While driving home from work today, sport radio stations were covering the Tiger Wood's adultery scandal from every angle. A talk-show host began thinking by talking (and I quote to the best of my recollection): "Who really is surprised by infidelity these days? Maybe we should rethink the whole idea of marriage as a society. Half of the marriages fail, so maybe we shouldn't teach our kids that you need to be married at a certain stage. Maybe marriage doesn't work. I dunno." I have learned that if I don't know, my mouth should stay shut. I am not surprised by infidelity. But to suggest that marriage should be "re-thought" as if the problem is the institution of marriage by God, that is where I firmly stand in opposition.
Consider the logic: because many marriages fail due to infidelity, we should do away with marriage. Because the standard of monogomous marriage is so often broken, as a society let us remove the standard. From a worldly perspective, perhaps this makes twisted sense. But as a follower of Jesus Christ who believes that no society or government can rethink or redefine the institution of marriage between one man and one woman as God has ordained, it is a foolish and ignorant view. This is the equivalent of saying, "Because Americans are lousy at geography, maybe we should rethink maps. Throw out all the maps, and then we won't have to know where anything is. Think of all the geography classes that would not be taught, saving taxpayers millions." We could burn every map in the world, but our actions do not change the alignment of continents and countries on the globe. No, we must maintain and promote the standards God has decreed. No matter what we think about God's precepts, they will stand and endure.
We live in a culture where standards are compromised because of feelings. Take a kid bowling and lanes are outfitted with bumpers so a child never has to feel the sting of disappointment from a gutter-ball. In tee-ball outs and run totals are not kept (mostly to keep the parents from taking it too seriously!) so no one feels bad because of losing. Where there is no loser there is no winner. Abolishing marriage is not a reasonable solution. Marriage is a good thing that has been tainted by imperfect people. No one is required to be married, and those who are married are not required to be divorced. Sin is the problem, not marriage. But we love to blame other people or even God to shirk the responsibility He will certainly hold us accountable for on the Day of Judgment. Using the talk-show host's logic, let's just rethink God and forget the Bible so we won't be held accountable. My friends, this "logic" may sound appealing until the horrible moment we are brought before the Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all life, the Maker of all things. How will our betraying thoughts serve us then?
No scientist or person with a moderately functional brain can deny the order in the universe, from a single cell to the alignment of heavenly bodies. Where people differ is how it began, or Who is responsible. We trust that with ever beat of our heart, oxygenated blood will flow through all of our bodies and return to the heart with the next beat. God designed that. We recognize deformity in the human body because there is uniformity in human anatomy. God designed the heavens, and He who placed limits on the oceans designed marriage. We are flawed and cannot meet God's standard of perfection. Through Jesus, when we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins. A broken heart can be healed, and a broken marriage can be restored. Only God can do these things.
God's laws are not in our power to change. No amount of us thinking changes reality. Jesus said, "Which of you by worrying can add 18 inches to your height?" By thinking I cannot enable my hair to change from brown to blonde! Everything that God has done is good. Let us walk according to His ways, for in doing so we will glorify Him.
02 December 2009
01 December 2009
Laying the Foundation
I've been reading a biography of Winston Churchill, an amazing man who understood the meaning of courage, duty, and adversity. He led Great Britain through World War II and is among the greatest Prime Ministers ever. When he was made Prime Minister of England, Winston Churchill said in his address to the House of Commons, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat." Churchill did not see himself as a great man, but a man who was destined by God to do great things. There have been few modern leaders more influential to a nation than Winston Churchill. We are short on true leaders these days. There are few who are willing to use their blood, toil, tears, and sweat for the good of others and the glory of God.
I'm enjoying working with my hands again. I wake up around 4:50am and brave the morning chill, arriving at my current job site at 6am. I've been wrapping duct the last couple of days, some off a 10' ladder and a scissor lift. The work itself is exactly as I remember it being, and in a way I feel like I never left. I hadn't wrapped a duct in over seven years! But as familiar as the trade is to me, there is something very different this time around. I am not simply working to provide for my family or advance in a company. I am a preacher/pastor, and now I am a preacher who insulates. I am insulating because God opened a door to work, and all this is working towards a working visa in Australia.
This is the desire that God has put in my heart: I offer my blood, toil, tears, and sweat for the glory of God in Australia. In the words of Paul, I will gladly spend and be spent for the Australian people (2 Cor. 12:15). I have not been invited by any to do this, but I have been called by God to do so. Every day I affirm my commitment as I toil and sweat covered in fiberglass and dust for a higher purpose than just to fill my belly with food and provide shelter for my family. The cuts on my hands and the soreness of my body is not for my own benefit, but for the glory of God.
After the LORD destroyed Jericho, Joshua 6:26 relates, "Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates." Many years later, a man named Hiel rebuilt Jericho. 1 Kings 16:34 says, "In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun." Re-building Jericho came at a personal cost for Hiel, his oldest and youngest son. In my situation this would be a grave cost indeed!
My prayer is that God would be gracious to allow me the privilege of laying a foundation of solid Bible teaching and faithful longevity in ministry in Australia. No cost is too high in following Jesus Christ. I am not perfect in my pursuit of Christ, but I want to be better. How amazing that I could be a tool in the hand of The Master Craftsman, by whom all things have been created and sustained! I am not worthy that He would place His hand upon me for any profit. May Jesus Christ be glorified in Australia and to the ends of the earth! Lay the foundation of Christ in Australia, Father, and use me as your mortar, brick, or trowel!
I'm enjoying working with my hands again. I wake up around 4:50am and brave the morning chill, arriving at my current job site at 6am. I've been wrapping duct the last couple of days, some off a 10' ladder and a scissor lift. The work itself is exactly as I remember it being, and in a way I feel like I never left. I hadn't wrapped a duct in over seven years! But as familiar as the trade is to me, there is something very different this time around. I am not simply working to provide for my family or advance in a company. I am a preacher/pastor, and now I am a preacher who insulates. I am insulating because God opened a door to work, and all this is working towards a working visa in Australia.
This is the desire that God has put in my heart: I offer my blood, toil, tears, and sweat for the glory of God in Australia. In the words of Paul, I will gladly spend and be spent for the Australian people (2 Cor. 12:15). I have not been invited by any to do this, but I have been called by God to do so. Every day I affirm my commitment as I toil and sweat covered in fiberglass and dust for a higher purpose than just to fill my belly with food and provide shelter for my family. The cuts on my hands and the soreness of my body is not for my own benefit, but for the glory of God.
After the LORD destroyed Jericho, Joshua 6:26 relates, "Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates." Many years later, a man named Hiel rebuilt Jericho. 1 Kings 16:34 says, "In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun." Re-building Jericho came at a personal cost for Hiel, his oldest and youngest son. In my situation this would be a grave cost indeed!
My prayer is that God would be gracious to allow me the privilege of laying a foundation of solid Bible teaching and faithful longevity in ministry in Australia. No cost is too high in following Jesus Christ. I am not perfect in my pursuit of Christ, but I want to be better. How amazing that I could be a tool in the hand of The Master Craftsman, by whom all things have been created and sustained! I am not worthy that He would place His hand upon me for any profit. May Jesus Christ be glorified in Australia and to the ends of the earth! Lay the foundation of Christ in Australia, Father, and use me as your mortar, brick, or trowel!
29 November 2009
Nothing to Prove
Have you felt like you could do nothing right? No matter how hard you tried to prove yourself to someone, no matter your sacrifice, effort, or success, it was never enough? Many people carry the burden of trying to please their parents into their adulthood, feeling like they were never able to satisfy their parent's expectations. An ache of bitterness and unworthiness remains in the heart with a deep unsatisfied longing for acceptance and love. This is the tragic end of too many father/son relationships.
This is the emotional and relational baggage many carry into their relationship with God. Perhaps this fuels the need to constantly "prove" ourselves to God so we may experience the love and acceptance we have always craved. At church this morning, we read the story in Luke 17 of the ten lepers who were made well and the Samaritan who returned, praising and glorifying God. The thanksgiving and humble thanks of the ex-leper were visible evidence of his faith in God. Jesus sent him away in peace saying, "Your faith has saved you."
The Samaritan man who was healed did not have to "do" anything to "prove" himself to Jesus because Jesus already knew him. We do not need to "prove" ourselves to God by anything that we do, for the Bible is clear that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But how often do we point to external acts when it is faith that Christ seeks? If we have faith, won't thanksgiving, praise, and God's glory be what we are about all the time? We have only proven we are sinners, through and through. It is not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy we have been saved. What a relief that God's view of us is not dependent upon our works!
This goes back to the most fundamental basics: God has made us. He knows us. He placed every strand of DNA in every cell in our bodies, aligned our chromosomes how He saw fit, knit every bone, tendon, muscle, and arranged every organ in its place. He knows me and he knows you. He does not have "unrealistic" expectations of us that we have not lived up to: we are most precious to Him even in our fallen state. A human born into sin will sin. But God, who has chosen to have all His creation give Him glory, is pleased when a single sinner repents and turns to Him in faith. God's thoughts toward us are good, not evil. He is not the ever unsatisfied and aloof father whom we can never prove ourselves to. We don't need to prove ourselves: we must give ourselves. And considering what we know of ourselves, we don't deserve that kind of acceptance, love, and grace.
This is the emotional and relational baggage many carry into their relationship with God. Perhaps this fuels the need to constantly "prove" ourselves to God so we may experience the love and acceptance we have always craved. At church this morning, we read the story in Luke 17 of the ten lepers who were made well and the Samaritan who returned, praising and glorifying God. The thanksgiving and humble thanks of the ex-leper were visible evidence of his faith in God. Jesus sent him away in peace saying, "Your faith has saved you."
The Samaritan man who was healed did not have to "do" anything to "prove" himself to Jesus because Jesus already knew him. We do not need to "prove" ourselves to God by anything that we do, for the Bible is clear that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. But how often do we point to external acts when it is faith that Christ seeks? If we have faith, won't thanksgiving, praise, and God's glory be what we are about all the time? We have only proven we are sinners, through and through. It is not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy we have been saved. What a relief that God's view of us is not dependent upon our works!
This goes back to the most fundamental basics: God has made us. He knows us. He placed every strand of DNA in every cell in our bodies, aligned our chromosomes how He saw fit, knit every bone, tendon, muscle, and arranged every organ in its place. He knows me and he knows you. He does not have "unrealistic" expectations of us that we have not lived up to: we are most precious to Him even in our fallen state. A human born into sin will sin. But God, who has chosen to have all His creation give Him glory, is pleased when a single sinner repents and turns to Him in faith. God's thoughts toward us are good, not evil. He is not the ever unsatisfied and aloof father whom we can never prove ourselves to. We don't need to prove ourselves: we must give ourselves. And considering what we know of ourselves, we don't deserve that kind of acceptance, love, and grace.
25 November 2009
The Power of Being Wanted
Now we know that there are certain things which will keep someone from serving in the military: asthma, blindness, paralysis, disease, or lack of motivation. The intention behind the sign is to motivate and encourage. Allow yourself for a moment to be a 19 year old man in a little town with big dreams. The sight of this sign send a spark of hope in his heart: could it be true? I can serve my country in the army? The government wants me to help? If Uncle Sam said, "I need you" then there would be obligation and perhaps guilt, but Uncle Sam WANTS me, a nobody! I'm in!
How wonderful it is to be wanted! I was recently offered and accepted a job at Farwest Insulation, a Local 5 contractor. Not only was the timing great, but the people have been so encouraging and accommodating. It was almost like a dream to be at work in a trade I love, having been offered a job at a shop I've never worked at after over four years being off the tools. In talking to my superintendent, I was told that good help is at a premium and they were very happy to have me. Now that tells me two things: the company believes I am a good worker, and I was offered the job because I am wanted. I don't know about you, but this made me feel pretty good...no, really good. It's good to be wanted.
If I can feel good because there is a construction company that wants me to work for them and treats me great, how much better should Christians feel because of our Father who wants us! God does not need us, but He wants us! His great desire is that we would love Him as He has revealed His love for us. God has granted us life and every imaginable blessing that we have. Are you good at something? It is because God has given you the ability. Do you love certain activities, foods, or people? God is to thank for that love and desire in your heart. People are content with one, three, five, sometimes ten children, but not God. He's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance so He might save them, bless them, and dwell with them forever!
Thank God that He wants you! In this season of celebrating Thanksgiving in the U.S., may we remember that thanksgiving to God is not seasonal. He wants us and rejoices in each one of us individually. We aren't just a number "reporting for duty," but someone who God knows personally, intimately, and fully. Praise God that He wants us! Remember to thank Him today!
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