Prologue
As I begin looking at Song of Songs this month I have to say that my talk on this book will only be a nod to justice—there’s so much imagery, metaphors, themes, etc., to pull from it that I can’t cover everything—and, frankly, would need way more study to be able to understand and touch it all anyway. But I’ll make as many observations as I can about the book as a picture of the kind of romantic love that God delights in.
Diving In
From the moment Song of Songs begins, the reader is swept into a vibrant love narrative. The entire book, eight chapters, involves dialogue between the “Lover,” a man, and “Beloved,” a woman. At times “Friends” also weigh in. The intro to the Book in my Bible sums it up as a “Storybook romance and steamy dialogue between two God-fearing, passionate lovers” (New Women’s Devotional Bible, New International Version, Zondervan, 2006).
And you can feel that passion. In verse 2, “Beloved,” the woman, opens the dialogue by saying of her Lover: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine.” Reading the first chapter and the first several verses of the second, Chapters 1- 2: 1-6, two themes in the section touch me about the couple: 1) the mutual intensity of their love and 2) that their love makes the Beloved feel especially secure.
Mutual Intensity of Affection
Although I see the Beloved’s security playing more prominently in this passage than the “intensity” theme, I’m going to start with intensity because I think it’s part of the foundation for her security in the relationship. From Chapter 1: 9 - Chapter 2:2, the two alternate voicing their affection.
Lover
Chapter 1: 9-11; 15; 17; 2:2
The Lover begins this section of exchanges by complimenting the Beloved. He likens her to a horse fit for a king (v. 9)—essentially, that she is classy; says that he likes her style (v. 10--her jewelry makes her cheek and neck look beautiful). He also says that he is willing to invest in her appearance by making her “earrings of gold, studded with silver.” Further, in verse 15 he declares her beauty.
But he talks about more than just her physical appearance and how he plans to enhance it. He also speaks of their relationship as steady and enduring. He declares in verse 17 that “the beams” of their house are “cedars,” and their “rafters are firs.” Per the commentary, cedar was then seen as a strong, durable type of wood used to build palatial structures such as temples. Fir was a wood pleasing in sight and smell. Even if he may have been talking about a literal building, seeing the reference in the context of their relationship could lead to an interpretation that he is speaking about the health of their relationship. From that perspective, he’s saying their relationship is solid, sweet and that he stands behind it. Further, he notes no woman compares to his Beloved, she is “like a lily among thorns” (2:2).
Beloved
Chapter 1: 2-3; 14, 16; 2:3
The Beloved has her own way of describing their relationship that also esteems both him and their love. As noted, in verse two she says his love is “more delightful than wine.” Beloved also says he smells nice, and that his name—character, is at least as wonderful as his smell—if not more so (v. 3). Further, in verse 12 she states that his presence turns her on (“while the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance”). Beloved also notes that her Lover is pleasant, like myrrh on her body. Further, she says he is classy, handsome and charming—and, as the Lover also said, no one compares to him (v. 14, 16, 2: 3)
She also refers to the quality of their relationship, which, in context, can be seen as “verdant,” or vibrant (v. 16) (although subsequent chapters talk about them not “awakening love” until the right moment, so the reference is probably not sexual). Either way, she, like her Lover, has full confidence in their love!
Beloved’s Security
Chapter 1: 3-8; Chapter 2: 3-6
I want to spend more time talking about Beloved’s security in her Lover’s affection—a theme that hit me as one of the most important aspects of the passage. In the same opening section where she compliments his love being “more delightful than wine” and his scent and name being like perfume, she also declares, twice, “No wonder the maidens love you!” (v. 3-4). She isn’t the least bit jealous or disdainful with that statement—she sees it as yet another reason to love him! She is sure of his love for her, and he makes her feel that she is the only woman for him—despite the fact that other women surround them. As a result, she has no problem acknowledging that these women see his value, too!
In subsequent verses the Beloved clues us in on why she feels secure in his love. One reason is that she is comfortable being with him, and the context shows that he receives her as she is. In chapter 1 verses 4-6 she talks of being “dark yet lovely,” explaining that she is sun burnt from working long hours in the vineyard (not a natural darkness; as is often pointed out, the reference is not racial) (also, she still has confidence in her own beauty despite her insecurity; noting in verse 5 that she is still lovely).
Any feelings of personal insecurity she has, however, do not extend to her feelings about their relationship. After explaining her appearance, she quickly moves to asking where her lover “rests his sheep,” wondering “why she should be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of” his friends (v. 7). A shepherd, we know, guides the sheep, giving them nothing to fear. Likewise, here she feels comfortable associating with him “as she is,” and being near his friends—she sees no reason to be “veiled” in their presence. I think other observations can be made from this dialogue, but in the context of the security theme, with him she is free to be herself—and she wants to be around him. That says a lot! Further, her friends encourage her to find him, and graze her own “young goats” where he is (v. 8). (also note: one commentary explained the use of "flocks" as a metaphor referring to Christ’s relationship "shepherding" the church—although it was an older commentary, and some newer ones point out that, generally, this comparison is problematic because it is unsupported by the plain text: “though [imagery in the book] does serve as a wonderful picture of God’s relationship to Israel and Christ’s relationship to the church, there are no clues within the book itself to support such a reading. In the last analysis, one’s interpretation of this book should come from within the book itself, and preferably from the clues given the author by himself.” NIV Compact Bible Commentary,” by John H. Sailhamer, page 359, 1994. Again, I will try not to get bogged down in the debate, but I found that comment particularly relevant!)
There also is further discussion of her finding relationship security by her Lover’s actions. In Chapter 2, verse 3, Beloved says she “delight[s] to sit in his shade.” She further explains that “He has taken [her] to the banquet hall, and his banner over [her] is love.” A banquet hall is generally filled with people having a big, special feast. He guides her there, and showers her with love, publicly. And she responds favorably—asking that he give her food, “strengthen her with apples,” because she is “faint with love” (2:5).
Further, there is talk of him making her feel physical security as well. In verse six she says, “his left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.” But in the very next verse comes the refrain that is found a few times throughout the book: “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the doves of the field: do not arouse love until it desires” (2:7). Next time, we’ll pick up the story there.
Thoughts on the Chapter
The first chapter already says so much about true love—and I was only able to hit a couple relevant points! One is that true love is reciprocated. The Lover and the Beloved are equally enamored by each other physically, personally and emotionally. And the entire story speaks to their spiritual connection (which I did not touch much here—but likely will throughout).
The way the lovers talk about each other also seems to indicate they’ve had to travel some miles to feel—and express—their love so openly. But at this point it is deep, particularly the extent of the Beloved’s assurance of her Lover’s affection. While both feel a sense of security in the relationship, the Beloved expresses that security different from the Lover—and seems to rely on it more than he. The Lover can assert that their “house,” which could be interpeted as a reference not necessarily just to a building, but also their love, is built, over time, of cedar. But he doesn’t speak of being led by her, assured of his desirability to her or being held by her as reasons for feeling secure. By contrast, Beloved makes these references in the context of security many times; for example, when she expresses security in seeking after him as he tends flocks (1:7); having him take her to the banquet hall (2:4); him holding her (2:6).
I believe firmly that, even today, the key to a woman’s heart (if other elements are met, such as emotional, physical and spiritual connections) is making her feel secure. This should not be a security about how she looks or who she is (although he can reinforce her worth, she should possess that on her own already; even as the passage points out, the Beloved could acknowledge her physical insecurities, but still call herself lovely--pointing out her value aside from her relationship with her lover). Instead, it’s an assurance that makes her confident about his love. For the Beloved that required (and still does) that the Lover show gentle leadership in a variety of ways, from his words to his actions. And his expressions give her the confidence to be open about her love—and give the same sense of security to him--albeit in a different form.
In Christian circles, there’s so much discussion about how a godly romance should be initiated—especially how a man should approach a woman (or, at times, vice versa-a debate which I blogged about a couple years ago). I think sometimes we just need to press pause and take a closer look at what God has already said about how romantic love should be initiated and expressed—not only for the answer to a question, but also to grasp a deeper understanding of His brand of love--the only that truly lasts.
The first chapter of Song of Songs is only the beginning of a book that provides a snapshot of what heavenly love on earth looks like. Let’s really ruminate on it…
Up Next: Before “Love” Awakens…
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Love Talk, The Beginning
I love February. I have a very personal reason, of course:), but even putting that aside, it’s got that holiday inspiring both awe and angst: Valentine’s Day. Yes, friends, February is all about luuuvvv—or the lack of it.
On the "awe" side," we hear so many cute stories about romantic love stemming from February 14. An atmosphere of affection is promoted, leading men especially to catch an unusual kind of romantic wind that results in heart-warming tales of love confessions and proposals (although personally, I think the proposals go better with warm weather and gardens in full bloom). But either way, the month often leaves hearts aflutter.
This month, I want to do another series, and this time, I want to tackle love. As you’re probably well aware, the Word of God has its own love story, too. Actually, it is more than just a story—it’s a love manual: Song of Songs. And this month, it will be my muse--excuse me, The Muse.
Until about last year, Song of Songs was one of those books of the Bible I had never really spent much time in.
My earliest memories of the it are from somewhere in the middle of elementary school, when prepubescent guys at my Christian school realized that vivid descriptions of breasts and other female parts could be found there (rather than just magazines they had swiped from girls). They shared this revelation with everyone, of course pointing out that they were merely "studying the Word," as we had been so instructed.
When I got a little older I also read through it a couple times on my own, in high school then college, but I didn't use any study guides—or hear any full-fledged sermons on the book really dissecting it. Then last year a couple sermon series on it made me really see a picture of the kind of love so many chase but never find. But, of course, it’s described in His Word.
Following the messages I’ve wanted to reread the book on my own. Now, in the “Love Month,” is the perfect time!
Depending on your familiarity with Song of Songs, you might know there is a lot of disagreement about the context and interpretation of the book. Some say it is the literal love story (in poetry) of King Solomon and the Shulammite woman, who is at least mentioned in chapter 6, verse 13, of the book. Others say that is preposterous; there are no two central characters; it’s a collection of poems—connected or not—literal or not—that may—or may not— be talking about certain real--or perhaps fictitious—people. There’s even more to the debate, but the point is that I don’t plan to engage in it here.
What fascinates me about the book, however, is that regardless of where people come out after endless exegesis, the practical applications of it, in my experience, always ends up being the same. I don’t know many other books of the Bible that have that result—if any.
As I read, I’m going to write about the descriptions of love, mostly in a romantic context, that strike me about the book. I’ll also try to avoid too much textual analysis and talk instead about love the feeling—that must be anchored in substance, as defined by God’s Word—but still engenders feeling nonetheless.
Welcome to the Love Talk. I think it’ll be fun!
On the "awe" side," we hear so many cute stories about romantic love stemming from February 14. An atmosphere of affection is promoted, leading men especially to catch an unusual kind of romantic wind that results in heart-warming tales of love confessions and proposals (although personally, I think the proposals go better with warm weather and gardens in full bloom). But either way, the month often leaves hearts aflutter.
This month, I want to do another series, and this time, I want to tackle love. As you’re probably well aware, the Word of God has its own love story, too. Actually, it is more than just a story—it’s a love manual: Song of Songs. And this month, it will be my muse--excuse me, The Muse.
Until about last year, Song of Songs was one of those books of the Bible I had never really spent much time in.
My earliest memories of the it are from somewhere in the middle of elementary school, when prepubescent guys at my Christian school realized that vivid descriptions of breasts and other female parts could be found there (rather than just magazines they had swiped from girls). They shared this revelation with everyone, of course pointing out that they were merely "studying the Word," as we had been so instructed.
When I got a little older I also read through it a couple times on my own, in high school then college, but I didn't use any study guides—or hear any full-fledged sermons on the book really dissecting it. Then last year a couple sermon series on it made me really see a picture of the kind of love so many chase but never find. But, of course, it’s described in His Word.
Following the messages I’ve wanted to reread the book on my own. Now, in the “Love Month,” is the perfect time!
Depending on your familiarity with Song of Songs, you might know there is a lot of disagreement about the context and interpretation of the book. Some say it is the literal love story (in poetry) of King Solomon and the Shulammite woman, who is at least mentioned in chapter 6, verse 13, of the book. Others say that is preposterous; there are no two central characters; it’s a collection of poems—connected or not—literal or not—that may—or may not— be talking about certain real--or perhaps fictitious—people. There’s even more to the debate, but the point is that I don’t plan to engage in it here.
What fascinates me about the book, however, is that regardless of where people come out after endless exegesis, the practical applications of it, in my experience, always ends up being the same. I don’t know many other books of the Bible that have that result—if any.
As I read, I’m going to write about the descriptions of love, mostly in a romantic context, that strike me about the book. I’ll also try to avoid too much textual analysis and talk instead about love the feeling—that must be anchored in substance, as defined by God’s Word—but still engenders feeling nonetheless.
Welcome to the Love Talk. I think it’ll be fun!
Every Opportunity (Words, Conclusion)
The title: I’ve used those words before, but had no better heading to close this series. It describes how followers of Christ are to take all chances to let our language show our light.
Too often, aware or unaware, we act as though faith is simply a “personal” thing—like it’s just between us and God. But the Word of God is clear that the “inward” faith we have is supposed to reflect an “outward,” distinguishable reality that is public. The topics touched--not swearing and keeping our word; using encouraging words; avoiding angry words; and sharing The Good News—are just a few examples of how our words are to glow.
Most importantly, in our memory should be that, at God’s leading, our words can move someone else from a grave end to a glorious, new beginning in Christ. The passage from the intro, Colossians 4: 5-6, is a good summary: “5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
We really do have a world where people are watching. And we can probably provide our own examples of someone letting us know so. When our words are constantly full of grace--building up rather than tearing down; loving rather than hateful; measured instead of rash, we are sowing eternal seeds that benefit "outsiders"--and the Body as well!
I've listened to two great messages recently about the importance of particularly using words to "represent" our faith.
Analogizing from the football season and the upcoming Superbowl, at my church we're doing a series on being a "Die-Hard Fan" of God. One message on sharing our faith in word (and in deed) really hit me. I'll paraphrase a key comment (in quotes) "when our light hits the room, it's literally supposed to expose darkness.” Are our lights doing that?
A message from another pastor talked about the importance of telling people by our words and actions that Christianity isn't for any one type of person. He touched some of the false perceptions about the faith. Again paraphrasing, he said, "it's not a southern 'Bible Belt' thing; a western thing or a certain political party thing."
We need to let people in all different circles, of all shades and stripes, know the life-changing power our faith is supposed to bring. And we've been shown the method and manner to manifest it. And it begins with a desire to be like Him. I'll let His words in 1 Peter 3:15 close:
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
Words, Conclusion.
Too often, aware or unaware, we act as though faith is simply a “personal” thing—like it’s just between us and God. But the Word of God is clear that the “inward” faith we have is supposed to reflect an “outward,” distinguishable reality that is public. The topics touched--not swearing and keeping our word; using encouraging words; avoiding angry words; and sharing The Good News—are just a few examples of how our words are to glow.
Most importantly, in our memory should be that, at God’s leading, our words can move someone else from a grave end to a glorious, new beginning in Christ. The passage from the intro, Colossians 4: 5-6, is a good summary: “5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
We really do have a world where people are watching. And we can probably provide our own examples of someone letting us know so. When our words are constantly full of grace--building up rather than tearing down; loving rather than hateful; measured instead of rash, we are sowing eternal seeds that benefit "outsiders"--and the Body as well!
I've listened to two great messages recently about the importance of particularly using words to "represent" our faith.
Analogizing from the football season and the upcoming Superbowl, at my church we're doing a series on being a "Die-Hard Fan" of God. One message on sharing our faith in word (and in deed) really hit me. I'll paraphrase a key comment (in quotes) "when our light hits the room, it's literally supposed to expose darkness.” Are our lights doing that?
A message from another pastor talked about the importance of telling people by our words and actions that Christianity isn't for any one type of person. He touched some of the false perceptions about the faith. Again paraphrasing, he said, "it's not a southern 'Bible Belt' thing; a western thing or a certain political party thing."
We need to let people in all different circles, of all shades and stripes, know the life-changing power our faith is supposed to bring. And we've been shown the method and manner to manifest it. And it begins with a desire to be like Him. I'll let His words in 1 Peter 3:15 close:
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
Words, Conclusion.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
GO AND TELL (Words, Part 4)
I purchased it, 50% off: The Life Principles Bible by syndicated pastor and author, Charles Stanley. It wasn’t that I needed a new Bible—I just liked the study’s content, and it was the first NASB (New American Standard Bible) I had ever gotten, although more recently I had been looking up passages in the version online for comparison.
It’s a good resource; I’ll read through it at some point, I thought to myself.
But a few months passed, and I hadn’t touched it. In fact, I had even purchased another one in the interim that bumped it lower on my priority list. So when my brother, who was visiting from out-of-town for Christmas, popped his head into my room needing a Bible to take with him on a prayer-themed conference, I handed it over—shiny and new.
It was the last time I would see the Bible. It wasn’t lost or stolen: my brother gave it away—to someone who didn’t have one. I couldn’t complain—sharing is what our faith should be about. And because The Gospel is the most important words we can share—discussing it is the best place to begin the end of this series.
Presenting the Message
Clearly, we’re called to share our faith using more than just words. Jesus repeated that our actions should draw people to Him, and throughout the epistles our Christ-like behavior in all circumstances is described as critical to the process.
Yet the command to use words also is clear. After his resurrection Jesus told his disciples in Mark 16: 15-"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Mark 16: 14-18 explains the command as including verbal communication: "Inform[ing people] concerning Christ, the history of his life, and death, and resurrection; instruct[ing] them in the meaning and intention of these, and of the advantages which the children of men have, or may have, hereby; and invit[ing] them, without exception, to come and share in them. This is gospel. Let this be preached in all places, to all persons.’’
Further, in Romans 10:14-15, Paul asks, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
The Divide
But the biblical mandate to share our faith verbally is often complicated by the debate in Christian circles about how to do it. Some think more raw approaches that involve talking to strangers, such as “open-air evangelism”—passing out tracks on street corners or giving the gospel message in public places—or striking up conversations with people unknown to ask questions like, “if you were to die tonight, do you think you’d go to heaven?” are tactics to be avoided. They argue instead the focus should be on lifestyle and building long-term relationships that eventually provide the opportunity to share. Others think methods that don’t include speaking to strangers about the gospel aren’t bold enough, given that receiving Jesus is the difference between eternal death and forever life. Still others are somewhere in between—or have no opinion.
A couple years ago I went to a conference where the debate was addressed at one of the workshops. The presenter, a full time, open-air evangelist, blasted a famous quote by St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.”
“Yeah we can ‘preach’ with actions, but what we need more is direct words. We have to reach everyone—even the people we don’t know, and we do that with strong words,” he said.
While I had some disagreement with the presenter’s approach, his point struck me. Despite our calling to use words, we don’t as much as we should. If we embrace any means of sharing our faith, often it’s solely the “lifestyle” model. And it’s easy to say that the opportunities for verbal communication of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection will simply flow from our behavior. But in reality, it really isn’t all that fluid. If we don’t intend to share the gospel, when opportunities come up in existing relationships we’re more likely to shy away from the potentially uncomfortable, confrontational responses that can follow. And if we dodge every opportunity, we’ll never share!
At the same time, given the reoccurring Biblical command to love, and looking at Jesus’ life, and that of his followers, building relationships and performing works was the anchor for drawing people to Him. Undoubtedly, sharing by lifestyle presents opportunities that striking-it-up-with-strangers can’t. Also, it isn’t always practical—or allowable—to use words, especially in places such as work, where the “open-air” tactics might get you fired. Another issue is sensitivity to others’ beliefs; for example, in a number of circumstances pointedly saying to others, especially someone who belongs to another faith, “you need to accept Jesus now” can be insulting, ruin a friendship or foreclose any discussion on faith ever again. And we likely wouldn’t want someone of another faith to use that approach with us.
Balance
In light of straddling the two polar views, both of which I believe have some merit, I would modify St. Francis of Assisi’s quote to “Preach the gospel at all times, and when there’s an opportunity, use words.” It might just be semantics—perhaps his definition of “necessary” would include “whenever there’s an opportunity,” but for clarity, I’d make the change. Ultimately, God is The One who does the saving; no effort of ours can win someone else to Christ. But as Christians, we’re also meant to be his ambassadors here on earth, which requires making a choice to work for Christ to reach people with the Gospel in a variety of ways.
Once we decide to actively share our faith with others, it’s our responsibility to open ourselves up to His leading and receive opportunities to join in the work. As we’re seeking Him daily, watching our teaching and lifestyle closely, we allow His Spirit to give us wisdom about how and when to present our faith to others—in word and deed.
The Early Church as a Model
I love how the New Testament is filled with great examples of early church members preaching the gospel with life and language. In Acts 2: 42-47, we see the results of believers reaching out to meet peoples’ physical needs along with the spiritual: the number of believers increased “daily” (v. 47).
Another account in Acts 8:26-40 involves the apostle Philip being led by the Spirit down a road where an important Ethiopian official, a eunuch, “happened” to be reading a passage in Isaiah prophesying Jesus’ death that he couldn’t understand. The encounter began by Philip asking a simple question: “Do you understand what you’re reading?” (v. 30). Verse 31 provides the eunuch’s response: “’How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’” Through Philip’s elaboration of “the good news” (v. 35), he accepted Jesus right there! And the eunuch’s salvation was part of God’s plan to take the gospel to all ends of the earth!
And finally, among many others, there’s the conversion of the “God-fearing” Italian centurion in Acts 10, where Peter not only shared the gospel, but also was convicted about his own prejudice. That’s the power of the gospel, and yet another reason we’re called to share it—we’re changed in the process, too!
Your Backyard
I think the story of how my brother gave my Bible away also is worth telling. He was in the airport, on his way back from the conference on prayer. He still had the bright-colored band on his wrist that he had been required to wear to events all week. A woman working at the airport approached him. Pointing to the band, she asked:
“What’s that from?”
“A conference,” he said, and gave her details about the event.
Interested, she peppered him with more questions:
“Do you have to be a Christian to go?”
“What else did you do there?”
“Do you pray to Mary?”
He answered her questions, and asked if she had a Bible to get more answers. She mentioned she might have one “somewhere on a shelf,” but wasn’t sure.
“You can take mine,” he said, fishing for it and handing it to her.
She got excited. “Wow, this is really nice—you’re giving this to me? I’ve been wanting to read the Bible; I’ll start after work!”
“Great,” he said, and pointed her to some specific books of the Bible that further addressed her questions.
Taking Every Chance
That encounter could have gone many different ways. God gave the opportunity, but my brother had to choose to be used by speaking openly to a stranger rather than deflect conversation, as we can be tempted to do in such situations. But because he responded to the opportunity, trusting God to give Him the words to say, someone heard more about Jesus, got a new Bible that she’s probably reading right now, and may have her life revolutionized by The Cross.
Some people are in a spiritual position that all they need to receive life everlasting is for a stranger to ask them one, pointed question about salvation. Others would never respond to that, but may be persuaded by more practical gestures of love over time. We can’t make that call; only He can. But we can use every kind of opportunity He gives us to go and tell.
It’s a good resource; I’ll read through it at some point, I thought to myself.
But a few months passed, and I hadn’t touched it. In fact, I had even purchased another one in the interim that bumped it lower on my priority list. So when my brother, who was visiting from out-of-town for Christmas, popped his head into my room needing a Bible to take with him on a prayer-themed conference, I handed it over—shiny and new.
It was the last time I would see the Bible. It wasn’t lost or stolen: my brother gave it away—to someone who didn’t have one. I couldn’t complain—sharing is what our faith should be about. And because The Gospel is the most important words we can share—discussing it is the best place to begin the end of this series.
Presenting the Message
Clearly, we’re called to share our faith using more than just words. Jesus repeated that our actions should draw people to Him, and throughout the epistles our Christ-like behavior in all circumstances is described as critical to the process.
Yet the command to use words also is clear. After his resurrection Jesus told his disciples in Mark 16: 15-"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Mark 16: 14-18 explains the command as including verbal communication: "Inform[ing people] concerning Christ, the history of his life, and death, and resurrection; instruct[ing] them in the meaning and intention of these, and of the advantages which the children of men have, or may have, hereby; and invit[ing] them, without exception, to come and share in them. This is gospel. Let this be preached in all places, to all persons.’’
Further, in Romans 10:14-15, Paul asks, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
The Divide
But the biblical mandate to share our faith verbally is often complicated by the debate in Christian circles about how to do it. Some think more raw approaches that involve talking to strangers, such as “open-air evangelism”—passing out tracks on street corners or giving the gospel message in public places—or striking up conversations with people unknown to ask questions like, “if you were to die tonight, do you think you’d go to heaven?” are tactics to be avoided. They argue instead the focus should be on lifestyle and building long-term relationships that eventually provide the opportunity to share. Others think methods that don’t include speaking to strangers about the gospel aren’t bold enough, given that receiving Jesus is the difference between eternal death and forever life. Still others are somewhere in between—or have no opinion.
A couple years ago I went to a conference where the debate was addressed at one of the workshops. The presenter, a full time, open-air evangelist, blasted a famous quote by St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.”
“Yeah we can ‘preach’ with actions, but what we need more is direct words. We have to reach everyone—even the people we don’t know, and we do that with strong words,” he said.
While I had some disagreement with the presenter’s approach, his point struck me. Despite our calling to use words, we don’t as much as we should. If we embrace any means of sharing our faith, often it’s solely the “lifestyle” model. And it’s easy to say that the opportunities for verbal communication of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection will simply flow from our behavior. But in reality, it really isn’t all that fluid. If we don’t intend to share the gospel, when opportunities come up in existing relationships we’re more likely to shy away from the potentially uncomfortable, confrontational responses that can follow. And if we dodge every opportunity, we’ll never share!
At the same time, given the reoccurring Biblical command to love, and looking at Jesus’ life, and that of his followers, building relationships and performing works was the anchor for drawing people to Him. Undoubtedly, sharing by lifestyle presents opportunities that striking-it-up-with-strangers can’t. Also, it isn’t always practical—or allowable—to use words, especially in places such as work, where the “open-air” tactics might get you fired. Another issue is sensitivity to others’ beliefs; for example, in a number of circumstances pointedly saying to others, especially someone who belongs to another faith, “you need to accept Jesus now” can be insulting, ruin a friendship or foreclose any discussion on faith ever again. And we likely wouldn’t want someone of another faith to use that approach with us.
Balance
In light of straddling the two polar views, both of which I believe have some merit, I would modify St. Francis of Assisi’s quote to “Preach the gospel at all times, and when there’s an opportunity, use words.” It might just be semantics—perhaps his definition of “necessary” would include “whenever there’s an opportunity,” but for clarity, I’d make the change. Ultimately, God is The One who does the saving; no effort of ours can win someone else to Christ. But as Christians, we’re also meant to be his ambassadors here on earth, which requires making a choice to work for Christ to reach people with the Gospel in a variety of ways.
Once we decide to actively share our faith with others, it’s our responsibility to open ourselves up to His leading and receive opportunities to join in the work. As we’re seeking Him daily, watching our teaching and lifestyle closely, we allow His Spirit to give us wisdom about how and when to present our faith to others—in word and deed.
The Early Church as a Model
I love how the New Testament is filled with great examples of early church members preaching the gospel with life and language. In Acts 2: 42-47, we see the results of believers reaching out to meet peoples’ physical needs along with the spiritual: the number of believers increased “daily” (v. 47).
Another account in Acts 8:26-40 involves the apostle Philip being led by the Spirit down a road where an important Ethiopian official, a eunuch, “happened” to be reading a passage in Isaiah prophesying Jesus’ death that he couldn’t understand. The encounter began by Philip asking a simple question: “Do you understand what you’re reading?” (v. 30). Verse 31 provides the eunuch’s response: “’How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’” Through Philip’s elaboration of “the good news” (v. 35), he accepted Jesus right there! And the eunuch’s salvation was part of God’s plan to take the gospel to all ends of the earth!
And finally, among many others, there’s the conversion of the “God-fearing” Italian centurion in Acts 10, where Peter not only shared the gospel, but also was convicted about his own prejudice. That’s the power of the gospel, and yet another reason we’re called to share it—we’re changed in the process, too!
Your Backyard
I think the story of how my brother gave my Bible away also is worth telling. He was in the airport, on his way back from the conference on prayer. He still had the bright-colored band on his wrist that he had been required to wear to events all week. A woman working at the airport approached him. Pointing to the band, she asked:
“What’s that from?”
“A conference,” he said, and gave her details about the event.
Interested, she peppered him with more questions:
“Do you have to be a Christian to go?”
“What else did you do there?”
“Do you pray to Mary?”
He answered her questions, and asked if she had a Bible to get more answers. She mentioned she might have one “somewhere on a shelf,” but wasn’t sure.
“You can take mine,” he said, fishing for it and handing it to her.
She got excited. “Wow, this is really nice—you’re giving this to me? I’ve been wanting to read the Bible; I’ll start after work!”
“Great,” he said, and pointed her to some specific books of the Bible that further addressed her questions.
Taking Every Chance
That encounter could have gone many different ways. God gave the opportunity, but my brother had to choose to be used by speaking openly to a stranger rather than deflect conversation, as we can be tempted to do in such situations. But because he responded to the opportunity, trusting God to give Him the words to say, someone heard more about Jesus, got a new Bible that she’s probably reading right now, and may have her life revolutionized by The Cross.
Some people are in a spiritual position that all they need to receive life everlasting is for a stranger to ask them one, pointed question about salvation. Others would never respond to that, but may be persuaded by more practical gestures of love over time. We can’t make that call; only He can. But we can use every kind of opportunity He gives us to go and tell.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christgiving
I’m stuck on Thanksgiving. It’s not that I’ve overlooked Christmas—I’m celebrating that, too. But we get so little time to really mull the significance of Thanksgiving. The end-of-November holiday is often seen as just an excuse to start preparing for the next, more favored one (Exhibit A: Black Friday). Yet from a Christian perspective, Thanksgiving and Christmas are quite intertwined. And my thoughts about what I’m thankful for also relate to The Joy of Christmas.
This year I’ve been most thankful for God giving me so many opportunities to know and serve Him better. It was only recently that I really noticed God’s blessings in those areas. I started the year with a list of desires I planned to pray for regularly. While I asked for God’s will to be done with each request, ultimately most were more physical than spiritual.
The story of my year has been how God has really satisfied my spiritual desires that I had been praying about in years past, overlooked or newly developed through time in His Word. As the year went on, I really noticed that some of the physical needs I had prayed most fervently for were requests I had not fully given Him. Those prayers were not being answered with a “yes,” but instead (for lack of a better description) a “no” or “wait.” But the spiritual desires have all been met with a resounding “YES”— and then some!
A big boon has been the chance to use so many of my passions in ministry. A few are representing purity in Christ; using my love of writing to help communicate messages in church; and preparing to work with teen girls. I’ve really felt that He’s brought those opportunities directly to me as a result of seeking Him!
Another blessing has been just a growing appetite for His Knowledge. I’ve spent far more meaningful time meditating on His Word through messages and other resources that speak directly to areas I have prayed to grow in—or just be encouraged. One example that stands out most was one day when I prayed, “Lord, I really want to listen to a great message series on purity.” At the time I really didn’t know why I was so set on finding one; it seemed I had no want of resources in that area. But that very same day I "discovered" a link to an amazing series that has really put my existing commitment to purity in a context that I had overlooked, but needed to understand. Seeking Him has really been this gift that keeps on giving; every answer to a spiritual request has left me so much more full than the physical ones!
The link between my desires and The Christmas Story was magnified earlier this week at a service I attended (which has another background story about God meeting a spiritual hunger!). One of the main points was that Christmas—and our walks with God as Christians—is not the story of us pursuing God, but God pursuing us. A desire to know Him better isn’t the result of our initiative or any good thing that we’ve done. It’s about The Lord of Glory, coming down as a baby to walk this sod--a common man--die for us, and then leave His Spirit to guide us. Beginning with the act of His birth, he turned our brand of righteousness—religious “goodwill,” on its head. He said we should seek our spiritual needs before our physical (and watch Him meet the physical). He said to be first, we have to be last. He said we should love even the people who hate us. He said that in order for us to experience true life, we have to deny ourselves everything this world has. But the beauty is, when we allow ourselves to be found by Him as He pursues us, we get so much more in return!
I am so thankful that following Christ is such a daily adventure—one that provides the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. There is nothing more rewarding than following Jesus!
In 2 Corinthians 9:15 the Apostle Paul sums up the gift of grace in a way that wraps Thanksgiving up in Christmas. It merits a look in several versions:
This year I’ve been most thankful for God giving me so many opportunities to know and serve Him better. It was only recently that I really noticed God’s blessings in those areas. I started the year with a list of desires I planned to pray for regularly. While I asked for God’s will to be done with each request, ultimately most were more physical than spiritual.
The story of my year has been how God has really satisfied my spiritual desires that I had been praying about in years past, overlooked or newly developed through time in His Word. As the year went on, I really noticed that some of the physical needs I had prayed most fervently for were requests I had not fully given Him. Those prayers were not being answered with a “yes,” but instead (for lack of a better description) a “no” or “wait.” But the spiritual desires have all been met with a resounding “YES”— and then some!
A big boon has been the chance to use so many of my passions in ministry. A few are representing purity in Christ; using my love of writing to help communicate messages in church; and preparing to work with teen girls. I’ve really felt that He’s brought those opportunities directly to me as a result of seeking Him!
Another blessing has been just a growing appetite for His Knowledge. I’ve spent far more meaningful time meditating on His Word through messages and other resources that speak directly to areas I have prayed to grow in—or just be encouraged. One example that stands out most was one day when I prayed, “Lord, I really want to listen to a great message series on purity.” At the time I really didn’t know why I was so set on finding one; it seemed I had no want of resources in that area. But that very same day I "discovered" a link to an amazing series that has really put my existing commitment to purity in a context that I had overlooked, but needed to understand. Seeking Him has really been this gift that keeps on giving; every answer to a spiritual request has left me so much more full than the physical ones!
The link between my desires and The Christmas Story was magnified earlier this week at a service I attended (which has another background story about God meeting a spiritual hunger!). One of the main points was that Christmas—and our walks with God as Christians—is not the story of us pursuing God, but God pursuing us. A desire to know Him better isn’t the result of our initiative or any good thing that we’ve done. It’s about The Lord of Glory, coming down as a baby to walk this sod--a common man--die for us, and then leave His Spirit to guide us. Beginning with the act of His birth, he turned our brand of righteousness—religious “goodwill,” on its head. He said we should seek our spiritual needs before our physical (and watch Him meet the physical). He said to be first, we have to be last. He said we should love even the people who hate us. He said that in order for us to experience true life, we have to deny ourselves everything this world has. But the beauty is, when we allow ourselves to be found by Him as He pursues us, we get so much more in return!
I am so thankful that following Christ is such a daily adventure—one that provides the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. There is nothing more rewarding than following Jesus!
In 2 Corinthians 9:15 the Apostle Paul sums up the gift of grace in a way that wraps Thanksgiving up in Christmas. It merits a look in several versions:
“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (KJV)“Lamb of God,” a song by Nicole C. Mullen, describes how we can give God thanks for His gift at Christmas (Here’s the full song ):
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (NIV; NKJV; NASB)
“Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” (NLT)
Oh Lamb of God, Oh Prince of PeaceLet’s worship The Christ who gave all for us-—at Thanksgiving, Christmas and always!
What tribute shall I bring to worship Thee?
I have no gold to lay at your feet
So Lamb of God, I offer me.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
REAL MEN
When I think of topics to write on, “Authentic Manhood” ordinarily wouldn’t come to mind—quite obviously, because I’m not a man. And I don't consider myself an expert on men, either. However, in this case others’ thoughts are the inspiration for a discussion on what God has called men to be.
I think the Body of Christ – male and female – has a responsibility to encourage “authentic manhood” – having men seek Christ daily and lead by example. The series we’re doing at church, “Gender Crisis: Examining Biblical Manhood and Womanhood,” has been a reminder of how to spur men to godliness. The premise is that men are called to valor; women to virtue (but not that both sexes shouldn’t possess each trait in some form). We just wrapped up the portion on men, where we looked first at nine “vices” of men found in Genesis Chapters Three and Four. The next week we talked about the courage it takes for men to live out their callings in Christ— and how to do so (both can be listened to here, series "Gender Crisis").
DANIEL, DAVID AND JOSEPH
My recent experiences have prompted me to take a closer look at examples of godly men in the Bible. I listened to another sermon where it is mentioned there are two men in the Bible for which nothing bad is ever really said about in the text – Daniel and Joseph. David also was mentioned in the sermon as a man devoted to God for most of his life. I’ve always been a fan of David and have liked Joseph’s story, but I’ll confess I never explicitly labeled them as examples of godly men. But seeing them in this light actually is fascinating. I think they present some great profiles for identifying manhood God's way. Although their stories are likely familiar, to point out their godly traits I’ll revisit them (and perhaps from a new perspective).
COMMON THREADS
There are several godly traits the three men share. A few of them:
Favor and Leadership
A common theme is that each man had the favor of God and was set apart for a special, prominent purpose from youth.
Early on God called Joseph to leadership in a foreign land. In his family he was known as the favorite of his father Jacob and told his brothers and father of dreams indicating they would “bow down” to him (Gen. 37: 1-11), which eventually came true when the brothers went to Egypt to get food during famine many years later (Gen. 42: 1-11). Not long after Joseph relayed his dream, the already jealous brothers sold him into slavery, and he was taken to Egypt (Gen. 37: 12-28). However, once there God’s favor, which was evident to others around him, led him to be placed in high positions, first in charge of the estate of Potiphatr, one of the officials of the ruler, Pharaoh (Gen. 39:1-6). He later became second in command to Pharaoh himself after interpreting his dreams (Gen. 41:39-57). The Bible says Joseph started working for Pharaoh when he was only 30 (Gen. 41:46). It was Joseph's God-given leadership skills and revelation from God through dreams that led him to help Egypt, the region—and Israel—escape starvation during famine (Gen. 47: 13-25).
Likewise, as a young man Daniel was taken to Babylon as an exile from Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, captured the city. He was one of the few men of Israeli royalty chosen on Nebuchadnezzar's orders to be trained for leadership in the Babylonian kingdom (Daniel 1: 1-3). He and others taken are described as intelligent: “showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace” (Daniel 1: 4, 7). During training he and his comrades, Haniniah (Shadrach); Mishael (Meschah) and Azariah (Abednego), excelled “in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them...ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (Daniel 1:18-20). Additionally, like Joseph, the Bible also mentions God gave Daniel (separate from others) the ability to interpret dreams (Daniel 1:17) – a talent that was used by kings many times. Daniel also served several kings (or in several “administrations," if you will:)) (See Daniel Chapters 1; 5; 6:1-3; 6:28; 7; 8:27-9:1-2).
David also was chosen by God in youth to serve as King of Israel, set apart from seven older brothers who could have been chosen (I Samuel 16: 10-13). He was a shepherd boy when God told Samuel to anoint him the next king, and, for many years before becoming king, he served under King Saul – at times in danger of his life from Saul’s jealousy (I Samuel Chapters 19, 23, 26). Through the familiar story of David and Goliath, we see he had a faith in God from youth that allowed him to brave—and defeat—a long-feared enemy with only a sling and a stone (I Samuel 17). And, at a young age, he received a reputation as a valiant man – more valiant than then-ruler Saul (I Samuel 18). He ruled Israel for many years and had many victories as King (2 Samuel 8).
Holiness
Each of the men also walked closely with God (which had something to do with God’s favor on them!).
Joseph had a great faith in God, which was evident by the shining way he handled his “unfair” circumstances. First, he was sold into slavery in Egypt. Then, he was put in prison indefinitely for a crime he didn’t commit (he didn’t get no hearing or appeal!). But in each instance, the Bible says God was with him (Gen. 39: 1-6). It never talks about him throwing tantrums or saying “why me.” Instead, he carried himself well, with God’s favor, and was exalted, even in prison (Gen. 39: 20-23). And later in life, when he re-encountered the brothers who had sold him into slavery so many years earlier, he showed them genuine mercy and compassion—even through his hurt (Gen. 45).
David loved God with all his heart. So much that, as frequently referenced, he was “a man after God’s own heart” from youth—the reason God chose him to lead Israel (I Samuel 13:13-14; 1 Samuel 16:7; Acts 13: 22). People often focus on the story David and Bathsheba (wife of Uriah the Hittite) (2 Samuel 11-12), but there’s so much more to his life in the Bible! God says that incident was the only exception to a life devoted to Him. I Kings 15: 5 states, “For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.”
Daniel was a man who stood for righteousness – even when he was the only one. Upon beginning training in Babylon to serve King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel had the opportunity to eat “the royal food and wine,” which included consuming meat considered unclean in Israel. The Bible says Daniel “resolved not to defile himself” with it (Daniel 1:8). Of the other young men brought from Israel, Daniel was only one of four who said no to the food on principle - not because he had to (Daniel 1: 6-17). Further, in Babylon Daniel lived in a nation where praying to God was at a time outlawed, yet he did it openly and incessantly. And his prayers were fierce (See Daniel 9, for example). His commitment to God led him to a lion’s den, but even then he knew God could deliver him from it— and did. In short, he had zeal for God his whole life!
Hotness
Another interesting tidbit about Daniel, David and Joseph is that, even in the Bible, where inner beauty is praised more often than outer, they are all described as good looking!
Joseph was called “well-built and handsome” (Gen. 39:6) (explains why Potiphar’s wife wanted some!)
The Bible says when David was called to leadership he was “ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.” (1 Samuel 16: 12) (denotation of ruddy: “of or having a fresh, healthy red color, red; red or reddish” – aka a Shepherd Boy’s Tan:)!)
Daniel also was selected to serve in Babylon partly because he was a young man “without any physical defect, handsome” (Daniel 1:4). And after rejecting the “king’s meat” in favor of vegetables, the Bible says he and his three friends “looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” (Daniel 1: 15) (so they probably looked even better!)
DISTINGUISHING TRAITS (My Faves)
I love how each man’s holiness “profile,” while similar, was still different. Specific traits stood out to me for each – and a thought about the traits’ relevance to men today.
Joseph: Mr. Purity
I love Joseph’s choice to use self control to flee from sexual temptation. Potiphar’s wife came on to him—i.e., she explicitly said, “Come to bed with me!” (Gen. 39: 7). The Bible says Joseph had to resist the request many times: “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her” (Gen. 39:10). When she cornered him one day, rather than stick around he fled the scene, not even taking time to grab his cloak (i.e., coat) (Gen. 39: 11-12).This is a man in a position of power, with an entire estate at his disposal—who said no to sex that he easily could have gotten. Joseph’s story also indicates that he didn’t avoid the sex only because it would have been with his boss’ wife, but also because such strength was part of his character. Also like Daniel, his integrity got him in trouble with "the law," but we know God also delivered him (Gen. 39: 13-23; Gen. 41).
I think this observation is relevant to men today, especially young men whom God has gifted and put in prominent positions in government, sports, entertainment and other areas. Their prominence can cause them to face added temptation, but this story is a reminder that they don’t have to give in – and should flee situations if they need to. Often in society we describe purity as a “woman’s” thing, but the Bible is clear it’s a man thing, too— no matter what position he’s placed in. I love it (and I am not beating a dead horse on this issue— it’s living and in need of more whipping:))!
David: Mr. Passionate
I love how David appears to have been a “manly” man (e.g., the sling fightin’ and war winnin’), but he still saved his greatest passion for God. I appreciate how he talked about God like a lover and praised Him no matter what he was facing in life— even the prospect of being murdered. Take the devotion to God he portrays in Psalm 63. Then there’s Psalm 42, among many other examples. David also would worship God in public, openly. In one example he was “leaping and dancing” – “with all his might” in thankfulness to God for his blessings (2 Samuel 6: 14, 16). And when his wife tried to call him out on it, asking how dare a “king” act that way in public, in front of “slave girls,” he replied, “…I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.” ( see 2 Samuel 6: 12-23).
In a world concerned with male “image,” we discourage men from being raw about their feelings— and sometimes this turns them away from God. But the truth is no man can love a woman – or anyone else— the way he should without a love for God. Imagine how families would change if men had this same kind of passion for God – love of their families would flow so much more naturally. Let’s encourage open, “undignified” worship and love of God in men!
Daniel: Mr. Meticulous, Man of His Word
For Daniel, I’m most impressed with his excellence and reputation. Just a couple verses that stand out to me about him from Chapter 6 of his book, which precede the campaign to send him to the Lion’s Den:
In our society we need to challenge men to be excellent, honest and keep their word – even when no one is looking. They may be subject to attack for their character, but when it’s anchored in Christ, in testing they’ll stand firm – and eventually be vindicated. God's servants have to be blameless!
D, D & J
Favor and leadership; holiness and hotness; personality— in short, these men were the total bundle!
MODERN MEN
So how does this translate into men and women encouraging authentic manhood today? Of course we should note the traits of godly men such as David, Daniel and Joseph. However, men today can only be those kinds of men if they have close communion with God. Each of those men in the Bible, while experiencing God’s favor, also experienced hardship, as we all do in life. But by walking with God daily, all of them withstood life’s challenges, accepting their calling as men. Men today have to do the same!
The reason we often do not believe men can rise above vices such as sexual temptation, untrustworthiness, anger or disrespect for women is because, male or female, we often have not experienced God’s life-changing power in our lives. We aren’t walking with God daily, so we don’t understand that God works on us over time, helping us overcome sins that we assumed were simply part of us. We don’t think that knowing Christ can really keep us, male or female, from succumbing to the societal pressures that come with our genders. But all Christians are called to holy living because of Christ – particularly men, who are called to lead by example. Holiness is supposed to be the rule among followers of Christ, not the exception. And if we seek Christ daily, it can be done!
These stories also highlight the fact that part of encouraging godly men is telling them to live out their individual callings. Although the three men described had similarities, they also had differences: in personality, passion and experiences. God’s plan for each man – and woman – is different. While it’s okay to have role models, we should encourage men to use what God has given them for a life of service and obedience. And He will take what they’ve got and use it extraordinarily –and different from the next guy.
It’s also important to note that each of these men sought God from youth. We need to encourage men to love and fear God while they’re still boys, so when the temptations hit as they become men, living for Christ will already be part of them! Let’s begin from day one – in the womb…no, at conception! Granted, raising kids to know Christ - or having godly parents - isn't a guarantee that the boys - or girls - will become godly adults. But teaching them commitment to God from infancy certainly increases the likelihood that they'll grow up to serve God. And even if they stray, God's word will be ingrained in them, and they'll return.
CHANGE (YES HE CAN)
I believe in revolution through Christ – a change in our world that comes when we are humble, repentant, and constantly seeking the face of God . I also believe that any man who chooses this way will be an amazing, shining example in a world of broken men. Let’s challenge men to live for Christ in every aspect of their lives – through their speech, attitudes and lifestyle. Our world can use a few more good, godly men – Real Men.
I think the Body of Christ – male and female – has a responsibility to encourage “authentic manhood” – having men seek Christ daily and lead by example. The series we’re doing at church, “Gender Crisis: Examining Biblical Manhood and Womanhood,” has been a reminder of how to spur men to godliness. The premise is that men are called to valor; women to virtue (but not that both sexes shouldn’t possess each trait in some form). We just wrapped up the portion on men, where we looked first at nine “vices” of men found in Genesis Chapters Three and Four. The next week we talked about the courage it takes for men to live out their callings in Christ— and how to do so (both can be listened to here, series "Gender Crisis").
DANIEL, DAVID AND JOSEPH
My recent experiences have prompted me to take a closer look at examples of godly men in the Bible. I listened to another sermon where it is mentioned there are two men in the Bible for which nothing bad is ever really said about in the text – Daniel and Joseph. David also was mentioned in the sermon as a man devoted to God for most of his life. I’ve always been a fan of David and have liked Joseph’s story, but I’ll confess I never explicitly labeled them as examples of godly men. But seeing them in this light actually is fascinating. I think they present some great profiles for identifying manhood God's way. Although their stories are likely familiar, to point out their godly traits I’ll revisit them (and perhaps from a new perspective).
COMMON THREADS
There are several godly traits the three men share. A few of them:
Favor and Leadership
A common theme is that each man had the favor of God and was set apart for a special, prominent purpose from youth.
Early on God called Joseph to leadership in a foreign land. In his family he was known as the favorite of his father Jacob and told his brothers and father of dreams indicating they would “bow down” to him (Gen. 37: 1-11), which eventually came true when the brothers went to Egypt to get food during famine many years later (Gen. 42: 1-11). Not long after Joseph relayed his dream, the already jealous brothers sold him into slavery, and he was taken to Egypt (Gen. 37: 12-28). However, once there God’s favor, which was evident to others around him, led him to be placed in high positions, first in charge of the estate of Potiphatr, one of the officials of the ruler, Pharaoh (Gen. 39:1-6). He later became second in command to Pharaoh himself after interpreting his dreams (Gen. 41:39-57). The Bible says Joseph started working for Pharaoh when he was only 30 (Gen. 41:46). It was Joseph's God-given leadership skills and revelation from God through dreams that led him to help Egypt, the region—and Israel—escape starvation during famine (Gen. 47: 13-25).
Likewise, as a young man Daniel was taken to Babylon as an exile from Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, captured the city. He was one of the few men of Israeli royalty chosen on Nebuchadnezzar's orders to be trained for leadership in the Babylonian kingdom (Daniel 1: 1-3). He and others taken are described as intelligent: “showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace” (Daniel 1: 4, 7). During training he and his comrades, Haniniah (Shadrach); Mishael (Meschah) and Azariah (Abednego), excelled “in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them...ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (Daniel 1:18-20). Additionally, like Joseph, the Bible also mentions God gave Daniel (separate from others) the ability to interpret dreams (Daniel 1:17) – a talent that was used by kings many times. Daniel also served several kings (or in several “administrations," if you will:)) (See Daniel Chapters 1; 5; 6:1-3; 6:28; 7; 8:27-9:1-2).
David also was chosen by God in youth to serve as King of Israel, set apart from seven older brothers who could have been chosen (I Samuel 16: 10-13). He was a shepherd boy when God told Samuel to anoint him the next king, and, for many years before becoming king, he served under King Saul – at times in danger of his life from Saul’s jealousy (I Samuel Chapters 19, 23, 26). Through the familiar story of David and Goliath, we see he had a faith in God from youth that allowed him to brave—and defeat—a long-feared enemy with only a sling and a stone (I Samuel 17). And, at a young age, he received a reputation as a valiant man – more valiant than then-ruler Saul (I Samuel 18). He ruled Israel for many years and had many victories as King (2 Samuel 8).
Holiness
Each of the men also walked closely with God (which had something to do with God’s favor on them!).
Joseph had a great faith in God, which was evident by the shining way he handled his “unfair” circumstances. First, he was sold into slavery in Egypt. Then, he was put in prison indefinitely for a crime he didn’t commit (he didn’t get no hearing or appeal!). But in each instance, the Bible says God was with him (Gen. 39: 1-6). It never talks about him throwing tantrums or saying “why me.” Instead, he carried himself well, with God’s favor, and was exalted, even in prison (Gen. 39: 20-23). And later in life, when he re-encountered the brothers who had sold him into slavery so many years earlier, he showed them genuine mercy and compassion—even through his hurt (Gen. 45).
David loved God with all his heart. So much that, as frequently referenced, he was “a man after God’s own heart” from youth—the reason God chose him to lead Israel (I Samuel 13:13-14; 1 Samuel 16:7; Acts 13: 22). People often focus on the story David and Bathsheba (wife of Uriah the Hittite) (2 Samuel 11-12), but there’s so much more to his life in the Bible! God says that incident was the only exception to a life devoted to Him. I Kings 15: 5 states, “For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.”
Daniel was a man who stood for righteousness – even when he was the only one. Upon beginning training in Babylon to serve King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel had the opportunity to eat “the royal food and wine,” which included consuming meat considered unclean in Israel. The Bible says Daniel “resolved not to defile himself” with it (Daniel 1:8). Of the other young men brought from Israel, Daniel was only one of four who said no to the food on principle - not because he had to (Daniel 1: 6-17). Further, in Babylon Daniel lived in a nation where praying to God was at a time outlawed, yet he did it openly and incessantly. And his prayers were fierce (See Daniel 9, for example). His commitment to God led him to a lion’s den, but even then he knew God could deliver him from it— and did. In short, he had zeal for God his whole life!
Hotness
Another interesting tidbit about Daniel, David and Joseph is that, even in the Bible, where inner beauty is praised more often than outer, they are all described as good looking!
Joseph was called “well-built and handsome” (Gen. 39:6) (explains why Potiphar’s wife wanted some!)
The Bible says when David was called to leadership he was “ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.” (1 Samuel 16: 12) (denotation of ruddy: “of or having a fresh, healthy red color, red; red or reddish” – aka a Shepherd Boy’s Tan:)!)
Daniel also was selected to serve in Babylon partly because he was a young man “without any physical defect, handsome” (Daniel 1:4). And after rejecting the “king’s meat” in favor of vegetables, the Bible says he and his three friends “looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” (Daniel 1: 15) (so they probably looked even better!)
DISTINGUISHING TRAITS (My Faves)
I love how each man’s holiness “profile,” while similar, was still different. Specific traits stood out to me for each – and a thought about the traits’ relevance to men today.
Joseph: Mr. Purity
I love Joseph’s choice to use self control to flee from sexual temptation. Potiphar’s wife came on to him—i.e., she explicitly said, “Come to bed with me!” (Gen. 39: 7). The Bible says Joseph had to resist the request many times: “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her” (Gen. 39:10). When she cornered him one day, rather than stick around he fled the scene, not even taking time to grab his cloak (i.e., coat) (Gen. 39: 11-12).This is a man in a position of power, with an entire estate at his disposal—who said no to sex that he easily could have gotten. Joseph’s story also indicates that he didn’t avoid the sex only because it would have been with his boss’ wife, but also because such strength was part of his character. Also like Daniel, his integrity got him in trouble with "the law," but we know God also delivered him (Gen. 39: 13-23; Gen. 41).
I think this observation is relevant to men today, especially young men whom God has gifted and put in prominent positions in government, sports, entertainment and other areas. Their prominence can cause them to face added temptation, but this story is a reminder that they don’t have to give in – and should flee situations if they need to. Often in society we describe purity as a “woman’s” thing, but the Bible is clear it’s a man thing, too— no matter what position he’s placed in. I love it (and I am not beating a dead horse on this issue— it’s living and in need of more whipping:))!
David: Mr. Passionate
I love how David appears to have been a “manly” man (e.g., the sling fightin’ and war winnin’), but he still saved his greatest passion for God. I appreciate how he talked about God like a lover and praised Him no matter what he was facing in life— even the prospect of being murdered. Take the devotion to God he portrays in Psalm 63. Then there’s Psalm 42, among many other examples. David also would worship God in public, openly. In one example he was “leaping and dancing” – “with all his might” in thankfulness to God for his blessings (2 Samuel 6: 14, 16). And when his wife tried to call him out on it, asking how dare a “king” act that way in public, in front of “slave girls,” he replied, “…I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.” ( see 2 Samuel 6: 12-23).
In a world concerned with male “image,” we discourage men from being raw about their feelings— and sometimes this turns them away from God. But the truth is no man can love a woman – or anyone else— the way he should without a love for God. Imagine how families would change if men had this same kind of passion for God – love of their families would flow so much more naturally. Let’s encourage open, “undignified” worship and love of God in men!
Daniel: Mr. Meticulous, Man of His Word
For Daniel, I’m most impressed with his excellence and reputation. Just a couple verses that stand out to me about him from Chapter 6 of his book, which precede the campaign to send him to the Lion’s Den:
3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.First, I love how he was noticed for his excellence – he was the best. But even more importantly, he could be trusted. That means he did what he promised and did the right thing, even when no one was looking (v. 4). He was so excellent and trustworthy that he, like Joseph, was singled out by negative people (aka “haters” ) who wanted to see him ruined. But, again, because of his righteousness God delivered him.
In our society we need to challenge men to be excellent, honest and keep their word – even when no one is looking. They may be subject to attack for their character, but when it’s anchored in Christ, in testing they’ll stand firm – and eventually be vindicated. God's servants have to be blameless!
D, D & J
Favor and leadership; holiness and hotness; personality— in short, these men were the total bundle!
MODERN MEN
So how does this translate into men and women encouraging authentic manhood today? Of course we should note the traits of godly men such as David, Daniel and Joseph. However, men today can only be those kinds of men if they have close communion with God. Each of those men in the Bible, while experiencing God’s favor, also experienced hardship, as we all do in life. But by walking with God daily, all of them withstood life’s challenges, accepting their calling as men. Men today have to do the same!
The reason we often do not believe men can rise above vices such as sexual temptation, untrustworthiness, anger or disrespect for women is because, male or female, we often have not experienced God’s life-changing power in our lives. We aren’t walking with God daily, so we don’t understand that God works on us over time, helping us overcome sins that we assumed were simply part of us. We don’t think that knowing Christ can really keep us, male or female, from succumbing to the societal pressures that come with our genders. But all Christians are called to holy living because of Christ – particularly men, who are called to lead by example. Holiness is supposed to be the rule among followers of Christ, not the exception. And if we seek Christ daily, it can be done!
These stories also highlight the fact that part of encouraging godly men is telling them to live out their individual callings. Although the three men described had similarities, they also had differences: in personality, passion and experiences. God’s plan for each man – and woman – is different. While it’s okay to have role models, we should encourage men to use what God has given them for a life of service and obedience. And He will take what they’ve got and use it extraordinarily –and different from the next guy.
It’s also important to note that each of these men sought God from youth. We need to encourage men to love and fear God while they’re still boys, so when the temptations hit as they become men, living for Christ will already be part of them! Let’s begin from day one – in the womb…no, at conception! Granted, raising kids to know Christ - or having godly parents - isn't a guarantee that the boys - or girls - will become godly adults. But teaching them commitment to God from infancy certainly increases the likelihood that they'll grow up to serve God. And even if they stray, God's word will be ingrained in them, and they'll return.
CHANGE (YES HE CAN)
I believe in revolution through Christ – a change in our world that comes when we are humble, repentant, and constantly seeking the face of God . I also believe that any man who chooses this way will be an amazing, shining example in a world of broken men. Let’s challenge men to live for Christ in every aspect of their lives – through their speech, attitudes and lifestyle. Our world can use a few more good, godly men – Real Men.
Friday, November 20, 2009
STOP AND LISTEN (Words, Part 3)
"19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." ~James 1: 19-20
I don’t usually start with a verse, but these sum up so well this entry on words—highlighting the need for us to measure our words—even when we get heated.
This passage is a challenge for me. Naturally, I ain’t slow to do hardly anything. Most things I want done now, a few things needed to be done yesterday. I’m also terrible at hiding my responses to things I dislike (and when I try to, I’m usually unsuccessful). Finally, I tend to be a stickler for accuracy. I can’t stand when people get the facts wrong or mischaracterize situations or intentions. I place a premium not so much on being right, but on being understood and treated fairly. When I perceive things are being handled wrong, I get on defense.
In the context of this passage, my “speedy” traits make me quick to speak (i.e., explain or clarify the situation) and quick to get heated (‘cause I can’t believe someone would say “x” cra-zy thing). I liken my anger “style” to a balloon—when it pops, it’s like, really sudden and loud, but if you blink—you might miss it. In other words, I’m a softie, but in the first couple minutes after you say something to make me mad—or right after I start talking about an incident that prompted anger— watch out.
Dealing with Anger
When I got in trouble for my anger growing up, often my dad would repeat some portion of James 1: 19-20 to me—and slowly. It went a little something like this:
“My girl, be sloooowwww to spea-k. Sloooowww to become an-gry.”
I used to get mad just off how slowly he said those words!
James 1: 19-20
But really pay attention to the passage—in fact, “take note” (v. 19). We are to be:
1. Quick to listen...(v.19)
The only time “hurriedness” is urged in the text is in being quiet—listening. A denotation of listen is “to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.” In other words, when we’re “listening” to someone, we have to become occupied with their words. That means we have to put aside other distractions—including our anger. And we are to do so speedily. Further, when we do listen to others’ perspectives we often find where our thoughts went wrong—and our wrong assumptions give way to right understanding. And even when we’re "right," the time taken to pause often makes us realize that the situation isn’t nearly as serious as we thought it in our anger!
2. Slow to speak and slow to become angry…(v.19)
While in order to listen we have to “dial in,” in our speech and anger we have to “tone down.” Again, turning to some definitions of slow:
moving or proceeding with little or less than usual speed or velocityWhen we “take time” before speaking or becoming angry, we’re choosing to be deliberately more cautious—much less cautious than we should be in deciding to listen—and we’re giving ourselves “a long time” to gradually respond. The result should be that what we don’t end up saying that angry comment we may have wanted to initially, and that we have room to change our mind about being angry—or that we don’t get angry at all. That sounds like a good plan to me!
taking or requiring a comparatively long time for completion
requiring or taking a long time for growing, changing, or occurring; gradual
3. for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (v.20)
I think the rationale in verse 20 for being “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” is the best part of the passage. To live out the righteous life we’re called to, we have to be free from our brand of anger—which contradicts with God’s desire for us to live righteously. And what does this “righteousness” God wants look like? There are so many rich passages that detail it. Some of them:
That our attitudes be like His—selflessYes, the righteousness that He desires for us is so deep! And when we get angry, it causes us to miss the picture that is to be our singular, life goal as Christians. We can’t let anger fog up our vision!
That we love one another
That we walk in His light and have fellowship with each other
That we walk humbly, and closely, with Him
That we live holy, through Him
That our lives bring Him glory
Today
The last few years I’ve been learning to respond to situations that I perceive "unfair" a lot better. If I do get angry, those deep breaths are certainly helpful (two of them usually do the trick:)). But more importantly, the more I walk with God, the less I find myself responding that way (but of course it’s a process—ask me about my mixed response to a bizarre incident last Sunday). I think a way to measure our spiritual growth is not by how often we do the “good” things that are "naturally"-or have become-part of our character, but how much progress we make in exhibiting the "fruits” that are not.
Let’s not allow anger—or anything else—to keep us from the righteousness that God envisions for us—and that we should strive for as well. When we’re tempted to jump the gun on our speech in anger, instead we should be quick to stop...and listen.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Encouragement in Purity (Words, Interlude)
I was supposed to write about a totally different topic related to words that I’ve been thinking about most of the week, but God’s brought another one that I’ll share first.
As I’ve mentioned a few times, I’m involved in this ministry called Worth the Wait (WTW), which represents sexual purity through runway shows and talks at Christian gatherings across the country. Since it was started in 2006, there’s been a yearly model call through which people audition to represent WTW for one year on the runway and off it, with their lives.
Last week marked one year since I joined WTW, and Saturday it was time for another annual Model Call. I signed up to volunteer at the event. I was prepared just to serve, but I left being served.
Current WTW members showed up wearing our many different org t-shirts (plus bringing our own flair:)), ready to do personal interviews with the candidates. But it turned out that we ended up spending most of the time sharing with each other.
God really used those hours to encourage me through others’ words. We talked about our challenges and triumphs in purity. Some shared about how they’ve come to embrace—and enjoy—their singleness and the chance to be more dedicated to serving God. One girl shared about God’s faithfulness in her recent engagement. Hearing all of those stories reminded me of God’s amazing plans for me both now—and in the future.
Sometimes I forget how important encouragement from other followers of Christ can be. God’s wired me to have the resolve to do things without much motivation and to bounce back quickly if I’m ever down. I never really worry about myself being okay—I know God has me, and that’s usually enough. But that can also make me overlook the value of encouragement from others. I’m thankful that before too long God always reminds me how it’s still needed in my life—especially in the area of purity.
God’s also used this sermon series on purity from the pastor of a Long Beach, California, church called "Sex in the City of God"that I think may be the best I’ve ever heard on the topic. Two messages in the series, “When Do We Get to Kiss?” and “The Superiority of Singleness” have been the most memorable for me, which I’ve linked to (and, in case you’re curious, the church’s vision, values and beliefs). The pastor also hits dating, modesty and lust. I think more pastors should go “beyond sex” and into the message of purity with their Sunday-morning words to help the Body grasp what it really means to follow Christ in this area.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
I love those words. In the Body of Christ we have a responsibility to help motivate each other in righteousness. When we “meet together” in fellowship, we allow the opportunity to be blessed by others—and words are one important means of doing that. Also, as 1 Timothy 4:12 says, even as younger people we’re told to set an example for other believers by our speech and purity, among other ways. Let’s spur each other on to these callings!
As I’ve mentioned a few times, I’m involved in this ministry called Worth the Wait (WTW), which represents sexual purity through runway shows and talks at Christian gatherings across the country. Since it was started in 2006, there’s been a yearly model call through which people audition to represent WTW for one year on the runway and off it, with their lives.
Last week marked one year since I joined WTW, and Saturday it was time for another annual Model Call. I signed up to volunteer at the event. I was prepared just to serve, but I left being served.
Current WTW members showed up wearing our many different org t-shirts (plus bringing our own flair:)), ready to do personal interviews with the candidates. But it turned out that we ended up spending most of the time sharing with each other.
God really used those hours to encourage me through others’ words. We talked about our challenges and triumphs in purity. Some shared about how they’ve come to embrace—and enjoy—their singleness and the chance to be more dedicated to serving God. One girl shared about God’s faithfulness in her recent engagement. Hearing all of those stories reminded me of God’s amazing plans for me both now—and in the future.
Sometimes I forget how important encouragement from other followers of Christ can be. God’s wired me to have the resolve to do things without much motivation and to bounce back quickly if I’m ever down. I never really worry about myself being okay—I know God has me, and that’s usually enough. But that can also make me overlook the value of encouragement from others. I’m thankful that before too long God always reminds me how it’s still needed in my life—especially in the area of purity.
God’s also used this sermon series on purity from the pastor of a Long Beach, California, church called "Sex in the City of God"that I think may be the best I’ve ever heard on the topic. Two messages in the series, “When Do We Get to Kiss?” and “The Superiority of Singleness” have been the most memorable for me, which I’ve linked to (and, in case you’re curious, the church’s vision, values and beliefs). The pastor also hits dating, modesty and lust. I think more pastors should go “beyond sex” and into the message of purity with their Sunday-morning words to help the Body grasp what it really means to follow Christ in this area.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
I love those words. In the Body of Christ we have a responsibility to help motivate each other in righteousness. When we “meet together” in fellowship, we allow the opportunity to be blessed by others—and words are one important means of doing that. Also, as 1 Timothy 4:12 says, even as younger people we’re told to set an example for other believers by our speech and purity, among other ways. Let’s spur each other on to these callings!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
YES or NO (Words, Part 2)
Second grade, second grade. That’s a year of my life I remember in spankings. When I got in trouble growing up it was generally for what I said—usually trying to explain myself when my parents thought I should have just been quiet.
That year I got really into the so-called “sassy” sayings of the early 90s. My favorite, which may ring a bell, was “well excuse me”— only it was said while twisting the neck, snapping the fingers and stretching out the “u” in “excuse”—i.e., “well excuuuuuuuuuse me!”
At the time it didn’t register the saying was meant to be rude. I just had a whole lot of fun contorting my neck, popping my fingers and uttering it. And I was really good at it. On the playground I would win contests for the longest “neck bend, snap and excuse” sequence. Thinking my “gift” some sort of badge, for a couple weeks I would say it after any and every thing; mundane comments such as “I’m going outside,” “It’s cold today” or “Nice shirt” were all cause for a rendition of “well excuuuuusse me.”
It wasn’t until I made a few of the other girls cry—and after I got slapped in the face for saying it to my mom at an inopportune time—that I finally realized the “gusto” with which I proclaimed those words was actually deemed rude and hurtful.
There’s only one other incident I got in trouble for that year that I remember more: the time I paid for saying some variation of “I swear.”
My mother really didn’t really like those words. She would always mention how the Bible said we shouldn’t say them and instead should “let our ‘yes be yes’ and our ‘no be no.’”
Although her words stuck with me it would be years before I actually remember reading the verses she was referring to. They are a reminder of how seriously we are called to take our word—what we promise to others.
"OATHS" IN THE BIBLE
The passage, Matthew 5:33-37, reads:
There’s a history of the significance of “oaths” in Bible times that I don’t know much about, but I have read some interesting tidbits on it. Generally, an oath was a kind of verbal “contract” binding people to their words—with serious consequences for breaking it. Oaths in Old Testament books such as Leviticus and Numbers were generally made to God along with offerings or sacrifices. Biblical references denouncing the practice, such as in Matthew and James, warn us about avoiding them in our everyday language.
"OATHS" TODAY
Saying “I swear to” whatever is something we hear a lot today. We say it to let someone else know we’re really serious about something, e.g., “I swear [to you] I’m not lying,” “I swear on my mother’s grave,” I swear to…other things. Not only does the Bible say we shouldn’t go there because we don’t have the power to ensure that our word is absolutely true (Matthew 5: 36), but also that our word of “yes” or “no” should be a good enough assurance that—as far as we can control, what we say is a reflection of what we’ll do.
I think we live in a world where word generally doesn’t matter much. We all do it at least sometimes: make commitments but excuse fulfilling them with an “I forgot about doing that,” “I just got busy,” or “I don’t remember saying that.” But if we really take our word as seriously as we’re called to as Christians, we would be a lot more sensitive to making promises—and keeping them.
Accomplishing Our Word
Psalm 15
This passage explains how what we say is an integral part of our character as Christians:
Righteous acts are of course an important part of character, but notice how words are intertwined with actions as a sign of holy living—it includes speaking the truth (v. 2) and avoiding slander or slurs (v.3). Verse four also mentions keeping an oath “even when it hurts.” Again, as verses such as Matthew 5:33-37 and James 5:12 indicate, oaths are not to be made today, but the verse still highlights the value of doing what we say even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary (an oldie but goodie:)) on verse four does a better job of explaining how “keeping an oath” in this context is a sign of character:
God's "Word"
Another reason keeping our word is supposed to be part of our character is that it is part of God’s. We can trust Him because He does exactly what He says. His word is always as good as done, and it’s the foundation of our faith.In fact, we can stand on the words—promises—of God before the actions accompanying them are accomplished. That’s another reason doing what we say is so important!
Word as Bond
I think our world would change if every follower of Christ made every effort to be true to their word—letting our “yes” mean “yes” and our “no” mean “no”. We would have good, trustworthy reputations that, in turn, honor God. But for that to happen, we have to be very conscious—and intentional—about doing what we say.
One way that we can live out our calling in words is to treat what we say like currency. I like the quote “word is bond.” A relevant definition of bond is “something that binds a person or persons to a certain circumstance or line of behavior.” If we consider that we’re “bound” by our words, we know that we forfeit them if we don’t deliver—in this context, we “default” in reputation and trustworthiness. If we really consider this cost, we should not say we’ll do something without really thinking about how we’re going to accomplish it. Often we break our promises not because we mean not to do something, but because we don’t mean to do something. Before we make a promise, no matter how small, we should ask: “how am I actually going to keep it?”—and have an answer to that question as we make that promise.
I also think seeing word as currency is important because it’s a way for us to take responsibility for our actions. While on the one hand we can make promises and not keep them, on the other we can be tempted to, in an effort not to break our word, make no promises at all—saying “maybe” to everything. There’s certainly a place not to be sure of something—but a maybe should become a “yes” or a ‘no” (notice the absence of “maybe” in Matthew 5: 37 and James 5:12).
If we can never promise anything, it can also make us to be untrustworthy because we’re not bound by anything—to ourselves or others. And if we’re not bound, we never have to take ownership for our actions. But if we allow our word to bind us, then we force ourselves to make a “yes” or “no” decision with real consequences—and act accordingly. We especially may be afraid to say “no” to something at the risk of offending others, but the truth is the greater harm to our testimony is saying neither. Living like word is currency forces us to make our words align with our actions.
Ultimately, if we’re really following what God’s word says about our word, it should hurt us not to keep it--no matter how small the "default." And we’ll keep it, even when it’s uncomfortable.
We don’t need to—and shouldn’t— swear we’ll do something, but we must do what we say. So let’s avoid maybes where we can, and let our yes’ be yes, and our “nos” be no.
That year I got really into the so-called “sassy” sayings of the early 90s. My favorite, which may ring a bell, was “well excuse me”— only it was said while twisting the neck, snapping the fingers and stretching out the “u” in “excuse”—i.e., “well excuuuuuuuuuse me!”
At the time it didn’t register the saying was meant to be rude. I just had a whole lot of fun contorting my neck, popping my fingers and uttering it. And I was really good at it. On the playground I would win contests for the longest “neck bend, snap and excuse” sequence. Thinking my “gift” some sort of badge, for a couple weeks I would say it after any and every thing; mundane comments such as “I’m going outside,” “It’s cold today” or “Nice shirt” were all cause for a rendition of “well excuuuuusse me.”
It wasn’t until I made a few of the other girls cry—and after I got slapped in the face for saying it to my mom at an inopportune time—that I finally realized the “gusto” with which I proclaimed those words was actually deemed rude and hurtful.
There’s only one other incident I got in trouble for that year that I remember more: the time I paid for saying some variation of “I swear.”
My mother really didn’t really like those words. She would always mention how the Bible said we shouldn’t say them and instead should “let our ‘yes be yes’ and our ‘no be no.’”
Although her words stuck with me it would be years before I actually remember reading the verses she was referring to. They are a reminder of how seriously we are called to take our word—what we promise to others.
"OATHS" IN THE BIBLE
The passage, Matthew 5:33-37, reads:
33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.The same warning is repeated in James 5:12-
12Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.
There’s a history of the significance of “oaths” in Bible times that I don’t know much about, but I have read some interesting tidbits on it. Generally, an oath was a kind of verbal “contract” binding people to their words—with serious consequences for breaking it. Oaths in Old Testament books such as Leviticus and Numbers were generally made to God along with offerings or sacrifices. Biblical references denouncing the practice, such as in Matthew and James, warn us about avoiding them in our everyday language.
"OATHS" TODAY
Saying “I swear to” whatever is something we hear a lot today. We say it to let someone else know we’re really serious about something, e.g., “I swear [to you] I’m not lying,” “I swear on my mother’s grave,” I swear to…other things. Not only does the Bible say we shouldn’t go there because we don’t have the power to ensure that our word is absolutely true (Matthew 5: 36), but also that our word of “yes” or “no” should be a good enough assurance that—as far as we can control, what we say is a reflection of what we’ll do.
I think we live in a world where word generally doesn’t matter much. We all do it at least sometimes: make commitments but excuse fulfilling them with an “I forgot about doing that,” “I just got busy,” or “I don’t remember saying that.” But if we really take our word as seriously as we’re called to as Christians, we would be a lot more sensitive to making promises—and keeping them.
Accomplishing Our Word
Psalm 15
This passage explains how what we say is an integral part of our character as Christians:
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.
Righteous acts are of course an important part of character, but notice how words are intertwined with actions as a sign of holy living—it includes speaking the truth (v. 2) and avoiding slander or slurs (v.3). Verse four also mentions keeping an oath “even when it hurts.” Again, as verses such as Matthew 5:33-37 and James 5:12 indicate, oaths are not to be made today, but the verse still highlights the value of doing what we say even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary (an oldie but goodie:)) on verse four does a better job of explaining how “keeping an oath” in this context is a sign of character:
“See how weak-sighted and short-sighted even wise and good men may be; they may swear to their own hurt, which they were not aware of when they took the oath. But see how strong the obligation of an oath is, that a man must rather suffer loss to himself and his family than wrong his neighbour by breaking his oath. An oath is a sacred thing, which we must not think to play fast and loose with.” (Commentary on Psalm 15: 4).
God's "Word"
Another reason keeping our word is supposed to be part of our character is that it is part of God’s. We can trust Him because He does exactly what He says. His word is always as good as done, and it’s the foundation of our faith.In fact, we can stand on the words—promises—of God before the actions accompanying them are accomplished. That’s another reason doing what we say is so important!
Word as Bond
I think our world would change if every follower of Christ made every effort to be true to their word—letting our “yes” mean “yes” and our “no” mean “no”. We would have good, trustworthy reputations that, in turn, honor God. But for that to happen, we have to be very conscious—and intentional—about doing what we say.
One way that we can live out our calling in words is to treat what we say like currency. I like the quote “word is bond.” A relevant definition of bond is “something that binds a person or persons to a certain circumstance or line of behavior.” If we consider that we’re “bound” by our words, we know that we forfeit them if we don’t deliver—in this context, we “default” in reputation and trustworthiness. If we really consider this cost, we should not say we’ll do something without really thinking about how we’re going to accomplish it. Often we break our promises not because we mean not to do something, but because we don’t mean to do something. Before we make a promise, no matter how small, we should ask: “how am I actually going to keep it?”—and have an answer to that question as we make that promise.
I also think seeing word as currency is important because it’s a way for us to take responsibility for our actions. While on the one hand we can make promises and not keep them, on the other we can be tempted to, in an effort not to break our word, make no promises at all—saying “maybe” to everything. There’s certainly a place not to be sure of something—but a maybe should become a “yes” or a ‘no” (notice the absence of “maybe” in Matthew 5: 37 and James 5:12).
If we can never promise anything, it can also make us to be untrustworthy because we’re not bound by anything—to ourselves or others. And if we’re not bound, we never have to take ownership for our actions. But if we allow our word to bind us, then we force ourselves to make a “yes” or “no” decision with real consequences—and act accordingly. We especially may be afraid to say “no” to something at the risk of offending others, but the truth is the greater harm to our testimony is saying neither. Living like word is currency forces us to make our words align with our actions.
Ultimately, if we’re really following what God’s word says about our word, it should hurt us not to keep it--no matter how small the "default." And we’ll keep it, even when it’s uncomfortable.
We don’t need to—and shouldn’t— swear we’ll do something, but we must do what we say. So let’s avoid maybes where we can, and let our yes’ be yes, and our “nos” be no.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
VERBAL AROMA (Words, Introduction)
I’m going to talk about words for a while— like, a few entries. I’ll be addressing our calling as Christians to use them to benefit others and ourselves—for His glory.
It’s a topic God’s placed on my heart lately. It’s funny last entry I talked about how I’m not very affected by what people say. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t believe words are important. In fact, I find them vital to living our faith—and they’re supposed to set us apart.
I thought of doing this series after attending an event last week where I heard the most unpleasant words I had in a long time. Sure I’m used to someone cursing, gossiping or engaging in otherwise negative talk at some point during the day (and sometimes I’m to blame)—but the hour-and-a-half I spent at that event was an especially intense and uncomfortable experience.
In similar situations I would have made some effort to turn the conversation positive—or at least change the subject—but this time I was just so aware of my discomfort that I said nothing.
That day I missed a chance to speak light—and life—with my words. Particularly this year, as I’ve started working—and dealing with different people in a “team” setting, I’ve been reminded of Colossians 4:5-6, which addresses our constant calling as Christians to use words rightly:
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
I plan to analyze these verses later in the series, so I won't say much about them. But notice the pleasant images some key words bring: "full of grace" and "seasoned with salt." Our words are supposed to create a kind of verbal "fragrance"--or "aroma"--from which goodness flows to all. That's my prayer for the words of these next few entries.
I’ll be hitting several topics: swearing; gossip; negative talk; apologizing; and maybe more. I'll also be sharing my words "testimony"--how God has--and will--develop me in this area. I've always had strong opinions—and being “strong” in something is, of course, an opportunity for God to humble us—Amen?
Most importantly, this series is meant to remind you—and me—that our words are the distinction between life and death. Considering we have new life because of words of promise that He fulfilled on the cross, we ought always to choose life with our words—which also are to be full of grace, seasoned with salt.
It’s a topic God’s placed on my heart lately. It’s funny last entry I talked about how I’m not very affected by what people say. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t believe words are important. In fact, I find them vital to living our faith—and they’re supposed to set us apart.
I thought of doing this series after attending an event last week where I heard the most unpleasant words I had in a long time. Sure I’m used to someone cursing, gossiping or engaging in otherwise negative talk at some point during the day (and sometimes I’m to blame)—but the hour-and-a-half I spent at that event was an especially intense and uncomfortable experience.
In similar situations I would have made some effort to turn the conversation positive—or at least change the subject—but this time I was just so aware of my discomfort that I said nothing.
That day I missed a chance to speak light—and life—with my words. Particularly this year, as I’ve started working—and dealing with different people in a “team” setting, I’ve been reminded of Colossians 4:5-6, which addresses our constant calling as Christians to use words rightly:
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
I plan to analyze these verses later in the series, so I won't say much about them. But notice the pleasant images some key words bring: "full of grace" and "seasoned with salt." Our words are supposed to create a kind of verbal "fragrance"--or "aroma"--from which goodness flows to all. That's my prayer for the words of these next few entries.
I’ll be hitting several topics: swearing; gossip; negative talk; apologizing; and maybe more. I'll also be sharing my words "testimony"--how God has--and will--develop me in this area. I've always had strong opinions—and being “strong” in something is, of course, an opportunity for God to humble us—Amen?
Most importantly, this series is meant to remind you—and me—that our words are the distinction between life and death. Considering we have new life because of words of promise that He fulfilled on the cross, we ought always to choose life with our words—which also are to be full of grace, seasoned with salt.
Friday, October 30, 2009
THE ART OF LOVE
Every once in a while I like to review a book I’ve been reading. This time I’m going to discuss not so much the content, but the concept, of a book that I’ve recently picked up off my shelf again on The Five Love Languages. I think they’re a good model for showing love not only in romantic relationships, but also to friends, family and others we meet, as Christ commands.
You’ve probably heard of The Five Love Languages, which is a concept from Dr. Gary Chapman, a relationship counselor and pastor, establishing that there are five primary “languages,” or methods, for expressing love to others. Chapman also says that everyone has one, or more, primary language that makes them feel most valued. The goal is for people to understand how to “speak” the language of their loved ones, understand how they personally accept love, and be able to receive—and speak—all the languages.
I already hear smirks or giggles from some who may think it’s a bunch of “psychobabble," but trust me, this is like, the best concept ever.
I’ve been enamored with The Love Languages for years. I first learned about them in a Bible Study in high school. The original book is about expressing the love languages in marriage, but the concept became so popular that books have been adapted for Singles, Teens, Kids and more. Plus, there are other “Fives” concepts (a Five Languages of Apology was released in the last couple years, which is almost as fabulous). In each book, the languages are the same but tailored to the audience. I purchased The Five Love Languages for Singles just last year, which talks about expressing love to everyone in your life. I hadn’t actually read much of it (but I’ve taken the quiz in the back like ten times), but I picked it up off my bookshelf a couple weeks ago and have been perusing sections of interest since; hence, this entry.
THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES
Anyway, to the meat: The Five Languages. In case you don’t already know them, they are Words of Affirmation; Gifts; Acts of Service; Quality Time and Physical Touch. At a basic level, the languages are self-explanatory, but I’ll also share a few not-so-evident details about them from the book:
Language #1: Words of Affirmation
The language of “Affirming” Words has many dialects (yes, I said dialects--and that is genius!). It is expressed by:
Language #2: Gifts: Showing love by offering thoughtful, heartfelt and tangible symbols of appreciation (No Dialects) ( p. 67)
Language #3: Acts of Service - Looking out for the needs and desires of others and offering assistance accordingly (No Dialects) (p. 80-81)
Language # 4: Quality Time - Taking a period to connect with another person. Like Words of Affirmation, it also has many dialects:
Language #5: Physical Touch - affirming another through physical contact in a meaningful, appropriate and non-sexual manner (No Dialects) (p. 117-122)
MY LANGUAGES
I’m so fond of the languages because they’ve helped me understand the differences between how I give love and primarily receive it. It’s also helped me expand how I share love with others, as it’s meant to. Although I speak most of the love languages fluently, among them Words of Affirmation, the reality is Words of Affirmation is not even remotely my primary language. For example, I’m not much into receiving words of praise, i.e., compliments. In the past I couldn’t understand why comments such as “good job on that presentation” or “you look nice today” have so little effect on me—and at times I shrug them off. While I am learning to “receive” such compliments and they can be affirming at times, I’ve also realized that it’s just not what makes me feel the most valued.
My primary languages are Quality Time and Acts of Service, by a ridiculously wide margin.
For quality time, it’s not a “quantity” or “number of hours” thing, but what is done during that time—i.e., quality. It makes me feel valued when people take time out of their schedules, albeit a short period, to go somewhere meaningful—a place that is either important to them or me--and have good conversation there. I tend to enjoy smaller groups, or one-on-one time—because I feel like it’s such a great opportunity to connect. I also like it when I’m given—and give—undivided attention during that time, especially if it’s one-on-one; constantly checking out the new apps on the iPhone or responding to every buzz of the blackberry makes me feel insignificant, especially when I meet with someone for a short period. I also love building lasting memories with other people that are the result of quality time.
Acts of Service also are so important to me because I’m not very affected by what people say—good or bad, in my mind words are momentary—but I’m more affected by what people do. I treat words like actions, and don’t like when there’s a disconnect between what’s said and done. But the thought and effort that is often required to consider a need or desire and try to meet it with an “act” makes me so responsive to Acts of Service.
If there’s a language I’m lacking in fluency, it’s Physical Touch. I’ve always been critical of the cheap ways touch tends to be employed in our society, but the whole point of the language is not doing that. I’ve undervalued what a rub on the back or a kind hug can do to make another person feel special. I’m learning to speak this language, especially with people who hold it as their primary.
YOUR LANGUAGE(S)
I enjoy finding out others’ languages; in “quality activity” fashion, I’ve made many a friend take the quiz on a road trip. Most of the time there aren’t too many surprises in others’ scores—and we usually have some common language—hence our friendship, but every once in a while I discover there’s an additional language someone has that I’ve totally overlooked.
Also, while I can see the love languages are indeed useful for every relationship because the core "love" issues that bother us about friendships tend to be the same things that bother us about people in relationships—I can see how it’s especially useful for romantic relationships. As we often see and hear, men and women are fashioned very differently—particularly in communication. I think that, especially early on in a relationship, the love languages can help knit some of the divide that is present while initially getting to know someone romantically.
To find out your language, you can take a quiz. The online quiz is written for the marriage relationship, but the questions are the same even in the single context; the “you” in the questions would just be changed to something like “friend” or “coworker.” The maximum that you can score in any one area is 12 points. If you score the same for more than one language, you are “Bilingual.” Yes, The Love Languages have a language of interpretation “unto their own,” lol. Love it (the languages)!
WHY LANGUAGES?
I think learning to love others in many different ways is so important because of the treatment of love in God’s Word. Throughout the Bible, it is held as the highest calling. One of the great passages on love, I Corinthians 3:14-17, lists a number of virtues, but instructs us to, “above all, put on love,” because it “binds” all the other virtues in “perfect unity.”
We also cannot forget that The One who didn’t even spare His own Son did it for Love. And so I close with the ultimate command from Matthew 22: 34-40:
34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
You’ve probably heard of The Five Love Languages, which is a concept from Dr. Gary Chapman, a relationship counselor and pastor, establishing that there are five primary “languages,” or methods, for expressing love to others. Chapman also says that everyone has one, or more, primary language that makes them feel most valued. The goal is for people to understand how to “speak” the language of their loved ones, understand how they personally accept love, and be able to receive—and speak—all the languages.
I already hear smirks or giggles from some who may think it’s a bunch of “psychobabble," but trust me, this is like, the best concept ever.
I’ve been enamored with The Love Languages for years. I first learned about them in a Bible Study in high school. The original book is about expressing the love languages in marriage, but the concept became so popular that books have been adapted for Singles, Teens, Kids and more. Plus, there are other “Fives” concepts (a Five Languages of Apology was released in the last couple years, which is almost as fabulous). In each book, the languages are the same but tailored to the audience. I purchased The Five Love Languages for Singles just last year, which talks about expressing love to everyone in your life. I hadn’t actually read much of it (but I’ve taken the quiz in the back like ten times), but I picked it up off my bookshelf a couple weeks ago and have been perusing sections of interest since; hence, this entry.
THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES
Anyway, to the meat: The Five Languages. In case you don’t already know them, they are Words of Affirmation; Gifts; Acts of Service; Quality Time and Physical Touch. At a basic level, the languages are self-explanatory, but I’ll also share a few not-so-evident details about them from the book:
Language #1: Words of Affirmation
The language of “Affirming” Words has many dialects (yes, I said dialects--and that is genius!). It is expressed by:
Words of Appreciation – expressing sincere gratitude for some act of service rendered(Five Love Language for Singles, by Gary Chapman, p. 51-54)
Words of Encouragement – “inspiring courage” in another through motivating or stimulating comments
Words of Praise – recognizing another’s accomplishments
Kind Words – choosing and expressing words in a heartwarming manner
Language #2: Gifts: Showing love by offering thoughtful, heartfelt and tangible symbols of appreciation (No Dialects) ( p. 67)
Language #3: Acts of Service - Looking out for the needs and desires of others and offering assistance accordingly (No Dialects) (p. 80-81)
Language # 4: Quality Time - Taking a period to connect with another person. Like Words of Affirmation, it also has many dialects:
Quality Conversation – making someone feel valued through discussion. The subcategories are Quality Hearing, focusing on what the other person is saying (the opposite of Words of Affirmation) and Quality Talking, offering meaningful comments as a result of properly hearing(p. 95 – 103)
Quality Listening – being “sympathetic [in hearing] with a view to understanding the other person.” (p. 97)
Quality Activities – Engaging in meaningful outings or tasks with another
Language #5: Physical Touch - affirming another through physical contact in a meaningful, appropriate and non-sexual manner (No Dialects) (p. 117-122)
MY LANGUAGES
I’m so fond of the languages because they’ve helped me understand the differences between how I give love and primarily receive it. It’s also helped me expand how I share love with others, as it’s meant to. Although I speak most of the love languages fluently, among them Words of Affirmation, the reality is Words of Affirmation is not even remotely my primary language. For example, I’m not much into receiving words of praise, i.e., compliments. In the past I couldn’t understand why comments such as “good job on that presentation” or “you look nice today” have so little effect on me—and at times I shrug them off. While I am learning to “receive” such compliments and they can be affirming at times, I’ve also realized that it’s just not what makes me feel the most valued.
My primary languages are Quality Time and Acts of Service, by a ridiculously wide margin.
For quality time, it’s not a “quantity” or “number of hours” thing, but what is done during that time—i.e., quality. It makes me feel valued when people take time out of their schedules, albeit a short period, to go somewhere meaningful—a place that is either important to them or me--and have good conversation there. I tend to enjoy smaller groups, or one-on-one time—because I feel like it’s such a great opportunity to connect. I also like it when I’m given—and give—undivided attention during that time, especially if it’s one-on-one; constantly checking out the new apps on the iPhone or responding to every buzz of the blackberry makes me feel insignificant, especially when I meet with someone for a short period. I also love building lasting memories with other people that are the result of quality time.
Acts of Service also are so important to me because I’m not very affected by what people say—good or bad, in my mind words are momentary—but I’m more affected by what people do. I treat words like actions, and don’t like when there’s a disconnect between what’s said and done. But the thought and effort that is often required to consider a need or desire and try to meet it with an “act” makes me so responsive to Acts of Service.
If there’s a language I’m lacking in fluency, it’s Physical Touch. I’ve always been critical of the cheap ways touch tends to be employed in our society, but the whole point of the language is not doing that. I’ve undervalued what a rub on the back or a kind hug can do to make another person feel special. I’m learning to speak this language, especially with people who hold it as their primary.
YOUR LANGUAGE(S)
I enjoy finding out others’ languages; in “quality activity” fashion, I’ve made many a friend take the quiz on a road trip. Most of the time there aren’t too many surprises in others’ scores—and we usually have some common language—hence our friendship, but every once in a while I discover there’s an additional language someone has that I’ve totally overlooked.
Also, while I can see the love languages are indeed useful for every relationship because the core "love" issues that bother us about friendships tend to be the same things that bother us about people in relationships—I can see how it’s especially useful for romantic relationships. As we often see and hear, men and women are fashioned very differently—particularly in communication. I think that, especially early on in a relationship, the love languages can help knit some of the divide that is present while initially getting to know someone romantically.
To find out your language, you can take a quiz. The online quiz is written for the marriage relationship, but the questions are the same even in the single context; the “you” in the questions would just be changed to something like “friend” or “coworker.” The maximum that you can score in any one area is 12 points. If you score the same for more than one language, you are “Bilingual.” Yes, The Love Languages have a language of interpretation “unto their own,” lol. Love it (the languages)!
WHY LANGUAGES?
I think learning to love others in many different ways is so important because of the treatment of love in God’s Word. Throughout the Bible, it is held as the highest calling. One of the great passages on love, I Corinthians 3:14-17, lists a number of virtues, but instructs us to, “above all, put on love,” because it “binds” all the other virtues in “perfect unity.”
We also cannot forget that The One who didn’t even spare His own Son did it for Love. And so I close with the ultimate command from Matthew 22: 34-40:
34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Solitude (Favorites, Part 3)
I’ve written about my favorite Psalms and Names for God. This time I’ll talk about one of the Spiritual Disciplines that I “favor” currently : solitude.
I don’t have a favorite discipline as such; solitude is just the one God is using most in my life right now.
Loosely, solitude is spending time alone—in a quiet place—with God. In an article on the topic Bible Teacher Charles Swindoll notes that Jesus got up early in the morning to practice it, as evidenced in Mark chapter one. Swindoll also observes that solitude “helps filter out the essentials and sift away the nonessentials.”
I haven't always practiced solitude. Generally, in personal time with God I've been partial to the disciplines of study and worship. But I’ve learned that going some place really quiet to meet with God alone helps me communicate with Him so much more freely and, at the same time, recognize His power.
As I’ve said before, that place for me is in nature. I usually sit on a bench in a wooded area that’s hidden from plain view. I like to go in the morning, when the only sounds I hear are birds chirping, leaves blowing in the wind and squirrels scurrying across tree limbs. And I’m reminded that the Lord God made them all.
I usually start by talking to God aloud, telling Him whatever comes to mind. Then I’ll read my Bible and a devotional, and sometimes I’ll listen to a song. But then I put everything away and just keep talking to Him, aloud, and intimately.
The most amazing thing solitude is doing for my relationship with God is causing me to crave being in His presence both to worship and learn to be more like Him. It really is the first time in a while that I’m spending so little time praying for physical needs. Instead I’m asking God for the peace to live without worrying; have more of His heart; serve Him better. I’ve been listening to this Hillsong worship song, “Hosanna,” that sums up my prayer right now.
A couple summers ago during a stressful time when I also was sorely lacking peace, God brought Psalm 91 to my attention, which I’ve been meditating on periodically since (and love hearing Nicole C. Mullen sing; Track 6: "Under the Shadow"). It talks about the benefits totally trusting in God—dwelling—brings. It begins: “He who dwells in the secret place will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Verse 4 continues: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." I love the peaceful images words such as “rest”; “refuge;” “feathers”; “wings" and “shield” bring to mind. Since that summer, I’ve prayed that I would gain constant peace from dwelling. Through solitude, I’m getting there.
Second Peter 1: 5-8, one of my favorite passages, speaks of how were are to be unyielding in pursuing spiritual growth: "5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Practicing the spiritual disciplines helps us develop the kind of drive that’s necessary for steady, abiding growth in Christ. Which ones is God using in your life? Favorites, Part Three.
I don’t have a favorite discipline as such; solitude is just the one God is using most in my life right now.
Loosely, solitude is spending time alone—in a quiet place—with God. In an article on the topic Bible Teacher Charles Swindoll notes that Jesus got up early in the morning to practice it, as evidenced in Mark chapter one. Swindoll also observes that solitude “helps filter out the essentials and sift away the nonessentials.”
I haven't always practiced solitude. Generally, in personal time with God I've been partial to the disciplines of study and worship. But I’ve learned that going some place really quiet to meet with God alone helps me communicate with Him so much more freely and, at the same time, recognize His power.
As I’ve said before, that place for me is in nature. I usually sit on a bench in a wooded area that’s hidden from plain view. I like to go in the morning, when the only sounds I hear are birds chirping, leaves blowing in the wind and squirrels scurrying across tree limbs. And I’m reminded that the Lord God made them all.
I usually start by talking to God aloud, telling Him whatever comes to mind. Then I’ll read my Bible and a devotional, and sometimes I’ll listen to a song. But then I put everything away and just keep talking to Him, aloud, and intimately.
The most amazing thing solitude is doing for my relationship with God is causing me to crave being in His presence both to worship and learn to be more like Him. It really is the first time in a while that I’m spending so little time praying for physical needs. Instead I’m asking God for the peace to live without worrying; have more of His heart; serve Him better. I’ve been listening to this Hillsong worship song, “Hosanna,” that sums up my prayer right now.
A couple summers ago during a stressful time when I also was sorely lacking peace, God brought Psalm 91 to my attention, which I’ve been meditating on periodically since (and love hearing Nicole C. Mullen sing; Track 6: "Under the Shadow"). It talks about the benefits totally trusting in God—dwelling—brings. It begins: “He who dwells in the secret place will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Verse 4 continues: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." I love the peaceful images words such as “rest”; “refuge;” “feathers”; “wings" and “shield” bring to mind. Since that summer, I’ve prayed that I would gain constant peace from dwelling. Through solitude, I’m getting there.
Second Peter 1: 5-8, one of my favorite passages, speaks of how were are to be unyielding in pursuing spiritual growth: "5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Practicing the spiritual disciplines helps us develop the kind of drive that’s necessary for steady, abiding growth in Christ. Which ones is God using in your life? Favorites, Part Three.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Room for All
Today I had an embarrassing moment. It’s quite unusual for me to say that because I’ve been in enough rattling situations that I’ve become desensitized: I routinely miss written signs or posts, verbal or written hints (and sometimes plain questions or statements) and jokes. Plus I’ve tripped, dropped or spilled something at enough inopportune times that I can usually just shrug it off.
But back to today. The embarrassing moment—which also was private, thankfully— is mortifying enough that it won’t be stated online. But here I am more than happy to share about it in indescriptive terms--and a spiritual lesson from it.
The incident happened at work. I had an important event this afternoon that I had to leave at 11:00 am for, so to maximize my day I had arrived at the office just after 7. I expected a normal, productive morning. It started off that way, but just after an hour into it, a curveball was thrown when the unnamed incident occurred. Now I was unsure I would make it to my 11 am event—the one I couldn’t miss. In that moment, everything said my day could end up being a debacle that could only be solved with a pretty drastic solution that I just did not want to put anyone through—including myself.
If you knew the situation, you may wrinkle your nose a bit and say that perhaps it’s not as serious as I'm making it. Or you might agree. But whether big or small, in that moment I knew I had to ask God to get through it. Lord, I said, I do not know completely why I am in this situation, especially now, but please help me—save me from drama today!
Just in time—with 15 minutes to make it to my destination on time—God delivered me from it. And despite feeling a little drained throughout the day, the rest of it was peachy:).
I draw out my account of the incident because I think you can substitute any personal crisis for it—some problem, whether actually insignificant or not, that we wonder how we will get out of.
The next logical, expected spiritual parallel from this observation is that in those moments we always have the opportunity to call on the name of the Lord, but we don’t necessarily. While I think that is a noteworthy observation, my thoughts wander to a slightly different, but related one: we all have crises, but how we view any situation depends on what we believe. And what separates how we live is not so much what we feel in those moments–but what we do with our feelings.
I think as Christians we can be tempted to use crises as an excuse for spiritual stagnation. We think about how our situations are so much worse than those around us and are the reason we have not grown. We may say, If I were in his situation, my life would be so much easier, and I would have no trouble trusting God like he does. But because I’m dealing with this, I can’t be expected to give Him everything. He needs to give me a different life!
Granted, some people have rougher lives than others—but even then, the Word of God points out that there is nothing new under the sun —the crazy thing we think no one else experiences, there is someone on the globe with the same issue—but a different reaction.
I’m reminded of the story of Job. He was given everything—wealth; knowledge; a good reputation—much more. Satan told God he was sure that if Job was given trouble in life, he would turn away from God—even curse Him. But God had confidence that no matter what crisis was given Job, in the end Job would praise Him (Job 1: 6-12). And that is exactly what happened: God took everything from Job, and he still praised Him. At the end of the many crises (by any definition), he was given double the blessings he had before them (42:10, 12), and he died “old and full of his years” (42:17).
The truth is, we as humans cannot be a true judge of another’s heart. People can show us snippets of their hearts, but only God has the full picture. Some people who claim the name of God and are in wonderful situations really have hearts that do not honor Him—but there are others who would honor Him regardless of what would be thrown at them. But because we weren’t born with heart thermometers, we really don’t know! As a result, the time that is spent comparing our lives to others—and saying why me—is wasted, unproductive energy that blocks us from seeing God’s amazing plans for each of us.
No matter what our circumstance, as Christians, our aim should be to walk humbly and closely with our God. When we do, we allow Him to refine and fill us. And when we are living the full life that we were uniquely (and individually) created to live, we stop being concerned about how our lives compare to others, or how our crises “set us up” for spiritual failure. Instead, we live knowing that we can accomplish anything in Christ, if we lack something we can ask Him for it with a pure heart, and that no one can duplicate His plan for each of us. With Christ, as they say, the sky is the limit—for all of us!
Regardless of what crises we face in this life, big or small, we are all susceptible, for one reason or another, to the same emotions. Ultimately, as Christians our ability to grow spiritually isn't about what we experience, but what we let Him do with our experiences. And if we want to see big things happen in our lives—in and through Him—we have to look beyond our crises and into His incredibly long, outstretched arms that have enough room to love all of us into our unique, grand destinies.
But back to today. The embarrassing moment—which also was private, thankfully— is mortifying enough that it won’t be stated online. But here I am more than happy to share about it in indescriptive terms--and a spiritual lesson from it.
The incident happened at work. I had an important event this afternoon that I had to leave at 11:00 am for, so to maximize my day I had arrived at the office just after 7. I expected a normal, productive morning. It started off that way, but just after an hour into it, a curveball was thrown when the unnamed incident occurred. Now I was unsure I would make it to my 11 am event—the one I couldn’t miss. In that moment, everything said my day could end up being a debacle that could only be solved with a pretty drastic solution that I just did not want to put anyone through—including myself.
If you knew the situation, you may wrinkle your nose a bit and say that perhaps it’s not as serious as I'm making it. Or you might agree. But whether big or small, in that moment I knew I had to ask God to get through it. Lord, I said, I do not know completely why I am in this situation, especially now, but please help me—save me from drama today!
Just in time—with 15 minutes to make it to my destination on time—God delivered me from it. And despite feeling a little drained throughout the day, the rest of it was peachy:).
I draw out my account of the incident because I think you can substitute any personal crisis for it—some problem, whether actually insignificant or not, that we wonder how we will get out of.
The next logical, expected spiritual parallel from this observation is that in those moments we always have the opportunity to call on the name of the Lord, but we don’t necessarily. While I think that is a noteworthy observation, my thoughts wander to a slightly different, but related one: we all have crises, but how we view any situation depends on what we believe. And what separates how we live is not so much what we feel in those moments–but what we do with our feelings.
I think as Christians we can be tempted to use crises as an excuse for spiritual stagnation. We think about how our situations are so much worse than those around us and are the reason we have not grown. We may say, If I were in his situation, my life would be so much easier, and I would have no trouble trusting God like he does. But because I’m dealing with this, I can’t be expected to give Him everything. He needs to give me a different life!
Granted, some people have rougher lives than others—but even then, the Word of God points out that there is nothing new under the sun —the crazy thing we think no one else experiences, there is someone on the globe with the same issue—but a different reaction.
I’m reminded of the story of Job. He was given everything—wealth; knowledge; a good reputation—much more. Satan told God he was sure that if Job was given trouble in life, he would turn away from God—even curse Him. But God had confidence that no matter what crisis was given Job, in the end Job would praise Him (Job 1: 6-12). And that is exactly what happened: God took everything from Job, and he still praised Him. At the end of the many crises (by any definition), he was given double the blessings he had before them (42:10, 12), and he died “old and full of his years” (42:17).
The truth is, we as humans cannot be a true judge of another’s heart. People can show us snippets of their hearts, but only God has the full picture. Some people who claim the name of God and are in wonderful situations really have hearts that do not honor Him—but there are others who would honor Him regardless of what would be thrown at them. But because we weren’t born with heart thermometers, we really don’t know! As a result, the time that is spent comparing our lives to others—and saying why me—is wasted, unproductive energy that blocks us from seeing God’s amazing plans for each of us.
No matter what our circumstance, as Christians, our aim should be to walk humbly and closely with our God. When we do, we allow Him to refine and fill us. And when we are living the full life that we were uniquely (and individually) created to live, we stop being concerned about how our lives compare to others, or how our crises “set us up” for spiritual failure. Instead, we live knowing that we can accomplish anything in Christ, if we lack something we can ask Him for it with a pure heart, and that no one can duplicate His plan for each of us. With Christ, as they say, the sky is the limit—for all of us!
Regardless of what crises we face in this life, big or small, we are all susceptible, for one reason or another, to the same emotions. Ultimately, as Christians our ability to grow spiritually isn't about what we experience, but what we let Him do with our experiences. And if we want to see big things happen in our lives—in and through Him—we have to look beyond our crises and into His incredibly long, outstretched arms that have enough room to love all of us into our unique, grand destinies.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Burnout
The title: it’s a topic I’ve wanted to discuss for a while—my own experience, and what God says about burnout.
I’m loosely defining burnout as feeling down or stressed about something to the point that it consumes you.
A couple months ago I felt burnout. At that point I had been going through the “Godmotions” of Bible study, fellowship, and prayer, but the rest of the day I was meditating on my worries--often subconsciously. I remember mentioning to some friends in a meeting around that time that I was missing the peace of God in my life. The difference was so clear.
At that point I knew I had to make some changes. I considered my distractions and eliminated them. I also gave my worries to God by confessing them and asking Him to retake control of them. Also, I’ve just been spending more personal time talking with Him and meditating on scripture in different forms—through verses; songs; messages and books. And I have felt the peace of God return in my life. The last few weeks have been noticeably different from the ones before—in a word, amazing!
As I've seen burnout in my own life, I've also observed it in others' as well. At times we just get down about things—maybe it’s worry; perhaps we’re just physically tired; our lives may not be what we want them to be; people close to us may have hurt us; we feel unappreciated or unloved.
In burnout we have a choice of what will “refuel” us: Christ, or something (or someone) else. What we allow to replenish us is such a critical decision, one that is often the difference between bad and good results later.
One passage God has used to show me this lesson is Galatians 6:7-10. I’ll split it into a few parts:
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
I love the theme of sowing. It really highlights the time it takes for us to see outcomes in life--positive or negative. You don't plant some tomato seeds and the next day, whoa, end up with plump, juicy tomatoes--they take time to grow--or not. And what we do in our sowing time determines what we'll produce.
Verses 7-8a are a warning: if we sow to the flesh, we reap destruction. That's why sometimes when we make wrong decisions—maybe in burnout— initially we don't see anything negative. Everything seems perfectly fine--sometimes great. But then when reaping time comes and we produce pain, it's not so fine. And sometimes we blame God for our troubles, but His word is clear: choosing a way apart Him does not provide a positive outcome.
On the other hand, when we choose to honor God it shows, as verse 8 also highlights--we reap life: “the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
And there's more, such wonderful words of encouragement and promise in verse 9 that can help us to choose Him in burnout:
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
A harvest--powerful! I’ll highlight a few definitions of harvest:
As a Noun:
Notice the positive connotations associated with "harvest," especially with the verb definition: i.e., “gain” or “win”. Also, a “yield” or “supply” signifies positive return. The passage only discusses harvest in the context of sowing to the spirit—not the flesh--sowing to the flesh does not produce harvest.
Further, elsewhere in scripture God is referred to as the "Lord of the harvest." According to the definition of harvest, that would make Him the Producer—the One who creates it. What better reason to trust Him as we sow!
Also note the “proper time” element. One reason it can be hard to keep doing good is that, well, sometimes we don’t see results for a long time. And in those moments we often choose to look around at other people who seem to be better off than us despite the fact that they appear not to have been sowing to righteousness for very long—or at all. Rather than compare and judge, we should remember that not every harvest is for the same crop. Some harvests take longer to reap; God may take us through a difficult time for years. But as the definitions note, a harvest is the culmination of a “growing” time that ends in “maturity”—after God has taught us something from which we blossom!
During sowing time is an opportunity to hold fast to His promises and choose life in all we do-because whatever the length of that season, for those who are faithful there is a good result: we will--not might—reap a harvest if (on the condition that) we do not give up.
In Galatians following the promise of harvest is a conclusion about how we should treat others:
10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
I love that direction, “especially the family of believers.” We're a body in Christ, and it's His job to vindicate us at the right time; our only responsibility is to do good. That means that we love others unconditionally—no matter how they treat us. That’s a challenge—but remember it comes with a promise!
Finally, the fact that God often gives us time to see results—good or bad—means that we have a chance to change course before reaping time. If we're sowing to unrighteousness and God gives us an opportunity to sow seeds of righteousness—we should take it. Jesus says that if we confess, He is faithful to forgive us of our sin , making us right with Him. Because of his death on the cross we are not his enemies if we accept Him--no matter what our guilt or others may say. Before reaping time, we can make a change that will produce a harvest later.
The key to avoiding burnout is choosing to sow seeds of righteousness daily, letting the Lord of the Harvest produce something wonderful out of them. There is no better ending to this entry than repeating the promise and conclusion from Galatians 9-10:
“9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Amen!
I’m loosely defining burnout as feeling down or stressed about something to the point that it consumes you.
A couple months ago I felt burnout. At that point I had been going through the “Godmotions” of Bible study, fellowship, and prayer, but the rest of the day I was meditating on my worries--often subconsciously. I remember mentioning to some friends in a meeting around that time that I was missing the peace of God in my life. The difference was so clear.
At that point I knew I had to make some changes. I considered my distractions and eliminated them. I also gave my worries to God by confessing them and asking Him to retake control of them. Also, I’ve just been spending more personal time talking with Him and meditating on scripture in different forms—through verses; songs; messages and books. And I have felt the peace of God return in my life. The last few weeks have been noticeably different from the ones before—in a word, amazing!
As I've seen burnout in my own life, I've also observed it in others' as well. At times we just get down about things—maybe it’s worry; perhaps we’re just physically tired; our lives may not be what we want them to be; people close to us may have hurt us; we feel unappreciated or unloved.
In burnout we have a choice of what will “refuel” us: Christ, or something (or someone) else. What we allow to replenish us is such a critical decision, one that is often the difference between bad and good results later.
One passage God has used to show me this lesson is Galatians 6:7-10. I’ll split it into a few parts:
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
I love the theme of sowing. It really highlights the time it takes for us to see outcomes in life--positive or negative. You don't plant some tomato seeds and the next day, whoa, end up with plump, juicy tomatoes--they take time to grow--or not. And what we do in our sowing time determines what we'll produce.
Verses 7-8a are a warning: if we sow to the flesh, we reap destruction. That's why sometimes when we make wrong decisions—maybe in burnout— initially we don't see anything negative. Everything seems perfectly fine--sometimes great. But then when reaping time comes and we produce pain, it's not so fine. And sometimes we blame God for our troubles, but His word is clear: choosing a way apart Him does not provide a positive outcome.
On the other hand, when we choose to honor God it shows, as verse 8 also highlights--we reap life: “the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
And there's more, such wonderful words of encouragement and promise in verse 9 that can help us to choose Him in burnout:
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
A harvest--powerful! I’ll highlight a few definitions of harvest:
As a Noun:
-The season when ripened crops are gatheredAs a Verb:
-A crop or yield of one growing season
-A supply of anything gathered at maturity and stored: a harvest of wheat
-The result or consequence of any act, process, or event: The journey yielded a harvest of wonderful memories.
-To gain, win, acquire, or use (a prize, product, or result of any past act, process, plan, etc.).
Notice the positive connotations associated with "harvest," especially with the verb definition: i.e., “gain” or “win”. Also, a “yield” or “supply” signifies positive return. The passage only discusses harvest in the context of sowing to the spirit—not the flesh--sowing to the flesh does not produce harvest.
Further, elsewhere in scripture God is referred to as the "Lord of the harvest." According to the definition of harvest, that would make Him the Producer—the One who creates it. What better reason to trust Him as we sow!
Also note the “proper time” element. One reason it can be hard to keep doing good is that, well, sometimes we don’t see results for a long time. And in those moments we often choose to look around at other people who seem to be better off than us despite the fact that they appear not to have been sowing to righteousness for very long—or at all. Rather than compare and judge, we should remember that not every harvest is for the same crop. Some harvests take longer to reap; God may take us through a difficult time for years. But as the definitions note, a harvest is the culmination of a “growing” time that ends in “maturity”—after God has taught us something from which we blossom!
During sowing time is an opportunity to hold fast to His promises and choose life in all we do-because whatever the length of that season, for those who are faithful there is a good result: we will--not might—reap a harvest if (on the condition that) we do not give up.
In Galatians following the promise of harvest is a conclusion about how we should treat others:
10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
I love that direction, “especially the family of believers.” We're a body in Christ, and it's His job to vindicate us at the right time; our only responsibility is to do good. That means that we love others unconditionally—no matter how they treat us. That’s a challenge—but remember it comes with a promise!
Finally, the fact that God often gives us time to see results—good or bad—means that we have a chance to change course before reaping time. If we're sowing to unrighteousness and God gives us an opportunity to sow seeds of righteousness—we should take it. Jesus says that if we confess, He is faithful to forgive us of our sin , making us right with Him. Because of his death on the cross we are not his enemies if we accept Him--no matter what our guilt or others may say. Before reaping time, we can make a change that will produce a harvest later.
The key to avoiding burnout is choosing to sow seeds of righteousness daily, letting the Lord of the Harvest produce something wonderful out of them. There is no better ending to this entry than repeating the promise and conclusion from Galatians 9-10:
“9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Amen!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Closer to Thee
Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about walking with God daily. I’ve been meditating on Psalm 119: 1-16, which lists the benefits of keeping God’s commands and explains how to keep them faithfully. The psalmist also provides a personal touch by sharing how he has sought God with all of his heart. It’s a passionate and personal account, one that should be both an encouragement and challenge for Christians to make pursing God daily our aim.
I won’t dissect the passage--I think reading the psalm is better than me explaining it:). But I will share some lessons from it.
First, it highlights the fact that really living for Christ every day is so contradictory to our world—and what we often say even as Christians. This passage says that if we walk with God daily—seek him with all of our hearts; meditate on His word; focus on Him and praise Him—we can live upright and avoid sin. We say we’re only human, it’s impossible to follow God’s ways completely and we should just go after whatever makes us happy at the moment rather than seek what He has for us.
But again, the psalmist sees true life in following God’s commands. He gets excited—“rejoices… delights” (v. 14; 16) in God’s model for righteousness. And he prays that as he seeks God with all of his heart, God keeps him from stumbling. He is relentless in his pursuit of life with God and trusts God to give him the strength to choose it consistently (v. 5-8). This passage is such an example for us!
Second, it makes me think about my walk. Recently I’ve been pondering my limits. There’s so much I want to accomplish—so many things I want to be to others and myself—but I fall short of those goals. I want to be totally loving and forgiving always—but I’m not always. I want to do my very best at work all the time, for His glory—but at times I don’t. I want to support like, all these causes—but I can’t do everything.
But the “I” is the problem. Living an upright life requires going to The Source daily. And it begins with deciding there is nothing greater in this life than what God has planned for me. Once I make that choice, I am able to live uprightly, correct myself when I stray (and stray less), focus less on my limits and see Him accomplish His plan in my life. That is one reason daily time in God’s Word, as the psalm also underscores, is so important: it gives us constant direction!
This month I’ve made a commitment to seek God daily in a particular quiet place—a special place in nature where I love talking to God. For some reason going there and sitting on a hand-crafted wood bench, listening to the birds chirp, crickets buzz and looking at the tall deciduous trees covering the sky above me—and the air around me—make me think of both the vastness of His splendor and the nearness of His presence. And when I feel that free, I talk to Him so openly, hear Him speak clearly and feel the peace only He can dole.
He's teaching me things. Right now it's how to surrender my desires completely to Him. Yeah, it’s one of those ongoing lessons:). He’s also showing me the beauty of His forgiveness—how it gives me the freedom to keep moving after I sin when I would have been inclined to shrink back in guilt. In a couple words, I’m growing!
Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came for us to have life--and have it “more abundantly,” or, “to the full.” That doesn’t just mean having eternal life by praying the “Sinner’s Prayer” for salvation, but also being full every day after that decision. And when we daily walk uprightly as the psalmist describes, we tap into that abundant life that He has for us. Yes, God isn’t here to meet our expectations, but when we seek Him, He can specialize in blowing our minds. That’s yet another reason to choose Him every day!
There’s an (old) hymn that comes to mind, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” I really like the chorus:
That’s basically the psalmist’s prayer in Psalm 119. And I pray it’s yours, too.
I won’t dissect the passage--I think reading the psalm is better than me explaining it:). But I will share some lessons from it.
First, it highlights the fact that really living for Christ every day is so contradictory to our world—and what we often say even as Christians. This passage says that if we walk with God daily—seek him with all of our hearts; meditate on His word; focus on Him and praise Him—we can live upright and avoid sin. We say we’re only human, it’s impossible to follow God’s ways completely and we should just go after whatever makes us happy at the moment rather than seek what He has for us.
But again, the psalmist sees true life in following God’s commands. He gets excited—“rejoices… delights” (v. 14; 16) in God’s model for righteousness. And he prays that as he seeks God with all of his heart, God keeps him from stumbling. He is relentless in his pursuit of life with God and trusts God to give him the strength to choose it consistently (v. 5-8). This passage is such an example for us!
Second, it makes me think about my walk. Recently I’ve been pondering my limits. There’s so much I want to accomplish—so many things I want to be to others and myself—but I fall short of those goals. I want to be totally loving and forgiving always—but I’m not always. I want to do my very best at work all the time, for His glory—but at times I don’t. I want to support like, all these causes—but I can’t do everything.
But the “I” is the problem. Living an upright life requires going to The Source daily. And it begins with deciding there is nothing greater in this life than what God has planned for me. Once I make that choice, I am able to live uprightly, correct myself when I stray (and stray less), focus less on my limits and see Him accomplish His plan in my life. That is one reason daily time in God’s Word, as the psalm also underscores, is so important: it gives us constant direction!
This month I’ve made a commitment to seek God daily in a particular quiet place—a special place in nature where I love talking to God. For some reason going there and sitting on a hand-crafted wood bench, listening to the birds chirp, crickets buzz and looking at the tall deciduous trees covering the sky above me—and the air around me—make me think of both the vastness of His splendor and the nearness of His presence. And when I feel that free, I talk to Him so openly, hear Him speak clearly and feel the peace only He can dole.
He's teaching me things. Right now it's how to surrender my desires completely to Him. Yeah, it’s one of those ongoing lessons:). He’s also showing me the beauty of His forgiveness—how it gives me the freedom to keep moving after I sin when I would have been inclined to shrink back in guilt. In a couple words, I’m growing!
Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came for us to have life--and have it “more abundantly,” or, “to the full.” That doesn’t just mean having eternal life by praying the “Sinner’s Prayer” for salvation, but also being full every day after that decision. And when we daily walk uprightly as the psalmist describes, we tap into that abundant life that He has for us. Yes, God isn’t here to meet our expectations, but when we seek Him, He can specialize in blowing our minds. That’s yet another reason to choose Him every day!
There’s an (old) hymn that comes to mind, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” I really like the chorus:
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
That’s basically the psalmist’s prayer in Psalm 119. And I pray it’s yours, too.
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