Is there more to life than what we can see?
More hope? More purpose?
What is this existence all about, anyway?
Sometimes people immersed in the Christian faith are just that: immersed. They can only see their pool of participants and begin to believe that life is staying cocooned with like-minded Christ-followers.
It seems a waste that Jesus journeyed to a humiliating, excruciating death and a glorious and overcoming resurrection to watch us bask in a pool with each other as believers.
Jesus didn't do the work of the cross just for us--He did it so we would go on our own journey to reach out to others in love. We model His life-giving hope when we just love on people, entering their world, listening to their story, simply being there to shine the light of friendship. Then drawn to our kindness and interest in them, these others might ask where we get our hope. In whom do we find our life's bearing?
We have discovered how to find the more meaningful picture of life. It is the investigation of God and Jesus and what happens after we die. But if we do not do the work of artfully selling it to others by loving them first, then it seems the story dies with us as we cocoon with other believers, patting ourselves on the back for what we know.
Love others into finding the more.
07 April 2012
06 April 2012
A Kept Appointment
Aren't there dreaded appointments in our world?
We dread the doctor's appointment that might reveal bad news or difficult strategy.
We certainly dread every due date of bills we can hardly cover.
The principal at our child's school, the veterinarian of our beloved animals, the accountant who does our taxes, the friend who calls in the middle of the night. Though all of these may carry dread, we meet and move forward through what is required.
Jesus had a most dreaded appointment. We think more about Him this time of year, and in fact, contemplate that He may have more to do with this world than we want to admit. At this time of year, we are thinking about what it must have been like to carry a heavy, wooden cross amid jeers and taunts, be spat upon and kicked, all the while dreading and pondering a sure, slow, and excruciatingly painful death. Try as we might, our minds and hearts do not get close to this reality.
We don't have to. It is done. Our appointment with this event is the opposite of dread. It is simply believing that Jesus did it for us. It is joy, it is thankfulness, it is submission--that's it.
Funny how we keep the dreaded appointments in our lives and when the life-giving, joyful one comes along, we pause and wonder if we should keep it.
Appointment with joy? I'm in.
We dread the doctor's appointment that might reveal bad news or difficult strategy.
We certainly dread every due date of bills we can hardly cover.
The principal at our child's school, the veterinarian of our beloved animals, the accountant who does our taxes, the friend who calls in the middle of the night. Though all of these may carry dread, we meet and move forward through what is required.
Jesus had a most dreaded appointment. We think more about Him this time of year, and in fact, contemplate that He may have more to do with this world than we want to admit. At this time of year, we are thinking about what it must have been like to carry a heavy, wooden cross amid jeers and taunts, be spat upon and kicked, all the while dreading and pondering a sure, slow, and excruciatingly painful death. Try as we might, our minds and hearts do not get close to this reality.
We don't have to. It is done. Our appointment with this event is the opposite of dread. It is simply believing that Jesus did it for us. It is joy, it is thankfulness, it is submission--that's it.
Funny how we keep the dreaded appointments in our lives and when the life-giving, joyful one comes along, we pause and wonder if we should keep it.
Appointment with joy? I'm in.
03 April 2012
The Hunger Games
Another phenomenon has swept the country, coming in the form of the movie, The Hunger Games.
The concept is chilling, and even if you have neither read the book(s) nor seen the movie, you can follow along with the bottom line: what is life like when a few people in charge decide to construct the world as they please?
We only need look around at countries with a dictator to see any version of as they please.
But the chilling part is that, in the movie, you feel as if you are watching an American version of these few people in charge, establishing the haves and the have-nots, and expending life as sport under the guise of payback.
Chilling.
When the moral compass of leadership is as you please, life is reduced to whims and fancies.
Who has authority over your life? In our country, are we moving in a direction to give it to a few, losing our for the people and by the people freedoms and say-sos?
It begs an even bigger question: who changes the very course of your life because you trust their input into your life?
What is their moral compass?
The concept is chilling, and even if you have neither read the book(s) nor seen the movie, you can follow along with the bottom line: what is life like when a few people in charge decide to construct the world as they please?
We only need look around at countries with a dictator to see any version of as they please.
But the chilling part is that, in the movie, you feel as if you are watching an American version of these few people in charge, establishing the haves and the have-nots, and expending life as sport under the guise of payback.
Chilling.
When the moral compass of leadership is as you please, life is reduced to whims and fancies.
Who has authority over your life? In our country, are we moving in a direction to give it to a few, losing our for the people and by the people freedoms and say-sos?
It begs an even bigger question: who changes the very course of your life because you trust their input into your life?
What is their moral compass?
02 April 2012
It's True
Truth opens our heart to healing. Don't run from it.
Truth empowers our heart to lead ourselves and others. Don't ignore it.
Truth introduces us to God our Creator, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. Don't miss meeting this truth encounter.
Truth makes earthly pain bearable. Don't deny yourself this assistance.
Truth is like gentle rain falling on rich new earth. Don't skip this heart-version of spring.
Truth...a gift of feeding your strength.
Truth empowers our heart to lead ourselves and others. Don't ignore it.
Truth introduces us to God our Creator, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. Don't miss meeting this truth encounter.
Truth makes earthly pain bearable. Don't deny yourself this assistance.
Truth is like gentle rain falling on rich new earth. Don't skip this heart-version of spring.
Truth...a gift of feeding your strength.
01 April 2012
When We Won't
When we won't let truth affect our views, we stay stubbornly implanted in misunderstanding, distortion, sometimes even a cesspool of thinking.
But we do it all the time.
We have images of events, people, even God, and our perceptions create those images.
Is truth a reality that we must consider?
Politics, relationships, decisions, organizations...truth has a bearing on how effective all of these work.
Is there a place to begin?
It seems to me there are two points of truth that must be delivered to us, considered by our hearts and minds, and then decided upon. To avoid them seems too big, catastrophic even.
What does God have to do with our whole presence in this world?
And, if he is who he says he is in the Bible, then Jesus--his birth and his death--matters, like really matters, in fact is the crux of the whole thing.
As we head toward Easter, would you ponder truth? Not just truth for these two points, but for all of your images--of events, of people, of yourself.
Truth matters. It is the single-most freeing enterprise in our earthly journey.
But we do it all the time.
We have images of events, people, even God, and our perceptions create those images.
Is truth a reality that we must consider?
Politics, relationships, decisions, organizations...truth has a bearing on how effective all of these work.
Is there a place to begin?
It seems to me there are two points of truth that must be delivered to us, considered by our hearts and minds, and then decided upon. To avoid them seems too big, catastrophic even.
What does God have to do with our whole presence in this world?
And, if he is who he says he is in the Bible, then Jesus--his birth and his death--matters, like really matters, in fact is the crux of the whole thing.
As we head toward Easter, would you ponder truth? Not just truth for these two points, but for all of your images--of events, of people, of yourself.
Truth matters. It is the single-most freeing enterprise in our earthly journey.
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