"As we consier the life we live compared to the fiery expectations we had in our college days we are suprised how mundane life is. It takes so much effort just to surve here. Between daily needs and homeschooling our days are nearly over." - A friend on a remote island in south asia
I read the above in a prayer letter recently... he continued, "Yet at the same time, in the light of Christ's awesome sacrifice, if we give our lives to carry His glory to this place it is the very least we can do." And concluded, "sometimes it seems unproductive, but as we stand God works."
Spectacular missionary stories come in the midst of lots of mundane, and are often the accumulation of mundane moments lived in faithfulness. As we stand firm in His grace, we can trust that God will lead us on His Mission. Again, transforming mundane moments into divine appointments... by HIS grace and for His GLORY.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Mysteriously Mundane Miracles
"Words belong to the Lord... If God doesn't rule your mundane, He doesn't rule you. You live your life in the mundane." - Paul Tripp
You live your life in the mundane... Quite a thought. So often I'm looking for the spectacular, chasing after something fulfilling, thrilling, and larger than myself. If I had my way, every day I would want to change the world.
And herein lies the mystery of the mundane. The mundane seems so monotonous and meaningless... the same old same old. As wise Solomon said, "There is nothing new under the sun." You live your life in the mundane... conversations, e-mails, laundry, making food, activities of your day, eating, sleeping, reading, running, praying... Our daily activities are really not that different. What makes them different? Can God work in such little things for the glory of His Name? Is the miraculous possible in the mundane?
And yet, to find joy in the simple things of life is a gift. If you cannot enjoy your life now, you cannot enjoy life. The heart's longings are too deep to be satisfied with anything less than the mystery of being known and knowing, loved by and loving the very God who created us.
Jesus Christ took upon himself the wrath of God and died on a cross, paying the penalty of my sin, because He loved me... and that mysterious miracle gives meaning to otherwise mundane existence. My life is a gift, and the new life I found in Him an ever greater gift.
So every day I'm dying and living... dying to self, living to God. Nothing is no longer insignificant; every aspect of my life has significance. For I am united with Christ; this brings me so much hope for things to come. My worst days are never beyond the reach of his grace, and my best days are never beyond the need of his grace. This is the miracle of the mundane -- the Holy Spirit changing our hearts each day to be a little more like Christ, restoring us as sons and daughters of the Most High King.
Monday, September 29, 2008
"Everything I have is yours..."
When I was young, I remember my dad telling us... "I wish that the church today functioned like the church in Acts, where they held all things in common." He wasn't being critical, just reflective... My dad continued, "I hope that at least our family could work like that, sharing all things and not owning anything."
And then my dad looked at me and said, "Everything I have is yours... You know that."
These words have stayed with me, "Everything I have is yours..." And they weren't just words; he meant them. My dad is one of the most frugal and generous people I know.
Right now, with the economy, there is a lot of anxiety about what will happen to our finances. I know a lot of people are in tight places and that there will need to be sacrifices in the days ahead. The downward turn should not come as a suprise to us... we've been a nation living on debt for as long as I can remember; we are reaping the consequences of many levels of greed.
But, as I think about all of that, a hope and excitement rises within me. While these consequences will be harsh, the opportunities are boundless... We will need to rely more deeply on God and more deeply on one another... real community, real sacrifice, real love, real life! The mercies of God are new every morning; great is His faithfulness!
So before you panic about the economy... remember we have a God who has a Father's heart exponetially more generous and loving than the best of earthly fathers. God loved us so much that He sent his only Son to pay the consequences for our sin and rebellion. And the consequences of our sin were far worse than a bad economy -- they condemn us to hell and the wrath of God. Surely the God who has made provision for the greatest sin and debt of mankind, will still be near to those who seek Him. Do you know Him as your Savior?
God is our Father, and Fathers love to give good gifts to their children... He is Jehovah Jirah, the God who provides. I am looking forward to seeing how God will glorify Himself in the coming days... and what He will teach our hearts as we learn to trust Him more deeply.
And then my dad looked at me and said, "Everything I have is yours... You know that."
These words have stayed with me, "Everything I have is yours..." And they weren't just words; he meant them. My dad is one of the most frugal and generous people I know.
Right now, with the economy, there is a lot of anxiety about what will happen to our finances. I know a lot of people are in tight places and that there will need to be sacrifices in the days ahead. The downward turn should not come as a suprise to us... we've been a nation living on debt for as long as I can remember; we are reaping the consequences of many levels of greed.
But, as I think about all of that, a hope and excitement rises within me. While these consequences will be harsh, the opportunities are boundless... We will need to rely more deeply on God and more deeply on one another... real community, real sacrifice, real love, real life! The mercies of God are new every morning; great is His faithfulness!
So before you panic about the economy... remember we have a God who has a Father's heart exponetially more generous and loving than the best of earthly fathers. God loved us so much that He sent his only Son to pay the consequences for our sin and rebellion. And the consequences of our sin were far worse than a bad economy -- they condemn us to hell and the wrath of God. Surely the God who has made provision for the greatest sin and debt of mankind, will still be near to those who seek Him. Do you know Him as your Savior?
God is our Father, and Fathers love to give good gifts to their children... He is Jehovah Jirah, the God who provides. I am looking forward to seeing how God will glorify Himself in the coming days... and what He will teach our hearts as we learn to trust Him more deeply.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
God
Last month, I took a solitude retreat for a several days... I read through the book of Romans aloud, and then I started studying it chapter by chapter. At times I would walk around the lake, or retreat to the chapel and sing... sometimes praise, and sometimes songs of theological musings and questionings. There are many things about God that are had for me to understand. Oh the depth of the wrath and mercy of God!
God is not who I think He is... how I long to know Him more deeply! And for words to articulate the wonder of who He is!
God is not who I think He is... how I long to know Him more deeply! And for words to articulate the wonder of who He is!
Monday, April 07, 2008
Taco Bell... A Conversation
One of the things Ritzer talks about in his book is the globalization of nothing... Mass communication has replaced personal relationships, fast food instead of real dining, scripted conversations, etc... So, on Sunday I went to Taco Bell for lunch with a friend.
I asked the lady, "How are you?"
She responded, "What can I get for you?"
(Thought: Oh no! Scripted conversation... it's like talking to a machine)
I ask, "What do you recommend?"
(let's see if I can get her off the script... also honestly having an indecisive moment)
Response, "Oh, everything is good here."
(Hmm... is that script or her talking??)
I order something... a bit frustrated that normal conversation is impossible. There is no one else in the building except for us, so I wouldn't even be holding up the line... I think to myself, so this is life... talking with other human beings without really saying anything.
And then, in one last attempt, I asked some questions... "How do you say your name? How long have you been with Taco Bell? Do you like it? I see you're a team leader...what does that mean?"
And she responded and started telling me about herself, where she was from, what her job is like, and how she would like to be manager someday... it was great!!
Communication had moved to conversation -- victory!
So, this is my new little challenge: see if you can throw people off their scripts. If a telemarker calls, try to get them talking about something else other than what they called about. Try to learn something about the lady at the grocery store instead of just letting her bag your groceries. People are more important than their services or their jobs... Let's take some time to get to now them... to love them for who they are and not what they do.
I asked the lady, "How are you?"
She responded, "What can I get for you?"
(Thought: Oh no! Scripted conversation... it's like talking to a machine)
I ask, "What do you recommend?"
(let's see if I can get her off the script... also honestly having an indecisive moment)
Response, "Oh, everything is good here."
(Hmm... is that script or her talking??)
I order something... a bit frustrated that normal conversation is impossible. There is no one else in the building except for us, so I wouldn't even be holding up the line... I think to myself, so this is life... talking with other human beings without really saying anything.
And then, in one last attempt, I asked some questions... "How do you say your name? How long have you been with Taco Bell? Do you like it? I see you're a team leader...what does that mean?"
And she responded and started telling me about herself, where she was from, what her job is like, and how she would like to be manager someday... it was great!!
Communication had moved to conversation -- victory!
So, this is my new little challenge: see if you can throw people off their scripts. If a telemarker calls, try to get them talking about something else other than what they called about. Try to learn something about the lady at the grocery store instead of just letting her bag your groceries. People are more important than their services or their jobs... Let's take some time to get to now them... to love them for who they are and not what they do.
McDonaldization... and the Kingdom
The core values of McDonald's include:
(according to Ritzer 2007:24-25 in The Globilization of Nothing 2...)
(according to Ritzer 2007:24-25 in The Globilization of Nothing 2...)
- Efficiency - discover the optimum means for doing every process as quickly as possible.
- Predictability - products and services need to be the same.
- Calculability - quanity more important than quality... (fast and cheap)
- Control (often through using nonhuman technology such as drive throughs and other mechanics control employees)
So... i've been thinking... how many of my values have been influenced by McDonalds? What are the values of the Kingdom of God? Just at a surface glance, they seem to be quite the opposite.
- Efficiency - The Kingdom is not efficient. God is patient toward us, not willing that any should perish. If God's goal were efficiency, he would not use flawed human beings like us...
- Predictability - Following Jesus is not predictable... The adventure of faith requires trust, not predictability.
- Calculability - nothing fast and cheap about the gospel. Jesus gave his very life for the Kingdom, and God calls us to do the same...
- Control - don't see this one either. The Kingdom is based on relationships of trust. Although God controls everything, he still stands at the door and knocks... relationships of trust, not automatic door openers!
What do you think? I wonder how much of our church culture has been affected by McDonalds... Lord, please give us a better understanding of the Kingdom and what it should look like here and now... A community under the rule of King Jesus.
Friday, December 28, 2007
One Thing is Needful
Worship doesn't just happen... you have to fight for it sometimes.
The last few months have been full months. Good months, but full of work, travel, friendships... going in and out of multiple little worlds of my existence. And sometimes in all of it I forget the heart of worship, of Soli Deo, of simply enjoying Jesus...the sweetness of surrender, the freedom that comes from repentance, the joy of walking in His Spirit moment by moment. I catch myself going through the motions of prayer, Bible reading, church... but somehow God seems distant.
I try to seek God, but I find myself distracted by many things. I have a mental list of things I would like to hear from God, a list of things I want to talk with Him about, problems that I would like Him to solve. I desperately want the fruit of the Spirit in my life - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control, and yet I know that it is lacking on so many levels. I'm frustrated with myself for not being a better Christian, for being so sinful and prideful. Deja vou. I've been here before. That feeling of hopelessness, like what I can do is never enough. I hate that feeling, but I can't shake it.
I am like Martha, trying to do all the right things to hold things together, meet the expectations of myself and others, and serve Jesus. Trying to be responsible, and yet feeling frazzled in the process. Instead of being content simply to be in relationship with Jesus, I fall into self-pity and a complaining spirit. An anxious spirit replaces the trusting one, and like Martha I wonder why Jesus isn't getting more people to help me do "His work." Suddenly, it has become all about me and what I want from God instead of all about HIM.
And then I hear Jesus' kind rebuke, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (see Luke 10:38-42)
Mary chose worship. She made a conscious choice to spend time with Jesus. Joseph S. Carroll observes in his book How to Worship Jesus Christ, "You can never drift into being a Mary. You can always drift into being a Martha. All you have to do is just let yourself go. No woman ever drifted into being a Mary." (27)
So, how do we do that? How do we be Marys? How can I maintain a life entirely focused around Jesus Christ, with everything else coming in as a distant second? To know Christ, to dwell in the presence of the Most High God - this one thing I desire!
God, teach me to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. Thank you for creating me to worship and for making this possible through the sacrifice of Jesus! Thank you for your grace and patience with me, for your redeeming love. I love you. Oh, for grace to love You more!
The last few months have been full months. Good months, but full of work, travel, friendships... going in and out of multiple little worlds of my existence. And sometimes in all of it I forget the heart of worship, of Soli Deo, of simply enjoying Jesus...the sweetness of surrender, the freedom that comes from repentance, the joy of walking in His Spirit moment by moment. I catch myself going through the motions of prayer, Bible reading, church... but somehow God seems distant.
I try to seek God, but I find myself distracted by many things. I have a mental list of things I would like to hear from God, a list of things I want to talk with Him about, problems that I would like Him to solve. I desperately want the fruit of the Spirit in my life - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control, and yet I know that it is lacking on so many levels. I'm frustrated with myself for not being a better Christian, for being so sinful and prideful. Deja vou. I've been here before. That feeling of hopelessness, like what I can do is never enough. I hate that feeling, but I can't shake it.
I am like Martha, trying to do all the right things to hold things together, meet the expectations of myself and others, and serve Jesus. Trying to be responsible, and yet feeling frazzled in the process. Instead of being content simply to be in relationship with Jesus, I fall into self-pity and a complaining spirit. An anxious spirit replaces the trusting one, and like Martha I wonder why Jesus isn't getting more people to help me do "His work." Suddenly, it has become all about me and what I want from God instead of all about HIM.
And then I hear Jesus' kind rebuke, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (see Luke 10:38-42)
Mary chose worship. She made a conscious choice to spend time with Jesus. Joseph S. Carroll observes in his book How to Worship Jesus Christ, "You can never drift into being a Mary. You can always drift into being a Martha. All you have to do is just let yourself go. No woman ever drifted into being a Mary." (27)
So, how do we do that? How do we be Marys? How can I maintain a life entirely focused around Jesus Christ, with everything else coming in as a distant second? To know Christ, to dwell in the presence of the Most High God - this one thing I desire!
"...One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.God longs for our worship. Jesus told the woman at the well that God was seeking those who would worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Intimate fellowship with our God - we were made for this, we were made to worship. How do we live a lives centered around Jesus, lives of worship? What does that look like? If one thing is needful, and we miss that one thing... then what are we doing?
...My heart says to you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, LORD, I will seek.
...Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." ~ King David, Psalm 27
God, teach me to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. Thank you for creating me to worship and for making this possible through the sacrifice of Jesus! Thank you for your grace and patience with me, for your redeeming love. I love you. Oh, for grace to love You more!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Singleness: God's Gift to Us?
I've been thinking a lot about singleness recently... maybe it's because I've been as single as a person can be for most of my life...ok, for all of my life. I've never known what it's like to be in love, never been pursued by a guy. Sometimes, I'm grateful for this. Other times... frustrated, hurt, even angry.
In my insecurity, I wonder, "Why? Is there something wrong with me? Is there something that God is trying to teach me that I haven't learned yet?" I feel rejected, and like I'm somehow not enough. Lies, most of them... but they seem so true!
I've heard the answers a thousand times, and I've told them to others a thousand times... "There's nothing wrong with you. Guy's are sometimes intimidated. Be more open. No good thing will God withhold from them who walk uprightly... Wait on God's timing." Some of the answers are true, and some of them are just well-meaning platitudes or advice. I try to sort through them in my mind and in my heart.
Wanting desperately to trust God, yet wanting to be honest too. Why the restlessness? Why the pain in loneliness?
I've had a few thoughts on the matter... take them for what they are, thoughts... I'm writing them down so that I can re-read them later.
Singleness has been God's gift to me. It's not what I asked for, not what I thought I wanted. But for some reason, God has intentionally put it in my life at this time for my good and for His glory. I can rest in that and rejoice in it, because I know my Father is good. He is the author of pleasure, not the enemy of it.
That verse from Psalms is true, "No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." This means that God gives us everything we need to glorify Him and to be happy at any stage in life - whatever our circumstances. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Secondly, the pain has been a cause of brokenness in my life. God uses many things in our lives, in His love, to break us and demonstrate His love for us... it could be singleness or it could be a difficult marriage, the loss of someone you love, a hard job situation, or not having work, or not being able to have children, or any other number of shattered dreams that we encounter in life. And in this brokenness, he calls us to run to Him... to cry on His shoulder and to let Him carry our burdens.
Yes, I do wish that I had a real shoulder to cry on sometimes instead of just a heavenly one. Sometimes, God gives that to me. Sometimes He doesn't. But He has always been faithful to meet me and to supply my every need - spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Jesus has bought me flowers and taken me on dates... even bought me jewelry once!
Someday, God may give me a husband through whom I can experience His greater love for me. But today, He has given me Himself... and, at the risk of being cliche, He IS enough!
In my insecurity, I wonder, "Why? Is there something wrong with me? Is there something that God is trying to teach me that I haven't learned yet?" I feel rejected, and like I'm somehow not enough. Lies, most of them... but they seem so true!
I've heard the answers a thousand times, and I've told them to others a thousand times... "There's nothing wrong with you. Guy's are sometimes intimidated. Be more open. No good thing will God withhold from them who walk uprightly... Wait on God's timing." Some of the answers are true, and some of them are just well-meaning platitudes or advice. I try to sort through them in my mind and in my heart.
Wanting desperately to trust God, yet wanting to be honest too. Why the restlessness? Why the pain in loneliness?
I've had a few thoughts on the matter... take them for what they are, thoughts... I'm writing them down so that I can re-read them later.
Singleness has been God's gift to me. It's not what I asked for, not what I thought I wanted. But for some reason, God has intentionally put it in my life at this time for my good and for His glory. I can rest in that and rejoice in it, because I know my Father is good. He is the author of pleasure, not the enemy of it.
That verse from Psalms is true, "No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." This means that God gives us everything we need to glorify Him and to be happy at any stage in life - whatever our circumstances. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Secondly, the pain has been a cause of brokenness in my life. God uses many things in our lives, in His love, to break us and demonstrate His love for us... it could be singleness or it could be a difficult marriage, the loss of someone you love, a hard job situation, or not having work, or not being able to have children, or any other number of shattered dreams that we encounter in life. And in this brokenness, he calls us to run to Him... to cry on His shoulder and to let Him carry our burdens.
Yes, I do wish that I had a real shoulder to cry on sometimes instead of just a heavenly one. Sometimes, God gives that to me. Sometimes He doesn't. But He has always been faithful to meet me and to supply my every need - spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Jesus has bought me flowers and taken me on dates... even bought me jewelry once!
Someday, God may give me a husband through whom I can experience His greater love for me. But today, He has given me Himself... and, at the risk of being cliche, He IS enough!
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