinful". We need to have a good answer and a reason for that answer. It's all well and good to have your personal opinion about something, but as a Christian the only opinion that really matters is God's. We have to study and dig in to find what He has to say about every area of life and teach our kids not our tradition or personal opinion, but the truth of His word. The core of being a biblical family, the Deuteronomy 6 model of a faith family, is that we as parents bear the burden of spiritual instruction. They are going to look to us for the answers and we have to be studied up. "Because we've always done it that way" doesn't fly. When they are young we teach proper practice and when they start asking why we teach the principals and purpose behind the practice. To do so, we have to know it for ourselves.
Parenting, especially godly parenting, isn't a fly by the seat of your pants endeavor. We can't wait for last second inspiration from the Holy Spirit to teach our kid, can't just ready Super Nanny's books on child-rearing. We have to be intentional about studying and teaching our children the truth, instilling Christian core values in their hearts and why we have those values. It's not brainwashing or indoctrinating our children, but developing the moral framework for their lives. Society has plenty of ideas, doubts, reasons, questions, and attacks to throw at our children, inundating them with secular polemics, railing against morality and the Christian perspective. Trust me, the world wants very badly to see your child conform to the social "norms" and turn away from our "bigotry", "hypocrisy", and "outdated fairytales." As parents, we must raise the bar in our own lives, do the research ourselves, and be vigilant, looking for the key moments and opportune times to teach our children spiritual lessons and instill biblical values. We have to teach them not only the truth, but give them confidence in the truth, because truth is attacked in our world. Society wants conformity, not conscience. "Because my parents said so" or "just because" aren't good answers in the face of peers. Our children need to know the whys of what we believe and need that confidence at home to ask questions and get a good answer. They need to know that having Christian morals is going to be hard and is going to incur attack, but it's okay to be non-conformist. Christianity is counter-cultural. But flimsy excuses and scare tactics only provide weak foundations and twisted perceptions for life. God wants spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health and maturity for our lives, which is why He tells us to live as we do. We need to be the loudest voice in our kids' lives, not the rest of humanity.
Your children are students and they will learn, but who is going to be their teacher: You or society?
Here is the reality: If they don't hear the truth from us in the church, society is waiting to fill the void. Just because we don't bring up the big issues and talk openly and honestly about them doesn't mean they will grow up innocent. In fact, with the advances in technology and the loss of a social conscience and moral shock factor, they are going to hear plenty about the things we wish our children would be naive about. We have to be up front and honest about life and the realities of life. I'm not just talking about sex, but all the major topics that we really don't want to address, but we need to, both at home and in the church.
The Bible has a great deal to say about our life, how we should live if we are to be righteous, and the blessings and consequences that come with our choice to obey or rebel. First, the church should be a place of open and honest discussion of how to live a godly life in every area, avoiding the scare tactics, and just speaking the truth in love. There aren't taboo subjects. We need to know and teach the biblical view on war, abortion, homosexuality, transgender, sex, drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc. We can't afford to avoid a topic just because it is uncomfortable or difficult. If the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, the church should be open and teach the truth and how we can live in this world and what the Bible has to say about it.
Second, we have to be the first ones doing it at home. We have to parent on purpose, seizing the moments and opportunities that come across our path to teach our children how to live godly in every area. And here's the kicker: you have to study. We can't teach our children something that we don't know ourselves. We can't shrug off their questions with distractions or "that's just sinful". We need to have a good answer and a reason for that answer. It's all well and good to have your personal opinion about something, but as a Christian the only opinion that really matters is God's. We have to study and dig in to find what He has to say about every area of life and teach our kids not our tradition or personal opinion, but the truth of His word. The core of being a biblical family, the Deuteronomy 6 model of a faith family, is that we as parents bear the burden of spiritual instruction. They are going to look to us for the answers and we have to be studied up. "Because we've always done it that way" doesn't fly. When they are young we teach proper practice and when they start asking why we teach the principals and purpose behind the practice. To do so, we have to know it for ourselves.
Parenting, especially godly parenting, isn't a fly by the seat of your pants endeavor. We can't wait for last second inspiration from the Holy Spirit to teach our kid, can't just ready Super Nanny's books on child-rearing. We have to be intentional about studying and teaching our children the truth, instilling Christian core values in their hearts and why we have those values. It's not brainwashing or indoctrinating our children, but developing the moral framework for their lives. Society has plenty of ideas, doubts, reasons, questions, and attacks to throw at our children, inundating them with secular polemics, railing against morality and the Christian perspective. Trust me, the world wants very badly to see your child conform to the social "norms" and turn away from our "bigotry", "hypocrisy", and "outdated fairytales." As parents, we must raise the bar in our own lives, do the research ourselves, and be vigilant, looking for the key moments and opportune times to teach our children spiritual lessons and instill biblical values. We have to teach them not only the truth, but give them confidence in the truth, because truth is attacked in our world. Society wants conformity, not conscience. "Because my parents said so" or "just because" aren't good answers in the face of peers. Our children need to know the whys of what we believe and need that confidence at home to ask questions and get a good answer. They need to know that having Christian morals is going to be hard and is going to incur attack, but it's okay to be non-conformist. Christianity is counter-cultural. But flimsy excuses and scare tactics only provide weak foundations and twisted perceptions for life. God wants spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health and maturity for our lives, which is why He tells us to live as we do. We need to be the loudest voice in our kids' lives, not the rest of humanity.
Your children are students and they will learn, but who is going to be their teacher: You or society?
Apr 25, 2013
My scar, my trophy
Scars are just trophies of past victory. Of course I'm not talking about the scar on my wrist where I nearly sliced my hand off because I was being stupid with a band saw or the crease down my middle finger where I slipped and flayed myself with a box knife. I'm talking about emotional scars. I've learned in my life that life makes no sense. Period. There really is no reason or rhyme to why things happen when they happen, without consideration of the Divine. When God is removed from the equation, we are left with exactly what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, a world that makes no sense, pointless pain, meaningless suffering, and vain existence.
We are walking through the Book of Ecclesiastes right now on Sunday mornings and it really is an interesting study. Honestly, life is a painful journey through a meaningless existence, confronted by pointless pain and endless suffering, highlighted with brief moments of levity and relief...without God, that is. When we consider our lives and subtract God from the equation, we are left with exactly what Solomon concluded, "vanity of vanities, a chasing after the wind." There is no point in life, not meaning to our suffering, no underlying plot to history, just a collection of helpless souls striving to experience the least amount of suffering possible and work our way up the socio-economic ladder until we are finally laid to rest.
The whole thing is turned upside down when you add God to the equation. Suddenly life is filled with eternal purpose and meaning, even if we don't understand it all. We will NEVER truly understand all the suffering and pain that we go through in life and ultimately, even with knowing that God is in control, we will still be disappointed at God sometimes. That isn't blasphemous, but true. If you expect life to be rainbows and roses because Jesus is your Savior, you're gonna be disappointed. If you buy into Prosperity doctrine, believing that God is some immensely wealthy benefactor just waiting to write you another check, you are going to be disappointed. If you think that life will never have pain or sorrow because of the fact that your sins have been forgiven and erased, you are going to be disappointed.
The challenge of life is to find meaning and purpose amidst the suffering. We have to understand and trust God that He knows what is going on, as the one who sees the beginning from the end, and that in His infinite love He allows us to face pain and suffering because it has a purpose and He knows the end result. We will never be delivered from all our painful experiences, Jesus wasn't. He is the Son of God, God incarnate, and He faced the most excrutiating, humiliating pain and suffering by the WILL OF GOD! If He suffered, how can we expect to not suffer? So, what do we do then?
I know for a fact that ever painful and traumatic experiences, even those that have left me scarred and wounded, serve an eternal purpose and I am different because of them. Heartache, grief, loss of loved ones, miscarriage, doubt, etc. have all, in the end, made me into a better person. My scars aren't reminders of past hurts, but they are victories of survival. I look back on my life and see those experiences and they serve a purpose in the grand scheme. I have learned endurance, total surrender, infinite love, patience (or better put in the King James, long-suffering, because suffering is rarely short), amazing grace, sweet peace, and divine comfort from the battles and trauma I have faced in life.
I struggled with self-image and suicidal depression as a child, but through that God reached out to me in the darkest moment, as I sat poised to slit my wrist, and He revealed His love to me. That pain and depth of despair enabled me to emapthize and later minister to youth who were facing the same depths I had struggled with.
When our son was born, he suffered a lung infection that had no apparent cause, with extreme hemorrhaging, spent 16 days on respirators in NICU, had to be transferred to a government run hospital (he was born overseas) where we only were allowed 10 minutes A DAY with him, my wife underwent 2 surgeries within a few weeks of each other, and he was only given 50% chance of survival for the first several days. Why? I have no idea and I still cry at times when I remember those long, painful days, but through that God enabled us to minister to parents and families that were facing the same struggle we were.
People often try to hide their scars, but a scar is a wound that has healed. It didn't end in death, but you survived. They remind us of past hurts, yes, but hurts that we survived and if we allow them to, they make us better because of it. We develop character through suffering, peace in the midst of pain. It enables us to face future trials with the understanding that we can survive, with the help of God Almighty. Without Him in our lives, we might as well throw in the towel and allow cyncism and bitterness to rule our lives. He is sovereign and in control, and while He can withhold every painful experience and trial, in His infinite mercy and maturity, He knows that what we will face will serve for good later. He knows that we can endure and, if we trust Him, we will leave the storm with a new strength and resolve we never knew we had, a memorial to look back upon and use to point others to Him. He will not stop suffering from happening all the time, but He does work through those things for either our good or for someone else.
Praise God for my scars, because they serve as reminders of His grace and as illustrations of His mercy.
We are walking through the Book of Ecclesiastes right now on Sunday mornings and it really is an interesting study. Honestly, life is a painful journey through a meaningless existence, confronted by pointless pain and endless suffering, highlighted with brief moments of levity and relief...without God, that is. When we consider our lives and subtract God from the equation, we are left with exactly what Solomon concluded, "vanity of vanities, a chasing after the wind." There is no point in life, not meaning to our suffering, no underlying plot to history, just a collection of helpless souls striving to experience the least amount of suffering possible and work our way up the socio-economic ladder until we are finally laid to rest.
The whole thing is turned upside down when you add God to the equation. Suddenly life is filled with eternal purpose and meaning, even if we don't understand it all. We will NEVER truly understand all the suffering and pain that we go through in life and ultimately, even with knowing that God is in control, we will still be disappointed at God sometimes. That isn't blasphemous, but true. If you expect life to be rainbows and roses because Jesus is your Savior, you're gonna be disappointed. If you buy into Prosperity doctrine, believing that God is some immensely wealthy benefactor just waiting to write you another check, you are going to be disappointed. If you think that life will never have pain or sorrow because of the fact that your sins have been forgiven and erased, you are going to be disappointed.
The challenge of life is to find meaning and purpose amidst the suffering. We have to understand and trust God that He knows what is going on, as the one who sees the beginning from the end, and that in His infinite love He allows us to face pain and suffering because it has a purpose and He knows the end result. We will never be delivered from all our painful experiences, Jesus wasn't. He is the Son of God, God incarnate, and He faced the most excrutiating, humiliating pain and suffering by the WILL OF GOD! If He suffered, how can we expect to not suffer? So, what do we do then?
I know for a fact that ever painful and traumatic experiences, even those that have left me scarred and wounded, serve an eternal purpose and I am different because of them. Heartache, grief, loss of loved ones, miscarriage, doubt, etc. have all, in the end, made me into a better person. My scars aren't reminders of past hurts, but they are victories of survival. I look back on my life and see those experiences and they serve a purpose in the grand scheme. I have learned endurance, total surrender, infinite love, patience (or better put in the King James, long-suffering, because suffering is rarely short), amazing grace, sweet peace, and divine comfort from the battles and trauma I have faced in life.
I struggled with self-image and suicidal depression as a child, but through that God reached out to me in the darkest moment, as I sat poised to slit my wrist, and He revealed His love to me. That pain and depth of despair enabled me to emapthize and later minister to youth who were facing the same depths I had struggled with.
When our son was born, he suffered a lung infection that had no apparent cause, with extreme hemorrhaging, spent 16 days on respirators in NICU, had to be transferred to a government run hospital (he was born overseas) where we only were allowed 10 minutes A DAY with him, my wife underwent 2 surgeries within a few weeks of each other, and he was only given 50% chance of survival for the first several days. Why? I have no idea and I still cry at times when I remember those long, painful days, but through that God enabled us to minister to parents and families that were facing the same struggle we were.
People often try to hide their scars, but a scar is a wound that has healed. It didn't end in death, but you survived. They remind us of past hurts, yes, but hurts that we survived and if we allow them to, they make us better because of it. We develop character through suffering, peace in the midst of pain. It enables us to face future trials with the understanding that we can survive, with the help of God Almighty. Without Him in our lives, we might as well throw in the towel and allow cyncism and bitterness to rule our lives. He is sovereign and in control, and while He can withhold every painful experience and trial, in His infinite mercy and maturity, He knows that what we will face will serve for good later. He knows that we can endure and, if we trust Him, we will leave the storm with a new strength and resolve we never knew we had, a memorial to look back upon and use to point others to Him. He will not stop suffering from happening all the time, but He does work through those things for either our good or for someone else.
Praise God for my scars, because they serve as reminders of His grace and as illustrations of His mercy.
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