Waiting on the Ice Storm

All week our region has been distracted by anticipating an ice storm. I'm sure part of the reason is that it was a year ago this week that we were hit by "the storm of the century"; almost everyone I know has a story about the 2009 Ice Storm. Being without power and unable to go anywhere brought neighbors closer, revealed the hearts of co-workers, allowed us to learn to laugh and grow through challenges, and made us appreciate simply surviving.

So, as the forecasters predicted a near-repeat, we all watched carefully. The empty store shelves at WalMart made national news. I half-joked that the way out of a recession is bad weather. As the week progressed, the storm slowed and increased in power. The arrival time was pushed back, and back, and back. Ice totals decreased, snow totals increased. By Thursday everyone was on pins and needles, ready for ... something.

As it turned out, so far it hasn't been nearly as bad as anticipated. Where I live we had enough ice to make driving dangerous, but we still have power. I watched it sleet all morning and am watching it snow all afternoon. Some areas still face a lot of ice, and I'll be praying for them. But the storm has allowed me time for reflection - something I always appreciate. What has surfaced is how much waiting on the ice storm parallels the waiting we do in the Christian life.

We do a lot of waiting. Waiting on answered prayers. Waiting on direction. Waiting on a word from the Lord. Waiting on transformation in our hearts. All the waiting, shadows of the ultimate waiting - waiting on His return. What have I learned from waiting on the ice storm that can help me in the spiritual discipline of waiting?

• Prepare. A season of waiting is not a season of inactivity. We can prepare in many ways. We prepare for answered prayer by moving forward with things we'll need to do if the prayer is answered. One of my favorite examples of this is from a book I read. A character was trying to purchase a bookstore. She decided to spend the days waiting on the response preparing by doing things she would have to do if the prayer was answered, things that would need to be done regardless of whether God said yes or no. She packed her apartment (she would have to move whether the answer was yes or no); she cleared out the bookstore's storage room (which would have to be cleared regardless); she decided to be ready with her business plan. When the yes came, she was able to move forward quickly. When we're waiting on direction, it's a similar type of preparation. If we are asking God which job to take, we can still prepare by learning about both companies. Sometimes God guides through the process itself. If we're waiting on a word from the Lord we can spend extra time in the Word. And of course, Scripture teaches us the best way to prepare for return of the Lord is by living holy lives and being about our Father's business. 
• Maintain a sense of anticipation. We can enjoy a season of waiting by enjoying the anticipation. I don't enjoy surprises because I feel I've lost the opportunity to look forward to something. Currently my husband and I are planning a mini-vacation. I anticipate that trip every day. We talk about it, research it, think about it. That's what we can do in a season of waiting on God. We can anticipate the answer; we can get excited about what He might reveal; we can eagerly look forward to spending eternity with Him. Have you heard the song "Fingerprints and Noses"? It talks about a group of developmentally challenged kids who, when they are taught about the return of Christ, run to the window and press their fingerprints and noses against the pane, looking for Him to come. We can maintain that sense through the power of the Holy Spirit. 
• Involve others. Our time of waiting on the ice storm hasn't been kept to ourselves. All week people have shared what they've seen and heard. Our city started a Twitter feed to keep people informed if the power went out. When something like this is coming, we want others to know about it. So I asked myself - why not let others know when I'm anticipating answered prayers, needing direction, hoping for a word from God? Why not tell those who have never heard about the joys of anticipating Christ's return? This week has been a good reminder to get outside myself. 
• Function as a community. Closely related is the importance of being a community. Last year's ice storm brought neighbors together who rarely communicated. People relied on each other because we had too. Fayetteville is extremely eclectic, and full of opinionated people (guilty!). But during the ice storm, differences didn't matter. We were one community with one problem and one goal - to survive! In a season of waiting, we can bond with the body of Christ like no other time. We can help each other and pray for each other and move forward with God-honoring plans together. Waiting is a great time to remind ourselves that we were created to be in community. 
• Don't let down your guard. It's so easy when something doesn't happen quickly, or in the way we anticipated, to let down our guard. Prior to last year's storm, we had a lot of "false alarms" in Fayetteville. We have this "bubble" of Ozark Mountains that often deflects the worst of weather. So people didn't take the warnings as seriously as they should have, and many were unprepared. This year, that didn't happen. Although it wasn't as bad as anticipated, people learned not to let down their guard. When we are in a time of waiting, God may not answer as we anticipate, guide as soon as we hoped, speak the word we preferred. Don't give up. He is still there, and knows what is best for all involved and that timing that is perfect. Throughout the centuries Christians have wondered about His coming, since it hasn't happened yet. 1 Peter reminds us that His waiting is not because He's slow about His promises. He waits because all have not had the opportunity to believe in Him. One of the best ways to stay excited about His return is to be on mission with Him. Every people group that is reached with the Gospel takes us one step closer to His promised return. Whatever you're waiting on - don't let down your guard if it doesn't happen. 

Personally, I'm glad things weren't as bad, and I'm enjoying a day to just watch it snow. It's fun to have a day off and have a house that's already cleaned because I didn't want to have to clean without electricity. I'm going to enjoy today greatly. But I'm glad for the week we've had, because I had a lot to learn while waiting on the ice storm.

Surrender

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Tell them, ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says to give your masters this message. 27:5 “I made the earth and the people and animals on it by my mighty power and great strength, and I give it to whomever I see fit. 27:6 I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power of my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him. 27:7 All nations must serve him and his son and grandson until the time comes for his own nation to fall. Then many nations and great kings will in turn subjugate Babylon. 27:8 But suppose a nation or a kingdom will not be subject to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Suppose it will not submit to the yoke of servitude to him. I, the Lord, affirm that I will punish that nation. I will use the king of Babylon to punish it with war, starvation, and disease until I have destroyed it. 27:9 So do not listen to your prophets or to those who claim to predict the future by divination, by dreams, by consulting the dead, or by practicing magic. They keep telling you, ‘You do not need to be subject to the king of Babylon.’ 27:10 Do not listen to them, because their prophecies are lies. Listening to them will only cause you to be taken far away from your native land. I will drive you out of your country and you will die in exile. 27:11 Things will go better for the nation that submits to the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon and is subject to him. I will leave that nation in its native land. Its people can continue to farm it and live in it. I, the Lord, affirm it!”’” (Jeremiah 27:4b-11)

Forgive me for not sounding very spiritual, but I think I would have had a problem with this word if I lived in Zedekiah's day. I'm not sure whether it's my American independent spirit, my opinionated personality, or human instinct - or a combination of all three - but I would have seriously questioned the source of any prophecy that required me to surrender.

And I think that's the point.

As I reflected on that tendency this morning in my quiet time - sincerely asking God about my reaction - I realized that while the circumstances of this story are about Israel's judgment for sins by the captivity of Babylon, the transferable principle to my own life is that surrender is always going to be against my natural instincts. It's never going to feel warm and fuzzy. And it will more than likely involve a struggle.

Nature reflects the truth that growth and transformation often require struggle. The caterpillar that struggles out of the cocoon, the infant that struggles through the birth canal, even the "growing pains" children experience, and the sore muscles that come with exercise, all testify that it isn't easy to go to the next level. At some point in the process, it's necessary to surrender to the struggle in order to see the benefits on the other side. If I constantly fight against the struggles I face in my daily workouts, I'll never advance beyond 10 minutes at level one. If I yield to the struggle, press in and endure, then I reap the benefits and find myself chugging along for a half hour.

The same is true in the things of the Spirit. When we commit to allowing God to develop and sanctify us, we encounter struggles. Those struggles may be internal, or they may involve external sources. It's especially hard to surrender to a growth opportunity that involves emotional hurt, challenges to our comfort level, or disrupted dreams. But if the struggle is truly God's instrument in our lives, we don't grow by going over, around, or under it, nor by fighting against it. We only grow by going through it. We only grow through surrender.

Sometimes the challenge of surrender involves God allowing us to be part of someone else's growth. When we're committed to being on mission with God, we are going to be in relationship with other believers. That means that misunderstandings, conflicts, and disappointments can easily arise. When they do, we have to surrender to allowing God to develop and sanctify us as well as the other person (or people) involved. None of us are asked to fully "arrive" before God uses us. That means there are a lot of imperfect people on the field, in our pulpits, on prayer teams and support teams and kitchen committees. And God is up to something in every single life. When we walk in humility and love, we will have many opportunities to surrender to His work. That might mean forgiving an oversight that the offender never realizes enough to ask forgiveness about. It might mean choosing to forge a different path and lead by example rather than lash out when someone acts immaturely. Sometimes it might require a forthright conversation that is challenging to those who dislike confrontation. Other times it might require biting our tongue - an even more challenging proposition for some of us. Through it all, we have to remember that we're all growing together - our growth and that of others is at stake.

That's doesn't make surrender any easier. I fear my first reaction to a Jeremiah 27-type experience will always be to fight back. Sometimes that's necessary - spiritual warfare is a very real part of being on mission with God. That's why walking in the Spirit, staying in God's Word, and having a strong network of prayer partners who can give us wisdom and help us discern the spirits is so important. I want to always be willing to fight the battles God asks me to fight ... and to drop my weapons and surrender when He makes it clear that the struggle is His instrument for growth in my life.

The lyrics of this song by Lincoln Brewster express well the process and pain of surrender. I hope they bless you as much as they bless me. The bottom line of what God has been showing me today is that He made me the way I am, and He uses my very willingness to fight for His purposes. What I have to learn is that sometimes the battle He calls me to is surrender.

I'm giving you my heart, and all that is within
I lay it all down for the sake of you my King
I'm giving you my dreams, I'm laying down my rights
I'm giving up my pride for the promise of new life

And I surrender all to you, all to you
And I surrender all to you, all to you

I'm singing You this song, I'm waiting at the cross
And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy, even sharing in Your pain
© 2005 Integrity Music

Fame, Honor, and Praise - and Haiti

"...I intended for them to be my special people and to bring me fame, honor, and praise...." (Jer. 13:11b, NET)

For a couple of weeks now, it's been on my heart to blog about this verse. Its words ring in my ears and challenge my heart. Yet the morning I read it, the news began to unfold out of Haiti that the earthquake the night before had been more than powerful and severe - it had been devastating. Like many of you, I've spent the last 11 days with one word hovering over all my interactions, thoughts, and prayers: Haiti. I didn't take time to blog, partly because my computer was being updated (a special gift from my dear husband) but partly because my mind was 200 miles off the coast of the US with a people I've never met.

Over the past couple of days I felt the familiar tug growing stronger. I knew I needed to write - had to write - and intended to write two blogs ... the original one about the Jeremiah verse and a second one about Haiti. However, as I prayed and carved out the time to write God does what He is so good at doing in my life: He interrupted my intentions with a lesson:

God's fame, honor, and praise are not threatened by the situation in Haiti. He is being glorified and will be glorified through this undeniably hard-to-explain disaster. The question for each of us - and each believer in Haiti - is whether we will respond as His "special people" should and be a part of bringing Him the fame, honor, and praise that He deserves as much today as on Jan. 11.

I don't claim to be the most mature or experienced Christian on the block. But I have lived enough to know that God is not glorified apart from the circumstances of our lives. God's glory isn't an abstract concept. It's what happens when our theology meets our reality. The Greek for "glory" comes from a word referring to an accurate weight or measure. It's an accurate reflection of what we know something to be. When we glorify God, we reflect who He is in our lives. We reflect the image of Christ in the "stuff" of life.

Sometimes that "stuff" can be pretty challenging. Sometimes it can be downright hard. And occasionally, as in Haiti, it can be humanly impossible. Ah, that qualifier is so important. Humanly. For all things are possible with God.

What's the difference between fame, honor, and praise, and how have we seen each these past 11 days?  

•  "Fame" refers to God's reputation, His "name". When we make God famous, we are glorifying who He says He is to others. "Fame" can't happen when we are in isolation. To make God famous, someone has to see Him at work in our lives. This is what God said would happen as Israel obeyed His commands - people would say "what other nation has a god so near to them like the LORD" (see Deuteronomy 4:1-8). How has God been made famous in Haiti? I have seen so many news reports referencing how resilient the people are as they rely on God, how they are happy to have escaped with their Bibles, how their faith is their bulwark these days. God is all over the place on CNN and other networks, and I'll bet that wasn't on their agenda a month ago. 

• "Honor" is adoration and praise related to God's deeds and attributes. To honor someone means to give them a preferred place. For example, a man will often honor a woman by holding a door open for her, giving her the preferred place of walking through the doorway first. In many cultures elders are honored by being provided the best room in the house, the best seat at the table, and the best piece of meat. When we honor God, we use our praise to give Him a preferred place in our lives. Honor can happen one-on-one with Him, as we quietly whisper "Oh God, I wouldn't have made it through that meeting without You". It can also take place when we deflect praise given to us heavenward. Corrie Ten Boom used to lift any flowers she received at a speaking engagement toward the ceiling, honoring the One whose message she proclaimed. How has God been honored in Haiti? Survivor after survivor has said, "God rescued me" or "It doesn't matter, I still have God." He is being given the preferred place of preeminance based on His deeds and attributes.
  

• "Praise" refers to "beauty, splendor, glory, excellence." It's what happens when God shines through. Like fame, praise can't take place in isolation. Someone has to see Him shining for praise to occur. Certainly we as individuals can praise God, but the context of this passage refers to God's people's obedience bringing Him praise from those who watch. Deuteronomy 4 makes it clear that God had the onlookers in mind - He wanted the nations to worship Him as well as Israel. When you see someone handle a situation with such grace and beauty that you can say, "I see Jesus in you", then He is being praised in the sense intended by this passage. How has God been praised in Haiti? One of the best examples I have seen is the impromptu establishment of interdenominational, open-air churches. Pastors, church members, and others report that unity has come through this - a beautiful unity they had prayed for but had been unable to achieve. Today's National Day of Repentance brought many of these mini-churches together for a larger-scale worship and prayer service. That's beautiful - and that's God. 

No, God's fame, honor, and praise are not challenged in the least by Haiti. Instead that tragedy is simply a path over which His people walk to glorify Him even more. I'm not wasting any energy trying to figure out "why". Sometimes things happen just because we live in a fallen world. I'll let God assign cause. I'm just going to enjoy watching Him receive all the fame, honor, and praise. And I'll look away from Haiti to my own life, and focus on the fame, honor, and praise He wants to bring from my life - whatever the circumstances.

Wow what a month

Wow, what a start to January! I posted here Jan. 1, entered a fun season of rest, turned my computer over to my husband for repair, and looked up and it was Jan. 20! Wow. The good news is that I have my computer back and will be blogging again soon. My computer is faster than ever and I'm enjoying that. The bad news is I'm too tired to write tonight! Just wanted you all to know I haven't fallen off the map!

Active Rest

I'm in week 3 of an exercise program and have learned a lot about a concept called "Active Rest". Basically, Active Rest means that you do something other than lay on the couch like a slug, but you don't have to engage in strenuous activity, raise your heart rate, or otherwise do anything that appears like a workout. A nice walk in the neighborhood, cleaning house, taking the stairs instead of the elevator - all these count as "Active Rest" in my exercise plan.

I've found more than one analogy to my spiritual life in my renewed effort to lose weight and pursue total body health. You'll probably hear more on that to come ... but maybe not. Because after a very full, intense year which capped off a solidly busy decade, God is calling me to a season of Active Rest. And I'm so grateful.

As I began to pray near the end of my major project and to wonder what God had for me next, I pulled out my list of ministry dreams and things on my heart. I wondered if now would be the time to pursue one of those items. I even had a very specific plan for one particular interest. As I prayed over it all, I sensed God whisper something very different to me.

Rest.

At first it was just a thought ... something I could easily have shrugged off as one too many late nights talking. After learning so much about the unfinished work of missions, it would have been so easy to think that was the voice of the enemy or my flesh, and to justify a continued full court press.

Rest.

As I continued to dialogue with God, I found myself drawn to the idea. I began wondering, then hoping He was calling me to rest. I wondered how long it would be. A weekend? A week? Maybe even a month?

A season of rest, restoration, reflection, refreshment, and relationship.


The more I prayed, the more specific He became. And the more I sought confirmation, the more He brought to mind the past decade. Let me share a bit of my story because I want to encourage you in the reality that God takes us through seasons - and every year doesn't look like the one before it.



After I started walking with the Lord, He and I spent about 3-4 years getting a lot of things straight (that would be Him, straightening ME out, just for the record). Once I unlearned a lot of wrong things I'd thought all my life and developed some consistency in my relationship with Him, He began revealing spiritual gifts to me and opening doors of service. That season was capped off with a devotional that I wrote in 1999 which helped me process my journey to that point.


Then 10 years ago, during 2000, God first opened a door for me to teach weekly. First my husband and I together taught couples, then I taught a women's group. I loved every minute of it. In 2002 when my step-daughter came to live with us, God answered my prayer to give me a mother's love for her by making her the child of my heart. He also asked me to lay down the women's group, which I gladly did. Through those parenting years, I tried to answer His call to minister to the one with His love. He alone is the judge of that effort.


As that season ended in 2005 with her graduation from high school (though of course, parenting doesn't end as you all know very well), God opened a door for me to pursue a Master's degree in Global Civilization. I could hardly believe it at first ... that God would actually call me to study and read. Wow, a bookworm's dream. He did it in the way He knew I would receive it the best ... from my husband. And Bob went on to be my biggest cheerleader and strongest supporter. Without his encouragement when I wondered if I should continue, and without the prayer support from friends and family on my prayer team, I don't think I could have made it. This program has been an estimated 1600 hours of labor over 4 1/2 years ... with almost 20% of the entire program completed during the past 4 months. But it has been so worth it. I have learned so much about God and His kingdom purposes.


During the first part of my "school season" my husband and I were SO privileged to be caretakers for my mother-in-law in her last years. Such a blessing ... I learned so much during that time. I've written about her legacy on this blog previously, so I won't repeat the details here except to say that caretaking, while challenging, was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.


Over the past 8 years since I obeyed God and dropped the women's group from my plate, He has opened lots of ministry doors ... teaching, writing, helping ... in so many ways He has kept fanning into flames the gifts He's given me. But those "big 3" - parenting, caretaking, and school - have been near the top of my list of priorities all along during their respective seasons. They have been the things that I fit everything else around, after God and my husband and, of course, my job.


Now, though, for the first time since I was newly walking with Him, God is asking me not to be busy. That doesn't mean I'll do nothing, of course - that's where the Active Rest concept becomes helpful. Of course I'll continue to work, to fulfill my roles as a wife and parent and daughter and sister and friend, to care for the home God has given us, to be part of the community at church. There will be times we host and practice hospitality together; times when God gives me something to write and I blog; opportunities to encourage others; occasions when I substitute teach for Bible study. But I won't be going at a hectic pace. I won't be a slug on the couch, but I won't be trying to see how far I can pedal in half an hour either.

As I've sought God for clarification, He has spoken two additional words to my heart so far: healthy and balance. He wants me to be as healthy as possible physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally. He wants me to have some balance restored to life ... balance that was lost at times over the past decade. Most of all, He wants me to pursue HIM with a passion.

I'm so happy because He is being proactive in this ... calling me to this season before I drift away from my first love (that would be HIM). I've been around enough to know that it's easier to be healthy if you have a good starting place. While people become healthy all the time after cancer or a heart attack, it's much harder than if they had been healthy before the problem struck. Preventing weight gain is easier than losing weight. And so on...you get the point.

I don't know everything that this season will hold. I don't know how long it will last. I told God yesterday that I sure hope it lasts a while. I'm realizing more and more how much I need it. The first day of this season of rest, Dec. 30, I was anxious and tearful. I realized that I was putting pressure on myself to get everything done in one day that I'd put off during the most intense phase of my final project for school. I was trying to get every errand done AND clean house AND blog AND begin a season of rest. HA! What an irony ... but how much it showed this Martha that I really need a Mary season.

So, I enter it with gladness. I'll blog as God puts things on my heart, but don't worry if you don't hear from me for days or even weeks at a time. You'll know where to find me ... right over there by the chair, sitting at His feet.

Why I Celebrate Christmas

There is no Biblical command to celebrate Christmas, but I do so anyway. Am I dishonoring the very One whose birth is being remembered? I don't believe so.

Every year I'm asked whether we even should be celebrating Christmas. The questions seem to center on a few key points:

• Jesus wasn't born December 25. 
• His birth wasn't exactly as pictured in our nativity scenes.
  
• We are not commanded to celebrate Christmas, and there is no evidence that the apostles did so.
• There is a pagan connection, even a possible pagan origin, of some of our Christmas traditions.

There is some truth in each of these concerns. Yet I have examined each one for myself, and still celebrate Christmas. Why? Because I'm convinced that if we celebrate in a way that honors Christ, Christmas provides  incredible opportunities to know Him and make Him known. Here's how I have answered these concerns through my own study.

"Jesus wasn't born December 25."

The date we celebrate, in my opinion, doesn't really matter. Is there any way to know what day Jesus was born? Not really. Yes, based on our Scriptural evidence Jesus was likely born in late fall. But since we don't have a Scripture that gives a precise date, I don't think God is going to hold it against us if we celebrate on a different day. In the U.S., society for the most part comes to a screeching halt one day of the year. What day is that? Dec. 25. (Sure there are things still open, but Wal-Mart even closes down - that says a lot!) So, since I live in this culture, I celebrate Dec. 25 as Christmas Day. If I lived in Eastern Europe where Orthodox tradition prevails, I would celebrate Jan. 7. I believe this falls under Paul's admonition to the Romans regarding the Sabbath: 

"One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord..." (Rom. 14:5-6a)

"His birth wasn't exactly as pictured in our nativity scenes."


No, it wasn't. The stable was likely a cave, the wise men came later to a house, and there's no reason to assume the animals were looking on with awe. For artistic purposes, the nativity combines all the elements of shepherds and wise men into one. It reflects the heart of the stories of the shepherds and wise men: Worship. They came to worship Jesus. The central point of any nativity is the Babe in the manger. Our scene is a cultural adaptation to our understanding of mangers, from our days as a primarily agricultural society. If Jesus had come to 1700s America, the manger would have looked a lot like the ones we see in the nativities. That's why nativities around the world can look different; they have different perspectives when they approach Scripture. God didn't include pictures, because that wasn't the point. He wanted us to see the worship that took place. So I proudly get out the nativity every year, display at work (in my personal workspace) until my vacation begins, then set it up under the tree. I never fail to get comments on it from Christians and non-Christians alike. There is something about the scene that draws people.

Having said that, I do think it's good to educate the church about which elements of that scene are cultural or aritistic and which are Biblical. Just like watching "The Passion of the Christ" involved a understanding that we were seeing an artistic representation of Mary, and Satan, and the Via Dolorosa ... so viewing a nativity should involve an educated understanding of what lies behind the display. I've even had great conversations with people at work pointing out where Scripture differs from the nativity scene. It's a great way to open dialogue and discuss the heart of the nativity, which is worship.

We are not commanded to celebrate Christmas, and there is no evidence that the apostles did so. 
True enough. We are also not commanded to drive cars to church, wear shoes year-round, eat hamburgers, or have a blog. :) I'm pretty sure the apostles did none of those things. The point here is that a lack of a command does not imply the opposite - that it is forbidden. Scripture is written to be valid for ALL people in ALL places and ALL eras. As a result, there are going to be things we have to assess within our culture and determine their place in the larger principles of Scripture. In this case, the question is are we observing it "for the Lord", or is He a veneer for our selfish nature? I thoroughly believe we have to be very intentional to avoid merely allowing Him to be our excuse for a month of gluttony and selfishness.

In our family we have taken some very deliberate steps over the years to make sure we focus on HIM. Each year I ask God to give me a new insight about His birth ... a new way to KNOW Him. We celebrate Advent (a lost tradition among many Protestants, but one that is worth reconsidering) by reading a Scripture every day and lighting a candle with a specific Scriptural focus each Sunday and Christmas night. This season is similar to Lent in that it prepares us for Christmas Day. By the time we get to read the entire Luke 2 Christmas story, I can hardly wait! Additionally, we make sure to purchase Christ-centered cards, include cross-shaped ornaments, and choose movies that are honoring to Him. We say Merry Christmas and listen to Christmas worship music. We enjoy finding inexpensive or homemade gifts - it's fun to see how little we can spend on Christmas gifts. This year we started a diet on Dec. 12 - that's a good way to keep from letting Christmas be a good excuse for gluttony! Giving to others is good any time of the year, but certainly is a great way to fight selfishness. The point isn't so much about what we do - it's that we, like anyone, have to be intentional in the face of commercialism and opportunities for greed.

There is a pagan connection, even a possible pagan origin, of some of our Christmas traditions. 
Sure there is. There is also a connection of organ music to bars; overhead projectors were used for movies way before they were used in the church; and American Christians used to sing only the Psalms before someone started giving Christian lyrics to secular songs. The Gospel came in and changed a lot of things in a lot of places in the world. In every culture, when the Gospel comes and people choose to follow Jesus, they'll look around at their society and see things to embrace without reservation, things to reject utterly, and things that have potential if redeemed "for the Lord". For example: African congo drums can without reservation be a part of worship. There is no command to do so, but Africans can freely use their cultural drumbeats for His glory. On the other hand, the cannibalism of the Auca tribe (that killed Jim Eliot and friends) had to be thoroughly rejected. There is just no positive way to bring murder into a Christian worldview! And a lot of things have potential if redeemed "for the Lord" ... such as the organs that were popular in bars in the 1800s that made their way into churches.

The question to ask is the purpose for each element ... and we can't ask that of anyone other than ourselves. We have a tree, and lights, and decorations, to lavishly show love and honor to the One whose birth we are celebrating. We give gifts to show others that they are more important than ourselves and that they are important to God. We bake and sing and act silly as a family to honor an institution that God Himself set up, and we spend time together as a couple to strengthen our marriage to reflect that picture of Christ and the church. It goes on and on ... and it's been a very personal process along the way.

Christmas is under attack by the world for a reason. As Christians, we can either pick up stones or embrace the opportunity to keep a day set apart to honor Jesus' birth. If we choose to keep Christmas, we certainly will face challenges and have to make some hard choices. We can't compromise its meaning or hide our worship. We can't give in to the world's ways of commercialism and greed and gluttony. But we can find ways to honor Christ's birth and observe it "for the Lord."

 That's why I celebrate Christmas.

A Flawed Vessel

My mom is authentically sad about Oral Roberts’ passing. She was healed of polio at one of his crusades in the 1950s, which is also when she was saved. Between her reaction and that of Billy Graham (who called him a friend), I have been humbly reminded that God uses even very flawed vessels. My mom held to her belief that Oral Roberts was an instrument of God, even though with his prosperity teaching and the whole “give me money or I’ll die” fiasco, she would later say, “He was so good back then, before he got messed up.”

My life verse is 2 Cor. 4:7 - "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." Am I glad God uses flawed vessels? Absolutely! I AM a flawed vessel. It's easy to compare minister to minister or Christian to Christian, etc., and have reason to boast. Not so if we compare to THE standard - our Lord Himself. We are all flawed; we all have imperfect theology; we all miss the mark; apart from His divine touch, we cannot minister to anyone.

The depth of Oral Roberts' flaws reveals the depth of God’s ability even more, as we are surprised God could use yes, even him. He used Oral Roberts in the life of a scared young girl from Texas who insisted that God wanted her to go to his tent revival one Sunday night, and whose life was changed forever. Was his theology wrong? Yes, in many ways. He got some things right, and a lot wrong. But God used Him, just as He has used some more theologically sound ministers who fell into moral compromise.

Should we strive for better? Of course. We want doctrinal soundness and moral purity, combined. But let’s not have the pride to think that if we have those two, we will necessarily be “better” or even more effective. We are still earthen vessels, and anything that gets done through us is of Him and not ourselves. He’ll make sure that someway, somehow, we know that.

Rejoice!

Today's Advent focus is JOY. What better reason for Joy than Immanuel, God with us, the promise fulfilled. Hallelujah!

Advent Week 2: Peace

I've been too busy living out Jesus as my Prince of Peace to write about it.

It's been a busy week - I'm in the middle of a major project, I'm working extra at work to make up for some mandatory vacation days at month's end ... the list goes on. As Gilda Radner said on SNL, "It's always somethin'". Because of that, I'm not really focused on writing. I'm focused on experiencing Him as my Prince of Peace in the midst of life.

So I share this video as my meditation on Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Because we need His peace so much, and the proper response to experiencing it is worshipping Him.

The Candle of Hope

Today is the beginning of Advent. In just a few minutes, my husband and I will light the Candle of Hope and read some appropriate scriptures (Lam. 3:21-26; Isa. 11:1-10; Luke 1:26-38; Isa. 7:10-14; and Matt. 1:18-24).

I've come to love Advent. I love that it takes me away from the commercialization of Christmas and shifts my focus to the purpose of the season. We've celebrated it for 7 years now, and each year I find myself more eager for the Christmas season to arrive. I love the lights and decorations, the time with family and friends, the slower pace ... but mainly I love the focus of Advent. We read a Scripture each day and on each Sunday during Advent, there is a special emphasis. Today's emphasis: Hope.

What a significant word. It speaks of promise and future and a brighter tomorrow. Our current president made it one of the two key words of his campaign. Its opposite, hopeless, is one of the most despairing emotions to encounter. Doctors know what happens when a patient gives up hope: Death. A hospital chaplain once told me what he learned from a heart surgeon: "I've had patients who thought they would live but died; but I've never once had a patient that thought they would die that lived." WOW.

This morning at church we sang "Days of Elijah" (above). What a perfect song for the first Sunday of Advent. The song was written in Northern Ireland during a time of struggle for that part of the world. Songwriter Robin Mark prayed to God for revelation about what was happening in what seemed like a hopeless situation. God dropped into his heart "These are the days of Elijah". He realized that underneath the apparent hopelessness God was at work - and there was still a future hope to anticipate.

The days of hopelessness that pained Robin Mark about his native Ireland were not unlike the days before Jesus appeared. God hadn't spoken through prophets for 400 years. Talk about a famine of the word of God, as Amos prophesied. The nation of Israel had lost its political power and was under Roman rule. There was darkness and hopelessness throughout the land. Yet Jesus was born, and light came into darkness. Hope came into hopelessness.

It's still true today. Advent reminds me that He came as a child, grew into a man, suffered and died for our sins, was resurrected, and lives forevermore. He will come again. But for now, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. Getting involved in our lives. Offering hope in His outstretched, nail-scarred hands.

Behold, He comes.

3 John 9-10

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words, and not satisfied with this, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and he forbids those who desire to do so, and puts them out of the church.
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Busted! For some reason John's words in these verses remind me of being called out in class during my high school years. At that time I thought nothing could be worse than a public rebuke. Diotrephes though is called out by name on the pages of inspired Scripture for us to read almost 2000 years later. Ouch!

In the wider context of New Testament teaching on the church, we see that unity is prioritized and that where at all possible differences and even sin should be addressed privately. Yet that shouldn't give us a false sense of ignoring wrongdoing. The Scriptural examples of sin and doctrinal error that were addressed publicly and directly show us that grievous actions and teachings call for forthright, strong discipline. John is known as the apostle of love, but this passage shows a little of the "Son of Thunder" from his early years. What made this such a serious issue?

* Diotrephes was a leader. Significantly, Diotrephes was in some sort of leadership position in a local church. He was able to affect the actions of others in the church and even lead to their excommunication. Scripture makes it clear: With leadership comes a higher responsibility. Diotrephes' actions as a leader had to be addressed in a compelling manner to underscore how serious they were. We can see how serious a policy is by how high up it's applied. If the benchwarmer gets kicked off the team but the starting quarterback just gets a one game suspension, we think the coach isn't very serious about discipline. If a freshman Congressman is censured but a committee chair keeps his seat for the same violation, we think there are ethical problems in the party. If the secretary is fired for slipping money from the petty cash fund and the management winks and nods at her boss who pads his expense account, we cry foul. John knew this principle and knew that how he dealt with Diotrephes would establish a tone for the rest of the church.

* Diotrephes rejected the authority of Christ's designated spokesmen. Jesus chose the apostles and gave them a special level of authority. One of the most important elements of that authority is that they spoke on behalf of God. We have many of those messages in the pages of Scripture - written so that we might believe on Christ "through their word" (John 17:20). Prior to the completion of the canon of Scripture, having messengers who spoke with the authority of Christ was critical; they led the church in the early years to properly understand the Old Testament and guided them on what God wanted the church to do and how it should function. Ignoring their authority was akin to ripping out pages of Scripture. If you had a pastor who told you to ignore the book of James or 1 Peter 5 or some other portion of Scripture, you would rightly question his right to minister the word of God. That's the type of action Diotrephes demonstrated in rejecting John's written words.

* Diotrephes wanted attention. He "loves to be first", John said. Contrary to the direct teaching and personal example of Christ to be a servant and put others first, Diotrephes wanted the attention for himself. Well, John is planning to make sure he gets it if he gets to visit the church!

* Diotrephes sowed discord. He made unjust, wicked accusations against the apostles. His own desire for position most likely played into his willingness to undermine the authority given to the apostles. Given the strong emphasis on unity in the New Testament, it's easy to see why John would think this issue was worth addressing publicly.

* Diotrephes missed the big picture of God's kingdom purposes. For whatever reason, he didn't receive the traveling missionary/evangelists; wouldn't allow others to do so; and even ex-communicated those who defied him and received the "brethren". This puts John's previous words to Gaius in sharper focus: Gaius was going against the teachings of a church leader to show hospitality to the brethren; John commends him for it. Diotrephes missed the point: God's purposes were bigger than his position or his church. Rather than using his influence for good, he used it for selflish ambition. Gaius was right to show hospitality and Diotrephes was wrong to forbid it. When leadership is so far off base that the person in the pew has to defy their wishes to do God's will, something needs to change. John expresses his intention that what needs to change is Diotrephes' approach.

* Diotrephes may have been holding on to his former identity. This one is less certain from the Biblical context, but "Diotrephes" means "Zeus-nursed." In "Beloved Disciple", Beth Moore teaches that it was common for former pagans to change their names to something that didn't honor a pagan deity. Diotrephes' failure to change his name could indicate a reluctance to completely let go of his former identity and all that went along with it. I'm not certain about that, but I include it because even if it's not true in this specific case the principle is still valid: We will never fully submit to the authority of God's Word unless we release who we were without Him for who we are in Him. We have to let Him redeem our personality traits and preferences and talents and skills for His purposes, and we have to let Him show us what needs to be fully and completely rejected for us to truly reflect our new selves. And we certainly have to give up all forms of idolatry.

Diotrephes' bad example gives us some key points to take away:
1) Accept the full authority of God's Word.
2) Focus on serving others, not gaining position.
3) Work toward unity, not discord.
4) Be about the big picture of God's kingdom purposes.
5) Let go of past idolatry to embrace who we are in Christ.
6) In a leadership position, be especially careful to set the example you want everyone to follow.

3 John 5-8

Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. For they went out for the sake of The Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.
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I could get passionate about this one.

These verses represent the heart of my philosophy of "sending" ... the best description we have in Scripture of the role of those of us who are not "going" in missions. A couple of years ago I sensed God give me these verses as a personal charge, and delving deeper into them is one of the reasons I felt led to memorize 3 John.

But first, let me back up with a little context. In the first century, Christians were very much a minority in the Roman Empire. They were growing quickly, but had none of the privileges we enjoy in the 'free world' today. What they did have was a solid sense of community and shared responsibility.

Then as now, the command to share the Gospel with the whole world resonated differently with individuals. Some like Paul saw the need to prioritize unreached peoples. Others like Timothy felt called to settle in an area and train leadership. Still others went about in "mission bands", carrying the gospel to new people as they went and discipling the churches along the way. We might see them as a combination traveling evangelist/retreat speaker, with an emphasis on missionary activity ("gone forth" refers to mission work in other settings such as Acts 4:20 and 15:40).

These mission bands were completely dependent upon the hospitality of believers in the areas they visited. They were the original "faith missions" groups, down to every detail. The result was an incredible opportunity for unity; my NET Bible notes say that this "built up networks between the scattered churches and fostered a sense of solidarity." Along the way, local churches saw themselves as part of God's big picture purposes!

That's why John, though addressing Gaius personally, says "we" should support such individuals. Support for God's kingdom work is not a job for unbelievers (the "Gentiles"); it's a job for the church. And it includes everyone in the church - all believers. Missions is a community venture and we all have a part to play.

That's why I love this passage. I have lots of friends in lots of countries overseas. I believe strongly in the Great Commission and that we are blessed to be a blessing. But my role is to support such people. God has asked me to show hospitality, provide financial support, pray, and encourage these individuals. What a privilege!

So from that perspective, what can we learn if our role is a "sender" (and if you aren't on the field or preparing for the field, God wants you involved in the sending process!)? Here are a few things I see:

* Whatever we do for missionaries is an act of faithfulness to God. This echoes Mark 9:41, Jesus' instructions to His disciples as He trains them for Kingdom work: "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward." What we do for them, we do for Him.

* Ministry to missionaries builds relationships. I can honestly say that I feel closer to some of my friends on the field, who I see once every 1-5 years, than I do some people I see daily. True "koinonia" fellowship in its Biblical context is relationship centered around a common purpose. That purpose is God's kingdom - as one missionary friend puts it, the "two-handedness" of the Gospel, bringing temporal help and eternal hope. Those people whom God has partnered me with in that work are some of the dearest in my life.

* Missionary support should be conducted in a manner worthy of God. Wow, here's a sermon. When we "send them on their way" - meaning "send forward", we should do so in a way that would reflect how we would treat God Himself. I seriously doubt that the used tea bags I heard of a missionary family receiving, or the torn clothes, or the near-broken washing machine, would be what we would choose to put before God. Missionaries are the unsung heroes of the church, yet they often feel on the fringes. They tend to be either lumped together with "all the missionaries" and lose a personal connection, or be elevated to a status of super-saint that they know they can never live up to. I've heard of missionaries on the field for decades who never regularly hear from a member of their sending congregation. I'm not trying to beat up on any of us - I know many people who work hard to stay in contact with missionaries and make sure they receive new gifts and warm hospitality. I just want to encourage each of us who are senders to ask ourselves if our actions are consistent with a manner worthy of God.

* Supporting missionaries makes us fellow workers with the truth. Support here literally means to "underwrite". When we support missionaries with finances, prayer, relationship, encouragement, we are part of the sending team. We are fellow workers with the truth! I like to put it this way: The one going is the hands and feet, but we are all the body parts that make the hands and feet operate! If you support a missionary, start seeing yourself as part of the team and ask God what He would have you do to enhance your role!

Some of you may be reading this and realizing that you aren't personally engaged in the missions process. That's okay - awareness is the first step! Begin praying now how God would have you get involved. Does He want you to plan to go? Or does He want you to enhance your sending role? (Some missions strategists have said that every missionary on the field needs 12 team members back home actively supporting in every way.) if you sense a call to enhance your sending role, here are some ideas:

* Start where you are. If you support a missionary, try to be in more frequent contact, or offer your home, or send a package. If you don't support a missionary, check with your home church. Ask if the church supports any missionaries (which you are then supporting through your tithe) and ask if you can contact them. I promise you they will be thrilled to hear from you. Don't know what to say? Tell them what's going on in the church. What's the sermon about and is it available online? Does the missionary have children - if so, let the kids know what their Sunday School class is doing. Keep them connected to our culture. I recently told a missionary friend what the latest changes were in the Wal-Mart stocking policy. A simple thing, but one that won't take her quite by surprise when she gets home.

* Get others involved. If you're already engaged with missionaries, seek how you can involve others on the team. Does your missionary friend need more financial support? Spread the word (with permission)! Get a small group or Sunday School class together to send a package well in advance of birthdays or holidays. Ask God what one thing you can do to multiply your vision to others. Do it, then ask for another thing.

* Be sensitive to the missionary's location. In some countries you can't use the "m" word (Missions). Some are so restricted that all emails have to be in a 'code' (Dad for God, talk for prayer, etc.). Don't let your enthusiasm put your friend at risk. If you're unsure, ask your pastor or church mission leader, or someone knowledgeable about that region of the world.

I know you'll be richly blessed by the process of sending others on in a manner worthy of God - and becoming fellow workers with the truth!

3 John 1-4

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

Beloved, I pray that in all respected you will prosper and be in good health just as your soul prospers. For I was very glad when brethren came and bore witness to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
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Don't you just love John? There's a reason we recommend the Gospel of John to new believers - he makes it so obvious what he wants us to learn. It doesn't take a Bible scholar to see that "truth" is a key theme for John - and that he considers Gaius very "beloved".

Gaius was a common name in the ancient Roman empire ... so we can't draw any firm conclusions that this Gaius is or is not one of the "Gaius"'s mentioned in 1 Cor. 1:14; Romans 16:23; and Acts 19:29 and 20:4. We do know that the Gaius in Romans 16:23 was identified as a "host" and we will see that this Gaius also is known for hospitality. Church tradition identifies him as Bishop of Pergamum. But really, we don't know. What is clear is that John considers him orthodox and an ally in the quest for truth.

Truth was under attack, then as now. John deals with issues of deception in each of his letters. 2 John had told specifically how to deal with false teachers who wanted a platform within the house church congregation - don't even let 'em in! John jumps into the issue with both feet here. Even his greeting addresses the topic so near to his heart. 3 of these 4 verses focus on Gaius' truth-walk.

"In truth" - we might think that means "truly" as in, "to the beloved Gaius whom I truly love". It doesn't. it's not an adverb, but a noun - THE truth. It's a theological statement right in the greeting. Gaius and John share the common ground of an orthodox faith - sound doctrine - that is lived out in an authentically loving relationship as fellow workers in Christ.

This is an important point in today's relativistic world. So many are calling, rightly so, for unity in the body of Christ. But unity can never come at the cost of truth.

Now, I'm not saying every single non-essential should line up. I think John Wesley's maxim is biblical: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity." But think of the things that Scripture indicates are worth digging in our heels for. There is one God - from the days of Moses the children of Israel and later the church wouldn't budge from that one. He sent His chosen one - His Messiah, the Christ, His Son Jesus - as the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus, fully man and fully God, is the only way to relationship with God.Jesus died and was resurrected - the grave is empty. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This good news, this Gospel, is for all peoples and not to be kept to ourselves.

I'm sure you can think of more, but in just a few minutes those are the things I thought of that scripturally are worth fighting for. These are the things that are essential to unity. These are the things that are necessary for us to love someone "in truth". Sure, we can love them as human beings, we can love them as people made in God's image. But the deep Christian love that John speaks of can only come about "in truth". I love a lot of people who disagree with things on that list. But there is a special love that I have for those who, though extremely different from me in many ways, share those core beliefs. I love them in truth because what we share is much deeper than any differences we may have.

So, John loves Gaius. And his first prayer is for his prosperity and health. Isn't that awesome - Biblical permission to pray that each other stays healthy! I love it - but as we will see, this doesn't come in a vacuum. Gaius is very busy with the work of the kingdom, and he is very intentional to maintain the most important prosperity of all - prosperity of the soul. John acknowledges the importance of spiritual health to our overall well-being. When we hope for physical health we should hope it matches our spiritual health. Some of us think that would be pretty cool. Others are thinking we'd better work on that spiritual health! Which is exactly the point.

I asked God what is the opposite of a prosperous soul? I believe He spoke to my heart that it would be desolation of spirit. What gives you prosperity of soul, versus desolation of spirit? I meditated on that question for myself and came up with a few things:
* Trusting God (Isa. 17 makes that one crystal clear)
* Nature
* Long times with God
* Large chunks of Scripture and in-depth study
* Working on Scripture memory
* Being in constant conversation with Him
* Watching over the temple He gave me (eating right, etc.)
* Rest, and falling asleep talking to Him
* Worship music

I'm sure your list includes some of the same things and some different items. The main idea is to identify what gives you a prosperous soul. If you feel yourself slipping, struggling, then go to your list. See what needs to change to enrich your soul. Prioritize your spiritual health!

Lessons from a church mouse

We've just been graced with a visitor the past two weeks ... a church mouse that scurried here and there and quietly came and went, leaving us so much the better for her presence.

This church mouse took the form of a friend from the field in the states on sabbatical and visiting this area briefly ... but her quiet nature and busy schedule led me to nickname her "church mouse". What a blessing and privilege to get to sit at her feet any moment I could glean with her. I learned so much from our church mouse!

Because writing is how I process life, and because I didn't want the lessons I learned to leave my head the minute she gets on that plane - I wrote them down. I thought I'd share them with you because they are lessons we can all benefit from learning.

* It's a marathon, not a sprint. Our church mouse was constantly about the work she came here to do - meeting up with people, speaking at churches and groups, pursuing what is next in God's agenda for her life. Yet she also modeled for me rest and balance. If she needed to sleep 12 hours, she did. If she had to let go of a desired, but not necessary, task, she did that too. She has learned through illness that 20 hour workdays can't last very long. The race we are called to run in this life is a marathon, not a sprint. We have to pace ourselves.

* Prosperity of soul. Our church mouse epitomized a spirit that is at rest in God's hands. She knew what she needed to do to hear His voice, and she did it. She challenged me by her life to refuse the busy-ness that leads to desolation of our spirits.

* Perspective. The night before she arrived, our refrigerator went out. It was completely full of food, and the next day we would be spending 11 hours parking cars for a football game and immediately picking her up. The night she walked into our home, all our cold food was at the neighbor's and the kitchen was a mess. I was apologetic at the state of the house. Her perspective helped so much: "This is nothing compared to where I've been." As happy as I was to get the house put back together and the new refrigerator working, I was even more glad to be reminded that there are worse things than the failure of a modern convenience. Like a war zone, for example.

* Relationships. Our church mouse highly values relationships. Once again, this task-oriented person learned the value of relationship. That's a lesson I can never see too much.

* Honor. Our church mouse told us that our culture is based on fear and guilt. Where she has lived for 7 years is based on honor and shame. When you are in an honor-based culture, honoring others is even more important. And she did that so well. She honored everything about our home. She was completely, totally free of entitlement. She was so honoring at every speaking engagement I attended. When an offering was taken she was authentically surprised. She was truly honored when people wanted to listen to her. She honored people even in disagreements, refusing to burn bridges and constantly reaching out. Watching her relate from an honor-based worldview, I realized how much prayer is about honoring God. Which relates to another lesson ...

* Ask God/Act/Ask again. Part of her story includes a day when she realized she had never asked God what He wanted her to do with the gifts He gave her. She did, and found herself taking her skills around the world, one country at a time. She would ask Him, act, then ask again. She was in constant dialogue with Him. After her illness, she re-learned that lesson, and I saw it at work. I realized that asking HONORS God. Think of Abraham; Job; Habakkuk. All had relationships where they dialogued with God. And God was honored.

* Small acts, big seeds. Our church mouse's story of her faith-walk includes some very "small" acts. A junior high friend asking about church the next day ... a high school friend, years later, inviting her to join a lunch group ... a family who welcomed her into their home every day. She was literally "loved to the cross". The smallest acts were big seeds in her life. 

* The blessing of serving. I used to think I didn't have the gift of hospitality because I am NOT a Martha Stewart type person. My house is tidy but not beautifully decorated. Surely hospitality requires all of that! And really, I don't have the gift. But we do - my husband and I have learned over the years that jointly we can offer that gift, because all it really means is making people feel comfortable. In the process of serving, we get such a blessing and learn so much.

When our church mouse slipped away to another home for her last 3 days in town, we came home to a house that felt empty. It was amazing how much she added to our home in such a short time. We miss her already, but know that she is gracing someone else tonight, and will soon return to the part of the world she loves so much to pour God's grace on many others.

I also want to encourage you to take the time to learn from the church mice in your own lives - those people who are always there, but whose quiet nature might not scream out "here is a lesson". You might be amazed at all the lessons you will learn!

Devotional: Phil. 2:14-18

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I rejoice, and share my joy with you all. And you too, I urge you, in the same way rejoice, and share your joy with me.

There's a lot to our work to be a community in unity. In fact, as Paul makes clear here, it has eternal significance.

Wow. It's one thing to think about how our selfishness and pettiness affects things in the temporal realm. But to realize that how we treat each other will be part of what is shown in heaven as proof that those who brought us the gospel did not do so in vain. Kind of makes the color of the carpet pale in significance!

For the Philippians, the lack of harmony was manifested in grumbling and disputing. This passage does have an outward view in terms of our relationships in the world, but the primary focus is the church. The words speak of an undertone - an undertone of secret whisperings (grumbling) and debate with an undertone of suspicion or doubt (disputing). Paul isn't saying not to ask questions or discuss our differences. He's saying that we should trust each other and stay above board. Differences aired openly can lead to growth, diversity, and unity; differences taken under the surface lead to dissension and divisiveness. John puts it this way: "Walk in the light as He is in the light."

Avoiding such undertones demonstrates who we are in Christ - that we are in the process of becoming blameless and innocent. That is important, because the world will always be crooked (in the sense of turning away from the truth) and perverse (twisting the truth). It is in that context that we are able to make the biggest difference. We can't isolate ourselves from the world. Instead, we need to be ready to engage the world by showing forth who He is. That's why the text says we "appear" as lights int he world. It's the fact of appearing that is in mind here, not the act of shining. That's important, because really we don't shine. He shines through us.

As we appear with His glory shining through us, we have something to offer the world: God's Word of life. "Holding fast" means "holding forth so as to offer" - it was used of offering wine to a houseguest. As they held forth the word of life Paul would have even more reason to glory, as more converts in other places came about through the multiplied efforts of this church he started.

Finally, Paul refers to his efforts in their lives as being "poured out". Here the reference is to pagan Greek religion, where a drink offering was poured directly on a sacrifice. Paul is living out his teaching about consider others as more important here; with humility he puts their life and service as the main sacrifice and his life as the lesser part. Essentially he recognizes that as they take the word of life, greater works are being done through them than he could have done alone - and he rejoices in it. This is so consistent with Jesus' words in John 14:12 that the one who believes in Him will do greater works "because I am going to the Father." Jesus isn't saying we are greater than Him, He is just recognizing the impact of multiplication in the kingdom of God. Through praying, giving, and going, we all have more impact than one. Paul's converts could have more impact than him, if they kept their focus on the mission and not on the things that could easily divide them.

And then we come to the word that many use to characterize Paul's theme in Philippians: "rejoice". One final key to unity is mutual rejoicing. We should rejoice when other believers find their ministry, go to a new country, have a successful conversation with a non-believer. We should not nit-pick their methods, criticize them for the cultural adaptations they have to make, or become envious that God used them instead of us! Even in rejoicing, we should keep the kingdom in mind.

So we come to the end of Philippians 2:1-18. I don't know about you but this has been challenging - not because of the memory work (which I have managed to complete, thank you Lord) but because of the content. It's hard to come face to face with the need to confront my selfishness, my grumbling, the things I do that hinder unity. But it is needed. Because at the end of the day, I want to be all about advancing God's kingdom purposes. And we do that as a community. I'm grateful Paul has given us so much guidance to help stir us in that direction!

What is safe?

Today I am still trying to process a tragedy - yesterday's massive shooting at Fort Hood, Texas ... right in my backyard, so-to-speak, as a Texas native. Everyone knows Fort Hood. Growing up in East Texas with a father who worked for the largest (at that time) Army Depot in the country, in my young eyes Fort Hood was a place filled with heroes. It was also a place filled with tears when time came for deployments, as family members knew the risks involved with front-line assignments. But for the soldiers who were within its large borders, Fort Hood was home.

That's part of the reason processing the tragedy is so hard. Soldiers repeatedly said that of course they weren't armed; this was their home. They didn't walk around the base prepared for battle. Yet the sad reality is that yesterday, as men and women were in a processing center to prepare to go to a war zone, a "dangerous" place ... someone invaded their home. Someone brought danger to their doorstep and burst inside with a sickening spray of ammunition.

Home wasn't safe, after all.

Our spare bedroom temporarily houses a friend who is on a sabbatical from life in one of the most dangerous spots on the planet. She's given 9 years of her life to this place out of a desire to see the glory of God descend and His power transform the society she loves so dearly. Yet this sabbatical was delayed  a year because just before coming home two years ago she was diagnosed with cancer. She endured a year of chemo and treatment in the States and then picked up where she left off with a year's sabbatical, giving her body a chance to recover and her spirit the opportunity to hear God's plan for her to continue serving the people she loves so dearly.

The front line assignment that led so many of us to worry didn't turn out to be the most dangerous thing in her life, after all.

What's the point? The Fort Hood shooting and my friend's cancer are visible reminders that danger isn't confined to the front lines and safety isn't guaranteed if we hold back from total surrender to God's kingdom purposes. I'm not saying that we should act unwisely ... but we also should not let fear hinder our decision to be on mission with God.

Safety is only found in His presence and His purpose. His purpose isn't a cause, it's a kingdom. His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So often that kingdom ethic is upside down from our human perspective. Love your enemies. Forgive without getting vengeance. Quit holding on to your life in a futile effort to save it - instead, pour it out for the sake of His glory among the nations. These are the messages that come through loud and clear, above all the doctrinal disputes and different perspectives of Scripture.

If you are on mission with God - let these vignettes remind you that holding back for fear of what the front lines might mean isn't necessarily safe. The reality of spiritual warfare is that the front lines come to us if we don't go to them. The fighting is on our knees and in our hearts, whether we stay or go. And the reality is, in the face of this tragedy we have to work extra hard to not let our love grow cold.

Devotional: Phil. 2:12-13

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed
Not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence,
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
For it is God who is at work in you,
Both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

This faith-walk we are on is not a solitary adventure. According to this passage, there are at least three "beings" involved in my process: me, God, and the body of Christ. The "working it out" is something we are meant to do in community.

We see this in the text itself. Remember, Paul started this flow of thought back up in verse 2 when he asked them to consider what has been granted them through Christ and make his joy completed by "being of the same mind" - a thought that is amplified in the phrases to follow. Paul's example of Christ is further instruction toward the unity he desires for them. Here, we see a very practical element of that unity: working it out together.

The theological debate over Paul's meaning of "work out your own salvation" has obscured the larger message that harmony and unity are obligations of the citizens of heaven! John 17:21 makes clear why this is so important: Jesus prayed that believers would be one "so that the world will believe that You sent Me." Simply put, our unity has a missionary purpose.

I sat at the feet of one of my favorite teachers over the weekend - a missionary staying with us while visiting supporters in the area. She has served in Central Asia for years and worked at high levels in the mission world. She talked about one reason church is so hard for her when she is visiting the States: on the field, no one cares what race you are, what denomination you are, or what you think of President Obama. In her words (grabbing my arm for emphasis), you ask someone, "Are you okay? Is your family alive? Do you have enough to eat? How's your walk with the Lord? OK, let's worship." That's all that matters. Somehow living in a war zone has a way of boiling things down to the basics - and she misses that dreadfully.

So when Paul exhorts us to "work out your salvation" - with the "your" being plural and thus referencing the church not individual believers - he isn't merely saying "Can't we all just get along." He knows the very mission of the church is at stake. We'll see that more clearly when we get to verses 14-16. Theologically, this refers to sanctification and not justification. Scripture speaks of 3 tenses of salvation: past (justification-a transaction where we are transferred from the kingdom of satan to the kingdom of God); present (sanctification, a process that will not end until we die); and future (glorification-the fullness of the promise when we are with Christ forever, death is swallowed up in victory, all believers are raised from the dead, and Satan is defeated once and for all). Paul here refers to salvation as a present reality - the sanctification process. We can see this because "work out" is not the same word as "work for". He's not telling us "work for your salvation". "Work out" means literally "carry out to the goal, to the ultimate conclusion" and was used in classical Greek to refer to solving a math problem.

Thankfully we are not alone in this journey. We have each other and even more significantly we have God. We can do this work because we know that  God works in us. He is energizing us, affecting our will and our actions. Wuest puts it this way: "It is this desire to do the good pleasure of God that is produced by divine energy in the heart of the saint as he definitely subjects himself to the Holy Spirit's ministry." In other words - God gives the desire and the power to habitually do  the right thing.

There is a balance of human responsibility and divine enablement - mutual cooperation in the process. It's not "let go and let God"; instead, as Wuest writes, it's "take hold with God." We must depend on the Holy Spirit - but we must also say no to sin and yes to righteousness. I can depend on God all day long, but when the M&M Trail Mix is 10 steps away from me, He isn't going to send an angel to physically confine me to my office. I have to say no. But I do it through His power, not my own.

It's hard work, but it's important. We need each other in the process. And we need to remember that it's for a purpose bigger than all of us. Working together to work out our salvation is one of the ways God spurs us on to unity. When I know that you and I share a struggle I pray for you when I have my problems. When God uses you to restore me after a fall I draw closer to Him and to you. When God breaks down our walls, rips off our masks, and gives us grace to be authentic with each other, I am challenged by your faith. At the end of the day, unity comes when we do this sanctification thing in community.

It's important. The very mission of God is at stake. May we do it well.

Devotional: Phil. 2:5-11

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
Who, although He existed in the form of God,
Did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped
But emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant,
And being made in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
Even death on a cross.

Therefore also God highly exalted Him,
and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Emptying.

That's the word that keeps coming back as I reflect on this passage. I've studied it all week - Wuest's Word Studies, my Bible notes, all the tools I usually use. But somehow, when I sit here to try to put something into a devotional format, what comes to mind is not the great theological truths of this passage, possibly one of the earliest recorded Christian hymns.

Instead, what I can't get off my mind is the idea of emptying.

Think about it: The Son was eternally co-existent with the Father. They were one, though separate, before the world was. God's eternal nature has always been present in the community of the Trinity.

And yet ... Jesus made a conscious choice - "Have this attitude" literally means "to direct one's mind to a thing, to seek or strive for." It's an intentional direction of thought.

So Jesus, existing eternally in the form of God (meaning the outward expression of an inward nature) voluntarily weighed the facts and chose not to hold on to the expression of Deity as He experienced it before the incarnation. He didn't regard it as something to be grasped - as a "treasure to be clutched and retained at all hazards". He voluntarily waived His right to the treasure of being with the Trinity, the treasure of having all that came with being able to have an unlimited outward expression of His inner Deity. Things like omnipresence that would be immediately limited by the direction He was choosing to follow. Instead of grasping onto these things, He relegated them to the Father for His use.

So He emptied Himself - He waived His rights. He took the form of a servant - again, that was the word for the outward expression of His inner nature. He took the form of a servant because He WAS a servant. Wuest writes beautifully, "Instead of giving the outward expression of His deity to the angels in His preincarnate glory, He gives outward expression of His humility in becoming the servant of mankind." He humbled Himself - made Himself low (the word was also used to describe the Nile lowering) - rather than holding onto the exalted glory He deserved. 

And then ... God "highly exalted" Him. That means that He was given the "highest rank and power...supreme majesty". No human could ever be given a higher rank that Jesus Christ after His death and resurrection. And here's the beauty - God "bestowed on Him" a special name, a name above every name. "Bestowed" is a word of grace. It's the same word used in Rom. 8:32 of grace in salvation. God the Father not only restored the Son to His rightly place of glory, He gave Him a special name as an act of grace. Paul says at the name of Jesus every knee will bow ... and Rev. 19:12 tells us, "He has a name written that no one knows except himself."  This concurs with verse 9 that there has been a special name given to Jesus.

I love what Beth Moore says about this. She reflects on the number of times Jesus' name is taken in vain, used as a curse word or an exclamation. And then she says that these verses show us that God has given Him a name that no one else knows ... a name that has never touched the corrupt lips of humanity.

Think about all this together in the context of Paul's writing. Hoping to develop in the Philippians a unity - teaching them to be of the same mind - Paul says: Here's the mind to have - the attitude of Christ. Humility. Emptying. Servanthood. He uses a poem or hymn they probably already knew to get them to think about what Jesus did ... voluntarily leaving heaven, not holding on to His rights but emptying Himself, giving up the treasure ... and on the other side, receiving the highest exaltation and a precious, never corrupted name. His basic message to them is summarized well by Wuest: "Set self aside for unity to prevail."

So all this reflection and theological consideration has led me to ask some hard questions of myself:

* Where do I need to intentionally set my direction of thought toward servanthood over self? What is the place of struggle that needs a radical change in the direction of my mind?

* What treasure am I grasping, holding on to instead of relegating to His use?

* What of me needs to be emptied? Jesus voluntarily gave up rights and privileges, so I should start there. But what of the flesh also needs to be emptied?

* What of self do I need to set aside so that unity can prevail?

Emptying is never easy. But it must happen for us to be filled with HIM instead of ourselves ... for HIS glory to shine through us. And we have the perfect place to start ... the incarnation of Christ.

Devotional: Philippians 2:3-4

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit,
but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;
Do not merely look out for your own personal interests,
but also for the interests of others."
------------------------

Ouch! Anybody else's toes hurt? This is one of those passages that is not really hard to understand - it's hard to LIVE. Working on memorizing it this week, I've realized how weak I really am - how much I try to rationalize or justify or limit the breadth of what God intends a passage to mean. After the events of this week (see my latest Note if you don't already know) ... and then reading some very wise words tonight from a Christian author ... I'm ready to stretch the limits - to see just how much I can apply verses like these.

When I was studying to prepare this devotional and understand these verses more, I learned that all these phrases are part of one larger thought. Structurally, "being of the same mind" is the predominant thought in verses 2-4. Everything else is a subordinate thought. In modern terminology - "being of the same mind" is the key thought; everything else is a bullet point under it that describes what that thought looks like. Sort of like this:

Being of the same mind:
* Maintaining the same love
* United in Spirit
* Intent on one purpose
* Doing nothing from selfishness or empty conceit - This has a strong structure literally meaning "Don't even think any thoughts motivated by selfish ambition."
* Regarding others are more important than ourselves
* Looking out for the interests of others, not our own - Interestingly in the Greek, this word for "interests" means "different interests". We are to look out for the interests of others - especially those that differ from our own!

Talk about revival! Can you imagine a church full of people who lived this way? That could lead to a true church growth movement!

What I love about these verses is that Paul doesn't erase the individual; he simply addresses our motivations and the bent of our hearts. We don't fulfill this verse by assuming a martyr's pose, a stricken look, and, with Bible in hand, determine to never think of ourselves ever again. That's just another version of pride and self-centeredness, frankly.

Buddhism teaches an extreme self-denial. At the heart of Buddhism is the belief that desire is the root problem of the world and to eliminate desire is to eliminate suffering. So a Buddhist goal would be to truly have no interests, no desires or preferences. That's not what Paul is saying.

Instead, Paul says - don't be motivated by selfishness or personal ambition. That's what characterized the evangelists in chapter 1 that so concerned the Philippians - they were trying to capitalize on Paul's imprisonment by making a name for themselves. I love how Paul doesn't focus on them. He says, essentially - the Gospel is being preached, don't worry about it - and don't be motivated like that in your actions toward one another.

We're supposed to "prefer your brother", as YWAM teaches. But we are told to make others more important than ourselves - not that we are unimportant. We are told to look our for their interests too - not that we should have no interests. Satan would love for us to either ignore or imbalance this teaching. God just wants us to live it out.

The beautiful thing is that it all flows from love...from a heart filled with the Spirit, set on fire for Christ and His people, passionate for the glory of God. Will we have to make hard choices along the way? Sure! But we'll never fulfill this verse by waking up tomorrow morning and thinking of all the things about ourselves that we intend to subdue-all the passions, interests, desires, goals, and preferences that we will ignore today. Instead, we will fulfill this passage by loving without reservation - first God, then by extension others.

Making Sense

I've spent much of this week trying to make sense of the senseless.

On Saturday I received word from a dear friend that a mutual friend's 10-year-old daughter was in critical condition at the hospital. As the story unfolded we learned that beautiful Olivia Ray had been hit by a car 3 hours earlier while in a crosswalk - skipping on her way to run a race at an event she had eagerly anticipated.

As I walked into the waiting area an hour later I saw a mass of people praying and crying. I didn't see my friends, Olivia's parents. Something in me knew - but I didn't want to acknowledge that fervant, worldwide prayers for the previous 4 hours had not been answered. Another friend saw me, hugged me, and told me the sad news. After a few minutes with Olivia's parents, I headed home and found myself unable to concentrate, trying desperately to wrap my mind around what had happened. It didn't make sense. I just couldn't understand why a 10-year-old would die so tragically, why a college student would have to bear such pain and guilt, why parents would have to have their hearts ripped asunder. Along with many others around the world, I lifted up the Rays and felt some measure of burden - part of being in the body of Christ. But I still wondered about the senselessness of it all.


Yesterday I attended Olivia's memorial. It was amazing, Spirit-led, Christ-centered, God-glorifying, encouraging beyond belief. We worshipped, we laughed, we cried. And no one pretended to have the answers to big questions.

One of the things I most appreciated was the pastor who acknowledged, "This isn't good; it's bad. But God can redeem it." It's so easy to mouth religious words: "God is good; He works all together for good; He is in control." We forget the corollary truth: Sin has brought about corruption to God's good plan and design. Death is part of the bad, not the good. It wasn't in the plan at the beginning.

Hebrews 2 called death an enemy - and tells us it's the last one that will be conquered. Bottom line - it's not supposed to make sense. It feels senseless because it IS senseless. It's part of the pain from a fallen world. But it's redeemable.

Romans 8 tells us that creation groans to be redeemed. The pains many of us felt this week reflect sharing the Rays burden ... but also remind us of the groaning of creation that seeks to be redeemed - set free. So behind everything that happens is a sovereign, good God who has redemptive purposes. I've been thinking about the redemptive path I'm supposed to follow after these days.

I think about all of the unengaged and unreached people groups who grieve without the hope that permeated Olivia's service yesterday - those who need to know the hope of redemption. I think about the lessons of community and relationship that showed so strongly throughout this past week in loving the Ray family. I think about Phillipians 2:1-4 and the reminder it gives me to focus on others, not myself. And I think about Olivia, eagerly skipping to run the race set before her. I think about living life with that kind of joyous abandon to what a day might bring.

Then even as the questions remains, peace settles in. And some things start to make sense.