God gives second chances

To say that God gives second chances is a bit of anunderstatement.  I mean, it’s like sayingthat the internet is useful or that women are complicated.  The truth is so much more than that.  I wonder if I took a tally in my life of allthe stupid things that I have ever done, every sin, every foible, every baddecision, misstep, evil intent, wrong choice…how much would they add upto?  Thousands upon thousands, Isuspect.  And yet God’s grace issufficient for every single one of them.

Sometimes after I do something particularly boneheaded Ifeel guilty or ashamed about it.  Iconfess the sin to God and make it right. But sometimes I wonder if he will really forgive me.  Of course he will, and he does, but I stillwonder for a moment.  I wonder because Iam human and can’t fathom forgiving someone that many times. 

I struggle forgiving someone twice.

The mystery and sheer audacity of God’s grace moves me.  His mercy is so vast that it creates in me asense of awe, wonder and even fear.  Idon’t understand how it can be so, but I believe it is.

I am so thankful that God forgives, forgives, and forgivesagain.  On the verge of a brand new year,let this be a refreshing thought.

Knowing vs. Experiencing

My adopted son Matthew had never seen snow in Ethiopia.  (That would be weird.)  But he knew of snow, and he saw pictures of hisnew siblings in the snow.  When it snowedearly this year, he seemed unimpressed. We thought he would be more excited. He looked out the window and shrugged his shoulders.  We tried to get him excited about it, but hewas not.

But then all the kids got their snow gear on.  Hats, gloves, scarves, snow pants…all werelayered up for maximum warmth and limited mobility.  Matthew did not like this much either.  He was hot and itchy.  But then we went outside.  The snow was perfect for packing.  We made snowballs, and snowmen, and snowangels.  We rolled around in it and threwit and enjoyed it.  Matthew especiallyliked knocking down the completed snowmen. Doh! 

Matthew loved the snow. He shrieked and giggled and laughed. He was overjoyed in it.  When itwas time to go in, he objected.  Hewanted to stay outside for hours.

I was thinking of this event, and the difference betweenknowing something and experiencing something. One can be objective, cold, calculated. The other can be known, felt, accepted. It’s hard to put into words the difference.  It’s much easier to describe.  The same is true of knowing about God andexperiencing God.  We can know Godwithout drawing close to him, without being passionate about him, without fullyembracing the new life in him. 

So when it comes to your relationship with God, go jump inthe snow!

Finally understanding the incarnation

I’m not sure where I heard this story years ago, but it helpsthe way I think about the incarnation—that God the Son would enter the world asa lowly human—that he would humble himself like this.

A man’s family left him at home as they travelled to churchon a snowy Christmas morning.  He did notbelieve in church.  He did not believe inChristmas.  He did not understand why Godwould send his son into the world to live and to die, and to beresurrected. 

The snow was coming down harder and harder.  The man looked out the window and noticedsome baby birds having trouble in it.  Hewas afraid they would die as the snow came down in sheets.  The man put on his winter coat, hat, gloves,boots and went outside to help the little birds.  First he tried shooing them into the barn,where it was warm and dry.  But everytime he came near to them, they would flutter away and get deeper into thesnow.  Then he tried laying down somebird seed in a pathway to the barn, hoping that they would follow thetrail.  They would have none of it.  Then he tried getting close enough to thebirds to catch them and carry them, but again, the birds were more terrified ofhim than they were of the snowstorm. 

The man was moved with compassion as he realized that thebirds were going to die.  He foundhimself wiping tears from his eyes.  Andas he did a thought flashed though his mind. “If only I could become a little bird! Then I could lead them into the warmth and safety of the barn.  Surely they would follow me then.  Then I could rescue them!”  And just as the man came to this conclusion,he heard the church bell ring in the distance. 

And that’s when it hit him. He finally understood what the incarnation was all about. 

Merry Christmas!

Captured by the Hunger Games

Although “young adult fiction” is not usually my cup of tea,I have enjoyed the wildly best-selling The Hunger Games, by SuzanneCollins.  I was predicting it was goingto become a movie, and apparently it will be. The story is about a young girl in a desolate future who participates ina state-mandated annual contest.  Thecontest is composed of randomly selected children, and ends when all but one ofthem are killed.  It is a riveting, albeit depressing, concept, and Collins does a great job painting apicture of a disturbing future through the eyes of a teenage girl.

Maybe it’s because I have a teenaged girl of my own now thatI found the book compelling.  But most likely it’sthe reason I like every good story—because it contains elements of the GrandStory.  I have had this theory that anygood story (despite the medium—movie, book, spoken, etc.) is good because ithas borrowed off of the story that resonates within all of our hearts.  It happens to be the same story that wecelebrate at Christmastime, the love of God poured out sacrificially throughhis son Jesus.  It is the story ofCreation, fall, redemption and restoration. It is the story that has a birth, a life, a death, a resurrection, andtransformation.  If you look closeenough, you can see these threads woven into any story that has ever capturedyour imagination, and that's because God put them there. 

What’s the best story you have read or watched recently?

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Giving your testimony at church

I am giving my testimony at church this Sunday along withsome others.  The rules have been thesame as long as I can remember: tell about your life before Christ, tell abouthow you came to know him, and tell about life since.  But my life doesn't really fit that neatly however.  Does yours? 

I came to know Christ in a childlike way when I was only 4years old.  But it stuck.  It was real, which was proven by my lifeafter.  Our church life was occasional,and my dad would say later in life that he wasn’t a true believer yet.  My parents divorced when I was 9, but somehowby God’s grace, I received a call to ministry when I was 10.  I knew I was going to become a pastor (whichI did).  Life went downhill after thedivorce economically and in most every way. But by age 13 I had the classic teenage “re-dedication” of my life toChrist.  It was the time when I made myfaith my own.  By 17 I was headed off toBible college, then marriage, then seminary, church job, kids, adoption, etc. 

The point is, I didn’t have a very long “before.”  What I have is an amazing God who chose tograb hold of me at an early age for no apparent reason.  I know a God who tapped a nobody on theshoulder to do ministry, and then gave him the ability to  pull it off. I worship the God of providence (provision plus direction), who at everyjuncture of my life, provided what was needed to move in his direction. 

Through his son Jesus, he has given me a future and a hope.

Praying on Survivor

We were watching the show Survivor the other night and aninteresting thing was taking place.  Ok,please stay with me despite the fact that I just admitted to watching Survivor.  This season of the show is littered with self-professedChristians.  One team has made it a habitof praying together--closing their eyes, joining their hands and praying.  They sometimes pray to win challenges, whichbrings us back to this post. 

But on Wednesday night, one of the devout declared that “Godtold him” who to vote for.  On animpulse, he switched his vote and even gave up his immunity to someoneelse.  The problem was, one of histeammates decided that God also told him who to vote for, and as a result, thefirst guy ended up getting voted out.

I know, I know, a bit confusing if you don’t watch theshow.  But the question that arises isthis: if God told them both to do something different, were they really listening toGod? 

I do believe that God speaks to people.  But I believe that it is generally not inmiraculous fashion as many people claim. He may speak to us in a “still, small voice” that is the Holy Spiritprompting us to do something for others, or say no to a temptation, orsacrifice for another.  I think that thereason so many of us want to say that “God told me” is because we really dowant to have a divine connection.  Unfortunately, we may also be looking for aleg up on others--some power, if you will.  For instance, in the realityshow, God speaking was being used as a tactic to manipulate who the otherswould vote for. 

Pray that God would lead you, but don’t be disappointed ifhis speaking to you is not as miraculous or overt as some people claim.  The good news is that his voice will becomemore and more apparent, the more you listen to it.  

Is Tim Tebow getting divine help?

I must admit I am a little nervous.   This Sunday the red hot Denver Broncos areplaying the team that my family loves. The recent streak of success from a team that doesn't have the stats orplayers to back it up is mind boggling. It is toying with my theology a bit. God doesn't help sports teams win…does he?  But watching the Broncos come back from gamesthey should lose, and do it in glorious fashion, seems nothing short of…biblical. 

But even Tim himself does not believe that God weighs in onfootball scores.  On Sunday, some engagingcommentary came from the likeable Bob Costas who said: “[Tebow] has thegood sense, and good grace, to make it clear he does not believe God takes ahand in the outcome of games.”  But ifthat’s the case, what’s happening?  Howis this scrappy guy, who is losing the game during the first 3 quarters,suddenly become a hero in the fourth?  Game after game after game.  Hereminds me of Samson in the Old Testament, where Samson would suddenly befilled with God’s Spirit to do some glorious physical feat and by so doingbring glory to God.

Ok, Tebow as Samson? That’s a bit of a stretch.  But ishe getting divine help?  Yes, actually, he is.  God may not be in the business of selectingwhich team wins, but he certainly is in the business of helping those who bringglory to his name.  That help may bespiritual or physical.  It may be subtleor drastic.  But God does it all thetime.  Tebow used to wear Philippians4:13 on his “eye black” back in college. That verse claims: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthensme.”  Tebow certainly seems to be provingthat verse true.

I don’t know if Denver will beat the Patriots thisSunday.  I still don’t think that God is reallyconcerned about the final score.  But Ido know that God loves Tim Tebow.  But healso loves Tom Brady…and he loves me…and he loves you too.   I alsoknow that God will receive glory, with or without Tim Tebow, and with orwithout us.

But wouldn’t you rather be on his team?

Lust

We’ve been working through the 10 commandments in our youngadult ministry.  When we hit the 8^thone, we read how Jesus describes its true meaning:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commitadultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully hasalready committed adultery with her in his heart.”  (Matthew 5:27)

All of a sudden the 8^th commandment got much,much harder for our 20-somethings group to follow.

I was eating lunch this week with a young adult who said hefinally gave up “P&M”.  He said it ina nonchalant way, as if I should know what he meant.  After a few moments of him talking, I interrupted.

“What’s P&M?”

“You know,” he replied, “porn and masturbation.” 

“Oh.”

One of the problems with lust is that it dehumanizes theobject.  It objectifies.  It takes that which is loved by God andtreats it as if it were an inanimate object…like dirt or trash.  It not only dehumanizes the object of lust,it does the same to the person lusting. I love the way the author of the Proverbs put it: “For on account of aharlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread.” (6:26).  Lust puts you on the pathto becoming less human.

For some more reading on the subject, check out this post. 

Spiritual but not religious

When I stopped home for a quick bite today at lunchtime,there was this full page add in the community paper for our local funeral home.  The headline asked: “Are you spiritual, butnot religious?”  If so, you should usetheir “Certified Celebrants” instead of a local pastor to perform your memorialservice.  (I am jealous at how muchcooler their title sounds than mine.  Also, Ithink that Donnie and Marie Osmond may have been certified celebrants.)  The ad then went on to list the variousoccasions where people would want a “non-religious” service, like, for your dearuncle Fred who always insisted that life was only about family but not about God.

It was an interesting ad campaign for two reasons.  It was interesting that the mass appeal for afuneral home was targeted to the non-religious. The marketers obviously recognized this as an unreached but significantgroup of people.  It made me wonder ifthe church believed the same.  Itwas also interesting because of the phrasing: “spiritual, but not religious,” aphrase that those of us in young adult ministry have been hearing for a verylong time. 

I have to admit that I roll my eyes a little bit with thisphrase.  I don’t think that a person reallymeans that they are spiritual but not religious.  I think that what they are really saying ismy religious beliefs are personal, and I don’t want someone else telling mewhat to do.  I think what they mean is theydon’t need to be part of “organized religion” in order to believe in God.  Or maybe they simply mean that they don’t particularlycare to get out of bed on a Sunday morning. 

But whatever the reason, this advertisement is on to something.  Churches should also be campaigning for thesouls of those who consider themselves “spiritual, but not religious.”  It’s the category of people that used to becalled “seekers.”  The ones who stillhaven’t found what they’re looking for.  Andmore importantly, it’s the category of people that Jesus loves.

What if?

There’s a group of people who have committed themselves toradical honesty.  The idea is, they willbe honest, and even brutally honest, in all they say and do.  Apparently, if their wife asks them if thisdress “makes my butt look big,” and it does, they will answer “Why yes honey,yes it does.”  Or if their wife asks thequestion every husband dreads: “do you think she is attractive?”, and they do,they will answer accordingly.  Yowzers!

Lately I have been studying the 10 commandments and the 9^thone is essentially the prohibition against lying.  I do not consider myself a liar and at timeshave even taken this belief to extremes like the people mentioned above.  But in lieu of so many recent public andharmful lies, as well as the innumerable amount of little ones, it’s hard notto wish people took this commandment more serious than they actually do. 

What if when people said, “the check’s in the mail,” itactually was?  What if when people saidthey would “call you right back,” they actually did?  What if when a person RSVP’d, they actuallyshowed up?  What if someone actually toldyou when your butt looked big or when you had spinach in your teeth or that youforgot to zip up your fly when you came from the men’s room? (Ok, now this isgetting personal!)  What if, instead ofpassing the blame, we took the blame on ourselves?  What if, instead of making ourselves lookgood with our “little white lie,” we made ourselves look, well, human, with thetruth?  What if, when you were doingsomething crummy, someone gently but truthfully pointed it out to you? 

What if?

What do you tell your kids about Santa Claus?

There seems to be only two schools of thought about discussingSanta Claus with our children.  Either weperpetuate the myth that he is the giver of the gifts and the centerpiece of Christmastime, or we crush their innocentchildhood dreams by saying that he is made up. The problem is, once they find out that he really IS made up, they maybe unsure what else we have told them is made up.  (Is Jesus a made up character too?)  Plus if you are a Christ-follower, you have the added dilemma that Santa may subversively become the central character of Christmasrather than Jesus.

I believe that a third way is in order, and it seems to havebeen effective with my own children. This third way seeks to embrace the fun and “magic” of the spirit ofChristmas and Santa Clause, but does not take away from the centrality of Jesusor inadvertently lie to our kids.  Thisthird way simply allows them to believe that Santa is a fun character aroundthe Christmas story.  He is made up, of course, justlike the cartoons they watch are made up. But it is not that he doesn’t exist at all.  He is a fun addition to the Christmastradition similar to the Christmas tree or eggnog (though I must admit myabsolute disdain for eggnog…oh, and setting up Christmas trees).  Kids imaginations at early ages are allowedto run free with thoughts of Santa and reindeer the way they might fantasizeabout other fictional characters. 

The difference is, at no point did we ever tell our kidsthat Santa is a real person, or that he is the originator of the gifts, or sendthem the wrong message that he is the centerpiece of Christmas.  Because he isn’t.  Jesus is. And this same precious baby Jesus that was born on Christmas day is thesame Lord of all who died on the cross and also rose again from the dead torescue his people from sin and death.  Heis the Son of God, the Resurrection, the Way, the Truth, The Life, the Deliverer.  He is the reason for the season.  

In fact, he is the reason for…everything.