Garden Variety Conversation

You've seen it before, a room full of teenagers all sitting next to each other but entranced with texting their friends (who may be in the room themselves) on their cell phones. Take that same group and challenge them to initiate an ongoing conversation with their peers face to face and they would be hard pressed. Even more difficult would be the assignment, if they had to have a good conversation with an adult with proper eye contact and good listening skills.

But, before we totally impugned adolescents' lack of manners, I believe it is just a symptom of a deeper problem that plagues children and adults as well. Disconnection is a consequence of sin. Sin separated us from our Creator, destroying the oneness we were created to enjoy. Shame and fear entered the picture as Adam and Eve were driven from the garden and His presence. No longer the walks in paradise conversing with God, completely free from hiding behind any masks or pretense, because they had disobeyed.

"Through the one act of disobedience..." the conversation ceased. But through the One's act of obedience on our behalf we have opportunity to reconnect (Romans 5:12-19). John 15:9-17 gives us a whole new insight into re-connecting:

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."

Loving God is the ultimate goal of life (Matthew 22:37). Jesus lets us know that the friendship with Him is based on a love that is evidenced by obedience. The opposite of what drives us out of relationship - disobedience - is what keeps us in relationship - obedience. "Saved by grace, not by works" holds true, but the evidence of our complete trust in Him is our desire to obey and please Him. As we grow in this relationship with Him, we begin to gain back what Adam had lost. That daily, moment by moment, walking with God - enjoying His company, talking, listening and responding to others and circumstances fully aware of His presence: A Garden of Eden variety conversation!

Spring: Changes & Transformations

Yeah! Spring is here! With a very early Easter this year, I was a little suspect on whether or not Spring had arrived. But as the warm weather holds out, the grass, trees, flowers, shrubs and weeds are in the process of transforming from lifeless brown to rich shades of green and multiple colors.
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In God's design, the process of transformation is a restoring to the order He intended of perfect harmony with Him. Often illustrated by death and rebirth, he is not interested in polishing up the old, but a new start. For transformation to take place, changes will have to take place.
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To transform is to change. However, changes do not necessarily lead to transformation. As George Barna puts in the introduction to Pagan Christianity?, "Are we living in a culture that is so infatuated with change that we have forgotten that the church is about transformations, not mere change?" God calls us to make changes that He directs and empowers.
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In the life of the individual, transformation, centered on becoming like Christ, is the work of the Holy Spirit, who we cooperate with by practicing spiritual disciplines and understanding life events as our training lessons for our infinite life in the kingdom.
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In the life of the church, transformation, centered on being led by Christ, is the work of the Holy Spirit, who we cooperate with by discovering and using our spiritual gifts in the context of a local body of believers, as we carry on the work of Christ in this world in a display of love and unity.
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Bob Roberts, Jr. wrote in his book, Transformation, "The church is at its strongest ever financially, educationally, and politically, even though some would readily disagree on those points. Yet, my fear is that it has become institutionalized and denominationalized to the point where the primary things we ask of people is their money, attendance, and a few hours every quarter to help with a Sunday School project. Tragically, entire denominations and institutions continue to fight old battles (of which most laypeople no longer see the relevance) instead of funneling the trillions of dollars flowing through their systems toward the one goal of making a significant difference in the world. We don't make a difference because the gospel has not made us different as God intended it to do. We are just more religious. We are more worried that our church is not growing than the fact that we are not growing in our walk with God."
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If life transformation is the bottom line, we must as individuals and churches be intentional about the means for transformation. Anything less and we slip back into playing church.

Slowing Down on Trampolines

Interestingly enough, trampolines are a great social device. Being coaxed by my kids to jump on the trampoline during every spare moment, my thoughts of pain were quickly replaced by the desire to prove I could still do flips (bad choice). The serendipity of these experiences has been the interaction with them that happens when, worn out from bouncing, we take a break (usually laying down) and talk, while trying to recover. It reminded me of one of the passages I am memorizing:

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen,slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore git rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:19-22 NIV

I'm afraid we are, in our sinful nature, prone to do just the opposite. We are quick to speak, quick to become angry and slow to listen (to the point of not). Even though God desires us to live righteously, we like living how we please - tempered by enough knowledge and good intentions to assuage our guilt. God is not interested in our righteousness IQ but our righteous living. Being slow to become angry shows a desire to have the righteous life, but to make it a reality, you have to see what the "therefore" is "there for."

Slowing down and listening to others as well as God, requires a taking off and a putting on. "Git rid" involves a conscious choice not to do those things we know violate God's moral standard. But it also involves not engaging in any thing, relationship or circumstance that would facilitate it. That's the negative, the positive action we take is realizing our utter dependency on God and His Word. It is such a pledge of allegiance to God's truth that we not only take it in and meditate on it, but we also make it a living reality - we do it.

I'm trying not to wait for trampoline moments to slow down, listen and respond. It is an attitude of humble dependence, moment by moment on Him.

Prayer Requests in 13b

Luke 11:1-13, I know I had read this passage on prayer many times before. But there is so much richness in the words of Christ, even the last phrase of his teaching may have profound impact. I have heard it used in many sermons and teachings on the "way" to pray. But all stopped at 13a or read over it without examining it.

Luke 11:13b is a strange way to end a discourse in which Jesus teaches the pattern, persistence, boldness and entreaty in prayer. After praying in a "certain place," Jesus was questioned by His disciples about how to pray. Their motives may have been pure, but it is interesting that they tacked on "just as John taught his disciples." To this simple request, Jesus gives us prayer 101, session 1. (For a great example of truly the "Lord's Prayer" see His priestly prayer in John 17.)

Of course it is obvious from reading this passage, we must include certain elements into our prayer life, we must have the tenacity of a friend in need in the middle of the night, we must specifically ask, seek and knock and we must know that God is just and will answer our prayers with His "good gifts." Stopping there you could assume that all this lesson was focused on was meeting needs we readily recognized: "daily bread," forgiveness, ability to forgive others, "it," doors opened, "fish" and an "egg." But what is it that your Father in heaven is so eager to give you that He is just waiting for your request?

Although it might have been far from the disciples' minds (of that day and today) it was not far from the prophet Joel's mind as he was inspired to write of Him coming. It was not an obscure element of Paul's theology, but central in the victorious Christian life as depicted in so many of his writings and in particular in Romans chapter eight. And most importantly, as noted in this chapter, and more extensively in John chapters fourteen through seventeen, Jesus held this request to be The Source for all who are to be called by His name.

What should be the prayer request as a result of prayer 101 session 1? The Holy Spirit to those who ask the Father. Of all our praise, thanksgiving, and requests, the asking for the Holy Spirit is central in the answering of all of them. Without the Spirit of God we are spiritually powerless and will live a sham of a God-explained life. I'm sure Jesus' disciples made many requests of Him in person and in prayer after His Ascension, but it was the fulfilment of their prayers at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came that the disciples shook the world. All of our needs, which God has promised to provide for from His glorious riches, come in line after what Jesus implied should be our request, the very Spirit of God. It is in that dynamic relationship with the Triune God, that propels us in His movements in this world.

The Lord's Supper and being punched in the stomach

Have you ever had the wind knocked out of you? You felt totally defense-less and gasping for breath. No recourse left, but to try and recover and regain your composure. Totally unanticipated, you are left reeling.

It was an ordinary Wednesday night. The service was pretty much typical with the exception that it included the Lord's Supper. As I participated in the service and focused on what what the Lord's Supper reminded us of (the death of Jesus on the cross), I found my mind focused on sin and its consequences. As we sang "Jesus paid it all," I wondered how powerful a love that took all the pain of all the sin of all mankind unjustly on Himself. As He hung on that cross the pain of the nails and the intense physical suffering were nothing in comparison to taking on the pain of the sins of this world, including mine. Every sin has a consequence. Some immediately evident, others more indirect. Sin has a relatively short term reward at a great long term price. Sin causes grief, suffering, brokenness, separation, mistrust, defeat, and death. Sin gives a hard, gut wrenching punch.

God brought to mind what someone had said to me earlier. They felt like they had been "punched in the stomach." Through a Christian book, God had spoke to them about an area they did not realize was a sin against God and someone else. When the conviction of the sin hit them, they said it felt like a "punch in the stomach." Thankfully, in their case, it led to humbly seeking forgiveness.

Jesus absorbed all "our punches," all the consequences and pain of our sins. In an ordinary service, an extraordinary message of love came through a gut wrenching reminder of Christ's great sacrifice. Totally unanticipated, I had to leave silently, totally defense-less and in my soul gasping for breath. No recourse left, but to surrender.