Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The Path to Awe


It would be dramatic to tell you I hiked for hours, but the truth is I was in a parking lot heavy with pine trees. I started to walk; not realize what was in front of me. I finally got to the place where I realized there was something big in my path. I stop and began to look up and up and up. It was El Capitan. The power of it was overwhelming. What immediately came to mind was Romans 1: 20 ". . . His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead . . ."

This experience recently washing over me as I was reading Daring to Draw Near by John White. (Published by Intervarsity Press). My friend Laurie and I read through books together and discuss them. This is our new book. Each chapter is launched with a key prayer passage associate with the person a person in the Bible and used the prayer as a teaching point. The first chapter is about Abraham.

Here is the passage from chapter one that triggered my memory:
"Before I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes." Abraham was painfully aware of the incongruity, the total inappropriateness of what he was doing. Yet without such an awareness what is prayer, but a parroting of words? If we close our minds to everything about God that makes us uncomfortable, we are going through empty motions when we pray. We pray to a god we have fashioned for our comfort and not to God as he is. True prayer is to respond to the true God as he reveals more of himself by his Spirit in His word. Prayer defined in such terms can be a terrifying experience.

This passage and the memory of El Capitan has promoted days of lingering thoughts considering this question: Do I pray to God?

We do have a tendency to "close our minds to everything about God that makes us uncomfortable" and fashion a god of our own comprehension. Here are five examples I've come up with. Can you add to this list?

Santa Claus god
I'm sure you have heard of this one. The concept is a god you just send up your list of demands and he is required to fulfill your demands. You maybe think, oh the poor person who would pray this way. When was the last time you listened to God? Are your prayers a list and not a conversation? God desires a relationship.
Consider: Matthew 11:28-29 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
James4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
Psalms 16:11 "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy."
I Corinthians 1:9 "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."


Wizard of Oz god
This is an all flash and no substance god. In the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and her three friends reached the Wizard he is this large green head that spits out anger, loud noises, and flashes of lighting. But thanks to Toto who pulls the curtain at the side we realize the Wizard is really something much smaller. With this version of god why should we brother to pray; he is just all noise and no underpinning.
What about: Job 42:2"I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."
Isaiah 9:-7-6 "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever."
Isaiah 40: 12-15, 18 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket . . .To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? "


Fear-based god
This view of god ends up in the same place as the Wizard of Oz god, but gets there from a different direction. With your understanding of god the only emotion you can muster is fear. He is vengeful, angry, and causing pain where ever he goes. Why would you want to pray to a god like this? The fear is in even talking to this kind of god he would then know you exists and turn his fury on you and start killing off your family and/or friends with diseases or accidents.
He knows and loves us: Romans 8: 37-39 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I John 3:1 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."


Sunshine, Rainbows, & butterflies god
The sun is radiating behind a glowing figure standing on a grassy mount with bunnies hopping around the flowers surrounding his feet; butterflies flutter and birds chirp close to him. Never does a moment of sadness enter his presences only joy and goodness. With this version of god he wouldn't understand the struggles and pain we deal sometimes on a daily bases.
But what about: Hebrews 4: 14-16 "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
I Peter 2: 21-24 "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed."


Take A Number god
Remember the little red machines that you pull a number from to wait for the clerk to help you? Well, with this version god is so busy that when you take your number it's in the trillions. With knowing the hair count of every person, keeping track of falling sparrow, and the whole time space continuum things he is too busy to even care about what is happening in my life.
He is personal: Matthew 10: 29-31"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
Psalms 139: 7-10 "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me."


Hopefully, you haven't found any of these definitions of a god you pray to, so let's go back to the last two sentences of the passage from Daring to Dare Near quoted earlier:
True prayer is to respond to the true God as he reveals more of himself by his Spirit in His word. Prayer defined in such terms can be a terrifying experience.

Now the question becomes, how do you pray to the true God? After these days considering this topic this is what I've come up with, "humbly I come . . . your praise to bring."

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Gratitude is a Choice

Albert Barnes said, “We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning.”

The poem that follows, entitled, Blessed is the Man Who is Driven to His Knees in Prayer, by E. M. Bounds (from "The Complete Works of E M Bounds on Prayer" pages 104-107) states it well.
Trials must and will befall,
But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all –
This is happiness to me.

Trials make the promise sweet,
Trials give new life to prayer;
Bring me to my savior’s feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.

Blessing in disguise!

O who could bear life’s stormy doom,
Did not the wing of love
Come brightly wafting through the gloom,
Our peace branch from above?

Then sorrow touched by Thee grows bright,
With more than rapture’s ray,
As darkness shows us a world of light
We never saw by day.

Unburdening the heart in grief?

O Thou who driest the mourner’s tear,
How dark this world would be
If, when deceived and wounded here,
We could not fly to Thee.

The friends who in our sunshine live,
When winter comes are flown;
And he who has but tears to give
Must weep those tears alone.

But Thou wilt heal the broken heart
Where live the plants that throw
Their fragrance from the wounded part,
Breathe sweetness out of woe.

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. ~Psalms 91:14-15

I’m sure you are familiar with the axiom, “Attitude of Gratitude.” It’s an excellent way to express the notion that we need to live every day in a specific manner. Gratitude is a choice. With it as the main ingredient in your life, you will be blessed and will be a blessing to others. Remember, blessings come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s the small, seemingly insignificant things which, seen in perspective, may come to mean the most to you. Every need, even the smallest unspoken one, is important to God. Ask the Lord to show you a sign of His good for you today. Start by purposefully looking for examples of His nearness and care for you in your daily life. Once you begin this practice of seeking, you’ll be amazed at how often you sense His loving presence and detect tokens of His constant care for you!
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Sunday, November 11, 2007

Life's Tapestry

Viewing our lives as a tapestry, from the front of the tapestry, there is a beautiful picture. It is made up of many different colors of thread to form a lovely scene or picture. But, turn the tapestry over and you cannot tell what the picture on the front looks like. Furthermore, the back view just looks like a mess of knots and threads, seemingly arranged without rhyme or reason. I believe that sometimes we are only looking at our lives from the back. All we see are the knots, the problems, the hanging threads, and the unresolved issues in our lives. But take heart! There is a beautiful picture being created on the front.

If just one of the threads were to be pulled out, the picture would be incomplete. It would not be the picture it was meant to be. So it is with our lives. Each and every experience, every difficulty and lesson works together to weave the picture of our life. We would not be the person we are without every single thread; every unique lesson.

If you choose to view the experiences, the difficulties, the bad days of life as a way of teaching and helping you to grow, you are the better for it. Not only you, but those that you come in contact with are given the opportunity to learn from your life tapestry.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Ask for a blessing!

I don’t remember now how my friend, Helen, and I discovered Psalm 86:17, but what an exciting and essential verse it has become in our lives. It’s a red flag, of sorts, that we throw upwards in difficult situations and say, “I’m in need of a blessing today, Lord!”

Psalm 86:17:
Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it, and be ashamed,
because Thou, O Lord, hast helped me and comforted me.

“Show me a sign for good” – some translations say, “Show me or send me a sign of your favor;” or, “Give me a sign of your goodness.” Literally, this phrase means, “Make with me a token by Thy providential care.”

Over the years, especially during particularly stressful and difficult times, this verse has surfaced time and time again. It speaks to me and floods my being: Show me a token for good; send me a sign of your favor. Make it appear to others, as well as to myself, that God is doing me good and designing further good for me. Let me experience some illustrious instances of God’s favor to me, a token of God’s goodness.

This principle is straight from the Word of God, and it works, if for no other reason than it changes my directional views. Instead of looking at the situation in front of me or getting caught up in the stress swirling around me, I begin to look for signs of how good God is to me – to all of us – daily. Think back over your own life. How have you been blessed? What are you thankful for? If you look for them, these tokens or signs of God’s good are all over the place! I challenge you to open your eyes and your heart and see them.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Harvest Blessings

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor – and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God . . . .”

President George Washington issued this presidential proclamation in 1789 for the purpose of acknowledging thanks to God. I’m very grateful that President Washington set aside a special day to incorporate the giving of thanks into our national mindset and heritage.

The Apostle Paul speaks about thanks-giving as a privilege and an obligation for believers in Colossians 3:12-17.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The idea of being thankful or giving thanks, as expressed here, is to keep on being and coming thankful as a continuous process of obligation and privilege. Eugene Peterson translates this verse in The Message like this:

Let every detail in your lives – words, actions, whatever – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

I like the way this same principle is articulated so plainly in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. The author has also added one additional word regarding giving thanks.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (New American Standard Bible.)

In everything give thanks. Now that word puts a whole new spin on things! It seems easy to give thanks when you’re enjoying a house full of family, friends, football, and food on Thanksgiving Day. But Paul is telling us to give thanks in everything. That’s a tall order, and “everything” includes a lot of stuff. If I were to be totally honest, there’s a whole lot of stuff I don’t feel thankful for at all! I’m sure you could come up with your own list of, “Stuff I Wouldn’t Be Thankful For, Lord.” But in God’s plan for each of us, there is a purpose for everything, the good as well as the not-so-good. Yes, it’s easy to be thankful for every joy and blessing. And yet the Bible tells us every trial and difficulty, every disappointment and failure, is part of His plan for our life. The difference is that with Him, there can be a silver lining for every cloud.

The Apostle Paul, no stranger to trials himself, tells us that through our purposeful acts of prayer, rejoicing, and giving thanks, especially in difficult or trying times, our very attitudes will be transformed. Simply by taking this action! Nobody claims it’s easy, but God promises to be with us, no matter what takes place in our lives. It is God’s will that we find joy (that we rejoice always) in thankful prayer in Christ Jesus, in every circumstance of our lives. Through this process, we will bless others, finding ways to show kindness and love to one another and grow in our relationship with God. No, it’s not easy to give thanks in every circumstance or time of testing. But obedience is not an option when it comes to our life in Christ.

Thou that has given so much to me,
Give one thing more – a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleases me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days;
But such a heart, whose pulse may be Thy praise.
~ George Herbert

There is something refreshing and wonderful about being around a person who understands the concept of being grateful. They walk through life differently. The atmosphere around them is energizing. Henry Ward Beecher said, “The unthankful heart . . . discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!”