Crystals and Bucket Lists

The best stories are those straight from the Bible, but a close second are those which affirm God's eternal truth.  God has crammed life full of situations the Holy Spirit transforms into meaningful parables for those with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand.  I am always on the lookout for good stories, and I came across one yesterday written by my sister-in-law, Jena.  Enjoy the following guest post!

Several years ago, when Jack was a wee lad, no more than four, we would head over to Mission Trails and take a small hike to a little place called Crystal Cave. I don't even know if that's its actual name; it's just what I was told. My aunt and uncles grew up living on Mission Trails, and I grew up listening to the stories they had of adventure and conquest during their childhood. Crystal Cave was one of those places. Apparently it was once a cave used to mine crystals, but for whatever reason was abandoned and broken down. Around what used to be the entrance were tons of partially crystallized rocks, worthless for sure, but treasure to a four-year-old. And not just for any four-year-old, but a four-year-old pirate. That's right!  Mom won major points for these little excursions.

During one of our trips to Crystal Cave, we brought Jack's buddy Josh along with us. He had never been before, and we were excited to share this with him. We collected our buckets and headed out. Josh had been prepped for the “treasures” that lay ahead, but was distracted on the way and started filling his bucket with rocks. Plain. Old. Rocks. Jack and I tried to tell him that he wouldn't even want the rocks once we got to the cave, but he wouldn't listen. Soon his bucket got heavy and he became tired. The whining started as he fell behind. "I need heeeeeelllllppppp." "You guys are going too fast." "My arms are hurting." The funny thing is, try as we might, that kid would not dump the rocks. He lugged them all the way up to Crystal Cave. But as soon as his little head peeked over the precipice and saw the crystals, he promptly dumped his bucket of rocks and started collecting treasure.

Such needless frustration. I don’t imagine a modern day Jesus with a bucket list, do you? Like, “Before I die, I have to go bungee jumping!” I don’t imagine Him trying to extract every earthly pleasure (sin-free, obviously) out of His tenure here. But we do. Jesus came from heaven, so what on earth is He ever going to do here that would ever compare to where He’s been? There obviously isn’t anything wrong with bungee jumping or other earthly gifts, but like rocks let’s pick them up, enjoy them, and then put them back down. Enjoy them for what they are, but then let them go. How caught up are you on decorating/remodeling your house? How much mental real estate does your body shape/health take up? Does your residence need to be in a beautiful place and your life full of “adventure” to be full of joy? I have one word for you. Rocks. Let’s not carry these things around like they actually matter. These things don’t matter and worse, they weigh us down. Let’s cut ties. Let’s pick up crystals. Do you hear me? God has crystals for us. Things like revelation and resurrection! Works that transcend the here and now. Let’s get in the dirt, give away our stuff, our time, our bodies and our energies to divine appointments and a life of charity. Then this little thing called life - and that more abundantly - will overflow our lives, eerrr buckets.  (story by Jena Krych Grisez)

Fasting for Yourself or God?

It is a tragedy the Christian life for many is an ever-increasing litany of "do's and don'ts."  People focused on external works of doing good or avoiding sin forms their own identity and sets them at odds with fellow believers.  Don't misunderstand:  we ought to be obedient to the commands of our Saviour, and we also ought to put off sinful deeds, thoughts, and motives.  What defines a Christian is not what he does or doesn't do, but Jesus Christ who has saved him!  Being born again by grace through faith is an supernatural inner work by the Holy Spirit of God which will certainly be perceived outwardly.

The Jews set a very high standard of outward obedience to the Law.  Amazingly complex and technical definitions of sin were established and observed according to oral tradition, and man taught as Law the traditions of the elders.  In the book of Zechariah, God pointed out prolonged fasts the Jews observed even in captivity.  Zechariah 7:4-6 reads, "Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, ⁵ "Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me--for Me? ⁶ When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?"  As always, God went straight to the heart of the matter.  It was all fine and good for people to fast in the fifth and seventh months, yet God questioned their motives in doing so.  What was His gauge for their sincerity?  He did not judge them pious because they did not eat - but because when they did eat they ate for themselves.  This is a earth-shattering truth.  Their denial of food was viewed as self-serving and insincere because that is how they lived the other 10 months out of the year.

Now I am not saying it is wrong in itself to observe traditions like Lent or fasting from meat, the idea being to "give something up" in devotion to God.  Some believe self-denial is a path to inner change, but this concept is not demonstrated anywhere in scripture.  We need to be made new creations as Galatians 6:15 says, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation."  Fasting is good if done according to the leading of the Holy Spirit in obedience.  Whenever you eat - at any hour anytime - do you eat as unto the LORD?  Whether we eat or do not eat, we are to do so unto the LORD (Romans 14:5-9).  What a ridiculous sham it would be to diligently fast three days a week from all food and water, yet live for yourself the other four days.  Such a life lived for self proves the fast was not for God at all!  God is the God of those who fast as well as those who eat.  Some think God is pleased with our willing self-denial of food, but God would rather us permanently fast from sin.  God spoke through the prophet in Isaiah 58:5-7, "Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? ⁶ Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? ⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?"

Let us keep the feast as well as the fast God spoke of.  Our aim not to be "social justice" but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).  Should we walk in God's ways Isaiah 58:8-11 says, "Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. ⁹ Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, ¹⁰ if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. ¹¹ The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."  So who are you fasting for:  God or yourself?  It is your life apart from fasting which demonstrates if you are fasting for God or yourself!  Who do you suppose gives better rewards?

Good and Acceptable Prayers

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ² for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. ³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

1 Timothy 2:1-4

The rise of democracy has given common men a say in who holds positions of authority in government.  In the days when kings ruled, men and women did not have such a luxury.  One of the effects of this responsibility is to vocally support those whom you have voted for and approve of and to stand firmly opposed to all others.  Kings had the power to imprison and execute any who spoke or acted against them, and the freedoms afforded by democratic process have eliminated such a threat.  People who would have been branded traitors in the old days can speak their minds without fear of retribution.  The freedom to speak is not a bad thing in itself, but gives rise to a lack of respect to people God has sovereignly allowed to rule.

Daniel, a Jew held captive in Babylon affirmed in Daniel 2:20-22, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. ²¹ And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. ²² He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him."  Since God is the one who ultimately establishes rulers and sets them aside at His pleasure, we are to honour and respect those who are in authority.  All rulers - regardless of our opinions of their performance - are an extension of God's authority on earth.  Whether the Jews were ruled by King Saul, David, Nebuchadnezzar, or Caesar, it was good and acceptable in God's sight that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority.  To what end?  That we might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  How often our prayers can be focused on other ends than these!

Whether or not we agree with the policies of politicians who represent us, we ought to make a strong effort in praying on their behalf.  God desires that they too be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, even if it seems improbable they could ever change.  A leopard cannot change its spots, and all men are incapable of changing for the better.  As the only hope for a man born blind ever seeing is the power of Jesus Christ, so God provides the only hope for a peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  Leveraging political process may have the appearance of positive change, but only God can bring this to fruition.  Christians ought to use their votes wisely, and when they have voted should continue to pray for those in authority whether you supported them or not.  All those in authority should be upheld in prayerful supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men.  God will hear and answer these prayers of faith.

God Can Do Everything

After God revealed Himself to Job, I was blessed by his observation in Job 42:2:  "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."  Job said, "I know that You can do everything."  This is very different from Job saying, "I know you can do anything."  "Anything" and "everything" are both inclusive words, but there is a huge difference between the two.

Let's say I invite you into a shop and say, "You are welcome to take anything you want."  Though you are welcome to anything, it remains limited to a single thing.  It is quite another meaning entirely if I said, "You are welcome to take everything you want."  Not only can you have anything, but you can have everything you desire.  This is an offer without limitation.  Which is a greater claim:  to say you can do anything you want or you can do everything you want?  Everything, of course!

We say, "God can do anything!"  But it would be better to say like Job, "God can do everything!"  No purpose of God can be withheld from Him, and a God of such glorious power and goodness is worthy of all worship and praise!