Fall Reflections

I've been alive 34 years and only now am I learning this lesson, which seems so obvious to me. Today as I drive to work and enjoy the beautiful colors of the leaves, the scene which is magically painted by God's hand and named "fall," I am reminded of one truth... the beauty that I see today is a result of death. Death is all around. And while I might not like death, want death, or feel comfortable with death, Jesus has called me to die. Christ calls me to humble myself and carry my cross. He calls me to lower my pride and give up so much of who I am for his name's sake. And in doing this, I see the magic of new brilliant color painted and displayed in my own life. Jesus calls people to death... beautiful, magical, bright, death. This is what the early church had when they cared more about one another than they did themselves. This is what Jesus did when he spoke such amazing words while hanging on the cross of Calvary. The time of dying has arrived. So, today we embrace death. Not because we want death, or hope for death, or like death. Not because we know what it is to die. Rather, we realize that being born again, carrying the cross daily, and being transformed means that we lose a little of who we are. And in doing so, we see beautiful colors, wonderful shades and incredible tones within ourselves. Without death, there could be no fall. Without death, who can experience the brilliance of Jesus?

Smile

Believe In Yourself

I ran across this and thought it was a good reminder that sometimes we forget the value that God sees in us.

Your Pain Is Legitimate

I think sometimes in life we question the legitimacy of our pain. We think so hard about the "starving kids in Africa," that we feel illegitimate or selfish when we ourselves are in sorrow. We minimize our suffering, at least with others, as a means to behave "spiritually" in the presence of those we seek to influence.

Today I was reading Hosea 9. In the text Hosea is speaking and seems to indicate that having a miscarriage (v14) is devastating in the lives to those it effects. In the verse, Hosea argues that if God were going to punish a person, miscarriage might be a good route to go. I've witnessed tons of people in my life experience pain. Many times they are righteous people who feel deep heartache over their loss. Often, friends and family fail to relate, simply because the pain is so obscure or unique to that person suffering. People want to help or want to care, but simply cannot because they have never experienced what YOU are going through. Such pain and sorrow is just too deep for anyone to relate. However, God understands. That same God who knows that miscarriage is devastating to God's enemies, also knows how devastating it can be to God's children. So, while pain may seem silly or shallow on one level, God gets it.

Today I write to all of those who feel pain and sorrow and are not living in deepest darkest Africa. I write to those who have food for their bellies but no will to eat. I write those surrounded by friends who are feeling all alone. I write to those who have nice lives, but just enough sorrow in them to feel as if they are drowning. To you I say, "GOD GETS IT." God gets your pain. God gets you. So, it's ok to be honest when you hurt. It's ok to acknowledge the legitimacy of sorrow. Yes, there are still starving children in Africa, whom God loves and whom we need to be concerned. Yet, that doesn't make your pain illegitimate.

Pick A Side

1 Samuel 29:1-31:13
John 11:55-12:19
Psalm 118:1-18
Proverbs 15:24-26

At the end of I Samuel, David is fighting for every side of the battle that one can fight on. First he's with the good guys, then he's with the bad guys, then he's good again. I just watch him and think, "that's nuts... pick a side!" Fact is, that David was a man being lead by God. In this story, he's flip-flopping all over the place... but here's what I notice. David's always winning. So, he may be here or there... he might be fighting this army or that one... but he's always where God needs him to be. David always wins with God. So, that's the moral to this one. Follow God! It may take us all over the place, but we must follow him! Those who do so, will experience great victory.

Jesus Wept.... Rather, Jesus Hurt

1 Samuel 26:1-28:25
John 11:1-54
Psalm 117:1-2
Proverbs 15:22-23

John 11: ³³When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴"Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. ³⁵Jesus wept.

I was reading from different versions for this text and got to noticing verse 33, saying that Jesus was troubled (some texts say angered). The Greek work for this "being troubled" is ἐτάραξεν with a wide range of definitions (click the word to read them). None of the definitions given seem (to me) very "Christ-like." That's just to say that when I think about Jesus, I never imagine him to be the things that this word is said to be.

This text gets me to thinking about the humanity of Jesus. Jesus hurt like they hurt. He understood human pain. I don't know what caused Jesus to weep. Was he upset by the situation? Frustrated with their faith? Did this event remind him of the problem of sin? Or did he just cry for a friend who had been hurting? Who knows. What is clear is that this event frustrated, confussed, perplexed, and upset Christ. So, that's where we find ourselves today. We sit here, with a good God who for whatever reason, cries when exposed to death. Does it bring peace? It can. Some will read and see what they need to see. They will look and find peace. They will see God's glory. Others won't. This verse encourages me. Jesus looked at this situation and was perplexed. He hurt and mourned in this moment. I find God's glory in Christ's humanity.

The Right Way To Knife A King

1 Samuel 24:1-25:44
John 10:22-42
Psalm 116:1-19
Proverbs 15:20-21

I Samuel 24: ³ He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. ⁴ The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. ⁵ Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.

I love this story. David's men here believe that God is giving Saul into their hands. So, David cuts off a piece of his robe. Then, moments later, David is sorrowful that he acted in such a way. This is just a reminder of what it means to have great integrity as David did. David didn't just read into scripture to find justification for his actions. Rather, when he acted, he realized that sometimes his understanding might be flawed. So, David seeks to be a man of integrity. In the end, David honored Saul by his actions, because his heart was broken before God.